Personal Fulfillment through Romance

The central theme of this novel is, essentially, the theme of romance in general and the romance genre of narrative in particular - that passionate, selfless, mutual love is the source of true happiness. Personal troubles, relationship issues, suffering triggered by a traumatic past - it can all be healed, according to the basic premises of the genre, by true love. The specifics of how this theme is played out may vary - not all heroines, for example, are single mothers like Lizabeth, and not all heroes have the troubled past that Matt does. In the thematic template of the genre, all heroes and heroines are opened to a broader experience of themselves, of love, and of passion, and end up happier as a result. If they're not broadened, and if they're not happier, then it's not romance - tragedy, comedy, or drama, but not...