UPDATE: The winner is…Mary Preston!
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Why do we read Romance?
I’m currently writing, Tin Toy, the second book in the Silver Cyborg Series, about a cybernetic librarian who looks like a pin-up model, kisses like an angel, and fights like a trained assassin. I thought it would be fun to make her a huge fan of Romance, and associate common Romance tropes with various situations she’s in. Like May-December romances, secret baby, and bad boy billionaire, just to name a few.
And, as is common when I write, my characters often hijack the story. Recently, librarian Betty did just that during a conversation with her love interest, Everett Dean. While I hadn’t planned it, she took that opportunity to explain why she loves Romance novels.
And it occurred to me that we might all have our different reasons for reading Romance. For me, it’s the escapism and the HEA/HFN. Stories without an emotionally satisfying ending leave a bad taste in my mouth. Movie example: hubby and I rented La La Land a few months ago, and I walked away in tears and vibrating with anger. Spoiler alert – the two characters don’t end up together! I loved the singing and dancing and piano playing and even the rest of the story, and yes, it’s more true to real life that people can love each other and still part ways. But, I WANT MY HEA!
So, I’m here today to pose the question to you: Assuming you read Romance, why? What is it that draws you to the Romance genre? I’ll select a random commenter for a $5 Amazon gift card.
Excerpt from Tin Toy, Betty’s response to the question…
“So, is that what women really want in a man?”
Her face screwed up in a frown as she considered her answer. She glanced around the aisle and clasped the book in her hands. “I don’t think you can take romance books as a literal guide. There’s too much diversity in personal tastes in the genre to land on any one thing in common where that’s concerned. Instead, I think they are written permission for women to embrace their own polarizing desires.”
“Desires? I assume you’re not just talking about what they want in bed.”
“I can’t deny that’s one aspect.” She shrugged. When she continued, her words were hesitant and measured as if she pulled them from a deep, unfamiliar well. “But it’s so much more. I think many women like the idea of having a man who can take care of them, even if she is perfectly capable of taking care of herself. That a man can be as imperfect as we so often feel we are, and it neither diminishes his masculinity nor mocks our femininity. That a man can accept our love and cherish it for the precious gift it is and not use it as leverage or sully it with selfishness. That love is not restricted by trivial things such as money, geography, social status, or physical attributes. That, for each woman, there is at least one person who finds us beautiful, desirable, and—above all—worthy.”
She stared at the floor and tapped her fingers against the holo-book in her hand, her voice soft, almost wistful. “At least… that’s my theory.”
About the Author
Ava Cuvay is an award-winning bestselling author of Sci-fi Romance featuring sassy heroines, gutsy heroes, passion, and adventure… often set in a galaxy far, far away. She resides in central Indiana with her own scruffy-looking nerfherder and kiddos who remind her daily she’s not nearly as cool and hip as she thinks. She believes life is too short to bother with negative people, everything is better with Champagne, and Han Solo shot first. When not writing, Ava is thinking about writing. Or wine. And she’s always thinking about bacon.
website: http://www.avacuvay.com/
Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Ava-Cuvay/e/B01E5OIZ0I/
Goodreads page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15051407.Ava_Cuvay
Facebook: https://facebook.com/AvaCuvayAuthor/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/ava-cuvay
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I read romance to find people like me– not meaning in looks but in what is going on in our lives. The sense of community with the characters- Kristen Ashley’s Rock Chicks– No I’ve never been shot at or near an explosion (Thank God) but I have jumped in the car and blasted music when I’d had enough. Jennifer Ashley’s shifter’s series — trying to fit into a new situation while still holding onto your identity. — I learn from the stories and characters.
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Yes, and I think this is why we often feel so close to characters, like we’d be BFFs if they were real 🙂
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I love the journeys to HEAs… so many characters to meet, so many places to visit, that wonderful feeling when everything works out at the end.
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I started reading romance about 12 years ago. Prior to that I read a lot of PNR, sci-fi, mystery, literary fiction etc. and professional documents. 12 years ago I stumbled across a book on Amazon (translation, I ordered it by accident because I was new to Amazon). I was so intrigued that I hit the library and found some related books. Now I read mostly romance because it’s such a diverse category. I choose romance because there are lots of options available, they are readily available at the library and in stores and I like the HEA aspects.
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Colleen – I’m obviously all about the HEA! If I wanted something else, I’d just watch real life! Lol!
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Jennifer – I agree… unless you don’t like happy endings, romance has something for everyone!
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The HEA is the big draw for me. Feel good reading.
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HEA
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I read romance for the hope. Every story is a reminder that love prevails, that love changes people’s lives for good, that everyone is worthy of being loved for being who they are. Those are all powerful ideas to cling to.
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For me it is escape and the happy at the end. I also like going places
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Mary – I agree! There’s so much going on in the world that hinders the “feel good” feelings, I turn to books (especially romance) because I’m assured a feel good at the end! <3
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fichen1 — Beautifully expressed!
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Debra – I like going different places too (especially made-up worlds, since I’m a fan of paranormal and sci-fi!), and it’s an added benefit that I don’t have to worry about packing to experience them. Lol!