Veronica and her latest love...

By Veronica; Brampton, Ontario Ever since I was 12 I have been obsessed with romance novels, and now at the age of 17 my obsession has increased. I just can't seem to put them down! I am beginning to believe that my obsession with romance novels is not my fault. I think it is hereditary! I mean, my grandmother read them at my age, my mom read them, my sister reads them and I just can't bring myself to close the book. I remember in grade 10 math class, all I did was read my books, one after another. My teacher would always tell me to put them away, so I would either put the book under my desk (which was so obvious!) or I would place my textbook on my lap and put my book inside it to make it look like I was studying.

Not too long into the new semester I ran into my teacher. He told me he knew how much I loved romance novels and that his wife was going to throw out a box of them, but he was going to give them to me instead! I would say that there was at least 60 books in there, and I have read most of them, if not all of them already, and I am not talking about a about a 200 page book, they're more like 500pages (maybe more).

I just get totally wrapped up in them, and I don't really know why. I even let myself lose sleep just to find out whether or not she is pregnant with his baby, or if is he going to tell her he loves her with all his heart, or will he let her slip through his fingers? These are the types of questions that keep me reading; it's kind of like a soap opera. Reading these novels allows me to escape, and when I want to come back all I have to do is close the book (which I find very difficult to do)! Also the author describes every detail so perfectly that I can imagine the characters myself and actually feel as if I am in the book.

Is it so bad for me to fill my mind with sappy love stories? I don't think so. I think it makes me want to have a love like they do in the books, and that is not so bad. I mean, every teen girl dreams of a love like no other and in these books I find them, each in their fascinating way. That's why I love them so much because, after all, I am a female who's heart is made of mush when it comes to things like love and romance.

Even here in my co-op placement at Tiny Giant magazine I read every second I can. They all laugh and roll their eyes at me, but they really get a kick when my eyes start to tear after finishing the page I was reading.