Are Romance Readers Throwing the Third-Person Books in the Trash?

There’s a new trend brewing in the romance world, and it’s making waves among readers. It turns out that many of today’s romance enthusiasts prefer first-person narratives to traditional third-person storytelling. Characters want to share their adventures without the omniscient narrator getting in the way, and readers are vocal about it. Jennifer Lee, a 24-year-old from Connecticut, even posted a TikTok expressing her distaste for third-person POV books, highlighting a growing number of fans who feel betrayed when they dive into a novel expecting an “I” only to find an indifferent he-said, she-said.

Authors are taking notice of this shift, with figures like K. Iwancio noting that she now faces readers outright refusing to engage with her third-person works. With romance book sales doubling since 2020, there’s pressure to cater to this fresh demand. So, whether it’s a steamy romantic encounter with a mythical dragon or a love story laced with magical realism, the desire is the same—a personal connection through the words on the page. As romance evolves, it’s clear that some traditions might be swept aside, leaving readers and authors to redefine what it means to fall in love with a book. What say you—should we just toss third-person storytelling out of the window?