Covers are now more likely to highlight character traits that can’t be conveyed in a simple silhouette, Nguyen noted, like their profession, their racial or ethnic backgrounds, or their body size.

An icy blue background and a title that uses the word puck suggestively? Hockey romance. In the same way that subgenres wax and wane in popularity, the look of the books is continually evolving.

Publishing leaders, art directors, and academics tell us how the visuals associated with romance novels have changed throughout history ...

To fully understand Charles Burns’s remarkable graphic novel, “Final Cut,” you have to look closely at the way in which it was rendered.

Meet the Model Who's On 600+ Romance Book Covers — And Loves Reading Them, Too (Exclusive) Jason Baca got discovered on the set of 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' and spent decades flexing on ...

The Pudding takes a look at 1,400 romance novels from 2011 to 2023 to see how things have shifted.

When it comes to romance novels, the image of a lion-maned Fabio leaning into a love-struck woman is indelibly embedded in American pop culture. But look beyond the cliché, and each romance cover ...

Why do all romance books look the same right now? We explore the trend of colorful cartoon covers and why so many are at your local bookstore.

02-14-2023 DESIGN How romance novels changed book design With their expressive type and bawdy illustrations, romance novels turned book covers into potent advertisements.

Covers have always been uniquely important in selling romance novels—witness the steamy “clinch covers” of passionately entwined lovers. The covers are also a social barometer.

We've all seen 'em: Those sexy, sultry romance novel covers featuring a man with a chiseled jawline and boulder biceps, often with a drop-dead gorgeous leading lady in his arms. For generations ...