Romance novels have a rule. It's called "The Happy Ending" rule. If you have ever read a book about a love story and it ended badly, it was not a romance novel. I know, I know, I've read "romance novels" that had terrible endings and I'm sure you have too, but those are not typical romance and any editor allowing a book to be classified as a "Romance Novel" but the end is not happy should be forced to edit reference material throughout eternity!

Romance novels can have bad things happen to good people. They can have terrible things happen to the hero or heroine. The hero can be a jerk. The heroine doesn't have to be drop dead gorgeous. The only real requirement is that the end must be satisfyingly happy.

And though most romance readers are kind hearted, love-inspired romantics-at-heart we do like our heroes a bit tortured. Why is that?!! I can't really say what the psychology of that is but I know it's true!

There are a few other things that romance readers won't accept-

The hero or heroine cannot be unkind to animals.
The hero cannot physically abuse the heroine. He also can't call her "fat".
The hero must have SOME redeeming quality in him if he is a jerk.
The heroine doesn't have to stunningly beautiful but she can't be an idiot. That just doesn't fly.

What are some other "unwritten" rules of romance? I know I'm missing a bunch.

What do you consider the best romance ever written? What romance author is an auto-buy for you?

Do you write romance? Will you guarantee us a happy ending?!!

And before I go I want to share two links with you lovers-of-romance types.
First is Borders True Romance site which ROCKS!!!True Romance
And the second is the new True Romance booktrailers page at Borders which is brought to you by Borders and Reader's Entertainment Group, which is the new 2010 name for Circle of Seven Productions!
Book Trailers at Borders