Romance novels tell stories that range from mundane to zany to melodramatic to tearjerkers and beyond. Regardless of the plots, one of the reasons the genre resonates with readers is its everlasting element of hope.

Every romance novel must end on a positive, optimistic note (cliffhanger serials notwithstanding). Love is eternal, and no fiction does this theme more justice than romance. But romance novels are more than love stories. There are numerous life lessons we can learn from reading these beautiful books.

Here are 8 lessons that we can learn from reading romance novels.

We’ve compiled a list of six sweet and sexy heroes from some amazing historical romances. These remarkable men will have you swooning with their devoted adoration for their women.

For a while–except for maybe Jude Deveraux–there was no other mass-market romance author in the 1980s to 1990s whose prolific writing achieved such commercial success than Johanna Lindsey. Lindsey reached #1 on the New York Times Best Seller list with Defy Not the Heart.

Here we at Sweet Savage Flame we review Defy Not the Heart, which we happily rate a 5 star read!

These 15 Historical Romances published before 2000 either caused radical changes in the romance novel industry or they are so pivotal and unforgettable, they should be considered must-reads. Please note, at SweetSavageFlame.com we may not have reviewed all books on this list, yet. However, we recognize their importance to the genre. Our aim is to review all books on this list if we haven’t already.

On April 25, 2021, Australian romance author, Valerie Parv, passed away at the age of 69, just one week shy of her 70th birthday.

She joins her fellow Harlequin/Mills and Boon colleague, Emma Darcy, who predeceased her by 4 months, having passed on December 21, 2020.

Sweet Savage Flame remembers these two romance legends whose combined sales totaled 100 million books worldwide.

In the first episode of my podcast Sweet Savage Flame, the topic is Discussing Bodice Rippers #1, where I talk about the origins of the modern romance genre: the much-maligned bodice ripper. Should we keep those un-politically correct books strictly in the past or take the best of what the genre had to offer to reignite a new movement in romance novels?

Jacqueline Diaz is what I am: a writer. I'm an author of two historical romance works-in-progress, The Savage Noble and What She Says With Her Eyes, which will both be released in 2021.

I picked up my first romance at age 12 and never looked back. This thrilling genre has enraptured me and I’ve spent years collecting thousands of paperbacks and e-books until my house was bursting with romance novels and more. Vintage historical romances are my favorites, from epic bodice rippers, family sagas, Zebra romances, Harlequin Historicals, and more. As a reader, I also enjoy space operas, cookbooks, true crime, detective mysteries, philosophy, and history–especially anything to do with Spain and/or the Medieval Ages.

My Official Website: http://www.jacquelinediazromance.com

My romance blog: sweetsavageflame.com

Twitter: @jdiazromance

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jacquelinediazromance

You can email me at jacquelinediazromance@gmail.com