As a librarian, I often find an overabundance of unexpectedly popular sub-genres of literature. Now that I am serving a much older batch of patrons, this particularly specific interest has become much more pronounced. So what am I talking about?
Amish Romance Novels
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Not only is this an actual thing people write about, but there are literally dozens of authors churning out books in this setting. But why? I have a few ideas, and I am always more than willing to speculate about things where I admit I have little direct knowledge!
- They tend to be chaste rather than steamy. Sex isn't the focus for relationships in these books. Some people want to read romances that aren't all about bedroom activities.
- Values are more important than appearance. The Amish are known as a "plain people," so glitz and glamour are notably absent. Inward beauty is the focus.
- Religion is often paramount. These books are often categorized as "religious fiction," "inspirational fiction," or otherwise indicated as a faith-friendly tome.
- There is a certain appeal to stories in a lower-technology setting, and this avoidance of technology may be appealing to a generation of people who remember party-line phone systems as a new thing. "Quaint" and "old-fashioned" lifestyles are doubtless an intriguing subject matter for anyone, especially when there is ready-made conflict with the modern world.
But even with these factors, I still have no idea whatsoever why these books in this specific setting are so popular.
And as a side note, why do so many unrelated Beverly Lewis books look like they have the same model for all the cover photos? It's a bit unnerving.
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