The term women’s fiction is used to refer to any kind of literature which is meant for the female audience. Some people identify women’s fiction as a specialized genre which has similarities with other genres but it manages to stand out from the rest on account of its strong female protagonist, issues like birth, death, family, love, career, motherhood, etc, discussed and the insightful tone of the writing. Women’s fiction, however, is not the same as women’s writing. Women’s writing is used to refer to literature that is written by women but not necessarily targeted at women.

Romance novels, a genre whose primary focus is on relationships and the romantic love between the main protagonists, have an optimistic ending which is emotionally satisfying. The main conflict of the novel as well as the climax involves the theme of love. Romantic suspense, on the other hand, is a sub-genre of romance novels. Romantic suspense novels involve a certain sense of mystery that surround the main theme of love. In such novels you will find the female protagonist being victimized in a crime and she seeks help from the hero to solve the mystery.

As romantic suspense novels are basically an extension of the romance novels, the romantic relationship between the hero and heroine lie at the core of the story. Their relationship causes an impact on the investigation that they are carrying out and vice versa. With every decision taken the tension rises and propels the story forward. As mystery is an integral part of any romantic suspense novel, such stories are plot driven rather than character driven. Thus, romantic suspense books contain the perfect balance of love and mystery. They seamlessly combine these two genres and make for an interesting read. Romantic suspense books mainly end with the crime mystery being solved and the hero and heroine united in love again.

Chick lit is a literary genre which is written and read by women. It is often perceived as being too full fluff and is regarded by many as ‘trash’. It started as an American college slang which was first published in the year 1988. It is a particular category of women’s fiction which deals with the modern, contemporary women. It portrays its female protagonists, not as victims of situation, but as strong, independent-minded individuals who can take charge of any situation they land themselves in. Chick lit encompasses a lot of modern day issues faced by women including broken relationships, single motherhood, career struggles, etc.

Chick lits are hugely different from romantic novels. While romantic novels focus on the relationship between the male and female protagonists of the story, a chick lit’s prime focus is the female protagonist. A love story may or may not be there in the backdrop. The more important issue here is the struggles faced by the heroine in her life and how they define her personal and professional life. Chick lits usually end on a positive note.