Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Things I Like/Dislike When It Comes To Romances In Books

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week they will post a new Top Ten list that one of the bloggers at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone is welcome to join. All they ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.

Top Ten Things I Like/Dislike When It Comes To Romances In Books

We have an option this week: all likes, all dislikes, or a mixture of both. I am going with a mix, and I will start with my likes because positive first makes the negative a bit easier to swallow...just ask Mary Poppins. 

Likes

1. Flawed heroes and heroines. No one is perfect. In my opinion, perfect is boring. I want my characters to be flawed. It's okay for the main characters in a romance novel not to like every single thing about each other too.
2. Characters with history. One of the best romantic suspense novels I ever read was Beyond the Code of Conduct by K. M. Daughters. The main characters are Homicide Detective Joe Sullivan and FBI Special Agent Bobbie Leighton. An incident in their past tore them apart, but when Joe's brother is murdered, they are forced to pose as a married couple to catch the culprit. Sparks were definitely flying.
3. Cowboys. I can't help. I love me a good cowboy romance. Ranches, horses, muscles bulging underneath flannel shirts...they get me every time. 
4. Historical settings. Since I read a lot of historical fiction, this is probably a no-brainer. I'm partial to the mid- to late 1800s.
5. Sarcastic heroines. They really should crown me the Queen of Sarcasm. I love it. I use it. Sarcastic female characters are my friends.

Dislikes

1. Love at first sight. My teenage daughter is so into this right now. I'm guessing it might exist somewhere, but I believe true love takes time to develop. It's okay when characters are instantly attracted to each other, but even then, it can't go overboard.
2. Raunchy sex scenes. Overly graphic sex scenes with tons of raunchy dialogue do nothing for me; except maybe make me want to close the book.
3. Love triangles. I know they are popular, but I feel there can be enough conflict and tension between two main characters without a third person involved. 
4. Needy characters. Whether it is the hero or the heroine, if a character is too needy I feel like slapping them offside the head. 
5. Romance as the entire plot. I'm sure I am more drawn to romantic suspense than traditional romances simply because there is an engaging side story to balance out all that drippy love stuff. 

What are your likes and dislikes when it comes to romance in books?