Wattpad brings you a guest post from Talli Roland, author of “Miracle at the Museum of Broken Hearts”:
Let’s face it, happy endings in real life are never guaranteed. Sadly, reality isn’t wrapped up in a neat little package with a shiny, jaunty bow. The randomness of our world is the reason I love romantic comedies: you know that whatever tragedies befall the main character, everything will turn out fine in the end. It’s like reading (and writing!) with a safety net.
Although many deride romance for its predictability, I believe readers don’t devour this genre because they want an accurate reflection of day-to-day life. Who wants to listen to a couple arguing about taking out the garbage, or see a wife kicking her husband to stop his nightly snores? Readers want to escape; to be transported to another place where emotions are heightened and drama is high, yet a positive outcome is assured.
In my novel Miracle at the Museum of Broken Hearts, heroine Rose has an unfailing belief in happy endings – often to her detriment. She strives to heal every situation she comes across, even if solving the problem isn’t the best for all parties involved. When she takes a job at London’s newest attraction, a museum chock full of artifacts donated by the broken hearted, Rose is faced with the realization that real life hurts. Still, she can’t help meddling in her boss’ affairs, trying to bridge the rift between him and his mother … and upsetting both in the process. When her deadbeat boyfriend shows up at the door after sticking her with months of unpaid rent and bills, Rose must decide if she actually wants this ending – and if it is happy, after all.
It’s probably clear by now that Miracle, like all my novels, ends on a positive note. I couldn’t bring myself to write it otherwise! But for me, the key to a real happy ending is giving the heroine the outcome she – and the rest of characters – now deserves, after learning and growing throughout the novel.
Will it be what they expected at the start? Maybe, maybe not. You’ll have to read and find out!
Talli Roland writes fun, romantic fiction. Born and raised in Canada, Talli now lives in London, where she savours the great cultural life (coffee and wine). Despite training as a journalist, Talli soon found she preferred making up her own stories—complete with happy endings. Talli’s debut novel The Hating Game was short-listed for Best Romantic Read at the UK’s Festival of Romance, while her second, Watching Willow Watts, was selected as an Amazon Customer Favourite. Her novels have also been chosen as top books of the year by industry review websites and have been bestsellers in Britain and the United States. Construct A Couple is her latest release. To learn more about Talli, go to www.talliroland.com or follow Talli on Twitter: @talliroland. Talli blogs at talliroland.blogspot.com.