There are some things that defy explanation, and romance being pidgeon-holed as "those trashy romances," along with other disparaging and similar attitudes surrounding it in all its genres. Some people look at it as trash, others as “women's porn,” and still others as “that stuff trashy authors want to pass off as good reading.” Few people seem to think of romance as literature, and the attitude seems to prevent it from any real recognition.

I don’t ascribe to any of those labels, but I do place the literature label on the lot. Romance is literature, and although it can run the gamut from “Sweet and Light” as in the so-called Inspirational Romances, to the “Dark and Heavy” of the more blatantly erotic, it is still for the most part well written, and entertaining. Some electronic/POD presses are specializing in the more erotic romances, and some authors tend to unfairly steer clear of those sites who take the time and patience to review all the genres. They seem to think such sites are not worthy of reviewing their work, even though they write romance themselves. I have had experiences like that here at Romance at Heart, authors being closed minded, and who won’t advertise or fail to ask for reviews here because of the “smutty content” of the website.

In my belief, that is their loss. I can’t for the life of me understand why such attitudes prevail in this time and place, but I refuse to condemn or censor them for their personal opinion. This is, after all, America, and according to our Constitution, it is a place where Freedom of Speech is valued. So for any who are interested, here is my opinion on the argument of romance and quality literature:
     1. Literature should be good reading, and good reading is something to me that is defined as informative, interesting, entertaining, but above all, well written. Most romances I have read fall into that category, but the "real literature" as well as romance has its duds.
     2. Literature is NOT just comprised of the traditional Fiction and Non-Fiction categories alone. I have read some Fiction, reputed to be "the best" that bored me to tears, and some Non-fiction that was pure trash. So tell me, what is the point of gathering all of romance under the heading of "literary garbage," or "woman's stuff"?
     3. For those who only deal in "pure literature," you will have to go somewhere else for inspiration, you won’t deal well with romance, nor will you find it to your liking. Great romance, in the tradition of Christine Feehan, Georgette Heyer, Barbra Cartland, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Catherine Spangler, Emma Holly, Sahara Kelly, Katherine Shay and many others is a true escape for the adventurous and the immaginative reader. You are probably not open-minded enough to appreciate the texture of a true, well written romance no matter what the genre or heat level, just as you would probably love to ban the pictures from National Geographic.
     4. Purity in literature is highly overrated. William H. Buckley wrote some fabulous books, as did Isaac Asimov, yet both men had delightful and far-reaching imaginations and their works hold interest in spite of their great intelligence. They found the romance in their subjects, and the passion in their writing proves it well. Other examples exist as far back as Homer, and you would be surprised to find out what the translations of his works leave out as being too risqué.
     5. There is only one person who can truly judge the merits of a book, and that is the individual reader. For others to arbitrarily judge someone else’s work in that manner and claim it is the view of “the industry” or “of their constituents” is patently unfair. It does not take into consideration that we are individuals, and we all have our own opinions. It also demeans the intelligence of the reader, and to me that is an immense insult.

Judgmental Critics or Honest Critique??

Revision is needed in the staid and very old-fashioned outlook of good literature. I am not saying that we need to relax morals, or standards, but we DO need to realize that America as a country was built on the foundations of freedoms of speech, religion, and independence. This carries over into all aspects of our lives, our politics, our literature, our thoughts. What we don’t need is snobbery when it comes to literature. In case you are interested, some of the most erotic writings occur in the Song of Solomon.

I understand why some people feel threatened when faced with the more erotic literature, the genres of romance, and the publishers whose books tend toward the darkly erotic and even homoerotic tales. I think the challenge is to open your mind, to explore the world, not hide behind false morals, and false conceptions of what life is all about. I would challenge you all to read something different, step outside your comfort zones once in a while, and you may find a whole new world to explore. We don't live in a black and white world, life is not lived according to a strict set of rules, but it flows ebbing and rising according to powers we cannot even imagine, relentless as the tides, and as different as the seasons.

Remember, reading is not indicative of a person's morals or character. We are as filled with variety as nature itself. What you read does not define you or your tastes either, because your individuality is a combination of religion, politics, personality, loves, hates, likes, dislikes, and personal choice. Only an individual's ability to step out of imposed comfort zones, explore and choose to enjoy variety, and make choices for themselves instead of suffocating under the thumb of what is considered “proper” can insure personal growth.

I have to applaud those reviewers who can actually take the time to read a romance, evaluate it on its own merits, and not try to bend the author's endeavour to a preconceived notion of what constitutes the perfect romance. I realize there are some books I personally don't care for, but as a reviewer, it is my job to try my best to get beyond that dislike and see what is in the author's heart. It is not my job to criticize, but to offer a synopsis, a critique when asked, but above all, an honest as possible opinion of the book's content. It is NOT my job to give a biased judgment based on the author, or his/her talent, or on some silly idea or definition of good literature. For me, it is all literature, and I am ever greatful to the men and women who write it for me to read.

I have to applaud reviewers who take the time to read a romance and truly evaluate it on its own merits. Many people look at reviews today as something they can do in five minutes, writing anywhere from 150 - 300 words on how they liked/disliked/hated the book they were assigned, then calling it a review. Maybe from their point, it is, however, I think I would rather have more meat, more substance.

I love to read, and when an author sends me a book to review, I try to give him or her the best review I can muster. I have read hundreds of books, reviewed same, and always try to give the book I'm currently reading my full attention. The authors themselves deserve no less, for they have put the time and energy into the manuscript, and have nurtured it and watched it grow.

That being said, how can I, as a reviewer, not give it my full attention. How can I rattle on in a blasé manner? No, I have to do my best to dig deep and try to figure out what the characters are doing, how the plot twists affect them, and how they deal with the myriad of problems, both small and large, their author throws in their way. Yes, it is good to form an opinion, but when you are reviewing a book, the object is not to criticize and critique, but to assemble an informed opinion on the merits of the book, and only as a last thought, evaluate it on a personal preference. For the most part, that is what sets reviews apart from opinions.

I honestly believe almost anyone can write 300 word or less on how they liked a book, and I am just as firmly convinced, opinions are not reviews. It is easy to dis a writer as well, and even harder to be honest and objective in your review. Recently I was assigned to read a book written in first person. For those of you who know me, I abhor first person, and read only a handful of authors who write that way. This book, even though I hated the way it was written, had memorable plots, strong and exciting characters, and I had to give it a rating of five out of five. It was a case of being honest, putting aside my own reading prejudices and realizing there are some who would definitely read and greatly enjoy this work.

I am faced with another of the same ilk, one I have had trouble getting into, but I have to recommend to any who enjoy a humerous and exciting read. Putting aside my prejudices is not easy when it comes to first person, but once I got into the book, I did enjoy it. I hope to be able to get a review posted soon, but The Accidental Demon Slayer by Angie Fox is available from Amazon.com. For those of you looking for a good read, check it out.