"In a world full of boys, he’s a gentleman"
Life update: 1989 (Taylor's version), romance novels, writing about love
We had the release of 1989 (Taylor’s version) and trust the internet to bring comparisons like, “Oh, I prefer the older version.” In all of this, all I have to say is “Shut up.” In the spirit of 1989, we have had this lyrics everywhere which is also a trend on TikTok and it is the cutest thing ever. The lyric goes, “In a world full of boys, he’s a gentleman” and we see people showing their lovers in their gentlemanly dignity and I really find it cute. This is my version of the 1989 tv.
Back to my reality, I have seen myself in the wind of love this month. Listening to Slut by Taylor and singing the lyrics “In a world full of boys, he's a gentleman” or “I might as well be drunk in love.” It's all about love and in this wind of love, I have consumed quite a few romance books. I thought romance was dead. What I mean is, that I had not found a romance novel that was it for me in a while. Beautifully written, has a well-paced romance, good tension, and cuteness, and is just solid in general to my taste.
Found some good romance novels and I am currently on my third romance book this month. By the time I'm done editing this newsletter, maybe I might be done with the fourth. Basically, this is my writing journey, it takes reading and reading again. So there is a possibility this might be written like an updated diary. The two books I read, were Love Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood and The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston. Before diving into these books and the feelings they gave me, first I just want to say that Ali Hazelwood had to expose the fact that I struggle to spell theoretically. Thanks to Google Docs that keep correcting me.
Now to the books, these two books have something in common. The authors have a niche in the romance genre. Ali Hazelwood writes about women in STEM figuring out life and finding love or love finding them, whichever. Ashley Poston writes paranormal romance which I truly admire. I would not call it fantasy but I love that there is some form of magic or not normal occurrences in her romantic stories. I read these books and I fell in love with romantic books all over again. It made me realize that love occurs in several situations or moments which I think people would have an idea about but most of what I got from these stories will have to be that; Love is healing.
I know the stories end with happily ever after and it stops. We never see the after after of it but regardless, Love is healing. Even with arguments and misunderstandings, it should never leave you devastated or in constant pain. These novels saw imperfections in humans and presented that with the characters acknowledging who they are and accepting people into their lives to heal with them. It was a reminder that romance is not dead and it has to be the best written genre ever. I will highly recommend you pick those books. Love Theoretically made me feel so nerdy even though I never understood the science jokes but it was good. The Seven Year Slip was magical. She lives in this magical apartment owned by her aunt which takes her seven years back. She falls in love with this person in the seven years past in time while she is in the present. Do I have to say more?
While reading these books I went through a realization, mini-crisis, maybe I can moments, an experience with my thoughts on writing, specifically writing about love. Realization kicked in with, I wanted to write a romantic novel someday. My mini-crisis was I didn't think I could write one cause it's hard and I don't know so many words. My maybe I can moments took me back to my written works and the richness of what I have put out for people to consume. The experimental mode was basically telling me to think outside my box, not the box.
I have this box while writing and I never knew of it till I said I wanted to dive into reading romantic novels this month. Apart from my love for the romance genre, I love literary fiction. Literary fiction is a slice of real life and I love books that speak about realities I can see and feel mostly when it dives into the difficulties of the realities. As much as it is a beautiful genre, I think I have trapped myself inside of it. So while diving into romance novels, I read scenarios I would have never imagined.
Let me start with meet-cutes. The first occurrences of lovers are so limited in my mind and it's because I have been so deep into my reality. Like we meet at church, or with friends, at weddings, or at workplace meetings–so limiting. What if we meet at airports, Lagos traffic, vacation, in heavenly realms (fantasy thinking), immigration office, burial, filling station waiting to buy fuel that costs 617 Naira for a litre. It took so much time to even think of these. I think I have struggled with writing because my imagination is fixated on my reality alone.
I am currently reading Beach Read by Emily Henry and it is about two writers. There is more to the story but this is not a review. Their writing process has brought me to this place of mixing realities with beyond imaginations. These characters are thinking widely and it is so beautiful to read and learn from. I think the romance genre can’t be shit on because it is a world full of beyond imagination. It is a genre so common but still relevant.
As I said, I have been in the wind of love, and even with crisis and hope, I found healing just by reading about love. I was troubled with writing and then I took love in and I have been healed by it. This is 100 percent my, “In a world full of boys, he’s a gentleman” with no context.
Might as well be drunk in writing about love. (if you get it, you get it)
Well, I'm still not done with Beach Read by Emily Henry, so, Peace. Hope you enjoyed reading this.
Confession: I want to be consistent here. Dropping weekly or biweekly. Not settled on that yet. Pray for me.
What I have consuming lately:
Listening: 1989 (Taylor’s version). Absolutely in love with it. It's crazy how it feels like I am listening to a new album–well I am.
Watching: Finally finished The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 2 and there's so much to unpack. To be critical, it was written poorly, I feel like some dots were not connecting. I swallowed how cringe it was. Finally got to pick a team and I have to say I am Team Jeremiah. Will defend that man till the end. I have so much to say. Might unpack it in another newsletter.
Started The Buccaneers and I am not enjoying it. Giving it grace because I'm still in episode 3 but if it is still bad at episode 5, then I will call it a shit show. Everything about the show is just weird but let's keep watching.
Reading: Currently reading Beach Read by Emily Henry. My second book by Emily Henry and i have to call her the banter queen. She is going to give a good dialogue. Do not know what I'm going to read next but it is definitely romance.