As we say in Minnesota, you betcha! This is not news to most avid romance readers, but you might not have stopped to examine the connection.
It’s Romance Awareness month, so let’s consider the reasons we read romance. While every reader has her own reasons, common ones include: love of a good story, to-die-for heroes, the satisfaction of happily-ever-after endings, and, let’s face it, the love scenes. Regardless of the heat level, in most romance novels (aside from Inspirationals), physical intimacy is at least implied. In many, it is exuberantly portrayed in vivid detail.
So how does this translate to the bedroom? Unlike men, most women are not hard wired to spontaneously think about sex a couple dozen times a day. We just plain have too much to do. Whether we work outside the home or not, have small children or not, we all have a thousand duties, tasks, and interruptions that demand our immediate attention. When we finally find time to breathe, our first thought may not be about romance.
Enter the magic of romance novels. You can sit and watch TV in the evening, but TV doesn’t engage the imagination the way reading does. A good romance novel allows the reader the vicarious pleasure of falling in love all over again. The hero may not remind her of her own significant other dozing in his recliner across the room, but if the story is well written, the heroine’s emotions will resonate and remind the reader of the excitement and wonder of new love. She’ll remember the reasons she fell in love in the first place. And when she gets to the love scenes, her face will flush and her pulse will rise, and she’ll remember all the good stuff that happens next.
Just before Valentine’s Day, I gave a talk and book signing for my first book, Harvest of Dreams, at the historic home that served as the inspiration for the setting. A couple of days later, I received an email from the Director who had set up the event. She’s a historian and not a regular reader of romance, but she wrote that she’d just finished my book and her husband was REALLY happy. I had to laugh, but I knew what she said was true. Reading romance can definitely put you in the mood!
So remember, if you want a little more spice in your love life, look for a good romance novel. You (and your lover) won’t be disappointed.
It’s Romance Awareness month, so let’s consider the reasons we read romance. While every reader has her own reasons, common ones include: love of a good story, to-die-for heroes, the satisfaction of happily-ever-after endings, and, let’s face it, the love scenes. Regardless of the heat level, in most romance novels (aside from Inspirationals), physical intimacy is at least implied. In many, it is exuberantly portrayed in vivid detail.
So how does this translate to the bedroom? Unlike men, most women are not hard wired to spontaneously think about sex a couple dozen times a day. We just plain have too much to do. Whether we work outside the home or not, have small children or not, we all have a thousand duties, tasks, and interruptions that demand our immediate attention. When we finally find time to breathe, our first thought may not be about romance.
Enter the magic of romance novels. You can sit and watch TV in the evening, but TV doesn’t engage the imagination the way reading does. A good romance novel allows the reader the vicarious pleasure of falling in love all over again. The hero may not remind her of her own significant other dozing in his recliner across the room, but if the story is well written, the heroine’s emotions will resonate and remind the reader of the excitement and wonder of new love. She’ll remember the reasons she fell in love in the first place. And when she gets to the love scenes, her face will flush and her pulse will rise, and she’ll remember all the good stuff that happens next.
Just before Valentine’s Day, I gave a talk and book signing for my first book, Harvest of Dreams, at the historic home that served as the inspiration for the setting. A couple of days later, I received an email from the Director who had set up the event. She’s a historian and not a regular reader of romance, but she wrote that she’d just finished my book and her husband was REALLY happy. I had to laugh, but I knew what she said was true. Reading romance can definitely put you in the mood!
So remember, if you want a little more spice in your love life, look for a good romance novel. You (and your lover) won’t be disappointed.
Alison Henderson
10 comments:
Hi Alison,
Great post and so true. Nothing like a hot romance to put you in the mood. Or even a sweet romance brings bakc a lot of lovely memories that have been tucked away in our hearts, no matter how old we are.
Regards
Margaret
You nailed it, Alison. Great post.
Psychology Today had an article years ago that said women who read romance novels have 78% more s-e-x than those who don't. That's an amazing statistic! Just imagine how many happy marriages romance writers are creating. Kudos to us!!!
I'm blushing as I'm reading and reading and reading...
Another reason to keep all those romances I've read, especially those with happy outcomes.
Barbara
Hmmm, now I'm wondering why men don't read more romances. It could put those people who sell the little blue pills out of business!
Lovely, and very true post, Alison!
Alison, I love this paragraph: Enter the magic of romance novels. You can sit and watch TV in the evening, but TV doesn’t engage the imagination the way reading does. A good romance novel allows the reader the vicarious pleasure of falling in love all over again. The hero may not remind her of her own significant other dozing in his recliner across the room, but if the story is well written, the heroine’s emotions will resonate and remind the reader of the excitement and wonder of new love. She’ll remember the reasons she fell in love in the first place.
How true that is -- and I think in a very positive way!! Great post.
Great post, Alison. I've always considered romance novels magic.
Chris
www.christinedepetrillo.weebly.com
Keeping the intimate parts of our marriages extra hot involves some extra apecial attention: our skin softened and glowing with that fragrant lotion he likes, a black sheer nightie or siren red teddy and those red-heeled mules with feathers across the top...oh yeah, hubster likes those. And for us ladies, a good romantic read. It's all an equation that equals a happier, spicier marriage.
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