tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4421706587311875668.post2355148825144602798..comments2023-10-14T06:54:41.793-06:00Comments on Julie Coulter Bellon: Castle, Hawaii Five-O and What's Clean Romance to You?Julie Coulter Bellonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07695605817809301518noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4421706587311875668.post-23107324831257424112012-02-23T17:15:56.878-07:002012-02-23T17:15:56.878-07:00Harry hasn't joined the cast, he's a speci...Harry hasn't joined the cast, he's a special guest star with a multi-episode arc. He's some sort of DA and he's become Benson's love interest. He's not like, a great actor, but he does have a certain charm.<br /><br />Watched H50 last night. Agree, Apollo was a nice touch. My wife points out, "They'd have to be careful about showing him from the waist down. He must have MASSIVE leg muscles!" <br /><br />One of the car scenes with the bros was nice. "I'll be happier when we stop talking about this."<br /><br />The image/thought I can't get out of my head after watching this: how terrifying would it be to be attacked with a stick with shark's teeth around it?<br /><br />But yeah, I'd love to visit Hawaii. Parts of it are so gorgeous and parts just seem almost alien. (but still breath-taking)Jon Spellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13283068961865370674noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4421706587311875668.post-45476682390136696252012-02-22T21:05:28.212-07:002012-02-22T21:05:28.212-07:00Gina, I prefer to fade to black as well. And I ag...Gina, I prefer to fade to black as well. And I agree with personal standards in my reading material as well. It just adds to my reading enjoyment when I'm true to myself. <br /><br />Jon, I watched SVU for a long time, but even last season was getting a little too graphic for me and I finally stopped watching. With Stabler gone I knew I'd made the right decision. Benson and Stabler were the mainstays of that show for sure. And the ratings from this season speak to that I think. Harry Connick Jr. joined the cast? That surprises me a lot. Is he any good? Is he a lawyer or a cop? Just curious. :)Julie Coulter Bellonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07695605817809301518noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4421706587311875668.post-48149386875575605252012-02-22T17:20:30.432-07:002012-02-22T17:20:30.432-07:00>>Did you watch Hawaii Five-O yet?
Not yet,...>>Did you watch Hawaii Five-O yet?<br /><br />Not yet, H50 must "Neal" before White Collar. ;) <br /><br />Probably tonight - I think it'll win out over Royal Pains and SVU. We are just about disgusted with SVU this season, and not just because we lost Stabler. The writers seem to revel in graphic depictions. Personally, I love the new girl from Chase, but it doesn't make up for the crap. I think by now we watch it out of long-running loyalty. (And maybe a little because of Harry Connick, Jr.)Jon Spellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13283068961865370674noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4421706587311875668.post-85207909464424212702012-02-22T12:46:04.462-07:002012-02-22T12:46:04.462-07:00I have a pretty unique stance on the "clean r...I have a pretty unique stance on the "clean romance" thing, I think, especially in the LDS community. <br /><br />I feel like it's "clean" if I don't read explicit actions and the sex all takes place off-screen (a la Twilight). I know that pretty much every person on the planet will have sex at some point in their lives, and I see no reason to pretend otherwise. I just don't need to read the details. I am fine with a fade-to-black treatment. <br /><br />That being said, I get more uncomfortable when the sex is not in line with my personal standards. Teen sex, especially, doesn't sit well with me. Extra-marital affairs or homosexual relationships involving the protagonists aren't something I'm interested in reading.Ginahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02739830983426330836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4421706587311875668.post-59682056681214789272012-02-21T17:30:39.964-07:002012-02-21T17:30:39.964-07:00Jon, it was TOTALLY intense. I loved the beginnin...Jon, it was TOTALLY intense. I loved the beginning and I think that's what got my hopes so high. It was like the freezer scene from last season. *sigh* I loved that episode. But not to follow up with anything after nearly dying seems so unbelievable to me. I have often wondered about Castle carrying a gun, considering the number of near death experiences he's had. Do the writers think that would lessen him somehow? I don't know. It would be an interesting twist to him "protecting" Kate, wouldn't it?<br /><br />I'm a little leery about them bringing Castle's dad into it because we already have issues with Kate's mom and such. And it seems like an over-reach. I guess we'll see.<br /><br />I think this show is so original they could totally get the characters together, yet still have them hiding it at first and draw that out, then being out in the open and trying to work together, there are so many delicious directions, but this season just seems to be so off to me somehow. I'm not sure what it is, but I don't like it. :( I hope the writers figure it out soon because the supposed subtext is falling flat. For me at least. Did you watch Hawaii Five-O yet?<br /><br />Rebecca I took your advice and said something. I guess we'll see how it goes over. *bites nails*<br /><br />Michael you should totally check it out and come back and tell us what you think.<br /><br />Melanie, that's exactly what I'm looking for---is my definition just squeaky clean? How are other people's compared to it? So thank you for that. Just so you know, I really did enjoy the plot, I thought it was more original than others that I've read. She really was a sort of ugly duckling, but Jack saw through all that when no one else seemed to. You might like it. I'm with you, though, overall I like the suspense part with a little romance thrown in as a secondary thing. Maybe that's why I write it, too. ;)Julie Coulter Bellonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07695605817809301518noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4421706587311875668.post-699809906023546082012-02-21T17:15:12.182-07:002012-02-21T17:15:12.182-07:00Of course, you have to remember the conversation S...Of course, you have to remember the conversation Sophie had with Kate where she said she wished they'd never slept together. Had to have weighed on her. The writers have to be careful to avoid the Moonlighting effect. Still, in my opinion, they got the romantic leads together on Chuck and made it work. <br /><br />And what about the thing with Castle's father? I can't remember what else they've ever said about him. <br /><br />But, oh, man, that opening scene with the submerged car was <b>INTENSE!</b> Holy cow! I think Castle should start carrying a gun and not tell Kate about it.Jon Spellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13283068961865370674noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4421706587311875668.post-7945553474177990902012-02-21T12:41:17.922-07:002012-02-21T12:41:17.922-07:00I don't really like romance anyway, so I hardl...I don't really like romance anyway, so I hardly read it. I guess my definition of "clean" is close to what yours is -- no explicit sex. I might be a bit more lenient when it comes to discussions inside the book, though. Maybe. Actually, I don't know because I just skip over all those parts to get back to the interesting stuff. (I almost wrote "action" until I remembered that it could be interpreted in two different ways.)<br /><br />I was actually kind of interested in the story line that you described, especially when I saw that the heroine was not interested in fashion and was considered somewhat unattractive. Then I read that of course she had pretty eyes behind her spectacles and was beautiful when she dressed up, and my interest just died right then. Why couldn't she just remain at the same level of attractiveness no matter how she was dressed, and why couldn't Captain Dryden get to love her anyway after discovering some of her deeper qualities? But I guess that's just a pet peeve of mine, that females in these romance novels has to be beautiful to get male attention, and if you're not, you don't.<br /><br />It's really quite rare that I read romances, though on occasion the blurb will interest me and I'll pick one up at the library. In general, though, it's not the romance part that interests me, it's whatever else the protagonists are doing that just happens to lead them together.Melanie Goldmundhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00270135660110676225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4421706587311875668.post-23478833540512845462012-02-21T12:34:23.332-07:002012-02-21T12:34:23.332-07:00I don't watch Castle or Hawaii Five-O. But, I ...I don't watch Castle or Hawaii Five-O. But, I think I need to change this up as I see that Castle and Hawaii both have a decent following of folks that tout the greatness of these series. Hawaii is beautiful. I would love to spend some time there.Michael Offutt, Phantom Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10557969104886174930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4421706587311875668.post-81333152553542438022012-02-21T12:01:39.935-07:002012-02-21T12:01:39.935-07:00I'm with you. It's not just what the main ...I'm with you. It's not just what the main characters do that should be clean, but what is talked about, hinted to, etc. Books are so imaginative anyway, it takes very little hinting for the clean to get dirtied. The whole point of clean romance groups is so that people like us can find books that don't have that junk. Maybe you should say something. Just a thought. Thanks for sharing.Rebecca Bellistonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10387850668547139178noreply@blogger.com