If you’ve been in the book community recently in any capacity, you have seen the boom that is the romance section. Tables upon tables at bookstores are overflowing with “BookTok spicy reads,” and Kindle Unlimited is filled to the brim with the latest romantasy (a combined genre of romance and fantasy) novels. Where did this sudden spike of smutty books arise from, and how is it shaping today’s book industry?

Let’s start with what romance used to be categorized under: Chick-Lit. First of all, ew. Second of all, why was romance considered a “woman’s genre?” Regular fiction centering women (such as having female protagonists) was also in this sexist category. Even though such works were a huge portion of sales for many bookstores, the books were still relegated to back sections and mass market paperbacks and discussed in hush-hush tones. They were considered low-brow literature, focusing on lighter storylines, more romance, and less grit, things they thought women liked. And it was considered “girly” to like it, “girly” to them being something less academic and more frou-frou and embarrassing to like or associate with. The covers even play into this as covers now have cute cartoon love interests on them whereas back then, they showcased men with glistening abs and women with their dresses about to fly away in the wind.  

Flash forward to the pandemic, where romance and fantasy basically revived the publishing industry. While people couldn’t leave their houses, one thing they could do was read. And read they did. With all of this free time everyone had, it opened up avenues for people to explore their interests, and they did so voraciously through media, like novels.

Up until then, there had been romance novels, don’t get me wrong, it just wasn’t what it is today. Lovers (or enemies) had been getting it on in any way possible in books for a while, but it definitely wasn’t mainstream, and it definitely was more judged by the masses. How did the boom of romantasy and romance novels during the pandemic help liberate sexual interests on and off the page? 

One of the reasons why reading romance became so popular was that reading alone in the comfort of your home meant no judgment for whatever book you picked up. You’re more likely to choose something that reflects your interests that you may be too scared to show off in public. Also, the dating scene was definitely not at its best due to quarantine, so reading about couples going on dates and falling in love was a way of living vicariously through the characters. This can especially be said for romantasy, as imagining that you’re in a faraway land rather than right then, in the height of an unprecedented time rife with strife and fear of what could happen next, being able to read a book with a plot that resolves in a happy ending, and has the main character face the evil and win is a way of putting agency back in the reader’s fingertips. All of this is to say, being in control of the narrative as it was hard to come by. So that sounds like an equation for success. 

There used to be a lot of shame associated with reading romance. People would resort to reading either by hiding the cover when in public, or online on AO3 (Archive of Our Own), Tumblr, or other sites. But reading your interests where no one can see the cover (even better if it’s digital) and where you can be open about the kind of romance that gets you going is important. There shouldn’t be shame around what people are into, but unfortunately, in the book world, there is. People on the internet and IRL still get into debates on whether romance is “cringe”, but honestly, I just think that’s inner misogyny showing through that they just can’t be happy that someone else is having a good time, even if it isn’t their taste. It’s normalized for men to have sexual magazines, why isn’t it the same equivalent for women?

There’s a lot of discourse over whether these books should be banned (such as the A Court of Thorns and Roses series) for their spicy content (spicy means sexual content, for the uninitiated), but for the most part, people have taken the rise of romance to a main genre heavy hitter and best seller in stride. Some people criticize being open about what you’re into sexually, which is something you can explore using novels in a healthy and safe way. Those people who disagree with reading romance or have it be considered literature, and good literature at that, just don’t know what it’s like to have fun without being repressed, so their opinion is moot. As long as everyone consents to the material they’re reading, and there are trigger warnings depicting said content, I think everyone should read whatever makes them happy or gives them agency. 

Just like with any type of literature, critical reading skills are needed. Just because there’s a book about a toxic relationship doesn’t mean that toxic relationships are good. It just means there’s a book about it. Even darker romance that delves into “scarier” topics have their place. Maybe someone who wants to read that kind of novel can use it in a way to give them back their agency. It can make them feel less alone, empowered, or put the situation back in their hands.

There are spicy romances, closed-door romances (no on-page sex, although sometimes it leads up to it and leaves you hanging with a fade to black moment), and a mix of the two. In order to cater to every interest, there has to be a mix of all on the market. It’s important to have all of these different types of stories showcasing different loves, relationships, and sexual experiences in order to have people find a story that resonates with them. 

Being more open with our sexual interests in media helps us be more open with them in ourselves, which makes us more liberated. A liberated and empowered person is a happy person. Finding those avenues to express yourself is important. You never know what might be a yum, and so being open to everything and trying a little bit of everything in novels is a safe way to try things that you may be into but are considered “taboo”. Go into it with no self-judgment, and if you don’t like it, you don’t like it. But it's important to consider that a book or topic that is not your preference doesn't mean the whole genre isn't for you or for others. Instead, use these works to experience things and explore yourself in a safe way: for example, kinks. Or dip your toes in the water to see if a certain trope would be something you like. Maybe you’re in a happily committed relationship, but you’re really interested in polyamory. Read a book about it! Just like reading a thriller or horror book doesn’t make you a deranged serial killer, reading romances about kinky sex or about cheating or something of the sort doesn’t make you a deviant person who needs to cool their jets. 

So whether you’re new to the genre or old, have been here since the chick-lit days, or are in your romantasy era, books are for everyone. Find what makes you happy or gives you agency and read that, unabashedly and unashamedly. Who knows, maybe seeing you read it will make the haters finally pick it up and realize they’ve liked these kinds of books all along.