What was the last romance novel you read? When you finished the book, did you say, “More, please?” Or did you go, “I want to read less of that type of story?”
I was reading a novel that I thought was going to be romantic, or at least would have romantic elements in it. It comes in two volumes, and I settled in my reading chair, certain I was going to be swept away to a faraway land of happily ever afters. Well, several chapters in, and the war still went on. Battle after battle after battle. I am talking literal battles with death and destruction. There I was, looking for romance, only to find the hero mortally wounded. What on earth? Needless to say, I closed the book and went, “I don’t know if I want to read more of that.”
Dear reader, have you been there, reading a supposedly romantic book that didn’t “get there” fast enough for you? I am sure that if I had kept reading (and I just might — in another summer) there will be romance. The book promised there would be romance. Surely I would find romance in the second volume, if not the first, of the epic tome. Yes? One can hope.
What about this: Have you read a romance novel, rooting for the hero and heroine to make a character arc from bad to good or from good to better, and you cheered them on until the very end, and then learned that they never changed or that they didn’t take that leap of faith or didn’t keep a promise or something? I once read a Christian romance novel in which the hero never believed in Jesus from day one to the end of the book (he said so himself), and somehow he was the “savior” of the Christian woman whose life completely fell apart in spite of her faith. Would you still keep reading other books like that, or would you say, “More redemption, please!”?
This, I want more of: When I get to the end of the romance novel, I can’t help but smile at the happy outcome. While not everything is put perfectly right, the hero and heroine still emerge victorious because their God has delivered them through the valleys. I love that sort of arc, and I do write about such happy endings myself.
While there are many tropes in the romance genre, I was thinking more along the lines of elements inside the novel. For example, some readers want to read about strong heroines and some seek out sensitive heroes. Some want to read about single parents falling in love again, and some like multigenerational family saga. Some readers prefer to read all about cowboys. Some want more multiracial romances.
What about you? What do you want to read more of in a romance novel? What do you want to read less of?
Either way, I wish you a happy reading summer!
USA Today bestselling novelist Jan Thompson writes clean and wholesome multiethnic contemporary Christian romance with elements of women’s fiction, Christian romantic suspense with an air of mystery, and inspirational international thrillers with threads of sweet Christian romance. Join Jan's mailing list for her latest book news: JanThompson.com/newsletter
Absolutely want less of war, not engrossed by bulllying either. The last book I read the hero and heroine had overcome so much, were married and he banished her so she could live a long, happy life without him, despite being the love of each others lives. Neither she nor I were impressed.
I want to read stories of them continuing to grow in their relationship with each other and with God, or at least alluding to that in the last chapter or epilogue!! If I want wars and rumors of wars, or things like that, I’ll watch the national news. I want to read books where we see them overcome things, either by having a stronger faith in God, getting to know Him, or overcoming with Him. Precisely why I really don’t read much sweet/clean, it really has to be Christian for me, so I get the forgiveness, redemption, faith, I want.
That sounds like a very sad story. IKR. The ending matters to me, as a reader of Happily Ever Afters :-)
LOL re: “national news.” I hear you! You are so right about the differences between sweet/clean and Christian. Even inspirational books may not necessarily be Christian, the latter adhering more to the Bible as we know it, rather than just an inspirational self-help something or other.
I also love stories in which the characters overcome. Speaking for myself, those books take longer to write. I am glad that my readers have patience with me when it takes me a while to write through the redemption arc in my novels. I write until the story is done, no matter how many words (or how few) it takes.
I agree with you about a Christian novel needs to include a growth of character. I do not like it if there is a natural opportunity to present the gospel and have a character become a Christian and the opportunity is not taken. I mean the author does not write it into the story but just leaves it hanging. I’m not fond of characters not communicating and lots of misunderstandings occur. Open up already and be honest!
Not to say everything has to be wrapped up nicely in a big red bow!
Yes!!! To be honest, I like longer books because you get to “know” the characters, and you get that depth that you can’t always get in shorter books. I’ll admit, I get impatient waiting sometimes, but it’s always worth the wait!
I agree. The ending really matters. I just read a writing blog that claimed that the ending really tells what the whole book was about. The themes are solidified, the characters’ arcs tied up, and the last taste left in your mouth. I MUST have a happy — or very hopeful — ending!
I guess this is why 98 percent of my reading is Christian Contemporary Romance, with a smattering of Christian Historical romance thrown in. It delivers on all fronts! A story simply has to have a happy and faith found ending!!
I read a book market as CCR and it was Women’s fiction I kept waiting for some sort of romance and there was a tiny bit between a husband and wife but it was Women’s fiction. I want less people trying to market books in the wrong genre just to try to get readers.
I also would like less secret baby especially when both were Christians at the time. I guess I wonder how realistic this is especially in most books they were in a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship. Seemed to have so many at the same time.
I do like older couples like over 40 or even 50 never married and never really had a boyfriend and ok with being single. I am over books where the heroine is approaching 30 and thinks her life is over because she is single not married and feels such a failure. These books make singles who really want to be married and have a family feel like they are a failure. Where as a approaching 30 and single and loving life falling in love has a positive and hopeful spin.
I do like surprises when I read. Less predictable story lines.
I want to be swept away in a happy ending. I realize the road will be rocky and crooked along the way. All life is that way. Thank you for the free book.
I’m with Paula when it comes to conflict based on lack of communication. There are plenty of problems to wrestle with even when you are doing your best to communicate. The immaturity-to-common-sense arc is kind of a weak excuse, IMHO.
I also dislike stories where embarrassment is used as a part of the meet-cute or other moments, as a way to bring down walls. That is certainly not one of the “feels” I’m interested in.
I like a story where the MCs are drawn together by struggles with either their own pasts or external circumstances. I thought Teresa Tysinger’s story in the Something Borrowed anthology was a great example of this (Somehow, this Christmas).
I don’t mind a sweet/clean story if the Christian worldview is taken into account. I don’t need an explicit conversion or repentance arc to enjoy the story, but I sure do enjoy it when it is well done. Valerie Bodden’s upcoming “Heart’s Home” knocks the faith/conversion arc out of the park for my money.
Thanks for opening the discussion, Jan. I think the importance of what makes IR a special community is seen in how our stories bring to life the hope (thanks, Lindi :-) ) we have in Christ. He may be seen as we come to Him in saving faith or He may be seen as He leads us along the path of growth. He may even be seen as we make that final step into His presence. I think CCR is about telling the stories of people who find a committed bond of love as they travel the path to a deeper relationship with God, in the name of the Son, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Since that can be such a mouthful to tell all at once, the faith arcs can (and indeed should) be various facets of that diamond of truth. The balance between the love story and the faith story is one that is at the core of CCR. I’m so grateful for all our IR authors who practice their craft in just that very way. A happy summer of reading indeed!
It has to have a plot full of substance or it’s not going to work for me–I want more than fluff.
Same here. I once watched a romance movie that ended with the hero going to visit the heroine and standing at her apartment door and then credits. I was like — wait, what? It was as though an entire scene was cut off from the movie. So did they get back together or not? Who knows! Hehe.
Glad it’s worth the wait. A lot of things can end up being excluded in a shorter book, and more details can be added into longer books. The good news about our ebook world today is that there is no limitation to length because there is no shelf space to worry about.
From a writing perspective, it takes a different style and effort to write a novella compared to a novel. Some can write both very well, but of late, my own preference is to write novels — although I still do write novellas every now and then.
Good points! Missed opportunities do happen in novels, although some of that depends on the publisher. For indie books, I can just write until the story is completed, so there’s always room to complete the thought, unless I forget to complete the thought HAHA!
CCR is a fun genre to read and write in. I do like a satisfying ending that points to faith. What’s the other 2% of your reading?
Thank you for your comments! Is the women’s fiction novel you read marked as romantic women’s fiction rather than just women’s fiction? If it’s labeled as romantic WF, then readers would expect a romantic ending. Otherwise, if the story still stands when the romance is entirely removed, then it’s a WF. I hear you about mislabeling and miscategorizing, which abound on Amazon, unfortunately.
IKR re: secret baby. Maybe they were new Christians who didn’t know what the Bible says?Would it be more interesting if they were not saved at that time? I have some stories about babies out of wedlock, and in both cases the parents were not saved at that time their child was conceived and didn’t know any better. However, many years have passed and now the main character in question is saved. And yet they have to deal with their past (reaping and sowing).
Yes, sometimes life just begins at 30, and some are still saddled with student loan debts from college/university. Some of my characters are nearly 40. I have characters coming up who are about 42+ years old but no 50-something at this time. I write anywhere from 20-something to 40-something at this time. I might write about older hero/heroine soon in a new series. Who knows!
Surprises are fun! I also like twists in a story, although that’s more for suspense and mysteries, but for the same reason re: “less predictable.”
Thank you! Yes, a happy ending is what I want to read too, and that’s why I write this genre. I was watching a series the other day that I got all invested in, and then came to find out it had a very, very sad ending. I was like, “Nooooooo!” #tearful
Excellent points, Lincoln. Yes, I also agree about “immaturity-to-common-sense arc.” Sometimes a lack of communication can show the struggle of the character in trying to speak his/her mind, but sometimes it’s a plot device that needs to be edited or revised some more. IMHO it depends on whether it’s a red shirt thing (to borrow “red shirt” from Star Trek).
These days, a lot of Christian books can be listed under the Clean & Wholesome category on Amazon. This category also caters to sweet/clean that may have zero Christian overtones or may be promoting other religions in the novel. However, since a lot of Christian fiction ends up in this category, therein is the opportunity for us to shine the light in a dark world, perhaps.
Thank you for your thoughtful comments!
Same here. Do you like longer books so that the substance can be more fleshed out? Most of the time it does take a longer book BUT there are shorter books that have all the above. IMHO that’s evidence of a good novelist if he/she can write a substantive novella with all the elements needs so it’s not fluff. Having said that there are many readers who love chick lit (do they still call it that anymore).
I want to read more romance books of younger couples even teens & even teens becoming parents in there teen years & how they struggle through it but become stronger as a couple or need a second chance. I find those type of books very interesting. I want to hear less of fake or billionaire couples & cowboys.
Well, this is not so much about Christian romance novels (little offer in my country) so my reading leans towards the books that are easier to obtain in my language: Clean YA (not all books for young people are) and historical clean romance. I love to read about good friendships between women or between men. I want to read more of that, about good friendships between a man and a woman, perhaps a bit fraternal at the beginning that later turn into love.
I would love to find more books about college or new adult Christians, people who are no longer in school are in their 20s and continue to study Christian romance, jumping a lot from books about teenagers to books about working adults.
I want less love at first sight and instant lust, Christian or clean romantic writing that puts the heroine staring at the hero’s body too much or. The hero see the heroine’s butt … maybe they’ll do nothing but kiss on the pages but they seem to me attitudes that incite it to be more difficult to maintain purity in a relationship How are you going to keep your relationship and mind pure if you continually give yourself permission to look more than necessary? One thing is the realistic sexual desire another to show that the characters lack self-control and only begin to think about it when they are … in trouble. (I’ve read a couple of frankly awkward Christian romances in this area)
It was Women’s fiction. it dealt with 2 women who end up working together in a café I thing. One is an older lady who is widowed and the other a married lady much younger who with her husband moved to the town for a change. There is interaction between the couple but nothing romantic. The author sells it as WF but the publisher mislabeled as a romance. It was a good story but I was looking for the romance which never happened.
I remember a book that dealt with life ending cos the lady was still single at 30. Ironically it was in the top 10 for so many and for me It was in my bottom 5 for the year. (Ironically all those who put it in the top 10 were married and most married in their 20’s) I had that struggle at about 30 being single and never really dated. It had all the clichés that go with being single at 30 their must be something wrong with your. Your standards are to high, Why aren’t you married. What’s wrong with your. (Yes most I had been asked and the your standards are too high had me thinking if I am not going to marry the first drunk who asks me then I am glad I have high morals). This book was probably 10 – 15 years ago but I have never read another book by the author.
People say it’s unrealistic to have an older heroine or hero who has never really been in a meaningful relationship (more than a holiday romance). But its not that unrealistic. I know many who haven’t really had s serious or real relationship and not all are those who were bullied, or insecure, poor not as pretty etc. Some were the high achievers or those who everyone thought was out of their league.
I want more depth – in relationships, in the storyline, in struggles…
I love to be surprised by an unexpected twists in the story!
That’s an interesting Young Adult and maybe also College age genre? I think there is a Coming of Age genre as well.
Yes, billionaires and cowboys (and the combo thereof) are very popular these days!
Even in Christian romance, there are many nuances, depending on the author’s own beliefs and perspective. Christian readers also run the gamut from those who are okay with one thing to the other end of the spectrum where readers are not okay with the same thing and everyone else in between.
IMHO that might explain loyalty. Readers may sometimes tend to stick to authors they like who write what they have enjoyed reading, and they might not explore new authors out there even if their books claim to be Christian. Do you find that the case in your country?
I do love twists in a story! I do that sometimes too.
Yes, I hear you regarding depth. More is wanted for sure!
Ironically, “your standards are too high” is a compliment IMHO. I hear you about not falling for the first man that walks in the door LOL. Surely there is a special someone out there – if it’s God’s perfect will. A matter of prayer and God’s perfect plan. And it’s better to be single than to marry the wrong man. It’s a nightmare to marry the wrong man IMHO.
In my novel, His Morning Kiss, my heroine is in her early thirties and has never been married. She is busy with her chef business and has no time for romance. Until he comes along…
In my country you just hardly see any Christian romance anywhere, the books I was talking about are in English.
But personally I think that a clean romance and sexual purity in a Christian romance should involve more in the thoughts or actions of the characters than just not having sex on the page, that gives me the feeling that they don’t have it because their beliefs hinder them instead of sincerely sticking to them.
Good point there about the characters’ beliefs informing their actions.
What country do you mean? Can you get the ebook edition via online retailers?
Chile, I do not live in the capital of the country where a friend tells me that there are large Christian bookstores that may have Christian books, buying by electronic book is the only way. Few books translated into Spanish (Julie Klassen, Kristi ann hunter, Francine Rivers, Ted Dekker only those authors with Christian lines, as you see no contemporary Christian romance or adolescent) in terms of simply clean writers like Kasie West of youth romance it is very difficult to find them .
Our libraries have mostly only books of hot romance or popular erotica in the US translated. Not the best place to have recently been a teenage romance fan looking for something to read hehee.