I worked at the library years ago, people would bring in used books for an annual book sale, the sheer tonnage of bodice rippers we got was staggering. Nobody who brought them in brought a small amount, they brought boxes and bags in huge amounts. I have read plenty that were fantastic, well researched, great characters, lots of drama, etc.
I think the reason that I started reading Sci-Fi & Fantasy was that the amount of detail that was spent painting the mental landscape of these Harlequins that were being passed around was so engrossing. I loved Jackie Collins and Sidney Sheldon and Danielle Steele. I think that when a story is being told to you in such an illustrative way you can get lost no matter the genre.
I always thought she just grabbed them from the grocery store. Then again since you said that, as paranode as she is of how people see her. The subscription makes sense. She also clams that she has "Never read a dirty book in her life." You may roll your eyes. I do. Constantly.
Hot take: if ACOTAR had been written in the 80s it would have absolutely been considered a trashy novel not fit to be discussed in polite company. No shade of course, just realizing there’s a lot of well written old romance novels that didn’t get there dues and if BookTok existed then they would’ve blown up, and the converse is true that many of today’s romance-heavy bestsellers would have not gotten the recognition they deserve.
Also I will say book covers in general used to have a whitewashing problem. For example, I’ve always visualized Lan from Wheel of Time as Asian (yes he has blue eyes but someone from any race can have them because it’s a mutation that can happen randomly). So when his actor got cast in the TV show I was like “wow he’s perfect” and then I go online and find out people are mad that he’s not white??? And the reason people cite is his description in the book but when pressed they seem to be referring to how he appears in the cover art than the books themselves.
@@marmartin9822 I agree, I always picture Carden from Cruel Prince as Latino, or just literally anything but white. And many characters from the Salt and Sorrows series I see as many other ethnicities because I think it makes a more exciting world. But hey, remember when they cast Rue in Hunger Games, that really showed a lot of fans true colors….
Thank you fabio for like 85% of romance cover insparation and modeling. 🙏 i wish we would go back to those covers they were all hand painted artwork with a model posing or pictures of a model posing for the painting. Really masterful i hope the artisits got the artistic credit they deserved outside of the romance covers
I had to look up if I was thinking of the right Fabio because I used to watch a tv show about a boy band called Big Time Rush(I’m 23 so it’s an old show for me but it’s not old) and he makes a few cameos in the show
Can I just say it’s really refreshing to see someone actually enjoying one of these books on RUclips…It’s super easy to read a bad romance novel and farm it for content but I loved you actually going up to bat for harlequin romance. Obviously they’re not all gonna be winners but seeing someone actually give the genre a chance and find the good in it is amazing. As someone a little younger I’m actually really pleasantly surprised men of color are featured in these books so often in a way that feels genuine and not very fetishy. I loved it when you said you were Team Sherif at a certain point in the book. I’m so used to the love interests in these types of books being boarish and awful and the women reading them on here being horrified and wanting the main character to run. It’s nice to see a hero who is actually swoon worthy.
@@cjb4127 Sharif had his moments but he was definitely a main man worth scaling a cliff for lol I was also shocked at how well he was written as a POC leading man and like you said, not fetishy. I hope this is the case for many of these books and this wasn’t a one hit wonder lol we shall see. I’m reading another and will make another video soon.
On book covers, apparently graphic designers give the art director of the books multiple finished pieces, and then the rest is left in marketing's dubious control. Most book covers these days rarely represent what the book is about, and are more focused on drawing the eye in a trendy and modern way - you can see familiar branding with a lot of "romantasy" the center aligned, capital lettering, over a line drawing (and a lot of gold!). Unfortunately while shopping a little while ago, I spotted about 3 or 4 published books with AI "art" on the cover. You can tell if it's AI usually, but if in doubt, check the credits on the inside. Graphic designers and illustration being credited should be standard practice now - if no one's name is there....maybe put it down 😅
I have a number of writer friends who credit these books for teaching them how to write smut well, it definitely feels a lost art cus lord knows the stuff coming out today is hot garbage. This was a really great video and would love to see more if you read more of the genre or the same author!
Thank you, I agree. Reading these make today's romance novels look like middle school fan fiction. I plan on reading at least one old romance novel a month and recapping so stay tuned for August's!
My mom read these books all the time in the 80s. I'd sneak them into my bedroom to read when she was done. The historical books were my favourite. They were my sex education.
I would actually 100% read these kinds of romance books with smut over the modern day "romance"/"romantasy". This books plot and premise and just over all everything sounds so much better than the modern age romance we have now 😅.
Let me recommend you Google "Robert McGinnis." he basically invented this "naked man, clothed woman" style of cover art with his cover for "Fires of Winter." McGinnis is 99 years old and still painting. I think you can get posters of his covers.
He did the original American Gods cover! My husband loves that one, I'll have to buy it from his website for our library, thank you so much for telling me about him!
I fell in love with an (ultimately scrapped) painting meant for an 80s romance novel. One of my friends contacted the artist, who managed to sell them a large canvas print of the painting. It was a graduation gift to me. ❤
Yay, I'm thanking the YT god's for this gem of a recommendation. Reading these books gives me the same feeling as watching Pride and Prejudice or many Korean/Japanese dramas, the yearning is just off the charts. I love how significant a look or an innocent touch is. It makes the payoff that much more satisfying. Rock on girl!
Desert Captive is one of the better, if not one of the best, old--school bodice rippers I have ever read. The prose is gorgeous, the characters are great, and it's hard to put it down lol. But man did they do Sha-Sha dirty with that cover! He looks nothing like that dude.
My sister lost all her books in a move a few years ago. So I always include an old babysitters club or harlequin in her gifts lol. I go by a particular theme or just by the beautiful colours on the spine, check the back real quick, they are fun gifts ! Also our friend's dad apparently has a large male "series", it's like 50+ volumes ? It's western themed as well 😂💕
This is the first video of yours I've seen and I am hooked. I'm knitting a vest and the length of this video got me through a slog. Please continue to make the types of videos. Good review and synopsis of a book I may not have otherwise read
Thank you so much! I plan on trying to do a recap of an old harlequin novel at least once a month so be sure to check back in later this August. I'm reading Golden Torment ;) So far it's as ridiculous as this one lol
I love that this video is my introduction to your channel! As a child of the 80s, I vividly remember these kinds of covers in the grocery store magazine and books section lol.
1:30:10 I am Middle Eastern, myself. I must say: there is a chunk of the population that has green eyes, light brown hair, and skin that doesn't tan. It's not far fetched at all, so this is another bit of praise to the author's ability to research.
The cover arts are certainly very nicely made. Not just from being romantic, but the general style and quality is just something I can't recall seeing in books published in the past few years if not more more. It's also rather interesting, at least from the story recap, that the book doesn't sugarcoat or shy away from unpleasant subject matters. Refreshing even that there is tangible consequences. Yet while saying that, it is rather interesting in how it also is what could be called progressive today, aka ahead of its time. I think modern romance, and romantasy, authors could learn something from these overlooked novels.
I agree. These books look like silly romances but have a lot of drama and world building if you will. Even the side characters you grow to care about which I can’t say for a lot of modern romances.
I'm reading as fast as I can! Lol jk but I do hope to do one or two a month if people enjoy them as much as I do. Let me tell you, the one I'm reading now for August is just as chaotic. Stay tuned...
Maybe not super spicy.... but so much better than most of the 'romance' books now, its got a plot, interesting characters, some of the themes might be a bit dated but now ai kinda want to.go amd look for old 80s romance books in op shops.
Yes, today I feel so many focus on the romance but barely any actual plot. Or too much plot and not enough romance. These are a great little medium. Not too serious but just serious enough lol
I love old school historical romances because they are rich in setting, plot and characters that is sorely lacking in a lot of the historical romances written today. Plus the plots are delightfully bonkers a lot of the time😅 zebra romances (the publisher who put out penelope neri's novel) in particular can get really wild and the covers are gorgeous🤩
I thought you made some great points (e.g. the covers depictions of the men and color as well as the difference between porn and simple writing of real situations). Well done overall, I enjoyed this.
You are hilarious! I loved listening to your commentary. I highly recommend "A Candle in the Dark" by Megan Chance as another great old school romance not to be missed. And I subscribed, because I'm really hoping you'll be doing more videos like this 😊
I will add it to my list! And I had a lot of fun making this video, so I'll hopefully be reading and recaping one a month since we are all enjoying it so much! August will be "Golden Torment" ;)
This is the first video of yours I’ve ever watched and I look forward to continuously watching more. Also, I remember seeing these book covers as a kid and thinking they were really pretty but then I’d never seen them again after I found them the first time.
got randomly recommended your channel by YT, gotta say I really liked your video, Love the way you explained the story and made it sound intresting, knowing you left out information , now I'm really curious to try find it and see if I can read the whole thing. I rarely pick a book , and find modern romances a little flat ,not even talking about always having young main characters, but I'd definitely love hear you talk about more old books, may they bee good or bad, it's always fun to hear people talk about their reads. Keep up the good work ! Good luck !
Barely into the video, I remember writing a character who painted those novel covers. Those novel covers were my favorite works of art next to 1920s Ziegfeld Follies.
@@montanastateofmind this story actually ticked a lot of the “squares” …he was a prince, she was orphaned, emergency marriage, he gets hurt, she tries to run away - but he brings her back…and on and on. :) I find the “horse” trope the most …well…but, the most common story device to get things going is probably “there is only one bed” Please enjoy retro romance book bingo (even if it is a made-up game, it is still book club approved - LOL) 😝
Came here through suggestions and I'm already subscribing even though I'm not even through the video! As a writer this stuff really sounds like great writing chalked up as "women's lit" and therefore something to sneer at. I hope you'll have time to make more of these kinds of fun videos. Thank you for posting! ❤
This video inspired me to pick up a historical romance! I found one called “Sweet Mountain Magic” by Rosanne Bittner and I am loving it so far! Thank you for sharing your experience with us!
As a man, I am often weirded out that the main character ladies get "tackled" into sex rather than consenting in any way. If he disrespected her privacy and went in there and inserted himself in her in real life, with no indication of her wanting it at all, then it would most certainly be rape. In romance novels, this stuff is consensual because the men are said to read the women's minds. Even the guy saying "I only had sex with you because I know we're destined to be together" is a line I think I would come up with to fool one night stands, if I were dishonorable. Same goes with the "I will only have one wife, if you want," a lie told at the beginning of the relationship. If I were to accept the backwards logic of the novel, though, it's a love story with many twists and turns, and her lack of consent is read as her conflicting emotions. It's a lovely summary: thank you for reading!
My mother never censored my reading so I grew up reading anything and everything I could find, including "trashy romance novels," which taught me so many things about plot, suspense, character development/arc, and the importance of historical research. Mary Jo Putney is one of the best when it comes to exploring dark themes, feminist or minority issues, and political intrigue. If you enjoyed Desert Captive, I highly suggest examining her "Silk" trilogy.
I've only recently discovered your channel and I really appreciate this video format - both the length and the way you conversationally discuss the story. New subscriber here
I’ve never clicked a video so fast. Growing up, I think we were all a lil curious about those books in the bookstore or library… I’m so here for this video
This is a very fun video. I used to steal my mom's bodice rippers after she had finished them. Nothing better than furtively reading about turgid mounds under the covers past bedtime. I used to call my sibling "brother" a là Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, because I thought it was always hilarious when people do that on TV and in movies, but it really shot me in the foot after she transitioned and I kept misgendering her because I was so in the habit of calling her by their familial status to me lol Edit: OH MY GOD THIEF AND THE COBBLER REFERENCED!!! AMAZING! ❤❤❤❤❤
It’s a rite of passage. And I never even considered when people transition lol Thief and the Cobbler is a deep cut I know but worth it if you find fellow fans ;)
you are such a light!!! your voice and accent reminds me of home and a nice glass of sweet tea. i hope you keep going with this channel, you’ve got such a star quality 🫶🫶
My cover artist creates artistic covers that are just top notch! You'll definitely find people out there to make the beautiful images you want representing you!
Oh my word! I laughed so hard at parts of this video that I can't help but subscribe bc I absolutely loved this video and the way you make us feel like we are just hanging out chitchatting about this book! Not to mention, as a Gen X, I pretty much cut my adult reading "teeth" on these types of books and it's wonderful to see a fresh perspective!
I can't help but feel horrible for Raisha. Concubines are often women who had sex before marriage. They're doomed to be treated worse than scum in the Middle East, especially in lower income areas. Raisha wanting Sharif as a husband, having rough sex with him, only to have him move on to some foreigner with more sought out light skin is downright heartbreaking. The author making her a villain is terrible: that gang rape punishment the story offers her is not equal to what she has done with her betrayal of the village. People died in the conflict, Sharif got tortured, but was this all avoidable enough to say we blame Raisha for it entirely?
I realized this was like an anime. Such good storytelling and nonstop juicy. I did watch at 1.75x, but that nearly 2 hours flew by. After all he did, he eventually died an honorable death
i am a straight male and i read boxes of harlequin romance and other steamy novels as a kid and i still splurge on occaison. i had such an insatiable reading habit that the only books readily available were these. if i had an adult fantasy novel in my hands adults would take it away thinking i was to young. but everybody that saw a romance novel assumed i couldn't read yet and wanted it for the cover. they can be quite addicting especially the victorian style ones. jo beverly rest her soul made a bunch of good ones,
Back in the very late 80's/early 90's when I was a 13 or 14, my mom had a small collection of these books and I would find a different one in her bathroom every couple of days. I'd go in there and sneak read a few pages or so, and YEAH the spicy parts. She also had loads of Stephen King novels, and in one summer I read half of those - which she didn't have a problem with! - and ALL of her bodice rippers. I didn't tell her about those lol. It's funny cuz now my spicy bathroom reading is fanfic on my phone.
I really loved your point of view on these books. Especially the Stephen king quote 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 I definitely want to read one of these books, I guess The winter king by C.L.Wilson will be up to next. But I need more 80s suggestions. Probably Scotland themed.
16:14 a pyramid or smth fell on top of him. that line took me OUT lmfao but real talk i love the respect ur paying to this genre and im already hooked on desert captive just by ur retelling so far
Hello! New subbie here! I love your storytelling! It's marvelous! I used to read these books when I was a teenager in the late eighties and early nineties.
My mom used to read old Victoria Holt books published in the 70s and 80s. I loved reading those when I was in high school and still look for them at used bookstores and thrift stores. They got me into mystery, thriller, and romance books.
I love the video! I'm obsessed with the covers! done and dusted is a modern book that has a cover with a similar flavor, but it doesn't match the level of artsy. ps: english is my second language and I'm confused by the title. isn't it supposed to be "so you don't have to!!"?
Gosh, my mom and i have stacks of these in the garage that belonged to my grandmother. We've considered taking them to the local thrift shop, but as it is Christian owned we figured that would not be appropriate (assuming they were purely smut) 🤣😂 now you've opened my mind a bit, I may just have to give them a try. I know for sure my grandma enjoyed them ❤
I'm probably showing my age, but I still own some of these books. I am a grandma (Gen X). I used to love to read them and I still re-read them from time to time, like "Love Not a Rebel". If you can find that one I highly suggest it, it's a fun read.
im middle eastern and yeah the 3 day thing is true lol... ppl dont rly do it anymore but technically if you went to someones house they would have to take care of you for 3 days WITHOUT asking why you need help or anything about you LMAO I read this book and the research the author did was insane.. its so accurate LMAO
I'm looking for a book that's historical fiction romance. The main female character is a white woman who moves into a country town in the 1800s. She bumps into a native American man who works for the town. I think the FMC moved to the town to be a school teacher. I also think it's an enemies to lovers?.
I worked at the library years ago, people would bring in used books for an annual book sale, the sheer tonnage of bodice rippers we got was staggering. Nobody who brought them in brought a small amount, they brought boxes and bags in huge amounts. I have read plenty that were fantastic, well researched, great characters, lots of drama, etc.
I think the reason that I started reading Sci-Fi & Fantasy was that the amount of detail that was spent painting the mental landscape of these Harlequins that were being passed around was so engrossing. I loved Jackie Collins and Sidney Sheldon and Danielle Steele. I think that when a story is being told to you in such an illustrative way you can get lost no matter the genre.
Please, would u drop the names? I want to read them too now
My local library has a HUGE annual book sale, and there’s an entire table just for the 80’s pocket book romance.
Please I’d love names of the good ones! I need a new gun genera to read
@@no_where_land9947 sorry this was 20 years ago, can’t remember any names.
The amount of these books my mother had was mindboggling. I mean two black lawn sized garbage bag full.
She definitely must have subscribed to the Zebra Publishing book club lol She was well traveled, mentally at least.
I always thought she just grabbed them from the grocery store. Then again since you said that, as paranode as she is of how people see her. The subscription makes sense. She also clams that she has "Never read a dirty book in her life." You may roll your eyes. I do. Constantly.
Hot take: if ACOTAR had been written in the 80s it would have absolutely been considered a trashy novel not fit to be discussed in polite company. No shade of course, just realizing there’s a lot of well written old romance novels that didn’t get there dues and if BookTok existed then they would’ve blown up, and the converse is true that many of today’s romance-heavy bestsellers would have not gotten the recognition they deserve.
Also I will say book covers in general used to have a whitewashing problem. For example, I’ve always visualized Lan from Wheel of Time as Asian (yes he has blue eyes but someone from any race can have them because it’s a mutation that can happen randomly). So when his actor got cast in the TV show I was like “wow he’s perfect” and then I go online and find out people are mad that he’s not white??? And the reason people cite is his description in the book but when pressed they seem to be referring to how he appears in the cover art than the books themselves.
@@marmartin9822 I agree, I always picture Carden from Cruel Prince as Latino, or just literally anything but white. And many characters from the Salt and Sorrows series I see as many other ethnicities because I think it makes a more exciting world. But hey, remember when they cast Rue in Hunger Games, that really showed a lot of fans true colors….
that's not a hot take because that book has been reduced to fairy smut in the current day
Thank you fabio for like 85% of romance cover insparation and modeling. 🙏 i wish we would go back to those covers they were all hand painted artwork with a model posing or pictures of a model posing for the painting. Really masterful i hope the artisits got the artistic credit they deserved outside of the romance covers
I need to find some Fabio covers out in the wild!
I had to look up if I was thinking of the right Fabio because I used to watch a tv show about a boy band called Big Time Rush(I’m 23 so it’s an old show for me but it’s not old) and he makes a few cameos in the show
@@rubeuspotter719The guy who got his nose broken by a goose on a roller coaster 😂
Can I just say it’s really refreshing to see someone actually enjoying one of these books on RUclips…It’s super easy to read a bad romance novel and farm it for content but I loved you actually going up to bat for harlequin romance. Obviously they’re not all gonna be winners but seeing someone actually give the genre a chance and find the good in it is amazing. As someone a little younger I’m actually really pleasantly surprised men of color are featured in these books so often in a way that feels genuine and not very fetishy. I loved it when you said you were Team Sherif at a certain point in the book. I’m so used to the love interests in these types of books being boarish and awful and the women reading them on here being horrified and wanting the main character to run. It’s nice to see a hero who is actually swoon worthy.
@@cjb4127 Sharif had his moments but he was definitely a main man worth scaling a cliff for lol I was also shocked at how well he was written as a POC leading man and like you said, not fetishy. I hope this is the case for many of these books and this wasn’t a one hit wonder lol we shall see. I’m reading another and will make another video soon.
@@montanastateofmind Excited to see it! I’m surprised you don’t have more subscribers.
On book covers, apparently graphic designers give the art director of the books multiple finished pieces, and then the rest is left in marketing's dubious control. Most book covers these days rarely represent what the book is about, and are more focused on drawing the eye in a trendy and modern way - you can see familiar branding with a lot of "romantasy" the center aligned, capital lettering, over a line drawing (and a lot of gold!).
Unfortunately while shopping a little while ago, I spotted about 3 or 4 published books with AI "art" on the cover. You can tell if it's AI usually, but if in doubt, check the credits on the inside. Graphic designers and illustration being credited should be standard practice now - if no one's name is there....maybe put it down 😅
I have a number of writer friends who credit these books for teaching them how to write smut well, it definitely feels a lost art cus lord knows the stuff coming out today is hot garbage. This was a really great video and would love to see more if you read more of the genre or the same author!
Thank you, I agree. Reading these make today's romance novels look like middle school fan fiction. I plan on reading at least one old romance novel a month and recapping so stay tuned for August's!
The amount of skill to write good smut truly is lost art when modern published authors were trained on badly written sex scenes
@@stahppls2293 Or a lack of personal experience.
My mom read these books all the time in the 80s. I'd sneak them into my bedroom to read when she was done. The historical books were my favourite. They were my sex education.
I would honestly rather my kids get any sex info from these books than ANY Netflix show today lol
Oh my goodness me too.
My mom too!!!
Would NEVER have guessed it was set in the middle east by the cover! But knowing that I’m immediately imagining Oded Fehr from The Mummy thank you
GREAT casting choice!!!
Girl as an Arab I would tell you to watch any 50s 60s 70s Middle Eastern movies and be shocked 😅
That was actually sweet. I could listen to you retell Harlequin novels all day.
You came up on my recommended feed today and I'm so glad you did! I really enjoyed this and can't wait to see what else you'll do on your channel.
Thank you so much!
THIS HAS BEEN A MYTHICAL RECOMMENDATION PULL !!!. please please please review more books. You have amazing commentary. Immediate subscribe.
“WHERE are my CRUMPETS?!?” sent me. Awesome.
"a pyramid air something fell ob top of him" That really made me laugh!
Thank you x
Ok I'm glad it's not just me. I laughed outloud for nearly a full minute
I would actually 100% read these kinds of romance books with smut over the modern day "romance"/"romantasy". This books plot and premise and just over all everything sounds so much better than the modern age romance we have now 😅.
Let me recommend you Google "Robert McGinnis." he basically invented this "naked man, clothed woman" style of cover art with his cover for "Fires of Winter." McGinnis is 99 years old and still painting. I think you can get posters of his covers.
He did the original American Gods cover! My husband loves that one, I'll have to buy it from his website for our library, thank you so much for telling me about him!
You just introduced me to a whole new artist thank you!! I had no idea he was so prominent in pop culture yet seemingly so unknown
I had to Google it, but the author is Roberta Gellis, and "Fires of Winter" is part of the Tales of Jernaeve series.
I fell in love with an (ultimately scrapped) painting meant for an 80s romance novel. One of my friends contacted the artist, who managed to sell them a large canvas print of the painting. It was a graduation gift to me. ❤
Your editing is HILARIOUS. Also literally I laughed out loud when you imitating the spitting noises you imagined the horse making in the sandstorm 🤣
Yay, I'm thanking the YT god's for this gem of a recommendation. Reading these books gives me the same feeling as watching Pride and Prejudice or many Korean/Japanese dramas, the yearning is just off the charts. I love how significant a look or an innocent touch is. It makes the payoff that much more satisfying. Rock on girl!
Desert Captive is one of the better, if not one of the best, old--school bodice rippers I have ever read. The prose is gorgeous, the characters are great, and it's hard to put it down lol. But man did they do Sha-Sha dirty with that cover! He looks nothing like that dude.
My sister lost all her books in a move a few years ago. So I always include an old babysitters club or harlequin in her gifts lol.
I go by a particular theme or just by the beautiful colours on the spine, check the back real quick, they are fun gifts !
Also our friend's dad apparently has a large male "series", it's like 50+ volumes ? It's western themed as well 😂💕
Those westerns were bathroom reads before cell phones lol but that's a fun gift to give your sister! Very cute to theme it.
A collection of westerns is such a "friend's dad" thing to have. Were they Louis L'amour? One of my stepdads collected those.
One of my friends does this for her sister too! When we go thrifting, she keeps an eye out for old harlequin books because her sister loves them lol
Id love to hear your reveiws of beverly jenkins she a African american writer her older romances are amazing and the covers are chefs kiss❤❤❤❤ ❤❤❤
I would absolutely love to read her books! I don’t wanna just read white lady novel after white lady novel lol thank you for telling me about her.
This is the first video of yours I've seen and I am hooked. I'm knitting a vest and the length of this video got me through a slog. Please continue to make the types of videos. Good review and synopsis of a book I may not have otherwise read
Thank you so much! I plan on trying to do a recap of an old harlequin novel at least once a month so be sure to check back in later this August. I'm reading Golden Torment ;) So far it's as ridiculous as this one lol
I love that this video is my introduction to your channel! As a child of the 80s, I vividly remember these kinds of covers in the grocery store magazine and books section lol.
They were so mysterious to us back in the day lol I'm reading some more to recap once a month so stay tuned.
@@montanastateofmind They truly were lol. I’m subscribed so I’ll be here 🥰🖤
I love those covers ♥️lol I always thought they were aesthetically pleasing
My aunt had SHELVES. Man wish she hadn’t went on a whole Christian spree and tossed them. I learned so much from those books. 😩😩😂😂😂
"This is Reading Rainbow for gran ma smut." Hilarious.
1:30:10 I am Middle Eastern, myself. I must say: there is a chunk of the population that has green eyes, light brown hair, and skin that doesn't tan. It's not far fetched at all, so this is another bit of praise to the author's ability to research.
You know YOU KNOW Penelope Neri watched Lawrence of Arabia and spent several nights awake thinking about Omar Sharif. And I don't blame her.
The cover arts are certainly very nicely made. Not just from being romantic, but the general style and quality is just something I can't recall seeing in books published in the past few years if not more more.
It's also rather interesting, at least from the story recap, that the book doesn't sugarcoat or shy away from unpleasant subject matters. Refreshing even that there is tangible consequences. Yet while saying that, it is rather interesting in how it also is what could be called progressive today, aka ahead of its time.
I think modern romance, and romantasy, authors could learn something from these overlooked novels.
I agree. These books look like silly romances but have a lot of drama and world building if you will. Even the side characters you grow to care about which I can’t say for a lot of modern romances.
Please definitely do more videos and reviews of these spicy books. 📚
So glad the algorithm brought me here, you're hilarious and this is just perfect to listen to while knitting away. Plenty of laughs 🤣
I am vomiting with rage that this is the first retelling and I can’t binge them all week 🤮
I'm reading as fast as I can! Lol jk but I do hope to do one or two a month if people enjoy them as much as I do. Let me tell you, the one I'm reading now for August is just as chaotic. Stay tuned...
@@montanastateofmind please !!!!
Maybe not super spicy.... but so much better than most of the 'romance' books now, its got a plot, interesting characters, some of the themes might be a bit dated but now ai kinda want to.go amd look for old 80s romance books in op shops.
Yes, today I feel so many focus on the romance but barely any actual plot. Or too much plot and not enough romance. These are a great little medium. Not too serious but just serious enough lol
One of the best videos I’ve ever seen now I wanna read these vintage romance books 😂
This was so much fun to listen to!
I read a lot of fantasy romance manhwa and webtoons, so stuff like this is right up my alley!
I love old school historical romances because they are rich in setting, plot and characters that is sorely lacking in a lot of the historical romances written today. Plus the plots are delightfully bonkers a lot of the time😅 zebra romances (the publisher who put out penelope neri's novel) in particular can get really wild and the covers are gorgeous🤩
More of this please!!❤
I plan on reading and making more in between my video essays so definitely stay tuned! August will be a recap of "Golden Torment" ;)
I thought you made some great points (e.g. the covers depictions of the men and color as well as the difference between porn and simple writing of real situations). Well done overall, I enjoyed this.
Thank you, I'm still learning and I appreciate your comment :)
You are hilarious! I loved listening to your commentary. I highly recommend "A Candle in the Dark" by Megan Chance as another great old school romance not to be missed. And I subscribed, because I'm really hoping you'll be doing more videos like this 😊
I will add it to my list! And I had a lot of fun making this video, so I'll hopefully be reading and recaping one a month since we are all enjoying it so much! August will be "Golden Torment" ;)
This is the first video of yours I’ve ever watched and I look forward to continuously watching more.
Also, I remember seeing these book covers as a kid and thinking they were really pretty but then I’d never seen them again after I found them the first time.
Omg you neeeeeeeed to do more!
@@bindibeth333 I will! I hopefully can do at least one a month :) I am almost done with one for this month so stay tuned.
Your editing was killing me 😂
Thank you for this. Definitely staying next ones
got randomly recommended your channel by YT, gotta say I really liked your video, Love the way you explained the story and made it sound intresting, knowing you left out information , now I'm really curious to try find it and see if I can read the whole thing. I rarely pick a book , and find modern romances a little flat ,not even talking about always having young main characters, but I'd definitely love hear you talk about more old books, may they bee good or bad, it's always fun to hear people talk about their reads. Keep up the good work ! Good luck !
@@namon6571 thank you so much!
Love all the clips that you used haha
Girl I nab these books from goodwill all the time 😂 they’re a trip but usually a good time.
Barely into the video, I remember writing a character who painted those novel covers. Those novel covers were my favorite works of art next to 1920s Ziegfeld Follies.
Omg Ziegfeld Follies is a favorite of mine too, especially the 1945 movie with Lucille Ball.
So happy the algorithm lead me here! What a fun and good review of the book and the genre in general! Subscribed!
I had such a laugh - wow, that takes me back. Have you played “trope” bingo yet? On a horse is a center square. 😅
I feel like I should. There are definitely some …similarities lol point for every time the main character gets nearly assaulted … ugghhh
@@montanastateofmind this story actually ticked a lot of the “squares” …he was a prince, she was orphaned, emergency marriage, he gets hurt, she tries to run away - but he brings her back…and on and on. :)
I find the “horse” trope the most …well…but, the most common story device to get things going is probably “there is only one bed”
Please enjoy retro romance book bingo (even if it is a made-up game, it is still book club approved - LOL) 😝
I loved this! We need an old romance novel book club or something bc this was such a fun video! Definitely need a part 2!
Came here through suggestions and I'm already subscribing even though I'm not even through the video! As a writer this stuff really sounds like great writing chalked up as "women's lit" and therefore something to sneer at. I hope you'll have time to make more of these kinds of fun videos. Thank you for posting! ❤
the creed reference 55:20 and the surfs up reference 1:15:26 lmaooo
This video inspired me to pick up a historical romance! I found one called “Sweet Mountain Magic” by Rosanne Bittner and I am loving it so far! Thank you for sharing your experience with us!
As a man, I am often weirded out that the main character ladies get "tackled" into sex rather than consenting in any way. If he disrespected her privacy and went in there and inserted himself in her in real life, with no indication of her wanting it at all, then it would most certainly be rape. In romance novels, this stuff is consensual because the men are said to read the women's minds. Even the guy saying "I only had sex with you because I know we're destined to be together" is a line I think I would come up with to fool one night stands, if I were dishonorable. Same goes with the "I will only have one wife, if you want," a lie told at the beginning of the relationship. If I were to accept the backwards logic of the novel, though, it's a love story with many twists and turns, and her lack of consent is read as her conflicting emotions.
It's a lovely summary: thank you for reading!
Your commentary is so fun & entertaining that I didn't even realize this was over an hour 💖 Subscribing for sure
My mother never censored my reading so I grew up reading anything and everything I could find, including "trashy romance novels," which taught me so many things about plot, suspense, character development/arc, and the importance of historical research. Mary Jo Putney is one of the best when it comes to exploring dark themes, feminist or minority issues, and political intrigue. If you enjoyed Desert Captive, I highly suggest examining her "Silk" trilogy.
Girl I loved this!! You're so funny, love your references.
I've only recently discovered your channel and I really appreciate this video format - both the length and the way you conversationally discuss the story. New subscriber here
@@MoragOctober thank you! I really appreciate it!
I’ve never clicked a video so fast. Growing up, I think we were all a lil curious about those books in the bookstore or library… I’m so here for this video
I still have the copy of desert captive that my mother had and still enjoy it.
this is exactly what i needed 😭 i love long book reviews and this one is amazing
Clicked for the title, stayed for the accent 😂
This is a very fun video. I used to steal my mom's bodice rippers after she had finished them. Nothing better than furtively reading about turgid mounds under the covers past bedtime.
I used to call my sibling "brother" a là Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, because I thought it was always hilarious when people do that on TV and in movies, but it really shot me in the foot after she transitioned and I kept misgendering her because I was so in the habit of calling her by their familial status to me lol
Edit: OH MY GOD THIEF AND THE COBBLER REFERENCED!!! AMAZING! ❤❤❤❤❤
It’s a rite of passage. And I never even considered when people transition lol Thief and the Cobbler is a deep cut I know but worth it if you find fellow fans ;)
@@montanastateofmind I can still recite parts of the movie from memory :)
you are such a light!!! your voice and accent reminds me of home and a nice glass of sweet tea. i hope you keep going with this channel, you’ve got such a star quality 🫶🫶
I just think the illustrations are so beautiful. You are so funny I subscribed. Please show us what Cathy wrote in the book she read twice 🎀
Witch Hat Atelier: spotted
Emotional state while watching the video: highly entertained
Subscribed ❤
@@TheSleepyGrove thank you and I’m very excited for the anime version coming out!
My cover artist creates artistic covers that are just top notch! You'll definitely find people out there to make the beautiful images you want representing you!
Oh my word! I laughed so hard at parts of this video that I can't help but subscribe bc I absolutely loved this video and the way you make us feel like we are just hanging out chitchatting about this book! Not to mention, as a Gen X, I pretty much cut my adult reading "teeth" on these types of books and it's wonderful to see a fresh perspective!
I can't help but feel horrible for Raisha. Concubines are often women who had sex before marriage. They're doomed to be treated worse than scum in the Middle East, especially in lower income areas. Raisha wanting Sharif as a husband, having rough sex with him, only to have him move on to some foreigner with more sought out light skin is downright heartbreaking. The author making her a villain is terrible: that gang rape punishment the story offers her is not equal to what she has done with her betrayal of the village. People died in the conflict, Sharif got tortured, but was this all avoidable enough to say we blame Raisha for it entirely?
No way, I totally listened to Reading Rainbow 1980s intro just yesterday!!!! One of my favorite childhood shows!
Love 80s and 90s spicy romance novels. They are so not PC . Smutty on an epic level. I have quite a few that I love. 💕
I realized this was like an anime. Such good storytelling and nonstop juicy. I did watch at 1.75x, but that nearly 2 hours flew by. After all he did, he eventually died an honorable death
Love ur video! Can’t wait to watch the rest
i am a straight male and i read boxes of harlequin romance and other steamy novels as a kid and i still splurge on occaison. i had such an insatiable reading habit that the only books readily available were these. if i had an adult fantasy novel in my hands adults would take it away thinking i was to young. but everybody that saw a romance novel assumed i couldn't read yet and wanted it for the cover.
they can be quite addicting especially the victorian style ones. jo beverly rest her soul made a bunch of good ones,
Back in the very late 80's/early 90's when I was a 13 or 14, my mom had a small collection of these books and I would find a different one in her bathroom every couple of days. I'd go in there and sneak read a few pages or so, and YEAH the spicy parts. She also had loads of Stephen King novels, and in one summer I read half of those - which she didn't have a problem with! - and ALL of her bodice rippers. I didn't tell her about those lol.
It's funny cuz now my spicy bathroom reading is fanfic on my phone.
I just love the way you tell things. So much fun to watch.
You put Reading Rainbow AND Boyz2Men in this review!?!? Girl, you are amazing!!!
@@CiaoColeG RUclips demonetized this video for that Boyz 2 Men clip, so definitely enjoy lol 😅
I really loved your point of view on these books. Especially the Stephen king quote 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 I definitely want to read one of these books, I guess The winter king by C.L.Wilson will be up to next. But I need more 80s suggestions. Probably Scotland themed.
16:14 a pyramid or smth fell on top of him. that line took me OUT lmfao
but real talk i love the respect ur paying to this genre and im already hooked on desert captive just by ur retelling so far
I feel so inspired by this, my friends and I are going to pick up a few of these novels and then give "book reports" lol
Hello! New subbie here! I love your storytelling! It's marvelous! I used to read these books when I was a teenager in the late eighties and early nineties.
My mom used to read old Victoria Holt books published in the 70s and 80s. I loved reading those when I was in high school and still look for them at used bookstores and thrift stores. They got me into mystery, thriller, and romance books.
literally love your vibe omg i could listen for hours
Your channel deserves so many more subscribers 😂❤this video is right up my alley girl😂 loved this
I love the video! I'm obsessed with the covers! done and dusted is a modern book that has a cover with a similar flavor, but it doesn't match the level of artsy.
ps: english is my second language and I'm confused by the title. isn't it supposed to be "so you don't have to!!"?
Gosh, my mom and i have stacks of these in the garage that belonged to my grandmother. We've considered taking them to the local thrift shop, but as it is Christian owned we figured that would not be appropriate (assuming they were purely smut) 🤣😂 now you've opened my mind a bit, I may just have to give them a try. I know for sure my grandma enjoyed them ❤
The covers are stunning. I have bought plenty that are because the cover is beautiful.
I love how you talk, so soothing
Prince eric and Matthew Mcconnogay😂😂
I'm probably showing my age, but I still own some of these books. I am a grandma (Gen X). I used to love to read them and I still re-read them from time to time, like "Love Not a Rebel". If you can find that one I highly suggest it, it's a fun read.
I will add it to the list for sure and hey, you are one of the original fans of these books! You were cool before it became “vintage” and “retro” lol
@@montanastateofmind Thanks! Another fun one is Defy Not the Heart😀
you really took me there girl… so glad this came up on my feed on a day at work where i’m gonna be doing something very boring all day
I love Harlequin novels lol
im middle eastern and yeah the 3 day thing is true lol... ppl dont rly do it anymore but technically if you went to someones house they would have to take care of you for 3 days WITHOUT asking why you need help or anything about you LMAO I read this book and the research the author did was insane.. its so accurate LMAO
28:15 now how tf he became a prince 😭??
Omg, you had me at Aladin's Dad 😂
He's the perfect book boyfriend 😊
I'm looking for a book that's historical fiction romance. The main female character is a white woman who moves into a country town in the 1800s. She bumps into a native American man who works for the town. I think the FMC moved to the town to be a school teacher. I also think it's an enemies to lovers?.
Omg my jaw dropped when you said she signed the paper and I realized what happened hahahaha
Frontier Temptress changed me😂 i read it until it fell apart
He's riding a horse and holding on to the girl at the same time. Is that possible?
I’m not sure….she must have been VERY petite. If anyone wants to try it out let us know lol