CHICK LIT AUTHOR BLOG HOP 2012 - ROMANCE IN CHICK LIT

What would a Chick Lit novel be without romance?  The search for, or perhaps the stumbling upon, of that elusive Mr. Right is one of the hallmarks of this engaging genre.  And if you've read as much Chick Lit as I have, you'll notice that there are a handful of romantic scenarios, and sometimes clever variations thereof, that are omnipresent in these fun, fizzy books.  Read on to see how many of these sound familiar:

The love/hate relationship:  Heroine meets hero and takes an instant dislike to him.  He's arrogant, he's rude, he's immature, he's uptight and repressed, he's an unrepentant skirt-chaser - whatever he is, he's the opposite of her and she can't stand him.  Friction occurs every time this mismatched duo meets, but we know that beneath all of that animosity lies attraction.  The love/hate relationship is a classic, and beloved, romantic trope that dates all the way back to Elizabeth and Darcy in PRIDE AND PREJUDICE.  Modern examples of this type of love story include:  IT HAD TO BE YOU and WHAT I DID FOR LOVE by Susan Elizabeth Phillips, HOSTILE MAKEOVER and 7 DAYS AND 7 NIGHTS by Wendy Wax, ACCIDENTAL IT GIRL by Libby Street, and EVERY BOY'S GOT ONE by Meg Cabot.

Best friends who belong together:  Childhood playmates, college study partners, co-workers, neighbors - however the hero and heroine know each other, they have a close, long-standing relationship and share everything from inside jokes to romantic woes.  Everyone else can see that they'd be perfect together, but the duo remains blissfully unaware.  Or maybe one of them is harboring a secret crush, but he/she is afraid to risk the friendship and admit to it?  Never fear!  Fate will intervene and those two crazy kids will come to the realization that they are, indeed, soul mates.  See:  SOMETHING BORROWED by Emily Giffin, LUCY SULLIVAN IS GETTING MARRIED by Marian Keyes, and WHERE RAINBOWS END by Cecelia Ahearn      

Ugly duckling gets makeover and finds romance:  Our heroine is a great girl who goes unnoticed by men because she's frumpy, or chubby, or has bad hair, or wears glasses.  As a result, she's got a whoppin' inferiority complex, which isn't only ruining her love life, but is having a negative affect on her career, as well.  Enter some fabulous fairy godmother in the guise of a gay friend, or a helpful sister, or a supportive boss who whisks our heroine away to the nearest salon/boutique/M·A·C make-up counter, and voilà, our heroine is transformed into the knockout she was always meant to be.  Soon, she's wowing every man who crosses her path.  Of course, the guy she ends up with is the one who appreciates her inner beauty.  See:  JEMIMA J by Jane Green, THE CINDERELLA PACT by Sarah Strohmeyer, and REINVENTING MONA by Jennifer Coburn.

Burned-by-love heroine doesn't trust men:  This poor woman has been done wrong by some jerk (Maybe he cheated on her with her best friend, or cleaned out their apartment while she was at work, or worst of all, stood her up on their wedding day?)  As a result, she's given up on men and sworn off love for fear of being hurt again.  Enter a wonderful guy who has to spend the rest of the book trying to woo and win her despite her down-with-men stance.  Will he restore her faith in the male sex and make her believe in love once again?  Chances are excellent.  See:  EXES AND OHS by Beth Kendrick, HOW TO SLEEP WITH A MOVIE STAR by Kristin Harmel, A HOPELESS ROMANTIC by Harriet Evans, and BOOKENDS by Jane Green.

Hero and heroine are thrown together in some wacky situation:  It's not every day that you meet the man of your dreams by masquerading as a housekeeper or swiping a cell phone or being trapped in a snowstorm, but that's what happens to these ladies through some strange twist of fate.  The unusual circumstances under which they first encounter their potential mates lead to wacky hijinks, bonding, and eventually an appreciation for each other's charm and resourcefulness.  See:  I'VE GOT YOUR NUMBER and THE UNDOMESTIC GODDESS by Sophie Kinsella, NADIA KNOWS BEST by Jill Mansell, and SHE WENT ALL THE WAY by Meg Cabot.

Which of these tried-and-true romantic scenarios is your favorite?  Leave a comment below, with your name and e-mail address, and you'll be entered to win a copy of my e-book, BLAME IT ON THE FAME, in which you'll find a prime example of a love/hate relationship!

Book Blurb:  A power-trippin’ bitch, a has-been, a skanky ex-model, a press-shy indie queen, and a British stage actress no one knows – that’s how the Best Actress hopefuls in this year’s too-close-to-call Oscar race cattily describe each other. Which of them will win the much-coveted gold statue and what price will they be forced to pay as they travel the red carpeted-path to Hollywood glory? 

Amidst all the press-schmoozing and angsting over which designer gown to wear, these Oscar contenders feud, commiserate, and face a succession of personal crises – scandalous secrets come to light, marriages implode, accidents land two nominees in the hospital while another receives news that could derail her career, all culminating on Tinsel Town’s biggest night when anything can happen, and does.

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For a chance to win the Chick Lit Author Blog Hop Grand Prize of a $150 Sephora gift card, simply do the following:

• Collect all 34 of the secret words (you will find a secret word in each of the blog posts on the hop.)  The word will be italicized, so it will be easy to locate.  ***HINT***The secret word in my blog hop post is in the first paragraph. 
• Submit your list of 34 secret words to CLABlogHop@aol.com before midnight on Sunday, May 20th and you will be entered into the Grand Prize Drawing! 
• The Grand Prize winner will be announced on Monday, May 21st, and the $150 Sephora gift card can be redeemed online, or at any Sephora store in the US.
• Chick Lit Author Blog Hop contests are open to residents of the United States only.

Please see the post below for a Linky list with all 34 participating authors/blogs.  You will have an opportunity to win a different e-book at each blog hop stop.  Good luck!