I’m not going to lie. When I first started seeing slow burn romance books in my Kindle Unlimited search results, I was definitely not into it. Lol.
This isn’t because I was more into smut or anything. “Slow burn” just registered negatively: dragging plot, too many unnecessarily long descriptions about things I truly couldn’t care less about.
While I do appreciate the “painting the scene” type of content that is needed to add context to a story, I prefer fiction that has a lot of dialogue. Seeing how the characters interact and communicate with each other influences how enjoyable I find a particular read; and the amount of interaction between the lead couple weighs heavily on my rating of a book.
If I have to spend a bunch of pages reading about what outfit the FL had on to the event, or getting past a ML POV that does not add to the plot or gives no insight in to his feelings and thought process … Yeah. That book is getting about 3 stars; 3.5 if I’m feeling generous. Writing that way is, obviously, not a crime; but, it’s not my type of vibe.
All that to say, it’s this sort of writing style that often came to mind when I saw “slow burn” somewhere in the meta of a book I was scoping out. Even so, I began to venture in, because I just needed a break from the excessive amount of physical intimacy in a lot of the trending or popular picks.
What “Slow Burn” Means to Me
After being “forced” to take a break from the high-speed romance novels, I found that the other side wasn’t actually all that bad. Thankfully, I was able to come across some works that were both well-written and didn’t subject me to vivid descriptions of genital fluids. 🤢
This was thanks to another meta tag: closed door romance.
How is it that it has only been just a few years since I discovered that this was a thing? Or did it just become a thing? I’m not sure, but I’m grateful. It allowed me to build a philosophy around what suits me as a reader.
I understand that a slow burn romance book, technically, does not have to mean that that the doors are “closed” once the main couple reaches that stage in their relationship. However, whenever I make a reference to the term “slow burn,” there is an unspoken “closed door” attached to it. I just like it when they go together; reminds me of how things used to be.
Romance Books as I Knew Them
Of course, I haven’t been invested in the romance genre all my book-loving life. I started off, like many other bibliophiles, with a collection of Golden Books, The Baby-Sitter’s Club, or Nancy Drew mystery novels.
It was only in high school that I really got into romance novels, thanks to a large garbage bag full of second-hand books that I got from my aunt who was moving and trying to lighten her load.
Me? I just wanted free books.
My aunt enjoyed works by Danielle Steel and John Grisham, but she also had a good bit of historical romance novels; enough, at least, to secure my interest. I binged these books. I can’t tell you how many Jude Deveraux books I read. At the time, these books were plenty spicy for me.
When I think about it, most of the love-themed fiction of that “era” were what we’d now probably consider slow burn romance books. Turns out Brenda Jackson and Harlequin were being very reserved; at least, compared to the current market.
Simply put, in the world of modern romance, ‘the wait’ is becoming a lost art. I guess this is a reflection of real life.
If you like your “spice level” on 10, enjoy your unending options. I just wonder why it seems the romance publishing industry assumes that’s all anybody wants. Where’s the balance?
Certainly, sexual activity is a form of physical intimacy; but, I am not of the opinion that it is the most important part. Plus, the way the scenes are written tend to come across as crass and tacky to me. It just seems like we’re doing a bit too much. I know they say “sex sells,” but can we chill? Like, for real. Because it’s also said that, “Good things come to those who wait.”
My Issue With the “Just Skip It” Logic
Here’s where this becomes a me-problem.
There tends to be dialogue mixed into open-door scenes; and the obsessive part of my brain nags me that I might miss out on some key –- yet subtle — shift in the main couple’s relationship development if I just jump the pages. For example, the initial confession of love or some more nuanced insight, like an incremental level of trust built in the intertwined moments of vulnerability (e.g the ML reinforcing his unconditional love for a FL who struggles with body issues).
Y’all… This should be an avoidable problem, but up until a year or so ago I had never even DNF’ed a romance novel. It just feels like unfinished homework, and the teacher’s pet in me took a long time to accept that it’s okay to put a poorly written book down (because life is short and my time is valuable).
In the case of too-spicy books, though, it’s not that the storytelling is generally terrible. It’s that information I want is sometimes in places I don’t want to have to go for it – for my own moral and spiritual reasons.
An Aside
I don’t have anything against insta-love; even in slow burn romance novels.
Many readers see “slow burn” and “insta-love” as contradicting tropes. I am not one of those people. In fact, I like it when at least one half of the main duo falls fast and hard; not to say that it’s “true love” at this point, but that there is a genuine conviction that they’ve found their “person,” and they only need invest the right amount of time and energy in the relationship to give us the HEA that we’re all after.
This is my preference. I just like a ML who knows what he wants, who he wants, and is committed to seeing it through. I hate a waffling leading man (rolls eyes); same for the cheaters and the ones who seem to want the Fl to beg for “love.”
I think the concept of love is abused in much of the romance novels of today. I may allow a teaspoon of protectiveness and a dash of possessiveness, but I’m not into “cutesified” toxic romance books. Unfortunately, this is a cross to bear in not just a few of my preferred tropes: mafia, MC, billionaire, bad boy etc. And I get, it just seems fitting for the territory.
But let’s be for real: this is fiction. I trust that most readers can separate book characters from reality, so just let me have what I want.
Some YouTube reading vloggers like to recommend books that made them “cry so much.” Girl, you can have it! I don’t want to spend my unwinding time doing anything that puts tension in my shoulders or increases emotional stress. That’s the very reality I’m trying to escape from when I cozy up in my nook.
“Life has enough problems of its own,” as they say. I am here for the delusions. So, I’ll take my he’s-only-gentle-with-her ML with my favorite snack and 6 hours of alone time, please and thank you!
What Does Being Black Have to Do With It?
I’m not one to harp on race, that’s just not a part of my national culture in the same way it seems to be for others. So don’t expect any “revolutionary,” probing literature from me.
However, as more and more Black romance books become available on platforms like KU, I find that I am not able to enjoy them fully; even though this is a sub-genre I love to hang out in. Other sub-genres also have lots of smutty reads, but I think the Black community may have less of the opposite: the sweet, closed-door narratives.
Other than being Black myself, this project is my tribute to this subgenre and a seed that I hope will inspire more soft Black love stories. That’s all it is.
So, What Now?
Clearly, the BookTok-driven market is not too interested in the cleaner romance stories. So, after more than three decades of getting lost in thousands of stories, I’m choosing to chart a course for stories of my own.
If any of what I said relates to you, or you just want to cleanse your palette with a few slow burn romance books from time to time, please tag along for the journey. There’s definitely enough space for you in my cozy little book nook.
I look forward to filling my virtual shelves with all the romantic scenarios that have crossed my mind over the years. They no longer have to live in the archives of my imagination. I can now bring them to life, and that is definitely exciting!
I’m sure my stories won’t resonate with every book lover, just as not every read hits home with me. However, I’m also sure that there are a lot of other romance-core readers out there who are looking for a mental, emotional, and moral safe space just like this.
When you find this, be sure to let me know you made it in. I’d love to get to know each one of you. After all, that is the type of intimacy that I’m all about.
Happy reading!