I can’t believe this is already the final week of the semester. I feel like my term went by so quickly. With that being said, looking back on my first Romance Studies class, I’m glad that I was able to encounter many books that I would have never put my hands on otherwise. Although I can’t say I understood all the books, this class has definitely expanded my horizons as a reader. Before this class, I was really familiar with the cultures of the Romance world. I liked that the reading list offered a variety of literature that takes place in various cultures, times, and places. All the books I have read had at least some elements of fiction, but they also drew on important cultural and historical contexts such as the impact of war in “The Time of The Doves” or the real robbery that inspired “Money to Burn”. Each book offered a window into the complexities of the human heart, woven into the fabric of their respective cultures. The course structure was unique and refreshing. The combination of the lecture videos, blog posts, and discussion class made sure that I was able to look at the book from multiple different perspectives. I might read the text only once, but I feel like the course structure encouraged a deeper engagement with the text. Hearing different opinions and interpretations in the discussion class made me realize the nuances that each author brings to their narrative, flow of writing, etc. There were many occasions when classmates(or the professor) said something that I would never thought about myself. I am grateful for the books that I’ve read, the discussions we have had, and the opportunity to delve into the world of romance literature. This course was refreshing also because it was like a nice break from reading all the academic articles and stuff. I haven’t interacted much with creative literature since high school English, so it was fun (and sometimes confusing) to encounter all the creative expressions, syntax, narrative structure and so on. This class was a reminder of the richness and variety of creative literature. I probably won’t read Romance literature during my free time, to be honest, but the class definitely motivated me to go back into reading books. What was the hardest book you have encountered in this course and why? Also, did you dislike it because it was hard? or did you like it?