Pat's Premises: Popular Plots, Conflicts
and Elements in Romance Novels
© Patricia Ryan, 1997
Mythic or Fairy Tale Elements
- Kidnapping (Persephone)
- Taming of the savage male (Beauty and the Beast)
- Transformation (Pygmalion)
- Rags to Riches (Cinderella)
- Awakening, emotional rebirth (Sleeping Beauty)
Enforced Intimacy
- Marriage of convenience
- Hero as protector
- Arranged or forced marriage
- Pretend marriage or relationship
- Stranded together on an island
- Snowbound
- Matchmaker contrives to throw lovers together
- Must share office or home
Love Conquers All
- The healing power of love
- Redemption through love
One Lover Rehabilitates or Cures the Other
- Amnesia
- Physical disabilities
- Emotional problems
- Disfigurement
- Mental illness
- Alcoholism
Emotional Baggage or Internal Forces Keep Lovers Apart
- Inability to trust, especially opposite sex
- Fear of commitment
- "I am a rock;" emotional detachment
- Some past incident, e.g., abuse, has left emotional scars
- Lover blames other for some hurt to self or loved one
- Lover harbors a secret that threatens love
- Lover must find self or solve problem before committing
- One lover has lied to other about something important
- Lover can't forgive other for some flaw
- Fear of abandonment
- Sense of unworthiness
- Feeling that one doesn't belong or fit
The Lovers' Differences Keep Them Apart
- Lovers from different social, religious or ethnic worlds
- A difference of opinion on critical matter
- Bad boy, good girl; or vice versa
- Lovers have opposing loyalties
- Lovers are business competitors
- Lovers personalities are too different
- A large age difference
- Unrequited love
The Lovers' Similarities Keep Them Apart
- Lovers engage in a battle of wills
- Lovers share goal, but only once can achieve it
Babies and Children
- Secret baby
- Arranged pregnancy
- Accidental pregnancy
- Reunited with child given up for adoption
- Child play matchmaker or otherwise brings lovers together
- Child lost or threatened
- Heroine plays nanny
Comedy of Errors
- Heroine pretends to be male
- Mistaken identity
- Misunderstandings
- Masquerade
- Twins
Evolving Relationships
- Platonic friends fall in love
- Ex-sweethearts are reunited
- Divorced spouses rediscover their love
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