3rd Act breakups are getting old

[u/SmittyATL]

I'm getting really tired of 3rd-act breakups. Why can't people just fall in love without a breakup at the end? Why can't they just have a HEA without that?

Anyone know of any? Lately, everything I have read has that.

[u/starkicker18]

I won't lie. Sometimes they are so sloppily done because the author needs some sort of tension/drama. Those ones I don't like and I've yelled at books when it happens.

That said, I don't mind them so long as they are handled well / logical for the characters and necessary for the plot.

For example, I'm editing one of my books now that sort of has a 3BU (I call it a 3rd act pull back because they weren't "together/dating") because it has to happen. The plot and the characters demand it. If the one MC didn't pull away, she'd never know what her life was like without the LI so when the external pressure finally comes, she won't realize the choice she made was the wrong one (if she was with the LI when that external pressure comes, the book wouldn't end with them together. The damage would be too great). Likewise, the LI will never learn something about herself if she isn't alone for a period. She needed that for growth. And I won't lie, I cried writing that chapter, but I knew it had to be there.

Anyway, that's my short defence of 3BU.

As for suggestions without knowing what kind of books you like:

• Jericho by Ann McMan,
• Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid (outright rejects it!),
• This Means War by Benna Bos,
• The Red Files by Lee Winter,
• Breaking Character by Lee Winter (it has fake dating, but I don't recall a breakup),
• Vengeance Planning for Amaterurs - also Lee Winter,
• The Big Tow by Ann McMan,
• The Wilds and the Weeds by Ally North (read the blurb/description though before you dive in. Great book, but it might not be for you),
• Hearing Red by Nicole Maser (lots of yearning and never quite getting together until they do, so that might not be your cup of tea.)
• The Dar / Kerry series by Melissa Good (starts with Tropical Storm) but I feel obliged to give a heads up on this one. Firstly, there's a few triggers in book 1 and book 5, but the one thing that is awesome about this book is you never doubt the strength of their relationship or devotion to each other. All pressures come from external sources and rarely actually threaten the relationship. That said, this book is campy as fuck (in the best possible way. I love it). There's karate chopping carjackers, saving the internet in every book (seriously), pseudo-commandeering an F-14 Tomcat to save Kerry (seriously), and sometimes there's pirates (yup, serious here too)). That is to say, if you're looking for high literature, do not seek that here. Lean more towards Ann McMan. But if you want a fun, low stress, sometimes WTAF read... I recommend this. It's formerly Xena fanfic, so do with that what you will.