Love Rivals
Even the best romances can feel predictable because we know the main couple will end up together. A rival for the protagonist’s affections is a sure way to raise the romantic stakes by making the ‘Happy Ever After’ seem less certain.
Not every story needs a love triangle, but if yours feels lacking in drama, consider adding a rival for the protagonist’s affections. A romantic rival’s purpose is to create conflict for the main couple. Their existence makes it seem less certain that the two leads will reach their Happy Ever After. They need to appear viable as a romantic partner while still not being as interesting or attractive as the true love interest.
Mr. Wickham from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is a perfect example. He is handsome, charming, at odds with Mr. Darcy, and, at one point, it seems that Lizzie is attracted to him.
Positive and negative traits
It’s not enough to make the romantic rival simply physically attractive or successful, because the love interest will probably have both qualities. Instead, consider giving them traits that are the polar opposite of the love interest’s.
For example, in Helen Fielding’s Bridget Jones’s Diary, Bridget is drawn to Daniel Cleaver, her boss. He is the complete opposite of her love interest, Mark Darcy.
| Mark Darcy | Daniel Cleaver |
|---|---|
| hardworking | easygoing |
| blunt | charming |
| kind | selfish |
You don’t need to overload the romantic rival with negative traits, but make sure they contrast clearly with the love interest. These differences might intrigue your protagonist—or they may annoy them. As the protagonist gets to know the rival, their opinion can shift. You can use this to confuse them and complicate the primary relationship. Of course, the love interest’s opinion of their rival will remain the same, but now they’ll have another reason to dislike them.
Create conflict
The rival and the protagonist should have chemistry if you want to raise the romantic stakes. Don’t make this connection as strong as the one between the protagonist and the love interest, but let it be strong enough to cause friction. Engineer opportunities for this connection to grow and let the love interest witness it. This can lead the love interest to fight harder for the protagonist’s attention.
If you want to stir things up, you can show the rival’s feelings for the protagonist motivating them to change their negative behavior. This can make them seem like a truly viable partner—and cause utter confusion for the protagonist.
Unfixable flaws
To make it clear why the protagonist doesn’t choose the rival, you’ll need to give them a flaw that makes them incapable of being the one. It has to be something that the protagonist realizes will prevent a lasting Happy Ever After. Maybe the rival could offer a “Happy For Now,” but the protagonist wants something deeper.
Sometimes this realization can become a “What a fool I’ve been” moment.
Whatever flaw you choose, make sure it’s impossible to overcome. Perhaps they’re incapable of lasting commitment, too immature, unwilling to start a family, or unable to lose their selfish streak. The possibilities are almost limitless.
Think about what your protagonist needs from a relationship, and make sure the love interest is the one who has what it takes to make it work. That’s why the love interest holds the key to their heart.
Change your mind
If you decide your protagonist is better suited to the rival, don’t feel obliged to stick with your initial plan. Sometimes, in novels—just like in life—people change their minds.
One of the best examples of a rival turning into the love interest is the South Korean drama Feel Good to Die. In the original webtoon, the protagonist ended up with the love interest. The drama started the same way. However, halfway through, the writers switched things up: the rival became the romantic lead, and the show ended with a very different Happy Ever After.
Final thoughts
A well-rounded romantic rival can be a great way to raise the romantic stakes. You can have fun finding ways for them to create conflict and cause confusion. They might not end up with the Happy Ever After in this book, but you can always continue their romantic journey to happiness in the next.
Are you a writer looking for some help with your novel? Check out my Work with Me page to see how I help authors achieve their publishing goals.