There are a few bookish things that annoy the bejesus out of me but this one takes the cake: THE DUET.
I’m talking strictly about the ones we see in romance books. I’m NOT talking about series in other genres. I understand that some of them really need more time to develop a world and all that, but it’s hardly the case in romance novels. And let me be clear too that I am not talking about series! I absolutely love series and interconnected stories, but if you make me read a book, “edge” me all the way to a juicy conflict and end with a cliffhanger, you are going to see me throw a monumental hissy fit.
Does it mean I don’t read them? I do, when I know for sure that the whole thing is available and I can see it all as one huge @$$ book that I will read/listen.
Some of my favorite authors have had duets (even trilogies) out, and I was okay with them when I read them all together. I can understand that sometimes a story needs more time to develop and I will enjoy it but only when everything is out because…
Cliffhangers: I am a big baby about these. I don’t like them, and I hardly ever think that they make me want to read the next book. They just plain tick me off. Sue me.
Now, something else and I am trying to be respectful to all writers here because you guys rock, but sometimes, these duets are basically one book split in half and good editing could have gotten it all in one book. And it gets my left eyebrow raised all the way to my hairline when I think of the “WHY”? And what I get from this is, sadly, that it will sell more books. I don’t like. It feels like a ploy to make the reader buy double the books and it makes me feel kinda duped. There, I said it.
So, yeah, that’s one of my bookish pet peeves (maybe it’s bigger than a pet peeve for me, but yeah, you get the gist).
Dear writers, keep writing your wonderful series, keep beloved characters making cameos in other books, but please, stay away from the duet business. I say this with love in my heart.
What about you? Are you a duet enthusiast? Or are you like me?
