There was a moment early in Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s relationship that seemed like it was plucked straight out of a romance book.
Swift was attending her first Kansas City Chiefs game, cheering for her new lover in a box seat at Arrowhead Stadium. A camera landed on Kelce just as he looked up, noticed her, and broke out into a grin while slowly shaking his head as if to say, “I can’t believe she’s here.”
It was straight out of a romance novel, according to Tessa Bailey, who knows a thing or two about what makes a successful romance. She’s the author of dozens of best-selling romance novels, including a new series of love stories starring athletes.
“As a romance author, it’s almost too good to be true. It’s been so interesting to watch the way he’s behaving like a romance hero,” Bailey says, referencing little moments between Kelce and Swift that have played out in viral video clips.
In the literary world, sports romances are having a Cinderella moment of their own. Is the word’s fascination with a certain pop star and football player’s relationship to blame?
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Where did sports romance novels come from?
Athlete-centered romance novels historically have been more popular in self-publishing than traditional publishing, according to KT Hoffman, author of “The Prospects,” which debuted this spring through top publishing company…
