HeyJaredRomance & Co.
RomCo is where I explore the social history of romance novels: not just what happens on the page, but the forces that shape the industry, the literary roots of our favorite tropes, and what they reveal about the world that produced them.
- Indexed issues, last 90 days
- 14
- Latest publication
- Sep 30, 2026
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- Earliest in this view
- Jul 22, 2026
Latest issues
Falling Through the Decades: Sixty Years of Autumnal Romance (opens the original)
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Is there a fall-related pun that hasn’t already been done to death? Not that I could think of. So I shall forego the obvious and simply say: it is that time of year again!Depending on where you live, the air may be crisp, the leaves may be beginning to change, or, in my case, it may be unseasonably warm. Either way, whether you’re embracing the season or simply trying to imagine it, here is a list of fall-themed romances—beginning with some vintage classics and ending with recent bestsellers. Re
Tracing a Trope: the Slow Burn (opens the original)
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This is not the first time I have discovered that a term I assumed was foundational to romance is actually a fairly recent addition to the genre’s vocabulary. But lo and behold, Slow burn was only first applied to romance a little over ten years ago. Fortunately, its roots are surprisingly easy to trace. No delayed gratification here (🥁… I don’t want to talk about it)Today, slow burn describes a romance that develops gradually emotionally, physically, or both. The attraction simmers. The tension
Reading in the Bath: Spa Towns and Novels (opens the original)
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One of my favorite cities in the world is Bath, and not just because I’m a devoted Janeite — though that’s certainly what first brought me there. It’s also, like, really pretty. I kid! The history of Bath and the history of the novel are closely bound, from creation to consumption. This is true for many Spa towns but Bath is the most prominent example and the one with which I am most familiar. So here is a brief history of the intersection of fiction and ablution.<a class="image-link image2 is-v
First Person POV: End of Civilization or Return to Classics? (opens the original)
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There is always a danger in overemphasizing the reason behind a trend when we don’t actually have all the information. Of course, I would love to tell you that fairy romance exploded in the 2020s because COVID-19 collectively made us desperate to escape to another realm rather than remain trapped in our apartments. It sounds plausible. It might even be true. But I can’t actually prove it.And trust me, no one hates having to supply actual evidence in an argument more than me. (It’s particularly a
The Women Who Sold Scandals: Amatory Fiction as the Ancestor of Romance Novels (opens the original)
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Apologies for the inconsistent schedule, access to internet is a bit spotty at the moment.It’s a classic tale: a woman repeatedly disguises herself as someone new to win the same man back, and he falls for it every time—never realizing he’s chasing the same woman simply because she’s “new” again. Would this work today? Probably. But this particular version is actually Fantomina by Mrs. Eliza Haywood, one of the most famous works of amatory fiction, published in 1725.Amatory fiction revolved arou
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