I participate in a weekly book chat on another blog. In a recent post we asked the question: What’s the one genre you can never read enough of? The post inspired me to remember why CCR is my favorite genre to read (and write). Today I’m sharing with you 5 reasons why I love reading CCR books.
Reason #1 – Love Conquers All
In CCR stories, the main characters triumph over obstacles to achieve their romantic happily-ever-after ending. A CCR book typically closes with an uplifting relationship commitment eg. marriage proposal or wedding.
We all know the divorce statistics and that real life circumstances often aren’t fair. Other genres eg. contemporary fiction can delve into some of the harsher realities of ongoing romantic relationships after the initial romance story ends.
Love conquers all is a Biblical theme. God’s sacrificial love for us is demonstrated by Jesus’ death and resurrection. The bride and bridegroom analogy is mentioned multiple times in the Bible. For example, Ephesians 5:25 (NIV) “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.”
I’ve personally encountered Christians who hold a theological belief that Christian romance novels are unedifying and/or sinful. In these situations I hold onto verses like Ephesians 5:25 and ignore the criticism and judgement.
Reason #2 – Gain Wisdom
My counter argument to the naysayers who criticise Christian romance novels is that we can gain wisdom and life skills by reading all forms of fiction. Great fiction stories contain conflict, and as readers we can safely live and learn about different life experiences by being in a character’s head. In a CCR, that means we can experience a range of emotions as the characters fall in love and form a healthy God-centered relationship with a life partner.
Reason #3 – Gain Empathy
When we read fiction, we’re walking in someone else’s shoes and learning to understand their perspective. We know the characters in the story aren’t real people, but we can connect emotionally with characters who come alive on the page and feel like real people.
Reason #4 – The romance journey is fun
CCR books focus on the emotional and spiritual journey of the hero and heroine falling in love. The stories can deal with tough issues and the conflict in the stories is genuine and compelling. Despite the problems and obstacles the characters face, the underlying premise of the stories is hopeful and inspiring.
Reason #5 – Escaping into a story with a happy ending
I make no apologies for choosing to read lighter books that are hopeful and uplifting. CCR books include characters who I find inspiring and encouraging in my faith journey. When my real life can feel overwhelming, diving into a story with a happy ending and a hopeful message is how I relax and de-stress.
What do you think? Can you list 5 reasons why you enjoy reading CCR books?
A fun loving Aussie girl at heart, Narelle Atkins was born and raised on the beautiful northern beaches in Sydney, Australia. She has settled in Canberra with her husband and children. A lifelong romance reader, she found the perfect genre to write when she discovered inspirational romance. Narelle's contemporary stories of faith and romance are set in Australia and international locations.
Hi Narelle:) I cannot think of any other reasons- except maybe to armchair travel, although that is not necessarily unique to CCR.
I love to read and am one of those annoying ones who reads quickly, sorry:( But, I do re-read books- quite often in fact, so even though I read fast, I am happy to regularly return to previously read books.
Blessings:)
Hi Wemble, Yes, armchair travelling is a great benefit we gain from reading. I used to re-read books all the time. Now, my tbr list is too just long and I only tend to re-read favourite series books when the latest book releases. Blessings :)
I love all these reasons!
Hi Toni, Thank you! :)
Hi Narelle! A great list and very applicable. As an “mature” avid reader, who has read hundreds of books, in this season of my life I look for a new twist to CCR romances – more than the HAE. That is why I so enjoyed the Tuscan Legacy series – part romance, part mystery, “mature” character, plus arm chair travels or The Farm Fresh / Urban Farm series or Royalty series or something sweet. Reason 2 – wisdom and Reason 3 – empathy are what makes a great CCR story. Thanks for an insightful blog. Best wishes and enjoy your weekend.
Thanks for the shout out on the Farm Freshes, and that’s a great point.
I enjoy Laurie’s and Jan’s and Janet’s beach romances because I love the ocean and don’t live near it. I get to experience urban areas like DC with Elizabeth and Heather but don’t have to deal with all the crowds! I appreciate Narelle’s and Autumn’s and Marion’s stories for their foreign settings, adding a bit of armchair travel to my ordinary life. Then there are the glimpses into ethnicities not my own as with Liwen and Jolene and Toni.
I could go on and list something unique about each Inspy Romance member. I’ve read two or more from each author who blogs here and find the angles refreshing and fun. I love that about them!
Valerie Comer! I agree. I have read at least one story by each Inspy Romance author – except the ones that joined in April. Each being their unique twist. I also love the ethnicities. Enjoy your weekend. A beautiful day today.
Thank you, Valerie, for mentioning my beach CCR. The “armchair travel” reminds me of your Farm Fresh series, which is a fun read for because I don’t actually have to get in the garden and do any work. I can just read about what Valerie’s characters are planting or doing next.
And yes, the Tuscany series is on my TBR!!
Hi Renate, You’re very welcome. The fresh twist is something I’ve always looked for in CCR and other fiction genres. I love the diversity of CCR stories written by our Inspy Romance authors. :)
Hi Valerie, yes, I agree! :)
I would add to your list that I get something out of seeing the journey others take in their relationship with God, I have gained a lot of insight into myself from reading CCR!
Hi Paula, Yes, I agree. :) I find it’s often the characters who I don’t particularly like are the ones who are mirroring my own character flaws and issues. That spotlight isn’t comfortable, but it does challenges me to address issues in my own life.
Good morning. These are all fabulous reasons for reading CCR. I absolutely agree with you. And I find that those who criticize me about reading CCR are not only not happy people but they really don’t know what they are. Plus why would I read smut when I can read clean christian romances and enjoy them knowing that I am not disobeying God. There was a time when I read the other stuff, until I realized that I was holding my husband up to these fictional men who really were not worth it in the end. Well, I threw all of them away and focused on my Bible for awhile about how I as a wife am to treat my husband. Wow can you say what a cleansing that was. Now 35 years later I love this man that God gave me all that much more. I have had talks with a few women about this same issue and hopefully God spoke through me each time and we were able to help them with this bad habit. Blessings and have a fabulous weekend.
Hi Lori, Yes, the people who feel the need to judge and criticise others aren’t particularly pleasant to be around. I’m also not a fan of the ‘book boyfriend’ thing. This may be because I’ve been married for almost half my life, and if I was single I’d possibly have a different perspective. When I read romance, I’m putting myself in the heroine’s shoes and thinking about her feelings for the hero, not my own. A book boyfriend would kind of feel like cheating on your best friend (heroine). Blessings and enjoy your weekend. :)
Great list, Narelle! I especially resonate with Reason #3 – Gain Empathy
That’s also true for me as a writer as I try to think how someone from a different background and life experience might respond to a situation in a way suitable to them… not necessarily remotely close to how I would react given my own history. Walking a mile in someone else’s shoes fictionally really can help relate to different “characters” in real life as well.
Hi Valerie, Yes, I agree that gaining empathy is important for writers who want to create authentic characters with believable motivations. :)
This is great! All those reasons are why I both read AND write CRR! I had a young woman recently tell me that she so resonated with the main character in my first book, because she had gone through heartbreak and it renewed her trust that God would send her someone in HIS time, and that HIS time was always better than hers! It thrilled me no end! That’s what we do in CRR. We give hope, we encourage trusting God, and we give respite for a weary world!
Hi Regina, Yes, it’s great to hear from readers about how the books they’re reading are helpful and give them hope. :)
This is exactly why I love CCR! Everything isn’t a bed of roses, and for characters to have to go through real life things helps me to go through things, too. Sometimes, it’s just knowing we aren’t alone in this journey that helps us the most!! Characters that are too good to be true, circumstances that I totally can’t relate to, sometimes get me down, even if it has a Christian message. People aren’t that good all of the time!! CCR gives me a place to come where good still triumphs (mostly) over bad, and that things aren’t really as bad as they sometimes seem. God is still in control, and will take care of me in the meantime!
Hi Trudy. Yes, there are some stories that are’ feel good’ with all the right romantic story elements, but if the characters are too perfect and never make mistakes, it can feel shallow. Sometimes those stories are the perfect light escapist reads. At other times I’m looking for meaty conflict and bigger issues. Life is messy and CCR stories can reflect this reality and provide hope for a satisfying ending. :)
don’t think I can add to it but would say it also applies to Christian historical romance which I love and read partly to learn history and for the story and escapism.
I think one reason I read CCR is also that I know it is going to be a safe book without language, sex etc. I want to read books that are clean.
For the argument that the books are sinful etc I often wonder do any of these critics ever read these books first. I wonder what books they do read. Do they read books which they may thing are more realistic but are full of bad language and sex scenes which I would argue are just as sinful by their thinking (and I agree are unedifying to God)
Hi Jenny, Yes, CCR is typically a clean story that doesn’t include explicit content. Re. the critics of CCR. My guess is that many haven’t read the genre because they fear ‘polluting their mind with inappropriate content’. It’s a no-win argument and their personal choice. I respect their choice, and hope they can extend the same courtesy to me and respect my choice to read and write CCR. If Christians are reading more explicit romances, and at the same time criticising CCR, I personally find the logic behind that decision bizarre. Thanks for stopping by. :)
What a good list, Narelle! I like #4 best re: the fun journey. That’s why I read and write CCR.
And yes, love me a happy ending too!
Hi Jan, My apologies for the late reply to your comment. I’ve been sick and offline this past week. Yes, the romance journey is lots of fun to read and write. :)
Ummm I don’t think I’ve read one yet. Idk I have to look and see! I am getting ready to read a Contemporary romance but idk if it’s Christian based.
Hi Sabrina, My apologies for the late reply. Check out the Books Page here at Inspy Romance and you’ll find plenty of CCR books to read. :)