At the height of his modeling career in the ’80s, Fabio Lanzoni, better known simply as Fabio, says he was shooting up to 10 romance book covers a day. With his long, blonde hair flowing, his shirt ...

Where have all the torsos gone? The photorealistic “clinch cover,” featuring lovers mid-embrace, is a critically endangered species. Fabio? Hasn’t been seen around these parts in years. But he hasn’t ...

Imagine the cover of a romance novel; what comes to mind? Long-haired, open-shirted Fabio? Or maybe two half-naked people clinging to one another and staring hungrily into each other’s eyes? The ...

Romance novels thrive on familiarity and the promise of a happily ever after (or a happy for now), and their covers likewise play to readers’ expectations. A mystical object surrounded by vining ...