Happily Ever After or Happy For Now?
Which do you prefer? Here comes the bride or later we'll decide?
Marriage and a baby carriage,
or let's just move in together?
I find myself leaning more toward the traditional happy ending. I know. I'm corny. But I like it when the hero and heroine get married, start a family, and ride off into to the sunset. I understand that these are modern times and marriage isn't required for a couple to be happy, have a family, or ride off into the sunset. But I love the fantasy. Sometimes the books that end with a Happy For Now (HFN) ending feel a little ambiguous. They've gone through the fire, come out the other side and decided to be together, but they haven't made that final commitment. I always feel just a little unfulfilled. Maybe I've just been programmed to expect that Happily Ever After and nothing else will do.
Karen Reid an Associate Editor at Harlequin Superromance wrote about this topic. She said, "...it all depends on what is right for your story. And believe it or not, wedding bells and rides into the sunset aren’t the best ending for every book."
She makes a good point. As a writer I agree its critical to stay true to the story and that what makes sense for the characters must come first. But as a reader, I could care less about that. I want the beach wedding, the surprise baby, the heart wrenching proposal, and all the angst in between!
What about you? Do you prefer Happily Ever After or Happy For Now?
Did I say too much? I'd love to hear from you!
Nia
