I’ve moved away from crime and thrillers and have been reading a lot of romance novels of late. So the question here is what is a romance novel?







‘Hi I’m mee and I like romance novels!’







Surprising how hard it is to say that without rushing to qualify the statement. Romance is seen as non challenging something to be ashamed of reading if you’re not in the blue-rinse brigade. Yet the genre is actually wide and varied. A lot of books that boldly categorise themselves in other genres actually contain a romantic subplot. The relationship between two people adds tensions and love is the motivating factor in any number of books acknowledged and realised or not. The film version of Silence of the Lambs is not a romance but can anyone deny the sibilant tension between the characters? The connection between the two leads adds much to the films atmosphere and thrill. (and no I’ve not seen the later films)







What comes to mind with the term romance?



I must admit my first thought is to regency style silhouettes and evening staying at my g.aunts cringing over sappy females and overbearing males. Where even the most daring female is a woeful innocent and the most dastardly cur changes his ways immediately on encountering her great delicate beauty. As if. The pillow down the bed until the last page where with masterful touch of our hero she encounters heaven complete with singing birds and blooming flowers. Never discomfort or pain.



You get both idealised romance; wonderful courtships were he male is all powerful and saves the day. And also, tales I found disturbing where my burgeoning feminism clashed at the overbearing male who had only his movie star looks to recommend him, where ‘no’ meant ‘yes please’ and seductions were tantamount to rape.







Times change. This was reading books in the 80’s. Today’s novels offer a different perspective. Female leads have developed backbone and more liberated ideals. Society is more sexualised; advertisements alone challenge boundaries previously held sacred. Books can be more explicit; I can no longer collect books for my g.aunt (a lady of set tastes) simply by gathering up a pile of Mills and Boon/ Silhouettes. They’ve been developed to appeal to a wider audience with action and melodrama filtering though the classic romances. There’s a need to play censor and consider appropriate buys. With the heightened sexual content in my opinion there is increased responsibility also. Often it is now the woman who takes the lead becoming characters of interest instead of caricatures in need of saving. Men are less blatantly the alpha males and get tortured and saved in their turn. So young girls learn they can be independent and have love rather than the old message of meekness equals romance.







Judy Bagshaw and her contemporises write books about Big Beautiful Women. Books were the stars are larger women who’s beauty shines through. A very positive message to developing bodies that you don’t have to be the wraith-thin of supermodels to get everything you want. Real women whom readers can connect too.







The main authors I’m reading at the moment are Suzanne Brockmann and JR Ward. These are considered in turn mainstream or paranormal romances.







Brockmann with her bevy of navy Seal’s a mixed bunch in looks and age. They don’t run strict to the alpha stereotype although they all have that capable warrior gene. There’s always the humanising aspect, self-doubt, verbal diahorrea… Her characters always use protection or in lapse moments worry over the consequences, something older books never considered relevant.







Ward’s heroes are alpha vampires. The warrior class, each carrying their own torment. They all fall hard for their females and there we see the role reversal where their biggest pleasure is looking after the female and seeing to her happiness. No wonder they’re popular!







Neither author is afraid to kill characters. Ward’s books are considered to gory for some. Brockmann includes many a hot topic in her books with themes of terrorism, transference, injuries, alcoholism, gay 101 and both a date and gang rape getting mention. Not the assumed light reading of the genre.











Romance can be anything from subtle understated glances and kisses to all out erotica; slash fiction and girly-porn. So why the shame? The need for justification?







Every romance blog I’ve scanned seems to eventually bring up the subject of S&M and/or slash fiction. Perhaps because the web with its anonymousness throws open the doors to a wider field and allows creativity that other medias frown upon. Not as widely (or at least openly) read or accepted as classic romance it still has a following and I’m told makes can be a lucrative niche for a writer. For men such reading is expected and sniggered over, for women….







Readers are discerning people and appropriateness of context is relative as is age. Romance means different things to different people and books are now reflecting that.







So, I like romance novels; paranormal romances, fantasy romances, mainstream romances, sci-fi romances. Romances with forensics, romances with mystery and suspense. Romances where the women aren’t minute waifs and heroes aren’t all infallible and posing for magazine covers.







Romance is thankfully a part of life, in essence I’m saying I like books!