The signings haven't even started yet, but there's already a huge line at FNAC. Marina Moreno arrived in Plaça Catalunya at 7:30 a.m. to be first in line for Inma Rubiales, who will start signing at 11:00 a.m. She's been sitting on the floor for more than three hours. Why is she waiting in line? "My dad's freaking out too. He says she's a real geek. I think it's really cool, that those of us who enjoy reading meet up. Living it is an experience, and having a book signed for you, being able to have contact with her is special and unique," she describes. Behind her is Noa Díaz and two friends, ages 15 and 16, who are romance novel readers. "You can meet the person who transports you to their world and you can say 'thank you for writing,'" she explains.

At Crush Fest, the widespread use of the generic feminine is not a political position but an empirical reality. Of the 46 authors invited to the second edition of this festival of young adult romantic literature –or young adult– 43 of them are women. And among the large audience that passed through the historic building of the University of Barcelona this Saturday, where the festival is held, the gender distribution is similar, with an overwhelming majority of women between 18 and 30 years old.