From the introduction to section 1 of this volume:
In "Romance Readers' Perceptions of New Adult Fiction," Josefine Smith explores reader perceptions of New Adult fiction. This chapter uses a quantitative analytical approach to the generic experiences of romance readers for New Adult fiction by looking at preferences for tropes, character development, narrative themes, etc. The "New Adult Fiction" label was first coined by St. Martin's Press in 2009 - before it gained popularity - in a writing contest they hosted. It gained popularity by the mid 2010s, and at its core is a grassroots genre supported by its author-fan community. These texts typically focus on feminine adolescence and young adulthood, with their romantic plotlines and female protagonists. Authors began self-publishing texts under this genre label, writing stories that reflected challenges and experiences women face in their late teens and early twenties. Major publishers than picked up these novels because of their popularity and fan base. By 2013, these books were on New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists. Writer's Digest publishing house even published a book to guide other authors through the writing and publishing process in this genre. NA fiction has emerged as a distinct genre between Young Adult (YA) fiction and Romance fiction. This chapter uses reader perceptions to consider the "complex, temporally evolving interaction between a fixed verbal structure and a socially situated reader" at the subgenre level, the cultural contexts within New Adult fiction, and shape the cultural implications of the genre. (12-13)
From the introduction to section 1 of this volume: