These candy hearts, oddly enough, include both “romantic” messages and platonic ones (Jill Wellington / Pexels.com) It’s February once more, which means the subject of love and romance is on everyone’s minds. One big topic that’s come up in more recent years is the debate about platonic vs romantic relationships. What’s the difference between them? Can you actually tell them apart...
It’s a Fine Line: The Relationship between Horror and Romance
A lot of romance novels don't seem to realize when they're veering into horror territory. What's the line between horror and romance?
Why “Level-Up” Romance Sucks
Does an HEA always have to mean marriage and kids? Probably not, which is just one of the reasons the level-up romance is a problem.
Why Doesn’t Publishing Love Romance Novels Back?
Romance novels are the industry heavy-hitter, but everywhere we turn, they get slagged on. What's up with that?
Why Consent Is Imperative in Romance Novels
In the romance genre, the subject of consent is sometimes murky and often contentious. The power dynamics of relationships demand that writers explore it.
Can Romance and Sci-Fi Co-exist?
Someone said romance doesn't belong in science fiction. But sci-fi and romance are more tangled up than most would like to admit.
“Clean” Romance Has a Dirty Secret
Ever wondered why we use the term "clean romance"? It looks innocent on the surface, but it's actually packing quite the patriarchal punch.
What Counts as Romance?
It's almost Valentine's Day, which means we'll see non-romance readers crawl out of the woodwork to tell us all about great romances. But what counts as romance? Even some of the "great love stories" we point to aren't ... actually ... all that romantic.