Romance. Why do I love romance so much? How did I even get started on it? All I know is that one day I decided to pick up a romance novel, a couple of stories by Iris Johansen. I was immediately addicted. I realised that was what I was looking for in a book. It had angst, a good hero and heroine, and just about what I really wanted to read! That was how it all started.
Along the way, I discovered historical romances. The first I ever read was The Magic of You by Johanna Lindsey I believe. It was simply put, amazing. It was what got me started on historical romances. It was just so, so beautiful that I could not put it down.
But as to why I love romance so much. I was thinking about it last time and I came up with a few reasons. Firstly, romance novels help me to believe that true love really does exist. I know these books are just fiction. But they made me start to realise that there had to be something that was true love if people could actually write about it.
It also gave me hope. In a world that is becoming increasingly corrupt, where more and more crimes are committed that just baffles us, romance novels just make me believe that love can still exist. And because of this love, we aren't all goners yet. That there is just that little bit of hope, that bit of brightness left in this world.
Romance novels made me believe that love could conquer all. Seeing the characters going through so much, but yet staying together, made me feel that if one truly loved your significant other, anything could happen. It may just be fiction, but I think they truly gave me hope.
At first, I was always shy of admitting I love romance novels. People automatically associate these kind of readers as empty-headed, idealistic people. Well, maybe. But now, I'm not afraid to say I love romance. Sure, romance isn't a genre for everyone. But to me, its still the best genre created.
After picking up romance, I simply cannot read a book without any form of romance in it at all. I find it difficult to read. Yes, some books can pull it off. But these books are far and few in between.
Do you like romance novels? Whoa this was a pretty long post.