Can a romantic vampire book have too much adult content? I have around ten adult scenes in a 70,000 my worded first book. I was told by a beta reader that it can be too much for the reader. I have read literally hundreds of vampire and werewolf books-all on kindle, they are the only books I read and as a reader, the adult content is what I love about them all, the growing relationship, the romance and them cementing it throughout the book binding them together. Some of my scenes are quite heavy duty but they show the characters are madly in love. The beta reader thought I had too much of it I think, but as a reader of hundreds of books in the same genre, if anything, I think half the books I read need more.
I had a similar issue with my novel. And several of my many betas said there was 'too much.' Not that the scenes themselves were 'too much' in terms of content, but that there were too many of them. I cut several scenes altogether (over the course of my umpteen revisions!) and reduced several of the scenes so they didn't go on as long. Treat any 'adult' scene the way you would any other kind of scene. Don't keep repeating them. It was the repetition that bothered most of my betas, not the content itself. There were a few betas who prefer the 'closed door' approach, but that's not my approach. I believe sex is important to life, very important between characters who share it, how they share it can be illuminating as to their character, and the interaction (s) shouldn't be skimmed over—in my opinion. However, like any other kind of scene, you can end up repeating yourself. Do pay attention to your betas, when they give you this kind of feedback. As long as they're not being prudish (if that's not your thing ...it certainly isn't mine) they are telling you that the scenes are repetitive. Unless something between the characters has materially changed, you probably don't need umpteen scenes describing how/how much they love each other, etc.
"Adult" is a bit vague. Are these ten scenes of explicit, detailed sex, or ten scenes alluding to sex, or...? And how long is each scene? What proportion of your book is sex scenes? I'm not personally a big fan of sex scenes unless they're really well-written. Other readers are reading largely for the sex scenes. So there's absolutely an audience for sex-heavy books, but you'll need to find a way to reach those readers. Adding "erotic" to your genre description may help... "erotic paranormal romance" or whatever. You may want to market as straight-up erotica.
I love a high heat paranormal romance. Are these scenes all full on sex? I would find that a little repetitive and would want some cut out. However, if they vary in heat and length, building up to a full on sex scene, then I'd probably be a pretty happy camper. Make sure to label it as super steamy and people will go in knowing what to expect. Also, I agree with BayView that you should figure out if your book is actually erotica and label it as such if it is. I doubt erotica readers would complain of too much sex, hah.
I think there are big differences between the way sex is handles in erotica, romance, and literary works. I write literary fiction where sex is often ugly and sexy isn't so sexy. If that makes any sense. If you've got a vampire romance going on you don't want pure smut scenes stuck in there. With erotica I think sex takes center stage and the story sort of goes around it. So, a lot really depends on your genre and intended audience.
In my opinion just keep true to the character/story. I don't have a problem writing 'Adult' scenes. I DO have a problem with people reading them. In my own WIP one particular character is a sexy, confident woman who enjoys sex. To not put in a sex scene would be to do her character an injustice. I just try to keep it as simple as possible without skipping over it entirely (and try not to blush when someone reads it). Putting in sexy scenes just for the hell of it usually sticks out like a sore thumb, just as not putting one in when there's been a build of sexual tension between two characters (or more!) is a huge let down. Just go with your gut - be true to your characters/story - and believe in yourself.
If the characters are likeable, then it doesn't matter. Though it sounds like your Betas see it more as a staple cliche of the genre you are writing, and that might play against your work. IDK for sure, but it seems to be a theme in most Urban Fantasy involving Vampires and or Werewolves. Though in one really bad book I read, it was a Demon/Warlock, but that is merely a ripple in the pond. Suppose the overall addition of extra and gratuitous sex in such stories is just becoming too common, that it has worn off into a more standard mainstay in a genre that doesn't offer much in the way of 'freshness' or anything new to the table. Suppose where I am going with it is, that Vamps/Werewolves have been elevated to being highly seductive creatures of the night in more recent decades (though Vampires have always had a history of being seductive more so than their furry counterparts.). While I don't see much of a difference where it concerns having an attraction to any other run of the mill monster capable of having carnal relations like those two types, it would be a change of pace for the overall tropes involved to be less 'horny' and sexuallized as they are now. Or at least more self aware about the issue of being fetishized in such a way as far as being extraordinarily hyper-sexual creatures of the night. While werewolves are traditionally seen as more vicious predators of the darkness, Vampires have a rich history in being hypnotic and manipulative in some of their means of gaining prey. Something that has been replaced by being actively romanticized for the fact they have all the other powers associated with their mythos (along with all the bastardized things people have made fact in the mythos, ruining the creatures of the night, by making them able to be active whenever the hell they want). They lack the abject fear and forbiddeness that made them so alluring in a taboo fashion, so they are treated like mythical objects of lust and desire for more mainstream reasons, rather than the dangerous and mystical forces they originally were. Why not skip making a more traditionally and colloquial accepted monster of sexual desire, and just dive into Succubus/Mancubus territory? A demonic entity that get's it's sole power from being sexually energized, and not in the same vein as Anita Blake in the Laurel K Hamilton books, just to have a 'human' character be able to ride all the D she wants to get 'power' back. A Vampire makes you immortal (with all the powers in the world, depending on what rules if any really apply anymore), where as a Succubus feeds off your soul and sexual energy, and you die and end up in a hell with no perks what so ever. Sorry to make this a long one, but in the mythological realm Vampires are not at that interesting since the rules and consequences they can impose are akin to a minor inconvenience. So toss in all the sex you want, as long as the characters are likable it won't matter.
Since the sex trope is well worn, I chose to change the context. Visceral sex is a trope, but the circumstances and reactions, even apprehension, can be treated like any other element of a story.
Gee, you're the writer. Your job isn't to serve up what you beta reader wants to read, it's to serve up what your intended audience wants to read. If your beta is objecting that the sex doesn't come off as realistic, that's certainly an issue to address, but if the beta is simply objecting to the content because it's there, then it's not really your problem. There was a guy in a writer's conference I attended who admitted to writing erotica at some point to pay the bills. He said something I'll never forget: "Writing porn is easy. Writing erotica is hard." He explained that it wasn't too difficult to write stuff that affected people "between the belt and the knees" (as he put it), but writing stuff that serves a plot and engages the mind is more challenging, because if it isn't working, it drags the whole story down. More than one famous writer has shot himself in the foot by adding what he supposed was an obligatory sex scene to help sell the book, only to find out that the addition was more of a distraction than an embellishment.
