It’s August? Let’s Read Romance!

Wow, August is here already!

As you may know, my huge pro-romance event, Read-A-Romance Month, takes place in August. This year’s participants include Christina Lauren (8/1), Susan Mallery (8/3), Lisa Kleypas (8/4), Heather Graham (8/5), Sherryl Woods (8/9), Julie Anne Long (8/16), Larissa lone (8/17), Debbie Macomber (8/24 ), Jaci Burton (8/25), Kresley Cole (8/31), and so many, many more!

You can see the full calendar of authors here: Read-A-Romance Month 2016 Calendar.

I originally started Read-A-Romance Month in 2013 because I thought it would be a great place to bring authors and readers together online, and I did it in August because:

a) Even literary readers pick up lighter fare in the summer months. (I think they call them beach reads because high-minded readers need a book vacation from depressing tomes every so often, right?) ;o)

b) As I discovered doing research, August is also “Romance Awareness Month”—since studies show people feel more romantic during the easy-going summer and vacation months than they do during February.

I’m happy to say that apparently great minds do think alike, because the website Bustle has devoted August to romance novels too in their feature Romance Novel Month. August as a month to focus on romance?! What a great idea! Seriously, though, they have some great articles in there about why romance is awesome.

In 2012, when I wrote my first-ever pro-romance piece for NPR - In Defense of Romance - I had friends who thought I was crazy for publicly admitting I read romance novels. Their point, in effect, was that I should be embarrassed. That I should be ashamed. Condescending much? Not to mention that they were exhibiting the exact behavior I was asking society as a whole to reconsider.

Stop belittling women for reading romance novels!

In 2012, there was almost no positive coverage of the romance genre in mainstream media. Now it’s everywhere. Smart, bright, eclectic readers—mostly women—are picking up these books, loving these books, and putting fingers to keyboard to talk about why these books are awesome - and intelligent, valuable, positive, and pro-woman.

This month, in a very big way, it’s Bustle. Whose twitter tagline is “Redefining Women's Interest.”

One of their articles?

Bustle's Romance Novel Month Celebrates A Genre Dominated By Strong, Smart Women

Indeed.

This is one kick-ass genre, and I’m so happy and grateful that the pro-romance chorus is getting bigger, louder and more powerful.

Brava, Bustle! Brava, Romance! Romance_Scot in the Dark

Happy August, romance fans! xo

Looking for good romance this month? Check out Bustle’s August recs for Steamy Summer Afternoons.

They highlighted a few of my romance favorites, including Nalini Singh—new Psy-Changeling anthology Wild Embrace—and Sarah MacLean. A Scot in the Dark is getting lots of great reviews. (I haven’t read it yet, but it received a starred review from Kirkus.)

And of course— because what Best of Summer Romance list won’t include an SEP release when she has one?? {happy sigh} — Susan Elizabeth Phillips’ August release, First Star I See Tonight which I have read and loved, and which also received a Kirkus star. (Plus, gorgeous cover!)

Bobbi’s recs this week?

I finished Lisa Kleypas’ Marrying Winterborne and loved it. Kirkus reviewers are anonymous, so I don’t know who any other reviewers are, but there are some new ones who certainly share similar good taste in romance novels! I love this line in the starred review:

“Kleypas has taken a tired trope and made it irresistible, with glittering prose and characters the reader longs to befriend.” I agree.

Romance_Girl From I also read and enjoyed The Girl from the Savoy by Hazel Gaynor. (Hence, I don’t really agree with its Kirkus review) I felt the book was an interesting take on the post-war period and that Dolly’s ambition, drive, and faith in a better future made her a fascinating reflection on the changing times in England. I’d recommend the book, especially if you like post World War I storylines and characters who reach for dreams. (Plus, another beautiful cover!)