Elements of a paranormal romance that I like

I love reading paranormal romances. I wasn’t much of a reader until I discovered the genre and I remember back in school struggling to finish the novels that were forced upon me. To this day I still can’t read many of the classics that were supposed to enrich my life.

Studying in English class way back in the day, I remember learning that the five elements of narrative structure are: Inciting, Escalating Conflict, Crisis, Climax and Resolution. But for me, at least in a romance novel, you need a few more curves in the story’s roller coaster.

I’ve noticed that in many of the PNR romances I’ve read that the following rules apply:

• Once the main character meets the love interest, no one else catches their eye.
• It’s obvious who the love interest is. There are usually not two men/women in the story and the reader is confused as to which one the love interest is. In a recent novel I read the main character went on a date with a man after she had fallen for her ‘true love’ in the story. The pages involving the date were difficult to get through and I wondered if she truly loved the intended love interest or not.
• The love interests in the story usually have some sort of conflict. This could be personal baggage, the love interest is kidnapped, etc.
• There are always 1-2 make out scenes before the love affair. Yes, I do like this. I don’t want the hot parts in the first 1/3 of the book. I like getting to know the characters and feeling that they are a perfect match before any steamy scenes. I like the sexual tension as well. They get close together, then conflict pulls them apart. Good stuff.

Not all paranormal stories follow this, but many do.

In the vampire romance novels that I enjoy, these following 5 elements are always there:

• The vampires do not want for money. In today’s hard economic times it’s nice to know others are struggling too, but I read to escape. I don’t want to read that a vampire is struggling to make car payments or living on the street.
• The vampires live together in a group (e.g. they work together, travel together, are a family, etc). What can I say? I like close knit groups.
• Blood is never an issue. They either receive bagged blood, feed off of each other, or have willing volunteers. The vampires do not have to hunt and risk starvation. I don’t like to see a hungry and desperate vampire.
• The vampires have a common enemy. This could be other vampires, werewolves, or even vampire hunters. For me, there has to be a reason the vampires are all hanging out together.
• There is a coven master or other ruling body for the vampires. I like organization.

I’ve read many stories where the 5 elements are not all present, but in most there are at least 3-4 of them. I have discovered that when fewer than 3 of these elements are there that I really don’t enjoy the book as much.

I do my best to adhere to the list above when I write my stories.