The Historical Romance

The Historical Romance
Author: Helen Hughes
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 266
Release: 2003-09-02
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1134932014

The Historical Romance explores the ways in which romance authors seek to represent our fantasies of life in the past. Examining how the cut-and-thrust swashbucklers of the 1930s gave way to female-orientated romances, Helen Hughes takes a comprehensive look at how romance authors have dealt with the turbulent question of female independence, and how traditional attitudes towards love, marriage and women's sexuality have been approached in more recent texts. Hughes also charts the ways in which the marketing of romance has developed, with the eventual explosion of the mass market and the blockbusting family sagas of the eighties. The Historical Romance unravels the formulaic and mythical nature of historical romance to provide a fascinating study of this highly popular genre.

Romance

Romance
Author: Dana Percec
Publisher: Cambridge Scholars Publishing
Total Pages: 260
Release: 2012-03-15
Genre: Literary Criticism
ISBN: 1443838357

Romance: The History of a Genre is a collection of essays devoted to the highly popular and no less controversial genre of romance. A genre often disregarded for its stereotypical language, shallow characters, and predictable plots, dismissed as “women’s” fiction, accused of conventionalism, romance is a genre which, after ups and downs in its millennial history, is now holding a leading position on the international bookselling market. This achievement has also been possible with the endorsement of contemporary media and modern technology, cinema, television, the Internet, etc. Much has been written in both traditional and more recent literary theory about the origins and evolution of the early forms of romance, from the classical Antiquity, through the Middle Ages, and into the Renaissance and early modernity in Western Europe. A corpus, which is becoming more and more substantial today, is already available about the gendered status of contemporary romance, both in terms of the writing ethos and in terms of reader response, with theories coming from the combined areas of feminism, social sciences, and psychoanalysis. The aim of the present volume is that of noting the fluid character of the genre, with the great number of subcategories, mixed and hybrid, bringing evidence to the polymorphous nature of contemporary popular culture. This book proposes, in four parts and twelve chapters, a fascinating and multifaceted journey into the history, substance and geography of romance. From its origins to the latest developments, from its subgenres to its features, from print to film, from television to Facebook, romance comes in various shapes and colours, which the reader can fully explore. The journey in the world of romance takes the reader from familiar corners to less familiar ones: from North America, Great Britain, Romania, or Turkey, to India or South Africa. The numerous approaches to romance generate diverse data, varied analytical frameworks and interesting, fresh and solidly grounded findings.

Mystique

Mystique
Author: Amanda Quick
Publisher: Bantam
Total Pages: 354
Release: 2009-12-23
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 0307575675

A tantalizing tale of a legendary knight and a headstrong lady whose daring quest for a mysterious crystal will draw them into a whirlwind of treachery–and desire. When the fearsome knight called Hugh the Relentless swept into Lingwood Manor like a storm, everyone cowered–except Lady Alice. Sharp-tongued and unrepentant, the flame haired beauty believed Sir Hugh was not someone to dread but the answer to her dreams. She knew he had come for the dazzling green crystal, knew he would be displeased to find that it was no longer in her possession. Yet Alice had a proposition for the dark and forbidding knight: In return for a dowry that would free Alice and her brother from their uncle's grasp, she would lend her powers of detection to his warrior's skills and together they would recover his treasured stone. But even as Hugh accepted her terms, he added a condition of his own: Lady Alice must agree to a temporary betrothal–one that would soon draw her deep into Hugh's great stone fortress, and into a battle that could threaten their lives...and their only chance at love.

Historical Romance Fiction

Historical Romance Fiction
Author: Lisa Fletcher
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 186
Release: 2016-04-22
Genre: Literary Criticism
ISBN: 1317121783

The first book-length study of romance novels to focus on issues of sexuality rather than gender, Historical Romance Fiction moves the ongoing debate about the value and appeal of heterosexual romance onto new ground, testing the claims of cutting-edge critical theorists on everything from popular classics by Georgette Heyer, to recent 'bodice rippers,' to historical fiction by John Fowles and A.S. Byatt. Beginning with her nomination of 'I love you' as the romance novel's defining speech act, Lisa Fletcher engages closely with speech-act theory and recent studies of performativity. The range of texts serves to illustrate Fletcher's definition of historical romance as a fictional mode dependent on the force and familiarity of the speech act, 'I love you', and permits Fletcher to provide a detailed account of the genre's history and development in both its popular and 'literary' manifestations. Written from a feminist and anti-homophobic perspective, Fletcher's subtle arguments about the romantic speech act serve to demonstrate the genre's dependence on repetition ('Romance can only quote') and the shaky ground on which the romance's heterosexual premise rests. Her exploration of the subgenre of cross-dressing novels is especially revealing in this regard. With its deft mix of theoretical arguments and suggestive close readings, Fletcher's book will appeal to specialists in genre, speech act and performativity theory, and gender studies.

An Heiress's Guide to Deception and Desire

An Heiress's Guide to Deception and Desire
Author: Manda Collins
Publisher: Forever
Total Pages: 262
Release: 2021-11-16
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1538736160

Former lovers become reluctant allies in this delightfully witty historical rom-com from the bestselling author of A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem—for fans of Evie Dunmore, Enola Holmes, and Netflix's Bridgerton! England, 1867: As half of the writing duo behind England’s most infamous crime column, Miss Caroline Hardcastle has quite the scandalous reputation. It may have cost her a fiancé, but she would much rather bring attention to crimes against those ignored by society than worry about what the ton thinks of her. After Caro’s dear friend is kidnapped, however, she has no choice but to work with Lord Valentine Thorn, the same man who broke her heart. Worse, when her actions put her father’s business at risk, a marriage of convenience may be her only solution . . . but can she trust Val to stand by her? Or will their past repeat itself? Val—the new Viscount Wrackham—is in an untenable position: His father is demanding he find a respectable bride to secure the succession. Yet the only woman he’s ever loved, Miss Caroline Hardcastle, is notorious for behaving improperly. And she’s never forgiven him for his youthful transgressions, missteps made in the name of familial duty, but ones he still regrets to this day. As they grow closer to unmasking the culprit, Val sees an opportunity to show Caro he’s a changed man. But can he convince her to give their love a second chance—before death does them part?

The Girl who was a Gentleman (Victorian Romance, Historical)

The Girl who was a Gentleman (Victorian Romance, Historical)
Author: Anna Jane Greenville
Publisher: dp DIGITAL PUBLISHERS GmbH
Total Pages:
Release: 2018-07-12
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 3960872976

Love, courage and humour in Victorian London Can a girl find true love ... dressed up as a man? London, in the year 1872. In Victorian England, opportunities are scarce for Joanna and her sisters. Their only hope is to marry well, but who would take one of the penniless sisters as a wife? Joanna doesn’t believe in fairy tales or princes, but she fiercely believes in herself. She decides to pursue a career of her own – by attending the prestigious Oliver Kenwood Boarding School, disguised as a boy. There is only one issue: her cunning yet fascinating teacher Charles Hanson seems to dislike her with a passion – and she finds it increasingly difficult to hold up her disguise, especially when rich and confident Abigail sets eyes on Hanson, driving Joanna inexplicably furious. To make matters worse, Joanna begins to wonder whether her secret is really safe ... Readers’ impressions „The novel takes you right into Victorian times and the witty, lighthearted story will make you smile“ „A truly entertaining mixture of romance and comedy“ „Everyone who loves London will love the novel’s historical flair“ „I really enjoyed how Joanna challenges the conventions of her time“ „A charming, funny and heartwarming read for cold winter days“ About the author Anna Jane Greenville has written and illustrated her own tales from a young age. She is absolutely fascinated with storytelling and adores romantic, adventure, contemporary, and classic novels. She can spend a whole day at the bookstore browsing the shelves. Should she have a coffee to go in hand it is destined to turn cold once she sets eyes on the new arrivals section. Travelling the UK as far south as Saint Michael's Mount or all the way north to the breath-taking Isle Of Skye is how she finds her inspiration. But it isthe author’s time in London that has contributed most to the story of her first novel "The Girl Who Was A Gentleman". You can feel London’s rich history and culture pour into the pages. Literary influences on Anna Jane Greenville’s work include her favorite authors Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, Johnston McCulley, Rainbow Rowell, and Nick Hornby.