It seems that in most of the romance books I read, the couples are very young.  The average age of heroines in romance books today is 24-26.  The average romance reader is 44, and the number of readers over 45 is 44%.  Sometimes I find it hard to connect to the stories  because I’ve long passed my twenties.  Are you finding yourself with the same dilemma?  The good news is that the industry is aware and romances are no longer about the young, perfect couple with perfect jobs and perfect lives.  Stories have become more like real lives with all the real issues and hardships, and that includes stories with more mature characters.  If you’d like to read romances with more mature characters, here is a small selection of titles.

Black Rose – Nora Roberts – Roz, a wealthy and independent woman who believes that love is behind her, is stunned when unexpected romance comes into her life.

Julie and Romeo – Jeanne Ray – Julie Roseman and Romeo Cacciamani had been born to rival florist families in Boston, but it is love at first sight when they spot each other across a crowded lobby.

Hannah’s Courtship – Emma Miller – Amish widow Hannah Yoder never intended to marry again. Yet when her friendship with veterinarian Albert Hartman begins to bloom into something more, Hannah wonders if perhaps she’s finally ready for a new love.

Taken With You – Shannon Stacey – Even though he is her complete opposite, librarian Hailey Genest finds herself falling for rugged, outdoorsy game warden Matt Barnett, who is renting the house next door.

Wild Man – Kristen Ashley – When DEA agent Brock walks into Tessa O’Hara’s bakery, she thinks she’s found the man of her dreams, until the details of his mission jeopardize what they have together.

Honeysuckle Summer – Sherryl Woods – Raylene Hammond, who is shielded from the world by her best friends as she recovers from a disastrous marriage, falls in love with sheriff’s deputy Carter Rollins, but wonders if she is strong enough to accept what he is offering.

This Heart of Mine – Susan Elizabeth Phillips – When children’s book author Molly Somerville acts on her crush on Chicago Stars quarterback Kevin Tucker, she sets in motion a chain of events that will alter the lives of everyone it touches.

Delicious – Sherry Thomas – A rising political star, Stuart Somerset gets more than he had bargained for when he meets his talented new chef, Verity Durant, and finds himself attracted to more than just her cooking abilities.

Catch of a Lifetime – LuAnn McLane – While making her aunt’s diner the go-to place for gourmet down-home fare, Jessica Robinson, a single mother and world-class chef, catches the eye of former major leaguer Ty McKenna who, no stranger to her cooking, tries to convince her that he is a one-woman man.

Sources:  Booklist Reader, Dear Author, Romance Writers of America