Lessons from Romance Novels and The Benefits of Buying Used Textbooks

Whether you prefer sweet love stories or you like to really heat things up, we all know that romance novels are a great way to sit back and unwind. However, you can take some big life lessons away from your favorite reads. Dive into these lessons that can teach you about a lot of great things from romance novels!

Lessons from Romance Novels

EVERYONE changes … especially you.

Life happens. You live, learn and get through things as best you can and that is what changes you. You know you aren’t the same person you were five years ago … even one year ago! Romance novels teach us that people can change, your feelings can change and that’s more than okay.

Authenticity matters.

As a romance novel progresses, the heroine learns that the only way she'll get what she wants is to remain authentic to who she is; in fact, part of the progress of the story involves her journey of self-discovery. "Until she believes in herself, no one else will either," says Diana Cosby, who pens romantic suspense novels set in medieval Scotland. Think of it in terms of your own life: If you want to change careers or get a promotion, you're less likely to get others to believe in you if you don't endorse yourself first.

Sometimes a marriage doesn’t begin perfectly, but that doesn’t mean it’s un-fixable.

Believe it or not, romance novels speak highly of marriage and have shown us that even if they start for the wrong reasons, it’s something to fight for and respect.

Listen to your gut.

Romance novelist Lenore Edwards calls this lesson "searching for when your heart calls," and it's a romance novel staple we should all remember. "Never tell your heart, your gut or your instincts to be quiet," says Edwards. So stop and listen when something's telling you that a situation, job or relationship is wrong—your intuition is usually right.

If you come with baggage, letting it get heavier and heavier helps no one.

Everyone has their baggage to deal with. Yours isn’t more important than anyone else’s. In love and relationships, unload some of that baggage on your partner. If it’s true love, they’ll take you baggage and all.

Take charge of your sexual needs.

Let's not forget that a major part of romance novels is, of course, sex! "Much of the courting and sex in romance novels is the woman's ideal," says Dr. Holland—meaning that the man takes his time and is equal parts strong and sensitive. Let this inspire you to take charge of your own sex life, ensuring all of your needs are met in the bedroom. To start, read a great sex scene from a romance novel aloud to spark some intimacy (and ideas) with your man.

Money can make and or break a relationship, so don’t take it lightly.

More often than not, the weight of money can fall on one partner all the other. Money is also the leading cause of divorce … that’s why openness and honesty is important from the beginning.

A lot of money gets thrown around in Harlequin novels (billionaires need love too!), so the way they discuss it openly in their marriage is something we can all learn from.

Ask for help when you need it

Speaking of scenarios that probably aren’t coming up in real life, we highly doubt you’re involved in the Russian mafia and reaching out to a rival family for help (though if you are, we won’t tell), but Kir Vasilek’s actions in Hers to Tame highlight another important life lesson to always remember–there is no shame in asking for help when you need it. Whether it’s avoiding danger or simply needing a few helping hands to get chores done, the latest from Rhenna Morgan is an important lesson in when to reach out to others.

Pregnancy is a two-person responsibility.

Yeah, yeah, we know you might not even be thinking about it yet, but it’s something to consider. In romance novels, there’s often a situation where a couple has to navigate how to handle a pregnancy.

There’s always a lot of great messages that welcome responsibility for both parties while still empowering the women to make their own decisions. Way to go, romance novels!

Walk a mile in another’s shoes

What happens when a love/hate relationship may turn into something more? That’s the dilemma in American Sweethearts by Adriana Herrera. Juan Pablo Campos and detective Priscilla Gutierrez may have known each other for years, but their relationship has definitely had its rocky points. However, it is only when they learn to accept each other as they are that they can truly explore their connection. Take a lesson from JuanPa and Priscilla and bring that willingness to understand with you into every day life.

Never let a guy tell you your marriage is more important than your career.

Speaking of portraying women as strong, awesome characters … our romance novel heroines are ALWAYS standing up for themselves, their choices and their careers. They don’t let a man dictate their future, and instead invite the men into their lives as an equal partner.

You never get over that love-at-first-sight high.

It’s a cliché for a reason: when our favorite couples meet in romance novels, sparks fly. That’s something that sticks with you. Chemistry can’t be faked and romance novels always remind us how that feeling is so intoxicating.

Cherish your relationships

In the hustle and bustle of every day life, it can be so easy to take relationships for granted. After all, your loved ones will always stick by you…but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t show your appreciation every now and then. Sisters by Choice by Susan Mallery is the perfect example of caring and nurturing relationships between friends and family!

People can have hard exteriors. That doesn’t mean you can’t maintain your own self respect.

It’s always hard in these books when the guy just seems like a hard egg to crack. He’s broken and bitter, but something about the heroine always melts that away.

Sometimes people have baggage (obviously, we talked about this), but in these books, they never show the heroines putting up with someone who breaks them down.

Used Textbooks 

You can save a lot of money by purchasing used textbooks. Studying is costly, and many students find it difficult to afford textbooks. The benefits of buying used textbooks range from cost savings to convenience. Buying second hand items is not only cost-effective, but it is also beneficial for the environment. Do you want to find out where you can buy used textbooks? If you're short on funds, look for used textbooks on Junk Mail. 

There are ten reasons why you should buy used textbooks. 

Take a look at these ten reasons why buying old textbooks is a great idea: 

Used textbooks are an ideal way to save money. 

New books are substantially more expensive than used textbooks. When you buy old used textbooks, you should expect to save at least 50%, and in many cases, considerably more. You will have no use for your used textbooks when you finish your studies, therefore it is not worth investing a lot of money on books that you will only use for a short time. 

Get extra assistance from past students' notes in used textbooks. 

You could locate copies of textbooks with helpful notes from former students if you buy used textbooks. You can also take use of their highlighted areas. While these may appear to be flaws to some, they can be beneficial when studying. 

Buying used textbooks contributes to environmental protection. 

You are contributing to recycling by utilizing used textbooks. Buying old books is a good way to help the environment. Buying used not only helps to save trees, but it also helps to reduce landfill garbage. 

Assisting other students by buying used textbooks 

Purchasing used textbooks from fellow students rather than huge retail outlets helps to support their efforts. Many students find it difficult to pay their education due to high tuition fees and textbook costs. When you buy used textbooks, you are assisting others in being able to afford the goods they require for their education. 

Used textbooks enable you to recover your funds 

You can resale your used textbooks and recoup your costs if you take good care of them. Even if you don't get the entire amount back, used textbooks depreciate less than new books. 

Purchasing used books is convenient. 

It's simple to locate used textbooks. You can locate everything you need from the convenience of your own home, thanks to the abundance of previously owned textbooks available online. 

Used textbooks provide you more options. 

It's simple to find what you're looking for thanks to the large range of second hand books online. Buying used textbooks is a good alternative if you want to choose from a large selection of books. 

You can get used textbooks delivered to your home. 

You can get second hand books delivered to your home when you buy them online. Because you save so much money by buying second hand books, you can afford to spend a little more for the convenience of home delivery. 

Encourage yourself to take more notes. 

Making clean and informative notes on your textbook can be useful to the student who uses it after you if you sell it online. There are many reasons to be inspired to attend lectures and take more notes, whether you gain satisfaction from assisting others or you wish to add value to the book. 

Used textbooks can be exchanged. 

There are options for trading your used textbooks for second hand books. This is a fantastic way to put books that you no longer need to good use while also saving money.