I used to read romance novels back in grade school, and when I hit my teen years, I stopped, realizing how much I actually hated the quality of writing.

On Monday, I decided to give them another shot. Figured, now that I'm older and can read the ones targetted at adults, maybe I'd change my mind. After all, being a hopeless romantic, I certainly don't mind a good romance every now and then.

Well, it turned out to be an endeavour that was a complete waste of ten dollars. The only plus was that it reminded me why romance authors are not really talented writers at all. Although, that being said, I am sure there are a few out there who could write me into my grave. But in general no way. 

For starters, the heroines are all exactly the same. Beautiful, perfect girls, with a horrible past that has somehow managed not to cause them any real heartache in life, a fiery attitude, and the ability to be won over completely simply by a gorgeous man entering the room. Of course, they'll deny that they fall that soon. But there's never any mystery to the man they will fall for. It's immediate. These women are the original Mary-Sue's. 

The hero is always the same as well. Handsome, chiseled features, and 'manly'. They always have a hard side that the beautiful maiden manages to chip away at in no time, when no other person in their lives has been able to.

All the characters lack any depth. They remain two-dimensional, and have no real personality to them. They are impossible to connect with.

The plots are a joke. While initially, they hold lots of potential, they happen far too fast, and far too unrealistically. The heroine always starts out with a group of people that generally despise her 'kind', but with a few magic words, they suddenly adore her, wanting to fulfil her every command and treating her like a leader of their clans. 

Men who have been enemies for years will suddenly reconcile over a few shared past memories, and call an end to a war they have been waiting forever for due to one wise sentence from the person that has been trying to wipe them out. 

And of course, the worst part is it is always, always, a happy ending. All will be made well simply because of the power of love.

Needless to say, this will be the first novel I've ever purchased that I am throwing in the trash.