CONFESSION:
I read Nora Roberts...and I liked it!!!

For my RA class, we devote each week to a different genre. We have a class devoted to Mystery, to Horror, to Westerns, to Multicultural, to Bestsellers, etc. Of all the weeks, I was truly dreading the week dedicated to Romance/Romantic Suspense.

The first week of class I told my classmates, "In my MFA program, genre was a dirty word." I was serious.

I went to my Grandma Ann's and she hooked me up with a large bagfull of books. As Nora Roberts is the benchmark of the Romance genre, I had to read one of her books. My grandma had one book with two separate novels in it. I figured I'd read the first one, "Reflections." The second novel in the same volume is the continuation of the same characters.

"Reflections" is the story of a dancer and her devastating romance to the world-traveled and wealthy (of course) Seth. Of course they have fierce tempers and of course they get together in the end.

And yes, there was sex. It wasn't "erotica" but there was sex.

So I was surprised: it captivated me. It was a fast-paced read, and I read almost all of it on the train ride to school (300 pages the novel was). I couldn't put it down. This morning, I began on "Dreams" and barely noticed my commute. Oh, I'm here already? Damn!

So I like Nora Roberts. I couldn't believe it. I have to read another romance, and if I saw an interesting-looking Nora paperback, I think I'll pick it up.

When I worked at the Boulder Public Library, a coworker, Tara read Janet Evanovich and Nora Roberts. I always thought her book taste was gross. Yes the writing is pretty cheesy and terrible at times, but I laughed at the stupidity of Evanovich's Stephanie Plum and was swept away in the romance of Nora Roberts.

Dear Alex Jai Ash, we were wrong! We love you!

I think I'll still stick with my usual literary fiction, but I am honestly enjoying this class. Once I read in a non-romance books, "Romances are for people who lack romance in their lives." My boyfriend lives in Fl and a cellular phone contains little romance. Therefore, until he moves back (well maybe not that long but maybe I'll read another book or two), Nora will hold me!

*Sigh*