ROMANCE REVS UP

摘要

No matter your personal preferences, it's hard to argue with the romance numbers: according to BookStats, estimated annual total sales value of romance in 2013 was $1.08 billion. That's billions, folks. For many libraries, romance comprises the bread and butter of the genre fiction collections. The trends we see within the romance sphere represent an embarrassment of riches, and the upcoming fall and winter lineup suggests there is no slowing down. The images that conjure "romance novel" are no longer exclusively the long-haired, bare-chested Fabio-type hovering over a distraught damsel in distress. We still love our he-ros and heroines, but today's protagonists can be bikers, rock stars, dragon-shifters, mixed martial arts fighters, construction workers, millionaires, soldiers, and Vikings, to name a few. The tried-and-true happily ever after (HEA) remains a staple, but getting there can happen in a single volume or take several installments. Either way, the ride has never been more exciting, thrilling, tantalizing, and just plain entertaining.