Only for the Week

A history of racism and white supremacy in publishing has shaped much of the romance genre, though recent trends reflect more of a commitment to stories that celebrate and uplift traditionally marginalized voices, including those of Black women. While the now-bankrupt Romance Writers of America was founded by a Black woman, Vivian Stephens, Black authors were frequently absent from awards lists in the genre until Kennedy Ryan’s 2019 win for her novel Long Shot. Black authors such as Beverly Jenkins and Brenda Jackson wrote prolifically in the 1990s and continue to publish today. Jenkins is particularly notable for publishing in both historical and contemporary romance, with many of her contemporary characters the descendants of her historical protagonists. She thus advances the argument that Black happiness and thriving have always been part of American history, even as she acknowledges the importance of historical discrimination.

Recent authors building on this rich history include Alyssa Cole, whose Loyal League series depicts Black characters engaging in espionage on behalf of the Union during the Civil War. The first book in the series, An Extraordinary Union, features a free Black woman, Elle Burns, who poses as an enslaved person to infiltrate a Confederate family. Elle falls in love with the white Scottish detective who is also spying on the Confederates. Subsequent novels involve Black communities and their efforts to support the Union during the Civil War. Cole’s contemporary romances focus on fictional Black royals and their struggles to balance responsibility and happiness, as in the Reluctant Royals and Runaway Royals series. 

Kennedy Ryan’s contemporary romances also focus on issues central to modern Black life, such as mental health and the stigmas attached to therapy for Black men. These are major themes of her 2022 second-chance romance, Before I Let Go. In the third book of her Skyland trilogy, Can’t Get Enough, Ryan features themes of discrimination and the emotional and logistical burdens Black women face, especially as caregivers for aging family members. Protagonist Hendrix Barry finds that Maverick Bell is eager to share in her burdens and also offer her unflinching emotional support and opportunities for joy, just as Rome does for Janelle throughout their relationship. Meanwhile, Talia Hibbert’s Brown Sisters Trilogy features Black British women as protagonists. The novels balance romantic comedy with themes of disability, grief, and finding purpose, as in the first work in the series, Get A Life, Chloe Brown. Like Only For The Week, Hibbert’s work focuses on Black family relationships and dynamics, though the sisters in her series are largely supportive of one another even as they navigate misunderstandings.

Other recent romances from Black authors make similar use of weddings as scenes for both comedy and emotional honesty. Jasmine Guillory’s first major series begins with The Wedding Date, where Alexa Monroe agrees to attend a wedding with a relative stranger when he explains that his girlfriend is marrying his best friend. Though this romance is interracial, as Alexa is Black and Drew is white, a later installment in the series, The Wedding Party, is a Black romance with an enemies-to-lovers plotline. Frequent rivals Maddie and Theo become involved while planning Alexa and Drew’s wedding and attempting to hide their relationship from the bride and groom. Like Rome and Janelle, Alexa, Maddie, and Theo are passionate about their careers and community. 

Within the subgenre of Black romance, Bishop’s work stands out for her intense discussions of friendship and family dysfunction. For instance, in the novel, Janelle’s choice to reduce contact with her mother and sister enables her to devote herself to her mission of Black women’s health. Her characters’ devotion to their home city of Baltimore and its Black community underlines that the pursuit of personal and romantic happiness can be inherently political, as is the choice to center both Black joy and the need for community support to address the harms of racism and inequality.