On January 31, 2005, Smart Bitches went live with two reviews, and the website was born. Eight years later, we're still here, and more readers find the community here to discuss romance, laugh at the silly parts, celebrate the awesome-y parts, and discover that there are a LOT of fellow romance readers out there in the wonder wily inter webs.
Thank you for being a part of Smart Bitches. Happy eighth anniversary to all of us!
The traditional gifts for an 8th anniversary are bronze, pottery, linens, and lace. I don't think I can do bronze or pottery (that would be a book titled His Lordship's Shipping Nightmare) but linen and lace? That I can do. Time to do fun and silly things!
I went a-looking for linen and lace things and thought…oh, ho ho! FICHU!
I have four to give away – two of each style. They're on their way to me from Turkey, but I'm giving them away right now. Because the 8th Smart Bitch Anniversary gift is FICHU!
Each fichu comes with a $25 gift card to the bookstore of the winner's choice – linen, lace and books! What could be better? You'll be warm, stylish, and entertained.
To enter, leave a comment below and tell us your favorite thing about reading romance – your very favorite. Is it the happy sigh? The potential for Good Book Noise™? The many things you learn? The lovely people you meet (and really, romance readers are among the best people, no question) online and off? Share!
I'll select four winners at random at noon eastern on Monday February 4th, 2013.
Standard disclaimers apply: I'm not being compensated for this giveaway, except for the opportunity to make bad jokes about fichus. Void where prohibited. Open to international residents to the extent permitted by applicable law. Must be over 18 and sporting excellent décolletage to win. Whereas, upon participation in the contest as aforesaid, said participant shall nonetheless deliver hereunto all such paraphernalia as reasonably necessary and appropriate. Notwithstanding anything hereinafter to the contrary, the contest shall nonetheless be conducted as heretofore described thereupon. Or something.
Most of all: thank you for being here, and making our community worth celebrating every day, and every year. Happy Fichu Anniversary to us!
Happy 8th Anniversary! My most favorite thing about reading romance is that I know there will be a happy ending. That is a must for me, I hate sad endings – I never want to end a story that I’ve invested my time and emotions on with a bad ending.
Happy Anniversary! I pretty much love everything about romance novels. What’s not to love? I love Good Book Noise (TM), I love knowing that I’m going to have a happy ending, I love getting to know the characters, that feeling in your chest when the emotion just hits you. Like I said, pretty much everything!
My favorite thing about romances are the crazy-ass unrealistic plots (not to mention heroes), that make me go, “I wish that could happen in real life, specifically TO ME!”.
I don’t know why I love romance. They are generally doofy, and the love isn’t genuine or believable or anything that can happen in real life, or even anything that I believe actually did. But I guess its that hope that maybe the world can be like a romance novel have a happy ending. 🙂
I love the happy endings and also the occasional good cry. happy anniversary!
My favorite thing about reading romance is not the HEA but the unique journey every book takes you along for during which you experience again and again the spark of first love or rekindled love.
I love the excitement of two people falling in love and the comfort that they will get their HEA.
Good Book Noise with romances are just somehow so much better than other books. Sometimes so good, they lead to Good Book Dance (is that thing? it is now…)! Anyway, Happy anniversary!!
My favorite thing about reading romance: no matter how bad things get, there’s ALWAYS a happy ending.
A romance with happy ending!
Happy 8, SBTB!
I love the fashion, the language, the manners—and, of course, the HEA!
Here’s to 8 more (and 8 more after that)!
Happy Anniversary, SBTB! I like lots of stuff about smutty romance, but getting in a good cry is my favorite thing. It most often comes after one of them (usually the heroine) realizes that despite his/her flaws s/he is accepted and loved. Redemption is wonderfully healing.
I wish to swoon with delight upon the manly chest of the nearest Georgette Hyer hero while adorned in linen, lace and curls. Why have I only just discovered you! Gadzooks I must away to my bed chamber to consider my fate.
The happy ending and having that to look forward to while reading.
Reading romance makes me feel happy.
Great giveaway.
Ooh, my favorite thing about reading romance novels? Aside from the satisfaction of a well told and satisfying story, I like the way romances make me think about my own life and relationships, how they inspire me to work to recapture that ‘glow’ that 8 years and 2 kids can often overshadow.
Happy Anniversary!! My favorite thing about reading romance novels is loving the way the two main characters get thru a series of obstacles to be together. I also like discussing it with my friend Anna! Lots of good conversation and laughs!!
I love the HEA. Just do!
I love the HEA’s I always get.
My favorite thing about.romance is the.story, I love it when everything comes together and we get to see the love….
The certainty and closure of the HEA (with the sigh a close second!)
Though not a romance reader, I wanted to congratulate you on the blog anniversary. As a librarian who needs to keep up with genres (in order to be able to do Reader’s Advisory), I do find your blog to be a great resource to keep up with romance lit. and novels. Plus you gals are just a hoot to read.
Best, and keep on blogging.
The characters and wtfery
I love reading something I know will have a happy ending and is not trying to lecture me on postmodernism (which is my academic focus). A girl needs a break!
My very favorite part of reading romance is the community of women writers and readers. Huzzah for women! (And hot guys!)
Happy anniversary! My favorite thing about romance is the characters. It’s such a character driven genre.
I love the pure escapism—especially when people do things I can’t even dream of doing myself! And of course…I need the HEA.
I love the pure escapism—especially when people do things I can’t even dream of doing myself! And of course…I need the HEA.
Happy anniversary! I love romance for the love, the angst, the love, the smexin’, the love, the HEA…did I say the love? It all makes me happy!
Happy Anniversary! I remember stumbling upon SB-TB in 2006 when I was writing a romance novel research paper for my English 102 class. I’ve been lurking here ever since.
What I love about romance? Well, the way it makes me feel. I love the sexual tension and the relationships between the leads… in general, it just makes me feel happy.
It’s all about the HEA and the I need to reread that again.
I like the journey to the HEA. One of my reasons for reading romance is that the HEA is mostly guaranteed. The main reason to read, therefore, is to see the ups and downs and detours taken along the way.
it’s bad, but my favorite reason to read romance is because i don’t have to seriously engage my brain except for when i want to be judgy, and let’s be honest, sometimes we all need the a-o-k to judge freely.
Romance defies cynicism. It’s not just the narrative, but the fact that so many of the books are written with love. Even the creakiest self published story can be enjoyed because the author wants to make you care as much about this book as much as they do.
I’m late to the Romance and Bitchery party, but my life is richer for it. Here’s to another 8 years.
I read romance novels because there is nothing more important in this life than love!
Happy Anniversary! A fichu for a prize is certainly a new one to me. I could wear it when using my regency era silver tongs I once won.
For me it’s that moment in a good romance when the chemistry is hottest between the couple PRIOR to making love/having sex for the first time. Their actions and the banter (love snarky/sassy banter).
Loneliness and angst always lead to a happy ever after.
My favorite thing about reading romance is the escape. I take care of my two special needs kids, and can get kind of isolated. Happy Anniversary! And thanks for the laughs!
Happy anniversary, Smart Bitches! I’ve been coming here for years now, and learned a lot about mantitty, cover posing, the hilarities of the elusive F+ review, and of course, Top Gear.
I’m a huge sentimental stinker, so my favorite part of the story is the HEA—or even better, the HFN, since that gives me the sense that there’s more in the offing for the couple. Obviously this only applies if I really care about the characters (I couldn’t give a good goddamn about the happy ending if the hero is an alphole or the heroine’s spine is made of damp cardboard), but when a book’s been satisfying and they’ve been through hell to earn that ending, then dammit, I like to see them enjoy it.
Happy Anniversary! I wish I’d found you then! My favorite thing about romance books is the humor, the tugs at your heartstrings and happy endings! I love talking about books with other readers. It’s always exiting to meet the authors.