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If you have ever thought about reading a romance novel, but are unsure the genre is for you, pick up The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams. The characters are flawed but likeable, the premise is interesting, and the story kept me turning pages. In short, it is a fun read.
I especially like that the book includes commentary on the romance genre, calling it feminist. When I taught a class called “Re-reading the Romance,” we examined how the genre showed the strength of women, both the characters and the people who read them. This book specifically uses a Regency romance novel to show how women fought and still fight against patriarchy.
The main story is supported by the book The Bromance Book Club is reading. The main character takes lessons from the Regency romance to try to woo back his estranged wife. While I do have some reservations about the reasons they split to begin with, I was charmed by the story enough to forgive the doubts I had about their breakup.
Questions
- How do romance novels tell the story of fighting against the patriarchy? How does this one specifically?
- Would the story change if the men of the book club were in a more blue-collar profession instead of famous baseball players? How does their profession help or hurt the story?
- Do you relate to Thea? What, if anything, about her resonates with you the most?
- Do you think the novel the book club is reading, Courting the Countess, adds to the overarching story? Why or why not?
Download more discussion questions here! It may contain spoilers.
I discovered this book through #bookstagram and was a little hesitant to pick it up at first. The premise of using a romance novel as a manual to fix a marriage seemed problematic, but I was delighted by the story and recommend it to anyone who is thinking about reading their first romance.