More books are sold in the romance category than any other category in fiction. Within the romance genre, paranormal romance is the most popular manga subgenre. While regular romances feature romantic heros who are larger than life men who are everything a woman could ever want, paranormal romances feature romantic heros who often have fangs and claws. Vampire, werewolves, shape-shifters and men who aren't anything like the men around us are the dream guys heroines swoon over, and whom the reader falls for. So what gives?
As little girls, we were brought up on fairy tales. Cinderella meets Prince Charming who swoops her of her feet and they marry and live happily ever after. Snow White runs away from the wicked stepmother, takes care of seven drawfs, bites a poisoned apple as isawakened by kiss from Prince Charming who marries her and they live happily ever after. Sleeping Beauty sleeps in an enchanted castle guarded by the wicked witch until Prince Charming rescues her, marries her and the live happily every after. That's what little girls are brought up to believe. Then they grow up and reality hits. Hard.
The little girl grows up into a fine young woman. She meets fine young men who woo her, charm her and break her heart. Disillusion sets in.
Maybe she gets far enough in a relationship for it to end up in marriage. The Prince Charming who won her heart turns out to be a bully, or even a wife beater. They set up home together and she ends up as his slave. Serving him and his buddies, beer and snacks while they mess up the house. She cooks andcleans for a husband who yells at her. Domestic abuse. Wife bashing. Verbal abuse. All these are swept under the carpet while she puts up a brave front for the world to see.
Then there are cases where Prince Charming sets off to charm other women instead. Instead of a faithful husband, she ends up with a faithless womanizer that leaves her stranded, who strips away her self worth as he goes for a younger, prettier woman.
Barna Research Group conducted a poll in 1999. Seems that in the U.S., 25% of the adults would experience one divorce in a lifetime. That excludes those who stick on in loveless marriages.
The Appeal Of Paranormal Romance books
