Romance novels have any truth behind them?

just curious. You know how many romance novels are out these days. I am myself a fan of reading them. I know life isn't really like that, all happy ending and true love and stuff. but just curious to know if anyone knows or believes if any of that ever happened for real in the past. I mean, Im sure people fell in love in the past too, even if it wasn't quite as common, due to arranged marriages and such. but what are your opinions, do you think some of these story lines could have possibly happened or is that just wishful thinking and fantasy?Romance novels have any truth behind them?
People undoubtedly fell in love in the past. Love matches were not uncommon, even in the days of arranged marriages. Love alone was not considered a sound basis for marriage, but certainly many people who married were in love.



But most romance novels set in the past tend to have very unlikely plots, and I shouldn't think the kind of thing that happens in historical romance novels ever happened much in real life.
Well, I do know that true love exists. And I'm sure that some of those stories have happened, in one way or another.Romance novels have any truth behind them?
Wishful thinking.



People do fall in love and find true happiness, but I don't believe it ever happened the way it does in a romance novel.
I'm sure _some_ of them could have happened.



In general, though? People don't generally fall in love with someone who they start off hating, and that's a very common plotline. If you're basically incompatible, that doesn't change.



Also "true love" has nothing to do with going weak at the knees over someone's gorgeous eyes or manly chest. True love is when someone is your other half. Your best friend. It's normally far LESS showy and overt than the lust or teen crush which is generally called "true love" in a romance novel.Romance novels have any truth behind them?
I think it happens. but not to the same extent of novels. Or with more distractions than novels have. I mean, most novels finish off after the couple finally get together. But what about the aftermath when there is still real life to contend with and not just the happyness of the relationship to focus on.
I think it would depend on the author. Most of the stories are, as you say, wishful thinking and fantasy. While I may enjoy those occasionally, I think of them as trash wallows. But true love, as well as love at first sight, actually happens and often enough in real life, that, if well written, could be based on actual experience.



Compare Nora Roberts or Nicholas Sparks with someone like Kathryn Walker or Susan Howatch.