By definition, a nun is a member of a religious community of women, especially a cloistered one, living under vows of poverty, chastity, obedience, and most importantly, purity. However, the sacred vow made between a woman and God does not completely remove the human desire for love. Any action to seek a relationship while under the vow is taboo, forbidden, dangerous, and a tad bit thrilling.
Secretly, we all live for a forbidden romance. When it seems impossible for two people to be together, we get even more invested in their chemistry and romance, making all of us lean in on those complex narratives and fall in love with a story unlike our own. Nun romance novels are a unique twist toward capturing the essence of human desire. In this week’s edition of Crazy Book Genres, we’ll be exploring this subgenre to let you in on a type of romance you may not be as familiar with but will no doubt want to pick up and read in the near future. Let’s get started!
The Divine Beginnings of Nun Romance
In 1689, Aphra Behn wrote The History of the Nun, or The Fair Vow Breaker, which is considered the pioneering work of nun romance fiction. The story follows a girl named Isabella, who breaks her vows and falls in love with Henualt. This novella inspired others to use amatory fiction to write about women and further supported the genre of nuns experiencing their own forbidden romance stories. Most likely based on real-life interactions, these stories show that nuns are still human. Sometimes, love creeps in when we least expect it, and while most have the strength to abstain from pursuing a love that would break a covenant, others may not be as strong.
Nun romances can be considered an important asset in fiction because they explore complex themes of human desire and the conflict between personal love and religious devotion, highlighting the suppressed emotions individuals face while living a life of celibacy. They challenge societal norms and explore human experiences in a unique way that one can’t help but be drawn toward.
The Creed of Recommendations
Forbidden love can come in all different shapes, sizes, and spice levels. When something is off limits or should not be pursued, there seems to be a thrill, an excitement, and some level of adventure with the relationship. Here are some of the top nun romance novels or series to check out!
Nun Too Soon by Lissa Sharpe
After living a life dedicated to being a nun, Helen decides to become a librarian who writes romance novels on the side. Due to her inexperience in the dating world, she’s found trying to make a new path for herself quite difficult. Then, she develops a crush on a handsome library patron who is seemingly her perfect match but turns out to be anything but perfect. Thad has his own secrets; he’s a bounty hunter determined to track down Helen’s brother, Dean. As the two begin to work together to find Helen’s brother, they quickly realize the idealized versions of each other they envisioned couldn’t have been more wrong. With their true natures laid bare, can they be right for each other?
Vow to Sever by Aurelia Knight
A young girl finds herself in a unique bond with a man named Pax Bouchard, who shatters her safe sanctuary in the convent. His obsession knows no bounds, as he hungers for her blood and seeks an unholy union of their souls. His allure is intoxicating; his interests, deadly. Can Magdalena reconcile this forbidden attraction with the vows she swore to uphold?
Paladin’s Strength by T. Kingfisher
When their paths cross at the point of a sword, Istvhan and Clara are pitched headlong into each other’s quests, facing off against enemies both living and dead. He’s a paladin of a dead god, and she’s a nun from a secret order on the trail of the raiders who burned her convent and kidnapped her sisters. Will the two be able to work together, or will Clara’s secret jeopardize the growing connection between them?
Sinner by Sierra Simone
He leads a life of sin, and she’s committed to a life of virtue. Sean Bell is not a good man. He is considered a womanizer, a playboy, a skirt-chaser, and a sinner, which is exactly why he must stay away. When Sean meets a gorgeous college girl at a fundraiser, he has no problem telling her exactly what filthy things he wants to do to her, until he realizes it’s his best friend’s little sister, Zenobia Iverson, who is about to become a nun — a promise she made to herself and to God. However, Zenny isn’t looking to play it safe with her last month of freedom. She wants to entertain every carnal temptation she’s leaving behind. In an unlikely union, Sean and Zenny pair up to appease both of their desires, but soon, Sean finds himself falling and wants Zenny to choose a different path in life: him.
There’s a thrill that comes with knowing something is off limits, and as the saying goes, the heart wants what it wants. Nun romance novels explore the vulnerability of women as they wrestle with the vow they made against their deepest — and oftentimes, darkest — desires. Be sure to check out these nun romance books to get a taste of forbidden love!
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