Yes, I am going there. I know some of you probably read the title and are ready to click off, but please stay here for just a little longer. I am well aware that there is a high number of romance books out there, not to mention romance readers. Adding yourself to that mix might not sound that appealing at the moment, but let me impart a few bits of information for you to consider.

For starters, romance has come a long way with diversity representation and being inclusive of not only many characters but also situations and backgrounds. Many romance books, such as Things We Hide from the Light, The Man I Never Met, Morbidly Yours, The Kiss Quotient, Out on a Limb, and Love, Theoretically, cover a range of relatable issues and personal circumstances to reach a wide range of readers. I haven’t even touched on the BIPOC and LGBTQ+ representation in romance yet, and we all know there are some masterful novels out there that can be included among these names. From Alice Oseman’s Heartstopper and Rachel Reid’s Heated Rivalry to Tia Williams’ Seven Days in June and Kennedy Ryan’s Before I Let Go, the possibilities are well within reach. You just have to look around abit to see what best suits your tastes.

And this isn’t all, because I haven’t even brought up genre blends yet! Historical romance, romantasy, classic romance, Gothic romance, Sci-Fi romance, and so many more subgenres of romance exist. Romance isn’t just about the relationship stuff, and honestly, some of the bets romances I have read in recent years have been layered with other elements, with all portions supporting and supplimenting each other. I used to be a reader who thought that romance books were just that – romance, nothing else to them. It was part of the reason I steered clear of them for the most part. Then I realised my errors and found some genuinely top-tier reads. Not everyone will have the same preferences when it comes to romance, and that’s perfectly fine! There are sub-genres bulging at the seams with incredile books ready to be read. If you want to dip your toes into some more romance plots while sticking to your tried and true favourite genres, you can absolutely achieve that. If you are ready to jump straight into the romance-intensive works, there are more than a few bookish social media accounts dedicated to recommending romance works.

What I am trying to say is that there is representation and variety when it comes to romance these days, and one shouldn’t swear off a genre of reading under the assumptions that there isn’t anything of interest to them after taking broad glimpses at what is popular. Part of finding our favourite books comes from the way we come across the works, right. The thrill of the chase, the spontenaity of the find, the repeated offenders catching our eyes until we inevitably give in. There will be something out there for everyone in romance. I encourage us all to give books about love some extra love in 2026.