Before February (the “month of love”) comes to an end, I thought it would be appropriate to talk about romance novels. 

Now, romance is the top selling genre of books, which means a lot of people not only buy romance novels, but also read them. 

They tap into that natural desire for love and affection—something humans were made for. 

But just because it’s the best selling genre, doesn’t mean it’s void of problems. In this post, I’m going to unpack some of the good and bad of the genre. 

THE GOOD…

Full disclosure: I’m not a big fan of the romance genre. However, we can’t ignore its popularity and must admit that it has to be doing some things right. 

Something I’ve noticed among good romance authors (trust me, not all romance authors are good in a moral or literary sense) is that they’ve got a great handle on character development. There’s a reason, in romance, that readers want the girl and guy to walk off into the sunset and live happily ever after. It’s because the author has crafted the characters in a way that makes us view them as a friend. We are brought with them in their highs and lows. We see them react to stressful situations and we come to love the character as if he or she is a real person. 

 Good romance novels are typically always character driven. 

My favorite romance book–yes I do have one–is Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. She is a master of creating deep characters, and bringing about a satisfying romance between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. It isn’t clichéd or mushy-gushy, but instead deep and sweet. We not only watch an unlikely romance unfold, but we also see the characters change and explore several dimensions of human nature. 

THE BAD…

Well, now we’ve got to look at the bad side of the romance genre. It’s a genre heavily saturated with clichés. 

Don’t believe me? 

Page through a number of romance novels and you’ll find cliché after cliché. 

The couple awkwardly bump into each other at the beginning and then get better acquainted later because they somehow cross paths again. Or you have it where the couple dislikes each other, but somehow–by fate or a relative–they are forced together either in work or something else. Over time, they come to realize they aren’t so different after all and fall in love. 

And let’s not forget the small town romance where the guy and girl were high school sweethearts. Then, after high school, one of them moves away (most often because of college or a job). They’re separated and their relationship is broken—BUT THEN one of them comes back to town to visit family. They run into each other and, while they have their conflicts, they fall in love again and decide to sacrifice whatever it was that pulled them apart. 

I could go on, but I’d rather not. I think you’re getting the idea. 

It’s hard for a romance novel to stand out, because there are only a handful that are actually unique. Most follow the same clichéd plot with little to distinguish them from others. 

Another downside to the romance genre, specifically within the secular market (because there are good, clean romance novels out there), is the rampant sexual content. The product of certain authors’ lustful minds really mars the genre. It’s perverse and sinful. 

Still, there are some good—even great books—within the romance genre. Like all things in life, we have the choice to honor or dishonor God with our talents. 

So let me leave you with this- a challenge to all the young romance readers and writers out there. 

First for the readers: Proverbs 4:23; “guard your heart above all else, for from it flows the springs of life.” Be diligent about the things that you allow to enter your mind (including through reading). Read romance books that are set apart because their content honors the Lord.

Now for the writers:  romance is a popular genre—but don’t fall into the clichés. Write a romance novel that is unique to you. Keep it clean and keep it God-honoring. If romance is the bestselling genre, but a majority of their books are highly clichéd and sexualized, that shows us the world is in need of more unique and God-honoring romance novels. 

So, use your voice. You can make a difference. You can write for a better tomorrow.