Sarah Wendell is an American writer and blogger who focuses on romance novels. She reviews these books on her website, Smart Bitches, Trashy Books. She is known as a well-known romance blogger. The book she co-wrote with Candy Tan, titled Beyond Heaving Bosoms: The Smart Bitches' Guide to Romance Novels (2009), is considered an example of fan scholarship.
Early life and education
Wendell grew up in Pittsburgh. She went to Columbia College in South Carolina and earned a degree in English and Spanish.
Career
Wendell and Candy Tan started a website called Smart Bitches, Trashy Books in 2005. The website’s slogan is “All of the romance, none of the bullshit.” It is a site that reviews romance novels, and “hundreds” of these books have been reviewed there. Wendell also hosts a podcast called Smart Podcast, Trashy Books.
Wendell supports the value of romance literature. She has said, “Romance novels are good. They are fantastic. Few places show women’s emotions, personal problems, and relationships in a positive way.” She has also explained that romance novels are often looked down on because of sexism. She said, “Romance books are written by and read mostly by women. Most editors and industry workers are also women. Because it is a genre and profession dominated by women, it is often treated with disrespect.” Linda Holmes, a critic, has praised Wendell for her “tireless defense of readers” and said that Wendell’s book, Beyond Heaving Bosoms: The Smart Bitches’ Guide to Romance Novels, shows “how refreshing it is when someone cares enough to write about something that people often criticize.”
Wendell has written and spoken about how romance novels and the publishing industry have included or failed to include Black and minority ethnic people.
In 2015, Wendell wrote an open letter to the Romance Writers of America to criticize their decision to include a Christian romance novel, For Such a Time by Kate Breslin, on the list of books nominated for RITA Awards. She said the book’s ending “suggests that the correct path is Christianity, ignores the heroine’s Jewish identity, and repeats the forced conversions of many Jews before, during, and after the Holocaust.”
Wendell and Candy Tan believe the romance genre deserves more serious study and support in cultural discussions about books.
A romance novelist named Sharon Kendrick dedicated a book to Wendell after Wendell reviewed her novel, The Playboy Sheikh's Virgin Stable Girl, and called it “so ridiculous, you can’t put it down. It is its own drinking game,” giving it a grade of D+.
Wendell has also written a romance novella titled Lighting the Flames: A Hanukkah story.
Critical reception
NPR described the website as "very detailed and slightly sarcastic in its analysis of romance fiction for readers and writers."
The book Beyond Heaving Bosoms: The Smart Bitches' Guide to Romance Novels was called by NPR a "loving but sometimes critical look at the world of romance writing." Laura Vivanco, in a review on the blog Teach Me Tonight, noted that the book offers "serious insights into the genre" and discusses issues related to sexuality and gender, though she mentioned the book's history of romance literature is not very detailed. Critic Courtney Watson highlighted the book's discussion of sexual consent. Chris Szego said the book is written "not by distant academics but by readers who are deeply interested in the topic," and he recommended it as important reading for writers, publishers, booksellers, and readers because it raises meaningful questions. Critic Catherine Roach described Heaving Bosoms as "funny, fan-focused, and insightful," and called it an example of scholarship based on fan perspectives.
In a review for Library Journal, Lynne Maxwell wrote that Everything I Know About Love I Learned from Romance Novels has shown her that "romance novels are not just simple stories for guilty pleasure. Instead, they teach readers about the challenges and truths of love and relationships." Kate Cuthbert, in the NY Journal of Books, called Everything I Know About Love an "anecdotal study" showing how reading romance novels can help with relationships, self-esteem, and self-awareness. However, she noted the book lacks a clear focus or intended audience and relies on personal stories, which may not convince those who are not already open to the idea. She called the book "funny and witty" but said it may struggle to find a place in libraries or bookstores.
Personal life
Wendell lives in the New York metropolitan area. She is married and has two children. She is a convert to Judaism.