Can a slow-burn romance really work without any toxic stuff?

[Forcalor]

Of course it can, but I guess the author needs to be secure enough they can pull it off, and the reader must be patient, which might be a feat of its' own.

 

[HisDivineShadow]

Of course it can, but I guess the author needs to be secure enough they can pull it off, and the reader must be patient, which might be a feat of its' own.

I'm trying to add some momentum to the circumstances. Sometimes it even gets ahead of things.

 

[Lysander_Works]

which one? I'd take a look.

In particular, Overlap is the one I have referenced. It is linked in my signature.

 

[Daitengu]

Hey guys!
I'm a new one here. I just wanna ask you something.
Lately, there’s been this wave of stories turning abusive relationships into some kind of twisted fairytale where the asshole suddenly becomes Prince Charming just because someone "loved him hard enough." And the heroine, she’s always so wise, so forgiving. Honestly, it creeps me out.
It's not just messed up it’s dangerous.
So I’m writing my own book, and it’s my way of flipping the bird to that whole trend.


So tell me, does that sound boring to you, or like something worth reading?

Well, Spy x Family and various other anime don't have abusive main relationships. Neither did American Pie or Office Space.

I'm pretty sure you went down the Shoujo romance hole by accident. Women be so wild in book smut that they got their own monster f'er section in Barnes & Noble. Hell, 50 shades of grey is a damn Twilight bondage fanfic.

 

[HisDivineShadow]

Well, Spy x Family and various other anime don't have abusive main relationships. Neither did American Pie or Office Space.

I'm pretty sure you went down the Shoujo romance hole by accident. Women be so wild in book smut that they got their own monster f'er section in Barnes & Noble. Hell, 50 shades of grey is a damn Twilight bondage fanfic.

Just take a look at the titles on Wattpad. you’ll be amazed

 

[naosu]

Well a real romance wouldn't ignite instantly in most cases. It takes time for it to 'grow' and be rooted properly. So your ideas have merit.

 

[HisDivineShadow]

Well a real romance wouldn't ignite instantly in most cases. It takes time for it to 'grow' and be rooted properly. So your ideas have merit.

Thanks for the feedback! Honestly, the story has already evolved into something bigger than I expected. I've got two arcs finished and just started working on the third. It's my first real attempt at this, and I'm kind of surprised how much my perspective keeps shifting as I write. New meanings keep popping up out of nowhere.

I'm also playing around with another idea on the side. It’s a smaller, more straightforward story. I just wanted to try something different. Weirdly enough, it's been tougher to pull off. I guess having fewer tools forces you to be more precise.

 

[Valmond]

Well, Spy x Family and various other anime don't have abusive main relationships. Neither did American Pie or Office Space.

I'm pretty sure you went down the Shoujo romance hole by accident. Women be so wild in book smut that they got their own monster f'er section in Barnes & Noble. Hell, 50 shades of grey is a damn Twilight bondage fanfic.

Folks, I think the better question is to ask this person to post their reading list.

 

[Kara_dija]

Hey guys!
I'm a new one here. I just wanna ask you something.
Lately, there’s been this wave of stories turning abusive relationships into some kind of twisted fairytale where the asshole suddenly becomes Prince Charming just because someone "loved him hard enough." And the heroine, she’s always so wise, so forgiving. Honestly, it creeps me out.
It's not just messed up it’s dangerous.
So I’m writing my own book, and it’s my way of flipping the bird to that whole trend.

My story’s gonna be raw. It’s gonna be full of emotion, heat, messy feelings, and real choices. There’ll be werewolves, dragons, strange creatures, and a Hidden World, but you won’t find a single toxic relationship in sight.

Because I believe you don’t need pain and gaslighting to make a story intense. You don’t need broken people breaking each other to build tension. You can have desire, depth, and transformation and still have characters who actually respect each other. Even the classic archetypes - the warrior, the shadow, the healer, they can still feel human.

So tell me, does that sound boring to you, or like something worth reading?

Yes please. I'm focusing on smth similar. It's always cold MC who's soft only for her but in reality he's borderline obsessive and wraps all his wrongdoings with " but I love you."
My MC is cold but in a reserved way. He's soft for his friends and a girl he thinks of as his little sister. And the story got much more than just focusing on "two broken people fixing each other into being perfect"
I'd love to read your story if it's what you described ??

 

[Anonjohn20]

@Tyranomaster You were right; your PSA was right!

 

[HisDivineShadow]

Yes please. I'm focusing on smth similar. It's always cold MC who's soft only for her but in reality he's borderline obsessive and wraps all his wrongdoings with " but I love you."
My MC is cold but in a reserved way. He's soft for his friends and a girl he thinks of as his little sister. And the story got much more than just focusing on "two broken people fixing each other into being perfect"
I'd love to read your story if it's what you described ??

There’s a story in my signature: The Shifted. I kinda veer into pretentious territory with the tone, I know. I’ll clean it up later.

 

[Valmond]

I guess I didn’t answer the question. Slow burn can work, I actually would much prefer that over holding myself back from verbally breaking someone’s kneecap from toxicity.

That aside, while on the shorter end.

Book 6.

The character was more cold, because they lived a hellish life. All they really know how to do is survive, and all they cared about was finding their brother so the two can be a family again.

Needless to say, because of the love interest. The character slowly began to open up and live a more normal life.

The character’s greatest strength and weakness is their devotion.

Book 7

This one is dual layered. The character in this one, they were more distant. Though, because of the love interest, they would eventually expand their net.

The love interest is the one with the connection, and the main is the one that is able to make use of that connection because of the love interest’s actions.

Needless to say, this character is self-sacrificial. They would damn their own soul, give up their humanity, anything it takes to save the other.

And likewise, the other would do anything for the main’s safety as well.

The character’s weak point in this one once again, was their devotion. Their devotion is the reason why the two were separated.

However, their strongest point is also their devotion.

 

[Rezcore]

The Horimiya Manga count?

 

[Kara_dija]

There’s a story in my signature: The Shifted. I kinda veer into pretentious territory with the tone, I know. I’ll clean it up later.

What matters is that you started. It can be edited any time. Will give it a read as soon as I'm out of my stupid reading slump?

 

[Kamael89]

I, for one, like romance but not toxic stuff.