#RomBkLove Day 14: Power Dynamics
11/14/2018
All relationships have them, skilled writers are aware of how tweaking them one way or another may make or break a story. How sensitive are you to them? What works for you? What do you like to see? Who does them well? Who surprises you?
I think about them all the time. I struggle with books where the power differential is massive when the fantasy element of it isn't off the charts.
I love romances that think about the fact that one MCs is hugely rich and powerful and the other is not, and what that means. I love when authors take the time work that into their HEAs.
Currently Kit Rocha is doing a lot of work in their Gideon Rider's series unpacking power dynamics in a world where political and religious fervor intermix. The latest book was Ivan. Ivan has pledged his life to the Rios family, promising to protect them and is part of cadre of elite soldiers that serve the sector leader Gideon. Maricela is a princess, sister both the head of the religion and the political leader of the sector. She is damn big deal. It is a royal romance on steroids and Kit Rocha does the work so that I believe that Ivan and Maricela can be happy and have a relationship where they both have agency.
Band Sinister by KJ Charles, also spent a lot of time addressing power dynamics, and how wealth, gender and political position affect agency. I loved that she spent time unpacking how Amanda & David, and Guy and Phillip all need different things to achieve their HEAs and how their positions in life affect what it looks like. David waits to propose to Amanda til he isn't her doctor anymore. Phillip has to find a way to make Guy financial independent so that he might be able to make choices other than what his Aunt dictates...etc. It was beautiful.
What novels get you thinking about power dynamics?