#romance #amwriting - How to write a mainstream lovers' triangle

     My novella, Lily's Pad, is a lovers triangle, and I'd like to share how I wrote it.  The two characters who end up together are the protagonists.  The third person is the antagonist and has villainous traits.   Readers of romance find the happily ever after more convincing if the lovers triangle is written this way. 

     It’s true that Young Adult readers adore the drama of a trio.  A YA story such as Twilight is conflict driven, and the heat level is no higher than kissing.  When the heat level goes up, that's where the trickiness comes in. 

     Adult readers of romance want characters in the triangle to exhibit more desire but don’t approve of two-timing sexual conduct.   For erotica it may be different, but the monogamous rule applies for a lovers triangle.   Here is the trio in Lily’s Pad:

Lily Holmes-- sweet girl-next-door crushes on Creed Taylor

Scarlett Royale-- narcissistic reality T.V. star plans to marry Creed

Creed Taylor-- ex-Army Ranger is the new second grade teacher in town who is falling for Lily.

Creed and Scarlett are childhood sweethearts, but their relationship changes when he returns home with a war injury.  He walks with a cane and has not had sex with Scarlett for six months when he begins to fall for Lily.  I treat Scarlett as I would an antagonist.  Scarlett is turned off by Creed’s busted knee and has a boyfriend on the side who is a loan shark.  Lily  runs a bistro, the Lily Pad, and Scarlett’s boyfriend tries to cheat her out of it.  Creed sees Scarlett for who she is and falls for the girl who loves him. 

Here is the blurb for Lily's Pad: 

Lily Holmes drowns in a lovers’ triangle of her own making. She knows enough tricks to attract celebrities to her beachside bistro, Lily’s Pad. She knows the rules but breaks one when she falls in love with her valued client, Scarlett Royale’s man, Creed Taylor.
Former Army Ranger Creed is the new second grade teacher in town and now walks with a cane. His childhood sweetheart, reality TV star Scarlett, plans to marry Creed whose war disability makes her lovable to her fans. Creed never misses breakfast with flirtatious Lily at her bistro. Scarlett arranges predatory lending with the mafia in order to snap up properties to fund her publicity. Lily’s Pad is next on her list, but whose heart is on the line?