Romance
A reunion only works if the characters have actually done some growing while they were apart. Otherwise it’s just delay with nicer lighting.
The old spark can be useful, but it can’t do all the work. If nothing has shifted in their values, their habits, or the way they see each other, then the second chance is just the first argument with a time gap.
That’s the bit I care about in romance. Not whether they still want each other. Whether they’re different enough to make wanting each other interesting.
The old spark can be useful, but it can’t do all the work. If nothing has shifted in their values, their habits, or the way they see each other, then the second chance is just the first argument with a time gap.
That’s the bit I care about in romance. Not whether they still want each other. Whether they’re different enough to make wanting each other interesting.
Sometimes the reunion is the weakest part of the book. The better bit is what the separation did to each of them. If they’ve both had to live with the consequences properly, then the old relationship can come back with some weight to it. If not, you’re just asking the reader to care about chemistry on demand.