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IST 605: Contemporary Romance Literature

A LibGuide for those curious about contemporary romance literature.

Romance: A History

A Brief History of the Romance Novel 

The modern romance novel, [...] has its origins in the romantic fiction of the 18th and 19th centuries. In novels such as Samuel Richardson’s Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded, the gothic romances of Ann Radcliffe, and the works of Jane Austen, readers were introduced to a new form of fiction, one that primarily focused on the lives and struggles of female protagonists (Pagan, 2019).

 

This article explores, as promised, a very brief history of romance in novel form. It is a quick introduction to where the genre comes from and how far it has come; however, it is slightly old-fashioned in both its recommendations and certain lingo used. "Mass-market" paperbacks are slowly disappearing, and the article covers only a paragraph for novels post-the early aughts. Still, it is important to know how romance came to be when talking about romance of the now, in order to compare and contrast how the industry of romance publishing has changed throughout the years. 

The Business of the Romance Novel

Then, in 1972, The Flame and the Flower—considered the first modern “bodice ripper”—was published by Avon. [...] By 1977, it had sold 2,580,000 copies (Mohammed, 2019).

 

This short article delves into romance as a business. Specifically, it looks at who publishers targeted with raunchier, more modern romances (married women between the ages of 25-44), and why the novels are so successful despite being labeled as "trashy" or "embarrassing" fiction. The paperback-first approach has always made romance more accessible, both in a physical sense and in a monetary sense, as paperback books are less expensive than hardcovers. Having the books be readily available at grocery stores and newspaper stands, according to the article, helped romance books profligate into incredible success and are likely why the genre has remained steadfastly successful into the modern era. 

The Evolution of the Romance Novel

In a time when the publishing industry largely struggles to sell other genres, romance has hit it big: the average income for a romance writer, in fact, has “tripled in the digital age.” The types of romances being written have changed, although the traditional happily-ever-after ending that is a requirement of the genre has stayed steady (Moran, 2023).

 

Another article about the evolution of romance, this one digs deeper into modern romance, particularly the boom that the genre has received in the last few years in relation to sales. It looks into novels that have helped romance reach its current heights (like Fifty Shades of Grey), as well as possible reasons for the romance boom (like the pandemic and the emergence of BookTok leading to a wider audience for romance). It makes a point to remark that all subgenres of romance are doing well, not just contemporary romance; fantasy romance, historical romance, and more have all seen a boost in popularity during the last few years. 

Black Romance Has A History 

This podcast, hosted by two historians, is dedicated to the history and context behind Black romance novels, with the first season being about 1994. Dubbed "The Summer of Black Love", 1994 saw more Black romances be published than any year prior. While not strictly about contemporary romance, I couldn't help but add this podcast as a source because of its excellent research and wonderful interviews that dig into Black romance and its history.