Making Romance Not Work Beautifully

Writing a romance novel is out of my sphere of interest, so I wouldn’t dare to advise anyone on how to write in the romance genre. However, I love romantic aspects in my work. (To all the romance writers out there–I admire your skill.) Through trial and error and occasional criticism, I’ve gathered a few tips about adding fictional romance to a work of another genre.

• First, my title isn’t a typo. If romance works, it’s not good for fiction (unless it’s the end). I’ve only found two exceptions, which I’ll get to later.
• Overlooking major character flaws is permissible in a new romance. In fact, it is expected. The red flags make the reader feel wise and promote suspense. If the characters have been together for years, there has to at least be suspicion. (Once your main character has lost the respect of the reader, it is difficult to keep pages turning.)
• The temptation to give your main character unconditional love from their partner is tempting, but it cannot be perfect. Needs can only be partially met (unless it’s the end).
• The old tropes still work. Unrequited love is a universal experience. “Beauty and the beast” stories still work. Becoming attracted to a friend. Enemies becoming lovers. Being dumped when things seemed to be going well. Infidelity (whatever that means to your characters) and the rationalizations that accompany it. May-December attractions. The inability to move on after a breakup or death. The danger of those is letting them take over the story, but they add depth to characters, even as background problems.
• Unless you’re writing erotica, detailed sex scenes aren’t usually necessary. However, sex scenes are useful for character development, as in that state of vulnerability, thoughts and dialogue can reveal a lot of truth in a very believable atmosphere.
• The longer a romantic relationship has been in existence, the shorter and more loaded the dialogue will be.
• In real life, romance is a mix of highs and lows. The same for fiction, but the lows are more interesting to read.
• While a lot of the romantic tropes are still popular, stereotypes from the past are no longer acceptable. Traditional romantic roles have become rather boring to the modern reader (unless the boredom is part of the problem). Read some science fiction romance and LGBTQIA+ fiction.
• If you must have a perfectly happy couple in your work, it seems to work if the couple is in a mentoring role instead of main characters. The stability of the relationship makes whatever advice they are doling out to your troubled charater more legitimate.
• The only other way I’ve found to make a perfectly happy couple acceptable is if the relationship itself is so bizarre or controversial to the world that they must fight to survive. My childhood sweethearts who have centuries of memories from past lives as soulmates give everyone around them the creeps. They are still struggling, but against the world instead of each other.

In parting, I wish the worst of luck to your fictional lovers. At least until the end.