If a book gives pleasure it is worthy of credibility

In the book world, romance is big business.

Romance novels sell tens of millions of copies each year, with about 10,000 new titles appearing annually.

My first dabble into the world of romance was as a first year student studying English literature and you guessed it the admirable Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.

Like most of the books I studied then, a lot of joy was lost constantly discussing, dissecting and writing about the finer points of prose and literary theory.

Sadly, I also developed a bit of book snobbery about women’s fiction. I didn’t indulge in the genre and admit to defining ‘chick lit,’ as ‘romantic dribble with no substance,’ or ‘beach reads.’ In comparison the high and mighty term ‘literary fiction,’ I reserved for the work of ‘critically acclaimed’ authors or those who produce ‘serious’ pieces of writing.

I was wrong. Oh, so very wrong. Thankfully, like any good librarian, I have come to my senses.

Romance fiction has given me as much pleasure as books I have read which are considered literary fiction. I admit that I thoroughly enjoy immersing myself in the whirlwind of a love story.

Our world today is extremely chaotic and changeable and sometimes I prefer to indulge in someone else’s dramas.

Although these stories may seem trivial or unworthy of being considered subjects of ‘literary fiction,’ they have issues which we all share at one time in our lives, and you have to ask: why should that mean they are less literary?

Romance also gets accused of being predictable and formulaic but can the same not be said of many crime or action thriller books?

I get that not all romance fiction novels provide the same level of intensity or insight, but I believe that if a book can give someone pleasure, joy and understanding it is worthy of credibility.

Streaming networks like Netflix has been adapting romance novels with great success and many people are surprised by how appealing they are. (Men included.)

According to Netflix, Bridgerton is the streamer’s fifth most-watched original series, hitting 63 million households this January. So, where to begin?

The Duke and I, first book of the Julia Quinn series is probably the most logical book to read if you want to hold on to the Bridgerton magic. Some notable historical romance authors are Amanda Quick, Beverley Jenkins, Jennifer Ashley and Eloisa James who is a tenured Shakespeare professor at Fordham University. Like any genre, romance has a wide variety of subgenres. Other authors to note are Carolyn Brown, Catherine Bybee, Robyn Carr, Alyssa Cole, and Nalini Sing. Saving the best to last, is the prolific writer Nora Roberts who started me off with her awesome Chronicles of the One. Highly recommended for a happily ever after!