Has Romance Fiction Abandoned Grown-Ups?

Amazing

Real

Raw

Try finding a mainstream contemporary romance novel without one or all of these three adjectives sprinkled throughout the dialogue and narration. Regardless of the characters' stated chronological ages, so many of them talk, think and act like hormonal teenagers.

Must the explosive growth of the teen, young adult and new adult publishing markets thrive at the expense of the variety and volume and caliber of fun fiction content for grown-up readers? Established bestselling adult fiction authors have been converted (drafted/coerced/brainwashed?) into becoming YA writers. The results have been mixed, often yielding characters and stories that in no way reflect an author's previously established storytelling greatness.

Isn't it possible and profitable to meet the demands of the rapidly growing markets for younger readers while also continuing to meet the needs of grown-up readers who've outgrown the exclamatory angst stage in life and in their preferences for entertainment content?

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