Rom-Coms
One of my mom’s favorite actresses is Doris Day. I grew up watching things like Pillow Talk (my favorite), The Glass-Bottomed Boat, and That Touch of Mink with her, particularly when we were breaking beans or shelling peas from the garden. I loved the movies because of the fresh sweetness of Doris Day in her typical leading role, but also because of the innocent love stories that were always funny and ended well.
I love rom-coms.
I make my kids watch While You Were Sleeping, and my husband has sat through You’ve Got Mail and Runaway Bride more times than he would like to count. My love for this genre is reflected in the books I choose to read–I almost always balance heavy or sad reads with my penchant for Well Matched and Beach Read.
It’s interesting to me that my love for rom-com books as an adult mirrors the movies my mom loves and watched and rewatched with us. Neither of us has ever been a fan of bodice-ripping covers or stories. Although many of the books I read definitely have steamy scenes that she would not approve, the general idea is the same: quirky and kind girl meets equally kind, thoughtful, and strong man who is her perfect match, mild hijinks ensue, and the book ends happily.
Sometimes I have felt guilty for reading these books or watching these movies, but more and more I am learning to let that feeling go. Romance novels may not win Pulitzers, but when they are well done, they make things a little more right in the world. They push back gray clouds and let in sunshine. They make me smile and laugh and look at other people with more warmth and hope for what we all can be. There are absolutely rom-com novels and movies that are exceptionally cheesy, and I’ve read my share of those, rolling my eyes at silly dialogue and overly dramatic scenes. But the good ones? These good ones stay on my shelves, and I pull them off when I need a dose of cheer.
One of my favorite romance writers is Emily Henry (her new book, Book Lovers, came out this month and was an instant favorite for me). In her novel, Beach Reads, one of the main characters is a romance writer, and her neighbor suggests that the writing she does is a gift because it portrays the world as it could be, maybe as it should be, and that kind of beauty is no small thing. When I feel a little embarrassed to admit that I read rom-com novels, I remember this and the truth I see in it. The world needs more of that kind of beauty and joy.