Recently I attended my 50th high school class reunion. I keep saying I can’t believe I’m that old. Some of my classmates had the same feeling as we gathered together to reminisce. My two best friends from those years came to the reunion. One of them I haven’t seen for over thirty years. The other one I saw five years ago. Here we are together talking about old times and what we’ve been doing since we saw each other last. We all have children and grandchildren and a lifetime of experiences to share.
So what does this have to do with romance? We discovered that we’ve all been married to our husbands for forty years or more. Besides, reunion stories are one of the favorite romance tropes. I have had at least one reunion story in all the series I have written. The very first book in my Pinecrest series, The Heart’s Homecoming, has a reunion between high school sweethearts. In my Dalton brothers’ series, Mommy’s Hometown Hero, reunites a woman with the guy she had a crush on when she was a kid. The first two books in the Kellerville series, Hometown Promise and Hometown Proposal are both reunion stories. In the Village of Hope series, the first book, Second Chance Reunion, brings together a divorced couple. In my new Front Porch Promises series, the second book, A Love to Call Mine, reunites two people who don’t like each other. I had a fun time bringing these two reluctant people together. This book will be available soon.
Do you enjoy reunion stories?
I’m giving away one of these reunion stories, winner’s choice, to someone who leaves a comment. I will draw the winner at 9PM PDT on Tuesday, July 26, 2016.
Merrillee Whren is an award-winning author who writes inspirational romance. She is the winner of the 2003 Golden Heart Award for best inspirational romance manuscript presented by Romance Writers of America. She has also been the recipient of the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award and the Maggie Award for Excellence. She is married to her own personal hero, her husband of thirty plus years, and has two grown daughters. She has lived in Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Chicago and Florida but now makes her home in the Arizona desert. When she’s not writing, she spends her free time playing tennis or walking while she does the plotting for her novels.
We had our 40 year high school reunion from the time we started high school and for any who started during the 5 years of high school. Since the start of organising I caught up with a friend just under 2 years ago and it had been 30 years since I had seen her. At the reunion I also had a few friends who I hadn’t seen for over 30 years. One left during the first year so it was even longer. It was great to catch up with 5 of our original 8 friends. We were not the cool kids but we got our photo in the local paper which was fun.
I like reunion stories they can be good. its only when its a secret baby I struggle with the story.
How special, that you could catch up with school friends. I love that you have name tags with photos- presumably school photos?
I do enjoy reunion stories, especially when the characters did not really like each other and now are forced to see each other in a new light- they are fun!
Reunions, whether school or family, and reunion stories are inspirational.
Three years ago when my husband retired, I was able to reunite him with a childhood friend he had not seen in 40 years, and friends from seminary and past ministries. We were blessed with stories how God led in each person’s life during the last 30 years. Last summer after working on his family tree, my husband also reconnected with some of his cousins who moved closer to the Midwest. They enjoyed sharing family memories about summer vacations on their grandparent’s farm.
When the Berlin Wall and the Iron Curtain fell, my family was reunited with cousins we had not seen or had little contact with for over 40 years. God blessed our family since we were able to immigrate and we had many more opportunities than my cousin Hans and his family who grew up and lived under communism. Our stories are very different.
While I like reunion stories, especially when families and old friends reunite, but romantic reunions are not usually my favorites. Maybe because I and most of my friends have been married to our spouses for over 40 years.
I don’t think I really get the whole reunion thing, but maybe I will a few years down the road. The whole concept of going back to a time I don’t really miss and seeing people I didn’t keep in touch because I didn’t want to just makes me feel there would be something wrong if I actually wanted to see them.
Of course there are really cool reunion stories, specially when people lost track of each other because of special circumstances, I just think this is getting harder to happen every year with internet. Sometimes I even wonder if younger generations that were born in the internet era will still hold class reunions.
I always enjoy reading a reunion story, Merrillee. What a great photo of you with your friends. You all look so happy.
My daughter was married last weekend, and we were able to see family we hadn’t seen for a while. It was a fun time for everyone.
Jenny, it is fun to catch up with people you haven’t seen in a long time. Cool that you got your picture in the paper.
Next year it will be 40 years since my husband and I graduated from high school but, as far as I know, there isn’t a reunion planned. We’ve reconnected with old friends on Facebook, but it would be fun to see many of them in Real Life again.
Reunion stories can be fun, though I haven’t written many with that trope. I’ve got one on the back burner for Summer 2017 release, though.
I love reunion stories. Second chances sometimes have the sweetest endings.
Yes, the name tags had our high school photos on them. We were commenting on how so many of the girls wore their hair in a flip style then.
Renate, the meeting with family members after the Berlin Wall fell must have been very special.
Priscila, that’s an interesting thought about the internet era and reunions, but I still think it’s nice to meet people in person.
Thanks, Jill. It was interesting to see old classmates.
Valerie, it is fun to see old classmates in person. I guess I love reunion stories because I’ve written quite a few.
Jennifer, me too. I guess that’s why I’ve written as many as I have.
Next month we’re going to my husband’s 50th high school reunion, and will get to see a friend of his that we’d lost track of for about 20 years! My high school was so big, I didn’t know most of my graduating class :-( College friends I’ve kept up with via Facebook. There are some grade school friends I’d love to connect with again, but when I’ve searched for them on Facebook, I haven’t found them :-(
I missed my 40th high school reunion, but thanks to Facebook, my best friend and I reconnected and found our friendship as strong as ever. I love reunions!
I love reunion stories! What a fun time for you to get to see your high school pals!
I love reunion stories and yours are the best.
I recently attended my 45th reunion and fully understand the “We can’t be this old” feeling! My class was small and very few members were there. A number of years ago our class decided to extend invitations to the surrounding classes so that we could also catch up with them. Those classes now reciprocate and invite us to their reunions, too!
I agree with you, Merrillee. There is nothing quite like actually being with your friends to help cement the relationships – especially between friends who lives miles apart. Facebook provides an excellent way to remain in contact between visits. However, I am lucky that my best friend in high school is still my best friend today. She lives about 15 minutes away :D
Diana, those are the best kind of reunions.
Margaret, my high school had only 150 in it, but my daughters had 1300 in their classes and they have no interest in going to a reunion. Have fun at your husband’s reunion.
Kathleen, how nice that you found your friend. I had missed my 40th reunion, so I wanted to be sure to go to my 50th. My brother’s 40th was the same weekend as mine.
It was. I even discovered that one of my classmates lives about a mile from, and I didn’t know it.
Thanks, Linda.
Mary, you are fortunate to live so close to your best friend. I moved a lot my whole life, when I was a kid and after I got married, so I have friends all over the country. FB was great for reconnecting with people I hadn’t heard from in years, but it is nice to see them in person.
The only class reunion I have an attended was my 50th. It was great to see classmates again and trade stories of our diverse lives. And next year will be our 60th.
I never went to any of my reunions. I was very shy and didn’t have any friends. I’ve heard they are fun, but I thought if I showed up no one would even know who I was. I would love to read one of your books.
Deana (Harley)
Jhdwayne@peoplepc.com
Reunions are nice to catch up with friends and family. True friends just pick up from the last reunion or time together. Maybe you were inspired with some more reunion stories from your 50th reunion. Thank you for sharing your experience.
I enjoy reunion stories. I haven’t been to any of my high school class reunions though. My husband went to one as they combined classes. My mom had just passed away and I didn’t feel like going. I keep in touch with some of my old friends, but several of us have moved away from home to other states. This year is a big reunion but I dont know if the class is doing anything.
First off, no need to include me in the draw Merrillee as I’ve read most, if not all, of your stories :-) Let someone else have a chance at these wonderful books! As I see it, you write the best reunion stories :-)
Secondly, reunion stories are my top favorite troupes too! I’m not really sure why, but maybe the fact that the hero & heroine have a past history that must be overcome & reconciled before any romance can be rekindled. And I love seeing them work through years of “stuff” and finally have peace with what happened. Of course the best part for me, is knowing there is going to be a happily every after at the end :-) I think their love is stronger in a reunion story because the foundation was already there for a great relationship. That’s how I see it anyway!
This year marks the 28th year reunion for my high school graduation year (1988), only two years away from 30….wow!! I grew up in Illinois and live in Oregon now but I haven’t ever attended a reunion. I wasn’t very popular in school so I don’t even know if there would be anyone I’d recognize or would recognize me. And my best friend from high school, graduated a year behind me. We’re still BFF’s even though we live many states apart. Thank goodness for Facebook and texting :-)
Thanks for sharing the pictures! I bet it was a blast to catch up with two of your friends and learning all about each others families. How fun to exchange stories :-) Lovely post today Merrillee, you’re always such a gracious hostess on Inspy Romance. I so enjoy seeing your posts here and on Facebook, blessings to you 7 yours!
That’s suppose to read blessings to you & yours….my shift key didn’t want to cooperate, lol!
Kaye, that’s fabulous that your 60th reunion is next year.
Deana, I think as you grow older those high school years are left behind, and even the “cool kids” mingle with everyone at reunions. At least, that’s what I found. You might be surprised about the people who remember you and also surprised about the people who didn’t remember you. I talked to a guy at the reunion who lived about 4 doors down the street from me, and he didn’t remember.
Marilyn, so true. You never know what will inspire a story.
Maryann, I’m sorry you’ve lost your mom. Many of my classmates came from far away as did I.
Thanks for stopping by Trixi and thanks for your kind words. I really appreciate it.
My old boyfriend just last week married the lady who was his first girfriend in America. I’m jealous, but it’s a good feeling too. She was a widow.
Virginia, that is definitely an interesting reunion story.
I do like reunion stories. This year is 40 for me!!