Let me tell you all a story. When I was young, I was loud, headstrong, and an excellent self-proclaimed tomboy. This had its perks. I would play outside, get muddy, fight with the boys, and be as aggressive as my little heart desired.

This also had some drawbacks. I, like most tomboys, was very careful about my image. Pink and purple were a no-go, I shunned ‘girly’ toys, and I dressed in athletic clothes every day. This cautious curation of a tomboy aesthetic bled into my reading. I refused to read romances of any sort, as those were for ‘girly girls.’

My reading blossomed and I still refused to read romance books. All the books had a romantic subplot, but that’s hardly my fault. It was something I actively complained about. 

The Awakening

Fast forward to my college years, when I read the Shatter Me series. Shatter Me was precariously in the YA Dystopian genre, but the romance was a strong element of the book. Aaron Warner was the only part of the book I cared about. I started reading more romance-oriented fantasy and dystopias. Then I watched Bridgerton.

I stayed up all night watching Bridgerton, seeing the sunrise by the time I finished the last episode. I obsessed over these characters and I needed more. After I read Bridgerton I flew through more nondescript romance books. 

I was no longer held back by genre, and I read everything. Historical romance, contemporary romance, sci-fi and fantasy romances, and a few memoirs of a ‘great love.’ I couldn’t get enough of the endorphins that flood my system each time characters confess their love for one another. 

The Shame

There was still one problem: I was ashamed. Old habits die hard, and I couldn’t get over the fact that I liked a ‘girly’ thing, even though I was much more girly than in my younger years. I wore makeup, pretty clothes, and even learned how to flirt. And yet, I refused to admit I read romance. 

These shameful secrets were hidden away, first on my phone, then on my kindle. I avoided romance sections like the plague. I shut down any conversations veering in that direction. 

“It doesn’t interest me,” I claimed, like a damn liar.

I’m out of the Closet

Over the last year, I’ve started to be better. My roommate reads a lot of romances, so we talk about those and I’ll take recommendations from her. Kindle Unlimited has an atrocious amount of romances (quality fluctuates). I use romances as a palate cleanser, a fast dopamine hit, and something to get over my reading slumps. 

Last week, I did the unthinkable; I don’t know what came over me. Sitting on the shelves of a ‘most popular’ section was a book with a book on it, a romcom about book publishers. I bought it, took it home, and finished it in one sitting. 

I loved it. Something about getting to hug the book to my chest is so comforting. I loved holding a book and getting to squeeze the pages when something cute happens, and slamming it down after something outrageous. 

Yes, I knew I preferred books over the kindle. I didn’t realize how big of an effect it would have on me for romances though. The whole experience was eye-opening. Why was I so stubborn?! I could have enjoyed this experience years ago! 

A Few Book Recs

In light of this long and on-brand rant, I’m going to share a few of my favorite romances. I’ve moved on from Bridgerton and found books I laughed and cried with. I yelled at these books, talked straight to the characters, and wept tears of joy at their heartfelt confessions. 

First, there’s Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert. Chloe Brown experiences a near-death experience and decides she hasn’t lived near enough to die so soon. She creates a to-do list and checks each off, with the help of her cute neighbor of course. This is the best romcom I’ve ever read. The characters are fleshed out, with real problems and emotions. They help each other grow and fight through their problems, to ultimately get Chloe Brown a Life, and find a little romance on the way. 

Next is Meet Me in the Margins by Melissa Ferguson. Savannah Cade is trying to get her romance book published whilst working in a traditional publishing house. After accidentally leaving her script there one evening, she comes back to find someone editing her novel! An outrage, but with only two months before the deadline, she decides to work with this mystery editor to give her book the best shot. I recommend this book if you want a fun, quick read. I’ll be the first to admit there are some issues, but there are also so many things about this book that will make you laugh that it’s well worth it. 

Finally, and one of my most recent reads, I give you Mixed Signals by B.K. Borison. Layla Dupree is giving up on love. Her string of bad dates is growing too long, too fast. Caleb Alvarez proposes they date each other for a one-month no-strings-attached fling. They tell each other what is and isn’t working, and communicate how they can be better. They account for everything in the experiment on a grading scale, but they can’t account for their feelings growing for each other. If you want a series of adorable scenes, cute flirting, and a shy Caleb who can’t get enough of Layla, this is your book. I smiled the whole way through. 

Yes, this is the conclusion

All this to say, fuck your carefully curated image. I had to experiment with make-up, clothes, and book genres on my own for the majority of my late teens to early 20’s. There’s nothing that held me back more in my formative years than my inability to get past a label I put on myself.

Romance books bring so much joy to my life. I love the slow burns, the yearning, the one-bed trope, and the gentle passionate first kiss. Watching the characters circle each other, both scared to go for it and scared to move on. I love the characters that help each other grow to new heights.

My journey into the romance genre was long and filled with guilt, but I was the only one judging myself for it. As soon as I got more into the genre I found an entire community of amazing readers that dedicated their lives to romance books.

Are there any genres you still keep shamefully in the back of your closet, or have you always been out and proud about your reading? Let me know, and feel free to recommend some more romance books in the comments below! Thanks for reading, and if you want more travel and bookish content, then join my newsletter! I send out reviews, events, and book recs every week. Stay brave!