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Abstract
Romance novels are cultural artefacts loaded with complex and nuanced meanings. The romance genre is commercially successful, but as mass-consumed products that are predominantly created by and for women, they have been the subjects of societal and critical scorn. Romance novels grapple with complicated issues, such as gender and race, and help create understandings of feminism for both their producers and consumers. Previous research has generally focused on the production or consumption of romance novels and feminism in romance, while little attention has been paid to the moments of production and consumption of feminist meanings in romance novels. This study addresses that gap using cultural studies and feminist studies as guides. Through 31 in-depth interviews with romance novel authors, production decision makers, readers, and bloggers, the study aimed to understand the articulation of feminism in romance novels and in the everyday lives of its producers and consumers.