Harlequin rolled out their erotic line slowly, like a title every other month I think. I have to admit I read my first Spice a couple of days ago as none of the ones out so far have caught my attention.
I was interested in Megan Hart’s but so far they have read as very women’s fic/erotica. I read the end of the first book and skimmed the second before I gave up and gave to Gwen. Honestly it was right after the whole whine whine whine reviewer was tres mean on some blog… where the author later joined in. But review madness aside, the Harlequin Spice covers have so far been very nice, at least for the most part. I get that some of them could be said to be boring. Maybe not giving off an erotic or romance feel but do you have to go for full on naked sex’ing to get more created than an arm or a feather?
So I wonder what gives.. is this a new trend for them… a way to see if more naked sells better… a just this book thing… they gonna start pushing Spice more in eform than print… are they gonna make gwen their ho too and not just me or what? I was gonna put up th book cover but figured the trailer here would work.
Don’t get me wrong, I am totally cool with erotica or in Spice’s case sometimes erotica, sometimes erotic romance (don’t get me started on THAT). But why go from the nice covers to the Ellora’s Cave like covers? Caine’s Reckoning has a beefcake/romancebeshere cover without going for the blatant look there is sex in this book and in case that word erotica goes over your head we are gonna put the sex on the cover too. Guess only time will tell….
On another note is this a lesson learned or serious irony?
OK – this is where the “alleged” prude in me comes out. There is No Way I would ever buy this book in a brick and mortar book store. Not a single chance in hell. Order it online? Yes I could do that if the reviews were good. But actually pick it up and take it to the front desk where the cashier could possibly be a young studly guy? Nope – not going to happen. I’d feel like a dirty old lady (even though I don’t think I look my age *g*)
So for me, Harlequin is just shooting themselves in the foot with this kind of cover. Sure there are lots of readers who could do it without a qualm. But if I’m one who wouldn’t, I’d be willing to bet there are a lot out there like me. And there are a lot of readers who don’t order on-line. So Harlequin would loose a lot of sales me thinks, from readers who might be interested but wouldn’t actually buy it.
Hmm. Actually EC has said, “please don’t ask for 3 naked people on the cover, it’s overdone”. *ggg* It’s a very attractive cover, but I’m not sure I’d pick it up in a brick and mortar store, either. Honestly I prefer the more subtly sexy covers. Although it’s a conundrum, if you’re too subtle it just blends into the background. Cover artists, they have a tough job.
Just not seeing the big deal here. Given the subject matter of the book, the cover fits. And compared to, say, Kensington’s Big Spankable Asses, this is downright boring. But I’m a book slut, and maybe this would turn off the casual browser.
I’m fairly well read when it comes to the Spice line and the vibe I was getting early on is that it would be more “erotica” than romance. But the signing of Sarah McCarty has me wondering if they’re still tinkering around a bit. Admittedly outside of Megan Hart, I’ve been extremely unmoved by their offerings thus far. (For the record I haven’t read the Kayla Perrin or M.J. Rose books)
LOLOL you know I went back and forth with should I say EC or Aphro cuz EC does seem some so five mins ago. And the aphro covers are mainstream, in your face and from what I have been told do very well.
It isn’t so much of a big thing as it is a wonder of does erotica/erotic romance not sell as well without a naked HERE IS SEX cover to go with the story.
I would say this is a pretty cover but I think there are more people out there like KristieJ who wouldn’t buy it because of the cover. Of course that is why there is the net right ;).
Mostly I thought it was nice to have one erotica/erotic romance line that had covers people wouldn’t have issue with buying and throwing on the table when they walk in the door, regardless of if they had kiddos or whoever running in and out of the house. But really really for all we know this is ONE cover or it could be a trend for them.
Some of these covers are out of control. Big Spankable Asses??! I can not see me reading that in public or on the bus to work without blushing.
I like the subtle, yet sexy covers. There is just too much T&A going on, especially with the male models. Hey I am all for 6 pack abs and a nice hard tush but sometimes they go over the line.
I like how Avon Red did Lisa Marie Rice’s first print book and the inside was scorching! 🙂
Sybil:
I should have added that I really, really like the more subtle Spice covers – but I wonder if they’re translating into sales? When it comes to my spicier reading, I tend to do the research, but not everybody does. If the cover doesn’t depict a threesome or half-naked people gettin’ it on will the casual browser looking for an erotic read pick up the book?
That’s the type of cover that I would prefer to buy as an ebook. It’s NOT something I would read around the house OR in public. Unless I consider a book an absolute must-read, I’m more apt to just wait for the ebook. In fact, I just had this dilemma with Elizabeth Amber’s Nicholas: The Lords of Satyr. I ended up buying it but kept it tucked away when the kids were home and didn’t take it with me when I left the house.
Wendy said
Excellent point, Wendy. The downside is that bookstores that would normally spotlight new releases by displaying them cover out, may instead feel they need to keep the books shelved spine out instead. So that might keep some of the casual browsers from even noticing it.
I’ve yet to read any books in this line and am wondering if the Spice BETWEEN the covers lives up to the hardcore Spice ON the newer covers.
Thinking on a it for a bit I realize that I was slightly embarassed to have anyone see that I had Sarah McCarty’s Promise book. I wouldn’t be worried about other readers but people do judge books by their cover so thinking someone might pick the book up in my house was a bit of a squicky moment. So yeah, that book will probably have to stay on it’s bookstore shelf.
cindyS
A bit belated here, but I like the subtler Spice covers; in fact, I am desperately hoping I get one like that for my book from them (THE DUCHESS, HER MAID, THE GROOM AND THEIR LOVER, Dec 08).
I thought the cover for THE TWELVE DANCING PRINCESSES was gorgeous.
True, the McCarty cover has beefcake, but it’s in a nice frame…. Looking at the whole range, it seems like the ones with more generalized titles have the subtler covers, as if they were going for a mood rather than specifics of the story. Since the McCarty is a Western, its genre was reflected in the style of story. Ditto with the 12 PRINCESSES, which I believe is a series of linked fairy tales.
Considering what the historicals I buy look like, even the cowboy beefcake is fairly subtle.
A bit belated here, but I like the subtler Spice covers; in fact, I am desperately hoping I get one like that for my book from them (THE DUCHESS, HER MAID, THE GROOM AND THEIR LOVER, Dec 08).
I thought the cover for THE TWELVE DANCING PRINCESSES was gorgeous.
True, the McCarty cover has beefcake, but it’s in a nice frame…. Looking at the whole range, it seems like the ones with more generalized titles have the subtler covers, as if they were going for a mood rather than specifics of the story. Since the McCarty is a Western, its genre was reflected in the style of story. Ditto with the 12 PRINCESSES, which I believe is a series of linked fairy tales.
Considering what the historicals I buy look like, even the cowboy beefcake is fairly subtle. I like that it shows a man as object of desire rather than a woman or a clinch.