Okay, I’m going to rant today on a topic as opposed to commenting on specific books, so pay attention because it will probably be a fairly rare occurence. Over the last week, I know I’ve run across not one but several gripes about romances having too many virginal heroines. (Granted, I may have overdosed on blogs because I have no idea which mentioned this and for that I’m sorry. If anyone did recently mention this topic in a blog entry, speak up and I’ll edit some links in here.)
Now, I’m not crazy enough to argue differently and claim there isn’t a definite overabundance of virgin heroines in romance but either I really am a much more eclectic reader than most or something screwy is going on. Because it just hit me that I’ve commented on two books in just the last few days that have decidedly experienced heroines. And one was a new historical romance – Mr. Impossible by Loretta Chase. The other was the book I commented on yesterday – What To Do About Annie by Millie Criswell. And on top of that, I’m currently rereading Talk of the Town by Suzanne Macpherson and the heroine is most definitely not a virgin. I’m also pretty sure my TBR basket, which holds about a dozen books, almost all brand new usually because I put used purchases in another place unless I plan to read them right away, is practically overflowing with non-virginal heroines at the moment. I would list them but this is already too long.
I just find it strange that the “overabundance” of virgins in romances gets people so hot under the collar but I seem to be tripping all over more experienced heroines without even looking for them. What am I missing here?
Or maybe that should be what am I finding that others aren’t?