Why are romance books so popular?

Love – an emotion both simple yet complex. Whether you are looking for love or have found it already, romance never grows old.

And maybe this is exactly why romance books are so popular.

Is it the characters who tug at our heartstrings? Do we eagerly anticipate the heartache the storyline will bring? Or is it the warm buzz the time period leaves behind? Readers have told Liberty Belle why they feel the romance is a genre so engrossing.

Ayesha Parwani, 20, picked up her first romance novel at the curious age of 12. It was a Sophie Kinsella book, Confessions of a Shopaholic. Ayesha fell into the world of romance almost immediately.

“I love the certainty in romance books. You always know both the leads will end up together no matter what,” said Ayesha. “Romantic books are often quite optimistic and allow me to escape from the boring realities we find ourselves living in daily.”

While people may argue the romance genre is littered with cliches and overloaded with predictability, Ayesha disagrees. “Romance novels have a way to keep you on your toes, wishing the main leads will finally accept their fate or confess their love."

"Your brain comes with a gazillion scenarios yet the author finds a way to amaze you.”

Courtney Wood, 20, avoided romance novels until recently. She too had the perception that they were cringeworthy stories with unlikeable characters. A New Year’s Resolution to explore romance as a genre made Courtney leave the sci-fi novels and detective stories behind. Titles such as Dating Dr. Dil by Nisha Sharma made it to the top of her list. It was the flexibility of the genre as well as its intersection with psychology that made romance a huge success in her books.

“Reading romance lets me think deeply about the different ways people act in relationships and how we've defined modern romance,” said Courtney. “They give me the escapism I don't get from reading novels that have more serious themes. You get to project what you want in your own future partner onto the characters you read about.”

It can be argued that romance does in fact incorporate reality. Eva Jaseem, 22, agrees as she observes this in new adult fiction. Fantasy books used to be her go-to. However, as she got older her taste shifted and there was a sense of belonging when she found herself reading about characters her age that faced the dilemmas of everyday life, such as Colleen Hoover’s and Taylor Jenkins Reid’s titles.

Eva said: “The fantastical aspects of NA fantasy books were great but not all relatable.”

“Contemporary romances, while not totally grounded in reality with their twisty plots, were perfect for the days when you didn’t want to be too removed from daily life. These characters may go to university just the same as you and meet someone just the same as you. Unlike fantasy books, the stakes are much lower and the topics are generally more lighthearted than having to save the whole world.”

Ironically, there is more to a romance book than romance itself. This genre does not exist just to feed a ‘Cinderella complex’, rather it depicts how close to reality love actually is.

We learn about our connections with other human beings in the process and wonder what love might look like for us. And that is precisely it – the wonder. It is the wonder that keeps us reading and because we wonder, we go back to romance books, over and over again.

Edited by Hannah Youds