If you read romance, if you follow current trends, you know the hot trend right now is erotic romance. It all started with Ellora's Cave, an e-publishing company that exploded onto the scene and who's stories are now available in most chain stores in trade paperback. The huge success and continuing demand for these ultra-spicy novels proved that they weren't just a flash-in-the-pan.  Highly sensual, extremely graphic sexy novels are here to stay and the major pubs took notice. Almost every (if not every) NYC romantic fiction publisher has launched an erotic line. Even the more traditional romances have gotten bolder. I recently read a straight-ahead historical romance by a bestselling author that opened with a scene where the hero was getting oral sex. If you're a writer who's recently attended an editors panel at a conference or who keeps up with publisher guidelines, you've no doubt heard (or read), "We're looking for hot, hot, hot!" 

Given American culture today, the 'erotic' trend in romance novels isn't surprising.  Music lyrics are more sexually graphic as are television shows and multi-media advertising. Sex is everywhere. Graphic language and explicit scenes aren't shocking, but accepted, maybe even expected.  So imagine my shock when I read the latest single-title romance by a multi-published, currently popular author only to learn there was NO SEX. Not on the pages anyway. It was implied. But, aside from some very hot kisses, the actual lovemaking took place 'off page'.  I can't remember the last time I read a romance novel where there wasn't at least one lovemaking scene. Sure, they're not all written in graphic terms, they're not all explicit, but the scene is THERE. On the page, in black and white.

Not in this book. And no it's not an inspirational romance. It's a very hip HQN romance novel by Pamela Britton called 'In the Groove'.  This novel stars a down-on-her-luck school teacher and a NASCAR racing driver. This story is funny, charming, romantic, and HOT! That's right--HOT--and there is no sex on page. So that got me thinking... What makes for a steamy read? What's sexy? What's hot?

One of the hottest kisses I have ever seen took place in the movie 'Dear Frankie'. The hero and heroine stood in a doorway, lingering a long, awkward moment after a night out. It wasn't really a date, they hardly know one another... but there is a fierce attraction, true affection. They don't speak of it. They hardly speak at all, but you know what they're feeling. You see it in their eyes, read it through their body language.  They stare into each other eyes for what seems an eternity before they brush lips. A brief, tender, tentative kiss, but it was... yeah, baby, yeah... HOT!

Another example is the movie 'Dangerous Beauty'--a historical drama starring Rufus Sewell and Catherine McCormick. They're desperately in love, but because of their social standings cannot be together. There are several scenes where they simply look at each other. Long, aching, hot, hot, hot gazes. Gazes that had me squirming in my seat.

Today's challenge: Name the hottest non-graphic/non-explicit scene you've read in a book or seen in a movie. Then tell us, what's your definition of hot?   

Hottest non-graphic/non-explicit scene in a movie: Age of Innocence where Daniel Day-Lewis and and Michelle Pfieffer are fully dressed in a carrriage and he kisses her wrist. Why is this hot? Because you can tell they want to do the deed right now, but there are so many things holding them back, and I don't just mean the layers of clothing. (That can be gotten around. Trust me; I've had some experience with that.) There is so much social and emotional baggage holding them back, yet for that one moment, they're willing to throw it all away for one another.

That's what a makes a scene hot for me, that moment of complete madness when a character realizes that this is the one and they will do anything to be with that person. It doesn't -- and shouldn't last long, but that's the moment for me.

In The Horse Whisperer where Robert Redford and Kristin Scott Thomas dance, you don't have dialogue or kissing or nudity, but there is so much in their body language, the way his hand rests on her body, the look in their eyes -- the yearning is so hot and romantic. Then there's the scene in The Big Easy where you don't actually see what Dennis Quaid is doing to Ellen Barkin, but the expression on her face tells it loud and clear. Tres hot.

I agree with Caro. Hot to me is unrequited attraction building to the moment of complete madness. Abandonment and restraint at war. Then, it's all about the kiss on fire with longing. Until they are once again separated to build again ...

Caro, I remember adoring 'Age of Innocence'. I even own it on DVD, but I haven't watched it in a very long time. Thank you for the reminder. Must watch again soon. And you're right, that scene was hot! Also I love both your and Cyndi's description of 'What is hot'. Fanning myself as a result.

Mary, I've seen both of those movies and remember both of those scenes. Excellent examples. Okay. Now I have a hankering to revisit The Big Easy too. Can you say movie marathon??

She seemed to glide forward, as though carried by the soft melody of the flute.
You do not love him.
You cannot love him.
You must not love him.
The melody strained higher. Louder.
Be still my heart.
Be strong my heart.
She stood before him. She did not touch him, not with her hands at least. Nay, `twas her gaze that caressed his proud face, the throbbing pulse at his throat, his broad shoulders and muscled arms. Tears stung her eyes as she studied the callused hand that, one moment, had wielded a deadly sword then, the next, tended so gently to her wounds.
Sir Baldric the Immortal. Mayhap the noblest knight in the realm, so told the legend.
Valiant. Noble. Loyal. A knight’s code. A code he will never break.
Gillian lost herself in his questioning gaze. `Twas foolish to fall in love. Those she loved died.
Do not love him.
Do not love him.
She fought to breathe, the ache in her heart so great.
Baldric’s breath lay trapped in his lungs. It took every fiber of his strength not to drop to his knees and declare his love to this woman. His skin burned where her gaze touched him with the passion of a lover’s hand. Burned as she branded him hers for all eternity.

...A scene from 'Knight of my Dreams' by CB Scott (The alter-ego of Cyndi and Beth) I remember reading this scene a few days after we wrote it, envisioning it like a scene in a movie. I could see the desire and passion, the longing. I could feel it. And I thought, "Man, that's hot." :0)

Hmm. The paragraph indents disappeared after submitting. Sorry about that!

I know this isn't on the subject, but I'm so bummed out to hear that about 'In the Groove'. I just bought that book. Sigh. I wasn't looking for graphic scenes and I'm sure the sexual tension is hot, but I doubt I'll read it now. :-/ I'm always disappointed when the books are like that. And like I said, I don't need a graphic scene, but I would like one love scene onstage so to speak.

As for a book that was hot without anything happening, I actually can't think of a novel off the top of my head, but the movie French Kiss comes to mind. The scene where Meg Ryan is sleeping/dreaming on the train and turns to Kevin Kline and kisses him. Very hot.

Jordan, I'm sorry to hear that you'd pass on In the Groove because the sex happens off-page. I feel awful. Forgive me, Ms. Britton! It's an excellent read and I very much enjoyed it. The sexual tension was great, hot, rewarding. I didn't miss the 'sex'. I enjoyed the story and the characters too much. That said a lot to me. I actually found this book to be a refreshing surprise. That said, everything is subjective... and one person's idea of 'hot' may differ greatly from another's. The lack of on-page sex may take away from someone's reading pleasure, but it didn't bother me. On a like note, Iris Johanson's recent suspense books really do it for me. Again, hot sexual tension, a romance, but the sex--for the most part-happens off-page.

On the subject of French Kiss... that's one of my favorite movies. I've seen it a dozen times, and the scene you mentioned makes me swoon everytime!

Great topic Beth and a great excerpt. I guess I'm in the minority but I like off-page and off-screen sex. I tend to like the anticipation more than the actual act.

I don't mind books without explicit love scenes, but I do find the fade-to-black variety slightly annoying. Why go into the bedroom if you're going to slam the door in your reader's face?

One terrific trilogy was Ann Maxwell's Dancer SF series; I think the titles were Fire Dancer, Dancer's Luck, and Dancer's Illusion. The series featured a firestarter protagonist and her large, furry protector. Almost G-rated, with only them sharing (I think) only one kiss through three books. Yet the tension was such that I thought those books would spontaneously combust at times while I was ready them. Before anyone rushes out to buy them, Ann never finished the series, and has said she has no intention to do so, just FYi.

Okay. I started to zing over to Amazon to order those books, PBW. Then I read your last line. Well, crud. An unresolved series? WHY? Crud. I may have to pick one up anyway. Sounds totally intriguing. As to slamming the bedroom door in a reader's face, I noted over at Jordan's blog that I remember reading Harliquins as a teen and getting all worked up as he led her into the bedroom. Next page/New chapter... "The next morning..." Talk about frustrated. Me, not the heroine. So I do see your and Jordan's point. Still, it was done well in this book. I wasn't let down, just surprised.

One of the hottest kiss scenes I can think of was from Mary Stewart's "This Rough Magic" (Mary, you should remember this because you're a dolphin lover), a classic romance from the late 60s. They had just saved the dolphin, and the hero and heroine are standing half in the water, and he kisses her...wow! What a kiss! I read it when I was a teenager and I still remember it!

Was just talking about this yesterday with a writer friend who classified closed door books as BORING. :) Sex and love are so inseparable in romance, that imagining love without the physical demonstration holds no interest for me (or for her) at all. Yes, I know those movies and those scenes and they are dreadfully romantic. But I don't think of them as hot.

One of the hottest scenes I read recently was no more than a paragraph long. (And I totally apologize for not remembering which book it was in - it wasn't a romance, but a suspense.) Just one paragraph, all the right words, none overly explicit, but the scene did not fade to black or close the door and disappoint.

IMO, hot doesn't mean neverending or explicit, but it does mean sex on screen! :)

I'm not a big fan of the fade to black. I've read one author who does it and it doesn't bother me. But most of the time I feel cheated.

One of the most erotic books I've ever read didn't have a kiss until two hundred pages in. But every page was a build and some of it had me shuddering with no actual touching. It did go into the bedroom but it wasn't until the last quarter or so of the book.

The first thing that comes to mind is Jennifer Crusie's "Manhunting" (but that's probably just because I re-read it). The couple has been convincing themselves that there's nothing going on, then all of a sudden it catches up with them: a very passionate kiss in the stockroom of a bar.

I also LOVE the scene in Jinxed when Afia kisses Jake on the boardwalk while they're trailing that client...

download ringtones mp3 time a at ringtones one dash for ringtones tmobile the bet mobile ringtones buy with ringtones card credit zelda legend the of ringtones ringtones mobile phones boost for mobile t downloadable ringtones for ringtones make vx8300 lg for 650 ringtones palm for treo cool ringtones ringtones mobile t razor for the doors ringtones mobile t dash on ringtones mobile t ringtones mp3 dash phones ringtones lg ringtones lg cg225 Wednesday, January 30th 2008 @ 9:21 PM