We Found Love In A Hopeless Place

The tried-and-true love story we read in most romance novels is a well-structured formula that comforts us. We know the broad strokes of what to expect. It’s the little things that change from story to story that give the author’s flavor to it, that turn it into our favorite tropes and make them page-turning.

But I personally like my love stories to take place a little outside the box. Love that comes unexpectedly and blindsides you. I like love stories that take place in bleak settings and with people that others might find unlovable. I like them in epic settings and in faraway places.

In my last blog post, I talked about some of my favorite romantic couples in fiction. I mentioned Nynaeve and Lan from Wheel of Time, Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxia from The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, and Faramir and Eowyn from Lord of the Rings.

Let’s take a look at that last one, shall we?

To start, Lord of the Rings isn’t a romance. In fact, I could say that the greatest love affair we see in the books comes is Aragorn and Arwen, a character we never meet. It’s epic fantasy. It doesn’t need romance to push the story alone. But we, as humans, do need it. And that’s why when the world is dark, and two of Middle Earth’s greatest heroes are injured and left behind, they find each other.

This isn’t a love story. Eowyn and Faramir are fresh from battle and grief, and they are surrounded by death. But as they heal, they find each other and love.

And I love those sorts of love stories that come from grit and turmoil. When love is sprung from worlds that aren’t perfect and happy. When the best you get is that you get to live through it together.

Maybe that’s why I love my post-apocalyptic romance so much. When I’m writing Maybe, it isn’t about saving the world. It’s just about two men who want to be together and to protect their daughter and the community they’ve built.

I did write a series of short love stories. Holidays was my attempt at writing pure romance. Though most were meet-cutes (I love a good meet-cute!), they were almost entirely science fiction and fantasy stories. It was a fun attempt at writing a romance story, though, and I enjoyed it! Check out the Holidays and let me know what you think!

Do you have a favorite lost story set in desperate times? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!

Happy exploring my friends!

Chris Bannor

Fictional World Explorer