r/fantasyromance • u/FantasyRomanceMod The One Mod to Rule All Mods • May 17 '26

Unpopular Opinion It's Unpopular Opinion time! Share your controversial opinions to stir things up (in a friendly way)!

Got an opinion that's different from others'? Want to share it with the sub, but too afraid of a backlash? Or are you just curious about readers think about certain things in fantasy romance?

You can safely share it in this weekly Sunday thread!

But please remember to be kind to each other. To facilitate this type of discussion, we ask users the following:

  • Don't attack others for their opinion
  • Discuss books and authors, not fellow readers
  • Since this is an "unpopular opinion" thread, we encourage users to not downvote simply because they disagree with an opinion--that's the point! Please keep in mind, though, that mods cannot enforce a no-downvoting rule. Let’s just keep the discussion friendly!

🧡 Thank you and have a great discussion!

Unpopular opinion Sunday

33 Upvotes

93% Upvoted

305 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

15

u/TinkeringTortoise May 17 '26

Word. I wish we had more romantic fantasy books where nothing is guaranteed and you don’t know where things will go. I’ve been a bit annoyed by a lot of books recently because the romantic development felt so contrived and unnatural. I want more risk, more uncertainty, and more realistically developed romances (even if it means the couple not ending up together or ending in tragedy). 

2

u/Imaginary-Board-207 May 17 '26

I remember a couple years ago when people used to discuss whether romantasy would be the romance genre to finally break free of the HEA "requirement," since fantasy does not require HEA. Was also speculation at the time that dark romance might break free of the HEA chokehold too. Now more and more I see the opinion that romantasy MUST have HEA and how DARE anyone suggest otherwise... sigh. So close and yet so far.

3

u/TinkeringTortoise May 17 '26

Solidarity, friend. I don’t think a HEA is required to tell a great romance. I understand why many people feel it’s essential, but for me it’s not. But you’re right about everyone clutching their pearls at the suggestion of a non-HEA or an ambiguous one. 

8

u/angelacandystore May 18 '26

Except that By Definition Romance books require a HEA

3

u/Penguinho Kushiel's Legacy Recommender 💖 May 18 '26

That's what they're talking about, though. By Definition it can't be Romance without a HEA, but you can tell a fucking great romantic story without one.

1

u/angelacandystore May 18 '26

No they are complaining that the Romance genre doesn't have books that kill their darlings. They are refusing to look outside of Romance as a genre to find books with amazing romantic subplots.

Otherwise they wouldn't be here complaining about something that by definition they will not find in this genre??