Romance novels often get a bad rap in some writing circles. The criticism is fair in some ways, and unfair in many others. While Harlequin’s latest category romance is unlikely to win a Man Booker Prize, these books have so much to teach us about craft. Let’s take a look at an example!
Enjoy this essay in video form!
I don’t know about you, but I often find that starting a story is the hardest part. Those first few lines carry with them a lot of responsibilities. You need to grab the reader’s attention. You need to drop exposition, informing the reader about the characters and their world. You need to set an appropriate tone. And in the case of today’s book, you need to convince the reader to purchase the book in the first place.
I saw Christy Jeffries‘ It Started with a Pregnancy on the racks at the local big-box store (here it is on Amazon) and the title did its job: I was amused and wanted to know more. The book description on the back cover did its job: it seemed like a standard romance that fulfilled the promises it made. But I wasn’t yet convinced. I was curious about how the author handled the central conceit of the novel. How did she start a book about “it” starting with a pregnancy?
Let’s take a look at the open.
What do I like? I LOVE that the novel begins in medias res. (In the middle of things.) The protagonist just took a home pregnancy test and is seeing the results for the first time. The test is positive. Her life as she knows it, has changed forever. This is a great place to begin a story. I suppose the true inciting incident of the story is the time and Rebekah and Grant had sex, but this moment works perfectly well.
I also enjoyed the idea that a character who is so vigilant about disposing of expired foodstuffs forgets to do so with prophylactics. The tone of the book seemed fun. The author was clearly taking the romance seriously…but not too seriously.
I also loved the way that Christy Jeffries layered in the exposition. (The background we need to understand the setting and events, etc.) Seeing as how Rebekah is pregnant, we want to know about the guy who helped make that happen. So the author tells us a little about Grant and their magical night.
We learn a lot. Grant has family money. Rebekah works for his elderly aunt. Grant is adventurous, physical, and outdoorsy. He’s a bit of a prankster. The reader can see why Rebekah fell for the guy…at least for one night.
At this point in my mid-aisle evaluation of the book, I was having fun, and I was curious about what the author would do with the rest of the first chapter, seeing as how the opening grabbed my attention. I liked the way that she kept building our understanding of Rebekah. Look how gracefully she slips in more exposition about the protagonist:
Rebekah is a very competent and deliberate woman, in spite of the accident that happened approximately eight weeks ago. She has an MBA and a mortgage. She makes lists. She had a bad experience with a similar situation. Not only does the exposition help us understand the story, but the author is putting a number of balls in the air. There will clearly be a scene in which the idea comes up that Rebekah is trying to “trap” him with the pregnancy. Perhaps some stuff in which Rebekah tries to reconcile her strict schedule with a pregnancy: something that doesn’t exactly lend itself to strict timetables.
I skimmed the rest of the chapter, but wanted to know how the first chapter ended. The author didn’t let me down. Rebekah, again, very practical, purchases some prenatal vitamins at the drug store before heading to work at the animal charity. Grant, of course, is back in town and decides to check in with Rebekah. Of course.
And of course…what happens to Rebekah’s drug store purchases?
Come on. This is a fun image. Perhaps a little contrived and convenient, but this is a fun book. And I love that final line. Grant isn’t stupid; he knows why a woman takes prenatal vitamins. But I suppose it’s a tried-and-true trope that guys take an extra second to understand what is happening with or inside a woman.
I loved the way the author ended the first chapter on a joke and a situation that lends itself so completely to drama. Did Christy Jeffries’ efforts work? Was I intrigued enough to buy the book?
Yes! I did purchase the book.
What did this category romance teach us about how to open up a novel?
- Start in medias res. Get the boring stuff out of the way. In this case, we’re opening on a woman who JUST FOUND OUT SHE’S PREGNANT. Good.
- Slip in the exposition gracefully without being too clunky about it. Characterization should be reflected in the plot…and vice versa.
- Play to your audience. This is a category romance. Nothing wrong with that. These readers want sweetness, a strong situation to bring the protagonists together, and the kind of experience they’re promised. Your paranormal romance might not have many jokes in it. Your writing should match the tone. This is a “Furever Yours” special edition in which a man and a woman are forced into a situation…and there are dogs around. This is supposed to be fun. So the writing should be fun.
