Why Do We Love Reading Romance Novels?

Name: Why Do We Love Reading Romance Novels?
Start: 2026-09-17T19:00:00+02:00
End: 2026-09-17T20:30:00+02:00
Location: Biblioteket i Herning

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 · 19:00 — 20:30

Biblioteket i Herning, Herning · 100 kr. · ≈ 13 €

lecture date culture

Why Do We Love Reading Romance Novels? — Biblioteket i Herning, Herning

With the Boghandel Blåregn series, Johanne Bille has established herself as one of Denmark's most widely read romance authors. But what is it that draws us to romantic novels - and why is the genre still viewed with skepticism when it is so beloved?

Author Johanne Bille and journalist and romance expert Sarah von Essen explore these questions in a conversation about Johanne Bille's work and the romance genre in general. What defines it, and what can it do?

Romance readers have their own language with codes and abbreviations. What is a black cat/golden retriever romance? What does competence porn mean? Is it good or bad when the desired man is a cinnamon roll? And what is the difference between HEA and HFN?

About the venue: Biblioteket i Herning

Biblioteket i Herning opened in August 2014 in the city centre on Østergade, designed by Kristian H. Nielsen and GPP Arkitekterne. At nearly 6,000 m², it houses five kilometres of shelving in the book section known as Dybet, two bookable meeting rooms, a MakerSpace and a café. Beyond lending, the library hosts lectures, cultural events and IT guidance, and also serves as the central library for 19 municipalities in the Central Denmark Region.

Østergade 8, 7400 Herning Get directions

About: Johanne Bille

Born in Frederiksberg, Johanne Bille has built a distinctive place in Danish fiction since her 2015 debut, with novels centred on women's identity and the power dynamics of love. Her Boghandel Blåregn romance series, spanning six volumes between 2024 and 2026, has now been licensed for international publication in English, French and Dutch.

books on Goodreads

volumes in the Boghandel Blåregn series (2024-2026)

What's new

2026
The sixth book in the Boghandel Blåregn series, 'Sparks on Ice', was published by People's Press in 2026.
2026
Kobo Rakuten has acquired the English, French and Dutch rights to the Boghandel Blåregn series.
2025-10
Johanne Bille participated in Bogforum 2025 with the fifth book in the series, 'The Meeting in the Olive Grove'.

Tracks

Tænk nu hvisDebut novel from 2015 about grief and loss

ElastikNovel from 2018, published in English as 'Elastic' in 2019

Når mænd forlader migNovel from 2021 about a woman's voice in a male-dominated environment

Et liv med digNovel from 2023 about power dynamics in romantic relationships

Boghandel BlåregnRomance series in six volumes (2024-2026), sold to international publishers

Why Do We Love Reading Romance Novels?

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