Book Lovers Inc.
Romance Novel Reviews, Author Interviews, Commentary
Romance and Me: The Importance of a Title
Hey Everyone! Today I would like to discuss with you the importance of how a romance novel is titled.
We all know (even if we try not to judge by its cover) how important book covers are. They are the introduction, the first impression of the novel, the one thing which starts to form our opinion of the book long before we even start reading the first page. But isn’t the title of a novel just as important?
Sure, it is less obvious and usually goes hand in hand with the cover, but I’ve seen, and mostly on romance novels some cringe-worthy titles which would probably make me run as fast as I could from said books. You know the ones I’m talking about I’m sure, but here are a few examples:
ps. I found a great discussion on Goodreads about this problem here.
Or have you given them a chance and discovered they are actually nice or even great reads?
Do these type of titles bother you or you don’t mind at all?
I would love to hear your thoughts!
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I loved your post Stella. I too run away when I see these titles. So cheesy. The worst part is that I'm sure there are some great books in there with horrible titles.
Reclaiming his pregnant widow? LMAO oh my…O_O
I'm kind of a sucker for books with cheesy titles and taglines I'll confess. I bough Queen Victoria: Demon Hunter because of the cheesy tagline: She loved her Country, she hated Zombies.
come on: who can resist that?!
And I'll confess I'm used to cheesy titles. No matter how cool the english title of a book might be, Dutch translators know just how to turn it into something cheesy.
I loved your post Stella. I too run away when I see these titles. So cheesy.
I used to run not walk away from cheesy titles and stupid covers but then I got a few for free and now I will give them a chance. My first was Dangerous Boys and Their Toy. I bought it by accident. It wasn't worth it to return it. I eventually read it (for anyone who doesn't know what this book is, look it up, it's in one of "those" catagories). The book was a fun romp. Now, I am a little more open minded. But the whole pregnant romance thing still doesn't really work for me:)
Titles and covers frequently are book turn offs for me. Yep, I'd stay away from The Surgeon's Secret Baby and The Mogul's Maybe Marriage. But I enjoyed your column and applaud your efforts here to reach some of us close-minded readers!
Great post, Stella! I usually don't pay much attention to the titles, maybe because I'll forget it as soon as I'll read 10 pages, so no, I don't judge a book by its title. But I have to admit that few titles I remember are catchy and long. For example, Jane Grave's books: Hot Wheels and High Heels, Tall Tails and Wedding Veils, Black Ties and Lullabies…
@Caro: You should give them a chance, I tell you from 4 such titled books I really loved 3, and the remaining one was also ok, at least 3.5 stars. I really feel sorry for these authors and novels 🙁
@Sully: Yes, in some cases cheesy titles can be fun and make the book stand out 🙂
@roro: I know roro! I used to as well, but now seeing the track record (3 books out of 4 were great and well written stories), I will try to give them a chance 🙂
@Jen B: lol sounds like an "interesting" book, off to check it out 🙂
ps: I love arranged/forced marriage scenarios, must come from my Pride and Prejudice fanfic loving days 😀
@LSUReader: I know! I started reading the first cheesy novel, because the title was so utterly ridiculous I wanted a laugh at the story as well and I couldn't have been more surprised when the story turned out to be a well written quality romance!
@Natalija: Those titles really are catchy and make me curious about the story, so they are great to inspire interest in potential readers 🙂
ps. Just wanted to let you all know that I made a personal dare: to read many cringe-worthy titled novels and see if the horrible title does justice to the story. So far I've read 4 and 3 were great, well written stories, so that will teach me to judge a book by its title 😉
Great post Stella! And I do admit, I don't read any books with baby or pregnant or such in the title. I read lots of those books as a teenager though (Sullivan: Bouquet reeks ring a bell?)
But now, I want a little more action and plot in a book. And to my recollection, those books really advertise that no woman can be happy unless she is married and pregnant and a mother. And that is so not my hearts wish.
So please give me some urban fantasy or paranormal romance.
Now that I know the author sometimes doesn't get to pick the title or the cover i don't pay all that much attention to them. I open the back cover and read the blurb and if that sounds good I get the book. some of the covers and titles are so bad though it's hard to over look them.
@Mary: I have even heard of a couple of cases when the poor authors were shocked when readers contacted them saying that the blurb had a complete false info regarding the plot and either mislead them or in more serious cases even drew them away from reading the novel!
@Aurian: Yes, I' sure that most of the old Harlequin romances must still feel like we are in the mid '60s with a woman only being happy when married and a mother, but maybe newer ones are more modern? One I read 2 weeks ago had a strong surgeon heroine and she and her single mother were definitely strong and independent role model heroines.
But yeah, nothing like a kickass UF heroine! 😀
Years ago, I read lots of category romance and I hated the titles, but I knew that the stories were often pretty good, so I try not to let the titles influence me. It is nice to have a Kindle though because that way, not only cheesy covers, but cheesy titles are also hidden from everyone else's view.
@JenM: My thoughts exactly! Since I have my Kindle my romance reading exploded! 😀
Great post. I doubt my comment will be "picked up" but am compelled to try anyway.
Once I got my Kindle, covers became far less important to me, but titles still matter a great deal.
At the recommendation of another blogger, I just finished Beth Kery's Liam's Perfect Woman. At the end of the e-book, there's that "customers who bought this book also bought. . ." section. The books listed were:
–Big Sky Bride, Be Mine!
–The Mogul's Maybe Marriage
–Courtney's Baby Plan
–The Baby Wore a Badge
–The Mommy Miracle
Really? Who are these titles meant to appeal to? Maybe I'm missing out on some great reads, but YIKES! As hilarious as they are, they are utterly cringe-inducing. I wouldn't accept or download one of these books if they were free.
@Susan: I completely agree with you! I have no idea why publishers insists on putting these ridiculous and cheesy titles on novels which don't even fit the atmosphere! I mean if they wanted to market some story as light fluffy romance sure, but the problem is that most of these stories (at lest the 4 I've read) were much better than the title would have led me to believe/expect.
Yes, I also have to thank my Kindle for broadening my reading horizons. I just feel bad for the poor authors who miss out on readers who are scared away by the horrible titles.
Great post! Many times I have looked at the title of a book and wondered what the publisher was smoking… I have picked up some books just because the title is silly (but the blurb really drew me in). Besides, for me the more important question is, who's on the cover. 🙂