As you all know, I read a lot of smut. I can’t help it, I find it interesting. You name it, I’ve probably read it: new adult, contemporary romance, historical romance, erotica, bdsm. The common theme of the horizontal mambo running rampant throughout all of them. I’ve also read all manner of couples getting together and finding love: friends, enemies, co-workers, neighbors, rich and poor, celebrities and average nobodies. I’ve read ’em all, and I’ll admit that I like ’em all. However, there is one couple group that I simply can’t decide if I find sexy, or disgusting. That would be the step-siblings.
There are some romance novels, such as Fallen Too Far by Abbi Glines, or Picture Perfect by Evangeline Anderson, where we have a step-brother and step-sister who can’t deny their sexual attraction to each other. Personally, whenever I read about this kind of romance I can’t help but get an initial feeling of ickiness. Now, I know they aren’t biologically related, and to be fair, normally whenever we have this kind of relationship the two have just recently met, or have known each other very briefly. I guess that makes it a little bit better, right? It’s not like they’ve lived together for years, and grown up together as brother and sister.
But still, am I the only one who finds this a little bit creepy? I mean, what are you supposed to say to your parents? “Hey dad, I totally get why you married this one if sexual libido happens to be a family trait, you know what I mean? High-five!” Pardon me whilst I go into the corner and puke. That’s also a feature which is usually notably absent from many of these romances: the parents’ reaction. Probably because there isn’t any way to address it in a non-awkward manner! What is the parent supposed to say? “I always hoped you two would get along”. Ugh, just no. So wrong.
I have read a few books now with this step-sibling theme, and I just don’t know how to feel about it. Normally they are pretty good reads, as there is the element of the forbidden in them. I mean, I absolutely loved Fallen Too Far. But I always had to remind myself in the end that this budding romance was between two people whose parent’s had a legal marriage certificate. I don’t know, what do you all think? Is it sexy for step-siblings to fall in love, or will there always be the ick factor that just won’t go away?
Romance Novels for the Beach 
Hmmm. I too find this creepy. It’s kind of falling for your math teacher, isn’t it?
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Ahaha! I fell for my photography teacher in high school. Does that count?
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OMG WTF?!?!??!?!?! Step-siblings????????????????????????????? HORRID!
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Not a fan of the step sibling affairs myself. There is just so much more to explore out there.
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I’ve read a few that make me say “well this is weird”. If they had grown up together I think I’d probably barf all over. I can’t handle that type of book. This book does it in a WAY less creepy me out way. But I might be biased because Abbi Glines is a favorite of mine.
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You should check out the Lora Leigh Breed series, if you haven’t already, of course. As with all series, sometimes the format can become trite and cliched, but I enjoyed some of the characters immensely, Jonas was a favorite, of course, I’m into the devious ones. To me, they’re a challenge.
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Ugh it is really tricky and can be a turn off, maybe it depends on how often the parents are featured in the story? The worst trend for me was when I read a book where the characters were distant cousins (which made me grimace) and at one point one called the other “cousin” just before what I’ll call a key scene. Ugh. yucky.
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Ohh! No. It’s icky. For sure. I mean, I get that technically speaking there’s nothing wrong with it, but as soon as you put the ‘brother’ or ‘sister’ label on someone it becomes too creepy to mention.
I suppose there might be a book out there that manages to write this kind of relationship in a way that doesn’t make me itch.. but I haven’t found it yet. And I’ve read my fair share of smut too.
It’s like in Gossip Girl.. As soon as Lillian and Rufus get together.. it’s like.. no. Serena and Dan must stop now. Else I’ll barf.
I suppose it’s better than reading ‘actual’ incest.. Yeah.. Thanks George Martin for that. That was bad and wrong and then he went and televised it? Fabulous.
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I think you touched on the most relevant points – the length and type of relationship before the attraction, and parental involvement will decide just how icky these stories are going to be.
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There must be some people who have this as a fantasy or it would not recur in stories. But personally I don’t care for it.
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I guess when you look at the V.C. Andrews novels there must be an audience for it, because aren’t 90% of those about incestuous weirdness? But personally, no, nope, nein, nyet. Can’t dig it. Not my thing.
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Not interested. But what’s wrong with a math teacher? lol
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And what if a girl and boy are in a relationship, but after a year, his father and her mother fall also in love with eachother. Them they’ll become step-siblings as well. Does that count to? (I saw it in Gossip Girl, season 1 haha)
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Well then I’d have to say the kids have dibs with that one!!
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You’re not alone in that ickiness you feel. The fact that they were legally related was marginalized in this novel. I was waiting for somebody to point it out but it seemed like everybody was fine with it in the book. Even Blaire’s father. But the twist in the end was really nice tho. Still just creepy with the sibling thingy.
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I love the “High-five” part lol I read a book with foster kids who grew up together having a sexual relationship and even then it felt really taboo. I’m not so sure how I’d feel with a step-sibling book as I haven’t read one yet. It definitely has the creep factor though!
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