The romance and fantasy genres are among the most loved genres worldwide. Romance and fantasy are types of fiction. They feature emotionally soul-stirring stories with highly optimistic endings. Romance and fantasy together are sometimes referred to as romantasy. Romantasy blends both romance and fantasy. This fusion of genres increases the intensity of the narration, and the romantic relationships, along with some conflicts, fit perfectly within the genre.

In recent times, the popularity of romance and fantasy books has generated a huge buzz. The social media reading community shows a rise in sales of books in the particular genres of romance and fantasy. A number of social media pages work on reviewing the romance and fantasy genres. People create reels, posts, and stories talking about these genres. Social media has connected readers beyond language and identity, solely based on their love for romantic books. Throughout history, the narration of stories in romance has changed a lot. From those old concepts of typical stereotypes, characters in these genres now display deep, affectionate, and passionately blooming love. They don't revolve around simple happy-ending stories, but they allow readers to feel every word and build an imaginative world through the books.

There are many reasons for the popularity of the romance and fantasy genres, especially in today's social media era.

Love: 

Naturally, love is an integral part of human life. Everyone wants to feel seen and heard. Readers experience and understand love through books. The universal plot of falling in love makes any reader fall in love with the book. Women readers relate deeply to characters in fantasy novels. In the past, there was a lot of stigma related to the expression of love. But now, people embrace love and express it openly. That's what romantic novels are about too. There’s no shying away as a reader. This shift in outlook has also helped writers to write more vividly. This is one of the prominent reasons for adding the romance and fantasy genres to the reading list.

Escapism From Loneliness: 

In today's time, a lot of people are living alone. If they are readers, they find romance and fantasy books as their way to escape loneliness. The advancement in technology has also made the world a little unpredictable and stressful. These books give a sense of relief, relaxation, and hope. These genres provide comfort and push away reality for some time. A sense of fulfilment is derived from these books. Although an unhealthy obsession with these genres is not at all good.

Belonging: 

These books make the reader feel relatable. These genres revolve around the common theme of old-school love or soft romance, which makes readers visualise closer to the real world. Because of these themes, readers worldwide resonate with the books beyond social and cultural identity.

Digital Platforms: 

Pages on social media like Facebook and Instagram, popularly called bookstagram, have contributed largely to the sales of the fantasy and romance genres. The trends around these books have formed a huge buzz. Many youngsters who don't want to feel left out join these trends. Thus, the romance genre thrives more.

Characterisation: 

The strong protagonists, whether male or female, are written in such a way that readers feel an instant connection. The soul-capturing representation makes the reader visualise themselves in the fantasy world. In modern romance books, the language is closer to today's generation, which makes readers feel included. Many romance books are breaking traditional boundaries by including queer and non-binary love stories. This has given voice and representation to people who have felt unaccepted for a long time. This is also one of the beautiful reasons that romance and fantasy genres are cherished worldwide.

Innovation and Newness: 

The newness in stories of these genres has never failed to attract readers worldwide. Fantasy genres always expand the way of thinking. They present stories with freshness, innovation, and a love for the art of writing that reaches readers, surprising them on every page.

Psychological Association: 

Romance and fantasy form a psychological association with readers. They create a bond that helps readers explore their emotional needs. These books feel like a soft, tender listener echoing their own hearts. A human mind is a complex place. A lot of people lack self-awareness. In these conditions, these books act as a mirror reflecting our traits. Fantasy novels based on psychological understanding help many people understand their flaws, which bind them to work on themselves, ultimately making their lives and relationships around them better.

Empowerment: 

These genres empower the readers by helping them not feel lesser for being emotional. These books impact deep emotional needs. In many traditional societies where love is not accepted, these books allow the reader to feel love without shame or guilt. They inspire readers to submerge themselves in their honest feelings without judging them. They encourage awareness of the heart. People who feel left out for any reason find a character going through all highs and lows to find love. This gives them hope and strength to start their own journey, to be courageous and overcome all negativity. Love is a universal feeling and is for everyone on the planet. This genre of books has made humans more compassionate.

The popularity of these genres has also brought critics to say that they promote unrealistic ideas and expectations. They can distort human experience. However, a balance between fantasy and the real world, with a pinch of romance, will do no harm. In a world that sometimes feels heavy, harsh, and unrelatable, the romance and fantasy in these books provide understanding, comfort, and a little love.

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