From as far back as I can remember to present day, there has always been a 'bodice-ripper' sitting on the end table next to her easy chair--usually with an old playing card tucked into the spot where she left off.
I was pretty young when curiosity and the lure of those enticing covers got the best of me one Saturday morning after I'd spent the night. Sure that Grandpa (who slept on the couch) was sound asleep, I picked up the book and started browsing. My progress was almost immediately brought to a screeching halt by Grandpa - the king of playing 'possum, by the way - saying, "Don't you think you're a little young for that?"
So, years after the effect of my beloved grandfather catching me doing something I shouldn't have been doing wore off, I started checking them out from my local library instead--sandwiched discreetly between my more age-appropriate selections, of course.
Even if Grandpa didn't approve of a young me reading Grandma's books, the seed was planted. I've been reading them - category to single title, squeaky clean to four alarm fire hot - and proud of it, ever since. Grandma and I even exchange favorites as much as we can.
The love of romance skipped the generation between my grandma and I. My pragmatic mother is a mystery/suspense lover of epic proportions, though. My daughter, on the other hand, loves a good love story--preferably of the paranormal variety.
Do you pass on the love of romance - or whatever your read of choice happens to be - as often as you can?
Have a terrific weekend.
7 comments:
I love romance in books, but I have a eclectic library. I too sneaked reading when I was a kid and got my eyes opened wide with Tropic of Cancer when I was twelve. Phew!
Books often go back and forth between me and my daughters. We have our own little ready-made book club here :)
Em - Tropic of Cancer at twelve!?! Yowza! I was in my twenties before I read it and was still shocked! :)
Joanne - I love sharing books with my kids now that they're all of an age when they can sit still long enough to read. :)
Thanks for stopping by and sharing.
I pass my mystery/suspense books on to my daughter. The romance books stay with me.
Thanks for bringing a great memory to my mind. Our summer vacations consisted of two weeks at a cabin fishing. While I did catch myself a few good ones, I spent my nights with my face burried in a can't-put-down bodice ripper!
Jenna - your summer vacations sound fantastic!
Great post, Ayda. I started reading romances in my teens, stumbling across them in the library after I'd read everything else in the young adult section. Thankfully, both my kids have inherited the love of reading.
Great post, Ayda! I love the story with your grandpa, as well as how you got your love of romances from your grandmother and that you swap books with her. What wonderful memories for you to cherish for years to come. My mom worked for years in a library, and both my parents enjoy reading (my siblings too). I can't remember a time there were not stacks and stacks of books and magazines on both sides of my parents' bed. I don't have kids but thankfully my sister's kids have picked up that love of reading. Several of them are writers too. I just love hearing about their stories.
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