i've been thinking a lot lately about how romance works, because the things i like most have (i THINK) an element in common that only appears in some books. so it's got to not be the POINT of romance novels. which leaves me kind of--kind of like horror--grasping at the like. how does this work. what is the itch that is getting scratched.... why does it satisfy... like i definitely read romance because i read fic, but there's also something a bit structurally different there than in a one shot HEA. squints at romance novels again. tell me your secrets
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Date: 2026-02-06 05:41 am (UTC)i've been thinking a lot lately about how romance works, because the things i like most have (i THINK) an element in common that only appears in some books. so it's got to not be the POINT of romance novels. which leaves me kind of--kind of like horror--grasping at the like. how does this work. what is the itch that is getting scratched.... why does it satisfy... like i definitely read romance because i read fic, but there's also something a bit structurally different there than in a one shot HEA. squints at romance novels again. tell me your secrets