Ah, the angst … It’s such a critical part of the romance genre’s tried-and-true beats, but sometimes a little out of place in romance’s dirty cousin, erotica. With my stories often straddling the genres, I sometimes have trouble deciding how much angst to introduce into my stories.
For short erotica, it seems like there shouldn’t really be any: we know what these characters are going to do, and we’d prefer they get down to business without a lot of personal drama. But for longer erotica and erotic romance, especially of the “slow burn” type, a bit of an emotional crisis seems called for, especially if the characters are on a journey of personal discovery.
In my personal reading, I tend to be a rom-com gal: I like my love affairs fast and funny, with lots of witty repartee and minimal whining. But every now and then, I enjoy something that will make me hope for the characters to overcome their challenges and weep with joy when they do. Knowing the angst level of a book is almost as important to my decision on what to read next as knowing the heat level is; so maybe this guide will help you pick your next Cornelia Quick read (since “heat level” is a poor metric for my work — it’s all pretty hot …)
On a scale of 0 (“no angst”) to 4 (“crippling emotional absorption”), here are my books:
0 – let’s just do this thing
Beach Volleyball Bump, Cait’s First Gangbang, Crammed at the Christmas Craft Fair, Crossing Swords With the Fencing Club, Groped by the Garage Band, Jennie’s Christmas Train, Katie’s Christmas Cracker, Mashed on Moving Day, Night Nurse, Pounded at Pirate Land, Season’s Delights, Shagged in the Bookshop, Spring Break Service!, Spring Break Sizzle!, Spring Break Splash!, The Center of Attention, Touchdown!
1 – are you sure we should do this thing?
A Siren’s Tales, A Touch in the Dark, Beach Volleyball Rematch, Calling Balls and Strikes, Cassie Clears the Bases, Cassie Keeps the Curfew, Checked by the Chess Club, Designated Hitter, Dorothy’s Domestic Bliss, Dorothy’s Double Delight, Dorothy’s Velvet Devil, Hot Mess Express, How I Won Spring Break, Laurel’s to the Victor, Members Only Night at the Supermarket, Mia’s Patio Playtime, Pitchers and Catchers Report, The Extraordinary Stars Beneath the Earth, Use Me at the Fair
2 – I will if you will …
A Family Condition, Baby Bump, Beneath the Mask, Matin, Midi, Minuit, Ohio Johnson and the Fountain of Youth, PURSUED, Spring Break Surprise!, The Betwixtmas Switch, Throuple
3 – This could change everything
A Dip in the Lake, Bound for Eden, Couples Massage, Della Takes a Dip, Madeline’s Awakening, The Night of the Storm, The Senator’s Daughter
4 – All the feels
The Heart’s Hunger, Casey’s Story, Lightning in a Bottle, Passion in the Stars, Matador, Off the Leash, The Contours of Desire
Cornelia Quick 