Melinda Curtis: 5 reasons to fall in love with sweet romance

Melinda Curtis shares her top five reasons that sweet romance makes us happy. Her latest release, The Christmas Promise, may be found in the Sweet Christmas Kisses anthology — 14 sweet holiday romances in a boxed set, available for an introductory price of 99 cents.

Melinda: Romance stories are like a closetful of shoes. Some days you feel like wearing a pair of high, sexy heels. Some days you might kick around in a pair of retro leather boots. And other days, you might choose a pair of comfy, serviceable flats. As you settle into your comfy chair to read, you might choose a glitz, historical, or contemporary romance depending upon your mood.

And that to-be-read pile might offer different heat levels. On one end of the spectrum, you've got erotica. On the other, what some are calling sweet romance (love stories without explicit sex). It's interesting to note that the popularity of 50 Shades of Grey corresponds to a rise in popularity of sweet romance. This diverse and growing category may surprise you. Here are five reasons to give it a try.

• Sweet is sexy. You'll get that heart-fluttering feeling of falling in love! The firsts are all there — that first significant glance, first touch, first kiss — and there's sensual tension (don't need to mention body parts for that). What isn't there is a play-by-play bedroom scene.

• Sweet has emotional impact and explores important issues. I've read (and written) books that deal with PTSD, loss of a loved one, single parenting, divorce, suicide, bankruptcy, starting over, plus many of the tropes you might find in romance — secret babies, marriage of convenience, twins, fish-out-of-water, millionaires, etc.

• Sweet romances are being written across sub-genres — contemporary, historical, suspense, paranormal, military, comedy, etc. Inspirational (religious-themed) stories are included by many under the sweet umbrella, but most sweet romances published today aren't inspirational.

• One sweet romance is not like another. Sweet romance may be released from a traditional publishing house, small press, or indie-pub, and may have been written by an established or a new author, guaranteeing the reader a diverse set of storytelling voices.

• You can share sweet romances with your daughter or co-workers. Sweet romances may be passed from one romance lover to another without the (fill-in one that applies to you: embarrassment/discomfort/stigma) of romances with explicit sex. As someone whose first romances were read at age 14 and included titles from Georgette Heyer (sweet Regency passed on from my mom) and Kathleen Woodiwiss (steamy historical discovered at the library and hidden from my mom), I think being able to confidently share a good book with your daughter, granddaughter, friend, or co-worker is important.

The sweet romance category is so new that they aren't sorted or listed specifically by retailers like Amazon and B&N. In fact, this summer, I had an argument with my Harlequin Heartwarming editor over the designation — she was adamant that these romances should be labeled Clean or Wholesome; I was equally adamant that they should be labeled Sweet. Since I write both sweet and steamier romance, and have been married for (ahem) many years, I bristle at the term "clean romance" or "wholesome romance." Sex is a healthy, meaningful part of a relationship, and these terms seem to imply it's dirty. Whenever I've asked readers or writers which term they use to convey what these PG-13 books are, their answers vary (but sweet always gets the most votes, Victoria, just sayin').

As with anything else regarding books, readers will determine what "sweet romances" are called and how successful the subgenre will be long term. In the meantime, next time you shop for a romance don't let the term "sweet romance" fool you.

Find out more about Melinda and her books at www.melindacurtis.net.