Romance is a genre that is often maligned. While I believe firmly in “Every book its reader,” one of the five laws of library science, I have also done my fair share of teasing romance readers. For this, I apologize.
I am very savvy at recognizing patterns and tropes when I read, and romance novels are the most predictable of all. So for a long time, romance novels were difficult for me to enjoy.
Then, life hit me with some curveballs that left bruises. I found comfort in the guaranteed happy endings of romantic comedies. If you find the right authors, there is also a lot of emotional depth, and it made me happy to commiserate with characters.
For me, Abby Jimenez has been a particular favorite. (The lengthy hold times on Libby are totally worth it.) Her characters face numerous emotional challenges and are rewarded with love in the end, accompanied by a great deal of humor along the way.
Oftentimes in romances, the humor is derived from circumstances that truly defy what we could face in the real world. For example, books using the fake dating trope usually start with a truly ridiculous premise that most of us would not want to agree to. However, the perks of being involved with such a scheme may include living in a mansion, visiting cool places like Bali and receiving money for your troubles. And it successfully leads to true love 100% of the time.
Another wild trope is the number of love interests who are royalty or billionaires. This trope elevates a story into the fantasy realm, as most of us will never meet someone in this economic bracket. However, in our modern world, escaping to a world where money (or lack thereof) is no longer an issue is very comforting. I’m currently reading “A Prince on Paper” by Alyssa Cole, and I can’t wait for this newspaper to go to press so I can read how the main character finally realizes the prince is not the jerk the tabloids claim he is, and they totally belong together.
On the more practical side, whenever men read a romance, they gain genre savviness and insights that definitely improve their relationships. This is actually the premise of the Bromance Book Club series, another great Libby find.
If you are unfamiliar, Libby is an app where public libraries (including Lindsay, Maysville, Pauls Valley, Stratford and Wynnewood) offer ebooks and audiobooks. You can access it with your library card. If you worry about people seeing the book cover of what you are reading, Libby is a great option because it’s all on your phone or other device.
So, no matter what your current relationship status is heading into this most romantic of holiday weekends, consider celebrating by escaping into a good book. Whether you want to give romance a try or avoid the topic altogether, your local librarian can help you find something that works for you.
