Valentine’s Day Gift Hop

When I was invited to join Skye Warren’s Valentine’s Day Gift Hop, I have to admit I was quite excited. I mean, it’s Valentine’s Day–what’s not to love!

As a romance writer I was asked just last week, ‘Seriously, romance? Why bother, don’t you realise it never happens that way in real life, you’re just perpetuating the myth of how love really works’.

Now, to be honest I wasn’t surprised, the notion of romance novels has always garnered criticism and with recent releases that shall remain unnamed, the quality of romance novels has been under scrutiny that has transferred to all authors and all books.

However the last part of the question got me thinking. Do romance novels really perpetuate the myth of how love really works? Perhaps. Perhaps not.

As a writer of romance novels, the key theme that I run with is that of love prevailing in any situation, happily-ever-afters, and that all-encompassing endorphin-inducing lust that underpins the whole thing.

Am I naive enough to believe this is how the process works in real-life? No, not so much… We all know that relationships/marriage isn’t all lovey-dovey romance and roses, earth-shattering sex and happiness. It’s bloody hard work to keep a relationship afloat after all there is rarely a situation where two people can come together, share the most intimate of bonds, navigate compromise, obstacles, lessons, and differences in opinions and attitudes and still have fun!

BUT, isn’t some (perhaps most) of the purpose of romance novels to achieve escapism. To, for just a couple of hours, remove yourself from the harsh realities of life, to separate oneself from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and disappear into somebody else’s story, to enjoy the storyline just as you would a play or a movie?

So, do romance novels really perpetuate the myth of how love really works?

Yes, I’d say so.

But, the world desperately needs some love, romance, passion and compassion and if romance books can add to that even in the slightest than I think we’re onto a fabulous thing!

In celebration of Valentine’s Day, I’ve got a Rafflecopter giveaway underway, where you can win two of my novellas, Rescued and Draw On My Heart, click here to enter

Check out all of the fabulous gifts available on the Valentine’s Day Gift Hop and see what other booty you could score, check out http://www.skyewarren.com/hop/

Happy Valentine’s Day!