Changes wrought by the women's movement were the subject of the novel. People have been reading for therapy as well as literary pleasures. Others, like The Bigamist's Daughter are by a whole new generation. You must make the distinction between commercial and literary fiction, though. For a first novel that's a horror story, mystery or a family saga, particularly one suitable for paperback publications, there may not be as much of a problem getting published.
Serious fiction is much harder.
Levine estimates New York has thirty editors who are really interested in serious first novels. Levine agrees there is an audience for fiction, but is unhappy about the cost of hardcover fiction. Levine was excited, as were other members of the publishing community, to see a paperback book recently reviewed on the front page of The Times Book Review. When paperbacks are reviewed perhaps mass market paperback houses will think about consistently publishing original serious fiction. In fact several houses such as Bantam and Avon have already begun to do so.