There is nothing wrong with Happily Ever After
We all like to be entertained. Some people like the edge-of-your-seat suspense of a Hitchcock move, some like to shoot aliens in a computer game, some like to be scared witless by a horror and I like to smile over the happy conclusion of a good love story. Why should I be ashamed by that?
Virginia Heath
They don’t give people unrealistic expectations
This is a favourite pet peeve. The idea that we are all so gullible that we believe all fiction is real. I don’t watch an Indiana Jones movie and believe I can go off and find the lost city of Atlantis. Who does? Therefore, it stands to reason I don’t think I’m going to marry a billionaire cowboy and ride off into the sunset with him. That said, there are a lot of toxic relationships in the world, so if my books tell some poor downtrodden soul that they have the right to be respected by their partner. That they have a right to be treated well and be loved unconditionally, then I’m not going to apologise for it.
The stories echo real life and real people
There is a tendency, amongst the ignorant, to belittle the romance genre, almost as if it offers a simplistic view of life and relationships. Critics would say real life is not always tied up in a big bow and real people have to cope with many struggles and serious issues which are glossed over in books. I disagree. Romantic fiction tackles a whole spectrum of difficult issues maturely and sensitively, yet still managing to inspire the hope that life can be better. What other genre regularly tackles topics like abuse, grief, PTSD, mental illness, loneliness, betrayal, infidelity, family, insecurity, body dysmorphia… the list goes on and on. Yet these things are explored regularly on the pages of romance novels. I’ve read hundreds and hundreds of romances, and not one of them has portrayed the life of the characters as simplistic or easy. In fact, thanks to those books I have a greater understanding of some of the dreadful issues people are dealing with and can empathise with them better.
Romantic fiction gives you a warm, fuzzy glow
I’m fairly certain this one doesn’t need explaining. But like a cosy sweater on a cold winter’s night, a nice meal, a creamy bar of chocolate or a luxurious bubble bath, a good romance just makes you feel good.
You can learn a lot
I write historical romances. I also used to be a history teacher. Therefore, I can assure you there is a great deal of research and knowledge packed into the pages of a good romance. My books are set against an authentic history backdrop and often incorporate actual historical events, individuals or places. You just can’t make that sort of stuff up! Thanks to other diligent romance writers I’ve learned all manner of fascinating snippets of information from topics as diverse as 18th century diamond cutting to the intricacies of FBI Witness Protection Program. All casually weaved into the exciting pages of a love story.
Romantic fiction is as old as time
There is no arguing with the collective wisdom of the past. The Ancient Greeks loved a good romance. So did Shakespeare. How many of his plays have a love story within them? The popular romantic novelists of old are now seen as great writers and an intrinsic part of our literary heritage. Chaucer, Marlow, Austen, Bronte, Du Maurier, Tolstoy… who knows? Maybe one day the great Nora Roberts’ works will be a highly regarded by the students of tomorrow. I certainly hope so. If romance is good enough for Shakespeare…
Romance is everywhere
Birds do it, Bees do it, even educated bees do it… My point is, you cannot escape a bit of romance. Somebody you know will be falling in love, getting engaged, having babies. Soap operas are stuffed full of the yearning and passion of romance. Even in stories where the romance is not central to the plot, there is still romance. Think of James Bond without a love interest? Or Disney movie? It’s inconceivable. Since time immemorial most songs have lyrics about love… lost love, unrequited love, wanting love, being in love. Why should books be any different?
It’s a stress-reliever too
When I was a teacher, my job was sometimes beyond stressful. Romantic fiction was my safety valve. A couple of hours engrossed in a good book worked wonders and was infinitely better than resorting to drink! I’ve heard many accounts of how Mills & Boon romances are popular with male military personnel and I can’t say I’m surprised. What better way to remind yourself that the world is not a completely bad place than a good happily ever after?
You can’t fool all of the people all of the time
According to the RWA (Romance Writers of America) research, romantic fiction is a billion-dollar industry which accounts for 13% of all adult fiction sales. 84% of readers are women and 16% are male, although the latter continues to rise. Of those, 64% have read at least one romance book a month! That’s a lot of romance being read consistently. To suggest these legions of fans are not discerning readers is both insulting and naïve. The simple truth is they keep reading romantic fiction because the books are good.
The stories are wonderful
Sometimes I think we can become too academic and over-analyse things. Therefore, I wanted to end this little list with the most important reason of all. Forget statistics, misconceptions, history or education. The biggest reason we have always valued, and should continue to value, romantic fiction is it is consistently brilliant. Whether you read Jane Eyre or Bridget Jones, those wonderful, likeable, fallible human characters become your friends. You root for them, commiserate with them and cheer them when they find the person of their dreams in plots which keep you frantically turning the pages. Nothing is more important than that.
Virginia Heath’s Miss Bradshaw’s Bought Betrothal is one of the 4 titles involved in The Reading Agency and Mills & Boon #RomanceOnTheRoad campaign running from 6th to 20th February. This is the first campaign of its kind to solely recognise the work of the mobile libraries that make the joys of reading available to those unable to reach a library, and will see 70 mobile libraries around the UK create eye-catching Mills & Boon displays and share them on social media using the hashtag #RomanceOnTheRoad to win books and chocolate hampers. Follow the hashtag to see the campaign in action and show your support for those spreading the love of reading this Valentine’s Day.