The Happily Ever After

May 4, 2020
Journalist and humorist Steinberg (The Lost Book of Mormon) documents his plunge into the world of romance writing in this wittily observed account. After a painful divorce, Steinberg looked to romance novels with the hope of discovering “rules” to apply to his own relationships. Despite the “romance-phobia” inculcated in him as a “brain-washed lit major,” Steinberg plunges in, attending romance conventions and joining a writing group to develop his romance chops and write a novel of his own. Steinberg’s romp through “the vast empire of Romancelandia” yields sharp insights into the genre’s influences—he finds a gothic subtext to much romance, from Northanger Abbey to Fifty Shades of Grey—and sometimes surprising observations about its gender dynamic. He finds, for instance, that romance novels currently “tend toward a more openly progressive and even radical feminism.” He also develops an admiration for the genre’s devoted and demanding readership, “people deciding, on their own, what their stories mean to them,” as he finishes his own romance novel (under the nom de plume Dana Becker.) Appropriately, a real-life romance also figures into the narrative. Aspiring writers will appreciate the tips from an outsider who broke in, and romance novels and memoir fans will be pleased that this winning book concludes with Steinberg achieving his own happily-ever-after.

June 1, 2020
A journalist offers insight into the romance genre while recounting his own unexpected transformation into a romance novelist. Before New York Times Magazine contributor Steinberg began writing romantic suspense, he believed that only literary romances offered realistic "mirror[s] to society." But neither Anna Karenina nor Madame Bovary could compete with the billion-dollar popularity of contemporary romance. Intrigued by the romance genre, Steinberg investigated Romancelandia. He attended a genre conference and met colorful writers and hunky cover-art models like C.J. Hollenbach that made literary publishing seem funereal by contrast. Later, he learned about the Romance Writers of America "laws" that made the happily-ever-after ending "an inalienable right" for contemporary romance readers. Inevitably, Steinberg began reflecting on the way his skepticism about romance novels reflected his habit of "never taking love or happiness seriously." Divorced and single, the author not only failed to understand women and relationships; he also had a distinct "aversion to intimacy." Inspired by his conference experiences, Steinberg decided to pen his own romance novel and became an active member of a romance writing group. As he worked toward a commitment to writing Gothic-style Amish romances, he faced a commitment crisis in his personal life. An unexpected pregnancy forced him to confront his feelings and those of the woman he loved. The crisis strengthened their relationship and helped Steinberg find the "beating heart" of love that had been missing from his romance writing and come to the realization that happily-ever-after "wasn't about being free from pain, but free enough to see more than pain." In this sharp book, the author examines the history and culture of contemporary romance novels while grappling with the "thorny and perennially troubling relationship" fans and practitioners have with this lively genre. A quirky and informative memoir.

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July 1, 2020
Steinberg (The Lost Book of Mormon, 2014) set out to write a romance novel for several reasons: he was curious about the much-mocked, billion-dollar industry, he was interested in the craft of genre fiction, and, having just gotten divorced, the idea of a story with emotional resonance?and a happy ending?had appeal. His immersion in romance-novel culture took him to a massive RT Booklovers Convention and to a local writers' group. He camped out in a graveyard, hiked with a ghostwriter, sat in on a book cover production meeting. He also delves into the history of the modern romance novel, tracing it from before The Flame and the Flower to the feminist bent of many of today's writers. As his book evolves from a gothic tale to an Amish suspense one, Steinberg finds himself happy in a new relationship, but both his work and his love life can't seem to get to an emotional core. There are (spoiler) happy endings on both accounts, and readers, especially those unfamiliar with romance publishing, will be charmed by his journey.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)

August 1, 2020

Steinberg's (Running the Books) latest genre-transcending work is part memoir, part chronicle of the romance novel. Following his divorce, Steinberg's obsession with romance novels grew into a decision to write one of his own. This drives him to attend romance book fairs, meet with ghostwriters, and even participate in an overnight retreat and seance outside a cemetery. Steinberg's journey may serve as an eye-opener for readers and librarians who consider romance novels "trashy," as he seeks to prove that, throughout history and continuing today, romances are defying publishing odds and fueling the modernization of fiction. His travel adventures and writing group struggles shine a light on the diversity of the romance genre, while also appealing to aspiring writers. Along the way, he considers dating as a single dad, alphabetizing his bookshelves, and the significance and satisfaction of the Happily Ever After (HEA). VERDICT With a journalist's perspective and a penchant for wit and storytelling, Steinberg crafts a compelling narrative of his quest to find love and to write postdivorce.--Mattie Cook, Flat River Community Lib., MI

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