Trust becomes a scarce currency. The romance introduces a liability; a partner can be leveraged, blackmailed, or suspected, keeping the reader guessing.
: Authentic romantic narratives require tension [2, 6]. These can be external (family disapproval, distance) or internal (past trauma, fear of vulnerability) [7]. The "Meet-Cute"
What are you writing in (e.g., contemporary romance, fantasy with a romantic subplot)?
