Popular romance fiction constitutes the largest segment of the global book market. Bringing together an international group of scholars, The Routledge Research Companion to Popular Romance Fiction offers a ground-breaking exploration of this global genre and its remarkable readership. In recognition of the diversity of the form, the Companion provides a history of the genre, an overview of disciplinary approaches to studying romance fiction, and critical analyses of important subgenres, themes, and topics. It also highlights new and understudied avenues of inquiry for future research in this vibrant and still-emerging field. The first systematic, comprehensive resource on romance fiction, this Companion will be invaluable to students and scholars, and accessible to romance readers.

It is often claimed that the kind of love that is variously deemed 'romantic' or 'true' did not exist in antiquity. Yet, ancient literature abounds with stories that seem to adhere precisely to this kind of love. This volume focuses on such literature and the concepts of love it espouses. The volume differs from and challenges much existing classical scholarship which has traditionally privileged the theme of sex over love and prose-genres over those of poetry. By conversely focusing on love and poetry, the present volume freshly explores central poets in ancient literature, such Homer, Sappho, Terence, Catullus, Virgil, Horace and Ovid, alongside less canonized, such as the anonymous poet of The Lament for Bion, Philodemus and Sulpicia. The chapters, which are written by world-leading as well as younger scholars, reveal that Greek and Latin concepts of love seem interconnected, that such love is as relevant for hetero- as homoerotic couples, and that such ideas of love follow the mainstream of poetry throughout antiquity. In addition to the general reader interested in the history of love, this volume is relevant for students and scholars of the ancient world and the poetic tradition.

Although it is most likely never intentional, many couples in long-term relationships often lose sight of their own needs and desires. The good news is that the simple act of dressing in just the right clothing can make a woman feel confident, sexy, in charge, and with the power to rekindle the romance and sexual excitement either in a current relationship or while on a search for lasting love. Lynn Sorge, PhD, relies on her expertise on historical stays and corsets to guide both couples and single women to rediscover passion and intimacy. In the first section, Dr. Sorge shares the fictional story of Sophie and her husband, Ty, as they struggle in a passionless marriage. Although both feel the loss, Sophie unintentionally takes the lead when she makes an enormous discovery that changes everything. Part two shares wisdom and concepts to help single women searching for the perfect mate develop a winning mindset, build confidence, identify qualities in a potential partner, and rediscover sexuality. Included is a suggested romantic musical playlist to be used during scenes of seduction. Corsets and Romance is a two-part story and guide that helps couples rediscover passion and romance, and leads singles of all ages to find lasting love.

Despite the prejudices of critics, popular romance fiction remains a complex, dynamic genre. It consistently maintains the largest market share in the American publishing industry, even as it welcomes new subgenres like queer and BDSM romance. Digital publishing originated in erotic romance, and savvy online communities have exploded myths about the genre's readership. Romance scholarship now reflects this diversity, transformed by interdisciplinary scrutiny, new critical approaches, and an unprecedented international dialogue between authors, scholars, and fans. These eighteen essays investigate individual romance novels, authors, and websites, rethink the genre's history, and explore its interplay of convention and originality. By offering new twists in enduring debates, this collection inspires further inquiry into the emerging field of popular romance studies.

Harlequin Medical Romance brings you a collection of three new titles, available now! Enjoy these stories packed with pulse-racing romance and heart-racing medical drama. This Harlequin Medical Romance box set includes: A DADDY FOR THE MIDWIFE’S TWINS? By Tina Beckett When handsome yet infuriating obstetrician Eoin arrives at Saraia’s birthing centre, the passion they have for their work soon becomes a different kind of pulse-racing heat! But is this single mom to twins ready to let somebody new into her heart—and give her girls a longed-for daddy? CINDERELLA’S KISS WITH THE ER DOC By Scarlet Wilson The last thing on nurse Skye’s mind is romance. Yet her chemistry with new ER doc Lucas is irresistible. But as the world learns he’s the latest Duke of Mercia, their growing feelings are tested… And a New Year’s kiss could change everything for this spotlight-shy Cinderella! SECOND CHANCE FOR THE HEART DOCTOR Atlanta Children’s Hospital By Susan Carlisle After his ex ran off with his best friend, cardiologist Jenson’s sole focus is his small patients. But the fireworks that erupt when he meets dedicated nurse Bayley are too powerful to ignore… Is the guarded doctor ready to embrace a second chance?

From Jill Robinson, the author of Past Forgetting, comes a true story, coauthored with her husband, the English writer Stuart Shaw, about finding love when they both thought they were through with romance. When Stuart and Jill first met, neither felt like a poster child for serious love. Stuart was recovering from the alcoholism that had wrecked his marriage and ravaged his career. Jill was recovering from a second failed marriage and believed she was done with love forever. But then, in a crowded Connecticut diner, at about midnight, Jill caught Stuart's eye and shot him a look that said, I'm designed for you. Immediately drawn to Jill, Stuart asked, Would you like to come to my place for a cup of tea sometime? What follows is a journey toward commitment. You hear it from both points of view: his and hers. If you've ever felt that your opportunity for love was gone, here's the lively story of the creation of a passionate marriage that will fill your heart with joy and hope.

The fifth volume of the Posen Library demonstrates through a rich array of texts and images the extraordinary diversity of Jewish life during the early modern period "A rich and varied gateway into the primary source material of early modern Jewish history that is very strong on geographical diversity. A magnificent achievement."--Adam Sutcliffe, King's College London The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, Volume 5, covering the early modern period (1500-1750), presents a variety of Jewish texts to demonstrate the diversity of Jewish culture and life. These texts originate from Eastern and Western Europe, the Americas, the Ottoman Empire, North Africa, Kurdistan, Persia, Yemen, India--in short, a worldwide diaspora. They embrace historical writing and religious scholarship, liturgical expression and economic records, ethics and personal devotion, correspondence and communal regulations, art and music, architecture and poetry. The simultaneous centrifugal and centripetal character of Jewish communities during this era illustrates the distinctiveness of the early modern period in Jewish history and informs developments in world history at large. Including texts written by women, a robust collection of images, and extensive material not previously accessible to English-language readers, this volume is rich, deep, and enlightening.

Since the end of the nineteenth century, the Korean people have faced successive waves of foreign domination, authoritarian regimes, forced dispersal, and divided development. Throughout these turbulent times, “queer” Koreans were ignored, minimized, and erased in narratives of their modern nation, East Asia, and the wider world. This interdisciplinary volume challenges such marginalization through critical analyses of non-normative sexuality and gender variance. Considering both personal and collective forces, contributors extend individualized notions of queer neoliberalism beyond those typically set in Western queer theory. Along the way, they recount a range of illuminating topics, from shamanic rituals during the colonial era and B-grade comedy films under Cold War dictatorship to toxic masculinity in today’s South Korean military and transgender confrontations with the resident registration system. More broadly, Queer Korea offers readers new ways of understanding the limits and possibilities of human liberation under exclusionary conditions of modernity in Asia and beyond. Contributors. Pei Jean Chen, John (Song Pae) Cho, Chung-kang Kim, Timothy Gitzen, Todd A. Henry, Merose Hwang, Ruin, Layoung Shin, Shin-ae Ha, John Whittier Treat

Insiders and Outsiders addresses various aspects of Jewish and Gentile interaction since the development of the German-Jewish literary and cultural identity in the early nineteenth century. Containing the work of prominent scholars, critics, and journalists involved with German-Jewish studies from around the world, this ambitious anthology of literary and cultural criticism suggests a reevaluation of important cultural and literary issues, including the problem of cultural diversity with regard to German-speaking countries and the question as to what constitutes German cultural identity in multicultural central Europe. This volume highlights the centrality of the Jewish presence in the heart of German and Austrian culture as well as the important role German culture played in Jewish society. While most previously published studies emphasize either the grandeur of German-Jewish achievement or the tragedy of these two cultures in contact, Insiders and Outsiders examines both the failures and the successes of this tense and troubling relationship. It suggests that rather than being the product of a nurturing multicultural environment, the achievements of German-Jewish intellectuals and poets grew out of friction, unrest, and discomfort.