who_knocks Posted December 6, 2023 Share Posted December 6, 2023 I'm curious, what are some things you see in shows or books with romance that bother you? For me, I hate when possessiveness is played off as romantic when it's super creepy. Or when guys are like "I'd kill everyone on earth for you," like no one is asking them to do that? Why is that romantic? That's billions of innocent people you'd kill?? 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrueEvergreen Posted December 6, 2023 Share Posted December 6, 2023 I know that this is a common opinion, not even just among aros, but I personally hate when romance is put into the plot when it did not need to be there or doesn't move forward the plot. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nix Posted December 6, 2023 Share Posted December 6, 2023 If there is a love triangle I just nope out of whatever media it is present in. Really not my cup of tea. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neon Posted December 6, 2023 Share Posted December 6, 2023 When objectively toxic relationships are portrayed as super romantic. I read a book once where the love interest literally committed genocide because he was sad the MC died (it's kinda convoluted, she died and got brought back essentially) and I couldn't finish the series it was so awful. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hemogoblin Posted December 6, 2023 Share Posted December 6, 2023 When everybody is straight, not a queer in sight. 😒 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kira- Posted December 6, 2023 Share Posted December 6, 2023 The whole “love at first sight thing” the only time I’ve ever seen it and actually enjoyed the media was in Scott Pilgrim. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarlHmm Posted December 7, 2023 Share Posted December 7, 2023 I have a hard time getting behind a "I did it for love" moral - like a hero's journey that ends by reuniting with a partner in an ivory tower, and everyone cheers. You went through all of that and the only thing you got out of it was a kiss. Going off the Scott Pilgrim movie [spoilers], the Power of Self-Respect turns out to be more powerful than the Power of Love, which I adored. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oko Posted December 9, 2023 Share Posted December 9, 2023 I hate romantized stalking/manipulation etc. The boy is stalking the girl, he is arrogant, narcissistic. The girl is afraid of him and say: "Leave me alone!" and he don't stop. He say "You're going to fall in love with me!" with confidence and she relly falls in love with him. WHAT?🤷♀️ 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Collie Posted December 9, 2023 Share Posted December 9, 2023 Most romance in Western media feels forced for some reason. Whereas Eastern media such as anime seems to do it right. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oko Posted December 9, 2023 Share Posted December 9, 2023 And long kissing scenes. 10-20 minutes shots of kissing people. Various points of view and music. Just kiss and countinue story! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holmbo Posted December 9, 2023 Share Posted December 9, 2023 I dislike when romance is presented as a cure for personal problems like mental unhealth or dissatisfaction with life. I suppose it's not uncommon for a romantic partner to improve a persons life overall but it's so prevalent in stories that it makes many people feel it's true for everyone, or that any romantic partner is better than none, or that their life will be perfect if they get one. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oko Posted December 9, 2023 Share Posted December 9, 2023 12 minutes ago, Holmbo said: I dislike when romance is presented as a cure for personal problems like mental unhealth or dissatisfaction with life. I suppose it's not uncommon for a romantic partner to improve a persons life overall but it's so prevalent in stories that it makes many people feel it's true for everyone, or that any romantic partner is better than none, or that their life will be perfect if they get one. Yes. And in the fairy stories: "True love kiss is medicine for everything" Try to "true love kiss" somebody who has an influenza😁😁 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Posted December 9, 2023 Share Posted December 9, 2023 (edited) 9 hours ago, Oko said: I hate romantized stalking/manipulation etc. The boy is stalking the girl, he is arrogant, narcissistic. The girl is afraid of him and say: "Leave me alone!" and he don't stop. He say "You're going to fall in love with me!" with confidence and she relly falls in love with him. WHAT?🤷♀️ RIGHT!! (I first commented without checking other answers... My bad) I so wholeheartedly agree with you. Like??? What's so cute about someone literally following you??? I also hate when it's presented as the only thing in life that actually matters. Edited December 9, 2023 by Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Newest Fabled Creature Posted December 9, 2023 Share Posted December 9, 2023 One thing about romance that definitely bothers me (despite generally liking romance) is that sometimes I can just tell that the narrative is utterly forcing two characters to be together, when it would be better if they weren't; or at least had a non-normative relationship. Sometimes these are two characters who are "stuck in their own ways," or are hotheaded, and sometimes I've sadly seen it in my most favorite trope "opposites attract." There are stories that write the romance authentically, don't get me wrong, but once every blue moon I would run across a novel or book series where I just read the supposed feelings that two main characters have with one another, and I just think, "Damn.... Just don't fucking get together, good gods." Weirdly enough, I often see this happen with the "heroes" of a novel or series I read, and not with the "dark" and messy and complicated relationships in others. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oko Posted December 9, 2023 Share Posted December 9, 2023 9 hours ago, Keith said: RIGHT!! (I first commented without checking other answers... My bad) I so wholeheartedly agree with you. Like??? What's so cute about someone literally following you??? I also hate when it's presented as the only thing in life that actually matters. Yes, right. A good example is Twilight. A lot of young girls who watched it were like: "OMG, Edward is so cute, I love him!" WTF? It's scary vampire stalking a poor young girl! If it happenned to me, I ran away to the end of the world and hoped he will never find me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MondoBilby Posted December 10, 2023 Share Posted December 10, 2023 I hate it when the main characters get together in the end of the story when for most of it they just seemed like really good friends. It’s like people are cosmically incapable of making characters close with each other without turning it into something romantic. Friends? What are those? And this doesn’t have to do with the stories themselves, but that’s what annoys me about the whole “shipping” thing. Can’t these characters just be friends? I’m not saying others should stop shipping, I just personally never do it myself. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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