I’ve read two books in a row this week that features revenge sex – where the heroine feels jilted by the hero for a past wrong deed and decides to get revenge by sleeping with him, and then dumping him once he falls in love. But of course, she sleeps with him and she falls in love, making things very complicated, yet not really feeling very revengeful.
I’ve come to realize, I just don’t like this set-up. It’s fun at first because the heroine gets that evil glint in her eye. She is super pissed at the hero for his bad deed. *cue evil laugh* She will use him and lose him and that will be the end of it! Except it’s not because it’s a romance book. She sleeps with him, and wait for it….it’s amazing sex. The heroine starts to think, well damn. I’ll just sleep with him a few more times since this is so amazing, and then I will dump him for good. But then the sex gets even better, and the heroine starts to actually like the hero. Which I understand. It’s a romance book so these two have to fall in love. But in the recent books I read, I want the feeling of revenge to last a little longer. I want the heroine to maybe actually use the hero – or at least not do a complete 180 in a short amount of time. Let the revenge be explored for awhile before emotions and feelings take over. I think? If I read that set-up would I come back to the blog and type a post about how unromantic revenge sex is? LOL.
I’m racking my brain because I know I’ve read revenge sex in the past, but I can’t think of any specific titles at the moment. I googled “revenge sex in romance books” but didn’t get many results (although Jasmine Haynes has a book titled, Revenge Sex, which is reviewed at RNN.)
Have you read a revenge sex themed book that has worked for you? (or not worked for you?)
Are there any books where the hero decides to have revenge sex, instead of the heroine initiating it?
I don’t like this trope unless the heroine really enjoys sex with different men. If that’s the case, then the revenge sex makes sense because it isn’t a big deal for her. Most of the time it’s out of character, heroines who hold a grudge for years because of something the hero did to them in high school (it’s always high school, right?) and grow up shy and looking for Mr. Right, don’t use sex that way.
The last revenge-sex book I remember reading was Playing Dirty by Susan Andersen. In this particular case the heroine does use her sex appeal in different ways and she enjoys sex, and she’s been in love with the hero since they we kids. So it all makes sense, the revenge, the sex, the falling in love. I loved that book.
It does seem to be high school grudges! :)
I’ll have to look into Playing Dirty
Personally, I like it when the heroine wants to kill the Rake or whatever and then falls for him. It creates get dialogue and fun set-ups.
The revenge sex doesn’t do it for me. Can’t you make him fall in love with out the sex? Of course a girl falls in love with the dude. Angry sex is usually pretty heated….
Angry sex I can do – and I like it when the heroine hates the hero too…and we watch them fall in love. :)
just recently read elle kennedy’s “welcome to paradise” in which the heroine returns to town to get back at her ex by getting the hero to fall in love with her and then leaving. i think b/c it was the first revenge-type setup i’ve read, it worked for me. i can see how having the revenge last longer might make it more interesting.
interesting..I might have to check that one out to see if I like it.
I don’t like it in general. It tends to make things… silly? less realistic? make one character look lame?
Now ANGRY sex (I’m thinking of Agnes & the Hitman by Jen Crusie/Bob Mayer) – that can be hot.
Angry sex – yes please. Loved the angry sex in Agnes book :)
I think it is closely related to the “i’ll just do it to get him/her out of my system” sex. Like once you have done it once, you will be over them forever. Different purpose, but same idea. Once you get your hands on the hotness you can’t let go.
Yes – whether it is let’s just have sex once, or revenge – I think the ramifications of it all needs to be explored more.
I really don’t like the whole revenge sex plot either. I know I’ve read a couple of books that featured this set-up but, honestly, I think I managed to bleach them out of my mind because I can’t recall any titles.
As for books where the hero decides to have revenge sex? Never seen it done. I think typically revenge sex for heroes is “oh that woman did me wrong, watch as I go boff/pretend to boff another chick then flaunt it in front of the woman I’m pissed at”. Which is another trope that I hate in romance novels.
I think typically revenge sex for heroes is “oh that woman did me wrong, watch as I go boff/pretend to boff another chick then flaunt it in front of the woman I’m pissed at”. Which is another trope that I hate in romance novels.
Yeah, I don’t like that either.
See, when I saw the link in twitter, I was afraid this would be about those books where the hero wants to get revenge against the heroine’s family so he makes plans to despoil/ruin/screw over/otherwise hurt the heroine. And those I tend to avoid just because I assume I will hate the hero forever. LOL Unfair, but I’m a hero-hating butthead.
No – I think I avoid those too…or if I don’t, he better damn well redeem himself! ;)
We don’t want you hating heroes forever! LOL
Can the heroine really get revenge by having sex with the hero?
If he did what she thinks he did, he isn’t going to care. He’ll just think, oh, good we had sex.
And if he didn’t do what she thinks he did, then of course, there is no revenge.
The trick would be to NOT have sex with him. That would possibly make him suffer, if she could convince him he wanted to have sex with her. Oh wait, he’s guy, he does want to have sex with her.
But now if you want to see the hero have revenge sex, there are plenty of Harlequin HPs out there. It usually involved the hero thinking the heroine is sleeping with his brother in law who is either really her long lost father or brother.
Sorry, Mandi, I’m at work and REALLY bored. :-)
The trick would be to NOT have sex with him.
Wait, make hero fall in love with heroine without having sex?? This is crazy talk. ;)
No – I would like to see that! You make good points.
I might skip those Harlequins..LOL
Of the two books you read this week, I read one of them as well and I believe, as you said, there is never enough time to explore the emotional ramifications of revenge sex. For me it’s unrealistic that the majority of the couples can easily look past it or be “okay” with the reasons the character did it. I realize it’s a romance book and it typically has to end with an HEA, but just once I would like to see a revenge sex situation where it’s not wrapping up in a neat bow.
Yes – at least for the two I read – the heroine had so much anger towards the hero – to fall into bed so easily and enjoy it – I needed more about her anger, and less about the incredible sex
I can’t say I love this trope and I totally can’t think of any particular titles now but the reverse with the man wanting to get revenge is pretty common in historicals. It’s usually that he wants to get revenge on her father or brother or something and he plans to seduce the innocent virgin and ruin her but then ends up falling for her instead. It does feel a bit tired! I won’t rule out a book because of it but I suppose it starts off in negative numbers.
AH yes – that is a common trope in historicals. Poor innocent virgins. LOL
Have you read Silent Blade by Ilona Andrews, it’s really short but the revenge lasts, oh boy it lasts, maybe reading it you could see if that works for you, I personally don’t believe in this kind of revenge, how is that he falls in love with the heroine now, if in the past he did something hurtful that requieres revenge, she’s the same person, he’s the same person, it only worked for me in this Andrews’ book but there is a reason why the revenge worked, I mean I believe he falls for her because of this specific plot and I agree with Beth revenge is to not sleep with him, unless her sex is addictive, then he will be all over the heroine.
I have – but it has been a long time and I don’t remember the story! But I do remember enjoying the book so I must have been on board with the revenge. I’m going to have to pull it up on my Kindle!
Sounds similar to the set up for Dangerous Liasons–which never quite worked for me, either. Definitely not romantic.
yes, agreed! maybe I’m just old fashioned, but i think if you hate a guy enough to want revenge, sex is like definitely off the table. I’d love it if the heroine got her revenge and he swears she will pay for what she did, which he does by seducing her into marrying him in the end because she got under her skin and no way is she leaving him this time. think hot alpha male moment, then they realize they actually get along better when they’re kissing and finally begin to forgive each other and move on with the past…HEA.
Like Suzanne Enoch’s A Beginner’s Guide to Rakes
The Scandalous Brides, where they start out adversarial and he starts to fall for her and seduces her to finally marry him in the end. plus, i like that as much as they hated each other, they were at least honest, which saves all those annoying scenes in which they must forgive each other to finally be happy.
No, can’t say I did so I am intrigued by this new approach to romance. Could you tell me which books it was Mandi? I’d like to check them out :-) Thanks!
Hmm, you really got me thinking with this one… There is in Kresley Cole’s Kiss of a Demon King something like that. When Rydstrom escaped taking Sabine as his prisoner, he did this revenge by sex thing with her, because she previously tortured him by sex. (torture sex, revenge sex, there’s whole a lot plans going on behind their sex… they actually had sex because of sex at last on page 357.:))
Revenge by orgasm…heh.
See, I love this trope. Or maybe I just like the idea of it because I’m having a hard time thinking of book titles. Prisoner of my Desire by Joanna Lindsay might qualify. I’m a big fan of angry sex also! :)
I do not like when she is all REVENGE, sleeps with the guy and then is all ohhhh, fun. Come on, if you really want revenge you will hate him a bit more