Historical Romance Reader Alert!
I saw the flicker of scepticism in my friend’s face before she had a chance to mask it. Unfortunately, the look did not surprise me, as it was a reaction I was becoming familiar with in others.
“Really?” she asked, as if she thought I was playing a joke on her.
“Yes. Why are you so surprised?”
The scepticism changed to nervous, embarrassed laughter.
“Well…,” she said eventually, “…you just don’t look the type.”
You would think that I had just confessed to robbing a bank vault or expressed a wish to be a nun, but the reality was that it was nothing so dramatic. Yet, my confession that I liked to read historical romances had, I could tell, subtlety changed my friend’s view of me and, in that moment, I felt it was not towards the positive.
So why the odd reaction? Probably because humans are quick to label people and place them in well-defined slots as if we are shapes in a game.
If I had said my favourite genre was autobiographies I’m sure she would view me as inquisitive and broad-minded.
If I had said my favourite genre was spy thrillers, she would consider me intelligent, inquisitive and analytical.
If I had said my favourite genre was fantasy, she would consider me imaginative, creative and open-minded.
I would like to think I have all of these qualities, but alas, I said my favourite genre was historical romance…
“What is my type?” I asked.
I watched her fumble for the right words that would translate her thoughts and do the least harm. “Well, someone like Mary from Coronation Street, I suppose.”
So has the historical romance genre become uncool to read? I certainly hope not! However I can’t help wondering why a business woman, who is independently minded, fairly intelligent and also family orientated, not be considered the “type” to enjoy historical romance. Perhaps its chequered history can be partly to blame.
In the past, historical romances were chaste and even sometimes lacked the now obligatory ‘happy ever after’. If lust and passion reared their obscene heads in England, as with Lady Chatterley’s Lover, publishers risked being brought to trial under the Obscene Publications Act 1959.
However, the titanic plates of the romance genre shifted by the 1970s and the historical romance genre were all about domination. Today we may find these hard to tolerate and even label them abusive. However, these novels were ground breaking for the time as, for the first time, novels showed passion and lust that was previously, for decency sake, not referred to. Readers lapped up these stories in the privacy of their own homes. Yes, the 70’s was the hippy era and free love for all, or so we are to believe, but for many women the reality of their lives was much more mundane. Reading about a passion filled, dominate hero gave the reader the escapism that they longed for. These readers were, strangely, being rebellious in their own way, although readers of today may be horrified to hear this view.
By the 1990’s women wanted to read about sassier heroines, who were independent and no longer victims. Although historical romances remained, trying to remain true to the historical period would place the inevitable constraints that contemporary romances did not have to limit themselves to.
By the 2000’s a whole sub-genre of romances grew in popularity, including humorous, suspenseful, inspirational, erotic, science fiction, paranormal, vampire and werewolf romances.
Perhaps this explosion has left the traditional historical romance appearing, to some, a little out of date or stuck in a rut.
Perhaps the historical romance genre of the past has given my friend a slanted view of the typical historical romance readers of today as believe they are still like the wide eyed 1970s reader, who, strangely in her opinion, enjoyed reading about dominant heroes and must, therefore, be lacking in some part of their life.
The reality is that the well written romance of today are about women finding their own identity and their journey getting there, whilst finding Mr Right along the way. It can have the historical detail of the classics, the passion and lust of the 70’s era and an independent heroine of today that is a survivor of the constraints placed upon her. Historical romances can be fluff and fun, after all who needs serious reading all the time, but equally it can be an informative, passionate rollercoaster that can rival any thriller, autobiography or mystery. It’s the author and their skill that matters, not the genre it is placed in.
Next time I see my friend, I will confess that I have actually written two historical romances that have both been nominated by InD’Tale Magazine for the RONE Best Indie Small Published Book Award. I can’t wait to see the flicker of scepticism pass over her face before I am able to convince her that I am telling the truth.
As for Mary in Coronation Street, a series that has been on our television screens for what seems like forever, she is my favourite character. She is full of passion, independent, intelligent, loving, humorous, determined, and an incorrigible romantic – and a little crazy. Just like me! Perhaps my friend was right after all…
Old Sins Long Shadows
The Gossamer Trail
“Really?” she asked, as if she thought I was playing a joke on her.
“Yes. Why are you so surprised?”
The scepticism changed to nervous, embarrassed laughter.
“Well…,” she said eventually, “…you just don’t look the type.”
You would think that I had just confessed to robbing a bank vault or expressed a wish to be a nun, but the reality was that it was nothing so dramatic. Yet, my confession that I liked to read historical romances had, I could tell, subtlety changed my friend’s view of me and, in that moment, I felt it was not towards the positive.
So why the odd reaction? Probably because humans are quick to label people and place them in well-defined slots as if we are shapes in a game.
If I had said my favourite genre was autobiographies I’m sure she would view me as inquisitive and broad-minded.
If I had said my favourite genre was spy thrillers, she would consider me intelligent, inquisitive and analytical.
If I had said my favourite genre was fantasy, she would consider me imaginative, creative and open-minded.
I would like to think I have all of these qualities, but alas, I said my favourite genre was historical romance…
“What is my type?” I asked.
I watched her fumble for the right words that would translate her thoughts and do the least harm. “Well, someone like Mary from Coronation Street, I suppose.”
So has the historical romance genre become uncool to read? I certainly hope not! However I can’t help wondering why a business woman, who is independently minded, fairly intelligent and also family orientated, not be considered the “type” to enjoy historical romance. Perhaps its chequered history can be partly to blame.
In the past, historical romances were chaste and even sometimes lacked the now obligatory ‘happy ever after’. If lust and passion reared their obscene heads in England, as with Lady Chatterley’s Lover, publishers risked being brought to trial under the Obscene Publications Act 1959.
However, the titanic plates of the romance genre shifted by the 1970s and the historical romance genre were all about domination. Today we may find these hard to tolerate and even label them abusive. However, these novels were ground breaking for the time as, for the first time, novels showed passion and lust that was previously, for decency sake, not referred to. Readers lapped up these stories in the privacy of their own homes. Yes, the 70’s was the hippy era and free love for all, or so we are to believe, but for many women the reality of their lives was much more mundane. Reading about a passion filled, dominate hero gave the reader the escapism that they longed for. These readers were, strangely, being rebellious in their own way, although readers of today may be horrified to hear this view.
By the 1990’s women wanted to read about sassier heroines, who were independent and no longer victims. Although historical romances remained, trying to remain true to the historical period would place the inevitable constraints that contemporary romances did not have to limit themselves to.
By the 2000’s a whole sub-genre of romances grew in popularity, including humorous, suspenseful, inspirational, erotic, science fiction, paranormal, vampire and werewolf romances.
Perhaps this explosion has left the traditional historical romance appearing, to some, a little out of date or stuck in a rut.
Perhaps the historical romance genre of the past has given my friend a slanted view of the typical historical romance readers of today as believe they are still like the wide eyed 1970s reader, who, strangely in her opinion, enjoyed reading about dominant heroes and must, therefore, be lacking in some part of their life.
The reality is that the well written romance of today are about women finding their own identity and their journey getting there, whilst finding Mr Right along the way. It can have the historical detail of the classics, the passion and lust of the 70’s era and an independent heroine of today that is a survivor of the constraints placed upon her. Historical romances can be fluff and fun, after all who needs serious reading all the time, but equally it can be an informative, passionate rollercoaster that can rival any thriller, autobiography or mystery. It’s the author and their skill that matters, not the genre it is placed in.
Next time I see my friend, I will confess that I have actually written two historical romances that have both been nominated by InD’Tale Magazine for the RONE Best Indie Small Published Book Award. I can’t wait to see the flicker of scepticism pass over her face before I am able to convince her that I am telling the truth.
As for Mary in Coronation Street, a series that has been on our television screens for what seems like forever, she is my favourite character. She is full of passion, independent, intelligent, loving, humorous, determined, and an incorrigible romantic – and a little crazy. Just like me! Perhaps my friend was right after all…
Old Sins Long Shadows
The Gossamer Trail
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