I'd read that.

[azurelunatic]

runpunkrun has Feelings about the Regency romance genre's overused tropes:

You know what? I want to read a Regency romance about the second most notorious rake in London. He's pretty good at flirting, but that other guy is always swooping in and stealing away his conquests. It just drives him up the wall! So the second most notorious rake in London decides to do something about it. No matter what it takes, he will win the title of Most Notorious Rake in London. The current Most Notorious Rake in London thinks this sounds like good fun, as a little competition always makes things more interesting. They start showing up at all the same parties and watch each other keenly, studying the other's moves, getting into his head, exploiting his weaknesses, admiring his talents, enjoying the tightness of his breeches, going riding together, falling in love.

Context is reading a lot.

Comments

[msmcknittington]

There's actually a Mary Balogh book that's a lot like this, but like Balogh always does, she drops the ball when it comes to the finer nuances of consent. Her heroes have a tendency to say things along the lines of, "I will be taking my marital rites with regularity," and they're making it clear that their wives' opinions on it don't really matter. I . . . disapprove.

Agh, alpha males. Doorknobs.

But, yes, I'd love a Regency where the dorky fellow wins the girl.

[staranise]

I just don't get why "rake" means "good husband material"! Doesn't it actually indicate, idk, low moral character, lack of fidelity, and high probability of veneral disease? "Burning loins" should be PURELY METAPHORICAL.

[msmcknittington]

Ah, but that's supposed to be the entire draw! The heroine reforms the rake, and he becomes good husband material. Unfortunately, thanks to romance tropes, he frequently remains a big alpha male jerkface. But not longer philandering. Just imperious.

And, silly! Venereal disease doesn't exist in romance! Teflon penises, one and all.

[inoru_no_hoshi]

And, silly! Venereal disease doesn't exist in romance! Teflon penises, one and all.

LOL IRL.