Today’s romance novels are not the bodice ripping, sex saturated, moaning and groaning, air head woman vs. chest beating man, empty stories of the 70’s and 80’s.  Today’s romances have evolved to complex plots, with smart, savvy heroines and sensitive, flawed heroes.  The old romance books had the domineering man “rescuing” the passive woman.  Today you’ll find strong, independent women who sometimes do the “rescuing”.  While most of today’s books have the “happily ever after ending”, some stories end up “happy for now”, or “satisfied with my live as is”.  Most romances today don’t center around just the two main characters.  You learn about their families and friends, the town they live in, the world around them.  Today’s romance reader is smart, educated, thoughtful, and complex.  Today’s romances run the gambit from historical England, to the wild American West, to the military, to small town life.  They can be inspirational, suspenseful, other worldly and a whole host of subgenres – so many that everyone will be able to find the right fit for their reading pleasure.  It is a bit deceiving to label a book “romance”, when it fits quite nicely as a “literary” novel.  Below is a list of just a few of the romance subgenres.

1. Medieval
2. Historical (England, Scotland)
3. American Historical
4. Western (Contemporary)
5. Western (Historical)
6. Contemporary (Serious)
7. Contemporary (Humorous)
8. Suspense
9. Thriller
10. Military
11. Paranormal(Vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters)
12. Paranormal(Ghosts, witches)
13. Futuristic/Fantasy
14. Regency Romances
15. Victorian Romances
16. Inspirational(Historical)
17. Inspirational(Contemporary)
18. Erotic
19. Chick Lit
20. Romantic Mysteries

The Library has an excellent selection of mass market romance paperbacks located on the main level near the front windows.

Which is your favorite genre?