When a romance book recommendation shows up on my social media feed, there is always, and I mean always, at least one comment along the lines of “Well, this is meaningless because these kinds of books aren’t even actual reading.” It has started to make me wonder, are romance books true literature? And if they are, why are people *cough* (men) so against them?Â
Growing up as a shy kid from suburban Massachusetts, reading was my main hobby. Some may say my only hobby. The draw of reading was that it provided me a portal into different worlds. It allowed me a place to leave my life behind, and no genre was off limits for me. Romance, mystery, fantasy, biographies: you name it, I read it. So, when COVID-19 hit and “BookTok” first started to gain traction, I and many other young women got very excited about new opportunities to connect with other readers, and to discuss our favorite characters and plots. And as BookTok rose, bright-cartoon-covered romance books came with it. The Love Hypothesis, People We Meet on Vacation, The Unhoneymooners, Beach Read, I mean the list truly goes on and on. And the greatest part is, people loved it. I mean, to put it frankly, women ate it up. And I think that’s where our first problem with romance books arose.Â
It’s no secret that women have been fighting for liberation and equality for decades, and will continue to do so for decades to come. However, society’s and men’s beliefs about women can be almost entirely summed up by the phrase “three steps forward, two steps back.” Yes, women can vote, go to school, and become more than just a housewife, but with Roe v. Wade overturned, many women have also lost their bodily autonomy. And you may be wondering, okay, but how does this connect to romance books? Well, it almost feels like men can accept that women can read, want to read, and read as a hobby, but because romance is mass-market commercial fiction geared heavily towards women, men feel left out. And dare I say, they also feel threatened by the high standards that these books are inspiring women to have. In other words, guys have their panties in a twist that these “book boyfriends” are better guys than they are, and in retaliation are naming romance books as “embarrassing” to read.Â
Now, wait: instead of focusing on how men view these romance books, let’s look at how critics view them. Many critics argue that romance books aren’t real literature because they typically have a simpler story, and don’t end with some spectacular lesson for the reader to take away. And sure, is the writing in romance books lyrical and jaw-dropping? Usually not. And are these stories always thought-provoking, trying to challenge the reader’s world view? No, I guess not. However, romance books are not a new genre. Think back to your sophomore-year English class, where you were forced to read and act out every single scene of Romeo & Juliet with an Old English accent, and you also had to read the Old English text, even though the teacher also provided you with the modern English translation. No? Just me? Okay, well the point still stands. Romance has been around for a long time for a reason. Just because modern romance books may not have the best writing, doesn’t mean that this genre doesn’t represent a huge cultural force that influences how society understands empathy, human connection, and love.Â
Okay, great! We have answered our primary question and established that romance is a significant form of reading. Yet, there is another sidenote that I would like to discuss. And it’s a sidenote that talks about the future of romance books, and books in general. With the ongoing literacy crisis in schools, it’s important to note that the future of books hangs in the balance. Younger populations aren’t reading for leisure and are leaving behind deep-reading habits. So, if you want my unsolicited opinion, I don’t really care what books people are reading. You could be reading the most mindless romance book, and I wouldn’t care, because at least you’re picking up a book and reading it. At least you’re gaining the benefits of reading words on a page, regardless of the topic of those words. So, yes romance books are true literature. They’re literature that allow women to reap the benefits of reading, in a world that devalues both written works and works that cater towards women.Â