What is romance? I’ve been married for thirty years, and my husband is more romantic than I am. I tend to be more practical. Which is funny since he is the rough and tough biker dude and I’m supposed to be a romance writer. Growing up I was always a hopeless romantic, in love with the idea of being in love. As an adult with children, I learned that romance is the little kindnesses we do for each other to make our lives better.
My husband brought me a silk rose with a Tasmanian Devil clutched to its stem, just because he saw it when he was getting gas and thought it would make me smile. Even the memory of it, having lost it in the house fire, still makes me smile. The sweetness of the gesture is just one of many over the years my Sexy Mechanic has shown me. He used to pick wildflowers and bring to me until my allergies got so bad, he had to stop. He’d find something in a store, on the road or at a friends’ house and he’d get it for me just because he thought I’d like it. It might cost a dollar or hundreds of dollars, but the premise was the same, he thought about me for no reason. In the above collage are two very special gifts: one, a purse made from a license plate he purchased when he drove three hours to take our first granddaughter to her Princess Ball, the second, a license plate to commemorate the publishing of my first book. One was an impulse buy but the other had to be planned ahead, each is special because they show what a caring person my husband is.
In writing romance, I often forget to add these little gestures. I read The Dating Dare by Jayci Lee where the couple planned to go on four dates with the promise, they would not fall in love with each other. Seth Kim gets it right when he gives Tara Parks a unique, big gesture, proving he listened to her, and he gave her something that was meaningful to her. How many couples get it wrong because they do what is expected or what society says they should instead of giving the person something that is unique to their personality. I remember the old television show, The Facts of Life when Jo’s boyfriend brings her a bouquet of flowers with wrenches added into the mix. He understood what his girlfriend enjoyed and while the gift was somewhat traditional, it had a little spin to make it special.
In Willow’s Retreat one of the biggest problems John and Willow face is he gives her what he thinks she wants but doesn’t take time to find out if it really is what she wants. He is too afraid to hope she really wants him.
What grand gestures or special gifts have you received from you special someone? Why was it so special? If you have a photo, share it. Anyone sharing a special gesture or gift will be put in a drawing for a signed copy of my latest book, Willow’s Retreat. So, share the romance. Who knows, I might even use your ideas in one of my stories.
Don’t forget Willow’s Retreat launches August 24th, please help me celebrate my book birthday!
One lucky winner will be drawn August 31st, I’ll contact you for mailing information. Don’t forget to post!
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