Five Romance Authors on Keeping the “Happy” in “Ever After”

Here are five best-selling, acclaimed authors on how to keep the “happy” in “ever after.” Writer Lucy Score knows Valentine’s Day creates pressure…and opportunity. When thinking about how to keep the spark alive in a relationship, she thought, who better to ask than her friends and fellow authors? If a romance writer doesn’t know the secret to happiness, who does? So here are the tips her friends shared along with Score’s own ideas on the key to a good relationship.

Story of My Life by Lucy Score ($18.99; Bloom Books; out March 11) Buy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org

The following is by author Lucy Score, courtesy of Score and Bloom Books. Copyright 2025; all rights reserved.

By Lucy Score

I’ve spent the last ten years of my life writing romance novels and the last fourteen in a long-term relationship. If there’s one thing I know, it’s how to get salad dressing stains out of sweatshirts. I’m kidding, I don’t know how to do that. But I do spend a lot of time thinking about romance and relationships.

It’s not tough to spice things up on the page. But things are different in real life. From urgent emails to kids to social media notifications to endless to do lists, the distractions of modern life can easily suffocate the flames of a once steamy romance. At the end of a busy day it’s so easy to sit on opposite ends of the couch on our screens checked out, exhausted, and scrolling for dopamine.

By far one of the most disappointing things I’ve learned in adulthood is that nothing worthwhile is “easy.” That includes keeping romantic relationships intact.

So I put together an expert panel made up of fellow romance novelists who have managed to find their own happily ever afters. These are our best tips for how you can reheat a lukewarm romance.

Five Romance Authors on Keeping the “Happy” in “Ever After”

Don’t worry about grand gestures. Focus on the little things.

How My Neighbor Stole Christmas by Meghan Quinn ($17.99; Bloom Books) Buy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org

Meghan Quinn, author of the New York Times bestseller How My Neighbor Stole Christmas, has been happily married for twelve years.

“One of the things that my wife and I do that keeps the romance alive are small gestures that go a long way. And we are talking SMALL. Like my wife turns on the electric blanket for me so the bed is warm at night. Or I grab her favorite coffee without asking, just bringing it to her as a surprise. Anything to make the days a little less stressful and a little more warm. Those small things add up and are a great reminder that you are loved.” –Meghan Quinn

Remember the magic even when you’re in the mundane.

The Wild Card: A Rivers Wilde Novella by Dylan Allen ($9.99; Evil Eyes Concepts) Buy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org

Nearly twenty years of partnership with her husband has made Dylan Allen, Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author of the Rivers Wilde series, a big believer in magic.

“My husband and I were born in the same city, but it took thirty years for our paths to cross in a crowded ballroom more than five thousand miles from home. For this hopeless romantic, it felt like fate. One night we were exchanging phone numbers. The next, we were out on our first date. A year later, we were married.” –Dylan Allen

Since then, they’ve had two children, moved seven times, and dealt with every loss and windfall of life together. Allen says when the going gets tough, she puts stressors in perspective by remembering the magic of the moment that brought them together.

Don’t forget to date.

Better Than Friends by Jill Shalvis ($18.99; Avon) Buy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org

From New York Times bestseller Jill Shalvis, author of Better Than Friends, comes this tip.

“I’ve been with my husband for so many years I can’t even do the math. Definitely since the Ice Age. And one thing I’ve learned is how important it is to be able to laugh together. We both came from nothing, so we learned early on how to date on a budget. Through all these years, my favorite ever dates are when we grab take-out from Taco Bell and go sit on a dock at the lake at sunset and eat.”

Shalvis says their date night rules include “no distractions” and phones must remain in the car.

“Nothing to do except talk and laugh. Especially when we reminisce about the time I was carrying the food and walking backwards while taunting him that I was going to eat his Crunch-Wrap Supreme, only to fall in the lake… with the food.” –Jill Shalvis

Delight in your differences.

Girls With Bad Reputations by Xio Axelrod ($16.99; Sourcebooks Casablanca) Buy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org 

USA Today bestseller Xio Axelrod, author of Girls With Bad Reputations, learned to appreciate her opposites-attract relationship with her husband.

“When Mr. X and I first met, we became that obnoxious couple that did everything and went everywhere together. It was all very sweet, and utterly romantic, until one day I realized my beloved is a loud chewer. To be fair, he was forced to come to terms with my need to have music playing when I sleep. And how did I manage to fall for someone who hates peanut butter?”

Their solution? The Axelrods decided to give each other permission to be themselves… even if it means not spending every moment together.

“We do the things we love with people who enjoy them and spend our time together doing stuff we both like. We’re still that annoying lovey-dovey couple who spends a ton of time together. Only, now I don’t have to pretend to like mushroom picking. Brunch anyone?” –Xio Axelrod

Pay. Attention.

Story of My Life by Lucy Score ($18.99; Bloom Books; out March 11) Buy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org 

The most important thing I’ve learned from Mr. Lucy in our years together—besides koi pond maintenance—is the power of attention. There is no greater gift you can give another human being than your undivided attention.

Whatever your love language, expressing a natural curiosity and a genuine interest in your partner is one of the fastest, most meaningful ways to say, “I care about you.”

Don’t know where to start? Give this a try: When your partner comes home, go greet them. When they walk into the room, give them your full attention. Then—this part is very important—say or do one nice thing.

I’ve been known to bombard Mr. Lucy with a list of all the things I accidentally broke or lost within the first seven seconds of him returning home. Instead of a negativity shower try smiling, hugging them, or handing them a sticky note with a crude drawing of what you want your evening plans to look like. That one small interaction can remind the person you love they are a priority in your excessively busy life.

Now go on out there and reclaim your happily ever after! And if you need more inspiration, pick up a romance novel.

Lucy Score is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, whose newest book, Story of My Life, goes on-sale March 11, 2025. The previous article is by Score, courtesy of her and Bloom Books. Copyright 2025; all rights reserved.