Romance novels have been around for a long time. Some of the most ancient of texts have romance as the basis of their story. But why do people feel drawn to them?
There are different schools of thought on this. Some people say that people are looking for a happy ending, while others say that people are looking for a strong person to take care of them. Still others say that people are looking for an escape from reality.
I would say that no one really knows for sure what it is that draws people to romance novels because each person has a different reason for being drawn to the genre. Our reasons for reading, and writing, romance novels are our own.
Some think that romance novels provide people with fantasies that they can’t find in their own lives. People may be looking for someone to rescue them, or they may simply enjoy the feeling of being swept off their feet. Romance novels often have a happy ending, which is something that many people crave.
In fact, many people enjoy reading romance novels as a form of escapism. They can imagine themselves in the story, living out the romantic fantasies that they may not be able to experience in their own lives.
Romance novels can also help people to learn about relationships and how to navigate them. They can provide tips on how to be a successful partner, how to handle conflict, and how to create a lasting, happy relationship. So it’s no surprise that romance novels are one of the most popular genres of fiction. People can’t seem to get enough of them!
Whatever the reason, it’s clear that romance novels are popular among people of all ages. And they show no signs of going away any time soon.
What do you think draws people to romance novels?
When I started reading romance novels at around 12 years old, I wasn’t quite prepared for the adult situations, but the books I read helped me to understand a lot and prepared me for a future that many expect to have. I learned quite a few things.
1. Sex was not a bad thing, even if it was considered dirty and naughty outside of marriage back in the day. The novels I read reinforced this idea that sex outside of marriage was thrilling because it was wrong, however. It seemed that once the marriage took place, having a family and baking cookies seemed to replace the joy of consensual sex. Which kind of made me wonder what all the fuss was about, if married sex was boring, why bother? It wasn’t a factual takeaway, I know, but yeah, the point got muddled along the way for me.
2. I didn’t exactly want to be the typical woman, and definitely not the antagonistic characters in these novels. Sex was only for when you were married (unless you broke the mold and hid the fact that you actually enjoyed sex before marriage), family and contentment was the goal of these novels, but it seemed so…boring. Don’t come at me for that, it’s just my opinion for myself. There are other people that take away something different and that’s fine, but this was my understanding of these novels. You get married, have sex, make babies with your super-hot husband, and then buy a house and work until you die. Um, why? Why can’t you still have super-awesome sex with your partner, be childless, and do something different with your life?
3. I started to write my own little stories. I followed the guidelines set out in those stories, and continued to do so, up until my latest book. As I concluded that book, **Spoiler Alert** I thought, not all women want white gowns and to be a princess for a day. Not all women want to have families and all of that. And with the future that’s set out for my latest female main character, marriage doesn’t guarantee future happiness.
I took a break from publishing my own stories for a while. A little over a year to be exact. I was quite ill for a while, in pain for most of that break, and lost as to what direction I wanted to head in. Some of the latter came from the fact that I was tired of following guidelines. Once I decided to take a chance and let go of some of those restrictions I’d placed on myself, my creativity came back. We’ll soon see if that chance was just me shooting myself in the foot or not.