My A-Z theme for the month of April is romance and the modern, technology-driven cubicle dweller (like me).
Even though my theme for the month focuses on romance, I think using that as my R word is just too easy. Or actually, it kind of stumped me. I’ve said quite a bit about romance already, but reality…
That’s an aspect of real life romance (not the genre today 🙂 I don’t think gets touched on enough. I’m not talking about our contemporary world versus a fantasy world, or a science-fiction world. This doesn’t have to do with unicorns or sentient robots or anything like that.
But our expectations. I think one of the things that makes any romance work is having realistic expectations. For instance, I can’t say I want my partner to be honest with me in every way, and then get upset with them for telling me my new haircut doesn’t look quite as great as I think. I can’t expect them to know what I enjoy if I don’t tell them, regardless of how well we click and just kind of get things about each other. And it’s just not fair to say “no, you don’t have to get me anything for my birthday/our anniversary/valentine’s day” and then get upset when they do exactly that.
Those are just a handful of examples of things I hear about how it “should be” and to me, that’s not realistic.
The reality is, things can be so romantic if you just open up the lines of communication. Passionate, loving, and intense.
And really, that’s just sexy.
What’s your favorite romantic reality?
I do like realistic, though some don’t seem to want that in a book. Some just want the fantasy and not the reality. Though I guess I don’t read much romance and I read a lot of actual fantasy, lol.
Well, I can’t say I’ve lived a romantic reality in a really long time. But I do recall a boyfriend who was struck with an illness that exhausted him and kept him indoors for weeks. He learned from me, over the phone, that a check my parents had mailed me got lost. A few hours later, his dad was at my door with cash in hand for me. Just the basic caring of loving reality is wonderful. 🙂
Some Dark Romantic
I suppose the thing with a book is that it doesn’t have to be the reality. Indeed, with romance, it’s probably quite a way away from it.
I think expectations are key between characters in a romance, and it’s the conflict between what the characters expect and what they get from the other person that can lead to some cool surprises. Conflict is great – especially in “Conflict of Interest”! 🙂
My husband has nothing but good intentions but sometimes he so overdoes being romantic.{I’m not complaining} I try to convince him it is the little things that reach my heart. Bringing me a cup of tea and chocolate if I’ve been writing away the hours and a text in the middle of the day telling me to have a fabulous day and that he is thinking of me.
I love seeing little doses of reality like that when I’m reading.
doreenmcgettigan.com
Little things, like yesterday after a 13 hour work day.. He had dinner waiting when I walked in the door. And only teased me a little as I was struggling to stay awake at the dinner table!
Only one week of the Challenge left! Almost there 🙂
AJ Lauer
#atozchallenge helper minion
Twitter: @ayjaylauer
I’ve told my husband before that he doesn’t have to get me anything. Or if it’s Christmas, I’ll ask for practical gifts. And I wouldn’t be mad if he did what I asked. That is just plain silly.
Mine may not be super romantic, but he does things like fills up the gas in my car or gets a car wash. Those kind of little things really count.
I love to read romance and daydream, but if I actually had to be in any of those situations, I think I would be miserable. My reality is better than any hot fiction, at least to me 🙂
My romantic reality is when I get home from work and I’m exhaisted to find my hubby in the kitchen cooking pasta for me. It always makes me smile.