I'm pretty open to all genres of fiction, but something about romance turns me into the worst Cinemasins-ass nitpicker ever. "I wouldn't do that, that's stupid," "This relationship dynamic is problematic," "This guy sucks, she can do so much better" kinda things. What could I read to get me to really understand the appeal of romance as a genre and really get caught up in a good story of it?
I just finished reading Jane Eyre, but I liked it more as psychological horror than anything, and I hoped for a different ending. I've liked Pride & Prejudice, but more for the comedic and dramatic elements than the romance. I found This Is How You Lose the Time War to be too abstract of a concept to even understand how a romantic relationship works in that universe. I'm also not one to read really spicy/smutty stuff, but I'd like to think I'd be okay with a little of it if it's in service of the story.
by racecarart
7 Comments
Does a love story count or does it have to be on the Romance genre with all that entails?
I’m a big fan of Jennifer Crusie, especially when she mixes romance + a good plot (such as, her romance/thriller types with Bob Mayer, and ex-green beret who also writes military fiction). Some of her books are pure romance with that being the main storyline, but others are a mix. The romance is always a major part though.
Can you answer some questions to help?
Are you male or female?
Are you okay with queer love stories?
Do you read audiobooks/use Audible?
Have you tried Romance with high fantasy elements?
Courtney Milan writes excellent romances without (what I find to be) the most annoying tropes like “if you just spoke for 2 minutes this would be solved!”
I might know what you mean. I personally dislike fluffier romance or romantic suspense novels like Georgette Heyer, Mary Stewart, Victoria Holt books etc. No offence to anyone who loves their work, I see the appeal & don’t consider them bad writers, but it’s just not for me personally.
I like it when the story around romance itself is so good I would enjoy the book even if we took the romance out of it – maybe the worldbuilding is ao intriguing, the time period it’s set in so well-researched etc. Maybe you fall into this category. So far I liked Hidden Legacy series (I liked Ilona Andrews’ other books too but these are my favorites) & Hench (Natalie Zina Walschots) for fantasy, Katherine (Anya Seton) for historical romance, Funny Story (Emily Henry) for contemporary romance, Hungerstone (Kate Dunn) for gothic romance.
I think you have to find stories and characters that you’d be attracted to in real life. So what type of people are you attracted to? What do you value in a romantic partner? Think of a romance movie you love and try to find books that give that energy.
I like my MMCs to be funny, witty, sarcastic but also emotionally intelligent. I also am a sports girly so athletes always are a plus. So I gravitate towards romance books that have good banter and make me laugh over super serious emotionally heavy books.
Your nit-picking quibbles are literally why people read romance. I don’t think a romance where no mistakes happen, both parties are good for each other from the start, and the relationship is healthy throughout would be interesting to read. This type of relationship can exist in fiction where there are other reasons for tension and plot progression, but not in romance, where interpersonal problems are both the point of the novel and what moves the plot along.
That being said, The Rake by Mary Jo Putney may be a fit. In it, the source of tension is somewhat external to the relationship, and the parties are more mature than the usual cast.