The_AT recession_NN1 heats_NN2 up_II romance_NN1 novels_NN2 In_II a_AT1 down_JJ economy_NN1 ,_, sales_NN of_IO bodice-rippers_NN2 are_VBR growing_VVG ._. 
Escapism_NN1 is_VBZ part_NN1 of_IO the_AT allure_NN1 ,_, but_CCB there_EX 's_VBZ more_RRR to_II the_AT story_NN1 ._. 
Amid_II the_AT ceaseless_JJ reminders_NN2 that_CST the_AT economy_NN1 is_VBZ in_II a_AT1 persistent_JJ vegetative_JJ state_NN1 ,_, it_PPH1 's_VBZ easy_JJ to_TO forget_VVI that_CST some_DD industries_NN2 and_CC products_NN2 are_VBR thriving_VVG ._. 
U.S._NP1 News_NN1 &;_NULL World_NN1 Report_NN1 ,_, which_DDQ recently_RR released_VVN its_APPGE list_NN1 of_IO "_" 10_MC Winners_NN2 in_II the_AT Recession_NN1 ,_, "_" says_VVZ that_CST Hershey_NP1 's_GE chocolate_NN1 increased_JJ earnings_NN2 by_II more_DAR than_CSN 50%_NNU last_MD quarter_NN1 and_CC the_AT Burpee_NN1 seed_NN1 company_NN1 has_VHZ said_VVN it_PPH1 expects_VVZ sales_NN to_TO increase_VVI by_II 25%_NNU in_II 2009_MC (_( and_CC this_DD1 was_VBDZ before_II the_AT first_MD lady_NN1 's_GE organic-gardening_JJ initiative_NN1 )_) ._. 
McDonald_NP1 's_GE same-store_JJ sales_NN were_VBDR up_II 6.8%_FO last_MD month_NNT1 (_( thanks_NN2 ,_, no_RR21 doubt_RR22 ,_, to_II value_NN1 meal_NN1 menus_NN2 that_CST can_VM provide_VVI an_AT1 entire_JJ day_NNT1 's_GE worth_NN1 of_IO calories_NNU2 for_CS a_AT1 few_DA2 dollars_NNU2 )_) ._. 
Career_NN1 development_NN1 websites_NN2 saw_VVD their_APPGE traffic_NN1 jump_VVI 20%_NNU from_II last_MD year_NNT1 to_II this_DD1 year_NNT1 ,_, and_CC resume_VV0 editors_NN2 are_VBR apparently_RR doing_VDG a_AT1 brisk_JJ business_NN1 ,_, especially_RR when_CS it_PPH1 comes_VVZ to_II the_AT healthcare_NN1 ,_, tourism_NN1 and_CC restaurant_NN1 industries_NN2 (_( finance_VV0 ,_, not_XX so_RG much_RR )_) ._. 
But_CCB the_AT most_RGT intriguing_JJ entry_NN1 was_VBDZ the_AT third_MD item_NN1 on_II U.S._NP1 News_NN1 '_GE list_NN1 :_: bodice-ripper_JJ novels_NN2 ._. 
Harlequin_NN1 ,_, still_RR the_AT biggest_JJT name_NN1 in_II serial_JJ romances_NN2 ,_, saw_VVD a_AT1 $3-million_NNU gain_NN1 ,_, year_NNT1 to_II year_NNT1 ,_, in_II North_NP1 American_JJ sales_NN in_II the_AT fourth_MD quarter_NN1 of_IO 2008_MC (_( by_II contrast_NN1 ,_, book_NN1 sales_NN in_II the_AT general_JJ marketplace_NN1 are_VBR down_RP slightly_RR )_) ._. 
It_PPH1 's_VBZ so_RG easy_JJ to_TO poke_VVI fun_NN1 at_II contemporary_JJ romance_NN1 novels_NN2 that_CST there_EX 's_VBZ really_RR no_AT sport_NN1 in_II it_PPH1 ._. 
The_AT plots_NN2 ,_, by_II definition_NN1 ,_, are_VBR formulaic_JJ ;_; the_AT prose_NN1 manages_VVZ to_TO be_VBI at_RR21 once_RR22 overwrought_VVN and_CC underdeveloped_JJ ;_; the_AT covers_NN2 ,_, well_RR ,_, they_PPHS2 're_VBR where_CS that_DD1 famous_JJ ,_, flaxen-haired_JJ slab_NN1 of_IO manhood_NN1 named_VVD Fabio_NP1 got_VVD his_APPGE start_NN1 ._. 
But_CCB romances_NN2 have_VH0 long_RR dominated_VVN sales_NN of_IO mass-market_JJ paperbacks_NN2 (_( which_DDQ ,_, in_II turn_NN1 ,_, dominate_VV0 sales_NN of_IO books_NN2 in_RR21 general_RR22 )_) ._. 
According_II21 to_II22 statistics_NN from_II Romance_JJ Writers_NN2 of_IO America_NP1 ,_, an_AT1 organization_NN1 of_IO more_DAR than_CSN 10,000_MC published_VVD and_CC aspiring_JJ novelists_NN2 ,_, romances_NN2 generated_VVD $1.375_NNU billion_NNO in_II sales_NN in_II 2007_MC ._. 
It_PPH1 's_VHZ even_RR been_VBN said_VVN (_( granted_VVN ,_, by_II a_AT1 Harlequin_NN1 author_NN1 )_) that_CST ,_, worldwide_RL ,_, someone_PN1 buys_VVZ a_AT1 Harlequin_NN1 book_NN1 every_AT1 four_MC seconds_NNT2 ._. 
It_PPH1 's_VBZ not_XX exactly_RR a_AT1 surprise_NN1 that_CST the_AT romance_NN1 novel_NN1 business_NN1 would_VM be_VBI pretty_RG recession-proof_JJ ;_; as_RG bad_JJ as_CSA things_NN2 get_VV0 ,_, a_AT1 lot_NN1 of_IO people_NN --_NN1 OK_RR ,_, mostly_RR women_NN2 --_NN1 can_VM still_RR afford_VVI a_AT1 $5_NNU paperback_NN1 ._. 
It_PPH1 's_VBZ also_RR no_AT great_JJ mystery_NN1 why_RRQ stories_NN2 of_IO women_NN2 being_VBG wooed_VVN by_II chiseled_JJ ,_, robust_JJ millionaires_NN2 would_VM be_VBI extra_JJ appealing_JJ in_II an_AT1 era_NN1 when_CS a_AT1 lot_NN1 of_IO millionaires_NN2 are_VBR finding_VVG themselves_PPX2 downgraded_VVN to_II (_( if_CS I_PPIS1 may_VM dust_VVI off_RP a_AT1 favorite_JJ word_NN1 from_II my_APPGE childhood_NN1 )_) "_" thousandaires_NN2 ._. "_" 
But_CCB ,_, in_II parsing_VVG the_AT titles_NN2 listed_VVN on_II Harlequin_NN1 's_GE website_NN1 ,_, it_PPH1 struck_VVD me_PPIO1 that_CST the_AT real_JJ reason_NN1 serial_NN1 romances_NN2 are_VBR thriving_VVG in_II a_AT1 desiccated_JJ economy_NN1 is_VBZ not_XX just_RR because_CS they_PPHS2 're_VBR the_AT ultimate_JJ escape_NN1 fantasies_NN2 but_CCB because_CS ,_, in_II their_APPGE own_DA way_NN1 ,_, they_PPHS2 are_VBR that_RG Holy_JJ Grail_NN1 of_IO marketing_NN1 and_CC business_NN1 --_NN1 they_PPHS2 offer_VV0 something_PN1 for_IF everyone_PN1 ._. 
Among_II Harlequin_NN1 's_GE 10_MC imprints_NN2 are_VBR dozens_NNO2 of_IO categories_NN2 and_CC sub-categories_NN2 ,_, including_II medical_JJ romance_NN1 ,_, Christian_JJ romance_NN1 ,_, paranormal_JJ romance_NN1 ,_, suspense_NN1 romance_NN1 and_CC even_RR NASCAR_NP1 romance_NN1 (_( titles_NN2 include_VV0 "_" Checkered_JJ Past_NN1 "_" and_CC "_" Black_JJ Flag_NN1 ,_, White_NP1 Lies_VVZ "_" )_) ._. 
Unexpected_JJ pregnancy_NN1 scenarios_NN2 are_VBR popular_JJ across_II categories_NN2 (_( "_" Forced_JJ Wife_NN1 ,_, Royal_JJ Love_NN1 Child_NN1 ,_, "_" "_" The_AT Heart_NN1 Surgeon_NN1 's_GE Baby_NN1 Surprise_NN1 "_" )_) ,_, as_CSA are_VBR single-mother_JJ situations_NN2 (_( "_" The_AT Aristocrat_NN1 and_CC the_AT Single_JJ Mom_NN1 "_" )_) ._. 
I_PPIS1 even_RR saw_VVD one_MC1 book_NN1 about_II an_AT1 unwed_JJ pregnant_JJ woman_NN1 courted_VVD by_II a_AT1 man_NN1 who_PNQS is_VBZ n't_XX the_AT father_NN1 of_IO her_APPGE baby_NN1 but_CCB wants_VVZ to_TO be_VBI ._. 
He_PPHS1 also_RR happens_VVZ to_TO be_VBI super_JJ hot_JJ ._. 
See_VV0 ,_, you_PPY forgot_VVD about_II the_AT economy_NN1 for_IF a_AT1 second_NNT1 there_RL ,_, did_VDD n't_XX you_PPY ?_? 
If_CS there_EX 's_VBZ anyone_PN1 who_PNQS 's_VBZ predisposed_VVN to_II being_VBG snobby_JJ about_II this_DD1 genre_NN1 ,_, it_PPH1 's_VBZ me_PPIO1 ._. 
I_PPIS1 would_VM n't_XX buy_VVI a_AT1 romance_NN1 novel_NN1 unless_CS it_PPH1 was_VBDZ specific_JJ enough_RR to_II my_APPGE own_DA escape_NN1 fantasies_NN2 to_TO be_VBI called_VVN something_PN1 like_II "_" Ralph_NP1 Fiennes_NP2 ,_, Personal_JJ Assistant_NN1 and_CC Discreet_JJ Ghostwriter_NN1 of_IO Newspaper_NN1 Columns_NN2 ._. "_" 
But_CCB even_RR I_PPIS1 can_VM understand_VVI the_AT impulse_NN1 :_: Is_VBZ n't_XX "_" the_AT quest_NN1 for_IF true_JJ love_NN1 "_" really_RR just_JJ code_NN1 for_IF something_PN1 else_RR ,_, namely_REX the_AT search_NN1 for_IF a_AT1 sense_NN1 of_IO safety_NN1 --_JJ financial_JJ and_CC otherwise_RR --_JJ in_II a_AT1 precarious_JJ world_NN1 ?_? 
In_II most_DAT of_IO these_DD2 novels_NN2 ,_, the_AT heroine_NN1 is_VBZ in_II a_AT1 position_NN1 of_IO not_XX really_RR being_VBG able_JK to_TO trust_VVI the_AT intentions_NN2 of_IO her_APPGE love_NN1 (_( or_CC lust_NN1 )_) object_VV0 ._. 
And_CC although_CS she_PPHS1 desperately_RR wants_VVZ a_AT1 happily-ever-after_JJ with_IW a_AT1 cardiologist/secretly_FU wealthy_JJ ranch_NN1 hand/oil_VV0 tycoon/Ralph_FU Fiennes_NN2 ,_, she_PPHS1 ca_VM n't_XX shake_VVI her_APPGE fear_NN1 that_CST she_PPHS1 's_VBZ being_VBG lied_VVN to_II ._. 
And_CC yet_RR she_PPHS1 also_RR ca_VM n't_XX allow_VVI herself_PPX1 to_TO believe_VVI that_CST her_APPGE spicy_JJ encounters_NN2 are_VBR anything_PN1 more_DAR than_CSN a_AT1 house_NN1 of_IO cards_NN2 that_CST will_VM eventually_RR leave_VVI her_APPGE destitute_JJ and_CC alone_JJ ._. 
You_PPY do_VD0 n't_XX have_VHI to_TO like_VVI romance_NN1 novels_NN2 --_NN1 or_CC even_RR cardiologists_NN2 or_CC ranch_NN1 hands_NN2 --_JJ to_TO know_VVI what_DDQ that_DD1 kind_NN1 of_IO uncertainty_NN1 feels_VVZ like_II ._. 
All_DB you_PPY have_VH0 to_TO do_VDI is_VBZ follow_VVI the_AT financial_JJ news_NN1 ._. 
In_II fact_NN1 ,_, given_CS21 that_CS22 many_DA2 Americans_NN2 are_VBR feeling_VVG as_RG distrustful_JJ of_IO the_AT bank_NN1 bailout_NN1 and_CC the_AT economic_JJ stimulus_NN1 package_NN1 as_CSA Harlequin_NN1 heroines_NN2 feel_VV0 about_II their_APPGE suitors_NN2 ,_, maybe_RR the_AT term_NN1 "_" escape_NN1 fantasy_NN1 "_" is_VBZ a_AT1 misnomer_NN1 ._. 
Maybe_RR these_DD2 books_NN2 are_VBR recession-proof_JJ not_XX because_CS they_PPHS2 offer_VV0 an_AT1 alternative_NN1 to_II uncertainty_NN1 but_CCB because_CS they_PPHS2 reflect_VV0 it_PPH1 back_RP at_II us_PPIO2 --_NN1 with_IW a_AT1 lot_NN1 of_IO sex_NN1 thrown_VVN in_II (_( and_CC a_AT1 happy_JJ ending_NN1 )_) ._. 
Oh_UH ,_, and_CC No._NN1 4_MC on_II U.S._NP1 News_NN1 &;_NULL World_NN1 Report_NN1 's_GE recession_NN1 winners_NN2 list_VV0 ?_? 
Condoms_NN2 ._. 
Maybe_RR Harlequin_NN1 should_VM ease_VVI up_RP on_II those_DD2 unexpected-pregnancy_JJ fantasies_NN2 ._. 
