I’ve spent the last eight days traveling around the Mediterranean and, everywhere I go, the stories of past and present ethnic/spiritual/cultural tensions between nations and cultures surround me. I’ve listened to stories of invasions, of bitter conquest, of cultures decimated by sectarian war. It’s been fascinating to learn about the centuries that brought these cultures to where they’ve been and are. And though not all the stories are of division and hostility, I have struggled not to believe that we are destined to see each other as the other again and again.
I find myself–as usual–longing for happy endings. I’m longing for for stories of where people from cultures that historically see one another with animosity, learn to see each other with love instead.
So, hit me with your Romeo/Juliet love stories that, unlike the origin tale, end with an HEA.
This aside, I am having a wonderful time!
Impenitent social media enthusiast. Relational trend spotter. Enjoys both carpe diem and the fish of the day.
Interesting trope: “Romeo & Juliet with HEA”. I would be excited to read books with this theme; it’s sounds like an engaging flip on the popular “enemies to lovers” or “revenge fantasy” themes in that their families are enemies but they are not (and never have been).
I will be certain to check out the recommendations here, but alas, I will have to wait for more writers to take up this theme in their writings since it seems like it’s not that common (yet).
My favorite “Romeo and Juliet” story is actually Romeo and Juliet in reverse. It’s “Magnolia” by Kristi Cook. I reviewed it here – but basically it’s about a couple of teens who’s families really, REALLY want them to become a couple, and they really, REALLY don’t like each other at all.
The first book that popped into my mind is one of my favorites so far this year: REWRITING THE STARS by Claire Kingsley. The MCs are from rival families (they even refer to each other as “Romeo” and “Juliet” in their text messages) and have to keep their relationship secret for a significant portion of the book. It is almost essential that you read the five previous books in Kingsley’s Bailey Brothers series in order to get the full impact of how transgressive the central relationship is and the escalating bitterness between the two families—and how the feud is eventually resolved because of the actions of the hero & heroine. Highly recommended.
Great example! I loved Rewriting the Stars as well but it definitely can’t stand alone. It was nice to see an ending to a series that didn’t short the story of the main couple in favor of updates for all the previous couples. Of course, I think the way it all fit in was that the book was the longest of the series. Not that I minded though!