Pet Peeves

When reading a romance novel, I think it’s safe to say we all have our pet peeves. Perhaps many.

Inconsistent descriptions get me every time. Sometimes, it’s just sloppy editing and, though annoying, doesn’t really ruin a good story. Like when a character’s eye color changes or descriptive elements are left out but prove important to the story.

My current source of irritation was perfectly illustrated in a novel I was deeply engrossed in. During the climactic scene, the layout of a house kept changing. It seemed that all exits and entrances were from the kitchen, which was ludicrous because it was set in a stately home. The kitchen seemed to be near the front door, library, and drawing room all at once. I could not figure out which rooms were upstairs or downstairs. Characters entered the drawing room and exited the library.

An excellent book that had me totally invested was ruined because I could not properly visualize people’s movements throughout the action.
Sad really. Visualization is very important to me. Books are like movies running through my head.

What are your pet peeves?