Love and the novel : the poetics and politics of romantic fiction

The popularity of romance fiction is such that it constitutes nearly one quarter of new paperback fiction printed in the world. Its success depends on its ability to reflect and articulate the reader's aspirations for a better life and stands at the same time as a testament to her alienation. This fresh look at the romantic fiction seeks to discover the reason for its appeal by combining analysis of the poetics of the genre with a study of the real reader's intervention. Front Matter....Pages i-ix Introduction....Pages 1-9 The Market, the Company, the Book and its Readers....Pages 10-26 The Romantic Novel and its Critics....Pages 27-50 The Cover, Time and Place....Pages 51-73 Characterisation....Pages 74-107 The First Meeting....Pages 108-125 Obstacles....Pages 126-147 The Solution....Pages 148-174 Conclusion....Pages 175-179 Back Matter....Pages 180-211