My relationship with romance (books)
I’m in love….
In July of 2023, I was headed to Costa Rica with my family and my neighbor Margaret gave me this thick book to read on the beach. A Court of Thorns and Roses. Hmmm...I was not one for fiction, but I really wanted to escape so I cracked it open once settled in my economy seat next to the twins and husband.
It wasn't love at first paragraph. Margaret had assured me there was some spice, and I guess I expected it to happen sooner rather than later. But the story had me pretty hooked. By the return trip home, I had purchased the second book on my Kindle.
Here's what I've learned in the last two years reading romance.
Romance novels are more than just spicy escapism, they are sacred little rebellion manuals. For women raised in purity culture, where desire was demonized and pleasure was either taboo or transactional, these stories offer a safe, satisfying way to practice imagining a different world. One where consent is sexy, women’s needs matter, and the buildup isn’t just physical, it’s emotional, relational, and empowering. Reading romance helps rewire our brains to believe that intimacy can be mutual, playful, and deeply good. They’re like exposure therapy with orgasms and witty banter.
This is why in my Pleasure Club, we read a romance novel every other month (and a sex education book in the opposite months). In June, we are reading The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang. If you want to join us on our quest to heal through imagination, there is still time!
Speaking of books, if all the stars align, my book "Missionary Position" will be released on Tuesday, June 10. In the meantime, here is a quote from the book to consider this weekend.
"When women start choosing their pleasure—not performing it—they become dangerous to systems that want them quiet, thin, and obedient.”
Celeste Holbrook 3000 S Hulen Street Suite 124-731
Fort Worth, TX 76109, USA