Although I write historicals, I see myself as a romance writer at heart.
Why?
Well first, I love reading romances of any genre. This year some of my favorite romances have included contemporary romances like Robin Lee Hatcher’s Keeper of the Stars and Becky Wade’s Her One and Only. I’ve also enjoyed many young adult romances like Robin McKinley’s Beauty and Renee Ahdieh’s The Wrath and the Dawn. I’ve even read a few historical romances like Irma Joubert’s Girl from the Train.
Second, I’m a romance writer at heart because when I dabble with writing in other genres, my stories always end up with a romance element. It seems to come out whether I’m writing contemporary or YA or historical.
Most of the time readers appreciate the romance aspects of my books. Occasionally I get complaints like: “for a historical it was too romance-y.” But overall, I’ve gotten a positive response to the sizzle of the romance in my books. My characters aren’t pulling one another’s clothes off, but the romantic tension is there nonetheless.
Any time I finish reading a romance novel, I sit back and muse over elements I liked or didn’t like. And if I move the book to my favorite’s shelf, I ask myself what was it about the romance that hooked me?
A romance novel usually has to have several key elements to make it to my “keeper” shelf. These elements might cause some readers or writers to classify romances as “formulaic.” But essentially, those tried-and-true elements are the building blocks for penning a winning romance. They’re the things romance readers expect, love, and essentially why they pick up a romance in the first place.
Here are 5 elements I think sigh-worthy romance novels must have:
1. Both the hero and heroine must be likeable. The reader must be able to fall in love with the hero right along with the heroine. He has to be the kind of guy that melts readers’ hearts. Sure he has to be flawed, but in such a way that readers still love him.
And the reader must also be able to cheer for the heroine. She can be many things, even a feisty tomboy. Certainly not perfect. But she has to be the type of woman readers would aspire to be.
2. The hero and heroine must meet early in the story. It’s best if our two main characters meet within the first chapter or two. Even if we have a love triangle, readers still like to know which man they’re rooting for.
This goes back to the above point. Readers want to fall in love with the hero. And if they don’t know who he is, then it’s harder for them to relate to the romance.
3. A barrier must keep the hero and heroine from finding true love together until the end. In fact, there could be many barriers standing between the two keeping them physically, emotionally, and relationally apart.
Readers have told me one they’re usually disappointed when all those barriers fall away and the hero and heroine “get together” too soon in the novel. It lets down the tension and doesn’t give the reader a reason to keep flipping pages, no matter how strong the rest of the plot might be.
4. The romantic tension must be strong and gradually increase throughout the book. Obviously, a romance must have romantic moments between the hero and heroine. That doesn’t have to mean loading a book with kissing or sex. My books have very few kisses and no sex, and yet I weave in a lot of sizzle in other ways.
I also intentionally find ways to put my characters into romantic situations that fit with each unique story. Those situations are even better when the couple is forced to be together for an extended time, so that they can really have the chance to get to know each other.
5. The romance must come to a satisfying conclusion (aka happily-ever-after). The couple must get together by the end of the book. They must overcome all the barriers that have kept them apart. They have to fall in love. And they have to want to be together forever. Period.
In fact, the ending really should be sigh-worthy. When the reader closes the book, we want them smiling in ultimate satisfaction because they’re happy the hero and heroine overcame great obstacles, defeated the antagonist, grew in character as a result, and in the end found true love.
Is there anything you’d add to my list of must-haves for a romance? Do you think romance novels have become too formulaic?
Jody Hedlund
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I don’t read a lot of romance because I think they are far too formulaic. I love historical fiction, and if it has some romance in it (or better yet, a love story) great. But I don’t want to start reading a book and know what’s going to happen at the end. For me, that is the problem I have with romances. I already know in the first chapter that the hero and heroine are going to get together. Unless there is an original conflict in the story that makes me think maybe they won’t end up together, I don’t often make it past the first two or three chapters.
I’m tickled to see Keeper of the Stars on your favorite list of this year, Jody. Great break down of what elements make a romance novel work.
I love your list of romance elements! As I read them, I thought of my favorite romance books, and each one followed your formula.
Historical fiction is my favorite genre – in any form (mystery, suspense, horror, romance, or biographic) and any period. I learn so much as these books send me to my computer to search out the truth vs. fiction. Some books have been hard to read, especially those set in medieval periods. Whenever I have felt some tension or stress from certain books, I always return to a romance novel and those authors I can count on for an hea. To me, it’s all about the journey the heroine and hero take on their way to the sigh worthy ending.
Thank you for mentioning Her One and Only in your post, Jody! I’m jumping in here to agree with Betty. Romance is my FAVORITE genre to read and write and for me, too, “it’s all about the journey the heroine and hero take on their way to the sigh worthy ending.”
I enjoy romance in a story, but sometimes I like a surprise–when the first man we meet is NOT the hero. It usually doesn’t work if the story is told partly from the hero’s perspective, but I think of novels like Lynn Austin’s Fire by Night, or Laura Frantz’s The Frontiersman’s Daughter, or Robin McKinley’s Spindle’s End–the hero of the story isn’t obvious at the beginning, yet the romance becomes swoon-worthy by the end. When I was reading Fire by Night, the moment I fell in love with the story was the moment I realized the man I expected to be the hero WASN’T, and a totally different man WAS. I hadn’t been thrilled with the romance up to that point, but then I devoured it. Maybe some readers don’t like wading through that far to reach the surprise, but I love it more because of it.
As a side note, Beauty by Robin McKinley is still one of my favorite novels of all time. The best retelling of Beauty and the Beast out there! I’ve read it close to dozen times, and my copy is held together by faith and packing tape.
Heh!! You’re the first person I’ve ever heard of who actually liked that book. It has been one of my favourites as well. DEFINITELY my favourite retelling of that story of all time. Though it’s been awhile since I’ve read it and I don’t really remember the last half of the story. (Time for a reread, methinks?!) I do remember it was quite satisfying in the end.
I loved Beauty too, and gave it to a group of girls in my highest reading group who also love it.
Julie Klassen does a great job of providing multiple male characters who could each make good love interests for different reasons so that the hero isn’t immediately obvious. I really enjoy that because it’s so different from the ‘formula’. Not that there’s anything wrong with the formula. I definitely enjoy books with the 5 elements in this list as well 🙂
This is actually a great list! I love writing romances myself. Pretty much anything I write – any characters I make up. . .end up with having some romance going on. Even if I didn’t plan it to start with, it sneaks in there and I’m not really happy until the character has that. lol I finally gave up and just admitted, I like writing romance! Having some elements like this is great. Though it doesn’t help me with my impatience to just ‘let them get together already!’ then we can get on with the adventures they can have together. rotflol Sometimes the tension and drawing it out is just too much for me.
Great summary of key romance elements! #1 is crucial for me as a reader. Likability is a must (especially in the context of how the hero and heroine treat one another).
I agree 100%! Those are my must-haves, too. Becky Wade’s Her One and Only was one of my fave books this year, but Luther & Katharina was right up there too!
I love the romantic tension. When you’re screaming, “Kiss her!” in your head. *happy sigh*
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