While I enjoyed the @pchh discussion a lot, I have to point out a glaring misstep at the end. There’s a huge difference between saying that Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton novels can’t bear the weight of talking about race (fair!) and saying that the *genre* can’t (such a BAD take)! https://twitter.com/pchh/status/1346819632380964864

Highly recommend Alyssa Cole’s Loyal League Series or Anything by Beverly Jenkins, starting with Indigo or Forbidden.

Alyssa Cole recently penned a great article about politics and romance. Highly recommend. “I’m a Romance Novelist Who Writes About Politics—And I Won’t “Stay In My Lane”
Assuming the romance genre can’t be political is, well...political in itself.”
https://www.oprahmag.com/entertainment/amp34995007/romance-novels-politics-alyssa-cole/

+I wrote re Black histroms: African American history gives historical romance relevance and stakes. And the romance genre gives African American historical fiction hope. They reinvigorate each other —like a good couple, each partner makes the other better. https://www.shondaland.com/inspire/books/a30987997/black-historical-romance-novels/

As for contemporary romance, try Office Hours by Katrina Jackson, who’s both a romance author and a professor of British intellectual history. She seamlessly handles race and the politics of academia with insight. https://www.amazon.com/Office-Hours-Katrina-Jackson-ebook/dp/B086HXGL86

And if you read YA, have you seen Kacen Callender’s incredible Felix Ever After?? Or Tracy Deonn’s LegendBorn?