Is this really most romance books? Or just whatever weird ass section of Goodreads that you fell into?

Being able to analyze a text is like any other skill - you need to keep doing it to develop proficiency. There’s nothing wrong with looking up various essays and videos that analyze a particular text - often times that can prompt a thought that takes you in another direction and depends your understanding.

Generally, I’d recommend joining a book club discussion of a book. Online ones are great since you have the potential to hear from people around the world, while in-person ones are a great way to get out and meet people nearby.

So…you want the opposite of what most of the members of this subreddit would advocate for?