According
to the
Romance Writer’s
of America (RWA) ,
two basic elements comprise every romance novel:
a central love story and an emotionally satisfying
and optimistic ending. In
a romance novel, the main plot centers around two
individuals falling in love and struggling to make
the relationship work. A writer can include as
many subplots as he/she wants as long as the relationship
conflict is the main focus story. Romance
novels are also based on the idea of an innate
emotional justice -- the notion that good people
in the world are rewarded and evil people are punished.
In a romance, the lovers who risk and struggle
for each other and their relationship are rewarded with emotional justice
and unconditional love.
RWA’s Web site goes on to explain that romance novels can be set in any time or place, entertain any number of plot elements, or convey moods from light and humorous to dark and suspenseful. The genre of romance can be classified into various sub-genres depending on their setting and plot elements. Those sub-genres include:
Contemporary romance — romances
set after the World Wars
Historical romance — romances set before
the World Wars
The following are just a few of the many romance writers whose titles can be found in the Fairfax County Public Library’s collection. The titles listed are some suggestions for those new to the romance genre or for the true devotee.
According
to the
Contemporary romance — romances
set after the World Wars 
