During the summer, I love devoting more time to my other hobbies, reading being one of them. I wish I could read intellectual books or historical novels, but truly, I just love to sit outside with a silly little romance book.
Romance novels have become increasingly popular over the last few years, mostly thanks to what is commonly referred to as “Booktok,” one of the many corners of TikTok where readers tend to review and share different books with other readers. Authors such as Colleen Hoover and Sarah J. Maas have prospered from its popularity. Despite the success of many new romance books, a few have made their way onto bestseller lists because of their raunchy writing and spicy characters, opening the floodgates for what are essentially fanfictions disguised as novels.
Honestly, spice in books can be hot and enjoyable to read, but there is a fine line between spice in a romance book and straight-up erotica. Although it's an actual genre that many enjoy, the line is becoming significantly more blurred and the quality of newer romance books is suffering. Recent releases lack an original concept and even a decent story because authors are focused on catering to this new online audience.
If a book is going to be labeled a romance novel, it should contain actual aspects of romance and a believable love story. It has to have some essence of realistic dialogue and the process of people falling for one another. Although everyone loves a good enemies-to-lovers trope, it’s hard to believe or enjoy when it’s just a back-and-forth of fighting and lusting, and suddenly they end up together and somehow live happily ever after.
Those tropes and spicy book scenes can be done right and in a way that is necessary to the love story. They should make sense and also be part of the story just as much as any other important plot point. It shouldn’t be glossed over, but it also shouldn’t be the main focus of a romance novel. They can also be written in a way that can be enjoyable to read, but I feel some more recent books contain spice that would resemble something someone would stumble across in the depths of Wattpad.
Even if a romance novel doesn’t contain an excess of raunchy chapters for Booktok readers, there has become a glorification of mediocre plotlines and unbelievable stories in the romance world. Many tropes and similar ideas have been published due to online popularity. For example, the ridiculous uptick in hockey romance novels, and books such as “Ice Breaker” by Hannah Grace, and “Collide” by Bal Khabra, are clear signs of this recycling of material. Even the covers of those books look the same. To reiterate, those ideas can be done correctly and originally, but the stream of hockey-related love stories being fed into Barnes & Noble needs to be exhausted. Pick a new sport, people.
Finally, I want to provide some of my recommendations for actual romances I find to be breaking away from this Booktok narrative. My personal favorite author is Emily Henry, author of New York Times bestsellers “Beach Read” and “People We Meet On Vacation.” Henry portrays romance in a realistic and very descriptive way, her strongest points being the banter between love interests and her way of describing feelings and sensations. She has plenty of well-written moments when sparks fly between characters, but it feels necessary, like all other aspects of her story. Her books are also a smooth read, and I seriously cannot recommend her enough.
As I continue to fill my shelf with romance and empty the bank account I’ve worked so diligently to replenish after the school year, I’m hoping for a sort of wake-up call from readers on the internet and from authors. While I have no issue with anyone reading erotica or scouring Wattpad for the perfect fanfiction, if the book is being shelved as a romance, it should at the very least contain some.
Abby Jenkins is a junior studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnist do not reflect those of The Post. What are your thoughts? Let Abby know by tweeting her @abbyjenks18 or emailing her at aj205621@ohio.edu.
