Last time, I listed some of the questions that popped up once I’d decided to write reverse harem.
The biggest revelation came about when I sat down to read in the genre.
Who knew Reverse Harem is a trope, not a genre?
Not me, that’s for sure!
Let me explain:
The first novel I read was a YA academy story. Okay, I thought. Not too much sex and an interesting setting. I can handle this. Soon I felt like watching an anime on the page, though. All the heroes had long hair–some pink, some green, some blue, some purple. And they were really one-dimensional and bitchy. Not my thing at all.
When I complained to a friend about the book, she laughed. “Try Alex Lidell,” she said. I read all books of The Power of Five in less than a week. It was AWESOME.
Then I found Steffanie Holmes’s Nevermore Bookshops Mysteries series and realized, “Hey, Reverse Harem is great in a magical cozy setting. With sex.”
Right now, I’m reading “Demons in the Bedroom” which is such a great book. Not too serious, medium burn, with some very interesting werewolves and incubi as the male love interests. I’m enjoying the hell out of it.
I have to say, I largely stick with Urban Fantasy and PNR for my reading, because that’s what I enjoy. But now I know that RH could be included in every genre.
I have a few half-finished novels on my hard drive that will DEFINITELY get the RH treatment in 2021 😀
The Boys of Amber's Harem
Kiernan
Last time, I introduced Julian Cooper. This week, it’s Kiernan Hennessy’s turn.
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Kiernan is not that tall, but built like a tank.
He has one mother and two fathers. Of all the boys, he’s the one most comfortable with the idea of being part of a harem. He is born-magic and, together with Julian, helps Amber take her first steps in the new world.
Although he came to America from Co. Offaly in Ireland quite a while ago, he hasn’t lost his Irish accent.
Sidenote: Co. Offaly is the home of Clonmacnoise monastery and the Slieve Bloom mountains. It's far less touristy than the rest of the country because it doesn't have a coastline and so well worth a visit.
Kiernan’s parents are very wealthy and are paying a premium for him to be educated at the academy. His mom is domineering and has basically plotted out his future for him.
Amber doesn’t feature in that plan. Not only is she a–gasp–inmate, but she also isn’t magic-born. The conflict is pre-programmed 🙂
Next time, I’ll introduce the third in the harem. I hope you like the boys so far!