Lust or Love? Which Sells More Books

Lust: "uncontrolled or illicit sexual desire or appetite; lecherousness."

While I can't say I've been reading romance all or even half my life, I have been around long enough to notice a change in trends. Certainly the growth of sub-genres and cross-genres has had an effect on the romance story, broadening the appeal to a greater number of readers. But what about the heat?

When it comes to sex in a novel, reader interest comes in all levels; from mild—behind closed doors and intimation—to red hot, where nothing is left to the imagination and eroticism reigns. Review sites often rate the level of heat, categorizing books as "sweet," "sensual," "very sensual," "explicit," etc. Book covers are showing more flesh than ever before. Erotica, erotic romance and "romantica" are widely accepted genres, and with the added discretion of ebooks, readers no longer feel they have to hide their choices behind plain brown wrappers.

Here as excerpt from CAPE SEDUCTION, In this short "clip" from 1948, young starlet Darla Foster is having sex with her married, megastar boyfriend, Jordan Kent, after having talked him into rowing a small boat against dangerous seas so that they could make love in the lighthouse. And by the way, this is the most graphic scene in the book:

The bedsprings squeaked and groaned. Darla grasped the brass headboard tightly as Jordan slammed against her, into her, in a prolonged ritual of carnal joy. She let herself go, let herself abandon, for one time only, her careful and calculating ways. This was purity, intimate love with Jordan, and he belonged to her. Despite what she'd told him, it was only the beginning. Because she would not stop, would not rest, would not go away until she had him all to herself. The small victory of persuading him to make the treacherous trip in the dinghy was evidence enough that she had a chance.

She whispered obscenities as he pumped, because she knew he liked it. Cecelia, she suspected, was too big a prude to ever get dirty enough for a man like Jordan.

"Ooh, yeah. Oh, yeah, baby. Come on. Come on." Jordan quivered, and Darla met his rhythm, stroke for stroke. She let go of the headboard and wrapped her arms around him, nipping his earlobe, sucking on his neck, panting in a bigger passion than she'd ever known.

"Ah, Darla, Darla…God damn…I can't…I can't…"

"Don't hold back, Jordie! Come, you nasty boy! Come hard!"

If Jordan heard her, Darla couldn't tell. They were lost in each other, lost in the moment, lost in time.

The reviewer who first reviewed this book is a seasoned reader. The rating? "Sweet." What does that say about the ones at the three higher levels?

Don't get me wrong, I like reading about intimacy between lovers. I just don't particularly enjoy the play-by-play, detailed graphic descriptions of love-making. I'm more interested in how the characters relate to each other, and sometimes scene after scene of sexual carnage is just too much for me. One well qualified reader describes some of what's published as nearly pornographic. And yet, sex sells. I don't have statistics, but lust attracts readers who fully expect the H/H to be tearing up the sheets before, say, chapter three. So I have to wonder: is there still a place for stories that focus more on the plot, the characters, the tale, than on the build up and subsequent release of sexual tension?

I guess it would be correct to say... there's something for everyone.

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Today kicks off my two week cyber tour celebrating the release of CAPE SEDUCTION! Be sure to stop over at Sean Hayden's blog for a fun interview, and don't forget to enter my easy-peasy contest to win a bunch of free books from Echelon Press! (Do it NOW so you don't forget!)

Anne Carter (aka Pam Ripling) is a self-proclaimed Lighthouse Nut and the author of Beacon Street Mysteries, CAPE SEDUCTION and POINT SURRENDER, available in paperback and Kindle versions. Also for your nook, iPhone, Sony eReader and other formats at Omnilit. Visit Pam/Anne at Beacon Street Books.