Merry Wanderer of the Night + TIME

The Romance Novel

So awhile ago my bloggin' sister Sasha at Sasha & the Silverfish had a post about romance novels. She called it Are Some Books Too Personal? Are Some Books Truly Bad? I urge you to go over there and read it when you get the chance because it poses some really interesting questions. And when you read the post you will come back over to my post and you will say, "I don't think she understood that post." But I did! I really did! And it got me thinking that I should try reading a romance novel. So I read one, and that is what this post is about.

For those of you wondering but novel I picked for my first ever romance read, I will tell you. It was Lessons From a Scarlet Lady by Emma Wildes. Why did I pick this book? Mostly because it was a regency romance novel and I figured I'd stay with what I know. I wasn't sure what to expect when I first started reading it. I kept thinking about that scene from 10 Things I Hate About You where the principal is writing a romance novel. And about Chandler Bing's romance novelist mother on Friends. What kinds of words was I going to encounter. Engorged? Immortal Sword? I had no idea. So I did what you do when you don't know what to expect. I opened up the book and started reading.

The very first chapter gave me a quick introduction when the two main characters have a tryst in the carriage. I could feel my face getting warm as I read. I couldn't believe how fast I tore through the page and I couldn't help wondering, "Why is everyone so against romance novels anyway?" I read Lessons From a Scarlet Lady at the same time I read Mansfield Park, and I'll be honest with you, I was enjoying Lessons From a Scarlet Lady a whole lot more. It was my reward for pulling through a few chapters of Mansfield Park.

But I still kept the book face down underneath a pile of other books I was reading. To be fair I was reading this book at home, and I didn't really want to explain my newfound interest in romance novels to my parents. Why not though? I'm sure my mom has read a few in her day and my dad is mostly oblivious to everything I'm reading. There was really no reason to hide it.

I talked to my best friend about it too and she said she could never read a book like that. That she would just be blushing the whole time. But you get over it, at least I did.

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The Romance Novel + TIME