I’m not even sure why I love reading because I have since I was probably five years old. So it’s been a part of who I am and what makes me me for so long I think it must be genetic. Seriously, I’m not kidding you. All I know is as a kid I loved the library. When my parents would take me, I’d stock up. I’d get as many books as I was allowed. And I’d read them ALL. Dr. Seus and then Beverly Cleary, Bobbsey Twins, Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Agatha Christie, the list goes on.
In my tweens I moved on to those teenage first crush type of books. But it was when my sister (shocked as she was) a “scandalously hot” part in a Harlequin Presents novel (one of our mother’s books), that I became a romance book lover. I must have been about 13 at the time. It was then that I seriously became hooked and it was then I decided I wanted to write books for a living. Not so much a pipedream, huh?
Why romance? I guess because I’m a true romantic at heart. I love my alpha heroes who fall so deep for the heroines, they’ve yet to surface or still haven’t touched the bottom. I love relationships and their ups and downs, and all that delicious tension. And I love my happy endings. Sigh. It’s not a romance unless it has that.
So tell me, why do you love to read? I wanna know. What got you started on your–some may say–addiction to books? Or to put it kindly, your love of the written word? What genre(s) do you read and why do you love reading it/them?
I have read greedily since I was in about the 3rd grade . There are things missing in life and things happen we want to hide from . You can loose yourself in a book and not have to think about the ugly things in life . For some romance or something else is missing and when you can’t find it in your everyday life you can open a book and get lost in it . Books for me allow me to hide ………. I hide well in a book 😉
I have always read. I can’t remember a time that I didn’t. Why I love it, I have no idea. All children have to read when they are little and what makes one love it and the other not so much, seems odd to me. Once I realized there was a whole new world out there through books, I was hooked.
I didn’t start out as a reader — it was my sister who taught me how to love books.
I think Nancy Drew and Sweet Valley High are the two series I remember reading and loving. Never looked back after that. I learn a lot from reading. And it’s also a great way for me to relax as I get lost in the world within the book.
Why romance now? I love the escape and the HEA at the end if every story.
My love for reading started as a kid. I used to play library at home with all the books I had. I loves to read as a kid because it took me to that world, that fantasy. It took me away from problems at home. I stopped reading like crazy around 5th grade. I don’t remember why, but all I know is I hated to read. They couldn’t get me to read anything that wasnt forced upon me by school.Then one day,years later, someone gave me a v.c Andrews book and that made me fall in love all over again with reading. In high school I was a boy band lover and I began to read and write *nsync fan fiction. It was a road trip in 2000 that began my harry potter addiction. My mom and stepfather were traveling from ca thru the u.s and i needed something to read. After high school I read mainly y.a romance and then my love for historical romance began. I just enjoy historical because I love that time period. The way the world was then to how it is now just fascinates me. My love for reading is spreading to my daughters(7 and 5). They read everyday and it’s also a way we all bond.(I’ve typed this on my cell so I hope this makes sense..lol)
I started reading romances when I was 16. I started with contemporary Harlequin’s and somehow tried historical romances and fell in love with them soon after. They’re the greatest escape of all.
I have liked to read since I was a kid. It is how I relax and it’s what I do for fun.
I’ve been a reader all of my life. It’s my escape from the real world. I absolutely adore reading Historical Romance.
Believe it or not I use to be a huge science fiction, thriller and suspense reader. That was until the day my little brother gave me Stephen King’s IT as a christmas present. I was terrified of the book. Don’t ask me why but till this day have never finished it. Lol Then my mom had these Harlequinn romance novels in spanish that she had brought back from PR. I liked reading them but still wasn’t completely enthralled. Then I discovered historical romance and I was transported back in time where I was a guest at a ball or I was strolling through parks. I could be in the country at a house party or part of a clan in Scotland. I could be kidnapped by a gorgeous indian brave or swept of my feet by a roguish cowboy. I felt like I was meant to live a different life and with historical romance I was allowed to do that. I get to wear the fancy dresses or the simple frocks. I get to wear doe skin dresses and moccasins. I get to sleep under the stars with nothing but a blanket and a handsome gentleman, rake, knight, indian or cowboy by my side.
I started reading in the first grade and I never stopped;until I took a small break for children and college… in that order. Ha!
Books were my go to for adventures, exciting things that I didn’t need to leave the comfort of my couch or bed for. I’d get lost in these imaginary places that were so different then movies and so much more expansive.
I didn’t find romance until a few years ago, being firmly raised to believe romance was ‘trashy novels’ with no substance. How I loved proving them wrong and I’ll argue for romance novels any day.
I love the story lines, the characters, the alphas, the betas, the billionaire’s, the dukes, the virgins, the playboys, the rakes, the shifters, the battles, the action, the sweet moments, the world building, the historical knowledge, the languages, the inspiration, and the HEA. I don’t think there’s a single genre I won’t try out or an author I won’t give a chance. There’s always a new adventure or a new tale to be told.
In the words of Freddie Mercury and Queen: “I want it all and I want it now!”
I used to hate reading especially in school, but in 2006 my grandma handed me my first romance novel and I haven’t looked back. The biggest draw for romance is the happily ever after. No matter what those characters are put through love always wins. I enjoy contemporary, historical, paranormal, and erotica genres. For someone who hated reading one point in her life I now enjoy reading about 100 books a year. I’m so glad my grandma got me hooked.
I love to read because it takes me away from stress. With everything that’s going on in my day I just need to get away.
Well I to have always loved to read whatever i could my hands on because its my “happy”. Growing up poor we didnt have alot of stuff and books were a way i could take a vacation or imagine another life without having to leave to go anywhere. But my true obsession began when i picked up one of my moms historical romances. I was hooked from the first page and a bit prejudiced because all the books i read had to have a page count of at least 600 pages. I was 14 at the time and havent stopped since. Although now i have expanded my reading selection across the board. I like a little bit of all genres.
I have always read since being a teen and I am now in my mid-fifties. I read mostly to escape reality and stress.
Of course we all started reading at a young age. Even though I had trouble reading and understanding English I loved it; looking at the pictures, looking at the words, even making up my own story to go with the pictures or adding my own imaginations to how I would have written the book, I loved it. But as I grew out of my childhood into my teens I stopped reading. Though I enjoyed the class curriculum readings they just didn’t stick for me. It wasn’t until I randomly picked up a Historical Romance book to read for my Sophomore English class that I fell in love~ I didn’t even know what I was getting myself into when I picked that book up and now, I’m still loving them. Historicals will forever be my favorite out of all the genre because I love the way the characters lived back then. Yes there were horrible things that happened, the gutters, the different social statuses, ect…. But I just love being thrown into that time zone and imagine myself in those gorgeous dresses and dancing at balls and everything fabulous about it!
I’ve been reading ever since I learned how. My third grade teacher was so impressed with how many books I read, every time she ran across me as I moved up in grades, she always commented on my reading. I love to read quite a few different genres, but my favorite has been romance for many years. I just have to have that happy ending, I can’t stand becoming invested in characters and then having one die, or one riding off into the sunset. Way too disappointing to me, I want a nice couple building a life and growing old together. 😀
Takes me away better than Calgon ever could!
My childhood reading sounds a lot like yours, except I was not exposed to romance novels, steamy or not. I always took elective lit & poetry classes in HS and majored in Lit in college, but didn’t start reading romances till about 5 yrs ago. I was reading kids books (my oldest is 21) for so many years & no time for my own reading! I am now obsessive. Have to have the HEA. Great escape to get my mind off the stress in life.
Both my parents were teachers so I’ve always had books. My paternal grandmother read Harlequin Presents and had a box of them in her closet. When I was a preteen I found them one summer when we were visiting. I haven’t looked back. I only read romance, but I like different genre. Medieval historicals are my most favorite.
I have been reading since the early elementary grades. I was the oldest of 6, and the library was a special place for time to myself and escape. I would walk to the library every Saturday morning and spend the entire day there. At that time, my main interests were nonfiction – science, history, ancient cultures. I had an aunt who lived nearby who had all the Nancy Drew books from when she was young. I borrowed those and read them all. Through high school, I started reading more mysteries in addition to the nonfiction. I discovered historical fiction through an American History class assignment. In college, there wasn’t time for much reading, but I did start reading more suspense and discovered Helen MacInnes. When our children were little, I managed a mystery every now and then plus an historical or two and nonfiction. I didn’t discover romances until I was in my 50’s. I like historical romance and romantic suspense the best. Today I read just about everything except horror and erotica.
Reading has always been an opportunity to expand my knowledge and to escape everyday life for a few hours at a time. All you wonderful authors have made it easy and enjoyable.
I love to read because for a little while, I’m visiting a place that I will never get to visit. But most of all I don’t have to worry about my problems.
My mom was a big reader and so am I. I learned to read by the time I was 4 and I have always loved it. For some reason, it’s the one activity that completely absorbs and relaxes me. My hubs is always amazed at the way I can be so immersed in a book that I truly don’t know what’s going on around me. In books, I’m able to complete escape into the author’s world. It’s like I borrow their imagination for a little while to substitute for the lack of my own.
My mama is and was a big reader. We often trade boxes of romances novels with each other that we’ve acquired (then donate to charity shops).
I need to read like I need to breathe. I love it and cannot stand when I don’t have time for pleasure reading. I read because it takes me to other worlds and I can learn about different cultures.It is an escape from the everyday, the stresses that come with reality. In it, I’m someone else, the protagonist — the damsel, the adventurer, the snarky librarian, or the femme fatale.
I read because it makes me a whole person.
Reading is a way for me to escape to another world. I loved reading as a child because it was fun and I felt so smart when I could finally read on my own. I started off with children’s books, then moved on to Horrible Harry and Amelia Bedelia, Baby Sitter’s Club etc. Things I could somewhat relate to and fun reads. I was either in 5th or 6th grade when I got my hands on my first romance. Oddly enough the book belonged to my older brother. I don’t know why he had it but I found it in his room so decided to read it. Once I finished that book, I was determined to get more but I couldn’t because they were all in the Adult section at the public library and I’m not fool enough to think that the librarians would approve of me borrowing them. So I waited until I was a Junior in HS and I was so embarrassed about the covers that I stuck to those without half-naked men and I always had the cover down too when borrowing the book.
Now I read mostly historical romance which is the genre of the first adult romance I read. I also read YA, mainly fantasy and preferably epic fantasy. One of the first series that I really loved is part of that genre. I mix in other books such as contemporary and suspense/thriller every now and then just to try something new but I always go back to historical romance and YA fantasy.