Let’s make this clear: I don’t read romance novels. But a woman I know does. No. Seriously! It’s not me!
Check out her post, “What you should be reading for Christmas,” either as an occasion for hilarity or a chance to make a reading list. Romances aren’t my cup of (overly sweetened) tea, but they might be yours.
And yeah, Christmas has come and gone – but Valentine’s Day awaits.
Julia over at Bargain Babe is giving away 11 prizes, including a $250 Macy’s gift card, to celebrate the site’s second anniversary. Click here to learn more and to enter. Do it quickly, since the deadline for the Macy’s card is 11:59 p.m. Monday.
My daughter, Abigail Perry, had a surreal experience when rewriting the budget: The bills were all accounted for, the credit card debt vanquished – and there was money left over.
Also for your reading pleasure:
Everything you hear is wrong at Debt Proof Living
10 free ways to improve your mood at Bucksome Boomer
The “elaborate fraud” linking autism to vaccines at BlogHer
Underachievement and the all-or-nothing mindset at Get Rich Slowly
Banks “forced” to gouge you? I think not at Ask Liz Weston
The best time to buy airline tickets and everything else at Savings.com
I LOVE chocolate, preferably dark and often w/orange or raspberry flavors added. So does DIL and her bday is Mon. 1/17. Guess I would have to share.
That was a funny list. I don’t read romances either but I will confess to a January addiction to Big Love. I know it’s trash TV (or trash Netflix in our case) but I still can’t stop watching it. At least I knit at the same time so it’s not a COMPLETE waste of time!
Horrible blog. 🙁
@Kymberlee: Criticism is much better if it’s offered constructively. What, exactly was horrible?
Have you tried romances? Seriously, they are tons of fun! Even better they are usually extremely cheap at used book sales. If you’re willing to try but nervous about the whole romance cliche, try Julia Quinn. Her books are light and funny. All the people I’ve recommended her book “Romancing Mr. Bridgerton” to have come away as romance fans.
So I checked out the romance article as per your recommendation and she’s kind of mean about it. Calling them ‘crap books’ is kind of low. I read romance myself and I acknowledge that many of them are silly but the authors work hard to create them. I don’t think it’s necessary to be so snarky about it. That is not a blog I would visit a second time.
@Anna: She calls them “crap books” lovingly, because she reads them herself. In the “About” section, where she writes:
“To begin, I heart romance novels. Ever since I was 12, I’ve been sneaking Harlequins from the library. … I’ve decided to openly confess my adoration and devote time to the topic.”
We all have our guilty pleasures. I like great fiction but every so often I’ll read a mystery or a thriller. They’re like bonbons for my brain: I might not remember them later, but they were tasty while I was devouring them.
@Jessica: See my reply to Anna. The author likes these books, too. Incidentally, I met her when we both won fellowships to attend the Summer Institute of the Arts and Humanities at the University of Washington. She’s no lamebrain; she’s a very intelligent woman who happens to enjoy romance novels.
“What the what?
A blog dedicated to snarking on the cheesiest of romance novels and most heaving of bosoms.
Warning
This site contains lewd, adult situations thanks to the romance novels. As well as cursing and imagined acts of violence by me.”
I thought she was serious and was completely taken in until her offer to buy the”crap book” or something. Then, I found myself on a harlequin website or some such nonsense…for me…site.
Proudly, I say, I have never read one of these. My friends who do think I read boring books, classics so much better written, and with lots of sex…lol. No, I don’t read for the sex.
@Donna I was talking about you 🙂 You were so adamant you didn’t read them I had to put a little plug in for ya!
@Jessica: The closest I’ll get to a romance is the occasional Maeve Binchy or Marian Keyes novel.
There’s a genre out there for everyone. People who read romances might wonder why I read mysteries. To each his own.
Fair enough. I admit I did not stay long enough to dig around.