I Love Romance — But I’m *In Love* With Romance Audiobooks

I didn’t exactly choose to become a romance reader. More than anything, the genre picked me. A good friend started writing spicy, witchy books, and despite my brain saying, “I don’t read romance,” my heart said, “I always read my friends’ books.” I had never seriously considered reading romance before. And I had been feeling pretty jaded about real romance, thanks to a breakup that was longer ago than I want to admit and bad enough that I haven’t wanted to so much as dip a toe back into the dating pool.

It took me about one chapter of my friend’s novel to realize that whatever preconceived notions I had left over from when romance novels were relegated to the drugstore book rack just … don’t apply anymore. Her supernatural romantasy was so fun and transportive (and yes, okay, thrilling in *the ways* if you know what I mean) that I was fully in and ready to read more. 

It wasn’t long before I was standing in a bookstore entirely dedicated to romance, purely overwhelmed by options. I don’t know what I thought I’d see — perhaps a few Harlequin-inspired covers with rippling muscles and flowing locks — but I definitely wasn’t expecting the universe that unfolded in front of me. 

As the genre has exploded in popularity, it has evolved into a million subgenres. If you want a suspense or fantasy or comedic novel with a little bit of romance, there are infinite options to read. And those books aren’t one-size-fits-all for the level of spice inside. Some have very, shall we say, thorough sex scenes; others, like The Stand-In by Lily Chu, have all the emotional nuance but won’t make you blush in public… too much. 

That’s an especially strong consideration for me, because as much as I enjoy reading romance books, I enjoy hearing them more. Sitting down with a book might be my favorite thing, but it’s something I don’t make time for often enough anymore. Sometimes when I’ve been at my computer staring at words all day, picking up a book and staring at more words doesn’t feel as relaxing as I want it to. Sometimes, if I’ve only got half an hour to myself, I’d rather go for a walk or get a manicure. 

But audiobooks? Those are always there, always ready, and always easy to sneak in throughout the day. I listen to them when I’m folding my laundry, when I’m cooking, when I’m doing all the life things that eat up the time I used to be able to spend sitting down with a good book. I will always love digging into a book, smelling its new paper, paging forward to see how long the next chapter is (but never, ever, cracking the spine). But while I’m reading maybe one or two physical books a month, I’m listening to more like five or six audiobooks in that same time — made all the more easier through Audible, which boasts an incredible library of romance titles (particularly Audible-exclusive, membership-only high-quality options).

My love for audiobooks goes far beyond stolen moments with literature. There’s something incomparable about listening to a certain kind of story as I engage with the world. Sitting and reading a book is an immersive experience in that you sit there and put yourself inside the world of the book — when you’re focused on the page there isn’t room for anything else. But listening to an audiobook, I’m having that same experience while I live my life. I’m hearing that story echo through my mind while I get dressed for the day, or take in some fresh air, or drive my car, or go shopping. Anything. My eyes are free to observe what’s around me, and I’m experiencing the world of the book and my own world simultaneously. Blending the two makes it feel more real and gives me a stronger emotional connection to what I’m reading. Lines from those audiobooks tend to ring in my head in a way that I don’t experience with physical books.

But more than that, bringing these romance titles with me into the world, whether it’s Lily Chu’s latest title Rich Girl Summer, now only on Audible, or Drop Dead, helps me to walk through life with an open heart. My default state is to focus on work and my social life, and not think about what hasn’t been working in my romantic life.

Do I think I’m going to have a meet-cute with a super-famous K-pop cousin of a roommate, like in The Comeback? No. But hearing a story wherein people are sharing their feelings and taking emotional risks helps me remember why it’s all worth it and why to keep trying — that’s what romance is all about.