Different moments in my life can be defined by different genres. Little Women, Sweet Valley High when I was a pre-teen. The Age of Innocence when I was a teenager along with Pride and Prejudice and other classics. In my late teens and early twenties, it was all about mysteries.
Then in my mid-twenties, a friend lent me a romance novel, Devil's Bride by Stephanie Laurens. I had read romance before but none started my obsession like Devil did. He tempted and I fell.
I devoured that book when I should have been doing my homework. I stayed up all night long reading and falling in love not just with Devil but romance. I closed that book, more than wanting more books--I needed more romance books.
Some people say they read romance to escape and I wanted that too but it was something more that I searched for. I was searching for passion. At that point in my life, I was empty and numb. I had lost the optimism that had always been a part of me.
Romance novels gave that back to me. Each novel was like a balm that helped heal me. I couldn't get enough. I would save every extra dime and buy books. My Friday night outing was heading to Borders or Barnes and Nobles to get more books. My to-be-read pile grew just a little higher than my already-read pile. I was a romance reader, fan, and devotee and will always be.
What about you? What book made you a romance reader?
I can't even remember for sure what book made me fall in love with romance novels. I started reading Harlequin and books that my mom called 'bodice rippers' by about 12 or 13 and would check out 10 - 15 books at a time from the county library. I have loved reading romance ever since then. My email is thompsonem3@aol.com and I live in the USA.
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