A romance or romantic novel is a type of book that focuses on the relationship and love between two people, usually ending with a happy or satisfying conclusion. Important authors who helped develop this genre include Samuel Richardson, Frances Burney, Maria Edgeworth, Jane Austen, Charlotte Brontë, Emily Brontë, and Anne Brontë.

Romance novels can include many types, such as bodice ripper, fantasy, contemporary, historical romance, paranormal fiction, sapphic, and science fiction. These books often use common story patterns, like enemies becoming lovers, a second chance at love, or characters being forced to spend time together. While women have traditionally been the main readers of romance novels, a 2017 study by the Romance Writers of America found that 18% of people who buy romance books are men.

The idea of romance stories existed in ancient Greece. Earlier examples can be found in 18th- and 19th-century books, such as Samuel Richardson’s Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded (1740) and the works of Jane Austen. Austen inspired Georgette Heyer, a British writer known for historical romance novels set during Austen’s time and for detective fiction. Heyer’s first romance novel, The Black Moth (1921), was set in 1751.

In the 1930s, the British company Mills & Boon began publishing romance novels for women. These books were sold in North America by Harlequin Enterprises Ltd., which started directly marketing to readers and allowed mass-market stores to sell the books.

An early example of a mass-market romance in the United States was Kathleen E. Woodiwiss’s The Flame and the Flower (1972), published by Avon Books. This was the first single-title romance novel to be released as an original paperback in the U.S. In the UK, the romance genre had long been popular through the works of Georgette Heyer, whose books include many common story patterns and stereotypes, some of which have been removed from newer editions.

Strong sales of romance novels have made the genre one of the largest parts of the global book market. The genre grew significantly in the 1980s, with more subcategories and single-title romances being added. Authors also began creating more modern characters and exploring new ideas in storytelling.

Definition

According to the Romance Writers of America, the main story in a mass-market romance novel must focus on two people as they develop romantic feelings for each other and work to build a relationship. The conflict and climax of the novel should directly relate to this central theme of growing a romantic relationship, though the story may also include other subplots that are not about the main characters’ love. A romance novel must also end with an “emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending.”

Leslie Gelbman, president of Berkley Books, says that romance must make the “romantic relationship between the hero and the heroine … the core of the book.” In general, romance novels show good characters being rewarded and bad characters being punished. A couple who works to save their relationship is often shown receiving unconditional love. Bestselling author Nora Roberts says the romance genre is about celebrating love, emotion, and commitment, which are things people value.

Most romance novels follow these rules, but some books widely considered romance novels do not. The Romance Writers of America’s definition includes only the focus on a developing romantic relationship and an optimistic ending. Escapism is important in romance novels; an Avon executive noted that “The phone never rings, the baby never cries, and the rent’s never overdue in romances.” Many publishers, libraries, bookstores, and critics still use the traditional definition to classify books.

There is disagreement among romance authors about what should and should not be included in romance plots. Some authors and readers believe the genre has extra rules, such as requiring the main characters to meet early in the story or avoiding certain themes like infidelity. Others debate the need for a happy ending, with some readers accepting stories without one if the focus is on the romantic relationship, such as Romeo and Juliet.

Romance novels can take place in any time period or location. In recent years, they have even included space settings. There are no strict limits on what can be included in a romance novel, and controversial topics like date rape, domestic violence, addiction, and disability are sometimes addressed. However, the time period, location, and plot help categorize a novel into one of several romance subgenres. Despite the variety of possibilities, some people say “all [romance novels] seem to read alike.” Many stereotypes about the genre exist, such as the belief that all romance novels are like those written by Danielle Steel, which feature wealthy characters in exotic settings. Many readers disagree, saying Steel’s books are more mainstream fiction.

Mass-market or formulaic romance novels are sometimes called “smut” or female pornography, and are the most popular form of modern erotica for women. While some romance novels include explicit sexual content, others only show characters kissing. The genre ranges from these extremes. Since women buy 90% of all romance novels, most are written from a woman’s perspective, using either first or third person.

Although most romance novels feature heterosexual relationships, some include same-sex relationships. Industry participants often label these books as F/F (female/female) or M/M (male/male).

While most romance novels end with happiness, some famous literary romance novels end tragically. Examples include Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë, Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy, The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough, Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami, Atonement by Ian McEwan, and The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller.

History

Romance novels, which are long stories about love, existed in ancient Greece. Over twenty ancient Greek romance novels are known by name, but most of them only survive in incomplete or broken pieces. Only five ancient Greek romance novels have survived nearly completely: Chareas and Callirhoe, Leucippe and Clitophon, Daphnis and Chloe, The Ephesian Tale, and The Ethiopian Tale.

A type of story that is an early version of modern love novels is Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded, written by Samuel Richardson in 1740. Pamela was the first popular novel to tell a love story from the perspective of the woman. Unlike many other books of that time, Pamela ends with a happy outcome. After Mr. B tries to seduce and harm Pamela many times, he eventually proposes marriage to her because he respects her choices. The book became very popular, with five editions printed in the first eleven months. Richardson wrote Pamela as a collection of letters, but only if the letters taught important lessons. As he wrote, the letters became a story. Richardson aimed to both teach and entertain readers. He also wanted to help young people learn about proper behavior in society.

Maria Edgeworth, a romance novelist, influenced writers during the Victorian era with books like Belinda (1801) and Helen (1834). Jane Austen, who admired Edgeworth, also shaped the romance genre with her novel Pride and Prejudice (1813), which many people consider the best romance novel ever written. During the early Victorian era, the Brontë sisters, like Edgeworth and Austen, wrote stories that influenced later fiction. Maria Edgeworth introduced the idea of an orphaned heroine in her books, and Charlotte Brontë later used this idea in Jane Eyre (1847). Brontë’s story mixes elements of gothic novels, which are dark and mysterious, and plays from the Elizabethan era. Her work shows how flexible the romance novel form can be.

While literary romance novels continued to grow in the 20th century, a new type of fiction, called genre fiction, became more popular after World War I. In 1919, E. M. Hull wrote The Sheik, a book about a strong, powerful man who kidnaps a woman and wins her admiration through force. This novel was one of the first to include the theme of a rape fantasy, a topic also found in Richardson’s Pamela (1740). Even though women were becoming more independent, publishers believed readers would only accept premarital sex in the context of a rape story. In these books, the rape is often shown as a fantasy, with the heroine rarely shown as scared or hurt.

The popular version of historical romance novels, which Walter Scott helped create in the 19th century, began in 1921 with Georgette Heyer’s The Black Moth. This story is set in 1751, but Heyer’s books were inspired by Jane Austen’s work and often take place during the Regency period, which was later in the 1800s. Heyer included detailed historical information in her books to help readers understand the time period. Unlike other romance novels of that time, Heyer’s stories use the setting as an important part of the plot. Her characters often think and act like people in the 20th century, and other characters in the books notice the heroine’s unusual ideas, like wanting to marry for love. Heyer wrote one to two historical romance novels each year until her death in 1974.

During the Ming and Qing dynasties in China, a type of printed romance novel called caizi jiaren ("scholar and beauty") became very popular. These stories usually involve a beautiful and talented woman and a handsome young scholar. Examples include Ping Shan Leng Yan, Haoqiu zhuan, Iu-Kiao-Li, and others. These novels were influenced by older stories from the Tang dynasty, such as Yingying's Biography, and works by playwrights from the Song and Yuan dynasties. These books were most popular in the 17th century, when many were sold and shared.

In The Dream of the Red Chamber, a famous Chinese novel, the author Cao Xueqin mocked the popularity of caizi jiaren books by saying, "There are thousands of such 'scholar and beauty' books, and yet they are all alike!" These Chinese romance novels also had a lasting influence on both Eastern and Western literature.

In the 1930s, a British company called Mills & Boon began publishing hardcover romance novels. These books were sold in weekly libraries for two pence each and were called "the books in brown" because of their brown covers. In the 1950s, the company started selling their books in stores across the United Kingdom.

A Canadian company, Harlequin Enterprises, began selling Mills & Boon romance novels in North America in 1957. Mary Bonneycastle, the wife of Harlequin’s founder, and her daughter, Judy Burgess, decided which books to reprint. They had a rule to avoid overly sexual content. Richard Bonneycastle, the founder, later read one of the more explicit novels and found it popular. Harlequin then tested the book and found it sold better than a less explicit version. The novels were short and followed a simple pattern, with heroines who were kind, pure, and innocent. Heroines who worked were often nurses, governesses, or secretaries. Romantic scenes in the books only included a chaste kiss between the main characters.

On October 1, 1971, Harlequin bought Mills & Boon. At that time, romance novels were already very popular in Great Britain. To copy Mills & Boon’s success in North America, Harlequin improved their distribution and marketing. They sold their books in places where women shopped, such as supermarkets, and made all books exactly 192 pages. Harlequin also started a service where readers could buy a certain number of books each month.

In American literature, some romance novels included themes like rape fantasy, unclear consent, age differences, young women, and cheating. These themes appeared because competition was decreasing due to censorship laws in other industries, such as comic books.

Critical reception

Some important writers have received praise for their romance novels. For example, the Nobel Prize winner Gabriel García Márquez was praised for his romance novel Love in the Time of Cholera.

Arthur Schopenhauer believed that romance novels have been written for a long time because the topic of love remains important. He argued that love is crucial for the survival of the human race, as forming relationships and choosing partners is often necessary for having children and continuing future generations.

Although romance novels have been combined with other genres and gained more respect, some people still view them negatively. Because of this, some readers feel embarrassed to admit they read these books. Some critics say romance novels lack suspense, as it often seems clear that the main characters will eventually solve their problems. Others question whether it is helpful for women to spend time reading stories about idealized love. Author Melissa Pritchard said that romance novels might encourage the belief that perfect love exists, which could distract readers from focusing on self-love.

Romance novel writers explain that the negative reputation comes partly because the genre is often seen as "written almost exclusively by women for women." Jennifer Crusie, a romance novelist, says that modern romance novels show women being rewarded with love only if they stay true to themselves. Susan Elizabeth Phillips believes that romance novels are popular because the female characters often succeed, even when facing difficult challenges.

In recent years, more academic research about romance novels has been published. Scholars are studying the genre’s importance, especially from feminist and gender studies perspectives. The popularity of the genre has also grown due to the success of adaptations of novels like Outlander by Diana Gabaldon and Bridgerton by Julia Quinn, which were made into TV shows by STARZ and Netflix. In 2022, it was announced that the bestselling Winston Brothers series by Penny Reid has been chosen for a TV adaptation by Tomorrow Studios.

There is ongoing discussion about whether some novels belong to the romance genre or blend with other genres. This debate has received attention in the media, partly because Diana Gabaldon often says her Outlander series is not a romance. However, both academic studies and conversations between Gabaldon and her publisher show that the topic of genre labels is more complex than it appears.

Formats

Romance novels are divided into two types: category romances, also called series romances, and single-title romances. Some authors write only one type, while others, such as Jennifer Crusie and Jayne Ann Krentz, have written both types successfully.

Category romances are short, usually no longer than 200 pages or about 55,000 words. These books are published in specific series, with a set number of books released each month. Many books in a series are numbered in order. These novels are sold worldwide, and a single print run in the United States is often kept on store shelves until the books sell out or until new books in the series replace them. Books published by Harlequin/Mills & Boon, a publisher of category romances, may be translated into 26 languages and sold in over 100 countries.

To write a successful category romance, authors must focus on the main story and remove extra details. Subplots and minor characters are often left out or mentioned only briefly. However, each category romance series has its own unique style, which might include similar settings, characters, time periods, levels of romance, or types of problems. Publishers provide guidelines for each series, explaining what elements are needed for a book to fit in that series. Publishers may start or stop series based on market trends and reader preferences. Recently, new series focusing on erotic themes and Christian romance have been added, while traditional Regency romance series have ended.

Single-title romances are not part of a specific series. They are longer, usually between 350 and 400 pages or about 100,000 to 110,000 words. Publishers may release these books over a shorter time for marketing reasons, but on average, authors write 1.5 books per year and have one published each year. Stores decide how long to keep single-title books on their shelves.

Although they are called "single-title," these books are not always standalone stories. Some authors write connected books, such as three-part series or long series, to revisit characters or settings. These books often share similar titles and may be labeled as "Number 1 in the XXX Series." However, they are not considered series romances because they are not part of a specific line.

Subgenres

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Romance novels do not have strict rules about the types of stories, time periods, or places they can include. This has allowed the genre to grow and include many different kinds of stories, leading to the creation of many subgenres. Some romance books can also be grouped into other types of literature. For example, romantic suspense novels often share similarities with mystery, crime fiction, and thriller stories. Paranormal romances use ideas from science fiction and fantasy novels.

Contemporary romance, which takes place after World War II, is often what people think of when they mention romance novels. These are the most common type of romance books and are usually set in the time when they are written. They often reflect the customs of that time. Before 1970, heroines in these books usually stopped working after marriage or having children. After 1970, heroines often kept their jobs. As contemporary romance novels have become more complex and realistic, it has become harder to tell them apart from women's fiction.

Most contemporary romance books include details that make them seem old-fashioned. Over time, many of these books become outdated and are no longer read. Some, like the works of Jane Austen, are so well-written that they are later reclassified as historical romances.

In 2004, more than half of the romantic fiction books published in the United States (1,468 out of 2,285) were contemporary romance novels. These books have been chosen twice by Kelly Ripa for her book club, "Reading with Ripa."

Historical romance, also called a historical novel, is a type of fiction where the story takes place in the past. This genre was popularized in the early 1800s by Walter Scott, who wrote books like Rob Roy and Ivanhoe. This subgenre includes many other types, such as Regency romance. Most historical romance books are published in mass-market format, which is less expensive than hardcover books. Fewer than 15 historical romance books are published in hardcover each year, compared to twice as many contemporary romance books. Because of this, historical romance books are often sold in places like price clubs, where fewer mass-market paperbacks are sold.

In 2001, 778 historical romance books were published, the highest number in a decade. By 2004, this number had dropped to 486, which was still 20% of all romance books published that year. Publishers like Kensington Books report receiving fewer submissions for historical romance books, and some authors have switched to writing contemporary romance instead.

Romantic suspense novels involve a mystery or problem that the main characters must solve. Usually, the heroine is a victim of a crime or an attempted crime and works with a hero who is in a job that helps protect people, such as a police officer, FBI agent, bodyguard, or Navy SEAL. By the end of the story, the mystery is solved, and the hero and heroine develop a strong relationship. These novels are often set in the present day, but some authors, like Amanda Quick, have also written romantic suspense stories set in the past.

Like all romance novels, romantic suspense books must focus on the relationship between the main characters. The relationship should influence their choices and add tension to the mystery, which helps move the story forward. The mystery also affects the relationship and the story. These books often use more straightforward language compared to traditional romance novels and are more focused on the plot than on the characters.

Mary Stewart was one of the first authors to combine romance and mystery in her books. She wrote ten romantic suspense novels between 1955 and 1967. In her stories, solving the mystery helps reveal the hero’s personality and helps the heroine fall in love with him.

Paranormal romance mixes real-life elements with fantasy or science fiction. These stories may take place in an alternate version of the real world, such as one with vampires, werewolves, or demons. Other stories may feature humans with special powers, like witches or ghosts. Time travel, futuristic, and space-based romances are also part of the paranormal romance category.

These books often mix elements from other genres, like suspense or chick lit, with their fantasy themes. Some paranormal romance stories are set in the past, similar to historical romance novels. Others are set in the future or on other planets. Some include time travel, where the hero or heroine moves between the past and future. Between 2002 and 2004, the number of paranormal romance books published in the United States doubled to 170 per year. Popular books in this genre can sell over 500,000 copies.

Many paranormal romance books mix modern life with the existence of supernatural beings, such as ghosts or witches. Sometimes, people in these stories know about the supernatural, and sometimes they do not. Some books focus more on the romance than on the details of their fantasy worlds. Others carefully build their fantasy worlds, combining magical systems and unique cultures with real-life settings.

Science fiction romance is a mix of three popular genres: science fiction, fantasy, and romance. These books explore imaginary worlds while also telling a complete love story. The level of sensuality in these novels can range from very modest to very romantic.

Over the years, many publishers have included futuristic, fantasy, and science fiction romance books in their lines of contemporary romance novels. One of the first futuristic romance books published by a major publisher was Sweet Starfire by Jayne Ann Krentz in 1986. This book was a "classic road trip romance" set in a different galaxy. This genre has become more popular since 2000. Krentz says the popularity of this genre comes from the fact that these stories are like historical romances, but set on other worlds.

Science fiction romance overlaps with other subgenres, like steampunk, which mixes science fiction with alternate history set during the Victorian era. Steampunk stories often include historical elements combined with advanced technology, as seen in the TV show The Wild Wild West (1965–1969). Authors in this subgenre include M. K. Hobson and Gail Dayton.

Fantasy romance, also called romantic fantasy, is a type of fantasy story that includes many of the elements found in romance novels. These books are published by both fantasy and romance publishers. Some publishers treat "fantasy romance" as a contemporary fantasy story with romantic elements, while others focus more on the romance itself.

Time-travel romance is a type of story where characters move between different time periods. These stories often explore how love and relationships change over time.

Tropes

A trope is a common theme or story element that appears often in books. In romance novels, tropes are used repeatedly because they are parts of stories that readers enjoy. Tropes, which relate to the plot, are sometimes mixed up with "hooks," which are character or setting details that interest readers, such as a job, place, time of year, or a character's quality.

According to India Holton, tropes may seem overused, but they connect with readers by showing "universal experiences and common types of people." They help romance writers attract readers by offering familiar ideas. Tropes can also be a starting point for new ideas, and authors can change them intentionally to create interesting stories. There are many tropes in romance novels, but some of the most common are:

• Love Triangle: Two characters try to win the love of a third person.
• Friends to Lovers: Two friends who have known each other for a long time become romantic partners.
• Forced Proximity: Characters are forced to spend a lot of time together, leading them to fall in love. Arranged Marriage, another romance trope, is a type of this trope.
• Enemies to Lovers: Characters who dislike each other learn to overcome their differences and fall in love.
• Forbidden Love: A relationship between characters is not allowed or considered taboo, but it happens anyway. Workplace Romances and other details about characters' status or relationships are often part of this trope.
• Second Chance: Characters who were once together but broke up find a way to reunite.
• Fake Relationship: Characters agree to pretend to be in a relationship, but it becomes real.
• Soulmates: Characters are drawn together because of a strong, unavoidable connection.

Explicit content

The presence or absence of sexual content in romance novels, along with the type of content, is important to readers. Readers, reviewers, and publishers often describe this content using terms like “spice,” “steam,” or “heat.” Whether a book has explicit content depends on the person reading it, as it involves both the amount of sexual content and the level of detail used to describe it.

Some publishers and authors use content ratings for their books based on their own rules. It is a topic of debate whether explicit content ratings should appear in library catalogs. The American Library Association believes that labeling books with content ratings is a form of censorship and suggests that such labels may imply that all books in a catalog have been reviewed. However, some libraries use tags to describe explicit content in their catalogs. These tags help library staff assist patrons but may be harder for general users to find.

Markets

The romance fiction market was not affected by the economic recession in 1982, as readers spent up to $40 each month on romance novels. That year, paperback romance novels generated $300 million in sales, with an estimated 20 million readers. A survey of 600 regular readers found that they were similar to the general population in age, education, and family and financial situations. Over half of the women surveyed had some college education, and 40% worked full-time. Sixty percent of the women read at least one romance novel every two days. They said they read romances to reduce stress, escape mentally, and learn about history and new jobs.

In 1982, at least 25% of all paperbacks sold were romance novels. By 1991, romance novels made up 46% of all mass-market paperbacks sold in the United States. This growth was partly due to readers who purchased many books, with over half of Harlequin’s customers buying 30 novels each month. By 1991, the romance novel audience had become more educated, with 45% having a college degree, and more than half of the audience working outside the home.

By the 2000s, romance novels became the most popular genre in modern literature. In 2008, romantic fiction generated $1.37 billion in sales, with 7,311 romance novels published. Romance novels made up 13.5% of the consumer book market. A study found that 74 million people had read at least one romance novel in 2008. The study also reported that 9.5% of romance readers identified as male, and romance readers were more likely to be married or living with a partner. According to the study, 84% of romance buyers were women, and 16% were men. Of the entire U.S. population, 24.6% read at least one romance novel in 2008.

In 2024, a company called 831 Stories began publishing romance novels with covers that had no images or illustrations, creating a shared understanding between readers.

— The New York Times, 2004

In 2008, 74.8 million people read an English-language romance novel. Harlequin sells more than 4 books every second, with half sold internationally. Author Heather Graham said emotions are easy to translate, which may explain the popularity. In the United Kingdom, over 20% of all fiction books sold each year are romance novels.

Although romance novels are translated into over 90 languages, most authors of women’s fiction are from Great Britain or North America. In France, where over 12 million romance novels are sold each year, all are translations, as are almost all Harlequin novels in Italy. Some German publishing companies do not allow their romance authors to use their real names, fearing readers may not buy a romance novel without an American pseudonym.

The perspective of Anglo-Saxon culture in fiction is sometimes less successful in European markets. In Italy, the strongest foreign market for chick lit books from Red Dress Ink, romance readers do not prefer stories about cowboys, as this occupation was not common in their culture. The paranormal romance genre is not popular in countries like Poland and Russia, but historical romance is very successful. Inspirational romance does not sell well in Europe, where romances featuring babies are popular. German readers enjoy more erotic romance novels, and some German translations of English romance novels add or expand love scenes. Other German translators may remove or censor love scenes.

As of 2014, romance was the most popular literary genre in Russia, chosen by 13% of respondents, especially among younger readers.

In 2004, sales of romance novels in Australia increased by 28% compared to the previous year. Between 1999 and 2004, the number of new romance titles released increased by 40–50%. Harlequin received 20,000 unsolicited manuscripts each year and found that women make up 99% of romance readers.

Awards

The most important and well-known awards for romance novels are the RITA Awards. These awards are given every year by the Romance Writers of America to the best books in romantic fiction.

Another well-known award is the Romantic Novel of the Year Award (RoNA), which is given by the Romantic Novelists' Association. This award has different categories:

• Contemporary Romance
• Historical Romance
• Romantic Comedy
• Fantasy Romance
• Romantic Thriller
• Romantic Saga
• Shorter Romantic Novel
• Debut Romance Novel