While I'm into what is real or not-- how about this? People like romances for the happy ending (the guy above, handsome though he might be, didn't get one), but how many of those romance heroes, who do, are the kind of guy you'd like to take home to mama?
Going along with this, I came across the following article. It's one that many historical romance writers might want to consider. If you want you want your heroine to fit her time period based on books out during that time period, maybe reconsider as I am not at all sure modern women can relate to a lot of this.
I don't have a link for it but there was another treatise of the 1800s I read some time ago where this pastor wrote about the proper etiquette for sexual relations between married couples. Children should never be conceived in lust was the biggie. Seriously-- and how would a man get it up without a little heat? It appears it's just women who should suppress theirs and just... endure it? lol That is so not how modern women think nor what men of today expect from their ladies.
One thing about writing historical novels is we really do have to understand we are writing them with the insights of today; and to be meaningful to today's readers, they will meet the needs of those readers. For what energy or inspiration are they looking for? Good question and if you have the answer, please let me know ;)
