In Defence of Romance

Rhymes with Cupid by Anna Humphrey is the story of Elyse: a seventeen-year-old employee of Goodman’s Gifts and Stationery with a beyond-her-years jaded attitude towards romantic love, and a passionate dislike for Valentine’s Day and all of its associations. After a particularly bad breakup the year before, Elyse just wants to make it through Valentine’s Day with her head down and her spirits relatively unscathed.

Enter Patrick, Elyse’s next door neighbour, secret admirer, and indomitable flirt. Elyse tries her darnedest to deflect his advances, but gradually begins to realize that Patrick may really be the good guy that he seems to be. As in “what you see is what you get,” and “yes, there really are good guys out there.” Remember Darcy from Pride and Prejudice? Good guy, just some trouble with sharing his feelings. Lloyd Dobler from Say Anything is another good example. He’s cool enough without you, but you’re still worth his time. Patrick Verona from Ten Things I Hate about You turns out all right in the end. And Cyrano de Bergerac has all the right words, if not the confidence to speak them himself.

So, see? Nice guys are all over the place if you look closely enough. The bad boy fantasy makes it all too easy for women to excuse bad behaviour and settle for being treated like they don’t deserve more. Rhymes with Cupid is a sweet, good-natured romance that made me smile on more than one occasion. The story is a classic and the writing is witty and smart, to boot. Read Rhymes with Cupid this Valentine’s Day and indulge all of your good guy fantasies. Lloyd Dobler would approve.

-Erica