Just the other day I was gadding inside the mall, just strolling around. Soon,I found myself in front of a bookshop, and so I thought: "Why not buy a novel?"
Out of any types of genre, romance is favorite. In fact, Pretty Woman is my favorite movie. Sometimes I question myself why I'm avid and loyal to it, but then again if you like it then how can you avoid it?

So I checked some of the romance novels on the shelves. To my surprise, and slight embarassment, I was the only guy peering over those shelves, the rest were women. Some even stared at me with mouth agape. I felt... uneasy.
I made sure I was quick in my purchase and hastily left.

The next day I decided to read it during the class break, my fried, who is a guy, suddenly said to me: "You bought it for the sex, didn't you, pervert?"
I blinked.

So guys and gals, I was curious, what do you think of those males who likes to read a famous genre dominated by women? Do you think guys reading romance novels are just softies or idiots?
What do you think?

haha aw! well, i don't read romance novles at all, i actually dont read a whole ton... but i guess it'll be ok with me, it might be strange at first, but everyone's different with their taste in novels.

how do romance novels work? are they highly idealized like their covers? x3;;; or is it just like any other story but with more romance? *confused-ish*

I think it is kinda sweet <3

But it might seem weird at once - but I don't think it is odd.. You don't have to be gay to touch your female sense.. hehe

Girls are not lesbians even though they like cars, right?

If you feel uneasy with the fact that people are watching with wonder when you take a romance book, buy it online or read it more descreet :)

Miss wasashu, romance novels are well... romance. I guess you are right about the story filled with romantic encounters and relationship. Typically, a normal romance story has a masculine hero-guy who is a rival of Adonis and a beautiful maiden that entices the hero-guy. The story, if thought basically can be divided into four: Encounter, Teasing, lovemaking, and ending.

I might be making it sound dull, but actually it's not. Romance novels are very varied.

Lol. Thanks Miss Gaiana about the sweet part... =]
Well, cars are already unisexual, and a necessity to most of us. The romance novel genre in the other hand... um... is very female-oriented. There are actually male romance writers but they actually have to hide in their female signatures, to make sure the readers won't be all: "A guy made this? I hate this anymore."

And I don't think I would buy anything online. But I agree with the reading secretly, however I'm from college. I only have free time. Thanks for the advise though.

I don't read romance books and don't really plan to. I have an over-active imagination...I create plenty of stories without even trying to. I've never really cared much about other's romantic involvements, either - fictional or non-fictional.

And as for it being wrong for someone to read a book? That sounds rediculous in itself. People live life to be different, not to conform. You shouldn't really have to worry about who you are. I mean, if you really feel that much shame about doing it then stop...but the only one who should affect your opinion is yourself and what makes you happy.

That's my opinion, though.

(that's so cute.)
Unless it was like a hardcore romance novels. *aka, if Fabio is on the cover.* I may guess it may be a softie but overall it's just a book. If you enjoy reading it then you should be allowed to.

I don't see anything wrong with it. :3 Why be limited to what we're restricted to by society's boundaries?

Pants were a male item. Females now wear them.

While cars can be driven by either gender, getting really into cars with all of the technical details is kind of masculine. Yet I know a couple girly girls who are gaga over the horsepower or whatever a car has. xD

I know a lot of girls who are into yaoi. Even though it's romance, wouldn't an outsider think romance/sex between two males as being a gay guy interest?

If you enjoy something, don't let others peer pressure you from getting involved in it. You're only hurting yourself in the end. You can't help what you like. You're stuck with yourself at the end of the day, not them.

I think it's adorable for a guy to like romance. :3

I read romance novels all the time. Not the crappy ones though that you can pick up in the drugstore next to the magazine rack. But the ones that you could write an essay on, identifying the roles of women and political issues and such.

**Question...would you consider Gone With The Wind a romance novel?**


So I think it's perfectly fine if you read romance novels. After all they are just another genre of writing.

I'm not a fan of romance novels to begin with, but whatever floats your boat is fine by me.

It's a book genre just like any other. Each individual author has their own style of crafting the tale, so it's not like every single romance novel out there is going to be completely based around sex. I'm sure that the better ones have something in there for everyone. It all just depends upon where your tastes lie, and what sorts of plot lines interest you.


I'd call 'Gone With the Wind' more of a historical fiction piece. It may be based around romance, but I think that more of the plot is dependent upon the political message of the time. You could probably classify it as either, but for some reason I just don't think of it as romance.

Down with discrimination! Bah! Sexism is bad. If a guy wants to read a romance novel, power to him!

I'm not that into romance for the sake of romance. I enjoy the occasional like... sappy novel (I just read one called "Keeping You a Secret" by Julie Anne Peters-- it was SO good. Like, I really felt it. Awesome stuff.), but... romance isn't so much my thing. I read it for jokes.

It makes me mad that people were giving you Looks for browsing romance, though I've gotten the same kind of reaction while looking through more "masculine" sections of stores. I've even had someone ask me if I was buying something for my boyfriend! I was just like... ... ... no.

Trust me you are not the only guy. Some great romance novels have a lot of male interest in it. I think males just feel to afraid to really dab into it. They hear
ROMANCE and run out the door. I think it is sweet that you like romance novels and in fact I know a few guys into some romance novel series. They just never realized they were romance novels lol... But still they don't mind once they get into them.

I have had some of my quy friends read romance novels. Thet think it very fun . I don't have a proublem with males buying romance novels. Some authers are male.

It's mainly a female-dominated industry. Since guys are supposed to be tough and masculine, maybe that's why.
But does it really matter? Is it just a stereotype?
Myself, I dont really care what other people do. It's always their life to live.

I think not. If girls can play fps, I don't see why guys can't read romance novels. :3

well . . . i guess if it was me who saw a boy in the romance novels section of a bookstore i would just be shocked that a boy had the balls to do it. Its just most men always want to show their masculinity in some way or another and that is kind of showing women that you really don't care which is . . . just different. I personality think its cool and boys should read romance novels as much a women.

I am glad you all think guys should also be able to read romance novels. I completely agree also.Romance is like another genre, so it should be universal.

But guys all being "I have hairy chest and watch me roar" stereotype is so strong that it is indelible. And we all know how hard it is to erase steretyping and cliches. I guess if the two sexes still have disputes and differences then sexism won't be solved.

Speaking of which... how come there is feminism but no masculinism? :shock:

Oh yeah, an example of a male romance writer is Leigh Greenwood.
The name sounds feminine does it not? That's because it is. Leigh Greenwood is only a pen name. But, actually, Leigh Greenwood is a male romance author for years and was inspired to write with this genre because of his wife.

Nicholas Sparks is a tragedic romance writer. I guess... is he really a romance writer? Some disagrees.

Oh, and to all of the women who replied men reading romance novels is cute, I really, really admire you. :wink:

You know I really think that they like the romance novels but they simply don't want to fess up to it. Like my exboyfriend, I practically forced him to watch The Notebook (which he said was a disgusting chick flick) and he got about halfway thru it before he started bawling... I'm not kidding! Now it's like his favorite movie.

Originally Posted by Abiogenecist

Speaking of which... how come there is feminism but no masculinism? :shock:

Because feminism was about equal-rights, and females were a lot behind males in that department. P: I, personally, don't like the term "feminism" very much, as it sort of has "feminazi" implications to me-- like, the women who think that girls are better. They don't want equal rights, they want better rights. That pisses me off. D<

I suppose you could fight for male rights using the term masculinism, though. xD Kind of cute. I think egalitarianism is a good all-around word. C:

Fiery Griffin: That's so sweet! I still haven't seen The Notebook. >> It looks too... romantic pour moi.

that is AWFUL! i love it when guys read! for the most part, they are interested in tv and video games, so when they do read i am SOO proud!! i really dont care what they read, either, as long as its a book! :3 so you read your romance all you want...im kind a sap myself so i read them too :P

I think that it's cute that you read romance novels. I started reading them at age 9 and I haven't stopped since. I love them, though I am kind of picky when it comes to what authors I want gracing my book collection.

If you like action and romance at the same time, one book series that is awesome is the Dark Hunter series by Sherrelyn Kenyon (sp?).

I see nothing wrong with guys reading romance novels :3

Originally Posted by Abiogenecist

Just the other day I was gadding inside the mall, just strolling around. Soon,I found myself in front of a bookshop, and so I thought: "Why not buy a novel?"
Out of any types of genre, romance is favorite. In fact, Pretty Woman is my favorite movie. Sometimes I question myself why I'm avid and loyal to it, but then again if you like it then how can you avoid it?

So I checked some of the romance novels on the shelves. To my surprise, and slight embarassment, I was the only guy peering over those shelves, the rest were women. Some even stared at me with mouth agape. I felt... uneasy.
I made sure I was quick in my purchase and hastily left.

The next day I decided to read it during the class break, my fried, who is a guy, suddenly said to me: "You bought it for the sex, didn't you, pervert?"
I blinked.

So guys and gals, I was curious, what do you think of those males who likes to read a famous genre dominated by women? Do you think guys reading romance novels are just softies or idiots?
What do you think?

WOW! finally there is a guy who stands up and reads a "woman's" genre. I don't think guys are softies or idiots, i think you just indulge in your softer side that only gays or metrosexuals are really allowed to show openly, otherwise your trying to fit in with the he-man macho sterotypes that dominate public image of men. There are really good stories in the romance section that are more action or horror or sci-fi than romance, they are just really good reads.
Did you buy the novel for the sex? I don't think your a pervert, otherwise 2 to 3 fifths of the female population that read those novels could be labelled as such.
Don't worry about it. :wink:

P.S.- supposedly reading romance can improve love life too. :shock: at least you can learn some moves to practice on your partner :wink: :wink: Your friends won't think your a pervert then would he if the girls like you better.

*His friend sneaks a peek at your novel to see what's happening*

Lol it's just another stereotype for guys. I've known some guys who're interested in the same kind of books you're interested in, it's just the majority of guys out there aren't interested in that stuff and find it to be more of a girl's thing. Just don't worry about what other people think. ;3

I agree with Blue Wolf Sushi xD Although, I don't really know guys who read unless they have to. Although I wouldn't say romance and guys match, to others, it could be a very strange mix. I find guys to be more romantic than girls in some ways, but with plenty of movies and books that say otherwise, it could be a challenge for a guy, and even girls, to find hobbies, etc. It doesn't matter if you're a girl or a guy, reading will always be reading, no matter what genre you prefer, and people shouldn't judge you for what you read. At least you do read xD

i have yet to meet a guy that is into romance novels but if that is the genre that you like then all the power to you. it would be wrong to critize because i am the same way only with classical and jazz music. people think i am crazy but i don't care because i love the old styles. i am not a romance reader myself, again my classical mind set keeps me deeply rooted with classical literature and the likes but yeah... and aren't romance novels pretty cheep! why wouldn't you like that? some of us just really need to say our money and if they are enjoyably books then hey who can complain?