First, I thought we'd already established that I am not a gentleman. That ship sailed long ago. And second, you'd be surprised what gentlemen do...and what ladies enjoy."

~Lord Bourne

Yes, it had been a perfect match, except for the fact that he had been perfectly in love with someone else.

The trick to great romance is in overcoming adversity. In realizing that love is worth some uphill climbs.

I do, love. I want you more than you could ever know. More than I could have ever dreamed. I want you enough for two men. For ten.

There is perhaps no more rewarding romance heroine than she who is not expected to find love. The archetype comes in many disguises - the wallflower, the spinster, the governess, the single mom - but always with one sad claim: Love is not in her cards.

No matter how troubled a character's history, romance novels tell us, love can be built upon it, and happily-ever-after can result. What's more, the darker the past, the brighter the future - and the better the read.