Rethinking the romance genre & finding a fresh approach to my reading life
...plus a mini romance stack on my TBR.
I’ve been thinking a lot about the romance genre. And not just lately, but for a while now. There’s been a spate of literature in recent years dedicated to analyzing it from various perspectives—literature, cultural studies, feminism & gender identity, social media, and of course, publishing—in order to justify not only its overwhelming popularity but also its very existence in the literary world. This article on romance novels and female desire and empowerment was published in 2022, and was one of the first pieces that prompted me to rethink my own relationship with the genre and some of my own preconceived notions about it; similarly,
and ’s thoughts on romance more recently have challenged me to think about what I really mean when I say a genre “isn’t for me.”If you follow me on Instagram, you know that one of my main bookish priorities for 2024 was to add more fun (back?) into my reading life. I felt this pull strongly enough to make it a goal, but what did I actually mean by this? What do fun and joy have to do with my reading life, the genres and authors I typically read, and the overarching sense of something being missing from the equation? Inspired by
’s musings on the art of book reviewing and complicated feelings about star ratings, I realized I had to actually ask myself these tough questions and define my terms to gain clarity. My bookish taste throughout my adult life has tended to lean literary, particularly to darker, emotional narratives that explore the vast depths of human existence; family dramas, fractured relationships, flawed people simply trying to make their way through life and asking themselves “what’s it all about?” along the way. Consequently, I defined books that fell outside this general framework as “not for me.” Thriller? Not for me. Fantasy? Not for me. Romance with spice and comedy thrown in? Definitely not for me. My readerly motivation, which had remained thus far unchanged and unchallenged, wasn’t fun, escapism, or a happily ever after.The experience of sharing book reviews and other bookish thoughts on Instagram since 2019 has definitely helped shape, diversify, and expand my reading taste over the years, but I still struggled to get excited about so many of the beloved stories and authors I see my fellow readers adoring. And, they seemed to be having so much fun! What was I missing? Why had I told myself for so long they weren’t for me? Was it possible to refashion my instinctive reading taste—not alter it completely, but perhaps broaden its scope? To answer these questions, I gave myself one main reading goal for this year: to have more fun. That was it! And in the process, I realized something really important: I had been stuck in a pattern of letting clear cut definitions of specific genres define me as a reader, rather than allowing myself to define the experiences I could have with various genres. I could change the narrative.
So, how has this journey been going? The first and most obvious change I’ve noticed is that I’ve become a more open-minded and curious reader. I am open to, and actively looking for, a range of readerly experiences and outcomes. Over the last several weeks, I read Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle in under 24 hours; I revisited Carley Fortune’s Meet Me at the Lake (after claiming last year that it wasn’t “for me”); I listened to the audiobook of Happily Never After by Lynn Painter; and I buddy read Ready or Not by Cara Bastone with a dear friend. Not only have I been having much more fun, but I have been given new bookish considerations to think about, new tropes to explore, and a fresh approach to my reading life. I’m still working through the kinds of themes, characters, and dynamics I’m drawn to most in romance novels, but the exploration and discovery is all part of the fun.
Now, onto the books! Here’s a look at some of the books on my (ever growing) romance TBR:
Happy Place by Emily Henry — I’ve been curious about Emily Henry for so long now; I need to see what the hype is about! This one set at a beach house in Maine sounds like it could be right up my alley, so I think I’ll start with this EmHen first.
Same Time Next Summer by Annabel Monaghan — This author comes highly recommended to me as a beginner romance reader. So many readers especially loved Nora Goes Off Script which I’m eager to try too.
Out of Love by Hazel Hayes — I’ve been dying to read this one ever since
recommended it to me ages ago and have been waiting for the perfect moment to dive in. It’s probably the most literary leaning of the picks on my list so far, so I’m looking forward to reading it when I’m in more of a contemplative mood.This Summer Will Be Different by Carley Fortune — PEI, oysters, BFFs, and a love story. Say no more!
A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston — I’m always intrigued by bookish books; that is, books that have to do with writers, readers, book lovers, and/or bookstores in any kind of capacity. This one, about a literature professor who finds herself lost—quite literally—in a happily ever after, sounds like a pure delight.
Summer Fridays by Suzanne Rindell — Set in New York in the summer of 1999 with a main character working in publishing, this one speaks right to my millenial heart. I can’t wait to read this on a hot summer day.
Do you read romance? And if so, I’d love for you to share some of your favourite titles and authors below.
Thanks so much for reading,
I love this, Alexandra! It's such a treat to wade into a new genre and explore and suss out your taste. I'm looking forward to seeing where your exploration takes you!
I don't usually read romance but lately I've been feeling like I want to give it a go, especially Emily Henry... everyone seems to love her!