In this episode of Audicted, cohosts Katie O’Connor and Kat Johnson—along with fellow editor Melissa Bendixen—dive deep on the romance genre, just in time for Valentine’s Day. The episode includes an excerpt from an interview with best-selling author Alexandria House. Download or stream the full episode here.
What defines a romance audiobook?
Melissa Bendixen: When you get down to it, romance has two rules in order for it to be considered a romance novel. The first rule is that the main conflict, or one of the main conflicts, in the story is about two main characters’ romantic relationship. That has to be at the forefront. And then the second rule, which is perhaps the most shaping element to the entire romance genre, is that there has to be what's called a happily ever after, or an HEA. That means that the story has to end with the two main characters solidly together and happy about it at the end. I mean, the world can still be falling apart around them, but as long as they're together, then everything's going to be okay.
On the origins of Regency romance
MB: The Regency genre is really interesting in and of itself, though, because it’s a very, very specific time period. It's a little bit less than 10 years of time. And it really was popularized by Georgette Heyer, and so you could say that the whole Regency genre is a kind of fan fiction of this one specific historical period in England's history.
Kat Johnson: And why is that 10 years so specifically magical? What is it?
MB: It's because there was a change in power in the crown and a king regent stepped in, and the regent was a very flamboyant person. And in that very specific time period, he changed the entire fashion and style of the upper class English society. And so there was just a whole culture shift that happened, just in this one specific period…and then it went back.
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And as for Daphne, surely the clever debutante will attract some very worthy suitors now that it seems a duke has declared her desirable. But as Daphne waltzes across ballroom after ballroom with Simon, she soon forgets that their courtship is a complete sham. And now she has to do the impossible and keep herself from losing her heart and soul completely to the handsome hell-raiser who has sworn off marriage forever!
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