the ask@AAR: Can you handle a con?
We have an entire romance tag dedicated to “cons and frauds,” people who are in some way faking, and a number of those books have DIKs. Con artists give me the absolute hives.
Surely, you might say, I could be okay with a hustler on the side of good? Ainslie Paton’s Confidence Game series features Robin Hood hustlers, who swindle the corrupt rich for charity.
Tried it. Couldn’t. Nothing wrong with the book; the entire concept just made me completely uncomfortable. Similarly, I’ve abandoned multiple books about fraudulent mediums if it turns out they’re less than utterly altruistic (using their frauds to bring peace). Taking money from the grieving is a huge no from me.
By contrast, Lorraine Heath’s The Earl Takes All also features a hero committing a con: the younger twin of the deceased earl pretends to be his own elder brother to support the countess through a difficult pregnancy. This con, I could handle. I loved this book.
What about you? Can you handle a con?
