I don't know about y'all, but I'm a sucker for a reunion romance. I love to read a story where two characters have a complicated, passionate past with each other and now have the chance to fix the things that went wrong in their relationship.I remember when I saw GONE WITH THE WIND for the first time, I couldn't go to sleep that night until I'd figured out a reunion story for Rhett and Scarlett. One of my favorite parts of JANE EYRE is the end, when Jane finally returned to her beloved Rochester, heedless to the dreadful changes in him after the tragic fire.
I think reunion romances give us hope that unhappy endings are not permanent. Bad outcomes can be fixed if both people want the relationship to succeed and are willing to do the work to make it happen.
In my March Intrigue, Secret Identity, the forces that parted Rick Cooper and Amanda Caldwell are a little harder to overcome than a mere fight or misunderstanding. They fell in love in the middle of chaos, in a war torn country constantly on the cusp of upheaval. She was a CIA agent trying to keep the fragile Central Asian democracy from cracking apart, and he was a security consultant hired to protect a mystery man whose safety was vital to the country's political stability. Spooks and mercs make for strange bedfellows, and it wasn't long before their bosses forced them apart.Three years later, when Rick Cooper is tricked by master spy Alexander Quinn into contacting Amanda after so long apart, he has no idea what he's about to walk into. Because there's so much he doesn't know about the woman he once loved.
And what he doesn't know could kill him.
I loved writing these two characters. The tough man of action forced to reexamine all his former actions when he learns the company he spent ten years working for was corrupt and involved in some heinous crimes. And the broken former spy who is hiding from the world—and herself—in a tiny town in the Tennessee mountains who must rediscover her inner warrior when her past comes crashing down on her. I hope you'll love them, too!
So here's my question: do you like reunion romances? Or do you prefer your romances to be fresh and new "boy meets girl" stories? Share your thoughts and I'll select a commenter to win a $20 amazon.com gift card.
I like them all: reunion, boy meets girl, woman expecting baby, just divorced, holed away in a cabin or stuck somewhere else, sheikhs, cowboys, cops, CEOs, doctors/nurses, nannies, writers, models, musicians/actors, etc. etc. etc.
ReplyDeleteI love romance. Period.
Hi Paula,
ReplyDeleteI love second chance stories. They already have a history which can make their connection even deeper.
I like second chances if the reason for the break up isn't to stupid (he said/she said said from other people). It gives them a pass to build on once they have cleared up the issue.
ReplyDeleteI love second chances, its nice to read about acouple that were together once and then thye reconnect and their love gets stronger the second time around.
ReplyDeleteBOTH. When the characters are great together...I love both.
ReplyDelete~Angi
I love both, depends on the mood. I really enjoy the second chance stories.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy reunion stories as well as most others.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy both... but I find the reunion stories have more emotions between the pages... more difficulties to go through to their HEA.
ReplyDeleteI like both these types of stories. Your new book sounds very good.
ReplyDeleteWhile I like both types of stories I like reunion a little better because I am always intrigued about how the author is going to get them to forgive each other and get back together
ReplyDeleteI love reunion romances. Boy and girl have a history but for some reason, it didn't work out the first time Now is their second chance.
ReplyDeleteLinda Cacaci
LinCaca3@aol.com
I do enjoy reunion stories, but I guess I prefer stories where the relationship is fresh and we meet the hero and heroine at the same time as they do in the book.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite romance trope involves second chance stories. I like that the hero and heroine are older and wiser and more willing to fight for each other. They also have baggage they have to overcome. I think their HEA is sweeter because of their struggle to be together.
ReplyDeletegeishasmom73 AT yahoo DOT com
I'm a big fan of reunion stories. Like some of the other ladies mentioned, I like that the H/h have a history to be worked through before their HEA. I'm a GWTW junkie and when Scarlett came out my kids warned me not to read the sequel because it would ruin the story for me, but I have to say seeing Rhett and Scarlett get their HEA was sweet reading for me.
ReplyDeleteBTW, with all this talk, I just HAD to download Secret Identity to the trusty Kindle. I've got a plane trip in my future this week, so a girl shouldn't be without a good reunion romance to pass the time. :-))
Love, love, love reunion stories!
ReplyDeleteFrom MarcieR
I like both!! I love reunion stories because the couple gets a second chance at their happy ending! I also like story's where the couple has just met. It just depends on my mood. By the way I really like the sound of your newest book!! And speaking of reunion stories you mentioned Gone with the Wind. I probably should go read it again and then read Scarlett. Has anyone read Scarlett?? I have it on my TBR pile but haven't gotten to it yet.
ReplyDeleteLaura, I read Scarlett when it first came out and absolutely LOVED it!!!
ReplyDeletePaula, I forgot to mention earlier that I won a gift card from you last year, so please leave my name out of the drawing this time. Thanks.
Good to know Kathy. I may have to get it and Gone with the Wind out. However I am a judge for the IRCA (Insprational Reader's Choice Award) and will be getting those books soon plus it's tax season and I work for a CPA. *Sigh* I will have to wait until things calm down before I start them.
DeleteI like both but I really do enjoy a reunion story that shows how the two have grown and matured and can use their life experiences to make a success of their renewed relationship. Your March Intrigue sounds like a good read. Looking forward to it.
ReplyDeleteI love reunion romances, the whole second chance at happily ever after make the story more emotionally intense and I love to see how much harder both characters work to get it right.
ReplyDeleteI can love a reunion romance as much as any other. Sometimes having a past provides more depth to characters and I appreciate characters that seem realistic. I like mature characters, not always the perfect twenty-something pair. Reunions usually mean more thought involved for the couple, maybe more hurdles. But reunion or not, its all about how the couple interacts now and of course the HEA!
ReplyDeleteI do like reunion stories. I like to see a couple get a chance to make things right. Especially if there are kids involved. I enjoy the journey to a new beginning.
ReplyDeleteI love reunion stories too! Just that shot at a second chance - DO OVER is a great story but then a "fresh boy meets girl" story is great too! That's why love stories are great! It takes all kinds :)
ReplyDeleteI enjoy reumion stories when they were together at a younger age and now are older and better able to understand the real world. This sounds really good and it might move up in my reading pile.
ReplyDeleteI like reunion stories. I am reading your new book right now and it is really good. However, I think I am going to have to go back to Luke and Abby's story to refresh my memory. That was one of my favorite reunion stories ever.
ReplyDeleteHi Paula
ReplyDeleteI like reunion stories but I also like new "boy meets girl" stories. I also don't really mind friends to lovers stories and it is interesting to have the reunion element to them also. A good example of the reunion and friends to lovers book is Sarah Mayberry's Her Best Friend.