The ever changing idea of what it means for women to ‘have it all’ has always been present in Romance novels. In Romance novels of the past, the main character’s happily ever after is tied to marriage with a wealthy man. Meaning the female characters in these novels have a patriarchal view of having it all, marriage, family, and wealth. However, Contemporary Romance of the 21st century portrays that ‘having it all’ to a female character is whatever they want it to be. Meaning they are not held back by gender roles and stereotypes of the real world. Female characters challenge roles and stereotypes of their gender through their activities, jobs, and characteristics in the novels they appear in. This challenge pushes the idea of what it means for a woman to ‘have it all.’
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