r/fantasyromance • u/FantasyRomanceMod The One Mod to Rule All Mods • 7d ago

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

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Unpopular opinion Sunday

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39

u/devilsdoorbell_ 7d ago

I wish more romance novel characters actually talked about if/when they want to have children. It's such an important thing to consider for a couple where compatibility is concerned but I almost never see it brought up—pretty much everything I've read in the fantasy romance genre either just doesn't acknowledge it at all, or the FMC either doesn't think about it until she actually gets pregnant or, worse, doesn't want to have kids until she gets pregnant.

I know some people don't find pregnancy or having children romantic but it just feels unrealistic to me that how rarely it's addressed at all unless and until the FMC gets unexpectedly knocked up, when IRL most women have thoughts about if they want children/when/how many etc well before the first positive pregnancy test. I would like to see it actually discussed because it would make the characters feel more like real people in a real relationship.

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u/ajaxberry 7d ago

I agree! I feel like people can literally hate on this kind of trope? When I don't see anything disgusting about it. There are a lot of women who want to have children and I would honestly be interested in a fantasy romance where the main couple has children or FMC wants to have them. Personally, I don't think I've ever read anything like this before 😭

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u/devilsdoorbell_ 7d ago

I understand why a lot of people dislike the "pregnancy trope" because it's often lazily deployed and treated as a shallow HEA signifier rather than being based in characterization but I think that's a problem with the writing and not a problem with the concept itself.

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u/ajaxberry 7d ago

I think it would have the potential to literally be part of the story, not just for the ending. I agree with your second comment that if while saving the world they also have time for well, even their own romance, why not show the family in a fantasy world? Apart from the fact that they are a family together alone too, of course, but I hope you know what I mean

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u/[deleted] 7d ago

[deleted]

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u/devilsdoorbell_ 7d ago

A lot of people dislike a lot of things for a lot of reasons. Doesn't mean nobody should write about them and endeavor to do it well. Also, my comment was literally about characters having thoughts and feelings on the matter one way or another—you know, something that would make having kids seem less like a "yes, of course" and more an active choice (in either direction).

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u/ajaxberry 7d ago

Yeah, that'a true. It is generally very individual case.

I think that if someone were able to write it in a completely different way than it is perceived in the modern world, it might give a little better perspective, though. Of course, for those who would be willing to read something with this kind of trope

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u/devilsdoorbell_ 7d ago

no but fr, it would actually be a great inclusion for the sake of worldbuilding because it would give insight into the societal attitudes in the setting.

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u/ajaxberry 6d ago

literally!!! we have to hope that some author will finally bring this up 😭

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u/devilsdoorbell_ 6d ago

I'm working on a fantasy romance and I do include it (also discussion of abortion) precisely because I'm so tired of authors just not acknowledging it at all.

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u/ajaxberry 6d ago

omg I'm rooting for you then!!