 Okay, I admit it...I like a little romance, so the other day while I was sitting at the dentist's office, I decided to scan through the Kindle Freebies in hopes of snagging up a new read. Something sweet. Something romantic. Then I noticed something... a trend, if you will... BILLIONAIRES. Lot's and lots of billionaires. Here's just a sampling of the titles that scrolled over my screen under FREE ROMANCE: MY BILLIONAIRE BEDDING THE BILLIONAIRE MAID IN THE USA (Bad Boy Billionaire Series) MINE FOR TONIGHT (The Billionaire's Obsession) HIS ONLY DESIRE (Taken By The Billionaire) LOVE IN HANDCUFFS (The Secret Billionaire) MY BILLIONAIRE MASTER BOUND TO THE BILLIONAIRE THE BILLIONAIRE'S DAUGHTER INTERVIEW WITH A BILLIONAIRE What in the world, folks? What in the world? When I picture billionaires I see this: 
ACTUAL SCREEN SHOT OF FAMOUS BILLIONAIRES
Ummm... no thank you. So what's the fascination? Money? Power? Is THAT what women find sexy? Tell me that women aren't that shallow...please. I get that women want fantasy, because let's face it, most real men in life aren't all that romantic (my husband did fix and clean the stove yesterday and that was pretty hot). Whisking women to exotic islands, flying them in jet planes, showering them with diamonds, clothes, and cars--most women are lucky to get flowers on Valentine's Day and maybe, just maybe, on their birthday too. We love a thrill and we love a good love story. We love to be imagine ourselves in these amazing scenarios, but billionaires? And for the record, if you search "famous millionaires" it doesn't get much better either. (Okay, that one guy up above ain't too bad looking, but the others...once again, no thank you). So are billionaires the new vampire? Are they the new trend in romance? All I know is that I found myself chuckling as title after title scrolled across my screen "Billionaire this" and "Billionaire that." To be fair, billionaires weren't the only trending thing I saw either--Cowboys! Every other cover had a sexy cowboy on the front, but because cowboys are hot (oh, yes they are), all is forgiven :) Maybe the next romance trend will be THE BILLIONAIRE COWBOY... 
Shoot! I thought I was onto something there (I'm not sure why I find this so amusing, but I do. I know I shouldn't. Sorry. Gosh dangit, Angela! This is serious).
Is the whole billionaire thing the new trend (millionaires are so yesterday) or this just something I'm only now noticing? What trends do you see in the romance genre? Or any other genre that has kind of taken you by surprise? Remember to leave a comment to be entered in the month drawing for prizes--one lucky commenter will be chosen to receive something cool. You can read about it HERE.
14 Comments
1/16/2014 06:51:21 am
OMG thank you for saying this! Yes financial security is hot but damn.
Angela Scott
1/17/2014 11:08:47 am
No kidding--financial security vs. self-dignity... hmmmm... 1/16/2014 09:14:32 am
Actually, that is not a new thing. A vast majority of the books written in the silhouette Desire series over the past, I guess, 10 years are Billionaire this, tycoon that, shiek this. Seriously, my mom has a TON of them and I am like.. how can you tell them all apart? How do you differentiate the characters. What sets them apart from each other? Absolutely nothing. I read a few of them and usually the guy is richer than BG and meaner than chef ramsey. And they usually treat the women like they are things, too. And they buy them things. I mean, there were some authors who wrote some good quality stories with actual plotlines. But for the most part, yes, the girls are given rides in private jets and stuff. But to answer your question, I don;t believe it's new. Although I have been ignoring it for the past couple of years. https://www.google.com/search?q=silhouette+billionaire&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=l4LYUoTZIvTKsQTrroGABw&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1454&bih=704#q=silhouette+billionaire+titles&tbm=isch
Angela Scott
1/17/2014 12:40:32 am
That's my worry, Ryan--women willing to do ANYTHING because of the money and men who are complete jerks because they think they can buy whatever they want. Dumb. Dumb. Dumb. I have NO interest in reading anything of that nature. 1/16/2014 08:45:13 pm
I guess it isn't new but I've just been noticing it too! I haven't read any, not my usual reading material. Maybe if it's a billionaire fighting zombies! LOL
Angela Scott
1/17/2014 12:41:49 am
A billionaire who fights zombies....hmmm... or better yet, how about a zombie billionaire. Oh, that's good! That's my idea. Don't anyone take that :) 1/17/2014 11:33:40 am
Will he be an American, European, or..... 1/17/2014 11:33:53 am
Will he be an American, European, or..... Haha! I agree. It seems to be a trend. However I also think many of them have a Fifty Shades feel to them. So I think that Fifty Shades has definitely attributed to this trend, like how Twilight attributed to the Vampire trend. I'm guilty of reading some "billionaire" books, but I definitely did not read it because the main character was a "billionaire." I honestly could care less that the male romantic interest is a billionaire. Although, I do think financial security is sexy.
Angela Scott
1/17/2014 11:07:44 am
You bring up some good points for sure--Darn that Fifty Shades! 1/17/2014 11:36:00 am
Would your billionaire vamp be American, European, or.... 1/17/2014 11:36:20 am
Would your billionaire vamp be American, European, or.... 1/21/2014 12:02:20 am
Neither trend is new (though my mother's romances usually had millionaire in the title). Both are tropes. There are also tons of romances about bodyguards, FBI agents, military men (often SEALs or special forces), CEOs and I'm sure others I can't think of. When you are writing about a trope, the publisher likes to put a key word like 'cowboy' or 'billionaire' into the title so readers who like that trope (or don't like it) will know right up front. (Pirates, dukes, Scottish highlanders, vikings are also popular and using those words signal that the book is a historical romance instead of a contemporary) Leave a Reply. |
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