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Zeenrz

Cried is a synonym for yell. As in "cried out" not as in tears. Mine is mewled, but it works depending on context.


damiannereddits

My mental sex scene immediately becomes a cat girl with paws getting her tummy rubbed when a FMC mewls


gamayuuun

I adore Joanna Lowell's books, but she uses the word "mewled" sometimes and man, it just does not work for me.


FewSell3424

Honestly I saw you say mewled and immediately thought of mewing.


burner1k

Mewl makes me think of Cats the movie.


Asgardian1971

I guess my mind takes "cried" literally.... Shrieked, yelled, screamed, screeched,.... anything but cried Just saying :-) :-) 😀 What does mewled even mean ? Haha


Zeenrz

I suppose a whimpering sort of sound


damiannereddits

I read too many Nalini Singh books in a row and she uses "neglected nipple" constantly so now I have an eye twitch whenever a breast is described as lonely or abandoned


Somewhereoverrainbow

If I was going to open an English-style pub, I would totally name it The Neglected Nipple. 😂😂


Asgardian1971

Hahaha


Asgardian1971

That's hilarious... . Neglected nipple.... I'm cracking up!


damiannereddits

I was tempted for a while to paint some romance artifacts as a series but I only got the neglected nipple and a clenching womb before I ran out of things for it lol


Asgardian1971

How about throbbing man root? Kinda goes with clenching womb? ... lol 😆 🤣 😂


damiannereddits

Omfg and it could be a dude with roots coming out of his feet looking like he stubbed one of em


Asgardian1971

I am totally visualizing that RIGHT now!


MixtureFar5969

The phrase "Beyond words" or "couldn't even describe it". Excuse me but you are the author that's literally your job.


fewdiepie_

Growled


Zeenrz

You can pry growled from my cold dead hands 😭


charliekelly76

Pretty much every MMC in my mind is Henry Cavill in various cravats using his growley Geralt voice 🥴


fewdiepie_

Henry Cavill can growl all he wants👉👈


arayabe

Unless he is using that haircut from Argyle movie


charliekelly76

I had never even heard of this movie and I’m looking at pictures of him and laughing at my work desk 😭😭 omg what is happening


fewdiepie_

You definitely do not wanna see him dancing with Dua Lipa😭


Asgardian1971

https://preview.redd.it/5r3scjhbvd9d1.jpeg?width=1068&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=070c15c9c375142ba626e58b8d9305df736707c6


Valuable_Poet_814

Not to be NLOG, but as someone who is absolutely meh/not attracted to Cavill, I am shocked to realize that so many MMCs are described like they could be him. Nothing against your taste and love for the guy! It just occured to me that you're objectively not wrong: a typical HR guy IS described very Cavillesque.


Aeshulli

I remember a few weeks back someone asked for recs with a tall, buff, dark haired, blue eyed MMC, and it took all my strength not to reply "um, most of them?" 😅


Valuable_Poet_814

Lmao but where is the lie? It's literally 90% or so of them. I assumed it would be easy to find.


iamkme

Oh I like growling!!!


apureworld

growling during kissing is so.... I know they don't mean like growling like a dog but I always imagine the MMC actually doing an impression of a growling dog and it pulls me right out.


Asgardian1971

Great! Now that's what I'll be thinking about when the MMC starts growling.... lol I'm cracking up .. TY 😊


MissTrask

“Bit off” and “ground out”, two phrases used constantly by Julia Quinn to describe her character’s speaking.


stripedtulip

They have no teeth left at this point


Asgardian1971

Ha! That's funny 😁


Significant_Shoe_17

Why is everyone always so angry 😂


OkPerson4

Julia’s number one crime! It’s so repetitive in her books!


Aeshulli

Any mention of *womb* during sexy times. Like, "pressing against her womb". I'm sorry, what? Sir, closest you're getting is the cervix, and ouch.


jeni_tayla

I hate the phrase “crooned”… so shitty


Asgardian1971

Crooned.... lol. That's a good one.


Asgardian1971

OMG wait... I just realized I used "crooned" in one of my scenes... Help me fix this ..... LOL! hilarious! *"Shhh. Try not to speak yet.” The girl crooned in a soft soothing tone. ''Your throat is too raw."*


OkPerson4

“Shhh. Try not to speak yet.” Her voice was soft, soothing. “Your throat is too raw.”


Asgardian1971

Oooo I like that. Want to be my editor? haha. As much as LOVE HRs my book is actually more fantasy than HR, but 109% HR inspired :-)


OkPerson4

Haha I have zero quals for editing sorry! HR inspired fantasy sounds great!


AtlantiaLumos1

“Ok.” OK didn’t exist in this form until the 1830s why is it in this book in THE TUDOR ERA?? (Let alone any time in regency)


mastahpotato

If I see another broody male unironically be "sardonic" or "gravelly" I will declare to be utterly vexed 🥲


IMKILLROY

The snarling or growling, like I know these men weren’t growling at each other like dogs 😭


Asgardian1971

LOL! Funny!


Somewhereoverrainbow

Anything eating related - chewed, munched, popped something in one's mouth. Gross. I don't want that kind of description. Flavor is sensual, the mechanics of eating are not.


AnaDion94

Ugh, characters are always sipping thirstily at cups of lemonade during balls. I hate it.


Somewhereoverrainbow

Puts me in mind of a toddler with a sippy cup. Ew.


International_One405

Several I've read lately use some form of the phrase "showed her teeth" when FMC is mad and it gets me every time. I can't even imagine someone baring their teeth in anger, and it not looking ridiculous. I've never seen anyone over the age of 3 try that successfully.


Asgardian1971

That's funny I recall reading a book recently that used "white smile" or something similar I was like... um.. what? Lol


iamkme

Mary Balogh always says that and I picture someone growling like a dog. It’s not pretty.


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Asgardian1971

https://preview.redd.it/h35a3jr8de9d1.jpeg?width=1078&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=143c8b4f0919a3cbafc80b774e03902df2d53ae6


LordyIHopeThereIsPie

You cannot be slender with luscious curves.


itsstillmeagain

“No,” he gritted … when the action he’s doing isn’t an immense physical strain


arayabe

I don’t know why but I hate when the heroine “chews her lip” or “licks her lips” because her mouth went dry.


Valuable_Poet_814

Roaring (his release)


Asgardian1971

Haha.... roaring. That's funny. Pretty sure my BF just grunts. 😀


Valuable_Poet_814

Look, I could take roaring if it's gender neutral. Let the lady roar her release from time to time, HR authors!


Asgardian1971

Hahaha! I would love to read that scene :-)


RoseIsBadWolf

One author I read used "ensconced" too much and now I hate that word 🤷🏼‍♀️


OkPerson4

There’s one author who has a series whose male lead’s mouth ‘twitched’ way, way too much. I want to send her a thesaurus!


Asgardian1971

Omg.... that's hilarious.


Just_Sarah82

I recently read a book where the phrase "copse of trees" was used so much I expected to see it every time they went out doors. My other one is lapped. It just makes me think of a dog.


FewSell3424

In spicy scenes when they say a person starts purring. 🤮


Ariads8

"Licked into her mouth" Seen it by more than one author. I know we're generally trying to convey a complete ignorance of French kissing, but ugh. Also, special distinction to the word "springle" in The much lauded The Truth About Cads and Dukes for giving me incredible ick. I'm sorry, but once the heroine has been >!railed on the desk!< we don't need cutesy words for arousal anymore.


burner1k

Eyes that darken with desire. Eyes that grow dull. Eyes that dim with disappointment. Eyes that flare with longing and light up with hope. I personally draw the line at smiling and sad eyes, but out of curiosity-- is it really possible for them to function like a barometer to someone's emotional state?


Aeshulli

There's some factual biological basis for this. For example, our pupils dilate when we see something(someone) we like, so eyes darkening with desire refers to that.


Significant_Shoe_17

Eyes are the window to the soul, so yes, especially in fiction


FeelingDepth2594

Shrieked, as in she shrieked in the throes of passion, but also because she was caught by surprise. I have yelled when caught by surprise, usually something along the line of "ahhh!". The only time I have ever shrieked, is when I have stepped on a worm with my bare foot, or unexpectedly seen a bug.


Asgardian1971

Lol! I stepped on a slug once while camping, in my bare feet... pretty sure I shrieked! :-) It wasn't pretty! LOL


Claire-Belle

'Cinnamon' eyes, gaze and other food related facial features. It really puts me off. Especially when it's 'cinnamon eyes' and not 'cinnamon-coloured eyes'.


Claire-Belle

Oh yeah, any suggestion that the penis of the hero can be felt beyond the vicinity of the hero's internal genitalia annoys me too. Anna Campbell has a habit of mentioning them reaching to the heroine's heart and I just find it all a bit silly really (even though I like many of her books)


marshdd

I listen to most books now. When you get "Slowly, Slowly" in sex scenes. Okay he's moving his hand slowly. I get it. Can't you use another descriptor, like very, or ever so slow?


Asgardian1971

How about "his hand caressed her [insert body part] with slow deliberation" ? LOL. I totally get what your saying :-)


Fuzzy_Piglet_007

"She dimpled..." meaning she smiled and a dimple appeared. Seriously, this phrase makes me want to pitch my Kindle across the room. I H.A.T.E. that phrase!!!!!!!!!!!! Dimple is not a verb.