Romance Trailblazers

To honor as many of the trailblazers of the genre as we could as part of the 2019 RITA Award Ceremony, RWA members worked to build the list below—featuring many of our earliest voices—with an eye toward finding and celebrating the early authors and books that have been left out of the spotlight during the nearly fifty years of the modern American romance genre.

A note on this list: Firsts are a challenge in any medium—there is often someone who came before, lesser known, and less celebrated. If you have additions or corrections to this list of romance trailblazers, please let us know. Our genre’s history is vast and varied, and your knowledge is essential to ensuring it is remembered.

Thank you for reading and for remembering.

Watch the romance trailblazers video

1970 - 1989         1990 - 2019

1970 - 1989

1972

The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss
First modern romance

1974

Loving Her by Ann Allen Shockley
First biracial lesbian romance

1974

Forth into the Light by Gordon Merrick
Early gay romance series

1974

The Front Runner by Patricia Nell Warren
First gay romance to receive breakout mainstream success

1975

Forever by Judy Blume
Seminal YA

1977

Eleanor & the Marquis by Jane Wilby
Harlequin Masquerade #1

1979

Love Comes Softly by Janette Oke
First modern inspirational romance

 1980

Entwined Destinies by Rosalind Welles
First own voices category romance; edited by Vivian Stephens

1980

Gaywyck by Vincent Virga
Early gay historical romance

 1980

The Tawny Gold Man by Amii Lorin
Candlelight Ecstasy #1

1980

Gates of Steel by Anne Hampson
Harlequin Presents #1

1980

End of Innocence by Abra Taylor
Harlequin Superromance #1

 1981

Flamenco Nights by Susanna Collins
Berkley/Jove Second Chance at Love #1

1981

Golden Fire, Silver Ice by Marisa de Zavala
First own voices Latinx romance; edited by Vivian Stephens

1981

New Boy in Town by Dorothy Francis
Silhouette First Love #1

 1982

Say Jesus and Come to Me by Ann Shockley
First black lesbian romance

1982

The Tender Mending by Lia Sanders
Own voices romance by Angela Jackson & Sandra Jackson-Opoku; edited by Vivian Stephens

1982

Lesson in Love by Tracy West
First own voices Silhouette Young Adult

 1982

Annie on My Mind by Nancy Garden
Early young adult lesbian romance

1982

Corporate Affair by Stephanie James
Silhouette Desire #1

1983

Dreams of Evening by Kristin James
Silhouette Intimate Moments #1

1983

Untamed Heart by Elda Minger
First contemporary romance with a condom on page

1983

Tomorrow's Promise by Sandra Brown
Harlequin American #1

1983

Heaven's Price by Sandra Brown
Loveswept #1

 1984

Rites of Spring by Sandra Kitt
First book by a black author to be published by Harlequin; edited by Vivian Stephens

1984

The Key by Rebecca Flanders
Harlequin Intrigue #1

1984

Spring Fancy by LaVyrle Spencer
Harlequin Temptation #1

1985

Adam & Eva by Sandra Kitt
First own voices Harlequin Romance; edited by Vivian Stephens

1986

Sweet Starfire by Jayne Ann Krentz
Early space romance

1986

Rose Royale by Inga Dunbar
Harlequin Historical #1

1987

The Ivory Key by Rita Clay Estrada
First paranormal romance

1988

Satan's Angel by Kristin James
Harlequin Historical (Line 2) #1

1988

Careless Whispers by Rochelle Alers
Referenced in LaQuette's speech

1989

Matched Pair by Eva Rutland
Harlequin Regency #1

   

 

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