The Romance Genre Defined
Romantic Literature: From Suspense to Historical Fiction
People used to think of a romance novel as a small paperback with a busty heroine in the arms of a muscled, bare-chested, handsome stud. But now the romance genre has much more to offer readers.
Romance books cover almost all genres of the market, in hardcover, paperback, and ebooks. The one central theme linking all these genres into romance is the core plot of love; falling in love, staying in love, and living happily ever after, referred to in the industry as an HEA.
Catherine Lanigan, author of Writing the Great American Romance Novel, says on page one of her book, “The umbrella of romantic fiction today encompasses nearly every existing novel genre.” Here are some examples:
Romantic suspense is any novel that involves edge of your seat action. Romantic suspense can include medical thrillers, mystery, or any other kind of suspenseful plot. Allison Brennan’s Killing Fear is a New York Times bestseller.
Historical romance can cover any time period prior to 1945 in any setting. Monica McCarty’s books are set in the Scottish Highlands of the past. Highlander Unchained, Highlander Unmasked, and Highlander Untamed are three of her titles. Pirate romance is quite popular.
Time travel romance was first introduced to masses of readers by Diana Gabaldon with her Outlander series. The story of Jamie and Claire struck a chord in people’s hearts around the world, and has sold millions of copies.
Paranormal romance is the darkest of the romantic genres. It can have vampires, werewolves, ghouls, and any number of things that go bump in the night. A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole is the 2006 Rita Award Winner in this category.
Contemporary romance deals with modern situations a man and woman today would confront in their lives and relationships. Susan Elizabeth Phillips, author of Breathing Room, is a bestselling contemporary romance author. Adios to My Old Life, by Caridad Ferrer, is a Rita Award winner in contemporary romance.
Chick lit is lighthearted and humorous and is usually told from the heroine’s point of view. Meg Cabot, author of The Princess Diaries, is a blockbuster chick lit author. Jane Austen is considered by many to be the founder of chick lit.
Young adult romance is geared toward the teen crowd. Kelly Parra, author of Graffiti Girl, writes books for this market.
Inspirational romance is the genre that appeals to the more conservative readers. These readers look for stories of heroines with strong faith and strong morals. An award-winning example is Revealed, by Tamara Alexander.
Erotic romance is sexier and more explicit than any of the other romance lines. Ellora’s Cave is a leading publisher of erotic romance.
Category romance is the biggest seller of all, with 40% of the romance market share, according to the Romance Writers of America. These formulaic books are published on a regular schedule, usually monthly. The stories are shorter, around 50,000-60,000 words.
The readers of category romance know exactly what kind of story they want to read, and they faithfully buy and read many books each year. Harlequin sells several category romance lines that include westerns, home-town stories, suspense, worldwide intrigue, and any number of other plot lines.
The romance genre today has something for everyone, even those who aren't romantics at heart. And for the traditionalists, there are still a few bodice rippers to be found.
