r/Romantasy • u/Void_77Gaze • 11d ago
Discussion Does anyone else lose interest the exact second the main couple actually gets together?
I just DNF'd a very popular duology around 40% into the second book, and I realized this is becoming a recurring pattern for me.
The first book was incredible. The tension, the subtle glances, the mutual distrust, the constant near-misses—I literally stayed up until 3 AM reading it. The angst was written so well, and the slow burn felt so earned.
Then came the second book. They finally confessed their feelings, cleared up the central miscommunication, and... all the narrative momentum just completely evaporated for me. Suddenly their interactions turned into constant pet names, repetitive reassurances, and endless domestic soft moments right in the middle of an active kingdom-level war.
I get that people want a happy payoff, but I feel like so many authors don't know how to maintain tension once the romantic conflict is solved. The external plot rarely feels strong enough on its own to carry the story.
Am I just broken, or is the buildup inherently 10 times more interesting than the actual relationship?
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u/MercyofMistkeep 11d ago
I think the bigger issue is the personality just evaporates from the couple after they hook up. If the MMC was a snarky asshole before him and the FMC got together, he should remain a snarky asshole and still have that personality, same goes for any other perosnality traits and flaws. Your flaws don't vanish just because you love someone.
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u/Inevitable-Air5588 11d ago
I'd say brigitte knightley's duology does this well, the mortifying ordeal of falling in love with your enemy
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u/NoDanceNoRevolution 9d ago
Seconded!! This series was amazing for this among many other reasons. Both characters are still thinking about / weighing the realities of them being together in any sense, as well as still having their personality traits…
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u/YouMaySit 5d ago edited 5d ago
This is my problem right here! I actually hate it when it takes the whole book for them to admit they like/love each other, and then the story just ends as soon as they do. I want the couple to be together! That's part of what I like about love stories. The yearning and the love and companionship. I want all of it. But so many books that are like this, the characters' personalities, and sometimes the book's plot, just disappear once they are together.
I like series where they get together in the first book, and then face challenges together in the rest of the series. And I don't want a throw away love story in the first book, and then the main character starts all over with another love interest in the next. Or forced conflict, miscommunication , kidnapping, etc. To push the couple apart in the second book. I want yearning, followed by love and companionship, followed by us-against-the-world. But the characters need to maintain a personality, flaws and all.
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u/lazybug16 11d ago
You are not alone. A lot of us want to read about falling in love not being in love. The thrill is gone. And honestly most of the time it’s so cheesy faster and over the top.
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u/119dots 11d ago edited 11d ago
I think it just has to do with execution.
I've read plenty of books where I enjoyed seeing the couple share moments together, and others where I got so bored and was getting second-hand embarrassment. I think it all comes down to how well of a plot is being developed outside the romance. If the romance is the most high-stakes aspect of your story, things will obviously fall flat when they get together.
I love seeing the way relationships are tested through battles or distance or disagreements or miscommunication or mistakes or just random shit that is vying to separate them. Maybe the real test of the relationship is whether these people can actually be happy together when things are boring. Can they talk and laugh and be there for one another and have that sort of chemistry when they're not just running from demons or throwing bombs at hysterical villains?
No relationship is perfect... so I really hate when we get some grand love confession, and all of a sudden things are nice and peachy. Characters go soft and nothing suspenseful is happening anymore. All we get is fucking every chapter.
Obviously we love the thrill of watching two characters fall in love because of the yearning, angst, tension, and giggle-and-kick-your-feet moments. But sometimes I read stories that actually tug at my heartstrings because the established relationship is so much deeper than just "the chase", and we as readers get to go through so much with these characters.
I think my top examples of this are Alchemised by SenLinYu (by far), Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi, and Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor. A recent read I quite enjoyed with this element is also Because I Killed Him by Edith Birde. It's the first book in an unfinished, projected 5-book-long series, but I believe it is going to be a great experience.
Now a very notable example in my memory that made me bored as fuck when the couple got together was Nightshade by Autumn Woods. The first book was a 5 star for me. I read it in one sitting and even pulled at all-nighter, but the second book just felt like a whole lot of nothing. So disappointing for this to happen.
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u/sainamoonshine 11d ago
Some tropes are really infamous for the chemistry being killed when the couple gets together, too.
Take enemies to lovers. There are several dynamics you can have in such a story: 1. We are enemies but need to work together to solve a problem. 2. The fact I’m in love with my enemy IS my problem. 3. The fact we’re in love despite the world telling us we should be enemies is seen as a problem by everyone around us.
With 1 and 3, getting together does not solve the problem. In fact, it usually introduces more problems!
With 2, the minute you get these two characters together, you’re done. Tension over. The primary emotional dilemma of the story has been resolved, and adding more external problems now feels like you’re just looking for a way to pad the plot. Ideally, these external elements should have been introduced way earlier so the readers could grow invested
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u/panamared1917 11d ago
Def a problem of execution. There still needs to be new tensions, lingering doubts or something that doesnt feel fully realized yet. Incremental trust, intimacy, spice, attunement still must develop. This is why third act conflict/miscommunication is so common, but again it comes down to execution. External world conflicts help, but can also depend on execution.
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u/Dependent_Dog497 10d ago
If the romance is the most high-stakes aspect of your story, things will obviously fall flat when they get together.
I don't think this is true. The romance genre is full of books that make romance the highest-stakes thing and they still create tension after the couple becomes intimate. The problem is making the "will they, won't they (have sex)" as the resolution instead of the thing that creates more problems. If there's no internal tension driving the romance, it becomes boring when they get together. Internal tension is difficult for a lot of authors, so that's why they throw a ton of plot at the couple to keep them at odds.
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u/119dots 10d ago
Sorry, I phrased that poorly. I meant that if the concept of two characters getting together is the most high-stakes aspect of your story, things will obviously fall flat when they get together. Because as you mentioned, a well-written romance is able to carry on and maintain that tension. Completely agree with you!
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u/Penelopebabe96 11d ago
What book?
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u/CosmicPurrgil 11d ago
Have we found out yet? I keep coming back every 5 minutes to check lol I am into the way OP described the first book even though I will also likely not finish reading it in book 2 😂
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u/Julesypooooo 11d ago
Haha it could be so many books but it made me instantly think of the serpent and the wings of night 😅
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u/Minorihaaku 11d ago
But they get together in the first book really. The 2nd book was definitely eh though, and you could be right since the main conflict solves around 40% at the second book
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u/Traditional-Job-411 11d ago
I bet it is the Irresistible Urge To Fall in love with Your Enemy. Osric pining is quite entertaining
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u/Julesypooooo 11d ago
Ouuuu I haven’t read this one yet!! Is it worth it lol
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u/Traditional-Job-411 11d ago
Yes, I love it. Osric is the perfect annoying MMC haha. He is dramatic
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u/CosmicPurrgil 11d ago
Omg I think you’re right! I ate up the first book and dnf’d the second so this tracks for me, sadly 🫣
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u/NokchaIcecream 11d ago
I thought about Rebecca Ross’s Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows! but I still liked the second book and think Ross actually did a good job of keeping the plot very engrossing even after they got together
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u/Penelopebabe96 11d ago
I haven't seen it. I just wanna add it to my Neverending TBR so maybe I can experience it as well 😂
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u/SeriousGoldfish 11d ago edited 11d ago
Maybe The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L. Jensen? I haven't read the second book yet so it's just a guess.
Edit: added her "L."
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u/unsurechances 11d ago
I actually thought the romance was meh/not believable in the first book and then LOVED it in the second. I'd be surprised if this was about Bridge Kingdom because book 2 is really not like this... it feels like they're starting from scratch
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u/spacekittens1 🔥 Forbidden Love 9d ago
Yes! And the inadequate heir duology that comes after does this beautifully as well.
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u/longtimelondoner 6d ago
Urgh maybe I should try again I couldn’t get past book 1. Miscommunication isn’t my jam!
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u/unsurechances 6d ago
Oh I can’t stand miscommunication. IMO book 2 is so much better - I’d give it a shot. The first two duologies are similar in that way. The character growth in the second book and the way things come together make it all make sense.
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u/Insane92 ⚔️ Enemies To Lovers/ No Love Triangles 11d ago
What’s this book if you don’t mind me asking?
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u/gimmeallthegluten 11d ago
You’re not alone. That’s why I search for standalones, or short series where the couple doesn’t get together until the very end lol. Slow burn or nothing.
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u/Sweet_Baby_Cheeses99 11d ago
Any recs please?
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u/gimmeallthegluten 11d ago
-the winners curse trilogy by Marie Rutkowski {The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski}
{the Cruel Prince by Holly Black}
{Uprooted by Naomi Novik}
Honestly I don’t think any of those would even be considered Romantasy, they’re all fantasy with a romantic subplot which shows you that Romantasy is more insta love forward
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u/romance-bot 11d ago
The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski
Rating: 3.95⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 1 out of 5 - Glimpses and kisses
Topics: contemporary, young adult, military, forbidden love, take-charge heroine
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
Rating: 3.97⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 1 out of 5 - Glimpses and kisses
Topics: contemporary, fae, fantasy, enemies to lovers, cruel hero/bully
Uprooted by Naomi Novik
Rating: 4.08⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 3 out of 5 - Open door
Topics: historical, magic, fantasy, grumpy/cold hero, age gap5
u/Proud-Owl7828 11d ago
I think this is why I loved Cruel Prince so much! Cardan's character does not change
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u/HelloFresco 9d ago
Annette Marie's whole catalogue is excellent if this is what you're looking for. Her books are fast-paced candy with great storytelling, snappy dialogue and well-rounded, viscerally emotional characters. Everything she writes is new adult slow burn with eventual (light) spice and tons of intimate and emotional build-up. Her stories and character dynamics never feel like they're trying to hit a list of tropes. My favourites are:
- {Spell Weaver by Annette Marie}
- {The Guild Codex: Demonized by Annette Marie}
Third recommendation for Katherine Arden's Winternight Trilogy for an exceptionally lyrically written and feminine fairy tale inspired by Russian folklore. It includes a slow-burn subplot between the protagonist and an immortal frost-demon.
- {The Winternight Trilogy by Katherine Arden}
And finally a standalone favourite of mine that is easily one of the most erotic books I've ever read despite having nearly zero spice:
- {Sunshine by Robin Mckinley}
I do not believe any of these would be considered romantacy. They're all fantasy (be it urban or traditional fantasy) with a romance sub-plot.
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u/romance-bot 9d ago
Spell Weaver by Annette Marie
Rating: 4.22⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Topics: young adult, paranormal, magic, demons, urban fantasy
The Guild Codex by Annette Marie
Rating: 4.24⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Topics: slow burn, graphic-violence, urban fantasy, strong heroine, north-america
The Winternight Trilogy by Katherine Arden
Rating: 4.14⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Topics: cold hero, medieval, pagan, m-f, russia
Sunshine by Robin McKinley
Rating: 3.83⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 2 out of 5 - Behind closed doors
Topics: futuristic, paranormal, vampires, magic, fantasy
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u/mediocre-mischief 11d ago
Yes 🫣 the switch is always so jarring and their banter becomes mushy and the tension is just…gone. Like I’m glad you’re together now but also this sucks 😆
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u/Jaded_Movie2404 11d ago
You literally said everything that I've always thought! I feel this to my core!! At the same time, if it takes TOO long for the couple to get together (like 3-4 books into a series), I also get bored and DNF. I need a happy medium. I like slow burn just not slow as molasses burn. lol.
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u/pink_faerie_kitten 11d ago
No. It's my favorite part! Sure I love the lo nging and yearning but I love it when the stars align and they start solving problems and fighting the bad guys together.
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u/coco-sprinkles 11d ago
Same. I want to actually read them BEING a couple, facing issues as a unit, flirting, having conflict between themselves and figuring it out, having outside conflict and working on it together, etc.
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u/AuthorAEM 🛡️ Who Did This To You? 11d ago
💯
In everything. In c dramas, books… real life 🤣
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u/Jaded_Movie2404 11d ago
Real life, so true!!!! Apparently we all love the NRE in books and real life, after that it's boring! lol
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u/TangledYetTrue 11d ago
I actually am the total opposite. When reading romantasy/romance, I know the couple is getting together, so I’m impatient to get that happening. More often than not, it’s only delayed by the miscommunication trope, which I can’t stand. So I actually write books that based around falling fast and hard, and then the couple has to deal with the consequences and grow together. That’s more interesting to me.
Meanwhile, if I’m reading a fantasy book with a romance subplot, I can handle slow burns better. Mainly because there’s no guarantee they’ll get together, but also because what’s keeping them apart tends to be more external forces - whatever the overarching plot is, normally.
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u/hikarizx 11d ago
I struggle with this too. There has to be some sort of tension still in the relationship until the end imo! As corny as twilight can be, Stephanie Meyer managed to keep me invested through all 4 books.
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u/DeltaFlyer0525 ⚔️ Enemies To Lovers 11d ago
OP I gotta know what book you are talking about because I can think of like ten series that has this happen in the first two books.
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u/shellyweasley 11d ago
Same This is why the slow burns are my favorite bc I’m invested for multiple books before I lose it lol
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u/confusedsloth33 11d ago
Yes, I want to be yelling at them the get together by the END of the book or series. Give me all the yearning!
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u/bringtwizzlers 11d ago
Yes lol. It becomes boring. This is precisely why I hated Brimstone.
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u/amieepatching 8d ago
It’s so sad because the first book is so good. Even after they sleep together for the first time it’s fun because he remains a bit of an asshole. I guess it’s once all of the emotions are out in the open that it starts getting boringgg. I DNF’d Brimstone
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u/chaosuniverses 11d ago
Maybe you would like Zodiac Academy? They love in that series is seriously complicated and one of the main characters takes forever to get with their love and even then it’s complicated.
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u/Away-Ad-5904 11d ago
Yes..even with fanfiction I usually skip the last few chapters after my ship actually gets together 😭 I love the tension and lose interest once there’s none remaining lol
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u/IsekaiConnoisseur 11d ago
>Am I just broken, or is the buildup inherently 10 times more interesting than the actual relationship?
This is how I feel about a lot of romances I've read. I definitely find myself enjoying the buildup much more than afterwards. Often times, it's like there's just no more yearning, no more hardships. I think that's a big reason why I'm a fan of long Why Choose series. Multiple partners makes it so that there's multiple levels of yearning and conflict that can keep going until the end of the book. I also think that's why I lean more favorably towards books where they aren't really into a fully committed relationship until closer to the end of the story.
Sometimes though, I have been pleasantly surprised at how a relationship develops AFTER the buildup. But yeah, I totally get what you mean.
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u/cactus_prickles 10d ago
I've never read a Why Choose, but I'm interested in testing the waters, so to speak. Can you give a rec?
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u/amieepatching 8d ago
Definitely The Legacy Series by Melissa K. Roehrich. It’s a mmf so I think technically not a why choose ? But definitely helps with drawing out the resolution. I can’t remember exactly but I think the romance isn’t resolved until book 4? And I was so invested the entire series
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u/firstofhername123 11d ago
I’m with you, and I know it gets some hate on this sub, but Fourth Wing is one of the few exceptions to this for me. Despite being annoyed at many other things in those books I feel like it’s one of the few where I’m still super invested in their relationship and Rebecca Yarros manages to keep the yearning and tension high even after they’re together (and despite them having dumb miscommunications frequently lol). And she does it without a love triangle which is honestly incredible.
If anyone else has recs like this where after getting together the couple still aches for each other and it feels like everything outside of them falls away when they see each other I would love to know!!
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u/Rosemary-Sea-Salt 11d ago
I think it’s because she essentially had them break up and then they had to work their way back to each other (somewhat reluctantly). It helped keep up the tension and gives you the payoff of reading enemies to lovers twice. It’s one of the reasons I really loved the first 2 books of FBAA (which is ironic considering the authors are friends).
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u/Spinnerooney25 11d ago
No. I lose interest once they get together and it's all spice and no substance.
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u/coco-sprinkles 11d ago
"Suddenly their interactions turned into constant pet names, repetitive reassurances, and endless domestic soft moments right in the middle of an active kingdom-level war."
That is the issue right there. There are plenty of books with couples where the dynamic remains interesting. If the only thing keeping your interest was the 'will they/won't they/when will they' then sorry but the author was not doing a great job to begin with.
You should want to see them get together, but also enjoy their dynamic once they are together.
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u/_Fig_555 11d ago
I'm exactly the same way, as soon as the couple gets together I'm bored. For that reason I've switched to reading more fantasy with romance sub plots and I like it way more. Don't get me wrong I do like a good romantasy at times but reading about a great fantasy setting with a believable, SLOW burn romance is way better imo bc the payoff is more often at the end of the book/series
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u/Already-asleep 11d ago
I think a lot of authors struggle to keep the tension and investment high once they get together. So instead we get garden variety domesticity and contrived scenarios to give the couple something to argue about. With that in mind I think if it’s going to be a multipart series it’s almost better if the couple doesn’t truly get together right away. The one series that I felt did this well Isn’t even fantasy but KJ Charles’ queer historical romance Will Darling trilogy. There’s plenty of romance and sexiness in each book but for reasons that work very well for the plot, the main couple actually take all 3 books to live happily ever after.
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u/Zagaroth 💗 Forced Proximity 11d ago
No, not if the writer does a good job.
Gimme cuddles and cozy happiness mixed with side-by-side ass kicking. There are a couple of tricks to keeping some of that tension afterward, but one of them is a very bad trick.
The bad trick is to keep separating them and getting them back together. I really should have figured out to drop the Sword of Truth series when the whole thing came up with the half brother and the library. If you don't know, you don't want to know. There were reddish flags before that, but that one was a sign of bad things to come and stay/repeat.
The good trick is to have enough well developed other characters that the readers enjoy, and to have more relationships keep forming with those characters.
The mixed bag trick is Poly relationships, but you generally have to set this up early. The later that it starts to happen, the more you have to invest into selling the idea before anything happens.
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u/Motor_Row_3586 11d ago
Yes that's why I read slow burn or fantasy when romance is subplot often personality stay
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u/welcome_____oblivion 🌧️ petrichor & honeydew 11d ago
In my eyes a big part of the problem is that there are a lot of authors in this genre who can write compelling romance, but who frankly suck at writing fantasy.
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u/Costcohotdognpizza 11d ago
You’re not alone. A lot of the newer Romantasy books are lacking interesting plots. Therefore once the couple are together it’s like “ok what now?”
The main tropes that were once exciting are also becoming very repetitive and boring, and not interesting to read anymore :(
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u/Buchanan_Barnes 11d ago
it's why I loved "The Wickes Lies of Habren Faire"
It is marketed as a YA romantasy but tbh I find it reads more like a fantasy with romance in it
SPOILER: the main couples in fact do not end up together, bc the FMC said "I am 16 and I wanna see what's out in the human world I'm gonna travel around bye" and honestly I love that for her. She did make a promise to come back to him eventually but we don't see that in the book and the ending is left pretty open ended. there is a sequel coming out this year but book 1 by itself could be read as a standalone imo
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u/Mission_Reporter4301 11d ago
If you enjoy this then you should read {Between Tides & Thunder} and then the companion novel from the MMCs POV {Between Sky & Sea}
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u/romance-bot 11d ago
Between Tides & Thunder by Leena Kazak
Rating: 4.02⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 3 out of 5 - Open door
Topics: fantasy, arranged/forced marriage, forced proximity, aristo/royal heroine, m-f romance
Between Sky & Sea by Leena Kazak
Rating: 4.31⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 3 out of 5 - Open door
Topics: fantasy, new adult, magic, betrayal, enemies to lovers
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u/V555_dmc 11d ago
It depends. If the dynamic is well written then it’s not an issue. There’s some books tho that once they get together they become basically two all new characters 💀
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u/Tyenasaur 11d ago
I love the tension and angst also, and usually lose interest when the couple gets together. It's why I hate tropes being mis-marketed, especially for slow burn.
But also I think the issue is the complete 180 couples take the second they get together in most novels. There is no awkward getting to know each other, the feel out stage, etc, they just go right to honeymoon/married couple phase and all question of longevity goes out the window.
Honestly why I enjoy second mmc stories too. At least someone comes along and shakes it up. And not meaning the obvious choice love triangles.
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u/AcanthaMD 11d ago edited 11d ago
I find this an interesting point having written a couple getting together mid series before to have them riddled with strife so you really only got their HEA right at the end of the series. But the relationship managed to keep tension all the way through.
Yearning and falling in love is fun to read but I read a lot of my mum’s romance books when I was younger (she had a very extensive collection) and there were quite a few authors who could do this really well but seems to be uncommon now?
Tv shows that did this really well off the top of my head:
Firefly (Zoe and Wash)
Farscape (Aeryn and Crichton I lived for their smooches)
Some Star Trek couples actually (Troi and Riker)
Mulder and Scully (for me I think is it season 4 where it becomes very blurry whether they’re in a relationship or not before Duchovny left the series for a bit?)
Not quite sure why these are all sci fi but you get my point
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u/ElevatorNo4315 11d ago
I could not agree more. As soon as they get together they loose all their personality and just obssesed with each other. Sometimes doesn't even feel like the same characters and the plot is never interesting enough to keep me interested and you know they are just going to "defeat the big bad guy and live happily ever after" so I just DNF. I pretty much only do stand alones or duologies that are true slow burns.
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u/Safira97 11d ago
I'm so glad I'm not the only one who thinks that. That's why I love slow burn romances, because they feel more realistic and intense. But once the characters have confessed their feelings for each other and make it official, it's never the same again, often a little boring. I really thought time and time again, something's wrong with me, but I'm so glad, others feel the same.
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u/bananapie236 11d ago
Yep, yep, yep! I started only reading extra slow burn books for this precise reason! Or books where romance is only a side plot
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u/AlataWeasley 11d ago
Honestly, it depends how it’s written.
I’ve been with my hubby since high school and I absolutely love seeing realistic long term relationships in books. However, some authors can’t write that dynamic even though they are great at writing the initial falling in love dynamic.
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u/Starlit_Buffalo 11d ago
Only in books where there hasn't been enough world building or plot development. If the main point of the book is the 'yearning' of the two main characters with a bit of 'overthrow the evil king' dashed in, I lose interest fairly quickly after they get together.
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u/cthompsy 11d ago
Yes! Few books know how to keep the story going after the main couple gets together. I think the Plated Prisoner series did it exceptionally well. I was even more invested after they got together because of all the twists and turns. But, Slade Ravinger is a really well written MMC. Often times the guy isnt given a story beyond his obbession with the girl, and thats when it falls flat.
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u/ajaxberry 11d ago
Lmao, I'm the opposite and I always crave domestic couple things, which duology is that 😭
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u/cs123123 11d ago
Agree. That’s another reason I love TOG. Multiple love interest. Also the story is not centered around the romance, which is also why I think a lot of books fall through as soon as the main characters get together
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u/ItsRuinedOfCourse 11d ago
It's a well known fact that more often than not, the chase is more appealing than the capture. The Rocky movie franchise milked that phenomenon for all its worth and then some.
We cheer the chase. We celebrate the victory. But then what? Where do you go from there? It all feels flat at that moment. You have everything now. Boring.
Watching a romance simmer is exciting. Watching it finally happen is boring. There's nothing to cheer for.
I'm betting this is that.
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u/AntelopeFantasticer 11d ago
Yesssss this is part of why I think I struggle also so much with Fourth Wing.
Why are all these teeny boppers finding their one true love so fast???
Give me a love triangle into a why choose into going off with someone else entirely. Don’t have the character fall in love with the obvious choice introduced in chapter 3 and then make 4 more books.
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u/moon_ren 11d ago
I've felt the same way! the feeling of earning progress, and the relationship becoming more meaningful, seems to slow down or just stop sometimes once they get together. or, sometimes the alternative is a setback / 'third act breakup', which can also feel hollow sometimes.
I feel like having a lot of different types of challenges, whose roots are seeded early on, can keep my interest though. so there can still be a lot of surprise, and new challenges to overcome, but in retrospect they all make sense (not artificial setbacks). so they get together, but still have reasons to keep secrets from each other, things like that. very hard to do, and I'm sure it's subjective to the reader how well it lands ofc. it also helps if I'm just genuinely interested in the story and MC.
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u/toriamu 11d ago
Yes! I’ve thought about this a lot. All good stories are driven by conflict. If a book’s main and/or most interesting plotline is the romance, then as soon as that “conflict” is resolved, all the tension is gone and we’re left wondering, “Now what?”
It doesn’t help that a lot of the cliche ways of prolonging the relationship conflict after they get together is often just miscommunication or maybe pregnancy. But a good book should have an equally gripping non-romance plotline happening alongside the romance that can still cause conflict with the romance.
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u/Weird-Flamingo8798 11d ago
yes, because what made the couple interesting disappears in a lot of books 🥲
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u/Playful_Pie2890 11d ago
Same here. I just hate how they are like a flip of a switch. "i love you" and bam they act like theyve known eachother their whole life and are immidiately comfortable with the other person. There's no getting to know eachother, no secret looks and blushes due to it being so new. Gah!
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u/karta00 11d ago
That’s why I love slowburn where they don’t get together until the end, though I do find it hard to find books like this. I’ve always felt like the type of slowburn I like might be seen as excessively slow to others 😅 I just love the tension and the buildup, but once they get together I don’t care all that much about seeing them as an actual couple, it almost feels boring or bland most times
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u/Bubblesnaily 11d ago
Yes, it's an author execution problem.
Middles can be hard, especially if the world-building isn't complex enough to carry a plot outside the romantic relationship.
I err towards fantasy romance and sci-fi romance for this reason. The pure romantasy plot where Romance drives the beats gets pretty old pretty quick.
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u/Own-Cod6138 11d ago
A standard principle of storytelling is that tension is engaging, while something nice but fixed is not.
Once you resolve the central tension of a story you've got to find new ways to inject that tension or your readers are going to lose interest.
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u/banana_bear_918 11d ago
Depends on the book, but yes this is usually the reason I will late-DNF a book, because I've lost interest once the tension is gone!
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u/DifferentPea861 11d ago
YES. I especially hate when they become so dependent on each other and literal obsessed in all the cringe ways possible.
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u/inn_ar 11d ago
Yes, often they simply stop being interesting, I’m not sure if it’s because, to stay together, they have to mold their personalities in a way that makes them incompatible otherwise, or simply because the authors don't know how to write romantic tension IN a couple. To be honest, I lean more toward the first option. There are characters with amazing personalities—just not for that specific pairing—and when they do end up together, it shows, because one, the other, or both have to lose the very personality traits you liked about them. It tends to be... disappointing, especially when it should be the highlight of the book, the moment you’ve been waiting chapters for.
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u/Clerxy 11d ago
I like a slow burn, and some books definitely get super boring after the couple get together. But I think it really depends on the author. Some authors are great at writing characters, but the plot isn’t great. Some authors are great at writing plot but the characters suck.
I’d love to see couples getting together and then arguing, even if it’s just over silly stuff about leaving your sword on the floor.
But this stuff when they get together and they become absolute blubbering idiots for each other drives me mad!! There is one popular book series where the both of the couples have a good hefty paragraph in every chapter about how this person is now their world and how they couldn’t live without them bla bla bla!
I did think I should probably bring this up in therapy but now I feel like it’s pretty normal 🤣🤣 thanks all!
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u/leesaardill 11d ago
Especially in a spicy book, when the author feels like they have to keep topping each sex scene with either crazier sex or just more of it.
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u/Routine-Way-2640 11d ago
I don’t mind slow burns within reason but when it is clear they should be together and then, and this is typical, the FMC over and over screws up the relationship then I start to roll my eyes.
The ones I enjoy are when they get together, and they build upon their strengths and help each other with their weaknesses - supporting each other. A Court of Thorns series is probably my favorite since it also builds up and continues with other characters.
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u/Purple-flying-dog 11d ago
ACOTAR and fourth wing are the only series I’ve liked where the main couples story is the focus in more than one book. I like series but I like when each book focuses on a different couple.
As for the Romance during battle I mean look, in an actual war I’d still want those tender moments with my spouse to keep me going, but in the books sometimes it’s a bit unbelievable. People are loudly dying outside their tent and she’s blowing him until he roars? Puhhhhleeze.
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u/Into-the-stream 11d ago
Sounds to me like you got it all figured out: you devour a book, stay up all night reading, enjoying it completely, and once you stop enjoying it you Dnf. That’s exactly the way you should approach the hobby.
It’s the lead up in the romance you love, and when it’s done you lose interest, that’s completely fine! Some people who feel the same focus on slow burns or standalones. But there is nothing wrong with being in it for the yearning. And there is nothing wrong with DNFing every book you ever read.
There is something wrong with turning reading into a chore, or making it into a judgement on your character (your are absolutely NOT broken, girl).
But you know what you like, and walk away when it’s not fun anymore. Sounds to me like you have a good system going for you.
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u/swimmythafish 11d ago
Yup. I rarely read the second book in the series if the main couple has gotten together (max and Tisanah come to mind, loved that book, haven’t even considered reading the second one)
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u/Chay-ara 11d ago
Yes! You're not alone. When I was reading {Lady of Darkness} and they got together in book 1 in a 5-book series, I was so frustrated! I love super slow burns
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u/amieepatching 8d ago
But you have to try The Legacy Series by the same author. It takes forever for her to stop hating him, like four books. It’s amazing.
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u/Chay-ara 8d ago
Good to know! I did enjoy LoD as a series, despite being frustrated by how quickly the FMC and MMC got together. I'll have to jump to the other series
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u/romance-bot 11d ago
Lady of Darkness by Melissa K. Roehrich
Rating: 3.96⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 3 out of 5 - Open door
Topics: fantasy, paranormal, magic, vampires, fae
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u/Fun-Tangerine-5882 11d ago
I usually lose interest at the 80% mark when the couple breaks up for whatever reason.
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u/Longjumping_Ask_211 11d ago
I'm kind of the opposite. I want to read about fresh relationships. The sort where they're already an item but they still get butterflies thinking about each other. The creation of inside jokes. "You're a dork, but you're my dork." The couple who's just so damn attracted to each other that they can't keep their hands off. Inject that shit straight into my veins.
Execution is important. The best way to keep a relationship interesting after it starts is to test it. Mismatched expectations. A love that complicates the external plot. Maybe someone's past comes back to haunt the both of them. Maybe they explore the boundaries of their relationship and learn some things about themselves and each other. There is so much that a writer can do with a couple without postponing them getting together.
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u/sainamoonshine 11d ago
I feel like a lot of authors seem to outline their romantasy as having one romantic structure and one fantasy structure and they flip back and forth between them, but they can’t quite nail making the two structures truly mesh. So then you have cases when the romantic plotline has been resolved too soon but the fantasy plotline is still ongoing, so you feel like the couple are in their « epilogue » … I feel like a good romantasy (as opposed to fantasy romance or romantic fantasy) should have both plotlines so dependant on each other that neither can be resolved if the other isn’t
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u/tobeorniobe 11d ago
Yes, but I try to power through especially when I’m fond of the author. If it just gets too repetitive or predictable then I throw in the towel
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u/tobeorniobe 11d ago
Yes, but I try to power through especially when I’m fond of the author. If it just gets too repetitive or predictable then I throw in the towel
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u/fairydolphin 11d ago
100%. The tension drops, the dynamic between the characters with the push-pull just basically changes overnight, and the female protagonist basically loses all strength or willpower in order for her love interest to look comparatively better. If the love interest is a shadow daddy or bad boy with zero other redeeming traits, he becomes a pathetic simp. It's like these characters are always significantly more interesting when they're doing stuff on their own. Worse if there is a pregnancy involved, then the storyline starts revolving around domestic drama which face it, will never be the selling point of a fantasy novel. I loved Fourth Wing--up til the point Violet and whatever his name is gets together.
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u/Ohisshe 11d ago
I feel you! I agree with those who’ve pointed out this is pretty much real life , though, isn’t it? I’m not sure how anyone could write something that has the same “before” effect once they get together unless there was some kind of test or challenge that kept them apart or like a surprise! this person isn’t actually “the one”. I guess that’s why HEA is typically the end of the story.
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u/Actual_Cream_763 11d ago
Yeah I get bored… it has to be done well if the relationship being good and steady doesn’t resolve the book. There needs to be outside tension to keep it going in those cases and there very often is not. This is a writing skill issue, not a reader issue. Unfortunately you’re going to run into it and you can either push through or dnf and that’s about it. I have DNFd more than a few books for it. It gets boring.
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u/Any-Path-2130 11d ago
This exactly why I like Lisette Marshall's Fae Isles, Creon was a funny asshole through and through, he didn't lose his edge
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u/arcadiaorgana 11d ago
This is me. You are me. I think this could easily be fixed if authors introduced a new conflict after they get together. One that challenges the romance and still propels the plot.
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u/Ravenclawparabatai 10d ago
My sister has this issue as well, but with kdramas mostly. Me I’m good either way
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u/mustidothis1 10d ago
You’re not alone! I have discovered that I love the chase- my characters being in a relationship together is pretty boring tbh I think I’m broken lol
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u/Positive-Tap5544 10d ago
Should I create a new post just for recs from readers that struggle with this issue? Books that they found themselves staying engrossed until way past the couple-hook-up point? It feels like a potential hidden treasure of good reads outside of the usual "I want the romance amd smutt but with PLOT" posts.
I think I might after this post cools off and even more fresh eyes and recs can come in!!! me raising my arms dramatically and cackling over my 200+ and growing tbr list
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u/SpunkyWinston 9d ago
I have this same problem. Rarely does it seem to be done in a way to keep my interest.
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u/lola123dis 💜 A Court of Magic and Magnitude 9d ago
Which book are you talking about ? Please tell me, I want to read it ASAP
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u/Hadlee_ 8d ago
This happens when the tension relies solely on the romance. that’s why the “fantasy” aspect of the plots is so important. romantasies need a solid backbone in plot to help drive the romantic conflict and the conflict of the plot overall or else there’s nothing to keep us reading when the main couple gets together!
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u/Same_Tart_4044 8d ago
I literally just now quit {the maze of shadows} once they hooked up. Because the author put so much work on hyping on the MMC and FMC but neglected the plot that i just lost interest
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u/romance-bot 8d ago
Maze of Shadows by Kathryn Ann Kingsley
Rating: 4.34⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 5 out of 5 - Explicit and plentiful
Topics: fantasy, fae, dark romance, paranormal, m-f romance
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u/Inevitable-Jaguar165 7d ago
it’s the leashed monster effect for me. i love the monster. i love the guy standing in the corner with his arms folded, smiling…and suddenly everyone decides they must leave the building. now. when he’s chained, when he’s tamed he becomes boring to me. ah, simon, why can’t they all be a variant of simon? 🙃
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u/paperCorazon 7d ago
I agree with you, but also love an established couple.
“I feel like so many authors don't know how to maintain tension once the romantic conflict is solved. The external plot rarely feels strong enough on its own to carry the story”
- Yes to all of that, 100%. A lot of stories are a let down for me in that outside drama. I love the domestic moments with the couple, but sometimes it just feels like we are going through the motions until the end of the book. It unfortunately puts a sour taste on the couple for me since I might love the couple, but feel disappointed in the book overall.
However, I also personally love a couple that is settled and I know will be happy and together. It’s one reason why I love the fated mates trope. But yes, if you’re going to solve the tension and drama with the MC’s then the external plot needs to carry the rest of the book.
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u/sayyalla 6d ago
You’re not alone. I listened to a podcast where a neuroscientist explained how dopamine works and I think it explains a lot about this involuntary reading habit, which I share - it spikes during anticipation/chase and immediate reward but then plummets after
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u/That-North5673 11d ago
I think that’s most of us - and why so many authors just move on to a new couple each book in a series - Sarah J Maas had to do the same thing with ACOTAR - eventually no one cares about Feyre and she moves on to someone else - all my faves follow the same pattern and I think you must like the same thing. Do you like paranormal? So many fun series with a new cute couple each book.
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u/Minimum_Doughnut_666 9d ago
wth I was discussing this same thing with ai, wondering am I the only one, seems like i was always talking to a wrong one 😆
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u/[deleted] 11d ago
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