What Do You Think of Romance Novels?
Romance novels have been the subject of many articles lately. Typically, the authors point out how recession-proof the industry is, shining like a beacon of success in our crumbling economy. But one author took a story of success and used it to deride a genre of books that is beloved by many.
Read the article here. Then read the passionate rebuttal by Sarah at Smart Bitches, Trashy Books.
What do you think? Do romance novels have a stigma attached?
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Uncategorized | Jennifer Roland | 
April 10, 2009 9:00 am
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By katie71483, April 10, 2009 @ 2:38 pm
It is unfortunate that romance novels have a stigma attached. Their main purpose is to provide people with 1) an escape and 2) a happy ending. You know what you are getting when you pick one up. That is the whole reason you pick up a romance novel! Granted there are almost always some bumps along the way for the heroine and/or hero, but eventually you get your happy ending. I find it interesting that if said novel doesn’t have a happy ending it generally gets elevated to “historical fiction” which for some reason isn’t looked down on quite as much.
I’m not sure why romance books and authors are looked down on. The authors just as much research and put just as much effort into their works as “mainstream” authors. (I put quotes around mainstream since romance novels actually sell better in many cases.) Heck, if you go by the happy ending qualification, one of literature’s most respected novelists, Jane Austen, was a romance novelist.
Okay, I’ll climb down off my soapbox now.
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By Sarah, April 12, 2009 @ 12:31 pm
Like the people who commented on Meghan’s, I wonder if she has actually read romance novels and better yet, knows what “romance novels’ constitute being.
And Katie, I agree with you very much.
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