Awhile back, I had a gentleman look at my bookshelf and say, "Hmph, a bunch of chick books." I suppose he was unimpressed with my lack of literary classics, or maybe he was more used to considering the articles in Playboy as suitable reading material. However, it was recently that I had an ephipany. Most guys will give us a hard time about reading these "chick" books because the majority of males in our generation are missing the one thing that is prominent in these books: romance. For some reason or another, chivalry and romance has gotten lost along the way. And you boys wonder why we can't stop gushing about Edward Cullen and re-reading our copies of Twilight until the spine falls apart.
There was a time when ladies were courted by men instead of cornered by them in a bar. There was a time when bringing your date flowers or chocolates used to be standard procedure. Now, we're lucky if you even pick up the check. There was a time when men asked permission from a girl's parents in order to date her. Now, the thought of meeting the parents sends men into automatic panic mode that we want to marry you and immediately start a small family of 3 kids with a dog (and maybe a cat too!) There was a time when men felt honored to receive a goodnight kiss instead of scheming the entire night to get a goodnight lay. There was a time when romance and respect were a given instead of just an option.
I understand that times must change and therefore, if romance is dead in real life then I shall retreat to fiction to get my fix. I'll bury my nose in the sweet gestures of novel heroes and keep the hope alive that someday maybe romance will thrive again. In the meantime fellas, keep your comments to yourself about our fictional choices...or here's a thought, maybe pick up one of these popular books that all the ladies gush about & take some notes. After all, it is up to you to remedy the reason we are so obsessed with these novels in the first place.
Alas, Edward Cullen has ruined me for all men, but that doesn't mean you boys can't still attempt to steal my heart back.
