Spectator by Seema Goswami: No roses, just romance

Valentine’s Day is behind us and it is safe to come out from hiding without being bombarded by offers to buy roses, send chocolates, make dinner reservations, book a mini-break, or propose marriage to your significant other. It is has now become de rigueur to complain about the ‘commercialisation’ of Valentine’s Day – and I do, in fact, complain about that – but what annoys me most about the V Day ad blitz is that I don’t really recognise the version of ‘romance’ that is being sold to us. Not only is it needlessly performative, it also doesn’t resemble anyone’s lived reality.