This is rampant in action and fantasy genres. The gruff hero saves the world, and as a reward, he gets the beautiful, loyal, and remarkably patient woman who has no arc of her own. (Think early MCU’s Pepper Potts before she got her own story, or the disposable girlfriends in James Bond). This reduces romance to a reward system, and it’s deeply unsatisfying.
When two characters lock eyes and are suddenly soulmates before they’ve ever had a single conversation about their values, fears, or favorite sandwich toppings. This works in fairy tales and nowhere else. In a realistic setting, insta-love signals that the writer doesn’t want to do the work of building attraction. The result is a relationship that feels hollow and unearned. -Xprime4u.Pro-.Lusty.Sexy.2024.720p.HEVC.WeB-DL...
Consider Normal People by Sally Rooney (or its TV adaptation). The relationship between Connell and Marianne is messy, awkward, and often frustrating. There are no grand gestures, no declarations on airport tarmacs. Instead, their romance is built on miscommunication, class tension, and a desperate, unspoken need for understanding. The story works because their connection changes them—not into perfect people, but into more aware versions of themselves. The emotional stakes are not “will they end up together?” but “will they ever learn to communicate what they actually feel?” That is mature writing. This is rampant in action and fantasy genres