#p.s. i went with firekeepers daughter for my monthly pick

[garglyswoof]

Oh which Giana darling books have you read? I’ve only read her anti-heroes in love duet which I did actually really like but I did read it when I was craving a mafia romance. Elena is a true ice queen nd just their chemistry and tension and was insane! They were both really each other’s match too 🥹 and the smut was good 😂

Have you read her fallen men series? I keep wanting to try it but it’s such a big series that it seems intimidating.

But “hmm this is not very good but i'm still enjoying it” makes so much sense! I’ve felt that way about some books I’ve read too and even given some of them 5 stars if I’m being real. But could definitely see that being the vibe with Giana Darling books too so I get it

So this is going to be not the response you expected, but really just a Treatise:tm: on romance books and my relationship with them. doing a read more bc i am verbose

When I read a romance book that I really enjoy, it will never be my favorite book. I can love it, but I know both intellectually and emotionally that it is not something that will stick with me through time. Even books that do attempt to tackle more serious issues simply do not have enough time to do that justice in tandem with a typical romance plotline.

In general, the prose used in contemporary romance is very run-of-the-mill. There are no lines that make me stop in my tracks because of the beauty of them (like i've read in many a romance fanfic). It is to be easily consumed and appreciated. I love romance books so much, I read them nightly. But goodness, the prose runs the gamut from "oh wow this is really bad but im still enjoying it" to "wow, this writer does pacing very well, has some funny lines, and has made efforts to explore some emotional depth". It never hits "I need to share this quote with everyone I know because it struck me to my core."

Good (and even bad) romance is more about dialogue vs setting, about the moment of falling instead of an intricate plot, and about two people coming together vs. deeply examining each of them on their own. It is about page turning oh my GODDDDD the tension is unreaaaaaaaal vs holy shit that was such a well-written story and im blown away

That being said, we all have the tropes and character archetypes we love. To actually bring it around to your ask, Darling writes pretty good alpha males (though I prefer JT Geissinger's, if you're looking for pseudo-mafia romances) and that's why I enjoyed her books. In fic and books, I am a sucker for things i would not accept in a million years in a real human guy lmao. Many people do not get past the student/teacher aspect of the first fallen man book, but that's a trope i somehow devour despite it being anathema irl. You can frankly read them out of order (@accidental-rambler will tell you no way lmao. yes kate, i still think of you when i think about reading things out of order XD).

So that's what i mean. published romance is for tropey goodness, for light and frothy reading. If i want more emotional depth from my romance, then i will most likely find it in fanfic, because the established nature of the characters allows for far more indepth examinations of feelings, of how the past we've seen in canon affects them emotionally, of these thoughts and feelings that really...matter to me. In fanfic, Ive also been with the character more and have the deep connection already there, and it allows me to dive into their headspace with ease so fics just have a cheat built in lol. Romance books just dont have the time to do that and still tell their story. Also, sometimes I just am not looking for plot in a romance???? I'm just looking for feelings or smut, and the plot is actually in the way lol. Published romance authors can't quite win with me.

In summary, I love romance, but I struggle with my perception of it and perspective because it just doesn't feel deep enough. It's something I continue to work through. Thanks for letting me partially do it here.