Confession Time

Sometimes you know, I think there might be something wrong with me as a reader of m/m romance.  You see, there are a few m/m books or series out there which are universally LOVED by other readers.  Everyone likes them and they nearly always get four or five star reviews, mainly because of the pairing of the characters.  Yet....they do nothing for me.  Let me give you a couple of examples, and I fully expect you all to be completely aghast and refuse to read this blog again because I'm indifferent to these characters.

Ty and Zane from Cut and Run by Madeleine Urban and Abigail Roux
There's a whole fan page devoted to these guys on Good Reads and every time there's a new book out in the Cut and Run series, there's a whole load of squeeing goes on over the m/m blogs/Good Reads/Twitter.  I read Cut and Run and thought it was a good book, not as good as Cool Runnings by these authors, but a decent read none-the-less. I wasn't so in love with the characters that I felt I wanted to read any more books with them in, so I haven't read the next two books in the series.  I'm in the complete minority, it seems, because everyone else is madly in love with Ty and Zane.


Taylor and Will from Dangerous Ground by Josh Lanyon
I really liked Dangerous Ground and have even re-read it a couple of times.  However, I read it for the story which is a thrilling action/adventure plot, rather than the characters of Taylor and Will.  I read the second book and the plot started taking a bit of a back seat to their relationship troubles and I haven't bothered to read any of the others - although I have book 3 on my TBR pile.  Again, I am in the minority here because most m/m readers love Taylor and Will and get very excited about a new release in the series.


Now I'm not trying to say that there's anything wrong with loving these characters. There isn't. It's got nothing to do with the authors either because I have books by all of the authors in my 'comfort read' pile and they are all auto-buys (except for these particular series's).  There's also nothing wrong with the books or series in question. As far as I can tell they are well written with exciting plots and have a large number of very positive reviews. No, the fault is entirely with me and I feel like I'm missing something somehow in not loving these characters like everyone else does.

Another baffling thing is that if you were to ask me what it was about these characters or this pairing that means I don't connect to them, I wouldn't be able to answer.  Taken individually, these guys are well rounded, interesting characters and I can see why some readers would find them fascinating and want more from them.  But not me. I find it rather frustrating.  I want to join in with the general excitement of a new release with these characters. Instead I find myself on the sidelines, watching everyone and wondering what all the fuss is about.  It's a lonely place to be.

It's one of those strange times when, for whatever reason, I feel like I'm swimming a little against the tide.  It's not a comfortable feeling and makes me think I'm turning into a grumpy middle-aged woman!  It also shows that all readers are different and what one reader finds fascinating and marvellous, another reader will only think is OK.  So, I'll sit on my sidelines and wave my (possibly rainbow coloured) flag for all you readers who love these characters and wish I could be as excited as you are.

So, confession time: Are there any really popular books/characters/series which you can't connect with, which leave you standing on the sidelines wondering why everyone is so excited?  Come on, I can't be the only one, surely?!