Romance readers expect the satisfaction of a happily ever after (HEA) at the end of a novel. As an author who writes contemporary romance novels, so do I … really, I do. I understand there’s an implicit promise between my readers and me that I will deliver a HEA – or else. Or else I’ll disappoint my readers. Or else I shouldn’t even bother starting a new novel because I’ve lost my audience by betraying them. The romance genre, by definition, promises an “and they lived happily ever after” of some sort or another. A kiss – with the promise of more. (And different authors provide varied levels of “more.”) An engagement, complete with a close-up of the ring. A lavish, Pinterest-perfect wedding. One of my goals is to balance romance and reality. Why? Because there’s more to happily ever after than the fairy tales tell us. Classic “and they lived happily ever after” stories often avoid the struggles you and I face here on this side of the printed page. Yes, there are evil stepmothers and dragons … but there are also fairy godmothers and magic potions – and a romantic fade into the sunset. In true-to-life romance, relationship…