That popular romance fiction constitutes the largest segment of the global consumer book market is well-established. Less well-known, though no less important, is the worldwide presence of scholarship that studies this global genre and its remarkable readership. Bringing together an international group of scholars, The Ashgate Research Companion to Popular Romance Fiction offers a state-of-the-art review of scholarship in this vibrant and still-emerging field. In recognition of the diversity of the form, the Companion provides a history of the genre, an overview of disciplinary approaches to studying romance fiction, and analysis and critical evaluation of important subgenres, themes, and topics, while also highlighting new and understudied avenues of inquiry for future research. The first systematic, comprehensive resource on romance fiction, this Companion will be invaluable to graduate students and scholars.