#TirgearrTuesday #amwriting #reunion romance-- what are the struggles the heroine and hero have?

When authors write a story, they make everything worse. This method creates more drama, and we know readers are hooked on suffering for the hope that things get better with a happily ever after. Isn't that why romance is satisfying? In a reunion romance they couple broke up at some point. Maybe they were heading to the altar or maybe they divorced. In either case the breakup was devastating.
In my soon to be released, Bittersweet Alliance, the heroine has been trying like crazy to believe in herself and her abilities. She's a loving person and deserves love. She's created a "no negativity zone" and refuses to entertain thoughts that bring her down. She engages in a new activity, knowing that service cultivates happiness with no expectations of return. By redirecting positive energy outward, she feels confident and compassionate.  The work she chose is teaching swimming to disabled kids. She sticks to it. What is good about her? She has an outgoing personality and enjoys being athletic.
The hero suffers in a different way. He was called up in a paternity lawsuit with a prior girlfriend. Their child is Down syndrome. The prior girlfriend has lost interest in their child.
Can you see the common ground....
Bittersweet Alliance is coming soon and was a lot of fun to write.