University of Idaho Faculty discuss romance novels

Romance is the world’s most successful fictional genre. University of Idaho professors share their top picks and experiences with the ubiquitous style of writing.  

Rochelle Smith, UI humanities librarian and associate professor, is originally from the Caribbean and lived on the east coast. She attributes this as an influence for why she enjoys contemporary romance fiction set in the western U.S.  

“I think for me, like a lot of people who live in the East, there’s a romance inherently to the West, you know, the idea of the wide-open spaces,” Smith said.  

Smith strays from the 19th-century literature that many people traditionally think of when discussing romantic fiction. One of Smith’s top picks is “Hank and Chloe,” by Jo-Ann Mapson. The story of “Hank and Chloe” follows a young, western woman. Chole is a part-time waitress and a horse trainer who falls for, Henry, a teacher at the local community college.  

Another of Smith’s western contemporary favorites is, “New Man at Cedar Hills,” by Elizabeth Graham. Many of the heroines in western fiction are capable and strong women.  

“I like the way that the heroines are usually really self-sufficient,” Smith said. “She can shoe a horse, but she also wants love.”   

Smith touched on the progress romance fiction has had in telling diverse stories with representation and the importance of being able to find a window into the experiences of different people.  

“Romance serves all of these different functions. They help us understand each other. They help us understand our own desire. They help us not feel alone and help us have optimism,” Smith said.  

Karen Thompson, a senior instructor and director of professional writing in the English department, discussed her interest in gothic romances, while also exploring technology in the modern romance genre.  

As a young person, Thompson was fond of authors’ Daphne du Maurier and W. Somerset Maugham. “Rebecca,” by du Maurier and “Razor’s Edge,” by Maugham were her favorites of the two novelists. “Rebecca” is a gothic romance and Thompson credited the dark intrigue for drawing her into the story.  

“I was always drawn to kind of the mysterious aspect of gothic romance,” Thompson said.  

Thompson is a technical writer and delved into the importance of writing properly about technology in contemporary fiction.  

If a novel has characters that work in the technology industry or uses technological devices, the writer needs to know the details of the field. Thompson attributes contemporary romance writer, Rebecca Norrine, for providing resources on how to write about technology in romantic fiction.  

“The role of technology has become like a character in the romance novels,” Thompson said.  

Tara MacDonald is an associate English professor and specializes in 19th-century fiction, especially British fiction. Jane Austen is among her favorite writers from the time period. Austen is well-known for her novels that follow love and companionship.  

MacDonald mentioned Austen’s influence on the modern romantic-comedy trope.  

“She’s (Austen) really just really skilled at setting up two characters who don’t seem to initially like each other, and misunderstand each other, and then realize that they actually are a perfect match,” MacDonald said.  

One of MacDonald’s favorite Austen novels is “Persuasion.” Persuasion tells the story of a young woman who is pressured into breaking off an engagement with the man she loves, but they cross paths again several years later with a second chance.  

“I think so many of the famous love stories or romance stories that we tell are often about first love. And I think there’s something really lovely about Austen’s decision to talk about second love this way,” MacDonald said.  

People at times generalize Austen’s novels for being feminine or dismiss them because of the subject matter. MacDonald touched on the relevance of Austen’s stories.  

“People who haven’t read the novels, don’t know how witty and smart they are. I think for a long-time, novels that are classified as so-called “women’s literature,” are unfairly relegated to the side as considered to be not serious, but really, we should think about the fact that these novels were literally about how women survived,” MacDonald said.  

Thomas Drake, a senior instructor in the English department, discussed a mix of fiction with the psychology of romance and relationships. Drake’s top pick is, “The Course of Love,” by Alain de Botton.  

“The Course of Love” follows a couple throughout the realities of their relationship and eventual marriage. Drake mentions part of the novel focuses on the psychological aspects of being in love, along with the philosophy behind the romance.  

“His (de Botton) whole point is that what we’re really interested in, as human beings, is the “ever after part,” but that’s where the story stops, right?” Drake said.  

Drake mentions the psychological side of the story and how de Button shows how people should be having a good relationship with each other.  

The Course of Love was utilized by Drake for a class at UI called Love and Happiness. He assigned it for first-year students in the section.  

“It really resonated with them, too,” Drake said.  

The novel takes a realist approach to love with the main characters facing several challenges that come with a long-term relationship.  

Rebecca Scofield, assistant professor of twentieth-century American history, talked about her passion for romance stories and how her education influenced her choices.  

Scofield was introduced to the genre by her mother who read Harlequin romances. She recalled sneaking off to her room with her mom’s Nora Roberts books. Scofield also attributes her love of novels to growing up in a house full of people that read frequently.  

Although Scofield enjoys romantic classics, her taste is largely a mix of contemporary fiction along with Japanese shoujo manga. Shoujo manga is a genre of Japanese comic books intended for young women with romantic elements. Scofield completed her undergraduate thesis comparing the two types of genres, along with examining women’s roles in society which are important parts of romance stories.  

“Now in both countries, romance is by far the largest industry. In the United States, it outsells all the other genres,” Scofield said.  

Scofield recommended Sarah MacLean for contemporary fiction. Her books have been published within the last ten years and Scofield commends MacLean for making the presence of consent in her books essential.  

Some people may feel the romance novels set up women for high expectations in finding a relationship. Scofield mentioned her annoyance with this issue and that women should not lower their standards because of it.  

Several of the women in the genre are heroines themselves. The contemporary romances examine modern women in their attempts to find themselves and love.  

“Many of these women are going to be inherently feminist characters,” Scofield said.  

Sierra Pesnell can be reached at [email protected].