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Bonkbuster (a play on "blockbuster" and the verb "to bonk") is a term coined in 1989 by British writer Sue Limb to describe a subgenre of commercial romance novels in the 1970s and 1980s, as well as their subsequent miniseries adaptations.^[1]^[2]^[3]

Genre history

Although the term has been used generally to describe "bodice-rippers" such as Forever Amber (1944) by Kathleen Winsor,^[4] as well as Valley of the Dolls (1966) and the novels of Jacqueline Susann^[5]^[6] and Harold Robbins,^[7] it is specifically associated with the novels of Judith Krantz, Jackie Collins, Shirley Conran, and Jilly Cooper, known for their glamorous, financially independent female protagonists and salacious storylines.^[8] Many of these novels were adapted in the 1980s into glossy, big-budget miniseries, reminiscent of primetime soaps of the time, such as Dallas, Knots Landing and Dynasty.

Examples

Scruples (1978) by Judith Krantz, adapted as a 1980 miniseries
Princess Daisy (1980) by Judith Krantz, adapted as a 1983 miniseries
Bare Essence (1980) by Meredith Rich, adapted as a TV series
Chances (1981) and Lucky (1985) by Jackie Collins, adapted as a 1990 miniseries
Lace (1982) by Shirley Conran, adapted as a 1984 miniseries
Sins (1982) by Judith Gould, adapted as a 1986 miniseries
Mistral's Daughter (1982) by Judith Krantz, adapted as a 1984 miniseries
Crossings (1982) by Danielle Steel, adapted as a 1986 miniseries
Hollywood Wives (1983) by Jackie Collins, adapted as a 1985 miniseries
Queenie (1985) by Michael Korda, adapted as a 1987 miniseries
Return to Eden (1985), novelised by Rosalind Miles
I'll Take Manhattan (1986) by Judith Krantz, adapted as a 1987 miniseries
Till We Meet Again (1988) by Judith Krantz, adapted as a 1989 miniseries
Dazzle (1990) by Judith Krantz, adapted as a 1995 miniseries
Lady Boss (1990) by Jackie Collins, adapted as a 1992 miniseries
Torch Song (1993) by Judith Krantz

References

^ The Telegraph, 18 February 2002^{[dead link‍]} Accessed 2007-11-11.
^ Sydney Morning Herald, 19 June 2002 Accessed 2007-11-11.
^ "Bonk word that bust convention". the Guardian. June 18, 2002.
^ "Observer review: Forever Amber by Kathleen Winsor". the Guardian. July 27, 2002.
^ "Sex in the suburbs: a history of the bonkbuster in six books". the Guardian. July 28, 2012.
^ Haines, Chris (October 1, 1997). "Media Circus". Salon.
^ Cummins, Anthony (May 21, 2016). "Harold Robbins's cocaine-fuelled bonkbusters sold 750 million copies — and they're far better than Fifty Shades". The Telegraph – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
^ "How the bonkbuster novel came to define a generation". The Independent. August 17, 2019.

[1] The Telegraph, 18 February 2002^{[dead link‍]} Accessed 2007-11-11.

[2] Sydney Morning Herald, 19 June 2002 Accessed 2007-11-11.

[3] "Bonk word that bust convention". the Guardian. June 18, 2002.

[4] "Observer review: Forever Amber by Kathleen Winsor". the Guardian. July 27, 2002.

[5] "Sex in the suburbs: a history of the bonkbuster in six books". the Guardian. July 28, 2012.

[6] Haines, Chris (October 1, 1997). "Media Circus". Salon.

[7] Cummins, Anthony (May 21, 2016). "Harold Robbins's cocaine-fuelled bonkbusters sold 750 million copies — and they're far better than Fifty Shades". The Telegraph – via www.telegraph.co.uk.

[8] "How the bonkbuster novel came to define a generation". The Independent. August 17, 2019.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|Subgenre of commercial romance novels}}
-'''''Bonkbuster''''' (a play on [[Blockbuster (entertainment)|"blockbuster"]] and the verb "[[Wikt:bonk|to bonk]]") is a term coined in 1989 by British writer [[Sue Limb]] to describe a subgenre of commercial [[Romance novel|romance novels]] in the 1970s and 1980s, as well as their subsequent [[miniseries]] adaptations.<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2002/06/18/nbonk18.xml ''The Telegraph'', 18 February 2002]{{dead link|date=July 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} Accessed 2007-11-11.</ref><ref>[http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/06/18/1023864428399.html ''Sydney Morning Herald'', 19 June 2002] Accessed 2007-11-11.</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2002/jun/18/books.booksnews|title=Bonk word that bust convention|date=June 18, 2002|website=the Guardian}}</ref> They have also been referred to as '''sex 'n' shopping''' or '''[[Shopping and Fucking|shopping and fucking]]''' novels (S&F).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803100457739|title=sex'n'shopping novel|website=Oxford Reference}}</ref>
+'''''Bonkbuster''''' (a play on [[Blockbuster (entertainment)|"blockbuster"]] and the verb "[[Wikt:bonk|to bonk]]") is a term coined in 1989 by British writer [[Sue Limb]] to describe a subgenre of commercial [[Romance novel|romance novels]] in the 1970s and 1980s, as well as their subsequent [[miniseries]] adaptations.<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2002/06/18/nbonk18.xml ''The Telegraph'', 18 February 2002]{{dead link|date=July 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} Accessed 2007-11-11.</ref><ref>[http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/06/18/1023864428399.html ''Sydney Morning Herald'', 19 June 2002] Accessed 2007-11-11.</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2002/jun/18/books.booksnews|title=Bonk word that bust convention|date=June 18, 2002|website=the Guardian}}</ref>
 ==Genre history==
-Although the term has been used generally to describe "[[Romance novel#Birth of modern romance|bodice-rippers]]" such as ''[[Forever Amber (novel)|Forever Amber]]'' (1944) by [[Kathleen Winsor]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/books/2002/jul/28/classics.features|title=Observer review: Forever Amber by Kathleen Winsor|date=July 27, 2002|website=the Guardian}}</ref> as well as ''[[Valley of the Dolls (novel)|Valley of the Dolls]]'' (1966) and the novels of [[Jacqueline Susann]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/jul/29/bonkbuster-books-history-sex-suburbs|title=Sex in the suburbs: a history of the bonkbuster in six books|date=July 28, 2012|website=the Guardian}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.salon.com/1997/10/01/susann/|title=Media Circus|first=Chris|last=Haines|date=October 1, 1997|website=Salon}}</ref> and [[Harold Robbins]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/what-to-read/harold-robbinss-cocaine-fuelled-bonkbusters-sold-750-million-cop/|title=Harold Robbins's cocaine-fuelled bonkbusters sold 750 million copies — and they're far better than Fifty Shades|first=Anthony|last=Cummins|date=May 21, 2016|via=www.telegraph.co.uk}}</ref> it is specifically associated with the novels of [[Judith Krantz]], [[Jackie Collins]], [[Shirley Conran]], and [[Jilly Cooper]], known for their glamorous, financially independent female protagonists and salacious storylines.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/independentpremium/long-reads/bonkbuster-novel-literature-books-1980s-jackie-collins-a9006446.html|title=How the bonkbuster novel came to define a generation|date=August 17, 2019|website=The Independent}}</ref> Many of these novels were adapted in the 1980s into glossy, big-budget miniseries, reminiscent of [[Soap_opera#The_primetime_serial|primetime soaps]] of the time, such as ''[[Dallas (1978 TV series)|Dallas]]'', ''[[Knots Landing]]'' and ''[[Dynasty (1981 TV series)|Dynasty]]''.
+Although the term has been used generally to describe "[[Romance novel#Birth of modern romance|bodice-rippers]]" such as ''[[Forever Amber (novel)|Forever Amber]]'' (1944) by [[Kathleen Winsor]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/books/2002/jul/28/classics.features|title=Observer review: Forever Amber by Kathleen Winsor|date=July 27, 2002|website=the Guardian}}</ref> as well as ''[[Valley of the Dolls (novel)|Valley of the Dolls]]'' (1966) and the novels of [[Jacqueline Susann]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/jul/29/bonkbuster-books-history-sex-suburbs|title=Sex in the suburbs: a history of the bonkbuster in six books|date=July 28, 2012|website=the Guardian}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.salon.com/1997/10/01/susann/|title=Media Circus|first=Chris|last=Haines|date=October 1, 1997|website=Salon}}</ref> and [[Harold Robbins]],<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/what-to-read/harold-robbinss-cocaine-fuelled-bonkbusters-sold-750-million-cop/|title=Harold Robbins's cocaine-fuelled bonkbusters sold 750 million copies — and they're far better than Fifty Shades|first=Anthony|last=Cummins|newspaper=The Telegraph |date=May 21, 2016|via=www.telegraph.co.uk}}</ref> it is specifically associated with the novels of [[Judith Krantz]], [[Jackie Collins]], [[Shirley Conran]], and [[Jilly Cooper]], known for their glamorous, financially independent female protagonists and salacious storylines.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/independentpremium/long-reads/bonkbuster-novel-literature-books-1980s-jackie-collins-a9006446.html|title=How the bonkbuster novel came to define a generation|date=August 17, 2019|website=The Independent}}</ref> Many of these novels were adapted in the 1980s into glossy, big-budget miniseries, reminiscent of [[Soap_opera#The_primetime_serial|primetime soaps]] of the time, such as ''[[Dallas (1978 TV series)|Dallas]]'', ''[[Knots Landing]]'' and ''[[Dynasty (1981 TV series)|Dynasty]]''.
 ===Examples===
 * ''[[Scruples (novel)|Scruples]]'' (1978) by [[Judith Krantz]], adapted as a [[Scruples (miniseries)|1980 miniseries]]
 * ''[[Princess Daisy (novel)|Princess Daisy]]'' (1980) by [[Judith Krantz]], adapted as a [[Princess Daisy (miniseries)|1983 miniseries]]
-* ''Bare Essence'' (1980) by Meredith Rich, adapted as a [[Bare Essence (TV series)|1983 primetime soap]]
+* ''Bare Essence'' (1980) by Meredith Rich, adapted as a [[Bare Essence|TV series]]
 * ''[[Chances (novel)|Chances]]'' (1981) and ''Lucky'' (1985) by [[Jackie Collins]], adapted as a [[Lucky Chances|1990 miniseries]]
 * ''Lace'' (1982) by [[Shirley Conran]], adapted as a [[Lace (miniseries)|1984 miniseries]]
@@ Line 15: / Line 16: @@
 * ''[[Hollywood Wives (novel)|Hollywood Wives]]'' (1983) by [[Jackie Collins]], adapted as a [[Hollywood Wives (miniseries)|1985 miniseries]]
 * ''Queenie'' (1985) by [[Michael Korda]], adapted as a [[Queenie (miniseries)|1987 miniseries]]
-* ''[[Return to Eden]]'' (1985), novelised by [[Rosalind Miles]]
+* ''[[Return to Eden]]'' (1985), novelised by [[Rosalind Miles (author)|Rosalind Miles]]
 * ''[[I'll Take Manhattan]]'' (1986) by [[Judith Krantz]], adapted as a [[I'll Take Manhattan (miniseries)|1987 miniseries]]
 * ''[[Till We Meet Again (novel)|Till We Meet Again]]'' (1988) by [[Judith Krantz]], adapted as a [[Judith Krantz's Till We Meet Again|1989 miniseries]]
@@ Line 27: / Line 28: @@
 {{Romance novel}}
-[[Category:Fiction by genre]]
 [[Category:Romance genres]]
-[[Category:Literary genres]]
 [[Category:Hollywood novels]]

v t e Romance novel
Subgenres	Amish Baby Love Bonkbuster Chivalric Contemporary Erotic Fantasy Gothic Historical Inspirational Lesbian Medical Multicultural Paranormal Regency Suspense Science fiction Time travel Western Young adult
Publishers	Harlequin Mills and Boon Ladies' Home Journal G. P. Putnam's Sons William Collins, Sons
Awards	RITA Award RoNA Award Romantic Times Award P.E.A.R.L. Award Quill Award