I have only ever read one romance novel. But one is more than enough.

Wow, you make that huge sweeping genralisation after reading one romance book? Dude, that’s beyond stupid. Literary snobbery based on one example?

I read romance books, mysteries, as well as non-fiction books, so I think I can speak on this matter.

One of my favourite authors used to be a lady called Karin Slaughter. Her Grant County series are wonderful, but damn, I wouldn’t want to live there because people get killed there every other day. Is this realistic?

People who use the argument that romances build false expectations of how relationships should be, are usually the people who haven’t read many romances.

Now let me ask you this, if you had a daughter, would you prefer her to read books where people are always getting murdered and raped, or would you prefer for her to read about people in love?

I suggest that before you make such ridiculous genralisations that you should take a bigger look at the genre.

Suggestions of romance/love books for you to read:

J.D. Robb’s (AKA Nora Roberts) Naked In Death, or any of her In Death books
Cry No More, Linda Howard
Son of The Morning, Linda Howard
The Fifth Favour, Shelby Reed
Dorothy Koomson’s My Best Friend’s Girl
Nalini Singh’s Slave To Sensation
The Time Traveler’s Wife, Audrey Niffenegger

There’s just a few for you to start with. I challenge you to read any of the above, then write this post again.

Just in case you missed it, Mills and Boon and Harlequin aren’t the only houses that publish romance books, and also in 2005, something like approx 50% of all books bought (in the US) were romances.