Annette M. Irby | Key Elements in Romance Novels

My favorite books are inspirational romance, and I’ve been reading them for over twenty years. I began in publishing with novellas because I used to devour those four-in-one romance novella compilations. Since then, I’ve written full-length fiction, but the romantic elements are the same. Here are some of the key ingredients I look for as a reader, and hope I include as an author, in romance novels:

A Noble Hero

Sure, he has to be flawed. He must make mistakes. There has to be that one element he doesn’t have the internal or external strength to do at the beginning of the story that he’ll be able to do at the end. But he must also have at least one area of his heart, his life, where he is noble. Perhaps he’s caring for his elderly grandmother. Or perhaps he’s good to animals. The more noble, the better.

A Strong Heroine

This doesn’t mean she’s bench-pressing twice her weight, nor does it mean she won’t need help along the way. In my Friday Harbor story, my heroine—a strong and competent character—needs rescuing. That rescue feels believable, without making her look weak. And don’t we all need rescuing sometimes? (By the way, in a bigger way than a one-time slip into the sea, my hero needs rescuing in this Friday Harbor story too, and the heroine makes that happen for him.)

Warmth

The hero and heroine can argue at the beginning of the story. They can spar and grate on each other. But as the romance grows following that first attraction, warmth must develop. If it doesn’t, as a reader I wonder why the lesser grating character tolerates the other character in his/her life. This has to be believable. We must see why they are attracted, beyond their physical attraction. What character trait draws him to her, or vice versa? What action or heroic act influences the other character to let down their guards and feel tenderness toward the other character?

Affection

Closely tied to that warmth I just mentioned, is a sense of affection. A huge turning point in a well-written romance is the moment/scene where the hero or heroine realizes they are feeling more than attraction for the other leading character. They are falling in love, or they’ve already fallen. Admitting this to themselves or to others is a magical element in a romance that spurs the reader on to see what happens next between them.

Self-Sacrifice

We’ve already mentioned nobility, and this one goes along with that. When you love someone, you do things for them. Moms give birth to babies out of love. Parents work hard to provide for their children, out of love. Love inspires us to sacrifice our comforts for someone else. After the hero or heroine realizes they are in love, they are motivated in a pure way to sacrifice themselves for the other character. That makes for a fine grand gesture as the happily-ever-after novel climaxes before resolving in happy sighs from readers.

How about you? As a reader of romance, do you look for certain elements? Do certain character traits or story elements make for a good novel, in your opinion?

Happy reading, friends!

Watch for Annette's upcoming book

FINDING LOVE IN FRIDAY HARBOR, WASHINGTON

Book One in the Washington Island Romance series by Annette M. Irby
Release date: September 1, 2017

Will keeping his promise lead to another broken heart—or help them find love again?

Professor Mikaela Rhoades has a plan: she’ll encourage her students’ marine biology research through an exclusive program while helping an old family friend’s whale touring business stay afloat. The challenge is the tour captain is her first love and ex-fiancé. Mikaela longs to help his family in the wake of his father’s death, but she’s keeping secrets. She’ll have to face her past and overcome her concerns about the future to make it through the summer.

Captain Hunter Cahill has taken over the family touring business after his father’s death. Unfortunately, he’s drowning in grief and accumulated debt. He’s hoping the incoming stodgy professor will help resurrect the failing business, but he’s not prepared when that professor turns out to be Mikaela, his former fiancée. To make matters more difficult, he’d promised his father to pursue her if she ever returned to the island single. The more time they spend together, the easier it is to keep that promise, though she still plans to leave at the end of the season. How much will it cost him to spend the summer romancing Mikaela?

About Annette M. Irby

Annette M. Irby has been writing since her teen years when she sat pounding out stories on a vintage typewriter just for fun. Since then, she’s joined Christian writing groups and launched blogs so she could share the joy of writing. She likes to say she’s addicted to color as flowers and seascapes inspire her. In her off hours, she enjoys gardening, photography, and music. She lives with her husband and family in the Pacific Northwest.

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