Do romances need to have a happy ending?

The Power of Romance Fiction to Reinforce and Re-Vision the Real

... do not and should not hold relationships as their chief goals. But women, God ... ” he says, “No, women want to stay home and keep the East looking nice.

How Romance Novels Warp Our Perception of Love

Romance novels tend to glorify an image of true love that always has a happy ending. The addictive nature behind these books stems from our desire to escape ...

Quick, Quick, Slow: How to Pace Your Romance Novel Just Right

Romance books need to have ups and downs, slow moments and fast moments, and they all need to marry together as love finds its way into the hearts of your ...

Grown-Up Reading: Why Romance and Happy Endings Matter

Romance, like all genre fiction, is all about the story. And sometimes we need stories with happy endings. Sometimes we need fiction that ...

How to Write a Romance Novel: The Complete Guide - ProWritingAid

The only essential component of a romance novel is a romantic focus and a happy, or hopeful, ending. Before you get started, you need to narrow ...

The 6 Scenes Every Romance Novel Must Have - Savannah Gilbo

... end. So, yes, the reader expects there to be a “happily ever after” ending, but you do want them to have their doubts until the very end.

20 Powerful Romance Tropes (And How To Make Them Original)

If your story doesn't end with a happy ending, then it's not a romance. I'm not saying you can't make us cry at the end (Me Before You, One Day, The Songs of Us) ...

Why the love for romance novels is on the rise, according to their ...

Bailey also believes the happy ending is what makes romance books so special. ... She has multiple family members who have struggled with ...

why romance novels are the biggest they've been for 10 years

“Romance novels have a kind of safety to them: almost invariably, you know where we're going to end up – the happy ever after – and it's about ...

Bottom line: if folks decide romantasy doesn't need a happy ending ...

Bottom line: if folks decide romantasy doesn't need a happy ending at the end of the series, I don't think romance readers will read it. So ...

How to Write a Romance Novel: Your Adoring Readers Await!

... needs to have your readers head over heels (so to speak). ... romance novel, stick to the traditional happy ending. What else should the ending do ...

14 second chance romance books you need to read ASAP - Dipsea

After all, there's years of history and heartbreak to wade through before we can get to a happy ending! This trope can manifest in a lot of ...

The Common Criticism of Romance Novels Is Predictable and Untrue

By definition, romance is intended to offer readers an “emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending.” Which means, to be a writer of romance is ...

Romances and their HEA - The Book Pushers

If it doesn't end happily, it's not a romance novel, and it's a bait and switch to market it as one. Someone could, of course, write a book ...

Opinion: I read Colleen Hoover's books so you don't have to (and ...

... romance, but they're not. Even if romance novels don't necessarily have a happy ending, they need to be centered around love. Hoover's books ...

10 Historical Romances With Happily Ever Afters - CBR

Not all historical love stories must end in tragedy. While it's true that there's plenty of strife and often very high stakes, it's still ...

Happily never after: Why more romantic comedies need to embrace ...

We talk about relationships in terms of endings a lot: happy endings, ending up with someone. It makes perfect sense that the vast majority of ...

The Structure of Romance - DIY MFA

The romance reader has to have their denouement. They want a glimpse of the lovers in their new HEA world, to make sure that everything is going ...

Let's Talk Bookish: Should all romances have happily ever afters ...

I am very much on the side that books that are romances should have happy endings. My expectation when I read a book categorized as a romance ...

What are all possible endings to the Alistair romance? - Dragon Age

(and I have to say... I did read a bit of spoilers while playing, since I really wanted a happy ending with Alistair and didn't want to screw it ...