Sub-Genres
Many sub-genre's exist in the Romance genre this allows for a greater diversity of favorite books that can be found. From Thrillers to Inspirationals, there is something for everyone in the Romance Genre for every type of Adventure imaginable. It seems the sub-genres just keep growing and changing as the years go by making romance one of the most fluid forms of fiction available today.
Inspirational Romance
These romances are sweet and inspirational and espouse traditional values. These stories are more based on emotional connections and the connection with a higher power than with physical intimacy. Often heroines in this genre are needing to believe in love after a crisis of faith. Sex is non existant in these books and the hero and heroine may kiss by the end of the book but that is as racy as it gets. Stories often involve ethical or moral dilemmas and reconciling family values with modern expectations. In these stories the true love is often the divine being the girl prays to. (Mort, 133) Titles include Almost An Angel by Deb Stover, Sixty Acres and a Bride by Regina Jennings and Words Spoken True by Anne H. Gabheart and Just Beyond the Clouds by Karen Kingsbury are just a few titles.
Historical Romance
Historical Romances can begin all the way from pre-history with Jean M. Auel's Earths Children Series to just prior to modern day. Popular authors include but are not limited to A Duke's Temptation by Jillian Hunter, Amanda Quick's Arcane Society Novels, Anne Stuart's Lord of Danger and Chellsea Quinn Yarbro's Saint Germain Series (Which technically goes under paranormal romance but because of historical detail is included here). Novels tend to be more historically accurate than your average book, if they qualify under historical romance, and can often take years to write in order to make certain that the facts are straight. With historical romances there is a time period for every palate. Typically the heroine in these novels is on the fringe of a turning point in time and her actions and the actions of the hero can help aid in major events in history. These stories tend to be more of an every-woman type of story because the heroine usually has duties that many women of a given time had. Often women in Historical romances are outspoken and head strong for the time periods they exist in. Depending on the research done innacuracies may creep in if the series is from a publishing house that is trying to get copies sold rather than check for errors. Often Western Romance is lumped in this genre though there are some like Harlequin who see it as its own sub genre (Herald, 261).
Thriller Romance
Thriller Romance is often dark and brooding. The heroine doesn't know who she can trust and is drawn to the hero even if she doesn't trust him immediately. Often the heroine is drawn to the villian at first by his wit and charm or is being stalked by a killer and runs into the hero on accident. Solving the case will often bring the couple together and cause them to see the good qualities of the other. Once the adrenalin wears off the couple often finds out the mystery wasn't the only thing keeping them together. Claudia Hale Christian's The Fey, Tick Tock Run:Someones coming for me...someone wants me dead by H. Elliston, Yvonne Anthony's Fatal Beauty, and Marriage of Deceit:A Delicious Psychological Thriller by Bayla Highland are just a few titles in this genre that often spills over into the Paranormal Romance Genre.
Paranormal Romance
Paranormal Romances are the most popular title today. With Ghosts, Witches and Vampires a plenty there is no end of spooky fun that heroes and heroines can get into. prolific writers like Christine Feehan and her Carpathian series, Laurelle K. Hamilton and her Merry Gentry Series and Anita Blake series, Kim Harrison and her Hollows series and Charlain Harris's Sookie Stackhouse series there is no end in sight for paranormal romance. Often the paranormal activity allows the hero and heroine to see each other clearly even if one or both of them is not human. Issues of self control, good vs. Evil and special bonds abound in these novels. Sometimes graphic, sometimes sentimental, these novels make a good read on a cold winter night.
Multicultural Romance
Multiculteral romances often deal with issues of tradition, race and ethnicity as well as Romance. Books are often written by authors from other cultures as a way of reconciling cultural differences. Often the hero and heroine come to a greater understanding of their culture or that of their partner and learn what is truely important to them Some titles include Final Hour by Tracey Tillis, Forever Always by Jaquelin Thomas, The Right Amount of Wrong: A Romantic Thriller by Jarryd A. Jackson
Teen Romance
Teen Romance is one of the quickest growing genres in the market. The books help describe issues teens can relate to such as relationships, sex, love and heartbreak. Some use romantic reading for pleasure and enjoyment. These books typically have very little sex in them and largely only get as explicit as a kiss. Sexual tension is present but it is the majority of what drives the story (Carpan, 3). The appeal of these stories is the large variety of the genre. Every Romantic Genre can be found under the Teen Romance umbrella and so it has something for everyone. The intensity of the feelings the characters go through appeals to young readers from young to older teens. The Twilight Saga by Stephanie Meyer and The Vampire Diaries by L. J. Smith fall under this heading as well as the Gossip Girls series by Cecily Von Ziegesar.
LGBTQ Romance
These stories appleal to the LGBTQ community and deal with issues of coming out, love, acceptance, family and faith but can also go into more serious issues such as work, family and homophobia. These titles come in sweet light romance and spicy romance and can appeal to just about every palate. (Bosman and Bradford, 159) Emma Donoghue's Hood. Nora and Liz by Nancy Garden, and Latter Days by Jay C. Cox are a few titles under this subject heading.