I read this interesting statement recently:

“One study showed that women who read romance novels have sex twice as often as those who don’t.” (1)

Unfortunately, they didn’t cite the study, which I would have loved to have read.

So the question is: which is the cart, and which the horse? Do romance readers have more sex because they read romance novels? The stories may give them ideas, put them in the mood, etc. On a blog awhile ago, a man commented that he goes to his girlfriend’s romance novels, opens to the dog-eared pages, and then reads what he should try with her. He figures if it was dog-eared, she was intrigued by whatever she was reading. Smart man, huh?

Or, it may be that women who are more interested in sex to begin with also read romance novels. I suppose if you didn’t like sex, you’d be less likely to want to read about other people having great sex.

Of course, there are romance novels that keep the bedroom door firmly closed. Perhaps the fact that those readers must use their own imaginations, leads them to increased bedroom activity.

But, I would suggest that the ever-growing popularity of stories with more and more sex indicates that readers enjoy their peep into someone else’s imagination.

I tried to track down the study, with no luck, having no leads whatsoever. But there is a lot of fascinating research out there!

No comment was available on how much sex romance writers have. Lol That would be an interesting study.
(1)