Since the publication of Kathleen E. Woodiwiss'
The Flame and the Flower in 1972 by Avon Books, modern romance novels have evolved, and so have the covers.
What probably surprised many, was how successful
The Flame and the Flower would be, selling over 2.3 million copies in its first four years of publication. It paved the way for thousands of authors thereafter, laying the foundation for a genre that would become the top grossing one within the industry of literary fiction. But while these books once boasted domineering men and submissive women on their covers, they now seem more aware of gender equality and sensuality, with greater focus on the romantic. Because when all is said and done, aren't romance novels fairy-tales for adults? The reason we read them is in order to watch people fall in love and get that happily ever after that they deserve, no matter the odds stacked against them.
I have to admit, that I might think twice about reading a book with Fabio ravishing some woman on the cover, but I take no issue with showing off more recent romance novels. In fact, I think they're so pretty, and since many of them begin as paintings created by artists, I do feel that they deserve to be seen.
 |
| Flash back to the 80's and 90's |
 |
| Some of the prettiest covers out there! | | | | |
|
|
|
 |
| Just goes to show that not all romance novels depict a hero or a heroine on the cover. |
No comments:
Post a Comment