When I say the word basket, what comes to mind? Maybe you immediately thought of this one …
… because you’ve already done two loads of laundry today. Or maybe you thought of this one …
… because it’s time to stock up the fridge again. (In which case, you’ll probably need one of these instead. Lol)
But back to baskets … Did you know that romance readers have their own special basket? Yup. It’s called a basket of feelings. And it probably looks something like this (mine would be pink since that’s my favorite color):
I once heard that romance readers read romance for the basket of feelings it gives them. I thought this was such a neat phrase because we use baskets all the time in our daily lives, so it’s something we can relate to. And the idea of evoking feelings in a reader with the power of our words is both humbling and exciting for an author.
For me personally, I read romance to feel good. To feel the sparks when two characters meet for the first time. To experience the warm fuzzies of falling in love. And to enjoy the sweetness of happy endings.
Moreover, I read Christian romance to feel truths. To feel the Bible’s definition of love as explained in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NIV):
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
I read romance to be reminded that people are worth taking a chance on because God took a chance on us; that there is beauty in the hard things (without rain, there wouldn’t be rainbows); and that love—deep and sacrificial love—can change hearts. I fill up my basket of feelings with hope, joy, and love—all the amazing elements that make a romance worth reading.
How about you, dear reader? What’s in your basket of feelings when you read romance?
Giveaway: I’d like to give away a $5 Amazon gift card. One winner will be randomly chosen from the comments below. This giveaway will remain open until midnight on Sunday, March 10th.
P.S. I’ll be looking for ARC readers for my upcoming inspirational bodyguard romance, so I’d love for you to join my street team if that’s something you’re interested in. To join, please subscribe to my newsletter. You’ll also receive a free subscriber story, news about my upcoming releases, giveaways, sneak peeks and more when you subscribe HERE.
A chauffeur and referee by day (AKA a stay at home mom of two), Liwen Y. Ho writes inspirational and sweet romance infused with heart, humor, and a taste of home (her Asian roots).
Good question I am not sure what I think of when I read about my basket of feelings. I guess I feel relaxed, involved, engaged.
I read CCR for three main reasons, one for Christian inspiration for dealing with things in my own life. Two for escape from my own reality into a happier world. And three for the romance that I don’t have in my own life.
I feel joy when I read romance stories. No matter what trials and tribulations the characters face, love will out.
To empathize with the heartaches of the characters, to rejoice in their triumph, and to sigh with contentment at their HAE
I believe I read for many reasons, entertainment, escape, de-stressing, arm chair travel, to learn new things….and the list goes on. But I love when a book makes me really feel something, joy, pain, love, memories….and mostly puts God front and center!
Hi Liwen! Interesting question! I read a variety of genre for entertainment, to be an arm chair traveler, and to learn something new. As a retired high school literature teacher, reading lets me explore and analyze literary elements: style, word choice, characters, setting, plot, conflicts, and conclusions. As a retiree, reading keeps my mind focused and lets me experience the outside world from the comfort of my home. Looking forward to reading the responses. Best wishes. Stay safe and warm.
I just like reading great stories and the characters to see where it takes them. Happy ends are always great after there heart ache .
That white basket is what I thought of when you said basket! LOL I love to get lost in a sweet romance! It relaxes me! Thank you for your books!
I like to get emotionally involved with the characters so that I feel what they feel. If a book makes me cry it is a great book to me. The characters and story touch my heart. I like to read just to escape, relax, and visit places I may never visit.
I love that phrase, basket of feelings. I never heard that before, but I relate to it!
Hi Liwen, That phrase sums it up perfectly, reading for the basket of feelings! Well said!
That’s also one of the reasons I’m very selective about what I read, nothing too violent or scary for me. I prefer books that express real experiences/feelings with happy endings.
Hi Ausjenny! Relaxed, involved and engaged are great additions to your basket. :) Thanks for reading and commenting!
Hi Cassandra, very well said! Isn’t it cool how a book can do so much? :) Thanks for reading and commenting!
Hi Mary! Joy is a great one for your basket. :) That’s definitely in mine, too. Thanks for reading and commenting!
Hi MJSH! Yes, yes, and yes. :) Gotta have that happy ending! Thanks for reading and commenting!
Hi Paula Marie! So interesting that you mention pain. It’s ironic, but without pain, we wouldn’t know the depths of joy and love as well, don’t you agree? Thanks for reading and commenting!
Hi Renate! You totally sound like a teacher. I love reading for things like style and word choice, too. :) Thanks for reading and commenting!
Hi Brenda! Yes, I love seeing heartaches turn into happy endings, too. :) Thanks for reading and commenting!
Liwen–What a fun post. :) And my basket is full of ALL the feelings when reading romance. I LOVE first meets. I LOVE sparks. I LOVE when the author takes the reader through the journey of feelings and emotions related to falling in love. I also LOVE men who have a protector nature.
Hi Linda! Oh, great minds think alike. ;) Thanks so much for reading my books! And thanks for reading and commenting!
Hi Lori! I’ll let you in on a secret—authors love it when our books make readers cry. ;) I also love to read to visit places. Thanks for reading and commenting!
Hi Julie! Yes, I think it’s the perfect phrase for romance readers. :) Thanks for reading and commenting!
Hi Tracey! Oh, I’m the same way. Happy endings all the way! :) Thanks for reading and commenting!
Hi Lindi! I LOVE all those, too (and how you wrote “love” in all caps, haha)! :) Thanks for reading and commenting!
Fun to read the other responses as I think about mine… I usually read romance to relax, and feel happy when the couple gets their happily-ever-after. Sometimes I get frustrated with their lack of communication in the process :-) Recently I was reading a suspense book that didn’t have enough romance in it, and I did NOT like the emotions that book provoked in me (the author did too good a job of the stormy, dark atmosphere).
this is a great post. so true. i have heard of many hats being worn, but i really like this. many baskets for many different things. my feeling basket would be purple and big. my emotions tend to be all over the place depending on what is happening at the time. and i so agree with why i read romances also. i love to learn about dealing with other people and why.
I’ve never thought of reading that way. It made me stop and think about why i do read. I read to relax. I also enjoy the arm chair traveling to places I haven’t been. I’ve learned about gardening from Valerie Comer’s books! Sometimes a scripture will apply to me or be used in a way I hadn’t thought of before. So I guess I read to relax and to learn and to be inspired.
Hi Margaret! Haha, yes, sometimes I want to bonk characters over the head too when they don’t communicate. Yikes, it sounds like you need a happier story after that suspense one. Thanks for reading and commenting!
I would put learning (about people, other eras and places) and enjoyment in my basket.
Hi Lori! A big purple basket—fun! I also like reading about how people deal with conflict because I hate conflict in real life. Thanks for reading and commenting!
Hi Diana! Yes, reading is a wonderful way to learn and experience new things, like gardening. :) Thanks for reading and commenting!
Hi Jessica! I agree, learning is a great one to include. :) Thanks for reading and commenting!
Honestly, I’ve been reading secular romance for the past few months because I know from the outset that I have low expectations of it, so it can’t let me down. I never see myself represented in Christian romance, and if I do, it’s only to be denigrated. Y’see, I’m fat, and the world treats me like a pariah. You’d think the Church would be better, but no. It’s full of hypocrites. If you’d believe romance novels, fat bodies shouldn’t exist, fat people are worthless and have no need for romance, and beauty is found only in thin people or those who have engaged in “weight loss journeys” or butchered their digestive organs. It completely sucks. So I read secular books, particularly mpreg, because I know I won’t see yet another stereotypical thin woman as the star, and the setting isn’t real life.
How’s that for feelings?
I love baskets, therefore basket of feelings has me thinking. I might have to categorize my feelings into different types of baskets. ?
Sometimes my basket includes frustration, you know those characters that you want to hit upside the head? But normally, my basket includes excitement, love, and a yearning for that HEA. If it’s a well-written Christian book, then my basket also includes joy, gratitude, and praise.
Hi Dante, you’re right, that does suck. :( Thank you for being brave to voice your true feelings. I’m taking your words to heart and sending you a warm hug. Thank you for taking the time to read and comment. <3
Hi Lucy! Yes, why just have one basket when you can have multiple? :) Great thinking. Thanks for reading and commenting!
Hi Lisa! Haha, yes, I feel ya. ;) My characters have driven me nuts many times. Lol. Thanks for reading and commenting!
I think I’m with you. I read for the warm fuzzies and the thrills of first love, but mostly, I’d stay with “hope, joy, and love” :)
Love your phrase…basket of feelings. I read romance to feel relaxed, joy and look for HEA. I enjoy the inspirational thread as well. I enjoy some suspense, too, but not too scary!
Hi Priscila! Great minds think alike. ;) Thanks for reading and commenting!
Hi Jackie! Sounds like we read for the same reasons. :) Thanks for reading and commenting!
I loved this idea of a basked of feelings. I too read CR to feel good, but I like reading CCR to be reminded of God’s love in connecting people while I also have a feel good moment. ;)
I feel relaxed, hopeful and giddy when I read romance. Thanks for the giveaway!
I would say escape and relaxation! Thank you for the post!
Hi Priscila! You’ve got some great things in your basket. :) Thanks for reading and commenting!
I like suspense and mystery in a romance!
I love reading romance. Sometimes in everyday life, that seems to take a back seat. My basket contains patience, communication, perserverence, humor, and team building with lots of love and fun
I read romance to forget if only for a little while the meanness and hate in the world. It reminds me there is still good and gratefulness in this world if we look for it. It also reminds me to be part of that by being an example.
Hi Chanel! Giddy is a great word to use when talking about romance. :) Thanks for reading and commenting!
Hi Natalya! Those are great choices. :) Thanks for reading and commenting!
Hi Dianna! Ooh, those are always fun. :) Thanks for reading and commenting!
Hi Jimette (cute name, by the way)! I love everything in your basket. :) Those are such key ingredients to a healthy relationship. Thanks for reading and commenting!
Hi Pam! Oh yes, romance does a great job at bringing out all the good. :) Thanks for reading and commenting!
Yes, I completely agree! There are times when I would be so numb that reading a painful book.was the only way I knew I was still alive and could feel something…?
I enjoy the happily ever after. We live in a world filled with sin, tragedies, and pain, and I like reading something that doesn’t focus on those things. Something I know will end happily. I also like knowing what I’m reading wouldn’t make me uncomfortable or concerned if my 11 year old picked it up.
I just love a love story AND I like Christian fiction because it often inspires me spiritually in addition to getting a love story.
I really enjoy stories that can relate to real life.
I would say relaxation and escape!
Hi Melynda! I’m a big fan of happy endings, too. :) Thanks for reading and commenting!
Hi Ellie! I totally agree. :) Thanks for reading and commenting!
Hi Susanne! I’m like you; I prefer stories with realistic characters and storylines, too. :) Thanks for reading and commenting!
Hi Kerri! For sure. :) Thanks for reading and commenting!
I can understand how the phrase came about because I do feel so many different things when reading a great romance. Most of all I love the escape and adventure they bring me.
I love reading of an evening it makes me relax before going to sleep and as long as it is a good book I love to read it ! Thanks for the giveaway!
Hugs, Paula! <3
Hi Amber! Yes, isn’t it cool how we can go on an adventure with a book? :) Thanks for reading and commenting!
Hi Sarah! I read at bedtime too. :) Thanks for reading and commenting!
I like that quote about the basket of feelings. Sometimes I feel that that’s what life is. I’ve heard a quote about keeping our cup full, so that we always have enough to share. We can keep it full be reading the scriptures and praying, certainly. But I feel like reading a good, sweet, Christian romance can also help fill it in many ways. They lift us, teach us, give us joy, and so much more. Thank you for your thought provoking post.