The past year and a half has been particularly challenging for both librarians and patrons for a variety of reasons, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic among them. But luckily, we have romance novels. As Avon's editorial director, Erika Tsang, says, "During tough times, people gravitate toward things that make them happy, and what's happier than reading stories where love triumphs and there's a guaranteed happily ever after?" The romance genre continues to be strong. We spoke to industry experts and looked at upcoming releases from publishers of all sizes, noting that witches, reality TV plots, and books featuring food competitions are trending upward. Contemporary-set romances featuring a wide range of lived experiences are available both as stand-alone novels or as part of continuing series, while a variety of historical settings mean that those who want love stories set in the past will have plenty to choose from. A complete list of the titles referenced here is available on page 22 or as a downloadable spreadsheet linked to the online version of this article.
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