Line #80 Main/RomanceNovel


1	[[quoteright:304:[[Literature/HighlandCaptive https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/romance_cover_015_7106.jpg]]]]
2	[[caption-width-right:304:This genre features plenty of CostumePorn, and actual porn.]]
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4	A genre of {{literature}} that has become popular, starting in the early [[The20thCentury 20th century]]. By the end of the century, the genre did much to suppress all other meanings of {{Romance}}. While romantic subplots have existed in fiction since fairly close to the beginning, romance as a focal point and driving force hadn't really been explored in depth until the last few centuries. Romance novels as an industry started in TheThirties with the company of Mills and Boon releasing hardcover romance novels. The genre changed significantly with the distribution of ''Literature/TheFlameAndTheFlower'', which is noteworthy for showing that buyers of romance novels are more than happy to read about sex. Because of the single requirement required for a book to be a Romance (a HappilyEverAfter) many different genres have been incorporated into subgenres, such as Historical Romance, ParanormalRomance and even MilitaryFiction.
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6	While [[SubvertedTrope subversions]], [[AvertedTrope aversions]], [[{{Deconstruction}} deconstructions]], and [[TheParody parodies]] exist, most romance novels are [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism fairly idealistic]] and end HappilyEverAfter.
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8	A couple of companies such as Harlequin (Mills and Boon in the U.K.) have started a business model of releasing relatively short (~55,000 words), StrictlyFormula paperbacks. These are known as "category" or "series" romances because they are divided into series, each of which has its own requirements for setting, tone, and level of sensuality and is visually distinguishable by consistent cover design. It's usually these that most people think of when the genre is brought up. Almost all listed authors of such books are female, although many are written by men using [[MoustacheDePlume female pseudonyms]], since the [[EstrogenBrigade reader base]] expects the author to be a woman. Also, the main character is usually female; some authors include a lot of writing from the point of view of the hero, but ones exclusively from his perspective are rare or nonexistent. Except for male/male romances, that is -- also frequently read (and written) by [[YaoiFangirls women]].
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10	"Single title" romances -- those released as standalones rather than associated with a category -- are usually longer, sometimes come out in hardcover, and have more overlap with mainstream fiction. Particularly successful series romance writers often move up to writing books of this type.
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12	The genre has always experienced a lot of stigma, generally getting critically dismissed as "not literature" for most of its existence. They are often derisively known as "bodice-rippers" (particularly the historic ones) or "trashy romance novels" if it's full of [[SexStartsStoryStops gratuitous sex scenes]]. But nowadays "trashy" is more likely to be a tongue-in-cheek descriptor used by the readers themselves rather than a statement on quality, as the novels serve a specific purpose of letting the reader turn their brain off and enjoy simple, smutty escapism. As such, the novels are often CriticProof.
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14	For tropes popular within Romance Novels, see RomanceNovelTropes. See also QueerRomance for LGBTQ+ pairings, which may also touch on additional themes such as coming out, queer culture, and homo- or transphobia (and not neglecting the gratuitous sex of course). ParanormalRomance is another subgenre where the romance is paired with a fantasy/sci-fi setting. Another subgenre is the "Clean and Wholesome Romance," a type of ChristianFiction with elements similar to a CozyMystery or SugarWiki/AHallmarkPresentation -- small towns with cute names (and shops, ditto), independent businesswomen, strong and caring male allies/love interests, etc. Sometimes, as with Rae Anne Thayne's ''Blackberry Summer,'' these actually are Cozy Mysteries as well. See also RomanceGame, for Romance {{Visual Novel}}s.
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16	Compare and contrast EroticLiterature.
17	----
18	!!Examples of the genre (ParanormalRomance is on its own page):
19	[[index]]
20	[floatboxright:
21	Categories:
22	+RomanceNovelTropes
23	+RomanceNovelPlots
24	+ParanormalRomance
25	]
26	* ''Literature/ThreeHundredSixtyFiveDays''
27	* ''Literature/AbramsDaughters''
28	* ''Literature/AddictedSeries''
29	* ''Literature/TheAlienSeries''
30	* ''Literature/AllAmericanGirlMegCabot''
31	* ''Literature/AnnaAndTheFrenchKiss''
32	* ''Literature/AprilLady''
33	* ''Literature/AvalonHigh ''
34	* ''Literature/BathTangle''
35	* ''Literature/{{Beastly}}''
36	* ''Literature/TheBedwynSaga''
37	* ''Literature/BerenAndLuthien''
38	* ''Literature/TheBlackMoth''
39	* ''Literature/BlackSheep1966''
40	* ''Literature/TheBlueCastle''
41	* ''Literature/TheBoss''
42	* ''Literature/BoyfriendMaterial''
43	* ''Literature/BoyMeetsGirl''
44	* ''Literature/TheBridgertonSeries''
45	* ''Literature/TheBridgesOfMadisonCounty''
46	* ''Literature/BrokenLoveSeries''
47	* ''Literature/ABrothersPrice'' (fantasy with romance plot)
48	* ''Literature/{{ByAnyOtherName\|2022}}''
49	* ''Literature/CaptivePrince'' (fantasy trilogy with heavy emphasis on romance, more so from the second book onwards)
50	* ''Literature/{{Charly}}''
51	* ''Literature/TheCharmedSphere''
52	* ''Literature/TheChesapeakeBaySaga''
53	* ''Literature/ACivilContract''
54	* ''Literature/TheComfortableCourtesan''
55	* ''Literature/TheConvenientMarriage''
56	* ''Literature/TheCorinthian''
57	* ''Literature/{{Cotillion}}''
58	* ''Literature/DarkOnesMistress''
59	* ''Film/DearJohn''
60	* ''Literature/DevilsCub''
61	* ''Literature/EarthsChildren'' (speculative/historical fiction that heavily includes romance from the second book onwards)
62	* ''Literature/{{Emma}}''
63	* ''Literature/FakingIt''
64	* ''Literature/TheFatalDream''
65	* ''Literature/FiftyShadesOfGrey''
66	* ''Literature/FindingGaia''
67	* ''Literature/FindingSnowflakes''
68	* ''Literature/TheFlameAndTheFlower''
69	* ''Literature/ForeverAmber''
70	* ''Literature/FridaysChild''
71	* ''Literature/TheGargoyle''
72	* ''Literature/GentlemenPreferBlondes''
73	* ''Literature/GivesLight''
74	* ''Literature/TheGoldenDemon''
75	* ''Literature/TheGrandSophy''
76	* ''Literature/HandsHeldInTheSnow''
77	* ''Literature/HighFidelity''
78	* ''Literature/HotelOriente''
79	* ''Literature/ImminentDangerAndHowToFlyStraightIntoIt''
80	* ''Literature/InAWorldJustRight''
81	* ''Literature/KeepingYouASecret''
82	* ''Literature/TheKissQuotient''
83	* ''Literature/TheLastSong''
84	* ''Literature/LetItSnow''
85	* ''Literature/TheLordOfBembibre''
86	* ''Literature/LoveAffairsOfNathanielP''
87	* ''Literature/TheLoveHypothesis''
88	* ''Literature/LoveInANutshell''
89	* ''Literature/LowlandsOfScotlandSeries''
90	* ''Film/TheLuckyOne''
91	* ''Literature/MaraDaughterOfTheNile''
92	* ''Literature/AMatchMadeInHighSchool''
93	* ''Literature/TheMiddlemistTrilogy''
94	* ''Mister & Missus'' series
95	** ''Literature/TheMister''
96	** ''Literature/TheMissus''
97	* ''Literature/MistressOfMyFate''
98	* The ''Never After'' series, a standalone dark romance series by Creator/EmilyMcIntire.
99	** ''Literature/{{Hooked}}''
100	** ''Literature/{{Scarred}}''
101	** ''Literature/Wretched2022''
102	** ''Literature/Twisted2023''
103	** ''Literature/Crossed2023''
104	* ''Film/NickAndNorahsInfinitePlaylist''
105	* ''Film/TheNotebook''
106	* ''Literature/November9''
107	* ''Literature/OneLastStop''
108	* ''Literature/{{Outlander}}''
109	* ''Literature/{{Overenskommelser}}''
110	* ''Literature/ParasiteEve''
111	* ''Literature/PassageToNovember''
112	* ''Literature/{{Persuasion}}''
113	* ''Literature/PowderAndPatch''
114	* ''Literature/PrideAndPrejudice''
115	* ''Literature/APromiseOfRoses''
116	* ''Literature/{{Psyche}}''
117	* ''Literature/QueenOfBabble''
118	* ''Literature/TheQuietGentleman''
119	* ''Literature/{{Ramona}}''
120	* ''Literature/RedeemingLove''
121	* ''Literature/RedWhiteAndRoyalBlue''
122	* ''Literature/TheReluctantWidow''
123	* ''Literature/ReturnToSender''
124	* ''Literature/TheRifter''
125	* ''Literature/RoseOfRapture''
126	* ''Literature/SavingCharlie'' (a ''Series/{{Heroes}}'' TieInNovel focusing on the relationship between Hiro and Charlie)
127	* ''Literature/SenseAndSensibility''
128	* ''Literature/TheShadowsBetweenUs''
129	* ''Literature/TheSharingKnife''
130	* ''Literature/TheSheik''
131	* ''Literature/SholanAlliance''
132	* ''Literature/SorceryAndCecelia''
133	* ''Literature/TheSoundOfWaves''
134	* ''Literature/{{Spellster}}''
135	* ''Literature/SprigMuslin''
136	* ''Literature/TheSwordOfSaintFerdinand''
137	* ''Literature/{{Sylvester}}''
138	* ''Literature/TairenSoul''
139	* ''Literature/TalesOfTheFiveHundredKingdoms''
140	* ''Literature/TeenIdol''
141	* ''Literature/TemptingHymn''
142	* ''Literature/TheseOldShades''
143	* ''Literature/TheThornBirds''
144	* ''Literature/TheTimeTravelersWife''
145	* ''Literature/ThreeWeeks''
146	* ''Literature/{{Troubleshooters}} series''
147	* ''Literature/TwoByTwo''
148	* ''Literature/UglyLove''
149	* ''Literature/{{Underground}}''
150	* ''Literature/TheUnknownAjax''
151	* ''Literature/UntilWeMeetAgain''
152	* ''Literature/{{Venetia}}''
153	* ''Literature/{{Verity}}'' (combined with thriller)
154	* ''Literature/TheVirginWidow''
155	* ''Literature/LaVitaNuova''
156	* ''Literature/WetGoddess'' (man x dolphin)
157	* ''Literature/WolfeBrothersSaga''
158	[[/index]]

Context Main / RomanceNovel