How do you define what are the essential elements of a romance novel? Through the years, the definition of the romance genre has changed.
It is all for the better. Now romance embraces so many subgenres, it’s a giant part of all fiction.
So what has changed?
From dominating alpha heroes, now we romance novelists can progress to beta heroes, Doms, control-freak billionaires, friendly, small-town, hero-type heroes, muscular surgeons and whoever else you can think of. Time was when business tycoons and ranchers were the only ones in business. Now an astronaut hero may be featured in the next romance you pick up.
From HEA to HFN. Happy Ever After seemed to be the uncompromising end to a romance. But now, especially in series romances, we come across many Happy For Now scenerios. Maybe we are now much more cynical and don’t expect people can be that committed or whatever is the reason. Personally, I still go in a big way for HEA. Why do I pick these books if not to see rainbows? But each to their own.
Inclusivity. Yes, the new genres are inclusive of LGBT and now it is not written in stone that a male and female protagonists are the absolute necessity for a romance. Blur the line to erotic romance and you might even find the count of 2 challenged.
Tropes. So, romance is no longer a man amd woman meeting and falling in love, with she getting him to fall for her and him getting her to marry him and live happy ever after. Strong, driven and ambitious characters are ruling the roost. Except maybe for the control freak billionaire subcategory, where female are still preferably silly goose types. Otherwise, smart and savvy heroines are a great welcome change from the universal secretary/nurse role given to the heroine.
All in all, the romance authors have a plethora of ideas they can bring to the readers. There is far more versatility than before and isn’t that a good thing?
I write sensual romance with male/ female protagonists, sometimes mixed with a bit of kink and sometimes a bit of suspense or even both.
If you are a romance writer or using romance as a subplot in your fiction, what genre and ideas do you explore in your writing? If you are a reader, share your favorite things which have come up in romance and romantic novels.
In my newly released book, I have a spin on the friends to lovers trope, with lots of hot and edgy and some kinky stuff. Too Much Into You is out now and available at Amazon kindle store.
Take a look.
Blurb:
Mel has been attracted to Ria for a long time. Physically, intensely. But he is her friend.
They were all friends, the three of them, Ian, Ria and Mel. Ever since the ‘quake. Then friendship changed.
Mel wanted her, but she chose Ian.
They have been a couple since high school. Then Ian took a job miles away and left Ria hanging on his whim.
Mel saw it all. Saw her disappointment. But stayed silent.
But for how much longer, can he ignore the blazing desire between Ria and him?
He wants her to wake up to the sizzle of chemistry between them. To make her own choice. She might hate him for breaking her romantic bubble. But he’s going to take her to a dark, sensual world of climactic pleasure.
And to hell with the consequences...
Read and Write Romance with Samara 