Special Topics Paper - Romance Novel Covers

For my Special Topics Paper, I focused on romance novel covers and how they have changed over the years. I was interested in this topic because of conversations I've seen online recently concerning illustrated covers. I've seen people voice their dislike for the covers, referring to them as "juvenile," and I've also seen people praise illustrated covers. I wanted to learn more about how covers have changed over the years and how that impacts readers. 

To narrow down the topic, I chose to focus on covers from the 1970s until now. My paper is divided into sections beginning with the history behind the clinch cover. Clinch covers typically consist of a couple locked in an intimate embrace and they are wearing little to no clothes. They are strategically covered up to not be too revealing. Lessard (2023) writes, "This cover type exemplifies the sweeping emotions between the pair around whom the central narrative is based." Clinch covers are not afraid to embrace sexuality and desire. The popularity of the clinch cover started to decline and the 90s offered more subtle covers. These covers usually focus on a landscape or an object related to the plot. 

Illustrated covers have gained popularity over the last several years. These covers are more discrete than previous trends and are often described as "cute." Illustrated covers appeal more to a general audience because they are more discrete than other covers. Readers feel less embarrassed to be seen with the book in public. This leads to an even bigger conversation on the shame and stigma surrounding romance novels. 

One of the most interesting things I learned while researching this topic was how illustrated covers have helped bring more attention to diverse romances. Talia Hibbert, a popular romance author, talked about how illustrations have made it easier for her to depict her main characters on the cover. She doesn't have to rely on stock photos which do not offer a lot in terms of diversity (Wallentine, 2022). 

Lastly, I focused on how this all relates to reader's advisory. The topic of covers, specifically illustrated covers, brings up the question of whether or not these covers accurately convey that the book in question is a romance novel. This could potentially confuse patrons when checking out these books especially if they are not expecting romance or explicit content. 

References

Lessard, V. (2023, February 8). A brief history of the clinch. Hazlitt.
https://hazlitt.net/feature/brief-history-clinch

Wallentine, A. (2022, February 25). Can we still judge a romance novel by its cover? Electric Lit.
https://electricliterature.com/can-we-still-judge-a-romance-novel-by-its-cover/