Black Love Matters. Jessica P. Pryde, ed. 2022. Berkley. 285 pages. [Source: Public Library.]
As a proud lover of all things Black romance, I had to get my hands on this anthology which features essays from some of the most visible names in the field of Black romance publishing and scholarship. With this book, Pryde has brought together long-established names as well as those who are on their rise to consider the ways that Black Love Matters. The result is a book filled with contributors representing all facets of Black life and love, sharing their insights on the genre and what it means for them or critically examining the space that Black love occupies in literature.
One of the greatest take aways here is that Black Love Matters gives space to ask the question — why do we need to center Black love? If romance is one of the best-selling segments of the publishing industry, why are Black stories still lacking in representation? In responding to this topic, the authors share their own experiences as creators, consumers, and scholars of Black romance.
What I love about this book is that its chapters reflect the complexity of Black writing; there are pieces that are reflective and personal alongside those that could easily be featured in a peer-reviewed journal. Several of the articles provide historical context for the genre, highlighting trailblazing authors who broke barriers in publishing; I appreciated the history lessons so that I could add to my TBR list. In repeatedly providing historical context for the genre, the contributors solidify the place of Black romance among a market that doesn’t always care to see Black joy, Black thriving, or Black happily-ever-afters.
Additionally, some of the contributors are new-to-me and represent myriad identities. Among these essays, the reader is able to understand just how much Black romance can represent for Black people who are developing their own sense of identity. Black Love Matters means that all Black love matters; the inclusion of queer authors & readers reminds us that if Black love generally is underrepresented, than certainly identies that are further marginalized within the community are experiencing the same lack of access. In recognizing my own blind spot, I appreciated these voices being included so I could educate myself about the unique ways that Black romance (and media broadly) can serve as a safe space for folks to explore love, life, and learning.
Black Love Matters is a collection that removes all doubt that Black love in literature is a force to be reckoned with and is not going anywhere. More importantly, it is a thriving community that has persisted despite being largely disregarded in the industry for not appealing to the very folks who shut it out to begin with. As a lover of Black romance, I found these essays affirming, enlightening, and challenging to my own preconcieved notions about the stories that need to be told.
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