A survey of 600 regular romance readers the same year "found that they mirror the general population in age, education, and marital and socioeconomic status."

Some romance readers consume as many as 14 books a month.

A new special-interest catalogue catering to romance readers is called Manderley.

When she speaks, romance readers and writers pay heed, though, apparently, they are now going their own way.

She heard about electronic books from a romance readers Web site.

She quickly became a prolific romance reader and soon penned her first novel in 1999.

"I've been an avid romance reader for 100 years or so," she said.

Emma Bovary would have been an avid romance reader.

"Her audience is romance readers who want a little suspense thrown in," he said.

I can't believe some enraged romance reader would do the dirty deed, but nobody had any motive.