Love Stories

I read your “Love Is in the Air” article in the latest Bostonia (Fall 2025) with great anticipation, looking forward to reading about my fellow alum Carly Phillips.

Imagine my disappointment when she was not mentioned, as she is, without a doubt, the most famous romance novelist with a connection to Boston University.

I trust you are familiar with Carly Phillips, a New York Times bestseller and author of dozens of romance novels found in every airport bookstore across the United States.

Perhaps you were unaware that Carly Phillips, the nom de plume of Karen (Weinberg) Drogin (LAW’90), is a graduate of the BU School of Law.

Stuart Carroll (LAW’89)
El Segundo, Calif.

Editor’s note: Learn more about Carly Phillips here.

Loved your cover story on romance as a genre. You hit all the notes of why it’s so soothing and inclusive (and booming). Thanks for the spotlight! I’m also an alum, writing as K. W. Román, and a published romance author of two books, Whole in the Heart and Easy Way Out.

Karen Wilson Román (CAS’95, COM’95)
Washington, D.C.

Loved your article and thought I’d let you know of another alum, Judith Wershil Bennett (DGE’68, CAS’70), who also writes beautifully on the subject. Judith graduated from BU in 1970, and has been an educator, an artist, and an excellent writer ever since.

Jill Holt Horwitz (Wheelock’70)
Sharon, Mass.

I read the article about romance novelists and authors this morning and wanted to reach out to share some thoughts and context from behind the scenes of the book industry. I’m a BU alumna (Sargent’20), and I began posting about books on Instagram in 2018, during my time at BU. Nearly eight years later, I’ve built a platform of close to 66,000 followers across TikTok and Instagram, centered on book recommendations, author interviews, and industry conversations.

I’m reaching out because the article felt extremely white, which reflects one of the long-standing pitfalls of publishing and of how literary trends are often framed. Romance—especially romantasy—is one of the most diverse and rapidly evolving genres right now, yet coverage frequently centers the same voices and narratives while overlooking authors of color, Muslim writers, and creators telling love stories from a wide range of cultural and lived experiences.

I’ve dedicated my platform to uplifting marginalized voices in publishing, particularly Muslim authors and authors of color writing romance and romantasy that challenge narrow ideas of who gets to be at the center of love stories. Many of these authors are shaping the genre in meaningful ways, building devoted readerships, and driving conversations that readers are deeply engaged with—yet they’re often excluded from mainstream coverage.

I wanted to share this feedback in the spirit of encouraging more inclusive storytelling and reporting around books and publishing. Expanding whose voices are highlighted not only reflects the reality of today’s readership, but also strengthens conversations about literature as a whole.

Azanta Thakur (Sargent’20)
New Smyrna Beach, Fla.

Marsh Chapel Moments

Thank you for your article on Marsh Chapel (“Marsh Chapel, the Soul of BU, Turns 75,” Fall 2025). In my four years at [the College of Arts & Sciences] and my two years at [Questrom School of Business], Marsh Chapel was always a significant symbol for me. In 1968, as a freshman, I participated in a Vietnam War protest that involved harboring an AWOL soldier at Marsh Chapel for nearly two weeks until the FBI entered the chapel early on a Sunday morning and arrested the soldier. This event was not mentioned in your article, yet it is, I believe, evidence of the rich tradition of Marsh Chapel as “BU’s center of religious life, and the plaza out front a communal gathering place to grieve tragedies and exult over triumphs.”

Jeff Pallin (CAS’72, Questrom’84)
Menlo Park, Calif.

Wendall Graham (MET’96) and I were longtime employees at the University, she in the president’s office and later human resources. I was with the College of Communication Student Services office. On March 27, 1993, we were married at Marsh Chapel with Dean Robert Thornburg presiding. It was a glorious spring day, with just a little snow left on the ground. We cherish that ceremony and our time at Boston University. The reception at Fenway Park wasn’t too shabby either!

Tom McLaughlin and Wendell Graham (MET’96)
Bradenton, Fla.

My favorite Marsh Chapel memory is receiving my Master of Divinity in 1987 in the chapel. The speaker was the father of a classmate and friend. His dad is Philip Cousin (STH’56), bishop in the AME Church and former president of the National Council of Churches.

David Huseltine (STH’87)
Milford, Mich.

The article on Marsh Chapel in the fall issue of Bostonia brought to mind the two cornerstones—one is from Jesus College and the other from St. John’s College, Oxford—of the chapel, and other allusions to a connection with Oxford, like the three crowns in the BU coat of arms. It reminded me of the relationship between Oxford and Cambridge and our University’s relations with “our Cambridge” neighbors.

Dan Tokar (ENG’62,’64, Questrom’64)
Prescott, Ariz.

I enjoyed reading the article on Marsh Chapel. As a student in 1969 during the Vietnam War, I participated along with hundreds of others in a “lie-in” in Marsh Chapel. We were protesting US involvement in the Vietnam War and were in opposition to the draft. Many of the young men at the time were receiving notices that they were to be drafted to go fight in Vietnam. Following the burning of draft cards, we had a “lie-in” to prevent the arrests of those involved. It was part of the anti-war sentiment sweeping campuses at the time. BU students were very much a part of this, and I am proud to have participated in this movement that for me began with the “lie-in” in Marsh Chapel.

Nancy Rosenstock (CGS’69, CAS’71)
Chicago, Ill.