5 Nerdy Romance Novels

We’ve come a long way since She’s All That. Nerds don’t need makeovers to be lovable anymore. In fact, it’s preferable to most of us nerdy readers if they don’t have to compromise who they are for a romantic relationship. The nerds have won, but not in the creepy Revenge of the Nerds way. It’s more that nerdy romance novels are now written by people who understand nerd culture, with all its joys and pitfalls. The mainstreaming of nerd culture in the 2010s could have something to do with these novels: comic-cons and niche fan events became widespread and more well-documented on social media. The success of Marvel properties, shows like Game of Thrones, and the dominance of video games were also instrumental in nerding out becoming a less shameful, mockable activity. Romance novels that focus relationships in nerdy subcultures now also focus on the shortcomings of nerd culture, especially when it’s exclusionary. It’s nice that a lot of these books can push forward important discussions about critical thought, even in enthusiastically nerdy communities. Another subgenre making waves is STEMinist romance. Women who work in math and hard sciences were a welcome addition to the genre, co...