Exploring the evolving landscape of romantic fiction.

Romance is a bestselling genre but it is derided by many and disregarded by critics and prize givers alike, dismissed as fluffy, without Big Ideas.

But is romance in 2025 all roses, cupcakes and soft focus? Many of our bestselling love stories cover topics as universal and hard-hitting as grief, long-term illness, caring responsibilities, menopause, and environmental damage. The heroines are women with agency and influence.

Join authors Eve Ainsworth, Lisa Brace and Laura Wilkinson as they chat about this powerful and often overlooked genre and have a few laughs along the way.