By Kayla King, Editorial Assistant for Harlequin Intrigue
This trope almost always chokes me up and makes me super sentimental. What is it about second chances that make for such a sweet Happily Ever After? I’ll try to break it down.
1. The mysterious shared history, and all the tension that comes with it. What happened between these two? It’s a thrill to uncover the intimate past between two characters, seeing the way things once were, and figuring out what went so wrong.
2. Deep emotional connection. Romance like this isn’t just about the storied history that these characters have together, but about the reasons they can’t disentangle from each others’ lives. It can be a very profound relationship.
3. “The one that got away.” Not everyone has one, but many people do, and boy is it an angsty experience. The person who always makes you wonder “what if?” Second chance romances let us explore that without turning our real world lives upside down and sending ill-advised 3am texts.
4. Unique obstacles. It’s not as simple as the hero and heroine realizing their feelings and getting back together or taking their friendship to the next level. Whatever reasons kept them apart in the first place could still be there. Have the characters really learned from the past? Or has a new problem presented itself? Is one of them now involved with someone else, thinking the sun had set on their old flame?
5. Personal growth. Yes, we’ve been waiting all this time for these two crazy kids to finally get together, and that romantic payoff is so sweet. But the true prize of the second chance? IMHO, it’s the personal growth each character has undertaken as an individual, not just to become worthy of another’s love, but to see themselves as worthy of that love, too.
What are some of your favorite second chance romances? Let us know in the comments!
One reply on “Top Five Reasons We Love Second Chance Romance”
My favorite second chance movie is The Bounty Hunter with Jennifer Anniston and Gerard Butler. I love the conflict between them, that they couldn’t handle the heat when they were together and when in close proximity because of his taking her in for bounty, the sparks flare into flames and they are so hot for each other. But still determined to resist. They each have a lot to overcome and admit their love but it is a fun romp.
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I spent the entire shutdown working. Had no time to wind down. I didn’t see my son much when school shutdown. My one co worker was told to stay home for 3 weeks so I picked up her hours. This year has been really crappy.
Ugh, Janell. Here’s hoping the rest of your summer is better.
Thanks for the info, Carol! Everyone is different in how they deal with the shutdown! I stay at home all the time since I don’t work so I haven’t been too effected but my shopping and errands sure have been effected!
Valri, I’ve been doing most of my shopping online. My local Target is still low on some items – mostly cleaning supplies. Grocery store is pretty much back to normal. Most of the dining in our town is outdoor. I can’t imagine have school-age kids!
Wow–getting your creative process on track must have been daunting–especially with “extra-large dog” glad to have you home. You don’t like coffee–I love coffee and have enjoyed my fortifying 2 cups in the morning even more than usual! How as COVID affected your story lines and characterizations? Best Wishes for all releases!
Interesting question, Virginia. You’ll have to tell me if the tone of my “COVID” books changed any! LOL
Life has changed so much! My dad passed Feb 2. The assisted living facility my folks were at went into hardcore lockdown the beginning of March. Mom couldn’t leave her apartment for 4 months! She was on the third floor, Will be 89 in two months & doesn’t use the phone. My husband and I remodeled the lower level completely and moved her in with us July 1. What a life change and difficult transition for the 3 of us! But we’re working thru it!