Mr. Pinup

The economy’s down. Still. So what are women turning to? Romance novels, of course! Harlequin Enterprises, the publishers behind those cheesy paperbacks, reported earnings up 32 percent, and romance book sales are up 3.2 percent overall.

Why the hike? The books are cheap, for one. And “people want to escape,” in stressful times, says Laurie Parkin, VP of Kensington Publishing. Dr. Judith Orloff even suggests the stories help people find a place of calm.

That’s all nice and good but c’mon, ladies. We all know why women really buy romance novels, and it’s true it can help you “escape” and “find calm.” Read the real reason behind this trend after the jump.

via Are Romance Novels Soft-Core Porn for Women? – Lemondrop.

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Part of our series of true stories about passionate romance and the bad breakups that often follow. In this episode, a woman laments a relationship that began almost accidentally and went on for years…

By Gregg Goldstein Tue Sep 16, 8:59 PM ET

NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) – “I Can’t Think Straight,” a cross-cultural lesbian romantic comedy written, directed and produced entirely by women, has been picked up for North American distribution by indie firm Here! Films.

The film charts the unexpected romance between Tala (Lisa Ray), a vivacious Christian woman from Palestine, and Leyla (Sheetal Sheth), a shy Muslim woman from India. When they meet in London just before Tala’s planned wedding, sparks fly between them and their families.

It is based on the novel by British-born author Shamim Sarif, who also directed.

Lesbian romance coming “Straight” to theaters – Yahoo! News.