Okay, let’s talk about the third-act breakup in romance novels. You know, the moment when everything is going perfectly, and then BAM, out of nowhere, the couple breaks up. Maybe it’s a misunderstanding, maybe it’s some contrived drama, maybe it’s a betrayal with a great set up, but either way, it feels like a punch to the gut.
I get why it’s used—it adds to the drama! But personally, I find it predictable & a little repetitive.
I’ve spent the entire book rooting for these two characters, only to watch them break up? It doesn’t sit right with me. 😭
I get like 20-30 pages of them being together and happy and then BAM, drama. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.
It’s even worse when it’s because one of the MCs does something out of character for them, or a stupid misunderstanding that could’ve been resolved with a conversation.
So when I started writing Good Game, Gamer Girl, I knew I wanted to take a different approach. Instead of a breakup, I wanted to show what it looks like when characters face their Dark Moment together. Like, the question isn’t “will they stay together”, the question is “how will they overcome this problem together”.
I want to write about couples who communicate, who work through their issues, and who don’t throw in the towel when things get tough. Because to me, that’s what real love looks like—facing the hard stuff side by side, not running away from it.
Alex and Emma have their moments of doubt, but they choose each other over and over again. Because love isn’t about falling apart at the 1st sign of trouble—it’s about figuring it out together, even when it’s messy or you aren’t on the same page (yet) 💖