Latinas conquer romance genre
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Photo illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios. Photos: Visual Concepts Photography and Sean Hoyt
The world of romance novels is seeing a boom in the number of authors with a Latino heritage, with many writing stories that reflect their unique experiences, experts tell Axios Latino.
Why it matters: Long one of the bestselling fiction genres, romance has had rising sales in the past few years, according to the latest data from tracking company NPD BookScan.
- For years, most of those works were about non-Hispanic white, affluent and straight protagonists.
- That's been changing as the publishing industry has given greater space to diverse authors and has been marketing their works more.
What they're saying: "These days, it's exciting to get to read experiences that emphasize that I, other Latinas and women of color deserve a happily ever after … that people of all sexualities and backgrounds deserve to be cherished and loved," says Mia Sosa, a Brazilian American and Puerto Rican author.
- Sosa refers to part of her own life in novels such as "The Worst Best Man" and "The Wedding Crasher."
- Readers have responded by making Sosa and similar authors' works bestsellers.
- "That's part of why I write, to give readers something different than what I had reading romance when growing up," Sosa tells Axios Latino.
Between the lines: Experts have linked the rise in romance sales to growing online communities such as BookTok and Bookstagram, where users recommend and praise works. It's also attributed to an uptick in reading habits since the pandemic — with romance offering somewhat of an escape.
- "You know you'll likely get an ending that satisfies and puts a smile on your face," says author Jo Segura. Her debut novel "Raiders of the Lost Heart," whose protagonist is a Mexican American anthropologist, was published Dec. 5.
- Although in the past some have dismissed the romance genre as frivolous, Latina authors say these books can inspire and be eye-opening about healthy relationships.
- "The best parts of romance are, I think, the hope and the sense that two people can help each other become better than before," Sosa says.
- Having more voices telling stories about that mutual propping up is beneficial for all readers, she adds.
Of note: Latina, Latino and nonbinary authors in the romance genre illustrate the immense diversity within Latin American and Hispanic communities.
- Priscilla Oliveras, who is from a Puerto Rican-Mexican family, imbues her experiences into novels set in the worlds of competitive mariachi and salsa dancing.
- Dominican writer Adriana Herrera, centers her work on Afro-Latina protagonists.
- Alexis Daria, a Puerto Rican author, has written well-reviewed bestsellers like "You Had Me at Hola."
- Isabel Ibáñez highlights her Bolivian heritage in books mixing fantasy and romance, including this year's "What the River Knows."
- Racquel Marie writes stories about queer young adults.
The bottom line: "We have a full-blown community now of Latinx romance authors and it feels like romance is kind of at its best right now in terms of reflecting the world that we live in," says Sosa.
Editor's note: This story has been corrected to note that Mia Sosa is a Brazilian American and Puerto Rican author (not just Brazilian American) and that Alexis Daris is a Puerto Rican author, not Cuban.
Subscribe to Axios Latino to get vital news about Latinos and Latin America, delivered to your inbox on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
