Men, Masculinities, and Popular Romance seeks to open a lively and accessible discussion
between critical studies of men and masculinities and popular romance studies, especially …

The romance novel is the most popular and bestselling genre of fiction produced and
consumed in the world today. In North America alone, the romance industry generates more …

“The Purity of His Maleness: Masculinity in Popular Romance Novels” seeks to open a
discussion between critical studies of men and masculinities and popular romance studies …

The dominance of popular romance in the United States fiction market suggests that its
trends and themes may reflect the politics of a significant proportion of the …

It is often assumed that romance novels are badly written, that they are subject to corporate
control and commodity standardization, and that they are most interesting when approached …

A bloody sheet, a shaky goblet, an enchanted fountain—the virginity or chastity test has long
been a persistent and imaginative literary motif. Indeed, some of the most fantastic tests are …

Drawing on diverse examples from literature, film, memoirs, and popular culture, Men,
Masculinities, and Infertilities analyses cultural representations of male infertility. Going …

This chapter explores how sex, sexual pleasure, and sexuality are essential to the romance
genre. It examines the tensions between feminist approaches and assumptions about what …

This study aims to present a feminist reading of the ways in which the character of the
romance hero unfolds differently across and as a result of readers' participation in various …

Virgins are everywhere in popular culture, yet we still struggle with how we understand
virginity, who gets to be a virgin, when one loses virginity. In this chapter, we focus our …