I'm not sure whether there's a thread about this already (I kind of remember something similar). If that's the case, maybe you can point me to that or merge the threads together or something? Meh, it's up to the mods. I do really wish that search function was working though, it would make searching through the site easier.

I've just been reading reviews of romance novels of all different sorts, and I find the amount of differing opinions towards certain archetypes and themes very interesting. So I just wanted to ask all of you, for interest sake, what do you find appealing in a good romance novel? More importantly, what are your pet peeves

How would do you think the leads should fall in love? What qualities should a hero have, or a heroine? Are you more into the tragedy? Melodrama? Or do you like realism?

As for me, I like a little bit of everything. Melodrama is alright if it's tempered with realism. Instant attraction is normal and okay, but I absolutely despise when the characters have no real reason to love each other, they just do and we're supposed to accept it. The list goes on I guess, but what about you guys? What do you think?

:blink: your asking for a lot are'nt you :D its ok

mmmm....I think whats most appealing in a romance is when the boy and girl actually start talking to one another and actually start hanging out and getting to know one another personalities :aeris:

usually when a boy and girl have talked for a while and the holding of hands and spending each moment alone with each other I would think leads to love, but a lot of things can lead to love....Ill get back to ya with the rest :)

I like romance series where the couple is dating and boyfriend and girlfriend and in a relationship during the series. I like series where the couple gets together during the beginning of the series. I like series that show the couple dating and in a relationship. I like it when the couple has lots of kissing scenes, sex scenes and it shows the couple being boyfriend and girlfriend and dating and in a relationship. I like long, continuing romance series which show the couple dating and in a relationship. It's best when couples get together during the beginning of the series, so you see the couple in a relationship with lots of kisses and so many great scenes of them as a couple. The couple must be dating and boyfriend and girlfriend and in a relationship for a long time during the series, it's best to have romance series with the couple together during the series and dating.

What makes a good romance, huh?

Well, many people seem to have various opinions.

A lot of people, for whatever reason, do not entertain the idea that friends can become lovers and that becoming friends forever cuts you off from becoming romantically involved. Also, a lot of people prefer romance to be spontaneous where instantly the man falls in love with the woman and right from the start they are SO into each other. And then again, there are people who enjoy predictability, where right off the bat, you know he loves her and she loves him and the rest of the novel is an ongoing tangent of what the audience already knew would happen. Yet, many love the entire fantasy of it all, where it seems anything is possible.

The above are actually my pet peeves.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN FRIENDS NEVER BECOME LOVERS? And that guy you just met might be an axe murderer! What's wrong with you!? And I prefer a bit of unpredictablility in a romance, not to mention an element of realism.

Please allow me to explain:

What constitutes a romance is typically just having two people fall in love and then the readers or the audience get to see how they go about it. Typically, some romances go on with the above formula of: just met, instantly into each other, completely fantasical and almost totally predictable.

But what makes it interesting, what makes a romance REALLY stand out is when it breaks these rules.

In fact, I hate it when two people fall in love and there is absolutely no real restrictions or obsticles between them. Doesn't love seem much more special when the couple had to overcome something to get to each other? And this is not necessarily exterior barriers like just physically being away from each other. But there is something to be said when a person betrays their own nature just to be with someone, such as an introvert busting out of his shell to let the woman he loves know how he feels. Also, what about that rich debutante willing to walk across the lines society set for her to be with the working class blacksmith who really cared for her?

Eros and Psyche in Greek mythology had to overcome the broke barrier of trust to get back to each other. Then Psyche had to undergo various obstacles set by Aphrodite in order to finally reach Eros.

The whole angle that romance needs to be fantasical sometimes bothers me because while love can have that element of mystery, for me, a good romance still needs to have some element of belief, like it could really happen somehow. That makes it more believable. If you can say to yourself, "Yeah...that CAN happen," then you feel as if the love going on can also be more real.

Instantaneous match-ups sometimes bother me, but admittedly, they break the ice pretty well. It's what two people do about it that gets to me. Sometimes its two people meet, have a steamy night in bed, and then they fall in love. That's like a one night stand that went to far and that's not really romantic to me.

If two people meet suddenly, they still need to develop trust, friendship. You need to see that their love is growing and being nurtured under various circumstances. Falling in love instantaneously makes the romance seem more superficial as opposed to slowly seeing two people get to know each other, love each other, react to each other and get used to each other. Isn't there something to be said about a love where two people learned SO much about each other and that they've come to understand each other that they no longer have to second guess about them?

That also feeds into friends becoming lovers. How often have you heard a girl complain about her boyfriend but comment on how her good buddy Mark or Steve or whatever was really supportive about the whole thing? You start to wonder, "Well, why aren't you dating Mark then?" And what about the guy who bounces from girl to girl but his good friend Sarah or Debra or whatever has always been there for him during the bad times? "Dude! Date Sarah!" But these people say, "Well, I can't...that's my FRIEND..."

Is that to say there is no physical attraction or that you just won't date them because they're you're friend? Even though, they know WAY more about you than anyone else does and they've been around for you even when you've done the stupidest thing. It's stupid, right? If you don't want to loose a friend, then you won't so long as you go about the relationship maturely...

And I would like to see more of that in a relationship in fiction.


Also, unpredictability. I don't like it when the popular guy gets with the popular girl and that's the end of that. I hate it when the two people who OUTWARDLY seem like the best match get together. They do it all the time in anime and manga. Jsut because those two people are the stars, they MUST be destined for each other. I like it when two people who seem somehow unlikely DO get together because that makes it all the more special that they have something.

In Final Fantasy VII, I thought for sure in the beginning that Cloud was going to end up with the busty, "childhood friend" Tifa, especially after she made such a big deal about that well scene. And I thought, "Of course he's going to end up with the girl with the best assets. All guys do..."

So I was very happy he didn't.

As it turns out, Tifa wasn't even Cloud's friend growing up. She didn't even remember him ever going into her room or trying to get her attention. She didn't even think he was vying for her attention at all (if you review the lifestream and pay attention, she expresses just these thoughts.) She didn't know much about Cloud at all. So, they were never really friends.

True, Cloud ran into Aerith spontaneously, but they did develop a friendship, even love. They didn't rush into the bedroom, they spent a lot of time talking and joking with each other (when Cloud and Aerith were escaping the Turks in disc 1 the first time.) You could see a relationship developing.

In a way, I feel that Aerith's death plays a big part in the whole romantic feel between her and Cloud. After all, if Aerith had lived, there would be no more obstacles between the two of them. They'd go home, shower, and call it a day. But with her missing from the phsycial world, Cloud looks more inward in spiritual love, that he could love someone deeply even in death. And he never truly feels alone anymore, knowing that she's with him in his heart.

That's romantic. Stuff like that makes a good romance.