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Social media trolls told me it wasnt racist to use those terms.
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It felt like five months.
At night, I dove into Guillorys novel.
My brain felt like Swiss cheese by my childrens bedtime.
I blew through all of Guillorys books, then dove intoTalia HibbertandHelen Hoang.
Reading these stories was my spot of sunshine amid thedoom and gloom of the news.
When I had trouble sleeping, my comfort reads lulled me into relaxation.
Reading happily-ever-afters brought me comfort.
AAPI women and girls were more than twice as likely than men to report a verbal or physical assault.
I read countless headlines about Asian seniors being beaten.
This woman reminded me of my grandmother who always walked to get groceries.
I cried while writing at my desk.
At night, I eagerly looked forward to reading the romances I downloaded from the Los Angeles Public Library.
Some I devoured in three nights.
Others I turned to whenanxiety woke me upat 4 a.m. ## Romance novels also helped me with anxiety, depression, and loneliness.
As the height of the pandemic wore on, I slipped into depression.
It turns out, theres some science to support the mental boost I got from my fictional companions.
And romance novels may be particularly helpful when it comes to loneliness and isolation.
Reading stories and connecting to the characters can help meet our personal psychological needs, Dr. Fong explains.
I felt emotionally validated by the characters.
Unlike the romance novels I read as a teen, my new reads had relatable characters.
I saw myself in Chloe, the perpetual planner inGet a Life, Chloe Brownby Talia Hibbert.
When Anna felt guilty forwanting alone timein the midst of tending to her sick mother, I felt seen.
Annas dilemmas,exhaustion, parental guilt, and depression mirrored my life in 2020.
To see Anna speak up for herself allowed me to feel validated in meeting my own needs.
Writing about my personal experience made me cry.
It was catharsis and validation.
Perhaps I was picking up on that tooHoangs own healing through her characters stories.
I was seeing and being seen, and therefore felt less alone.
), and Ive been reading and loving romance novels ever since.
