Romance by Any Other Name

Perhaps no group of readers is as loyal as fiction readers. Once they discover an author whose work they love, they enthusiastically seek out other books that can satiate their appetite for more escapism. When the writer has done her job well, it doesn’t feel like a story. It’s more like dipping in, unseen, to another world, one that’s totally engrossing. Romance readers are particularly faithful fans that will happily purchase all of the books written by their favorite authors.

Have you ever noticed that when romance is mentioned, non-readers of the genre have been known to roll their eyes or cast a dismissive or judgmental glance your way? I’m not sure what that’s about. But I do wonder if gender plays a pivotal role in defining what writing is considered worthy of our time and attention? Because, let’s face it, work that’s generally written by men is not judged as harshly. But when it comes to stories that are created mostly by women, about women and for women, some misguided people have judged them, as somehow not on the same level of other writing, which is their loss. Because when it comes to reading pleasure, stories of compassion, hope and caring are in a class of their own.