Romance is such a popular genre, and I can totally see why! It’s feel good, and you know what’s going to happen at the end so you can just sit back and enjoy the ride! And yet… I don’t like it. Why?
I mean, to be honest this can be answered pretty quickly. I need more than just love to make a book work for me. I need some sort of plot, and some sort of depth of relationship (platonic) before I can get really invested in the people I’m reading about.
For me this works best when I’m reading about a fantasy world, it means that I have so much built up around me that I can also enjoy those romantic elements. But on occasion I can jive (wtf Abi… jive?) with a contemporary book as well (e.g Pride and Prejudice that I just finished and was absolutely lovely!!)
The thing about those books as well, is that the happy ending isn’t guaranteed. For some reason, that makes me love a romance all the more! We don’t know that it’ll succeed so there has to be hardship and struggles which makes the payoff just that bit more sweet!!
I will say I’ve been tempted to pick up Alyssa Cole’s Reluctant Royal series though!!
Do you read romance books? Do you think I’m totally wrong?! Chat with me!!
Abi of Pellinor 
great post! i’m not much of a fan of romance either, honestly i love books where there’s none at all! but sometimes a good contemporary suits too (when the mood is right, and the book is good)
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Thank you! I used to prefer no romance whatsoever but I found some books where it was incorporated really well so now I sometimes enjoy it haha
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agreed. there are few! rare, but some.
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Definitely! And not reading them too often makes those rare ones even more sweet!
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Yup! I actually did read a really great Demi Romance! How to be a Movie Star by TJ Kline! It was recommended to my by a book friend! I enjoyed it!
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Gah, I replied that n the wrong thread! I’m multitasking!
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Hmmm I feel like for romance, a lot of the problems could be solved with an honest conversation early on so I sometimes just feel frustrated reading it? (idk if things have changed! it’s been some time I’ve picked up a romance)
I love P&P and all Austen works though, so clearly I don’t hate the genre
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Hahaha that’s so true!! Just t a l k !!!!
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I mainly read romance and I’ve come such a long way! Today’s romance has really evolved. I’m not saying you don’t get a happily ever after or a happy for now ending, you do, but Indie author’s have really deepened characters and evolved storyline (mostly) to give romance readers a bit more than the straight up guy meets girl/they fall for each other/ conflict/break up/make up/HEA! I’ve broaden my reading tropes and I now read LGBTQ romances and I love them, had you asked me if I read gay romances 5 years ago, my answer would have been no. I truly understand people who don’t enjoy romances books, but they really saved my life during covid because I’m a nurse snd it’s been rough! I do read other books as well, when romance gets to be to rote or I need a change!
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I totally get how romance can be such an absorbing genre!! I’m also Demi so I think that can play a pretty big part of me not being too into romance hahaha
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I get that, because you’re Demi! But, I’m pretty sure there are Demi romance books. I need to search! 🙃
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