Romance Novels = Book inappropriate content?

[Thithy]

I've had some people tell me this, and I guess I can see where they are coming from. Yet I guess I'm just a hopeless romantic and love the love. I've even stopped reading them because they are complete lust and no love. Am I just "justifying" reading these books to "satisfy" me? Are they giving me unrealistic expectations of what to expect from men, from what love really is? Are they just book inappropriate content?

What do you think?

Do any of you read romance novels?

 

[Cordelia]

lol It makes me really mad to hear woman-haters (I'm sorry, but the majority are) say that a woman reading a romance is the same as a man watching a inappropriate content film. As an educated person and a great reader of good escapist fiction, I know that's a load of rubbish! There are a lot of incredibly well-written romance novels out there, and I'll defend them forever. I'd just as soon read a romance as a literary novel or a piece of non-fiction. It depends on my mood. I'm a hopeless romantic too but I don't equate outlandish love stories with real life.

I laugh at any OTT sex scenes I come across in books. Purple prose is about as arousing as dishwater. No, I don't choose books that are full of those sorts of scenes because of my beliefs (and yeah, some of them do confuse lust with love, I think) but I have no problem with characters who sincerely seem to love each other sleeping together in a story. Sex is a fact of life, after all.

 

[Amy]

I am sure some romance novels can be described as inappropriate content, but there are many good ones that uphold good principles. Just be careful what you choose. There are Christian romance authors who avoid sexually explicit scenes and silly or beaten-to-death plot lines. Thankfully, "Christian" does not necessarily mean preachy or poorly written these days!

Amy

 

[ian90]

:o WWJD?

"And the vicar grasped her close, halting her fall from the ladder. She turned and looked into his eyes, 'my what soft hands you have...'. He let go quickly and she stepped down barefoot onto the cold, stone floor. She shivered in her nightie and folded her arms across her breast. 'All the better to hold you with', he said, winking only slightly." wicka wicka bachis wicka wicka ... etc.

 

[Thithy]

Thanks for the responses. I've just been curious as to what others have to say about Romance Novels. Cordelia I really appreciated what you had to say, and Amy I might have to check out some of the Christian romances. It's just that I don't usually buy my books, I check them out at the library, and I don't know if the library has any christian romances. I'll have to look though.

And yes, when books are primarily lustful I end up putting them down and finding something else to read. Infact, some books are so chalked full of "love" scenes that one could almost skip most of the book and still understand what's going on.

 

[HappyMomof4]

Have you read any of Diana Gabaldon's books? "Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber" These books are incredibly romantic and there is a great story there also. It's a story about a woman who travels back in time and meets the love of her life. "Knight in Shining Armor" is good too.

Some books are shamelessly about sex with a little bit of predictable story thrown in. Theyre just stupid.

 

[Amy]

I might have to check out some of the Christian romances. It's just that I don't usually buy my books, I check them out at the library, and I don't know if the library has any christian romances.

Try checking out Terry Blackstock or Lori Wick. They are well known authors, I think the library would have their books. Terry's books are more on the mystery side, but there is usually some romance mixed into her stories.

Amy

 

[SeRapH&CheRi]

Mindy Clark Starns is a Christian author you may want to try. I just finished reading her five book series "The Million Dollar Mysteries" and enjoyed them immensely. The books are intertwined with romance, mystery and intrigue! I can guarantee that you will not be disappointed. (They're also very "clean" )

 

[fragile one]

I read romance novels once in a while as a way to escape from the pressures and demands in my life. Some are completely stupid and entirely lack a plot. Others are so good, I want to read them over and over again

I disagree when you say that romance novels are completely lust and not love. Some of them are, sure, but then again, some aren't. Some are a wonderful combination of both.

I guess they can give you unrealistic expectations about men, if you think the stories are actually real and that men should act that way. I mean, no man is perfect, and to expect him to be is just foolish. But I don't see me reading romance as being detrimental to my relationship with my boyfriend. I don't compare him to the heroes in the book or something like that. My relationship with him is good, and we're both satisfied.

As for inappropriate contentography, I don't think it's wrong as long as it depicts consenual adults of age, so I'm no help there I fear.

 

[Thithy]

Thanks everyone. I'll have to look some of those authors up. And for the ones that incorporate mystery, even better.

 

[TheDandyMan]

But what about Song of Songs? Would inappropriate content be in the Bible?

I feel a bit awkward in this thread, so I will leave.

 

[Kaonashi]

One of my most favorite authors when I'm in the right mood is Nora Roberts. She writes a lot about Ireland and Scotland and most of her stuff is pretty much clean.

 

[Grimace]

If you don't like the lust-driven romance novels, you could always try Christian romance. Tracie Peterson, Robin Lee Hatcher, and Lori Wick are all good authors with clean stories. You could also join a Christian romance book club, there are a few of those out there.

 

[ZiSunka]

Even "Christian" romances often have more sex in them that might be healthy. None of the Jeanette Oke stories have outright or implied sex, but they do have a lot of unreality in them that is much more emotionally intense than reality could ever be. Few women ever find a tall, handsome, hardworking farmer who is also the pastor of his church who, having tragically lost his first love, is now suddenly and without warning in love again with a simple, common, ordinary woman, but that's the way it ALWAYS happens in Oke's novels. I find that whenever I read them, I become disappointed and disillusioned with my oh-so-undramatic real relationships. They take the focus off real love and place it on raptural emotions.

 

[HundredFootKrutch]

Good Thread!

I feel that romance novels are exactly as you say, the same a watching a inappropriate content film, for men. I recently read a book called "Dateable, Are You? Are They", The last chapter was titled "the inappropriate content Biz". Just like actual inappropriate contentographic images taint the minds of many young men, romance novels taint the mind of women. These books paint a warped view of what a man is. Women, as typically wired, want to be swept off their feet, and carried of by a man who is completely into them, and only them, as if that was all that they cared about. I can almost guarantee that no man will be 100% into his wife, every passing moment he thinks about you and wants to please you.....Men just weren't created like this. In my opinion female inappropriate content (romance novels) is equally tainting as male inappropriate content (explicit images).

That's all I have to say about that.

 

[Cordelia]

Good Thread!

I feel that romance novels are exactly as you say, the same a watching a inappropriate content film, for men. I recently read a book called "Dateable, Are You? Are They", The last chapter was titled "the inappropriate content Biz". Just like actual inappropriate contentographic images taint the minds of many young men, romance novels taint the mind of women. These books paint a warped view of what a man is. Women, as typically wired, want to be swept off their feet, and carried of by a man who is completely into them, and only them, as if that was all that they cared about. I can almost guarantee that no man will be 100% into his wife, every passing moment he thinks about you and wants to please you.....Men just weren't created like this. In my opinion female inappropriate content (romance novels) is equally tainting as male inappropriate content (explicit images).

That's all I have to say about that.

Excuse me? We're 'wired that way', are we? Typical guy's view

I'm read romances as an escape from my cynical sense of the reality of most relationships. In no way do they give me unrealistic expectations lol. And I'm certainly not 'tainted' by them. Escapist fiction is not the same as a 'warped view' of the world.

 

[HundredFootKrutch]

Excuse me? We're 'wired that way', are we? Typical guy's view

I'm read romances as an escape from my cynical sense of the reality of most relationships. In no way do they give me unrealistic expectations lol. And I'm certainly not 'tainted' by them. Escapist fiction is not the same as a 'warped view' of the world.

I'm not saying you are right, and that I am wrong, I am saying that in my opinion these romance novels appear to be, yes, appear to be damaging, this is from a perspective on the outside looking in. I haven't personally ever read one of these books, and probably never will.

Typical unknowing guys view: Women, from what I have personally seen and what I have read, are more tethered to feelings and emotions, rather than men who are tied to images and physical intimacy. So I guess since I am a guy it gives me a right to be wrong about women, or is that what a typical guy would say? Just count me out for giving my opinion, sorry that I gave it a shot.



Edit: Ok, that was a little harsh, my apologies, but please don't stereotype me because of my gender, I always write from personal experience, unless otherwise specified. This is what I have learned about girls from my small experiences with them, I know that I have barely scratched the surface of what a woman thinks, and I also know that I will never be able to understand what goes on your minds, because that is the way that God has made us.

 

[Cordelia]

I'm not saying you are right, and that I am wrong, I am saying that in my opinion these romance novels appear to be, yes, appear to be damaging, this is from a perspective on the outside looking in. I haven't personally ever read one of these books, and probably never will.

Typical unknowing guys view: Women, from what I have personally seen and what I have read, are more tethered to feelings and emotions, rather than men who are tied to images and physical intimacy. So I guess since I am a guy it gives me a right to be wrong about women, or is that what a typical guy would say? Just count me out for giving my opinion, sorry that I gave it a shot.



Edit: Ok, that was a little harsh, my apologies, but please don't stereotype me because of my gender, I always write from personal experience, unless otherwise specified. This is what I have learned about girls from my small experiences with them, I know that I have barely scratched the surface of what a woman thinks, and I also know that I will never be able to understand what goes on your minds, because that is the way that God has made us.

I understand. I shouldn't have attacked you, forgive me? My point was only...you were citing a theory (right?) that equated romance novels with inappropriate content films in their damaging effect. That offended me just a tad as a reader of all kinds of books, including romances, and I know there are wonderful, well-written romance novels out there that don't deserve to be compared with inappropriate content films (or trash like sex books). And not all women readers are the same, that's all. I'm sorry, and I do get your basic point. A lot of us girls are more tethered to emotions and stuff like that than guys!

Blessings, Cordie

 

[Amy]

Well, let's take a look at some classics. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, for example, are usually classified as "romance," and yes, the plot is centered around the main characters falling in love. However, I don't think anyone who has read and truly "felt" the novels would agree that they do nothing good but fill the reader's head with untrue images and unrealistic expectations. These books have such depth in them, I would say that they go far beyond simply "romance".


Amy

 

[ZiSunka]

There's a difference between classic novels and romance trash, though. Romance trash has no real, meaningful plot, they aren't about character development, and they are forgotten as soon as you pick up the next one. They are about inciting emotions, a rush of endorphins that makes you want the to buy and read more and more so you can sustain that romantic feeling. They are about marketing, not storytelling like the classic novels are.