There is
much to be gained from reading romance novels—more than just a good story to
curl up with on a rainy night. For those of us who love the sweeping historical
sagas, there can be lessons in love as well as history.
Some authors
even give us definitions, as Virginia Henley in Dream Lover:
“Love is a journey from the first blush of
physical attraction to a marriage of souls”
If I ever
write a book about this, the list below may well be my chapter titles. For now,
here’s the skinny version.
What I Learned About Love
From Reading Romance Novels
1. Love is worth fighting for.
2. Love is worth waiting for.
3. Love isn’t for cowards; it means being vulnerable; sometimes it means
pain.
4. The most difficult person may be the most perfect for you.
5. Men of great character are secure enough to choose a strong, successful
woman.
6. In great strength is gentleness when accompanied by unselfish love.
7. When a man is jealous and protective, it may mean he cares.
8. Absence really does make the heart that loves grow fonder.
9. Making up often requires asking forgiveness.
10. To know all
is to forgive much.
11. We are all a
product of our beginnings so it is important to tell our story.
12. A single
conversation can reveal the heart.
13. Life’s
challenges require us to change and to grow if we are to love deeply and
unselfishly.
14. It is
important to say “I love you” with words as well as actions.
15. Making love
with the person you love can be more than physically satisfying; it can be a
beautiful expression of love.
And finally
a quote from another of Virginia Henley’s novels, this one from The Dragon and The Jewel where William
Marshall reflects on his young wife, Eleanor Plantagenet:
“He pulled up a stool and
watched her for the sheer pleasure of it.
She gave him so much, he could never give enough back. So this was love
then—wanting to give only pleasure to the beloved; constantly searching
your mind for love tokens that would bring a smile to her lips or a
sparkle
to her eyes. He deeply regretted it had come so late in life, but since
his heart’s
desire was Eleanor who was so much younger than he, it could have been
no
other way. He was grateful it had come at all.”
Ah, yes,
aren’t we all?
lovely!
ReplyDeleteSo glad you liked it, Jillian!
DeleteOMGoodness, Regan! I adored your reasoning about reading romances (and if you like history, then historical romances). I am definitely going to share this on FB so that my family members who think I'm a dimwit to read romances (living in lala land, they say) will know that this is my reasoning as well. Hallelujah for romances!! jdh2690@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteIt's true, Janice. If you read the deep ones, all this is there to see. It's why I fell in love with historical romance. I think those stories could tell a man a lot about the way women want to be loved. And they tell women how to hang in there to get the right guy!
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