SLCLS Genre Study discussion

Like other Romances, PNR focus on a relationship between two main characters, with the conflict focusing on the development of the relationship, and with the conclusion needing to be emotionally satisfying and optimistic. Frequently the tension between the main relationship will have echoes in the tension between the paranormal and the mundane.

Paranormal romances add an element of the supernatural, which can be very little or a lot. Like fantasy novels, the paranormal element can be part of the world that everyone knows about or a hidden element that only a select few are aware of—from worlds where were-creatures live openly side by side with mankind, to worlds where secret vampires live in underground worlds, to romances where the only “extra” element is a ghost or magical object that helps the main characters get together. While many paranormal romances take place in a contemporary/alternate reality somewhat similar to ours, it is possible to have them take place in historical time periods—such as steampunk.

Series are very important in PNR (like J.R. Ward'sThe Black Dagger Brotherhood, Gena Showalter'sLords of the Underworld, Lynn Kurland's Time Travel books.) Typically each book features a different couple within the same world, and each couple should find their happily ever after in each book. Some series have overarching plot lines, such as a fight between different supernatural forces, or a connected mystery that must be solved.

Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy Fiction have a fair amount of overlap—but the biggest difference is that PNR always have a happy ending and the characters typically find it in one book. Where UF can focus on one character over many books, and may have some romance, the romance is not central to the storyline and the relationships might be open ended, and the characters might move from one to another. Typically, PNR is more often told in third person, while UF typically (though not always) is in first person.

Paranormal Romance is one of the largest and most popular subgenres, and has within it many sub-sub genres. The limits are ever expanding, from vampires, were-creatures, witches, time-travel, fairies, reincarnation, genetic experimentation (think x-men), curses, mythology, and to steampunk technologies. Beyond the subjects, there is also a wide variety of tone—from Shelly Laurenston's humorous shapeshifters to Nalini Singh’s dark and complex Changling world, to Janet Chapman’s time-travelling matchmakers.

What paranormal romances do you get a lot of requests for?

Never got a request for it, but Nora Roberts Inn Boonsburo trilogy has elements of PNR.
Like you mentioned, it is told from the third person pov, limited to one of the three brothers who will end up as part of the happy couple at the end of each book.
There is a ghost in the Inn the brothers are remodelling who inserts herself into the story to make sure the main characters get the happy ending she did not.
I would have called it a regular contemporary romance until you pointed out specifics of PNR.
It does contain a lot of swearing.

Yes! PNR are everywhere--sometimes it is full of vampires, but that little ghost is pretty paranormal. Nora Roberts' books frequently have that hint of the paranormal in them--her current trilogy is much more focused on the paranormal!

My fav Nora Roberts trilogy with PNR elements are the Ardmore books set in Ireland.Jewels of the Sun is the first one. Super fun. The first one is an American woman finding her vocation and her mate in a cute Irish town.

From a RA standpoint, I suppose it's important to figure out if the patron's looking for a light element, or a protagonist who is a werewhatever or a dragon or vampire.

I agree--that is where a good reader's advisory chat comes in. People can mean a lot of different things with paranormal, even with vampires. The patron who reads Lyndsay Sands' vampires, which are light and funny, may not be the patron who would like a darker more angst filled vampire romance.

Sarah, is there any quick signal with the covers to indicate if the vamps are angsty? I half remember that Lindsay Sands' packaging mostly looks dark even if the books aren't...

Heather, I was looking at her covers on Fantastic Fiction, and the interesting thing is that the early covers were much more accurate for the tone. Cartoony outlines of bats and cutesy colors, but I think as taste has moved to darker themes in paranormal the covers have followed suit, though the books are still light and fluffy. I like funny paranormals more than the serious ones, because I figure that you need a sense of the ridiculous if you are going to pretend that there are creatures that can change from a human to a honey badger (there is such a book coming out by Shelly Laurenston that promises to be very funny, as all her books are)

One hint, besides the back description, is that the titles tend to be cutesier and rely on puns or pop-culture references. Typically lighter romances cross genre have referential titles--Single White Vampire, How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire, or the historical Ten Things I Love About You. All are books that are more funny than serious.

Another difference is that some PNR can have humor and not be light--Kresely Cole's books are pretty funny, but the fate of the world is frequently at stake and they are more serious about being paranormal.

Well said, Sarah! I was thinking of the cartoon chick-lit vamps of 10 years ago.

So one of my favorite romance blogs had a very interesting post about Paranormal Romance, and one reader's experience with it. There is some strong language and romance terminology that may not be for the faint of heart, but it is a pretty good overview of how Paranormal Romance developed out of Laurel K Hamilton and other early authors, before sparkly vampires were introduced. http://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/bl...

I love Robin Owens' Celta series, but I don't believe it is very well known. :(

Also, Mary Janice Davidson has 3 series that are PNR & humorous (vampire, mermaid, & faerie).

Nora--I love her Celta series too--though it might be Science Fiction romance. The books are set on another planet, where human settlers have established a society and evolved differently. It sort of reminds my of Jayne Anne Krentz's Jayne Castle series, which is also set on a different planet where people have developed paranormal powers. Though Robin Owens' books are more "clean" with less explicit sex.

I like Thea Harrison, Robin Owens is really good. Also, Joan Johnston?...The Mage, The Wolf... all about the seven brothers and their love interest set in a fantasy land with a modern day earth twist the first and last books. I liked this series, some of the books in the series was better, especially the first and last one.

I LOVE Science Fiction Romance! I LOVE books set on space ships.

Me too! Or on other planets--Jayne Ann Krentz, writing as Jayne Castle has a great series set on another world. Also some of her earlier novels under her name were very science fictiony. I just love them!

Sheral wrote: "I like Thea Harrison, Robin Owens is really good. Also, Joan Johnston?...The Mage, The Wolf... all about the seven brothers and their love interest set in a fantasy land with a modern day earth tw..."

My favorite SF romance is The Morcai Battalion. It's the first in a series and the library system doesn't have any of the sequels. But you can't get more spacey than a female doctor-with-an-alien-species-specialty who used to be a military-space-drop-commando falling in love with the alien half cat/half human-telepathic-space-ship-captain of a newly allied space military. And since there are physical incompatibilities they don't get to share a bed until the 3rd book in the series, after completing genetic modifications. Now, that's true love,right! I'll become an alien so we can stay together.

I think it's important to remember that not all "romance" books are in the romance section. It's especially true for this sub-genre. I find a lot of paranormal romance in the fiction section. So if you have someone that has read all the other romances see if you can find one in the fiction section they might not have read... because it's in fiction

For those who like science fiction romance, the best one I have read is Cordelia's Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold. It's the start of her series Vorkosigan where Mile's mother and father meet. The series is science fiction but this first one is a romance so the parents can come together.

I love Lois Bujold, she is my very favorite author!

Have reserved the Morcai battalion, although it sounds familiar.

Have been reading Krentz for years, love the ones set on the planet oddly like Seattle where all the women have flower names. Zinnia, Amaryllis, wasn't there a 3rd one of those?

Yes, Orchid, but she has set an entire range of books on that same planet. They are written under Jayne Castle and are AWESOME, imho. Though I still love her early science fiction romance titles, Shields Lady etc.

The Morcai battalion was written a long while ago by Diana Palmer who writes a lot of romances about cowboys. It was republished, and then she wrote a few more, but the later ones were not as widely available as the first one.

I think I read it in the 80s, but either way it will be fun to revisit.

Heather wrote: "I think I read it in the 80s, but either way it will be fun to revisit." I actually remember coming back from a family vacation, and bugging my mom to take me to the bookstore so I could go and buy one of them in that series. It has been a while since I re-read the original three! Maybe I'll re-read them as well!

K got it and I haven't read it! Super excited! What is better than romance in space? Nothing, I say!

I have read others by Palmer's Susan Kyle pseudonym. Fun!

I don't get a lot of requests, but I've really enjoyed Jeaniene Frost's Cat and Bones mystery/romances

I seem to have fairly regular conversations with patrons about PNRs, probably because I love them and am an avid reader. Seems lots of people are reading J.R Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood - one of my favorites. Really enjoy the authors that Sarah mentioned ih her intro. Shelly Laurenston and Nalini Singh are two of my favorites. I also love Thea Harrison, Gini Koch (in the SF collection), Lara Adrian, and Jennifer Ashley. Shelly Laurenston writes a Dragon shapeshifter series under the name G.A. Aiken that I really enjoy recommending.

I also really liked Heather Webber's Truly, Madly. Fun mystery with romance, suspense, and a little paranormal.