The alpha hero didn’t start in the 1980s… but that’s where he became a formula. In this episode of Reading Under the Covers, we’re going back to the era of power suits, jet-setting billionaires, emotionally constipated cowboys, and heroines who took no nonsense.

Let’s break down:

• What made the 1980s alpha hero so unforgettable
• How category romance (Harlequin, Silhouette, Loveswept) dominated the spinner racks
• The rise of power couple dynamics: boss/secretary, arranged marriages, and age-gap drama
• The legacy of editor Vivian Stephens and the launch of Loveswept
• The evolution of the alpha — from the ‘90s to today's cinnamon roll heroes

✨ This episode is part of my Substack series, Once Upon a Genre.

We’re walking through the history of romance decade by decade.

Catch up on The 1970s: The Birth of Modern Romance, and subscribe to get this Friday’s 1980s deep dive.

• Whitney, My Love by Judith McNaught
• The Boss’s Virgin by Charlotte Lamb
• Tempest in Eden by Sandra Brown
• Breakfast in Bed by Sandra Brown
• Calhoun by Diana Palmer
• Tender is the Storm by Johanna Lindsey

🎧 Don’t forget to follow the podcast, leave a rating if you’re enjoying the series, and let me know:

Do you still love the alpha hero? Or are you more into the soft, supportive cinnamon rolls of today?

Happy reading — and see you under the covers. 💖

✨ If you loved this episode, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review! It helps more romance readers find us, and I always love hearing what books you’re excited about. See you next time! 💕

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