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“The happy ending of a romance novel is an endorsement of female value, female agency, and female pleasure. It also conveys hope that we can make these fantasies into our realities. It is this declaration about the power of an individual woman to transform herself, her relationships, and her world that has made romance novels dangerous books to the status quo, and thus dangerous books for girls.” Dangerous Books for Girls: The Bad Reputation of Romance Novels, Explained by Maya Rodale is a book I wish I could gift to a younger version of myself, and a book I will recommend loudly to romance readers and haters alike. This thoroughly researched (though already, I’m sure, slightly outdated, given the ever changing landscape of publishing) book reads like a dissertation in defense of the genre — from “harlequin romance,” as my mom calls it, to contemporary romance. I would love to hear Rodale’s thoughts on the changing word of indie publishing, the role of social media platforms like bookstagram and booktok on the genre, as well as more about LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC romances (they are explored in the book, but not extensively). My favorite chapters were ones where I learned about the origins of mass market paperbacks and clinch covers. I lost a bit of steam in the second half, which focused a lot on the argument that romance novels are a tool for dismantling the patriarchy, rather than upholding it — information I already knew from my experiences as a reader of the genre. That said, it was very cool to see the genre treated with the respect of an academic lens, and to see so many favorite novels mentioned or quoted throughout! I think Dangerous Books for Girls would be a great gift for readers who are new to the genre, or if you are a romance reader already, for the people in your life who may discount it. ID: A paperback copy of Dangerous Books for Girls lays on top of a series of mass market historical romances from a variety of authors, many of whom are mentioned in Rodale’s book! via Instagram https://instagr.am/p/Cy0pvXsL1YN/