Isn't it Romantic?

I'm curious about the popularity of romance novels, so I did a little searching and found Janice Radway's Reading the Romance: Women, Patriarchy, and Popular Literature.  I hope it'll help me gain a better understanding of this phenomenon.  I remember that my grandmother devoured this genre well into her old age, and I also remember that she wasn't a particularly happy person.  Anyway, I'll let you know what I discover!