What is it with Series Romance?

I've read series romance for as long as I remember. Harlequins, Silhouettes, Loveswept, Candlelights and Zebras have filled my house for ages.

What I don't understand with most of the contemporary series is the huge age differences that the writers almost always give to the hero and heroine. Why is it that the guy is always 10 years older than the girl?

I'm 36 and most of my friends are married to men close to their age. Yes, some people do marry people much older..my dad is 8 years older than my mom, but still, it has always irked me that this is the case.

Plus it would be nice to see the heroines become a little older. No one is ever older than 32.

I feel like an old maid sometimes when I read these books and yet I still love reading romance. I guess I just won't identify with many of the heroines anymore. Not that I ever really did before. Because life just doesn't always throw us a handsome and wealthy prince that will fall madly in love with us and want to marry us in about 4 weeks. Though I won't stop hoping it will happen.