Women's Romance Novel Readership: Motivations, Expectations, and Relationship Satisfaction

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Abstract

This study investigates women’s reasons for reading romance novels, romantic relationship expectations, and romantic relationship satisfaction. Major findings include: (a) women most frequently read romance novels for escape or relaxation, (b) reading novels for relationship substitution predicts less satisfaction in romantic relationships, (c) for women with low relationship expectations, reading romance novels led to increased relationship satisfaction, and (d), for women with high relationship expectations, reading novels led to decreased relationship satisfaction.

Author

• Bridget L Long, Bowling Green State Univ