Honesty would destroy the romance book industry.
How often do you want to grab a character and yell, "Tell! Her! Just tell her already!"
I don't have the time this would require but it seems to me that the life of romance (PNR, Contemporary, Historical or otherwise) characters would nearly resolve if honesty were the best policy.
This week I have received a couple of New Release style newsletters. In Writerspace (register by the 12th for their mega prize Valentines Soiree Giveaways) a new book, LUCKY PENNY
by Catherine Anderson is described:
by Catherine Anderson is described:
To support her orphaned niece, impoverished Brianna O’Keefe accepts work with a Colorado rancher. To guard herself from unwanted attention, she resorts to a harmless little lie: that she’s married to a Denver gold miner named David Paxton. But when her “husband” shows up, Brianna is stunned—not the least by her desire.
http://nalauthors.com/book2080
This is the little white lie, right? It's never going to hurt anyone, but makes a great plot resolution point. Obviously, someone suffers or the book wouldn't exist!
Then there is the lie of omission or the lie of withheld information. This is often a form of punishment—If he didn't trust her enough, she won't tell the truth about whatever it was and the lovers will be apart for years. I think this is the most common lie, or a close tie with the dishonesty of misunderstanding or assumption. In this case someone assumes they have understood someone due to a miscommunication or assumption. In this case, the solution is often so simple that simply asking a question would severely shorten a plot. For example I just finished reading Lover Awakened in J.R.Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood where this kind of assumption reigns supreme. Because the solution is often so simple I think much of the time the couple is avoiding the truth.
Sometimes the truths are much bigger. It sounds like that is the case in another new book, THE GOLDEN HOUR by Margaret Wurtele. Part of the publisher's synopsis goes:
As Giovanna helps Mario heal, their bond deepens. But the world around them is in upheaval, and terrible truths are slowly being revealed—truths that will endanger countless lives, as well as the love that has grown between them...
http://nalauthors.com/book2085
These are examples I have picked mostly at random. I know there are other lies out there.
- Is there one lie that is bigger to you than others?
- A particular book you recall with a plot built on lies?
- Do you think lies and dishonesty is a primary source of daily strife in normal, everyday life for real people as it is for characters in books?
I would love to hear anything else you have t say about it.
For me the biggest and worst lie is someone looking me right in the face and telling me they didn't do something they know, that I know they did. I just don't see any reason to lie to me because I'm an easy going person most of the time and will forgive just about anything as long as you are truthful about it. I don't like it when people lie to make themselves look better in a situation either, that really irritates me.
ReplyDeleteBut in romance books you pretty much some sort of little lie is going to be told so later on in the story the lie can come to the surface and be resolved.
Lies in real life are a sure way to cause strife, reluctance to trust others and I do think it causes a lot of problems.
To be honest (LOL) lying in romance reminds me too much of soap operas. I prefer straight up interactions. If someone must lie, I'd prefer that they lie to protect someone else. Lying is a trope I'm not entirely fond of - unless the story is written with a great deal of humor or tongue in cheek. Kind of like an episode of The Lucy Show.
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