Romance is a literary genre that allows us to indulge in our most tender emotions while offering us a comforting reminder that true love can bloom even under the direst of circumstances.
Our love for romantic novels can only be explained as a reflection of our desire for emotional connection, understanding, and the exploration of the complexities of the human heart.
Much like love incorporates many different emotions—from attachment to affection to need—its literary substitute incorporates many different subgenres.
In the following post, we will explore the 13 most beloved types of romance.
Historical romance is a much-loved subgenre of romantic literature consisting of stories set in a bygone era. It is characterized by the portrayal of love and relationships within the context of said historical period.
Historical romance is not limited to a single era. It encompasses a range of historical settings as wide as our very own history. From medieval Scotland to the Regency period to the hardships of World War II, love and imagination can blossom anywhere.
Historical novels are usually meticulously researched to accurately depict the historical periods in which they are set. This usually includes details about the fashion, social customs, cultural norms, and general societal structures of the time.
The limitations and expectations imposed by the historical context can create additional challenges for the main characters seeking true love and their forever happily after.
If by any chance you want to dive deeper into this enchanting world, there are many amazing historical romance podcasts that explore this genre in depth. Whether you're looking to discover new authors or gain a deeper understanding of the historical contexts that shape our favorite love stories, there is sure to be a discussion that will both inform and entertain you.
Romantic comedy, or romcoms, is a subgenre of both romance and comedy—we know, who would have thought? It combines stories about romantic relationships with humorous and lighthearted situations.
Romantic comedies often focus on the ups and downs of relationships, exploring misunderstandings, misconceptions, and comedic situations that occur as characters try to navigate their feelings for each other.
Generally, romcoms tend to have light and upbeat tones—while there may be moments of tension or drama, the overall tone usually remains heartwarming and optimistic.
by Tessa Bailey
by Sarah Adams
It is a subgenre that focuses on relationships set in the present day. These stories center around the emotional connections between characters while exploring themes of attraction, intimacy, and personal growth.
Unlike historical romance, which delves into the struggles of the past, or paranormal romance, which involves supernatural elements, contemporary romance is firmly rooted in our current reality. It addresses societal norms and issues of our time.
Thus the relationships depicted in contemporary stories are inherently relatable, usually involving everyday people facing common challenges in their pursuit of love.
From insecurities to communications issues to family dynamics and career conflicts, the characters go through hardships we all have experienced in some way or the other.
Contemporary romance explores a diverse range of themes. Some stories touch on societal issues such as gender roles, sexuality, and cultural differences.
by Amy Lea
Dark romance is a subgenre that explores relationships and themes with darker, more intense, and often controversial themes. It delves into the complexities of love and attraction within the context of unconventional, morally ambiguous, or even taboo situations.
Dark romance can include elements of danger, obsession, power dynamics, and psychological exploration, often pushing the boundaries of traditional romantic storytelling.
It features relationships that challenge societal norms or involve characters from different backgrounds, such as captor-captive dynamics, enemies-to-lovers scenarios, or relationships with significant power imbalances.
It’s important to note that dark romance can be divisive and may not appeal to all romance readers due to its explicit or controversial content. As a result, it’s recommended for readers who are comfortable with exploring complex and sometimes uncomfortable themes within the context of a romantic narrative.
by Sophie Lark
by H. D. Carlton
A subgenre combining elements of magic, mythical creatures, and fantastical settings with themes of love and romantic relationships. It blends the imaginative aspects of fantasy with the emotional depth of romance, resulting in stories that give us epic adventures and captivating plotlines.
Fantasy romance is typically set in a world different from our own, often featuring magical realms or alternate realities. The setting itself (much like in historical romance) can play a significant role in shaping the love story.
Magic, spells, supernatural abilities, and fantastical creatures are commonly woven into the narrative, adding an extra layer of wonder.
The characters can be diverse and unique, ranging from ordinary individuals with extraordinary destinies to powerful beings with complex backgrounds. The possibilities are limitless.
Rich and immersive world-building is a hallmark of fantasy romance. Authors create intricate and detailed settings that help readers become fully immersed in the fantastical world.
Fantasy elements can be used as symbols of real-world themes, allowing for allegorical storytelling and deeper exploration of universal emotions and struggles.
by Sarah J. Maas
by Neil Gaiman
Regency romance is a subgenre of historical romance that is set in the early 19th century, specifically during the Regency era in England. The Regency era spanned from 1811 to 1820, when King George the Third was deemed unfit to rule, and his son, the future King George IV, served as Prince Regent. However, the term “Regency romance” is often used more broadly to refer to historical romances set in the early 19th century, even if they extend beyond the strict years of the Regency period.
Regency romance novels typically focus on the era’s social customs, fashion, and societal norms. Authors of Regency Romance go through meticulous research to accurately portray the historical context, including descriptions of clothing, manners, societal classes, and cultural practices.
The strict social rules and etiquette of the Regency era play a significant role in the plot, often influencing characters' actions, relationships, and decisions.
by Megan Walker
by Julia Quinn
Sci-Fi Romance is a subgenre that combines the futuristic and speculative elements of science fiction with romantic plotlines. It melds the imaginative aspects of science fiction with the emotional depth of romance, resulting in stories that explore both technological advances and matters of the heart.
Many science fiction romance stories involve exciting adventures, space exploration, intergalactic conflicts, and quests that provide fascinating backdrops for the romantic narrative.
Detailed world-building is crucial in science fiction romance, as authors create intricate societies, cultures, and even ecosystems that reflect the futuristic nature of the story.
by M. D. Cooper
by Tracy Wolff
Erotic romance emphasizes explicit sexual content as an essential part of the romantic relationship and development of the story. It goes beyond the level of sensuality typically found in mainstream romance novels, placing a strong focus on the physical and emotional aspects of intimate relationships.
While sexual content is a central element, erotic romance still maintains the core components of a regular romantic story, including emotional connection, character growth, and a satisfying romantic arc.
Despite the explicit sexual content, emotional depth and the development of strong emotional bonds between characters remain important aspects of every well-written erotic romance.
Erotic stories can be set in various genres, including contemporary, historical, fantasy, paranormal, and science fiction, allowing for a wide range of creative possibilities.
by Ana Huang
by Claudia Tan
A subgenre that blends together mystery, horror, and the supernatural with themes of love. Gothic romance emerged in the late 18th century and reached its height of popularity in the 19th century. It often features eerie and atmospheric settings, dramatic and emotionally charged narratives, and unique characters struggling with personal and supernatural conflicts.
Authors of gothic romance often use vivid and detailed descriptions to create a sensory experience for readers, immersing them in the sights, sounds, and atmosphere of the story.
Characters in gothic romance may experience a sense of isolation, both physically and emotionally, as they confront eerie and unsettling circumstances.
Strange and unexplainable events contribute to the atmosphere of mystery and romantic suspense. These events may challenge the characters’ perceptions of reality.
The language and writing style of gothic romance often emphasizes dramatic and emotional expressions, heightening the intensity of the narrative.
by Emily Brontë
A subgenre that concentrates on romantic relationships and love tales featuring characters that identify as LGBTQ+ people, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other non-heteronormative sexual orientations and gender identities.
As LGBTQ+ people negotiate love, relationships, and personal development, these works examine the joys, difficulties, and complexity of the community.
To ensure that readers can identify with the characters and relationships in the novels, LGBTQ+ romance works to present an authentic and respectful representation of LGBTQ+ people.
These books frequently deal with contemporary problems including coming out, homophobia, transphobia, prejudice, acceptance, chosen families, and other things.
Young adult (or YA) romance is a subgenre specifically targeted at teenage readers. It focuses on romantic relationships and love stories involving young protagonists who are navigating the challenges of adolescence while experiencing the excitement of first loves.
Young adult romance novels often address themes of identity, self-discovery, friendship, and personal growth in addition to the romantic aspects of the storyline. These storylines capture the excitement, intensity, and sometimes awkwardness of crushes and first loves, portraying the characters’ emotions and experiences in relatable ways.
YA romance is increasingly diverse, featuring characters from different backgrounds, cultures, sexual orientations, and gender identities.
by Nicola Yoon
Inspirational romance is a subgenre of romance that weaves morals, personal development, and religious elements into the love story.
It focuses on the characters' spiritual development, how their relationships with a higher power deepen, and how their beliefs affect their choices, deeds, and love affairs. In addition to telling a true love story, inspirational romance frequently tries to uplift and encourage readers.
In this kind of relationship, the characters frequently follow moral and ethical guidelines that influence their decisions and how they interact with others, including their romantic partners.
Many inspirational stories include themes of redemption and forgiveness as protagonists triumph over mistakes they've made in the past or face challenges as they develop in their faith and as people.
Typically, inspirational romance steers clear of graphic sexual themes in favor of deeply moving and inspiring narratives.
by Lisa Wingate
by Ruth Reid
A subgenre of romance set in the American Old West, typically during the 19th century. It combines romantic storylines with the adventurous backdrop of the Western frontier.
The protagonists in Western romance storylines are often strong, independent individuals who are capable of handling the hardships and dangers of frontier life. These characters may include cowboys, ranchers, lawmen, and pioneers.
Authors of Western romance often conduct research to accurately portray historical details and cultural norms of the time period, providing readers with an authentic sense of the Old West.
While Western romance tends to be more restrained in terms of explicit content compared to some other romance subgenres, there is still a focus on the romantic tension and chemistry between characters.
by Denvey Perry
by Denvey Perry
by Lyla Sage
We hope that after reading about these various romance subgenres, you have a new appreciation for the many different ways that love stories can be presented. In all its manifestations, romance serves as a reminder of the wonder of human connection and the intriguing journey of the heart.
Get lost in these stories and allow them to take you on a trip filled with passion, connection, and joyful conclusions.
First and foremost, Nina is a reader; she devours literature with gusto, from classic novels to contemporary poetry to graphic novels and everything in between. She believes that within each story, there's a universe waiting to be explored, and loves exploring with company. She's often found sharing her perspective on characters, plot twists, and literary themes with friends. When her friends get tired of listening to her ranting, she writes blog posts sharing her explorations with the other bookworms of the internet. In recent years she has developed an inexplicable addiction to matcha lattes, but has asked us not to talk about that.
