I thought I hated romance
I was a nerdy kid and I used to devour books, started again a few years ago, especially science fiction and fantasy, but I never got invested in the romance part. Read twilight and didn't really feel anything. Watched romantic comedies and I laughed at the jokes but never really cared about the relationship. I never looked down on the genre but I thought it wasn't for me. Couldn't stand spicey content in books either (except that one scene in >!A Desolation Called Peace!<, but I didn't think anything of it).
I realized I was gay somewhere 5-6 years ago, but I mostly continued reading fantasy and sci fi and I avoided the romance genre. I had a realization after reading a random suggestion on the /r/femalegazesff subreddit, Silverglass by J.F. Rivkin (which isn't that sapphic). Maybe it's not me, it's men. So I downloaded Those Who Wait by Haley Cass.
Holy shit it's like everything clicked. I get it now. The tropes, the tension, the spice! I have been converted overnight. Romance went from a different language to plain English. Even if they're not for me, all those romantic works I didn't get before make sense now. I can't stop, please recommend me more.
PS the genre not like, going on a date with someone for real haha, i got that part