“So you read, huh?” Someone will inevitably ask me. It’s a polite conversation starter. Great ice breaker or small talk. The obvious and most common response is yes, followed by a list of favorite books, authors, and/or genres.
However, this is not an easy question for me. Not because I can’t choose (although I have read enough books for that to be an issue). No, the real reason is… I read Adult Romance.
Now imagine trying to tell that to your grandmother or a person you have just met.
Most people will look at me like I’m dirty and unintelligent. They say “a smart young lady like you should stick to the classics like Fitzgerald, Dickens, or Orwell,” or they cram religious dogma down my throat and tell me that I am destined for hell for reading such a genre.
However, I feel like there are a lot of misconceptions about adult romance novels and their readers.
Romance readers are not sex-crazed women who sit at home and do nothing but read (though the latter is a common wish of mine).
While women make up a large percentage of those who read adult romance books, it’s important to know that men read the genre too. Also, to further destroy the preconceived notion, romance readers don’t have their heads in the clouds, they are everyday people with careers. According to Romance Writers of America, the average income of those who buy romance novels is $55,000. You don’t get that by sitting around reading smut all day (and if you do, let me know, I want your job). However, if you are to take away anything from this article it is that reading romance is not all about the sex.
And guess what? Some adult romance novels don’t even have sex scenes in them.
Wait, so why is it categorized as “adult” if there isn’t sex? Maybe, just maybe, it could be because the book is about the romantic relationship between two adults. Some novels just include the couple kissing and leave the rest to the readers’ imagination.
The truth is there is a scale to adult romance novels that starts at no sexual contact whatsoever and goes all the way to the taboo. And for some, this scale does not even matter. Some readers choose to skip over the sex scenes entirely.
So why read adult romance novels if not for the sex? Because you get to say this:
Reasons vary, but I can give you mine.
1. I read for the guaranteed happy ending. Sometimes I don’t have the emotional stability to read a book in which all my favorite characters die (I still love you George R. R. Martin). Sometimes I want to know there will be a happily ever after at the end of the roller coaster ride.
2. I read for the ingenious writing. I love the phrasing these authors provide. While romance authors write for the general public, they don’t always use common words in everyday use. I have found myself reaching for the dictionary to look up words on countless occasions.
3. I love the crudeness of the comebacks. It’s a guilty pleasure, I will admit. But when a character snaps back with an ingenious swear, I find it amusing. Because of the targeted market, the authors can make use of those phrases.
Maybe you’ve learned a thing or two; I hope you have. If you’re still skeptical I understand, but hopefully over the coming months I can sway you to the dark side with my upcoming reviews of some of my favorite books. Stay tuned!
Image Credit: Romance Writers of America, Giphy.com, Imgur, Tumblr, Times, and Jane Austen Runs My Life