Men Are Bigger Romance Fans Than Women, Study Finds

Forget the stereotype that romance novels are just for women—a new survey says men are bigger fans of the genre.

A study of 2,000 American romance readers found that 63% of men consider themselves die-hard romance enthusiasts, compared to 60% of women. And they’re not just talking the talk—men also spend more time reading romance, clocking in 364 hours per year, while women average 312 hours.

Related: Men and Women’s Top Prized Possessions!

Who Are Readers Imagining in Their Love Stories?

When diving into a romance novel, some readers picture their spouse (17%), while others let their celebrity crush take centre stage (21%). A daring 7% even admitted to imagining their ex. (Yikes.)

Top Celebrities Pictured in Romance Novels

📖 Women Imagine:
💋 Angelina Jolie – 26%
🔥 Megan Fox – 21%
🌟 Zendaya – 20%
🎤 Selena Gomez – 19%
🦸‍♀️ Scarlett Johansson – 19%

📖 Men Imagine:
💪 Channing Tatum – 26%
🎬 Brad Pitt – 22%
⚡ Chris Hemsworth – 20%
🤣 Ryan Reynolds – 19%
🛡 Chris Evans – 17%

Romance Reading by the Numbers

📚 Average romance books read per year: 36
⏳ Average time spent reading romance per year: 312 hours

Moral of the story? Romance isn’t just a guilty pleasure—it’s a full-time hobby, and men are leading the charge.💘