Audio Romance
by Diana Tixier Herald

Romance is the most popular genre in print--responsible for over 55% of all mass-market paperback book sales, according to the Romance Writers of America. As in print so it is in audio: Romance novels are undeniably popular with listeners.

Many readers consider any story with a strong love emphasis as a "romance" even if it sometimes ends tragically, as in ROMEO AND JULIET. However, romance aficionados believe that to be part of the genre, a tale must not only focus on the romantic relationship, it must have a happily-ever-after resolution.

So, which romances are listeners avid for these days? And if you are new to romance, how do you find your way around this increasingly complex genre?

One way of categorizing romances is by their settings. Novels in the contemporary category--what most people mean when they say "romance"--are set in the present and usually take place in locales familiar to English-speaking readers--often in the United States and Great Britain--or in locations visited by American or British characters. Many popular numbered series--Zebra Bouquet, Harlequin Romance, and Silhouette Romance--are contemporary, but it is the single-title romance with a contemporary setting that most often makes it into audio format.

Contemporary tales typically focus on one couple, but some feature two or three couples who are related through blood or friendship. Often at least one of the main characters is recovering from some kind of tragedy or loss. The Glitz & Glamour subcategory features the rich or famous, and loving description is often bestowed on apparel, architecture, and furnishings.

Historical romances, obviously, take place in the past. England's Regency period, first popularized in novels by Georgette Heyer, lasted only 9 years (1811-1820), yet it has proven to have enduring allure for romance fans. Until recently, Regency romances could be depended on to be of the "sweet" or innocent type, but now they often include erotically charged lovemaking scenes. The Scottish trend really took off with the popularity of movies such as "Rob Roy" and "Braveheart" in the 1990s. Fierce Scottish warriors have now become a staple in historical romance, and listeners seem to enjoy the delightful Scots brogues often used by narrators in this type of story. The American past is also a popular setting. Western romances have rugged heroes and female heroines who also exhibit independence and resourcefulness. A fairly recent subgenre is Americana, with many stories set in the American heartland during the 1920s and 1930s against the background of Prohibition and the Great Depression.

Genre blending has made a huge contribution to the success of romance, as each hybrid brings new readers and listeners. Romantic suspense, in which the hero and heroine find love and romance and are exposed to heart-thumping danger along the way, is the fastest growing subgenre. (Many authors who started off writing branded series novels, such as Harlequin and Silhouette, made their move to bestsellerdom when they switched to romantic suspense. Tami Hoag and Karen Robards have successfully made the jump.) Science fiction romances have futuristic settings, and fantasy romances feature magic and the paranormal. Vampires and werewolves have long been popular, but the current trend is toward characters who possess extraordinary psychic abilities--they see the future or the past, move things with their minds. The inspirational romance category is dominated by Christian tales in which two people not only find true love for each other but also the love of God. Sometimes you'll find as many as three genres combined, as in the futuristic Eve Dallas "In Death" series by J.D. Robb (aka Nora Roberts), which marries romance with science fiction and the police procedural.

Undoubtedly, a major satisfaction in listening to romance novels is hearing a skilled narrator heighten the sexy drama, as a recent AUDIOFILE review noted of George Guidall's narration of Meagan McKinney's STILL OF THE NIGHT: "He outdoes himself during the steamy sex scenes, evoking images of tangled legs and sheets." Other narrators who are popular with romance fans include Sandra Burr, who has read dozens of titles by top romance authors, and Jill Tanner, narrator of Marion Chesney's THE DECEPTION and Julia Garwood's THE SECRET, among others. Another pleasure for romance fans is that beloved stories that have gone out of print are sometimes brought back to life through audio: Rosalind Laker's Warwyck series, set in the nineteenth century, has been released on audio, as have Georgette Heyer's A CIVIL CONTRACT and Marion Chesney's Regency romance series DAUGHTERS OF MANNERLING.

Audio romances succeed because they involve listeners and leave them feeling good. When you put away that last cassette or disc, you know all will be well with the characters you have come to know and love.



Diana Tixier Herald is the author of TEEN GENREFLECTING, now in its second edition; GENREFLECTING, in its fifth; and FLUENT IN FANTASY, and the co-author of STRICTLY SCIENCE FICTION, She has spent the last year and a half camping on the edge of a canyon at 7,000 ft. altitude while building a house made out of tires, bottles, cans, and earth.

[To read more about romance audio, see the complete feature article in the February/March issue of AudioFile. Subscribe Now! ]

February/March 2004
(c)2004 AudioFile Publications, Inc.

Romance Audiography

Titles and genres to suit any mood.

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THE BARTERED BRIDE
MaryJo Putney, Read by Michael Page, Unabridged, Brilliance Audio
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BREATHING ROOM
Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Read by Kate Fleming, Unabridged, BBC Audiobooks America/ Sound Library
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DREAM COUNTRY
Luanne Rice, Read by Laural Merlington, Unabridged, Brilliance Audio
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FAKING IT
Jennifer Crusie, Read by Aasne Vigesaa, Unabridged, Brilliance Audio
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FAST WOMEN
Jennifer Crusie, Read by Sandra Burr, Unabridged, Brilliance Audio
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A GOWN OF SPANISH LACE
Janette Oke, Read by Aimee Lilly, Abridged, Bethany House Audiobooks
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A GOWN OF SPANISH LACE
Janette Oke, Read by Emily Welsh, Unabridged, Northstar Audio Books
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HEART OF THE NIGHT
Barbara Delinsky, Read by Sandra Burr, Abridged, Brilliance Audio
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HOMEPORT
Nora Roberts, Read by Erika Leigh, Unabridged, Brilliance Audio
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LATE FOR THE WEDDING
Amanda Quick, Read by Jennifer Van Dyck, Abridged, Random House Audio
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LIGHT IN SHADOW
Jayne Ann Krentz, Read by Joyce Bean, Unabridged, Brilliance Audio
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OUTLANDER
Diana Gabaldon, Read by Geraldine James, Abridged, Random House Audio
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THE LAST CHANCE CAFÉ
Linda Lael Miller, Read by Nance Williamson, Abridged, Simon & Schuster Audio
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THE LAST CHANCE CAFÉ
Linda Lael Miller, Read by Christine Marshall, Unabridged, BBC Audiobooks America/ Sound Library
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A MAN TO CALL MY OWN
Johanna Lindsey, Read by Laural Merlington, Abridged, Brilliance Audio
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OUTLANDER
Diana Gabaldon, Read by Davina Porter, Unabridged, Recorded Books
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PRINCE CHARMING
Julie Garwood, Read by Deborah Hall, Unabridged, BBC Audiobooks America/ Sound Library
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REDEEMING LOVE
Francine Rivers, Read by Kate Forbes, Unabridged, Recorded Books/ Inspirational
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THE SECRET HOUR
Luanne Rice, Read by Linda Emond, Abridged, Simon & Schuster Audio
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THE SECRET HOUR
Luanne Rice, Read by Barrett Whitener, Unabridged, BBC Audiobooks America/ Sound Library
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THIS TIME LOVE
Elizabeth Lowell, Read by Laural Merlington, Unabridged, Brilliance Audio
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TRUE BETRAYALS
Nora Roberts, Read by Rose Ann Shansky, Abridged, Brilliance Audio
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WICKED WIDOW
Amanda Quick, Read by Katherine Kellgren, Abridged, Random House Audio
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WICKED WIDOW
Amanda Quick, Read by Barbara Rosenblat, Unabridged, Recorded Books
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WILD ORCHIDS
Jude Deveraux, Read by John Dossett, Lauren Mufson, Abridged, Simon & Schuster Audio
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THE WYNDHAM LEGACY
Catherine Coulter, Read by Maggie McClellan, Unabridged, Brilliance Audio
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