I recently read a romance novel where the hero and heroine were always basking in the “sweet essence of their love in the air” after a bout of lovemaking. Note, it wasn’t worded just like that, but of varying similarities as it was noted often.

Admittedly, I’ve had characters remark or acknowledge the lingering after-odor of having sex. I’ve read about it countless times in novels and really thought nothing of it.

But this time when I saw it, it came off as overkill. Unrealistic, too, for the love marathon lasted two days, and the “sweet essence” stayed sweet despite the fact nobody partook of soap and water.

This element took me right out of the story, and back to when I was in cosmetology school. Because the beauty school charged absurdly low prices on services, we got a lot of clients who were barely managing on a low-income wage.

We also got a lot of prostitutes, and strippers who did a bit of work on the side (or back or pole or whatever.) Talk about the sweet essence of love in the air…

Gag me.

After all these years, I can still remember the stink that rolled off those “working girls'” hair when the hot water first hit it. It was a god-awful combination of sweat, sex, smoke, hairspray and perfume. Often there were other odors mingled in, and it was all I could do not to hurl in their hair.

Maybe it’s just me, but because of that experience, I’ll never buy that a lover is just as alluring after going at it a couple of days without bothering to clean up the best they could. Just my two bits. Your thoughts?