Romance novels, while wildly popular, are often “loathed by literary critics” and denounced as formulaic “hackwork” (Crusie). However, popular romance novels cannot be ignored; these books make up the largest market share of genre fiction, earning a total of $1.44 billion in 2022 (Curcic). In spite of this popularity, most university libraries have few romance novels or related nonfiction scholarly and non-scholarly sources about romance novels on their shelves.
At UD, lecturer Amy Krug and her English composition students set out to change that. In the fall of 2023, they collaborated with University Libraries Director of Collections Strategies & Services Tina Beis to curate a list of novels and nonfiction resources about the genre and build a circulating collection. Browse them here and use the links provided to view them in the library catalog.
This project was supported by a grant from the Experiential Learning Innovation Fund. Logo design by Shahd Salem.
Sources:
Crusie, Jenny. “Defeating the Critics: What We Can Do About the Anti-Romance Bias.” JennyCrusie.com. Accessed May 15, 2023.
Curcic, Dimitrije. “Romance Novel Sales Statistics.” Wordsrated.com. October 9, 2022. Accessed May 10, 2023.
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The Boyfriend Project
Farrah Rochon
This book has been chosen for its representation of African American characters in romance. While the book never loses its romance focus, it stays on the track of being an outstanding representation of multicultural romance.
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The Boy Next Door
Annabel Costa
The Boy Next Door tells the story of two best friends-turned-lovers. Jason and Tasha had been childhood friends, and they remained so for many years. Jason was the nerd, while Tasha was the hot and clueless teenager. However, Tasha has always been able to count on Jason. When the time for college comes, these friends go their separate ways, then reconnect later in New York. Now, Tasha finds herself single at 32 with a desire to settle down but incapable of finding the right person. She had never considered anything romantic could happen between herself and Jason, having retired him in the friend zone and seeing him as a brother. It takes Jason to declare his love for her to jump-start the love story.
This book was chosen for the collection because of how it represents disability, and it delivered. Jason is paraplegic, but the author handles this subject well. The hero is portrayed as smart, sexy, and adorable, dealing with his disability with humor and grace. Also, the author tastefully deals with his disability. This book was so much fun because of Tasha’s humorous narration. She also grows so much as a character from a shallow and reckless teen to an intelligent and likable person.
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The Bride Test
Helen Hoang
The Bride Test is a heartwarming romance story that follows a character who struggles with romantic relationships because of autism. The diversity in this book can give readers a new perspective on those who are on the spectrum and struggle with real-world relationship problems. The novel also helps readers on the spectrum relate to the main character instead of commonly feeling excluded from the genre.
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The Chai Factor
Farah Heron
The Chai Factor is Farah Heron’s debut novel. It features a Muslim heroine and white hero. Her story is a mix of laughter, love, and the challenges of race and cultural shifts in the modern world. It celebrates romance, Muslim culture, and how, despite differences, love can be found anywhere — even in your family’s home with a man in a barbershop quartet.
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The Code for Love and Heartbreak
Jillian Cantor
The Code for Love and Heartbreak is a retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma, following the life of modern Emma, a high school student. Emma is the co-president of her high school coding club and develops a matchmaking algorithm to help her classmates fall in love. This novel represents the often-underrepresented demographic of women in STEM while retaining its unique qualities as a sweet young-adult romance.
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The Fault in Our Stars
John Green
The Fault in Our Stars offers readers insight into cancer. While reading this book, readers will feel a range of emotions. This novel has great characters who give the reader a new perspective on life, which can be beneficial to young adults. This novel will challenge readers to reflect on their lives, and it will help readers grow. The Fault in Our Stars is a very entertaining book that offers many readers a new perspective.
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The Gloaming
Kirsty Logan
Following a family tragedy, the protagonist, Mara, grapples with her emotions and her family's grief. When a "mermaid," Pearl, comes into her life, Mara must decide if she's ready to bring love back into her life again. The Gloaming explores the romantic relationship between Pearl and Mara. The specific dynamic between Pearl and Mara is healthy and realistic, straying from the stereotypes often present in other LGBTQ+ novels.
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The Hating Game
Sally Thorne
This book touches on equal professional ambition among gender and other inequalities. It also challenges common stereotypes concerning gender. As the story unfolds, it also delves into themes of vulnerability, self-discovery, and the power of love to transform individuals.
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The Hellion’s Waltz
Olivia Waite
This book is in the Feminine Pursuits trilogy, books that are all historical lesbian romances. Most people assume that historical novels cannot be inclusive because of social conventions of the time; however, there are some wonderful LGBTQ+ historicals that explore gay relationships and how they function in different time frames. This book also sneaks in a polyamorous relationship if the reader is paying attention.
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The Host
Stephenie Meyer
The Host is set in the future where Earth is being invaded by aliens. These alien parasites eventually start to take over human souls and erase their personalities. Melanie has been taken over but doesn’t want to give it full access to her mind — and they become unlikely allies, looking for Jared, a man still hiding from the aliens. This novel would be great to add because it is sci-fi, romance, and dystopian fiction.
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The Inmate
Freida McFadden
Author Freida McFadden began her career by self-publishing and continues to do so independently. She is a prolific author, having published over 20 well-received books. Self-publishing has become an important part of the romance genre and should be represented in any collection.
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The Kiss Countdown
Etta Easton
Etta Easton knocks this romance debut out of the park. The novel features the “fake relationship” romance trope. As Amerie and Vincent live and work together, they find they want to be more than just roommates or friends and start to explore their relationship. It’s a great read for anyone who enjoys exploring different romance tropes and seeing how these tropes can still lead to a fun and enjoyable story.
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The Kiss Quotient
Helen Hoang
The Kiss Quotient is a refreshing and heartwarming romance narrative that follows a young heroine on the autism spectrum. Through navigating her world of relationships and sex, Stella Lane finds herself in a dilemma when she begins falling for Michael Phan, the male escort she hires to help her understand intimacy and love. To explore their complex feelings, the two embark on a beautiful journey. This novel highlights awareness of disabilities, specifically autism, and how it can impact relationships. The novel also breaks stereotypes; sheds light on struggles individuals with disabilities face; creates an environment of communication, consent, and understanding of each other's needs; and empowers readers to embrace their whole authentic selves to achieve happiness.
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The Millstone
Margaret Drabble
Called "ahead of its time" by many who talk about it, The Millstone tackles a lot of the problems of the 1960s. It comments on the sexual liberation of women, unplanned parenthood, single motherhood, and women in academic settings. It’s a good reminder of why feminism is important. Traditional moralism is back on the rise, and this is a great piece of commentary on it from a time when the debate was at its height.
Note: This book belongs to the "Is it a romance?" section. It's up to the reader to decide!
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The Notebook
Nicholas Sparks
The Notebook is a phenomenal story that centers upon the endurance of love and the strength to persevere, no matter the situation. The Notebook is a highly acclaimed romance novel and most certainly deserves to be in the conversation of high-end romance.
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The Prospects
K.T. Hoffman
This book is for people who enjoy the “enemies to friends” romance trope as well as sports-related romance. The story follows an openly trans minor league baseball player whose No. 1 rival joins his team, and they have to find a way to coexist. This leads to something more. This book is a great way for readers to view romance through a trans/gay lens.
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The Right Swipe
Alisha Rai
Rhiannon Hunter is trying to get over an ex, but the ex shows back up in her life as a dating app business rival. She is a hard-working business woman who only has occasional hookups instead of real romantic dating. Running into Samson, with whom she had a prior fling, leads to a romantic physical partnership. Is it too much of a risk to get back together again? And will this new business venture cause other issues?
We chose this book because it has a unique storyline and revolves around the dating app industry. It will add to the collection by giving a more modern picture of the dating world. We find it intriguing how the woman is the powerful figure and the man is portrayed in a weaker way.
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The Selection
Kiera Cass
We chose this book because it is a very easy read and a great introduction to romance novels. Considering it was the first book in the series, it did not take us long to finish and drew us into the story. It’s a sci-fi/fantasy story about fighting over one’s heart, going out of your comfort zone, and befriending strangers. It was a very heartwarming book, and there were a couple of moments that really surprised us.
This book is a great starter book if you are looking to get into romance. There were very few intimate scenes, and the plot was compelling. It made the book easy to read and really kept you wanting to read more. The interactions between the main character and the love interest are heartwarming, but they keep you on the edge of your seat.
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The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
Taylor Jenkins Reid
This novel goes against stereotypical ideas of women in romantic relationships. The book doesn't just explore Evelyn and her seven husbands; it also explores Evelyn’s character in greater depth, which is why it is such a compelling book to read. Choosing this book to be part of this collection relates to the idea that it is not a stereotypical romantic relationship. Adding it to the collection shows a modern take on love, and others need to be exposed to different kinds of love stories.
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The Song of Achilles
Madeline Miller
This book is a beautiful retelling of Homer’s Iliad from the perspective of Patroclus, Achilles’s childhood best friend-turned-lover. It follows Achilles’s journey as a soldier in the Trojan War while reenvisioning Homer’s depiction of a famous war hero. This novel reveals a sensitive and nurturing side of Achilles, which challenges what we know about masculinity, romance, and love.
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The Upper World
Femi Fadugba
This fast-paced book interweaves the themes of violence, family, time travel, and loss. While incorporating those themes in the story, the book also brings a sense of diversity by having the protagonists portrayed as persons of color; the setting is an area with minorities being the main occupants. This brings a refreshing spin to romance that cultivates the reader's engagement in the story.
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They Both Die at the End
Adam Silvera
They Both Die at the End is a gripping sci-fi thriller romance in which new technology makes it possible to inform people of the day of their death. After receiving their death notifications, Mateo and Rufus meet on “The Last Friend” app for people looking to make friends on their last day. Embarking on an emotional journey to affirm their lives, they create lifelong memories together.
Note: This book belongs to the "Is it a romance?" section. It's up to the reader to decide!
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This Is How You Lose the Time War
Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone
We chose this book because its complex story makes it unique compared to other romance novels. Although a more challenging read compared to the other books we selected, it rewards the reader with its elaborate use of wordplay. It tells its story through two time-traveling agents' love letters that create a personal connection not found in other novels. This book is worth reading.
This book is great for representing feminism in romance literature. Both of the protagonists in the book are female, and overall the book seamlessly integrates this into the story. This book does a phenomenal job of breaking gender norms; for example, these two protagonists hold a high-ranking position in the war.
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This is How You Lose the Time War
Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone
This book depicts a time war within a dying world between two teams, Blue and Red. Two agents from these opposite teams fall in love. They write letters to each other about their experiences and battles that they encounter. The Blue and Red teams are determined to win because winning has become their only purpose.
We chose this book because it has an interesting story where the main characters are connecting to each other on different timelines through letters. The idea of being in a time war and having two agents from different sides of the war was an interesting dynamic with the characters. This is a very nontraditional romance novel.
