i love this piece!! it means so much that you connected with my essay 💓 your romance-less bookstore experience is so interesting and i love all of the points you made
No romance section! It’s a true crime story! I love your takes on this topic, though. Romance books have gotten me through some difficult periods in my life, and I’m so happy they exist 💕
This was such an interesting piece! I'm so fascinated by this idea of wanting to be a serious reader because I think so many of us have felt that way. Self-conscious about the books we carry around or share online. It's become an aesthetic in so many ways.
I also thought your point about romance not being about plot but feeling and atmosphere is so on point! Not that there isn't plot, but it isn't usually the point in the same way it might be in other genres.
I find a lot of romance books that I put down are because they aren't meaty enough (I like the protagonist to be on her own journey as well—that sweet spot between Women's Fiction and romance) but I never thought of the atmosphere element, you're so right. Maybe that's also part of what's missing.
Thank you for your comment!! I agree with you on that sweet spot being the ideal! And sometimes I do pick up a romance novel where the characters are just too cookie cutter… but I also think you encounter that in many genres where authors are executing templates and romance is maybe unfairly overly associated with it. Then again if you’re a lit fic person it’ll be hard to find those deep characters in romance, but in many cases the characters ARE just as deep, just in a different way! Anyway ❤️
Exactly! It's not exclusive to romance at all, I just think romance gets the worst of it in terms of the way people view it. Which isn't fair at all! I like to think of my romances as comfort food (not unlike how I view Hallmark movies which, are not even a LITTLE deep and sometimes I just need that!)
Love this! I discovered romance books during covid after being obsessed with romance films for years! I love LOVE but wanted to be a 'cool' reader girl. Since getting a kindle I went all in on romance books and I'm never looking back to a life without them! Hope you've found a favourite bookshop which has all the romance delights your heart desires 💗
❤️❤️❤️thank you so much for your comment!!! Covid was also such a gateway for me into romance novels!! I think Christmas rom coms on Netflix were a factor too 🤣I am such a sucker for that shit!!
LITERALLY THIS!!! I would walk right out if I went to a bookstore without romance 😅 just kidding but I totally relate to the sentiments here. “what is not predictable is the swirling spectrum of feelings and reflections which the romance novel is sure to stir up inside you.” YES! Sad that there’s a stigma around the genre and the Taylor swift comparison is so true haha
Thank you so much and I’m so glad this resonated with you!!! I really hope things are changing: I think what Lauren writes about teenage girls taking over the world is such an optimistic take for the future and I really wanted to include that in my weekly reading post as well because I think these things are changing … romance genre will only grow!!!!
i love this piece!! it means so much that you connected with my essay 💓 your romance-less bookstore experience is so interesting and i love all of the points you made
Thank you sooo much Sarah!! 🥰
No romance section! It’s a true crime story! I love your takes on this topic, though. Romance books have gotten me through some difficult periods in my life, and I’m so happy they exist 💕
Thank you so much!!! And same: I think there’s a reason my obsession with romance really took off during lockdown!
This was such an interesting piece! I'm so fascinated by this idea of wanting to be a serious reader because I think so many of us have felt that way. Self-conscious about the books we carry around or share online. It's become an aesthetic in so many ways.
I also thought your point about romance not being about plot but feeling and atmosphere is so on point! Not that there isn't plot, but it isn't usually the point in the same way it might be in other genres.
I find a lot of romance books that I put down are because they aren't meaty enough (I like the protagonist to be on her own journey as well—that sweet spot between Women's Fiction and romance) but I never thought of the atmosphere element, you're so right. Maybe that's also part of what's missing.
Thanks for sharing this!
Thank you for your comment!! I agree with you on that sweet spot being the ideal! And sometimes I do pick up a romance novel where the characters are just too cookie cutter… but I also think you encounter that in many genres where authors are executing templates and romance is maybe unfairly overly associated with it. Then again if you’re a lit fic person it’ll be hard to find those deep characters in romance, but in many cases the characters ARE just as deep, just in a different way! Anyway ❤️
Exactly! It's not exclusive to romance at all, I just think romance gets the worst of it in terms of the way people view it. Which isn't fair at all! I like to think of my romances as comfort food (not unlike how I view Hallmark movies which, are not even a LITTLE deep and sometimes I just need that!)
Love this! I discovered romance books during covid after being obsessed with romance films for years! I love LOVE but wanted to be a 'cool' reader girl. Since getting a kindle I went all in on romance books and I'm never looking back to a life without them! Hope you've found a favourite bookshop which has all the romance delights your heart desires 💗
❤️❤️❤️thank you so much for your comment!!! Covid was also such a gateway for me into romance novels!! I think Christmas rom coms on Netflix were a factor too 🤣I am such a sucker for that shit!!
Me too! What's your fave?
Something from Tiffany’s is a good one!!! I will watch the other two!!
(So excited for blogging in December lollll)
Looking forward to reading!
Knight before Christmas!!!! Also I love Christmas Prince and Princess Switch! What about you??
How on earth have a just discovered a treasure trove of Selena Gomez Christmas films?!?!?! Thank you so much!!
The Holiday is a staple for me every Christmas! But the last few years I've watched Last Christmas and Something From Tiffany's, both equally cute 💕
❤️❤️❤️
LITERALLY THIS!!! I would walk right out if I went to a bookstore without romance 😅 just kidding but I totally relate to the sentiments here. “what is not predictable is the swirling spectrum of feelings and reflections which the romance novel is sure to stir up inside you.” YES! Sad that there’s a stigma around the genre and the Taylor swift comparison is so true haha
Thank you so much and I’m so glad this resonated with you!!! I really hope things are changing: I think what Lauren writes about teenage girls taking over the world is such an optimistic take for the future and I really wanted to include that in my weekly reading post as well because I think these things are changing … romance genre will only grow!!!!