New Adult romance: A genre that refuses to grow up

There’s a trend sweeping the publishing world: "New Adult" romance novels are dominating bestseller lists, despite being consistently dismissed by literary critics as little more than glittery fluff. These books are everywhere, on bookstore shelves, TikTok recommendations, and influencer feeds, with their sparkly covers and diary-entry-esque titles.

The sales numbers don’t lie. Hundreds of thousands of copies fly off the shelves. But here’s the thing: the quality often has the literary depth of a Hallmark card. Publishers are cranking these books out so fast that it feels like basic editing has become an optional step in the process. What would have been self-published on Amazon a few years ago is now aggressively marketed as the next big thing, complete with pastel-colored covers and golden-edged pages.

But what’s actually inside these books? Imagine every romantic cliché you’ve ever encountered stuffed into 300 pages: the bad boy with a heart of gold, the clumsy-but-secretly-gorgeous heroine, and enough “accidental” physical encounters to make even the cheesiest rom-com blush. Supposedly aimed at readers aged 18 to 30, these novels often feel like teenage fantasies. Just with a side of spicy scenes to give them that “adult” sheen.

"Empowerment"

Here’s the crux of the issue: it’s nearly impossible to distinguish between books aimed at 14-year-olds and those supposedly written for 25-year-olds. The themes, first kisses, over-the-top misunderstandings, love triangles, are practically interchangeable. Sure, these books claim to tackle adult issues like self-discovery and navigating relationships, but they approach these topics with all the nuance and depth of a high school drama club production.

Instead of presenting authentic, grown-up experiences, they offer sanitized escapism wrapped in a veneer of maturity. Defenders of the genre often argue that these books are empowering because they’re written by women, for women. And while it’s true that female authors and readers have found a thriving space in this market, we have to ask: is it really empowering to consume the same recycled story over and over, with only minor variations in character names and plot points?

Let’s not forget that empowerment should also mean challenging the reader—giving them narratives that reflect their struggles and aspirations, not just escapism on repeat. There’s nothing inherently wrong with a light, frothy read, but when these books dominate the literary diet of young adults, it’s like living on candy: sweet and satisfying in the moment, but ultimately not very nourishing.

Young Adult with Benefits

The irony is glaring: “New Adult” was meant to bridge the gap between Young Adult and Adult literature, tackling the messy realities of early adulthood with honesty and sophistication. Instead, it’s devolved into “Young Adult with Benefits”, the same adolescent fantasies with a sprinkle of sex and a slightly older cast. They have stories that often trivialize adult relationships and reinforce unhealthy dynamics, like romanticizing toxic “bad boys” or equating drama with passion. For readers on the cusp of defining their real-life expectations for love and relationships, I think it's rather damaging.

The truth is, these books sell because they’re easy. Easy to read, easy to market, easy to consume in a single sitting. They offer quick emotional payoffs and formulaic plots that don’t require much mental investment. For readers seeking a mental vacation, they’re perfect.

There’s nothing wrong with enjoying New Adult romances as a guilty pleasure. Who am I to judge? Everyone needs some sort of escapism, but the issue arises when they dominate the shelves, overshadowing richer, more diverse stories that genuinely reflect the complexities of adulthood.

image source: WikiIngeborg, CC BY 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons