One of the things romance readers share is the undeniable fact that we are all readers. And, as the dedicated readers we all are, we are passionate about the books we love.
And, in that passion, we want readers to embrace those books. Whether it’s because we’re seeking validation for our own tastes or – and I think this is the biggest motivator – we want others to experience the joy that we did when reading our favorite books, bringing others on board sometimes assumes monumental importance.
But here’s where I think a line gets crossed: Some readers are so zealous and outspoken that those who don’t share the love may feel as if they are somehow suffering from some character defect by not embracing what seems to be the Official Romance Land Approved Syllabus.
I’m going to admit something extremely embarrassing in this post. Please don’t condemn or judge because I’m slowly working to overcome what I perceive as my deficiencies. Do you ever sometimes feel like there’s unofficial “required reading” for romance? Or maybe that you’re missing elements of romance knowledge which would enable you to be a more informed reader simply because you haven’t read certain authors or you’ve missed some of tomes that are considered “great” works? I do and I hadn’t realized until recently just how much I’ve missed along the way and how much catch-up I still have to complete.
