According to their website, www.rwanational.org, romance sales for 2009 are estimated at around $1.36 billion. That's a "b" on billion. The next closest genre, religious and inspirational, is estimated at around $800 million. With an "m." Good grief!! In 2008, the romance genre held a whopping 13.5% of the consumer market. An early 2009 study shows that an estimated 74.8 million people read a romance novel in 2008, with 29 million of them being regular readers. 29% of Americans over the age of 13 read a romance novel in 2008. Also, according to the website, "Romance readers are more likely than the general population to be currently married or living with a partner." Also, "Romance readers typically begin and finish a romance novel within 7 days." That's fairly impressive.
This information means a lot to me. It means that what I've always believed about myself and my fellow romance novel enthusiasts is true. We're not sad, pathetic, moronic females waiting around for our mythical knight in shining armor.We wouldn't turn our nose up at him, but we have lives, we live them, and there are a ridiculous number of us out there.
So, yes, there's some great sex scenes, and there's always a happy ending (in more ways than one). Doesn't everyone want a little more of that in their life?
