Over the last few weeks, we’ve been burned and swindled by Netflix. We’ve been gaslit by Simon and duped by Anna. Amidst all the lies and deceit emerging in our goldfish-attention-span pop-culture cycle, I wonder: Is there an entertainment medium where the relationships we tenderly pursue actually care about us? Where can we escape and feel desired, tantalized, and whisked off to a faraway place, all in the comfort of our living room/bedroom/train/bus/etc?
I write to you on this last day of February...
In Defense of Romance
My argument is bolstered by the spicy, flirty, and shockingly well-read Jordan Purdy, my friend, and fellow bibliophile (though she takes it to a whole new level). She has romance novel insight that spans decades… well technically, one decade… and provides context on a book genre that historically garners flack, scoffs, and eye rolls.Â
But this trend in perception is changing, which we discuss in today’s episode of the Thoughts from your gal pal podcast. Perhaps it’s the proliferation of TikTok and its format, as the app highlights and celebrates niche hobbies. Interests that used to be dubbed as strange, out there, unusual, dorky, etc, now have sub-communities within TikTok to showcase their fandom in bitesize, digestible nuggets.Â
BookTok is busting at the (paperback) seams with excitement for romance novels… and it’s kiiiinda changing the game. In the same way Twilight and Fifty Shades of Grey forever changed the romance space in the 2010s, TikTok is transforming it in the 2020s. And maybe getting the average reader a little curious about what the buzz is about?
Youth is changing, which inevitably means society is changing, and I think this acceptance slash curiosity trend is generally for the better. Instead of othering people with highly specified hobbies or interests, we’re gawking at their devotion from a voyeuristic perspective behind our phone screens.Â
Jordan and I discuss it ALL on this February special episode. We go down rabbit holes, she recommends books (duh), and we revel in the shared delight of talking to a friend who geeks out on the same shit you do.
So today, I invite you to listen, laugh at our banter, and take notes as Jordan and I argue: In Defense of Romance.
How to listen
Listen to the podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts:
Watch Jordan and I chat and see book covers as we talk about authors, titles, and series by watching the YouTube video.