Women’s fiction comprises an enormous segment of the fiction world, one that is increasingly popular and offers great variety throughout the category, yet works dedicated to this complex genre are sorely lacking. Public librarians and lovers of women’s fiction need an up-to-date readers’ advisory guide that explains its subgenres and niches—and identifies key titles and authors.
Women’s Fiction: A Guide to Popular Reading Interests celebrates the books in this broad genre—titles that explore the lives of female protagonists, with a focus on their relationships with family, friends, and lovers.
After a brief introductory history and a chapter that defines the characteristics of women’s fiction, the author showcases annotations and suggestions of approximately 300 titles by more than 100 authors. She explains how women’s fiction differs from romance fiction, enabling readers to appreciate this rich body of literature that encompasses titles as diverse as Meg Cabot’s lighthearted chick lit to the more serious novels of Elizabeth Berg and Maeve Binchy. The book identifies some of the most popular and enduring women’s fiction authors and titles, and provides invaluable reading lists and readalike suggestions that will be appreciated by both librarians and general readers.
