What a great blog! No worries, you are among addicts. ;) Obviously, many of us found a way to feed our addiction by making it our job. ;>

The thing that always gets me, more than anything else, is that this hero and heroine, these two specific people, are the ones who really can complete the other person, and by that I mean that we all have growing and filling out to do in life, we all have issues, pain, goals, needs, etc and what I love in romance is how the hero and heroine have to solve their own problems, to grow and change, in order to find that HEA. Because let's face it -- for an HEA you really need two people in a healthy relationship, and so part of romance is watching these folks work their way out of unhealthy mindsets, situations, etc and emerge into the sun... It's hopeful and inspiring, since you walk away believing that there is almost no situation in life from which one cannot be redeemed through love -- even a soul-sucking vampire can be loved and therefore redeemed.

Of course, like we've said many times before, romance and dysfunction in real life are often a bad mix, but still, everyone has their baggage and their issues to various degrees, and I know from experience that a healthy, loving relationship can make you grow and accomplish things you never would have on your own, and so that's what HEAs are about to me.

Sam

Molly, I love what you've written. It brought back some memories of some older books and movies that I've loved. I've done some pretty wild things as well just to finish my book. Nothing worse then hubby saying turn out the light and you still have 5 chapters left! I think the worst though is smuggling my book to work and taking 30 bathroom breaks, because I HAD to know what was going to happen next. A thousand cheers for my kids who've had take-out soo many times because Mom isn't cooking tonight, she has to finish her story. For me, I guess the best part is when they wrestle with their emotions that they surely didn't love them, did they? Its wonderful how so many authors write those parts in different ways.

~ Wendy

A-H-H, Molly, you are not alone in your addiction...I have been known to leave early for work (in your home town) and time the trains so I would get caught and have extra time to read. And here I am, a few years later still keeping at least one book in my purse all the time (hey, you never know when you might get stuck in traffic!)
I also have been known to "forget" to sleep until the book is finished. I can never finish a book and not start another...I can NOT be between books!

I had open heart surgery and it was actually asked if I needed the surgery or just wanted down time to read!!! Go figure, my family knows me!

I remember Molly, from her high school days and have loaned her bags of books....she has truly been addicted for years, she would pick out a bag of my books and start reading, I don't even think she knew when she left my house!

Long live romance authors!!!

Sharon

What I love about reading romance novels is that no matter what happens to the stars of the book they do solve their problems and get together at the end. I will stay up all night reading and forgo sleep to finish a book. Before i retired I had a harder time finding excuses to read. I had to be at school, I had to grade papers, I had to make lesson plans, I had to make up tests and I couldn't exist on no sleep. But now all I have to do is eat and I can read while doing that. I take a pile of books with me on vacation and read at night.

You have summed up romance addiction so well! What I love about reading romance is that it gives you hope. When things look bleak, keep the faith. Believe in that happy ending. And I'm like you--the bigger the mountain, the more I have to keep reading. Fortunately, I'm in a job where I can put the book on my lap and read secretly with my big old desk blocking the view. More than once I've dropped the book on my feet and looked up with an innocent expression when someone has approached to talk to me.

Jeannie

for are romance novels the best way to relax and to escape to another world. I always have a book with me and I use every possible moment to read. No matter if it is between classes, during a train, in the waiting room at the doc's office and especially at night. Sometimes I can't stop reading no matter how late it is. LOL. I guess that qualifies me as a total bookaholic. *grins*

...as one of those who've sacrificed sleep to finish a romance novel!! I do love the happy endings and the steamy scenes, but I also love the interplay between two people. I love the emotions that are involved, and I love it when authors make me feel those emotions right along with the characters!

And I'm also a romance junkie. I've been an addict for 26 years, 6 months and 2 days. It's easy to spot an addict by the overflowing bookshelves lining the walls and plastic bags laying around...full. I love the flawed characters, the ones I can relate to the most.

I think the reason I love the movie 'Steel Magnolias' so much is the emotional roller coaster that made me laugh and cry within a 5 minute span. The funeral scene gets me everytime. That's what I want to do when I grow up...

I've seen a synopsis for the book, which began as a screen play, and it's the perfect formula for what I love in a story. It's not quite the HEA we all crave...but the storyline revolves around the underlying friendships among the electic group of southern women. That's my stomach twister.

Molly, what a fabulous post!! Is there any chance we're twins, separated at birth?? I've done all those things that you say you've done, but my mother has, sadly, never read a romance (until mine), and we've never overdosed on romantic movies together. I'm a sucker for that first kiss, and all the tension leading up to it, and how it irrevocably changes their relationship. I love your cover, BTW!

I love reading romance too! These books take me away to different places I would normally not be able to go. I enjoy all the genres ranging from suspense to the paranormal. I just can never get enough of romance.

I like romance novels because they provide great entertainment. The emotions in romance deal with sadness, heartache and happiness. You get a lot for your money. I also like the fairy tale aspect of some of these novels. Most of the time I like to pre-order books so that they arrive on the day it is released. I once went out in the freezing cold just so I could pick up a book by Julie Garwood.

I think everyone likes romance for their hapy endings... I also like them because they make us forget for a few hours that life is difficult and troublesome. So, I guess they are great for relaxing!

I am also an addict... though I have easy access to books, I need to read at least one historical and one category romance per week... even if I have deadlines, studies, exams, you name it - I am a med student, so I have a lot of the above!!

Once, I had a major exam - when I say major, it was a final where I needed to have a top score to ensure a good ranking to get myself an interview. I just forgot that my future was depending on that score - OK this is a bit of an exaggeration, I had 2 other great scores, but that one was also crucial - it was biology - and read a great Woodiwiss book! However, I panicked a bit at 12AM... I had to finish my book quickly - I need to sleep well before an exam. Thankfully, I finished the book... whick I loved and got through my exam and got myslelf a 98%. Romance readers are very smart people :)

However, now I try to read a few days before an exam and not the day before! You can't trust luck!

Hello, My name is Jennifer and I am addicted to romance, too! LOL

I love romance books and stories and have vivid memories of making up my own storylines with Barbie and Ken (complete with secondary characters). Once I discovered romance books, I read them whenever I could...even wanted to pick one for a book report in high school, but I don't think the teacher would have approved...but I did check out every adult and YA romance our school library had...including Heather Graham and Rexanne Becnel...you know, I am kind of surprised they had those books.

I used to read during class, lunch, P.E., etc. to get my fix. To prevent looks from teachers and other students I would put post-its on the more rique covers...LOL. On Friday nights and Saturday nights I could be found curled up with a romance book rather than out partying with friends...which made my folks happy. LOL

I still would much rather read a romance or watch a romantic movie than just about anything else.