I can't get into threesomes. (Er, fiction-wise, that is. We'll leave my personal life out of it.)
Threesomes that are purely sexual, sure! But books where the OTP is an OT3 are just not for me, I've found. Of course, to each their own -- I cast no aspersions on anyone else's preferences.
I recently tried to read a book about three men who fall in love with each other, but I found myself hopelessly shipping two of them and wishing the third would bugger off already. I'm also a stickler for happy ever after, so perhaps I'm just hopelessly old fashioned.
What are your thoughts? Are three better than two?
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I just submitted a OTP (m/f)turning into a OT 3 (#3 being another m) tale so I'm naturally biased.
I guess it all depends on the characters and their motivation. Hopefully I pulled it off as well as I think I did.
It depends on the story for me, Keira. If there's a good plot, I'm there. One of the things about threesomes that always bothers me, be it m/f/m or f/m/f, is where two people focus on one person, rather than all three being in the relationship together. I can't read those stories at all without rolling my eyes. I mean, if there were two people in my bed (gasp) then I wouldn't expect them to ignore each other. Not that it would ever happen in RL anyway. ;)
So, Barbara, are the three people equally in love with each other? And I'm sure you pulled it off very well! I know many people love OT3s.
Amanda, I agree with you on that count for sure.
I'm a reader, and I'm aware that menages are very popular. I'll admit though that I don't understand it at all. Even when the story is just a PWP, I can't get into it. It's even worse if it's novel-length and I'm expected to believe that the three are in love with each other (no issues of jealousies or insecurities or favoritisms). I consider myself pretty open-minded, but I have resign myself on this issue. I will never be able to enjoy menages.
That said, I'll add that it's annoying when publishers decide to lump menages or multiple partner stories in with gay/lesbian. The audiences/readers for the two categories aren't the same. People who enjoy menages might not necessarily enjoy gay books (especially readers who just like reading about one woman who falls in love with a man, and then falls in love with another man, and finds out instead of choosing, she can just have both of them! Oh how life just falls into place). And people who enjoy gay books might not be into menages. It's not the same thing! And especially since a lot of the books being marketed as "bisexual" is just menage stories, they should put it in a separate category, like ARe is doing.
Well, the rant's a little long, but this issue really ticks me off.
Three works for me ONLY as pure fantasy. I can't see it working in real life. I have to be in a very flexible mood to enjoy a story about a long-term/permanent threesome.
I think three guys or three women would work better than a mixed-sex trio, but I still find it difficult to suspend disbelief (M/M/F is reeeally hard for me to read). Long-term triangular relationships are just bad news in real life.
But M/M/M porn that's just about a hot hookup? Hell yeah. :D
Caitlin, thanks for your thoughts! Very interesting, and I agree that menages are their own category, particularly when there are both men and women involved.
Jen, I'm with you on the hot hook-up menage over the long-term love variety. Again, to each their own, but I just can't get into it.
As someone who reads a lot of M/M books and some menages I prefer the M/M/M menage books. Some authors write very believable stories and I have a lot of threesome favourites - 9-1-1 by Chris Owen is one of them. Hey, this is all fantasy and you have to suspend belief when you read fiction whether it's a het historical bodice ripper, M/M, M/M/F, M/F/M or M/M/M or whatever. It all comes down to personal tastes.
For me, as long as the stories are well written, entertaining, have great characterizations and a good plot I will love the author who can combine all those elements in a book, whether it's contemporary, historical or paranormal.
I really love books about dragons and other paranormals, but I do know that they are not real. That does not take anything away from my enjoyment of these books whether they are M/F/M, M/M/M or some other combination. I recently reviewed a book about 4 men (2 bisexual couples) and one female and it was quite enjoyable. A number of women said it was their ultimate fantasy to be with 4 men "fantasy" - being the operative word.
On another topic, could someone please explain these acronyms for me (I know I'm ignorant about some aspects of the romance genre but the acronyms really get to me)
OTS, OTP, PWS and OT3.
Thanks.
So, Barbara, are the three people equally in love with each other?
Pretty much so.
Wave - 911 is one of my favorite books. Yummmm. I also liked a book that Willa Okati wrote about five men in a relationship. It stretched my ability to suspend disbelief, but it was a great book.
So, looking back, I guess m/m/m does work for me most of the time. It's mostly just m/m/f that's so tough for me to accept.
There you go Jen - there are some books which we both like *g*.I know there are other M/M/M books which I really liked I just can't remember their names at the moment but 9-1-1 was HOT. One M/F/M series which I love is Jet Mykles' LEASHED series with Meg, the witch, and her two shifters - WOW.
As I said earlier, it's a matter of personal preference but we all have to remember that genre fiction is called fiction for a reason - it's not real. I love it when authors let their imaginations go wild. I guess that's why I love stories about dragons :)
I dislike menages too. I've yet to see an author make one work. Even some of my favourite authors haven't made them work, and I don't care how many people recommend them.
I'm traditional as well. I don't read for a fantasy element at all. That's why I love contemporary novels the best.
When authors write m/m/m/f//f/m stories, I usually want to cry. Yeah personal preference and all that. But I wonder where all the traditional authors gone? :(
Jesse,
I can handle some of the acronyms.
OTP: One True Pairing (used in fandom to describe the two in a relationship that you endorse and you believe they are meant for each other.)
OT3: One true threesome. A threesome that is going to be a permanent happily-ever-after.
PWP: Porn Without Plot or Plot? What Plot?
That's all I've got.
As far as threesomes for me, it's not my cup of tea to read, unless it's just a hookup. However, a group marriage where they can all hit the bed like a tangle of weasels, somehow that works for me. (Emotionally, I mean. I think I'd have trouble keeping track if I were reading it as erotica.) I'm thinking of one of Vonda McIntyre's sf series.
Three is an odd number so I always feel like one of them will be feeling slightly left out.
Thanks, Keira, for bringing up an interesting topic.
I read to get away from true life, so I have no problems with a threesome if the author puts the work into it. Threesome in real life...I don't think so. In my romance book, not a problem with it. Sean Michaels has a series called Jarheads with a permenant threesome that most people really like(me inclueded). There are others out there but I can't think of the titles off the top of my head.
Chris
Hi K.A.
Thank you very much for the explanations of the acronyms. Now I don't feel so ignorant. I was lost before you showed me the light *g*
Jesse, I really enjoy fantasy sometimes ("A Strong and Sudden Thaw" leaps to mind), and I agree that it's all down to personal preference, as I said in my post. For me, it's all about emotional resonance, and I find menages leave me cold. Dragons are completely unrealistic, but I can happily suspend my disbelief. But when relationships don't ring true, I can't get into a story. Again, it's all personal preference.
I've never seen the other acroynms you mentioned, so I can't help explain those I'm afraid! :)
Anon, I do think there are lots of "traditional" authors still out there! :)
K.A., you're welcome! It was really interesting indeed to read the responses.
There might be, but I haven't seen many recently. Threesomes are hot, and will always be so. Many of my liked authors, have wandered down that path, due it being so well-received. obviously you can't fault them in that. But out of many releases in "top" publishers, you'll see a huge amount of menages (or paranormal).
I try to seek our contemporary stories, only to find a few. Though I did read K.A. Mitchell's Diving Deep which was a cute story :)
Thanks, Anon. Joey (Noah's ex in Diving In Deep) finds a happily-ever-after hero in my next book. But first there's a lot of hot sex. :D
K.A.
When is the new book coming out? I read Diving in Deep sometime ago and loved it and the characters.
I saw that on your site (I think). I'm looking forward to meeting...Mark was it? He has my interest peeked.
I think you said it was a December release, right?
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