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One of the aspects of romance that some folks LOVE and some folks loathe is the emphasis on children upon children and pregnancy as part and parcel to the happy ever after. For some people, a romance novel isn’t complete without a baby, either in the plot, or in the future, or a secret in the plot to be revealed in the future. For others, babies in romance are distinctly not-romantic (especially when one is tired to the point of blindness from taking care of one at all hours of the night) or, in the case of those going through infertility treatments or facing the inability to conceive, terribly painful.
Reader C. has asked for romance recommendations that aren’t about babies, and may even involve infertility as part of the plot- preferably a known condition that isn’t magically healed with frequent and dedicated applications of the spooge of healing from the Wang of Mighty Lovin™.
I’m hoping for some book recommendations, but I am also fairly sure it’s
a lost cause. Also, I don’t want to start a shit storm.What I would really like to find are some romances (preferably historical,
but contemporary, sci-fi/fantasy, etc. are all fine, too) where the story
does not make the hero/heroine’s reproductive abilities an integral part of
the plot/HEA. I’d like to find something that either lets the two main
characters just ride off into their heaving, purple sunset with no mention
at all of children or pregnancy, or I’d like to find something where
infertility is a real issue that is dealt with and accepted and the HEA
comes anyway. By that, I don’t mean one of these books where half of our
happy couple “just knows” that they can’t have kids, but then everything
is made all better via the magical uterus/invincible spermians.I also don’t
want any books where the infertility is legit, but everything’s okey-dokey
by the HEA thanks to some conveniently-placed orphans.I understand that this whole issue can really set people off, but I’m not
trying to push anyone’s “kids vs. no kids” buttons. As someone who can’t
have children without divine intervention, I’d just like find a good
romance novel to read that didn’t hit me over the head with the, “you’re
not a REAL family until you have children” message. A lot of family trees
have branches that end in the words “no issue”. Those two words do not
automatically mean that there wasn’t some ragin’-hot lovin’ going on
anyway … I’m just hoping there are some books out there about it.
My first suggestion for C: Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie – not because infertility is a big issue, but because the heroine is very frank about the fact that she doesn’t want children. Sometimes it’s not the idea that children are a prerequisite, but the idea that electing not to have children is a valid and acceptable option that makes a romance refreshing – this one in particular is a great example.
So: which romances feature infertility in ways that you appreciated, and which books were not so wedded to the idea that a Happily Ever After cannot occur without babies?
The heroine of Julie Garwood’s Killjoy can’t have children. No wang on earth is going to change that for them. Also Miranda and Bishop from Kay Hooper’s FBI series don’t have kids in their future – both of them are more focused on each other and their careers.
single72 – I hope not!
There’s one historical I thought was fairly unique in that the HEA didn’t include settling down with children in domestic bliss. It’s called “The Duchess” by Jude Deveraux. It was written in 1991.
Also, the afore mentioned “Bet Me” is definitely a good choice.
I can’t think of any romance novels that deal with infertility in the way that Reader C would like.
Oh, I forgot! It’s YA, but Rose and Dimitri of the Vampire Academy series don’t want/can’t have kids. (Definitely recommend these books. Not a single emo vampire in sight!)
One of Shelly Laurenston’s shape-shifting couples, I think in Pack Challenge, were pretty clear that they had no interest in breeding.
Anybody but You by Jennifer Crusie. The heroine is 40 years old and makes it very clear that she is not interested in having children. The fact the hero’s father objects to her being out of her baby-making years is really the only mention.
I was gonna say Lord Perfect by Loretta Chase, but remembered there’s a hint of probable curage of the infertility problem in the epilogue. It’s pretty minor though, and an awfully good book.
I sympathize with the problem, having been infertile myself… the world really does slap you in the face a lot and romance novels probably more than just about anything else.
In Robin D Owens’ Amee series the author indicates that the heroines are very unlikely to have children; “Exotiques” – persons transported there from Earth – practically never do. The only one of them that doesn’t have a problem with this is the heroine in _Protector of the Flight_. She was already sterile due to an accident when she was transported to Amee – and she adopts two children.
I have my first older woman/younger man book coming out next week (okay, I know, but it’s relevant) and it’s nice to get away from this theme. In my story, and in many “cougar” romances, the woman has been through the biological clock period and children are either grown up and gone or there aren’t any.
When I read the Harlequins where pregnancy and babies are a central part of the story, sometimes it makes me wonder if the couple really have a chance. Babies are a real strain on a relationship, so it’s a good idea to have a stable base before bringing a baby into the world. And they aren’t accessories, they really aren’t.
A lot of historical romances depend on the wife being fertile. I did write one where I tried to turn it on its head, but having plugged one book here, I won’t do another! But many marriages were contracted with the express reason of providing heirs. I’d like to see a book where fertility is a problem, or not, and the couple love each other anyway. There are so many areas to explore in this area, and kudos to the books that do.
One of my favorite Susan Elizabeth Philips’ books, “Nobody’s Baby But Mine” has a professor who wants the perfect father for her child, and of course it all goes wrong, and right. There is a problem that turns up fairly early on, and it was good to see it treated so well.
Chiming in with a plug for my first book, Lady X’s Cowboy. I don’t want to spoil the ending, but suffice it to say that the heroine’s infertility is not resolved by the power of the hero’s magnificent wang, nor does her inability to have children alter their HEA.
I’d recommend Robin Owens’ Celta series (which is fantasy/sf romance, and focused on the lovers getting together, not building families), esp. #4 _HeartChoice_, where the heroine is incurably infertile. Also, there was one part in the Mordecai Young-trilogy by Maggie Shayne where the heroine couldn’t have any more kids because of something the hero did, and they had to work this out.
There are a lot of paranormal or fantasy romances out there that would fit, IMO. Angela Knight’s (immortal) couples in the Mageverse series usually don’t have kids. Alexis Morgan’s Paladins and Lynn Viehls Darkyn maybe, too?
Another good source is this site on AAR:
http://www.likesbooks.com/childless.html
Simply Magic, by Carole Buck; the heroine can’t have children.
Miss Emmaline and the Archangel by Rachel Lee
None of Jayne Castle’s Harmony books have babies in them.
Nora Roberts has made it clear that baby = end of series for Eve and Roarke. The link is http://www.noraroberts.com/aboutnora/faqs.html Altho.ugh not strictly romance novels, the In Death series is very much about this relationship and the family of friends they create.
The second epilogue of Julia Quinn’s When He Was Wicked deals with infertility. It’s a good story.
But
They do have a baby at the end. It’s a Bridgerton story. It’s almost a requirement.
I came to romance through paranormals and urban fantasy. I didn’t realize the must-make/have-baby-by-ending thing was so prevalent until I read some historicals and contemporaries. I remember a distinct “Huh, WTF?” feeling about it. I still don’t get the need for the baby=HEA. So try some of the paranormal romances – usually having a baby by the end (or in an epilogue…grrr) is just not an issue at all. Either the HEA doesn’t rely on babies or because of the paranormal-ish of one of the characters breeding isn’t a possibility.
If you like paranormal romance, Jeaniene Frost’s Night Huntress series (Cat & Bones) is 4 books in so far, and no problem with the fact that there will be no offspring (vampires are sterile shortly after turning). My guess is that it will stay that way, just from things that I’ve picked up from the author’s background info., but one never knows. It seems that the pnr’s that feature vamps tend to NOT discuss procreation, whereas the shifter/were themes often DO discuss….. well, litters and pups, and such.
As a recovering infertile, I appreciated how infertility was handled in “Best Friends Forever” by Jennifer Weiner—although kids were involved. More “chick lit” than romance, I suppose. Same with “Just Breathe” by Susan Wiggs.
Well, they aren’t properly romances at all—indeed, they are mysteries with a little romance on the side—but Charlaine Harris’ Lily Bard books (Shakespeare’s Landlord, etc etc) deal with a heroine who has fertility issues. They are solid books and especially the fifth book, Shakespeare’s Counselor, makes the infertility issue one of the main topics. Her happy ending really has nothing to do with having children in her life. I don’t want to give away a bunch of spoilers. There are 5 books in the series, and they are quick reads. If you like a little mystery with some romance, I recommend them.
P.C. Cast’s books almost never have a pregnancy. Her books usually involve some soul/body switching, so the emphasis is on the union of soulmates; if the soulmates end up together, who cares if they have kids afterwards.
I don’t remember if it ends in pregnancy, but you might like Charming the Prince by Teresa Medieros. The lord has a LOT of kids (not all really his), and wants a wife just so she’ll take care of them all. The wife rebels, and I remember she and the kids pull pranks guerilla-style through the castle. Everything’s happy in the end, but the book does somewhat reject the “happy family = kids” trope you dislike.
One of my favorite books this year, Not Quite A Husband by Sherry Thomas, has an infertile heroine. The epilogue makes it clear that the H/h have a very HEA and no children.
Allison Brennan’s books are contemporary romantic suspense, pretty gritty on the suspense, but her recent “Fatal Secrets” has an infertility issue that can’t be resolved with a mighty wang.
Just remembered another one – Kiss Me While I Sleep by Linda Howard. (Not sure I have that title quite right, but close. IIRC, the hero has had a vasectomy and I think the heroine had some kind of issue too, but essentially having children isn’t something that ever comes up between them.
Part of me wants to defend the whole baby thing. Karen Marie Moning said on her own forum that the reason her characters have babies is because she herself cannot have children. So it’s a wish fullfillment. However, she also said not to expect Mac to get pregnant.
That being said, there’s this book I read in high school I now can’t remember the name of. The hero was badly scarred in a war, so much he wore a mask. The heroine was a young woman whom loved him from childhood on. She was so determined to marry him that she got hired on as a servant and seduced him, not knowing her uncles had arranged for them to be wed. So once they really are married she has to earn his trust as his wife since he knew her as a servant.
She does get pregnant but takes a tumble down the stairs that causes such a bad miscarriage she can never have children. By the end of the book they adopt instead. Which sticks out in my mind because I have never seen one that includes adoption.
Probably not what you’re looking for and I can’t remember the title anyway. (It was sometime in the mid-90s when lots of romances were doing disfigured mask wearing heros due to the popularity of The Phantom Of The Opera.)
Both the Sookie Stackhouse and the Harper series by Charlaine Harris don’t have kids. It’s not really an issue for Sookie, and Harper is clear that she actively does not want kids.
I just wanted to thank C for asking this question. As someone who can’t have children without medical intervention myself, I can ALMOST deal with all the fertile families, but I go crazy when I read an epilogue where infertility was magically cured by how much the H&H loved each other.
And that’s totally fine for a writer, I think. I have plans to write a book dealing with my infertility issues myself—and believe me, there are issues. But as a READER, I am delighted when I get away from the whole children are the only path to a happy future trope.
JamiSings: Was that “Tapestry” by Karen Ranney?
Definitely Charlaine Harris’ Lily Bard and Harper books, although those are mysteries with romantic elements.
Jennifer Cruisie’s contemporaries sometimes don’t have kids as part of the HEA; not just Bet Me, IIRC.
The two historicals I was going to suggest are already mentioned by others, above: Lady X’s Cowboy by Zoe Archer and Not Quite a Husband by Sherry Thomas. I’m sure I will think of others—watch this space, LOL!
Erin McCarthy has a book – one of the Nascar ones – where the hero is infertile, but the heroine already has kids from her previous marriage.
Not Quite a Husband is the only other title that immediately springs to mind with a childless couple.
I’ve read plenty of others where couples don’t have children, but I think it’s mostly “we’re not having kids now”, as opposed to “we’re not having kids.” It’s too bad, too – I’d enjoy reading about more CFBC or infertile couples.
I don’t have any contributions that haven’t already been mentioned, but I’d like to thank the reader who wrote in with the request. I’m infertile and didn’t want kids anyway; I’ve become quite frustrated in picking up romances only to find the Magic Pregnancy at the end, or worse, books where the solution to the Huge Relationship Problem is that the heroine is pregnant and now the relationship will be just fine and dandy. (Yes, see how well that works IRL!)
I now have a lot more books to put on my TBR. Thanks all. 😀
I also would like to thank the reader who wrote in with the request. I have a son after 4 long years of trying culminating in an IVF cycle. During that period, I could not bear to read historical romances for this very reason. The H/H inevitably popped out a bunch of babies by the end and I just couldn’t handle the jealousy! I turned mostly to paranormal which rarely mentions babies at all and outside the genre stuff (like mysteries).
As a “recovering” infertile, I think my love of historicals has been forever colored by that period in my life and I”m not sure I’ll ever devour them again as I once did (notwithstanding my recent glom of the Bridgertons—how did I miss those!?!)
I love this topic and I am fertile! I REALLY enjoy reading stories that are not about me! That is why I read them. I like to read stories about couples who have conflicts and barriers to relationships that involve getting past those barriers so they can get together for some hot monkey lovin’. HEA involving babies and/or marraige not included.
Try some JAK, almost any JAK or her other genre/pen names. Most of those women are just trying to get by or solve a problem or solve a mystery.
I also thing that Beth and Rhage cannot have the kids.
All of the Amanda Quick (historicals)/Jane Ann Krenz (contemporary) rarely mention kids. Her early historicals tend to have “older” heroines who are on the shelf and at the end kids are rarely mentioned. I cant remember which ones do have kids and which ones don’t. I haven’t read them lately. I’m pretty sure all her contemporary couples do not talk about children, or have children from previous marriages.
Oh, wow!
I always interpreted the ‘baby’ epilogues in some category romances as a very simple SYMBOLof the idea of ‘‘new family/future generations’‘, the basic idea of the resolution of a romance involving a new order to replace the old, a rearrangement, but I never took it literally, and it didn’t occur to me that anyone would. It is just one way of illustrating the phrase ‘they lived happily ever after’. Isn’t it?
The complex concept of ‘family’ is not confined to direct biological issue, and never was. Family, new orders, new generations, continuity and connection, can all be fulfilled in many different ways, and blood relationship is only the most obvious of them. After all, even the most conventional family structure involves the initial bringing together to two unrelated people as a focus.
I sympathise intellectually with those who want children and can’t have them, as I would with anyone who yearns for something hard to attain, but I think that an unduly literal interpretation of either ‘epilogue with pregnancy/baby’ or a lack thereof is rather missing the point.
As another “not having any kids ever” person, I also cringe at the convention that a HEA requires kids. The last Lorelei James’ book wicked ticked me off like that.
Anyways, let’s see what comes to mind.
The Edge of Impropriety by Pam Rosenthal is a historical (won this year’s Rita) with a older couple. He’s 45ish and she’s 35ish. She had no kids, couldn’t have kids and wouldn’t be having kids. He had raised his niece and nephew, but they’re mostly grown.
Lover Eternal by JR Ward has Mary rendered infertile by chemo, and no amount of Rhage’s sperm or Scribe Virgin interference changes that.
That’s all I’ve read for those that mention infertility and don’t wave the magic wang at it.
I can think of some historicals that never mention children beyond the “I wonder if I knocked her up?” train of thought after the furious coupling and lack the baby-filled epilogue. Simply Scandalous by Tamara Lejeune was fun, almost positive the Meredith Duran novels are baby free, same for Carolyn Jewel’s Scandal, and I’m drawing a blank beyond that.
It’s definitely a rare breed of romance, which is sort of annoying, since I don’t feel like less of a person/wife/woman for not having procreated.
@AGTigress:
I am not the person who wrote in, but I don’t want kids, rather strongly so, and I’ll say this much……
When you have family, friends, and complete strangers badgering you about “when are you going to have kids” and calling you selfish and irresponsible because you don’t want them, saying any number of bingo card phrases (“it’s different when it’s yours”, “who will take care of you when you’re old”, etc)….. after going through that, it is difficult to see the epilogue with baby and all as anything but an insinuation that family = children.
Particularly when in several contemporary books I read, the heroine was strong, career oriented, and outright stated in the book that she didn’t want kids. Epilogue: She is pregnant or has a new baby, has quit her job, and is playing SAHM. What does that say, really? I mean, yes, individual choices and decisions, but when it’s an unexplained sledgehammer out of nowhere, it really does hammer in the “FAMILY. KIDS.” thing that the OP was talking about.
Plus, women who want kids but are infertile get their own set of bingos. When I would avoid saying that I didn’t want kids, but only that I was infertile, I would get no end of “medical advice” from people that did not know what they were talking about. For all they knew, I could have had a hysterectomy due to a tragic illness and been completely unable, with absolutely NO hope.
The way that people tend to treat women who don’t want or can’t have kids is pretty sickening, imo, and yes… it does sensitize us to what we read in fiction. :-
(capcha: position64….. oh, come on! It’s supposed to be 69, dammit!)
I hope Nora’s Eve and Roarke remain forever childfree.
By the way, Jayne Ann Krentz does actually have ‘baby’ epilogues in quite a few of her earlier category romances, presumably because that symbol was liked at the time by the publishers. Even in some of the later contemporaries (e.g. Absolutely, Positively), it occurs, though normally in the context of a wider, extended family.
Family is always one of Jayne’s central themes, and one that she deals with with considerable sophistication. In particular, many of her plots involve the heroine acting to heal and resolve family breakdown or damage affecting the hero. And in many, many cases, the functional, successful ‘family’ that forms by the end of the book does not consist chiefly, if at all, of the mini-nuclear ‘Mummy, Daddy and Baby’ set-up, but of more subtle and unexpected combinations of people.
You honestly can’t see how that idea might irk the childless? Are you being intentionally dense? Right there it reinforces the idea that you and your relationship are flawed if you don’t create another generation. For those of us who don’t want kids, but are perfectly capable of making them, it is very much not an HEA since having kids would make us UNhappy.
Nonny:
I am way past the age of childbearing: I never wanted children, because I was busy doing other things, I don’t like babies, and anyway, I have great stepchildren, so why the hell add to the country’s / world’s hideous overpopulation? I do wonder whether pressure to breed is particularly strong in the USA, because nobody ever dared mention it to me!
But the main point is that family is psychologically important to all of us, but family is a much broader concept that having issue of one’s own flesh.
In Captives of the Night by Loretta Chase the heroine is infertile & despite the love of a good man remains that way. The man in question takes it in stride though I think they might informally adopt a teen aged ward, but there are no bunches of cherubic toddler orphans who conveniently pop into the picture.
Romances dealing with infertility: The heroine, Lucia, in Forever Fifteen (free on podiobooks.com), loses both her unborn child and her ovaries to the plague. The book is a rather dark vampire romance and switches between the main story, set in the present, and the story of Lucy’s childhood/young womanhood in medeival Italy.
*spends a while going through her Microsoft Reader library and comes up with a handful of historicals with childless HEA’s*
Victoria and the Rogue by Meg Cabot, The Dragon’s Bride by Jo Beverly, The Spymaster’s Lady and My Lord and Spymaster, both by Joanna Bourne, Beyond Seduction by Emma Holly, and Slightly Sinful by Mary Balogh, and- I’m not 100% sure on this one, as I don’t have it here in front of me, but I’m fairly sure there’s no mention of any children at the end of When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn.