Did you know its #RomanceAwarenessMonth? It occurs every August. So, I am joining with fellow romance bloggers to “Get to know the romance reader”! I hope you will join us as well! If you want, you can share your answers in the comments!
What is your romance origin story?
(how did you get started reading romance)
I come from a family of readers, but not romance specifically. Then, I had a college roommate and BFF who was a HUGE romance reader. She got me to read a Jude Deveraux book (Sweet Liar) and I have been hooked! Amy is 100% responsible for my current obsession with romance books.
If you could be the heroine in a romance novel, who would be the author and what trope would you insist be included?
Oh this is tough. Ok, I would want Nalini Singh to be the author and the trope to be fated mates!! (I want to be in the Psy-Changeling world so bad!)
What is a romance you’ve read this year you want more people to read?
All of them! Seriously, I started the blog and dedicated it to romance because I want more people to read ALL the romance! But, if I had to narrow it down, I would say Tangle by Adriana Locke, Brazen and the Beast by Sarah Maclean, and Angel by Janie Crouch.
What is your favorite romance subgenre? What subgenre do you wish you read more?
Paranormal romance is probably my favorite subgenre. I have a serious weak spot for fated mates. I don’t read much fantasy romance and would like to maybe give it a shot.
Who is your autobuy romance author?
I did a post about this you can check out, but a few are Nalini Singh, Christine Feehan, and Susan Stoker!
How do you typically find romance recommendations?
Lately, a LOT of the recs come from Instagram (follow me). But, goodreads genre search is pretty helpful too. I am also on amazon’s romance newsletter and I have found a few books that way. I tend to like book reviews from trusted book friends because they know my dislikes and will warn me away from books in my “no-go” zone!
What is one upcoming romance release you are really excited about?
I think The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams is going to be great! Also, Archangel’s War by Nalini Singh releases in September and I am dying for more Elena and Raphael!
What is one misconception about romance you’d like to lay to rest?
That is trashy, focused only on sex, and isn’t well written. I hate the phrase “mommy porn” because that assumes that all books in the genre are all about sex. Some are; some aren’t. Also, I have read many romance books that are better written than some by famous authors (I’m looking at you, Nicholas Sparks…ugh I hate his books) so when people say they are trashy or fluff, its obvious they haven’t read one.
Who is the most recent romance reading content creator you have come across that you’d like to shout out?
If you want some great romance recs, head over to Instagram and search the following hashtags: #IReadRomance #RomanceReader #Romancestagram and you can find some amazing accounts!
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If someone had never read romance before and asked you to give your top 3 recommendations as somewhere to start, what would you recommend?
This is such a tough question because I feel like I need to get some info: do they like PNR? Historical? Do they only want contemporary? So, I guess I would recommend Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh for PNR, King by TM Frazier for Dark Romance, Six of Hearts by LH Cosway for Contemporary, #Nerd by Cambria Hebert for New Adult, and Whitney, My Love by Judith McNaught.
My Mom was a big reader, so I get my reading love from her. Both my girls read too. 🙂 I am always up for a good contemporary or urban fantasy romance.
I’m planning on this on my blog but haven’t gotten around to it yet. Soon…but I LOVE this post, Samantha. I loved getting to know you through your answers! The Psy-Changelings series is such a great series to be apart of. I’m right there with you!
LOVE this post so much and getting to understand deeper depths to you!! I agree, I would live in the psy changeling world any time day or night. Best world I have ever read that I actually want to live in!!
I agree that the romance bookish community on Instagram is AMAZING!! Just love it!
So much yes for that misconception. I hate that romance readers are branded as unintelligent and just in it for the smut. I read a bunch of different types of romance. Some have sex, some have none. I am in it for the HEA, and the happy feels they deliver.
Great post and fun. I’d say my favorite is romantic suspense. I barely read paranormal romance and close to never on historical romance. Some of my favorites are Jill Shalvis, Penny Reid, Kimberly Kincaid, Brenda Novak for straight contemporary. I did Series on Saturday about these and romantic suspense. I don’t like some of the paranormal romance series which are wildly popular, who knows why?