I don’t think we’ve talked about it here, because it’s not something I typically go around sharing with people, but I love romance novels. In my mind, they are the best escape from every day life. When I’m stressed or bogged down, nothing quite like a formulaic romance will take the edge off my day.

Will there be a twist that nearly tears the couple apart? Yes. Will they get together? Yes.

When things feel uncertain, romance novels never do. Two of my favorite authors write female leads who are funny and interesting. I really can’t get enough of Susan Elizabeth Philips and Jennifer Cruisie. Some of SEP’s books were written in the 80’s, and you have to read them for the outfit descriptions alone. It’s pretty fantastic.

Right now, I’m reading an old favorite, who I’ve gotten away from a bit (Nora Roberts). The book is about witches, which makes me disproportionately happy.

In my defense, it is in my genes. I come from two generations of soap opera watching, romance novel-reading  women. My grandma carried a Harlequin romance in her pocket-book everywhere she went.

Here’s a photo of the fourth generation reading her first romance novel. I’m hoping she didn’t read anything too steamy. No one wants to explain that at daycare.

Are you a romance novel fan?