[DISC] Why (ROMANCE) is my Favorite Genre to Read {+recommendations}

Hello, lovelies, 👋🏻 the past two days I have been without the internet which sucks, missed writing some posts I had planned. But, without further ado, here is a post about my favorite genre.

---

Romance fiction is smart, fresh and diverse. Whether you enjoy contemporary dialogue, historical settings, mystery, thrillers or any number of other themes, there's a romance novel waiting for you! (credits: https://www.rwa.org/Online/Romance_Genre/About_Romance_Genre.aspx)

I have been a reader since I was a young girl. When I truly started to dive into the bookish world, my first books were surprisingly NOT romance (insert /gasp/). Rather, as a young girl, I was re-introduced to my love of reading by the Goosebump series. Goosebump was everything for my 11 years old self, going to the library at school and just picking out something new was something I always looked for to.

I started to dive into the Romance genre as a high schooler. I read multiple young adult books as a high schooler, but I always went back to romance. I remember reading Sanctuary by Nora Roberts and just being fascinating or a new book by Meg Cabot (I clearly still remember reading All-American Girl) and just getting lost in the romantic aspect of a book. Now, like any other genre, romance has so many subgenres that you will always find something for any age, person, or stage in your life.

So, here are my favorite subgenres, why I enjoy them, and some recommendations. Enjoy! 🙂

Regency/Historical

This is one of the subgenres I first read as a young girl. Julia Quinn was my introduction to this world of high society, good matches, and bad boys with titles. An Offer From A Gentleman was without doubt the perfect introduction. Now, I enjoy re-reading Lisa Kleypas, Eloisa James, Tessa Dare, Loretta Chase, and many more!
Recommendations: Mine Till Midnight by Lisa Kleypas (and all of her books, she creates worlds where characters meet within different books) and A Duke in Shining Armor by Loretta Chase (plus any book by Julia Quinn), When Beauty Tamed the Beast by Eloisa James.

Fantasy

While this subgenre is not one I visit often, I do have a lot of fond memories of books within this genre. I don’t remember my first time reading a fantasy romance but I do have a lot of books that I still re-read and is a subgenre that I enjoy a lot. This subgenre has introduced me to worlds where I have dive hard (such as for example the worlds created by Laini Taylor and Amy Harmon).
Recommendations: The Bird and the Sword Chronicles, The Law of Moses both by Amy Harmon, The Girl at Midnight trilogy by Melissa Grey, Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy by Laini Taylor.

Paranormal

Oh, this is by far one of my favorite subgenre of the Romance genre. I first read paranormal romance when I was in middle school if I’m not wrong. I clearly remember reading Fantasy Lover and the Dark-Hunter series by Sherrilyn Kenyon, then I discovered The Black Dagger Brotherhood and I was instantly in love with the character and this world of vampires. Also, let’s mention how werewolves were not a thing until it was.
Recommendations: Nightwalker series by Jacquelyn Frank, Seduce the Darkness by Gena Showalter, Hearts of the Anemoi series by Lara Kaye, also anything by Sherrilyn Kenyon and J.R. Ward.

Mystery/Suspense/Thriller

This is a subgenre that I’ve been diving more in the past years, the main genre Crime which is the one I’ve been enjoying overall, may not be completely in the romance category per se, but I have discovered amazing books in the Romance genre filled with suspense and mystery!
RECOMMENDATIONS: The Witness, The Obsession, Sanctuary, Hideaway all by Nora Roberts. Can we please sneak in Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie (because romance is the main motive here ;))

Male/Male

Now, this is no a subgenre by any means, it falls into the LGBTQ+ genre but I love reading male-male romance. I think this category – shall we call it – is by far my most read (and favorite). There are so many authors I love: from Lily Morton, Lucy Lennox, Sloane Kennedy, Claire Cullen, Elizabeth Varlet, Alessandra Hazard, Annabeth Albert, Christina Lee, Rachel Reid, Tara Lain, C.S. Pacat, and many more! The romance, the characters, the slow-burns, the soulmates, obstacles, the society, the boys in uniform, and sports (cough) – everything.
RECOMMENDATIONS: Out of Uniform series by Annabeth Albert, Wilde Love by Lucy Lennox, THIRDS series by Charlie Cochet, Sassy Boyz series by Elizabeth, ANYTHING by Lily Morton, Tough Guys series by Rachel Reid, Just a Bit Ruthless by Alessandra Hazard, Pelican Bay series by Sloane Kennedy. Basically, anything is written by the authors mentioned above.

Contemporary

Oh, the cute, the romantic, the realistic. Let’s welcome the rivals to lovers, the coworkers who fall in love, the weddings, and divorces. This is a subgenre I always like to read when I need something fluffy and happy with low-grade angst and villains that are easy to destroy; it makes me feel giddy and happy.
RECOMMENDATIONS: The Bride Quartet by Nora Roberts, Gamers series by Megan Erickson, The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang, Montana Creeds by Linda Lael Miller, The Mighty Quinns series by Kate Hoffman, First Step Forward by Liora Lake, Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston.

Romance is not for everyone, when I ask people I know what do they usually read (if they even do) I always hear about crime books, fiction, politics, etc. I understand, romance sometimes is seen as an overrated and oversaturated genre but I personally love this genre and what it brings to the table!