A Blogversation: YA Romance by Lynn Lovegreen

Unlike genres, young adult (YA) is a category or age range. The main characters are teens, roughly 12-18 years old. You can find YA contemporary, fantasy, paranormal, mystery, and many other genres. I write YA historical fiction set in Alaska, and there’s always at least a thread of romance in there. YA romance is a perennial favorite. Why not—who can resist the first kiss, the high school date, all the heady experiences of teenage romance?

 

Some young adult novels focus on the love story and can be called true or straight YA romance. For example, Chris Cannon’s Boyfriend Chronicles series starts with Blackmail Boyfriend (http://www.chriscannonauthor.com/book-store/):

Sometimes, blackmail is the only weapon a girl has…

Haley Patterson has had a crush on golden boy Bryce Colton for ages. But when she hears a rumor that he hooked up with her she gives him a choice: be her boyfriend for a month to show other guys that she’s dateable—despite her overprotective and very intimidating brothers—or deal with the angry, cage-fighting boyfriend of the girl he actually did hook up with.

Bryce didn’t know the other Haley even had a boyfriend. He was just trying to get his ex off his back. And now, not only is he being blackmailed, he's being blackmailed by an honor student. His new “girlfriend” has two three-legged dogs, her father mows grass at the country club, and she's…well, difficult. And different.

Can something so fake turn into something real?

 

 

 

Pintip Dunn’s upcoming Dating Makes Perfect (http://www.pintipdunn.com/dating-makes-perfect) is another good example:

The Tech sisters don’t date in high school. Not because they’re not asked. Not because they’re not interested. Not even because no one can pronounce their long, Thai last name—hence the shortened, awkward moniker. But simply because they’re not allowed.

Until now.

In a move that other Asian American girls know all too well, six months after the older Tech twins got to college, their parents asked, “Why aren’t you engaged yet?” The sisters retaliated by vowing that they won’t marry for ten (maybe even twenty!) years, not until they’ve had lots of the dating practice that they didn’t get in high school.

In a shocking war on the status quo, her parents now insist that their youngest daughter, Orrawin (aka “Winnie”), must practice fake dating in high school. Under their watchful eyes, of course—and organized based on their favorite rom-coms. ’Cause that won’t end in disaster.

The first candidate? The son of their longtime friends, Mat Songsomboon—arrogant, infuriating, and way too good-looking. Winnie’s known him since they were toddlers throwing sticky rice balls at each other. And her parents love him.

If only he weren’t her sworn enemy.

 

Others integrate romance into the plot, like Sherry Thomas’ The Magnolia Sword: A Ballad of Mulan(https://www.sherrythomas.com/the-magnolia-sword-a-ballad-of-mulan.php):

CHINA, 484 A.D.

A Warrior in Disguise
All her life, Mulan has trained for one purpose: to win the duel that every generation in her family must fight. If she prevails, she can reunite a pair of priceless heirloom swords separated decades earlier, and avenge her father, who was paralyzed in his own duel.

Then a messenger from the Emperor arrives, demanding that all families send one soldier to fight the Rouran invaders in the north. Mulan's father cannot go. Her brother is just a child. So she ties up her hair, takes up her sword, and joins the army as a man.

A War for a Dynasty
Thanks to her martial arts skills, Mulan is chosen for an elite team under the command of the princeling--the royal duke's son, who is also the handsomest man she's ever seen. But the princeling has secrets of his own, which explode into Mulan's life and shake up everything she knows. As they cross the Great Wall to face the enemy beyond, Mulan and the princeling must find a way to unwind their past, unmask a traitor, and uncover the plans for the Rouran invasion . . . before it's too late.

Inspired by wuxia martial-arts dramas as well as the centuries-old ballad of Mulan, The Magnolia Sword is perfect for fans of Renee Ahdieh, Marie Lu, or Kristin Cashore--a thrilling, romantic, and sharp-edged novel that lives up to its beloved heroine. 

 

 

Let’s talk! What do you prefer, straight up YA romance, or a young romance woven into the story? Or maybe you have a title or author to recommend?

Romance is simple as meatloaf

Hubby and I have been married for what seems like forever and we both tend to laugh when folks stress themselves out about Valentine’s Day and romance. What these people don’t realize is that something as simple as a dried out, heart-shaped meatloaf can make a memory that lasts a lifetime.

Hubby and I met during the summer of ’79. He asked me to marry him on our second date and three months later, I had a wedding ring on my eighteen-year-old finger and was setting up house in a tiny apartment close to the Air Force base where Hubby was stationed.

As the saying goes here in the south, we were poor as church mice. Military pay wasn’t much but looking back, it didn’t matter. We had everything we needed and were too young and dumb to realize otherwise.

At our one month of marriage mark, I decided a romantic evening was in order. Since the date fell right before a payday, pickings were pretty slim for the special dinner but luckily, we had one package of hamburger meat left in the freezer. “Perfect,” I thought. “I’ll make a heart-shaped meatloaf.”

I wasn’t much of a cook back then. While growing up, the only time I’d been allowed in the kitchen was when it was time to wash the dishes or set the table. Anything else and I was just in the way or getting on my mother’s nerves. So…my cooking skills were a work in progress. Armed with a ginormous copy of THE JOY OF COOKING, I figured meal-preparation would be a learn as you go kind of deal.

However, as I soon discovered, I kind of overlooked the fine print in the book that said cooking times could vary because oven temps were all the same. That heart-shaped meatloaf came out black as coal and harder than a brick bat. I nearly panicked. There wasn’t another scrap of food in the house and I’d already told hubby I was planning a special night for us and a surprise for supper. So far, the only surprise about supper was that the smoke alarm hadn’t gone off.

I just knew Hubby was going to think, “What in the hell have I gotten myself into with this one.” Or even worse: he’d laugh at me and tell his friends about what an idiot he’d married.

As it turned out, he didn’t laugh or crack a single joke when I brought that heart-shaped charcoal briquette to the dinner table. He informed me that it was awesome then proceeded to flip it over so we could attack the charred beast from the underbelly and dig out whatever edible meat that might be in the center.

We both ended up laughing over that rock-hard heart of hamburger meat. And that night, so long ago, is still one we talk about and enjoy remembering. So, don’t sweat about being romantic. Romance doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive. All you really need is love—and maybe a chisel for the meatloaf.

What do you think? What do you need for romance?

Maeve’s Bio:

No one has the power to shatter your dreams unless you give it to them. That’s Maeve Greyson’s mantra. She and her hubby of nearly thirty-eight years were stationed all over the place with the U.S. Air Force before returning to their five-acre wood in rural Kentucky where she writes about her beloved Highlanders and the sassy women who tame them.

Find out more about Maeve at these places on the web and check out her latest series, Highland Hearts:

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