Romantic Book Affairs: Alexandra Lambert Brenton

Guest Post: Author Alexandra Lambert Brenton Talks Humor in Romance

by Letitia on Friday, October 26, 2012

Today at Romantic Book Affairs, we’d like to welcome Alexandra Lambert Brenton—author of Tide’s Ebb. Let’s give her a round of cyber applause and a warm welcome. Take it away, Miz Lambert Brenton!

Marilyn Monroe said, “If you can make a girl laugh, you can make her do anything.” (At least, I think Marilyn Monroe said that. I just read a quote from Abraham Lincoln that suggested that “The trouble with quotes on the Internet is that you never know if they are genuine.”)
“Making the girl laugh” is key to many romance novels. Humor builds the romance and takes the edge off of the most alpha of heroes. I think this is why romance writers create the funniest dialogue. Think about Dain and Jessica in the classic Lord of Scoundrels. Dain is positively vile (he even frequents brothels—and it’s not for the conversation). Jessica is so smart, pretty and perfect that you wonder how she’ll ever end up with this jerk.
But Dain is not just a monster, he’s also a master of the one-liner:
Jessica: “You great drunken jackass!”
Dain: “I did not give you leave to use my Christian name.”
Jessica’s dry wit makes her more than his match:
“I have the imbecilic idea that you’re the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen. Except for your coiffure,” he added, with a disgusted glance at the coils and plumes and pearls. “That is ghastly.”
She scowled. “Your romantic effusions leave me breathless.”