My 15yo wants a "massager". Pretty much the same question, is it not?

How has nobody mentioned Sarah Dessen yet? All of her books would work for your daughter.

Try the Meg Cabot books. Princess Diaries series has some innocent romance. She also has another series, I can’t recall the series name, but one book is Nicola and the Viscount. Very PG and age appropriate, but feels like a historical romance novel.

I disagree with some PPs that the racy stuff will go over her head. I read Flowers in the Attic as a 12 year old and definitely understood the incest/rape, which could really mess a kid up if they aren’t ready for that.

When I was 11 I was reading 19th century romance novels, like Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice, etc. I think that's a great starting point.

Anonymous wrote:

If they're too young for it - it will go over their heads

I agree with this. If it goes over their head, they will likely put it down. It's boring.

Maybe for your child, but not for others.

My parents never censored what I wanted to read. At 11, it is pretty normal and healthy to be curious about sex and sexuality and reading a book is innocuous- it is certainly better than watching porn or sexting like some of my 6th grader classmates are doing.

More on point, there are PLENTY of romance novels that have no sex or the sex is only implied. The first romance novel I read was Pride and Prejudice, which my grandmother gave me to read during summer when I was 11. After that I was a goner for romance novels.... I soon read Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier (it was also suggested by grandma).

That year I also read Gone with the Wind, Madame Bovary, and Jane Eyre. And a bunch of other classic romances from my country of origin.

I was allowed to go to the library by myself and pick up whatever I wanted - I remember reading the Angelic series (is that known here?), and a bunch of others.

The first romance I read that had sex in it (not even that explicit), was a book I got from the library when I was 14. I loved it and shared it with some friends.

Anyway, my point is that there are PLENTY of romance novels without sex - Georgette Heyer is a good bet.

Just let her read whatever she wants.

My 11 yo son wants to read horror books and thrillers. Our agreement is that he tells me what he has taken out of the library or off the shelf, and I check in on it with him occasionally to see if there's anything he needs to process. So he's reading The Silence of the Lambs right now, and he's horrified and fascinated, lol, and has asked me to explain some stuff.

But when I was his age, I devoured Jean Auel, Stephen King, VC Andrews, etc. But I also read Madeleine L'Engle and boatloads of shitty Sweet Dreams and Sunfire teen romance books. Basically, I just love to read. I read Gone with the Wind the summer between 5th and 6th grade.

Did you ask her what kinds of books she has in mind? As others have pointed out “romance” is a pretty big umbrella. You might discover that what she’s referring to is more innocent than what you are imagining.

Ah, I remember when I started reading Harlequin Presents romances when I was 12, eventually historicals, contemporary and now 22 years later love lots of erotic romances, often self-published and very un-PC to the woke crowd. To this day, parents never knew 🤣

Honestly, I know it's hypocritical but I'd wait on the adult romances, while letting her read the YA ones. I wouldn't censor fully though. 11 year olds find ways to watch porn and I find that worse.

Love and Gelato is a sweet YA romance. I don't remember anything too sexual in it.

The Fault in Your Stars
Five Feet Apart

Anonymous wrote:OP, I wouldn't impede and you certainly aren't going to promote. If she gets her hands on them, don't take them away. But do not provide them or buy them or let them be the choice when you're buying or getting from the library. I wouldn't talk about it, one way or another.

I read the entire Jean auel series at that age. Don’t make it something she sneaks or feels bad about. Just get her some age appropriate stuff.

Suzanne Collins' Gregor the Overlander may work. It has a very innocent romance between two main characters.