I think a lot about words and all their subtle meanings, especially in this world of black and white thinking. (Or is it red and blue thinking?)
As romance novel writer, I want love to triumph over all impossibilities. I think most romance novel readers would agree. (Love to hear your thoughts — please comment below.) But can love’s triumph move from the microcosm of two people to the macrocosm of a nation that’s split apart by vitriolic speech?
Good stories, including well-done romance novels, have strong conflict and an appropriate, if not always comforting, resolution. Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet pointed out how entrenched enmities could bring about great tragedy. West Side Story updated that story to demonstrate the idiocy of people fighting over cultural backgrounds–the classic “us versus them.”
There’s a little bit of “us versus them” in the romance genre. Yes, we have great variety, from erotica to inspirational and everything in between. And there’s an opportunity for some heartfelt dialogue about things that matter within the context of a good story.
What do you think? Do you know any good romance novels that address the bipolarity of our country right now? I’d love to know what they are.
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