I fell in love with romance in the early 2000s. Regardless of the genre, I found myself gravitating toward the various displays of admiration weaved into the plots of my favorite novels. Beginning with the complex connection of Jace and Clary in Cassandra Claire’s “The Mortal Instruments” and the all-consuming one of Augustus Waters and Hazel Grace Lancaster in John Green’s “The Fault in Our Stars,” my admiration for romance never faded away.
It continued through high school, where, unlike most of my peers, I thoroughly enjoyed William Shakespeare’s tragic tale of the two star-crossed lovers. The resounding sentiment in these stories was simple: love conquers all. It didn’t matter if the main characters were fighting to save the human race or battling mundane issues, they always found love.
On the surface, that was all I thought that I ever needed in a romance novel. The stories provided comfort, joy and hope. It wasn’t until I read Jasmine Guillory’s “The Wedding Party” that I became acutely aware of the exact thing that I was missing when reading these novels. Guillory’s enemies-to-lovers romance placed two Black characters at the forefront of the story, opening my eyes to the extraordinary impact that truly seeing yourself within the pages could have.
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“I really write for Black women primarily,” Williams said during a recent interview with xoNecole. “Anyone else who comes to the table, I’m thrilled … but, first and foremost, I write my books, and especially this one, as a gift to us.”
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In agreement with Williams, Ryan wants people of color to see themselves represented in all of her work. “I want anybody to be able to step into pages and see love, joy, healing — [and all of] those things that are so universal [that] anybody can relate to them,” she told theGrio.
Williams’ “A Love Song for Ricki Wilde” and Ryan’s “This Could Be Us” follow the exhilarating journeys of heroines who meet their equal without sacrificing any part of themselves. Along with their brown skin, curly hair and curves, the characters proudly embrace their culture. Reading specific scenes, like a character having a wash day, crafts a fulfilling experience. These moments allow people to see themselves in the pages, offering them a deeper escape into the author’s literary world.
While there have been strides made to create a more inclusive publishing industry, there is still more work to be done. In 2023, only 10.2 percent of books were written by BIPOC authors, according to “The State of Racial Diversity in Romance” report. There is a clear need in the industry, and Black authors are actively working to push for more diversity.
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Each of Williams’ stories directly fills that need in literature. From 2005, with the release of “The Accidental Diva,” the best-selling author continuously challenged society’s preconceived notions of Black love and culture. Bringing intentionality to each story, the “Seven Day in June” writer continuously showcases all the reasons that BIPOC stories need to be told.
Her pure intention to give Black women a meaningful love story shines through in all that she does, regardless of the medium. It served as the foundation for the movie adaptation of her novel “The Perfect Find,” starring Gabrielle Union and Keith Powers. Produced by Confluential Films, the Netflix film embodied every emotion and feeling behind Williams’ words.
“It’s crazy because ‘The Perfect Find’ was rejected by every major publisher in New York, and the feedback was so bad,” Williams said in an interview with Tudum. “It’s worth noting too that this is pre-2016. This is pre-Trump, pre-#MeToo, [before] publishers were forced to reckon with how monochromatic and how white and straight and male their content was. There was just no room for this book at all, so I went with an extremely indie publisher.”
Above all, the success of Williams signifies one undeniable fact: Black readers want more authentic stories. They want to see themselves represented on the pages, and Williams’ books serve as an unapologetic reminder of the importance of that.
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