Does Inspirational Romance Equal Emotional Satisfaction?

I read something troubling this week. It was from someone who doesn’t normally read Inspirational. To get a feel for the genre, she ordered three random Inspy books. I don’t know who she read or what stories but her response was that she was “surprised to find how totally distant the books were from any real spiritual angst. There's no struggle, no doubt and no fear. Consequently, there's no emotional satisfaction at the end.”

I assume she was reading Inspirational romance and some of them like any other genre of romance can be filled with ‘fluff’ stories. Fun reads without any real depth. BUT there are some great Inspirational authors out there who touch you deep down to the core. I’m right aren’t I? Who are some of the authors you’ve read and never forgotten—stories or characters that stirred you in an incomprehensible way?

I’ll give a couple examples of Inspirationals that have affected me that way. Blind Promises by Diana Palmer from Steeple Hill. Now Diana is a well loved author in many genres. She wrote a story that reminded me very much of Jane Eyre. The passion was there, the characters, the angst. And even now a year later, I still think about that book. Another favorite author is Lori Wick. Her book, The Princess, is another that truly affected me. It included more desire on the parts of the characters than I would have thought in a mainstream Inspy romance. There was depth to her characters and plot. A great book and one of my ultimate favorite Inspirational romances. Another author I would encourage this reader to pick up is Francine Rivers. Her books take you to a deeper level in so many ways. You will be changed after reading one of her books. Several of The Wild Rose Press White Rose books affected me in similar ways: Nicola Beaumont’s Forever from Paris, Kara Lynn Russell’s Until Summer Ends, and recently First I’m Nobody by Kassandra Elaine. There are so many more as well.

I know you all have favorite Inspirational authors and books. Share some today. What would you say to someone who read a couple Inspy’s and was now turned off to the genre as lacking in spiritual angst and struggle while missing emotional satisfaction? I want to know. The world awaits your response.

In the meantime, here is an emotional excerpt from my short Inspirational, Relationship Rescue:

Robynn folded her hands in her lap, rolled her shoulders back and held her head straight, waiting for what he thought they needed to talk about. But if she really started talking about what had been on her mind all this time, she might have to ask for forgiveness afterward. She released a breath through close lips in an attempt to calm herself.

Mitch looked out at the playground equipment in the distance, the bright street lamps illuminating his profile. He was definitely not comfortable with whatever it was he was about to say and she was glad of it. It was time he felt a little distress over this whole situation.

He turned abruptly to her with bright eyes. There might have even been some moisture there. “Robynn, I messed up. I’m sorry. In all this time, I never asked for your forgiveness but I should have. I’m sorry.”

Robynn felt her heart melt several degrees. She crossed her arms in an attempt to keep her courage up. “What are you sorry about exactly, Mitch? About the fact that you asked me to marry you and then a year later you still wouldn’t let me plan the wedding or set the date. Or is it because I wasted three years of my life believing that you loved me?”

He slid across the bench and moved as if he might take her hand but refrained and instead rested against the back of the bench. “I was crazy to think you could wait indefinitely. Things don’t stand still. They’re always moving, always changing. The bottom line is that I was afraid and then when you gave me that ultimatum, I got angry at you.”

“You were angry at me?” she replied, bristling from the inside out.

“You didn’t seem to understand that some people need more time.”

“Some people seemed like they were never going to be ready.”

“It wouldn’t have been never. I was just being careful, making sure it was right.”

“Sometimes you just have to have faith.”

“You’re right.” He tipped his eyes down to his lap and smiled. What was he smiling about? Nothing about this was funny.

His eyes moved back up to hers. The expression was serious again…well, more like intense. It made her pulse trip. “Honestly, Robynn, I didn’t even understand what love really was. I was blinded by my own selfishness and what I wanted. I didn’t appreciate what a blessing your love and even more your very presence was to me. Do you know what torture it has been for me to see your face each Sunday morning or at a single’s activity and not be able to tell you how much I love you, not even be able to look at you like I want to?”

An icy chill raced down Robynn’s spine, causing her to shiver. Her stomach seemed to drop down to her knees as her equilibrium fell off. She reached out and held the bottom of the bench to steady herself. “You still love me?” She almost choked on the words. It was what she had been hoping to hear from him for the past six months.

“Yes, of course, I still love you. How could I stop?” He reached his hand out this time and took hers captive, bringing it back to his lap.

Tears sprung to her eyes and she knew she was about to start blubbering and she couldn’t allow that to happen in front of him. She sucked in a calming breath and exhaled, hoping to find the strength as two renegade tears slipped down her cheek. “Tell me why then, Mitch. Why? You broke my heart.”

Now Available at The Wild Rose Press