When writing a romance novel, you need two essential things: a meet-cute and a happily-ever-after. The fun begins when you start to play with what happens in the middle. Though there is a general throughline that a romance novel will follow, there are plenty of ways to make your novel stand out.
We asked Harlequin authors what sets their new romance novel apart from others in the genre? As a writer, we asked how they made the characters, situation, or setting unique?
The Suspect Next Door by Rachel Astor
“The Suspect Next Door isn’t your average romantic suspense—it’s sprinkled with chuckles amidst the chills. Set in an apartment building with more secrets than residents, the hero and heroine are neighbors by chance and become sleuths with a spark, infusing humor even as Petra leads herself and sexy neighbor Ryan into more and more danger. The characters are down-to-earth, each with wit sharp enough to cut through the tension…both dangerous and romantic.” – Rachel Astor
The King She Shouldn’t Crave by Lela May Wight
“It is a tale as old as time.
This is where the pleasure comes from reading series romance. The sameness and yet, uniqueness.
The nuance comes from the characters. How Angelo, hell-bent on ignoring his forbidden desire navigates resisting Natalia. And how Natalia reaches inside Angelo’s heart, and yanks them forward to a happily ever after.
(I hope) I made this love story the same, and yet different, by amplifying the nuances of the characters.” – Lela May Wight
Peril in the Shallows by Addison Fox
“PERIL IN THE SHALLOWS is the second book in my New York Harbor Patrol series. The setting is fairly unique – each book features police divers working in the waters around New York City. Police-set romance already carries high stakes and the setting provided great tension for my hero, Detective Arlo Prescott, and heroine, Officer Kerrigan Doyle. The added physicality and risk with Kerrigan’s dive work helped push those stakes even higher – leading to romance!” – Addison Fox
Awakened in Her Enemy’s Palazzo by Kim Lawrence
“Grace hated Theo before they had even met, and the feeling was mutual!
When they do meet in the flesh and on the page their worlds are rocked, but not in the way they anticipated, and not always the way I anticipated either!
My willful characters deserved the wildly romantic setting of a Tuscan Palazzo and I had such fun literally building a castle in the air and seeing it come real on the page!” – Kim Lawrence
Looking for a way to make your story unique? Check out some of our blog posts about refreshing classic romance tropes and cliches:
Harlequin REFRESH! Banish stylistic cliches! – Write for Harlequin
Harlequin REFRESH: Character cliches – Write for Harlequin
Harlequin Refresh: Romance plot clichés – Write for Harlequin
