Even apart from the sub-standard writing, I have a love-hate relationship with romance novels, which is REALLY ironic, since the thing I hate most about standard romance novels is the fact that no one seems to be able to write a romance without a love-hate relationship.
I can't stand 99% historical romance, because it's all "high-spirited woman meets reformed rake and they fight for 300 pages". ARGH. I don't think a relationship should be based on fighting. Complain all you want about the Weather Warden series but at least I like reading about David and Joanne's relationship. I get so mad at most of the protagonists in romance novels I just want to climb in and slap them. So I can only read romance novels wherein the characters have problems with *outside* forces trying to keep them apart, instead of ones where they sabotage their own relationship because of stupid decisions and lies.
This is one of the reasons I like Catherine Asaro. I was very disappointed in her fantasy series though. Very bland, she should stick to sci-fi.
And all the LDS people can flame me or call my bishop, or whatever, but I don't mind the smut. I'd rather read a book where the characters are having a good relationship and getting it on every other chapter than fighting and insulting each other and lying to each other and being stupid for the whole book.