About a year ago, I started reading romance novels. I hate to admit this now, but I was embarrassed about it. In the past I had laughed at romance novels, thinking they were trite and silly (and they are), but then again, the simple joy of reading a romance novel was helping me through the scariest moments of the pandemic. Yes, they are formulaic, but the formula and the expectation of a happy ending was soothing to me. It helps that I’m a romantic person to begin with, but doggone it, I love romance novels and I don’t care what people think anymore!
Historically, romance novels have been “a woman’s thing,” but maybe reading and unapologetically loving them can also be a big middle finger to those upholding the patriarchy. Vanessa Zoltan writes passionately about romance novels on her podcast Hot & Bothered. In the first episode, she breaks it down: “The patriarchy doesn’t just want to shame you for your body and then try to control it. The patriarchy also wants to make your pleasure and your desires seem dumb. It wants to ruin romance novels for you.” Zoltan also reminds us “Romance novels, of course, are not just about resisting the patriarchy. They are for everyone: to imagine the love that they deserve in the world.”
So, go ahead: Read some romance, leave your expectations behind, and just fall into it.
