The Realism in Romance by Karen King

Romance novels are often dismissed as sheer escapism, derided as emotional pipe dreams, unrealistic fantasy with weak heroines, impossibly handsome heroes in formulaic plots that always end in an unrealistic happy ever after. As an author of eight romantic novels, and a reader of many more, I strongly disagree with this assumption, often made by people who don’t read – or enjoy reading – this genre.

Writing romance involves far more than putting a beautiful heroine and handsome hero together and providing a happy ever after. Romance novels are about the complexities of human relationships, the misunderstandings, the highs and lows of being in love. There is a relationship truth at the core of the books and a lot of readers can relate to that.

After all, most people have fallen in love at least once in their life and know the ups and downs, the joy and despair of relationships. Romance novels depict real-life situations and real life is often a big inspiration for the story plots. All my romance novels have been inspired by something that has happened, that I’ve heard or read, or by a place where I have been.

My latest romance novel, Single All The Way, which is published on 28th October by Bookouture, is no exception. The story is about a daughter, Meg, and her mother, Sally, who both walk out on their marriages just before Christmas. Sally’s story was inspired by an article I read online about the number of women in long-term marriages who feel trapped, that they no longer feel loved or in love and are just going through life on auto-pilot longing to be free to live their life their way after years of putting their life on hold to bring up their families.

The reader comments on this article highlighted the fact that many women feel this way. The reports of divorces for the over sixties – mainly instigated by women – prove that there are many unhappily-married women out there, who aren’t prepared to put up and shut up while they drift into old age. They want to live their life to the full while they can, to travel and try new things. I am sure that there are men who feel this way too, but the articles I’ve read in the media indicate that the feeling is stronger amongst women. 

I decided to have Meg and Sally both separating from their husbands at the same time because I wanted to explore how this would affect the mother-daughter relationship, especially Meg, the daughter, who struggles at first with her parents’ break up.

I set the story just before Christmas because despite Christmas commonly being perceived as the season of goodwill, where families come together to celebrate, it is also the season where many marriages break up. Apparently the first working Monday in January is called ‘Divorce Day’ by lawyers. I choose to have Meg and Sally breaking up with their husbands on the same day, then going down to Cornwall together to support each other through their heartbreak. A realistic situation that I think many readers will identify with. 

Identifying with the heroine and plot of the story is important. Readers want credibility in the stories they read, to feel that the characters’ situation and actions are realistic. Often a reader may be going through a similar situation themselves and will be rooting for the heroine, or are currently in a similar situation and may well be inspired by the heroine’s actions to take action themselves to resolve their own situation. 

While a ‘happy ever after’ is essential for a romance novel, it’s what the reader expects and they will feel disappointed if they don’t get one, it doesn’t have to be a permanent ‘happy ever after’.

The heroine doesn’t always marry the hero, the married couple who have broken up don’t always get back together, but the ending is always positive, leaving the heroine stronger, striding off into the world with her heart light and her head held high. She is strong now and can cope with life, and if she leaves holding hands with the person she loves then it will be on her terms, if not, she can survive.

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Karen King is a multi-published bestselling author of romance novels, YA and children’s books. She has had eight romantic novels, two YA books and 120 children’s books published. She has also written several short stories for women’s magazines.

Currently published by Bookouture, Karen’s latest title, Single All The Way, will be published on 28 October.

SINGLE ALL THE WAY

I can see my mother is calling me. I answer the phone, knowing I’ll have to tell her about Oliver and me breaking up. But before I can, she announces, ‘I don’t exactly know how to tell you this… But I’m leaving your dad.’

Single together for the first time, 34-year-old Meg and her warm-hearted, long-suffering mother Sally are cancelling Christmas, and running away to a tiny cottage on the Cornish coast. For Meg, it is the perfect place to heal, away from all the mistletoe, while for her mother it has a special, and secret, place in her heart – from a love story that seems a lifetime ago…

Meg and Sally find they’re getting to know themselves, and each other, better than ever before. But as they are unable to resist getting involved in the village Christmas celebrations, they encounter two handsome local strangers.

Sometimes, it’s being away from home that helps you realise where your heart is. What neither woman knows is that, by the time the new year rolls around, one woman will have fallen in love with her husband all over again, and one marriage will be over for good…

An escapist, romantic and heart-warming novel for fans of One Day in December and No One Cancels Christmas.

Buy Links

AMZ: https://geni.us/B07XDYL7GHCover
Apple Books: https://tinyurl.com/y4dkhrvl
Kobo: https://tinyurl.com/y6apzqe2
Googleplay: https://tinyurl.com/y5hc6nfn

 

Tags: featured, women writers

Category: On Writing