Candy Tan

I am a relatively new convert to SBTB followers. I only picked up on the site about a year ago and wasn't sure what to make of it. I wasn't a closet romance reader--I've always been very open about reading romances, even when I was thirteen years old toting around a bag full of 80's Harlequin titles with subject matter most 13 year olds wouldn't think about in relation to 'romance' (like revenge sex, never heard of that until I read Harlequin). When my friends would deride me for my tastes show more in reading material (amongst everything else they chided me about) I'd just shrug and ask them what they knew about romance.

To say I enjoyed reading this book is an understatement. When I picked it up at the bookstore to flip through a few months ago I was texting my twilight friends the definition for 'vampire' before I got to the last word, storing away information about the various archetypes of heroine to compare against my favorites and thanking god that I knew enough about the female anatomy before I read my first romance that I never believed in the magical hymen that every romance heroine has.

There were some portions that I skimmed over quickly--parts of the chapters labeled 'Corset' (about heroines) and 'Codpiece' (about heroes), 'Bad Sex' (about rape in romance) and 'Love Grotto' (about sex scenes) had sections where I just skipped them to the next header for whatever reason. Like any other Fandom meta-essay analysis book (which if you're into the Buffy, Battlestar Galactica, or Star Trek fandoms you will have read at LEAST one meta-essay book, in my case I read them like a thirsty man needs water) some of it can just be very dry and 'well I knew that'.

This book though I think is good for anyone who has a friend (male or female) who constantly teases them for liking books about 'women who swoon at men's feet and have sex willy-nilly' (I hear this a lot). Now you can pull this book out, flip to the section they just accused you of enjoying and have them read just how wrong they are. This isn't a comprehensive guide to romance books, this is a guide for the genre itself told in a witty, intelligent and easily understandable way. There's illustrations (of Mavis, the romance reader stereotype), ridiculous 'Create the Perfect Title for Your Lordly Hero' (because every historical hero needs a title that conveys his dark, brooding self) and the 'Oh Honey What's Your Problem?' (involving some of the more ridiculous reasons heroines are still virgins) games and best of all--its funny. It takes its subject matter seriously, but makes fun of all the tropes, stereotypes and plots that make the genre hard for outsiders to swallow. show less

I first heard Sarah Wendell speak at the Romance Writers of Australia conference earlier this year and like the rest of the audience, I immediately had a fan girl crush. Not only is she a talented public speaker, she knows a monster load about social media and is wickedly funny. Plus, she does possibly the most believable Australian accent I’ve heard with the right kind of slang and swear words. Her knowledge of Aussie finger signs was enough to make me want to buy this book (also the fact show more that it’s both in-depth and funny – seriously, this is PhD worthy AND readable).

In case you haven’t heard of Smart Bitches, Trashy Books, it’s a website started by Sarah and Candy Tan exploring romance novels. Forget the stereotype that the average romance reader lives alone with multiple cats, bobbly jumpers/sweaters and a bum bag (that’s fanny pack in the US, which means something entirely different down under). You can be smart with a high flying job and still love romance proudly and openly. Candy and Sarah with their team are out to bust that myth.

Need convincing? I suggest you read this book. Don’t need convincing? Still read it, it will make you louder and prouder (plus, where else can you get in-depth discussion of romance cover art through the ages)? The book goes from the wickedly funny to serious, exploring the themes of romance, the heroes and heroines, settings du jour and what’s in the future for romance (scarily enough they got a lot of it right). There’s also a Choose Your Own Adventure romance story, covering the paranormal, historical (including pirates), romantic suspense and contemporary romance genres. This will bring back fond memories to readers of a certain age and yes, you can read it multiple times to find out all of the endings. (That’s what I did because I always initially choose the story that’s the shortest). There’s a board game too based on Big Misunderstandings (you know, the part when the heroine sees the hero with another woman who turns out to be his sister/mother/boss but decides to break it off in a huff).

There’s serious stuff too but the language makes it readable and fascinating. How would you explain the sexual power of the hero using the term Mighty Mighty Thunderstick? Why are there so many swords on the covers of romances? What is the power of the Mighty Hoo Hoo? You may think this is a bit juvenile but the use of euphemisms helps to lighten the tone and keeps you reading to wonder what term will be used instead of penis next! It’s thought provoking – what are the driving forces behind the popularity of romance novels? How have the plots changed? Is an alpha male still the way to booklist success? How can those familiar plot devices (e.g. the secret baby, women dressed as men and vice versa) be kept fresh?

I loved this book for its tone – yes there’s snark but you can tell that the Smart Bitches truly love the romance and care for it. Be warned though – you will end up with a long list of authors and books to try. Best to keep your Kindle/tablet far away!

http://samstillreading.wordpress.com show less

An examination of the romance genre by the ladies who run the romance novel blog Smart Bitches, Trashy Books. It's irreverent, funny and sometimes crude - but it's also wide-ranging and well-informed. From an examination of awful romance covers through analysis of the heroes and heroines to the major plot tropes to the history of the genre and current and future trends, the book covers every aspect of the genre. It pokes unapologetic fun at bad plots and worse prose - but also discusses show more Jungian shadow archetypes and analyses the ways in which romance fiction has reflected trends in feminism and legal and social change.

It's fun, it's entertaining, it kept me up reading late at night, and I *so* have to play the board game on pages 118-9.

However, it is probably not a book which will be enjoyed by those who are offended by explicit descriptions of sex or by bad language. Or by polysyllabic erudition, for that matter. show less

I don't remember exactly how I found out about Smart Bitches, Trashy Books, but ever since I did I have been a frequent visitor to the site, particularly enjoying their Cover Snarks. When I learned that Sarah Wendell and Candy Tan were writing a book, Beyond Heaving Bosoms: The Smart Bitches' Guide to Romance Novels, I knew that I would need to pick up a copy. I wasn't disappointed; the book is just as informative, opinionated, irreverent, snarky, and raunchy as the website--only more show more portable.

Romance is probably one of the most maligned genres out there, which is somewhat surprising as it is probably the top bestselling genre, too. And it's not just the books--romance readers are also subject to harsh (and inaccurate) stereotyping. That's where the Smart Bitches come in to dispel the myths surrounding the romance genre and make fun of what's truly bad. Beyond Heaving Bosoms serves as an introduction, defense, and reader's guide to romance with a good deal of snark thrown in. They aren't afraid to revel in the ridiculous, but don't forget to point out the genre's redeeming qualities as well.

The Smart Bitches cover quite a bit of territory in Beyond Heaving Bosoms. "Chapter Cleavage" (yes...these really are the names of the chapters) is a very brief introduction to the romance genre and to the Smart Bitches themselves. "Chapter Petticoat" looks at the history of the modern romance novel, including a comparison of Old Skool and New Skool romances. "Chapter Corset" focuses on the various types of heroines and their associated tropes while "Chapter Codpiece" does the same for the romance hero. "Chapter Secret Cowboy Baby" examines the often overused and just plain bad plot devices and the ever present clichés. Also included is a survey of a variety of current genre trends. "Chapter WTF" defends the genre, while "Chapter Bad Sex" addresses rape in romance (obviously a controversial subject), and "Chapter Love Grotto" champions the inclusion of good sex. "Chapter Phallus," appropriately the longest chapter (wink wink, nudge nudge), is basically most everything else all shoved together: covers (and the requisite snark), controversies, scandals, and what amounts to an activity book (complete with mad-libs, a maze, and a color by number). Finally, there's "Chapter Heaving Bosom," where the Smart Bitches take the opportunity to discuss where the genre is heading and where they would like to see it go. Peppered throughout the book are quizzes, interviews, and a whole bunch of other random and delightful stuff.

Candy and Sarah's passion for the romance genre is readily apparent and their enthusiasm is catching. Even though I'm not a frequent romance reader, I still ended up with a very long reading list based on what the Smart Bitches had to say. The book is not without it's flaws. Although it includes a section for works cited in the text, unfortunately there is no index, making it difficult to find specific information or recommendations again. Some sections, particularly the activities and the "Choose Your Own Man Titty" are pretty much just novelties that felt more like filler material more than anything else. Amusing, yes, but occasionally tedious and generally dispensable. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed Beyond Heaving Bosoms; the authors are entertaining, knowledgeable, and quite often brutally honest (but all in the name of love!, or rather Luuuuurve™). I would not hesitate to recommend the book to anyone interested in the romance genre, fan or not, but only if I knew they were not easily offended; there are quite a few choice words and the sheer number of euphemisms is rather impressive. Regardless, or perhaps in part due to this, the book is an absolute riot.

Experiments in Reading show less