
The Flame and the Flower
Kathleen Woodiwiss · 1972
The novel that invented modern genre romance. The first full-length adult romance published directly as a mass-market paperback, the first to sell a million copies in the genre format. Brandon and Heather's relationship has aged in ways that require historical context, but its raw emotional power and its role in creating an entire industry earn it permanent canonical status.
Romance · the Pro canon
The case for it, the case against, and the rest of the canon open with Pro.