#Amor Real (really any period novela)

[dearestgojo]

Hey, I want to know your favorite telenovelas

[dangermousie]

Sooooooo, I have a new obsession.

And it’s a 1999 Mexican telenovela Amor Gitano.

Do you like romance novels, dudes with Fabio hair, period yumminess, sexy gypsy violinists, reverse slumming, birth secrets, angst, and make outs? Because if not, I am not sure we can be friends.

Set at some point in the middle ages or renaissance Italy (the novela is not very clear and frankly, does it matter?), it revolves around a star-crossed love between a countess and a sexy sexy sexy sexy gypsy. Lots of things are against them - the class difference (do not worry, birth secrets to the rescue), the fact that the villain hates the sexy hero and wants to marry the heroine, the plague (OK, fine, I just added the plague.) But it’s nothing they can’t overcome through kissing and awesome hair. 

All that, and only 55 episodes. 

Final (and the most important) note. Earlier this year, I discovered and madly fell in love with Amor Real, a 2003 Mexican novela. The only thing that did not make sense to me in it was Adolpho, heroine’s noble first love. The novela’s makers clearly intended us to see Adolpho as a viable choice, a gorgeous and tragic and charismatic hunk of a man, who was going to lose the heroine, sure, but was supposed to win our hearts almost as much as the hero. We were supposed totally understand why she longed for him for so long even married to the ridiculously sexy Fernando Colunga. He even got his own arc and story that only sometimes involved the heroine. EXCEPT!!!! Adolpho was an unattractive, uncharismatic block of wood. The man was deadly dull to watch and was, to put it frankly, as attractive as a really bland piece of cheese. I thought it was a cosmic joke. When I found out that Mauricio Islas, who played Adolpho, was as big (or almost as big) name as Fernando Colunga at the time, I frankly boggled. How? Why? I just assumed I will never understand and moved on.

And now I am watching Amor Gitano, made only four years prior to Amor Real and I...I...I...I have no idea what is going on. Mauricio Islas is the lead and he’s charismatic as fuck. And as to sexiness, if I watch any longer, my tongue would probably be literally hanging out. I DO NOT GET. Like - how - HOW?! I now get why the man was popular and had fangirls but then I wonder what on earth happened in Amor Real. 

[dangermousie]

Telenovelas I have and am considering watching

I am sure I am forgetting something but whatever.

099 Central - the OTP from Padre Coraje are tough and occasionally deliciously angsty cops. There is also a lesbian OTP that gets a happy ending and in general, I like Argentinian filming style the best of all telenovelas.

Amor Gitano - this is set in the Middle Ages. That is all I need to know.

Amor Real - I am dying to watch this one! Not only is is a mere 91 eps (seeing that I am currently on ep 67 of 189 of Padre Coraje, this is a mere pittance) but it’s basically my favorite romance plot - heroine loves poor guy but her family marries her off to a rich landowner. The unsuspecting groom may be in love but the bride is not, and he must work hard to win her heart. People falling in love in arranged marriage in period clothes = my kryptonite.

El Clon (Brazilian version) - ok this sounds much too bizarre for me (woman has to chose between first love and his clone) but I’ve had it recommended by more than one person so…

La Escrauva Isaura - this novela is older than 95% of tumblr users, myself included, but it was my childhood love and I can’t say no to 19th century dresses and trip to nostalgia land.

La Gata - poor girl rich boy blah blah. I have a huge thing for Maite Perroni, who is the heroine, so here I am.

La Traicion - the romance novel cover hero from Pasion de Gavilanes (no, seriously, he looks like a cover for one of those period books) plays twins in 19th century. One is a rake and one is a quiet guy. Both fall for heroine. Heroine falls for the bad boy of course, unfortunately for her, it’s a tale of bad boy versus bad guy. Yup, the quiet one is evil! But hopefully both are shirtless.

Milagros, Woman of my Fate (don’t remember original Spanish title). Period one about two adopted sisters who love the same hot guy but one sister steals him from the other one whom he really loves. Then it moves to another generation and his son is his doppelgänger who’s been brought up by Indians somehow blah blah lots of OTPs and lots of episodes.

Pasion - our spunky 18th century heroine goes from peasant to slave to rich widow, all the while being entangled with a handsome pirate captain with questionable morals. This is basically like every bodice ripper I devoured when I was 15.

Reina de Corazones - I remember nothing about it at all other than it being recommended.

Resistire - heroine unknowingly marries a mobster as one does. He turns out to be awful but you don’t get away from the mob. Still, heroine decides to run away with the help of her husband’s friend who also wants out of the life. Spoiler - duh, they hook up!

Rubi - the plot itself sounds pretty forgettable - booo evil girl is jealous of good girl and steals her fiancé. But the leading man is a tall drink of water (no, he’s not the fiancé) and it was recommended so…

Sortilegio - evil dude has an awesome plan - kill half-brother for his money and then fake paperwork that he was married and get money from widow (simple woman he blackmailed.) Alas, half brother survives the attempt but loses his memory and now thinks he’s married for real. I too want William Levy as my surprise husband!

Yago, Pasion Morena - points for the punny title that translates as “Yago, Dark Passion” but in reality Morena is the name of the heroine. The Hot Priest from Padre Coraje (sorry but that is what he’s going to be to me forever more) is some sort of villager and heroine comes from New York after her fiancé ditched her. Trading up, I say! I am here basically because I have a thing for that actor now. But do Argentinian novelas have to be this long?

Zorro La Espada y La Rosa - yup, Mexico takes on Zorro. I am here for swashbuckling and period costumes.

I was going to check Terra Esperanza but everything I read about it indicated that I will want to stab the hero to death the whole novela.

Any more recommendations? Things I love - period stuff, angst, hot guys. Keep in mind that I tend to need English or Russian subs (or dub). At a pinch, if the novela is really good, I can do a Spanish language one without with my pretty rudimentary Spanish. Any Brazilian one is out without subs because my Portuguese is nonexistent.