Consuming Agency and Desire in Romance: Stories of Love, Laughter, and Empowerment [Hardcover]

The romance industry has profited on the fantasies of women for centuries. However, as a new generation of women raised under the guidance of second-wave feminists take up the reins of romance production, romance novels and films have increasingly challenged tired stereotypes labeling romantic stories as formulaic fodder. This book examines how the romance genre serves women in multiple ways, from escapism to sexual education, from fantasy to fun, and most importantly, as a site of production for feminist texts.Jenni M. Simon is faculty member in the Department of Communication Studies at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.This book explores how feminism is represented in contemporary romance literature and films. Notably, romance novels have been historically perceived as being antithetical to feminism. However, this book argues that feminism and the romance genre are not mutually exclusive, but rather portray the diversity and multitude of feminist voices and perspectives. The topic is innovative and under-studied. Laura Struve, Wilmington College

Contents

Foreword
Introduction
Chapter One: Romancing the Feminist
Chapter Two: Legitimizing Contemporary Romance as a Genre
Chapter Three: Modern Romance: From Bodice Ripping to Autonomy
Chapter Four: Feminist Authors as Organic Intellectuals
Chapter Five: Feminist Possibility in Romance beyond Post-Feminist Critique
References
About the Author