Bully Romance
Would you read a book about falling in love with a bully?
Let’s talk a new romance subgenre that I’ve become aware of recently:
Bully romances. No they are not about pitbulls who meet collies. They are very dark romances where one of the main characters is a bully. Yep, you read that right.
These are novels high in angst and some include non-consensual sex, which is a high falutin way of saying: rape.
Twice in the past few weeks I’ve been sent publicity in which the tag of “bully romance” appears. I am not promoting these books. I will not promote these books or any others in which abuse, hostility toward women, misogyny, or rape is glorified. I can barely tolerate novels in which any character suffers abuse, much less read one in which the abuser is just misunderstood.
What are your thoughts on Bully Romances? Have you read one? Have I got it all wrong? Let me know.
I never heard of this sub-genre! Some of the romances I’ve read have had the “brooding duke” type of hero whom everyone is scared of, but it always turns out that he isn’t a bully just sad from a loss and avoiding people. The heroine is able to melt his heart yada yada.
I’ve only become aware of it in the past three months or so. But it’s literally a enemies to lovers with the male being very much a bully.
I will not ever read a story that condones bullying, rape, or any other form of abuse. Never. I will not promote them (not even speak the names of writers or titles). We have enough of this in the real world, and the era of bodice-ripping is well and truly shot down and hung from the highest tree.
To anyone considering reading/reviewing a story where this abuse is condoned or accepted – please, please don’t.
There’s a big difference between a person pushing away those who would help/interact, and a person who belittles, gaslights, assaults, or in any way deliberately sets out to harm others. Pushing away is an emotional guard, gaslighting/punching is abuse, the type of abuse we need to stop before it starts.
Yeah, I can’t imagine the appeal. Maybe it’s like the Stockholm syndrome?
Normalising that stuff in any manner is an insult to respect for human life and welfare.
that’s my opinion, sharpened through caring for foster kids who experienced the effects of the harm as it happened, and the long-term effects of internalising it.
Bully for you Sasha in not promoting that type of material that only widens the gap between males and females.
Thanks. I am surprised there’s an audience for that kind of material.