--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This is not a romance. This is a love…" description: "\"“This is not a romance. This is a love story. The characters are flawed to the point of being broken. The hero is beautiful, but ugly in ways that defy..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad9/c-j-roberts-1400_love_this-is-not-a-romance-this-is-a-love-sto_1950545.jpg" --- # This is not a romance. This is a love story. The… ![“This is not a romance. This is a love story. The characters are flawed to the point of being broken. The hero is beautiful, but ugly in ways that defy the ordinary imagination. The heroine isn’t trapped in a tower, but a dark and lonely room. There is no prince coming to save her. While love…” quote by C.J. Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad9/c-j-roberts-1400_love_this-is-not-a-romance-this-is-a-love-sto_1950545.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad9/c-j-roberts-1400_love_this-is-not-a-romance-this-is-a-love-sto_1950545.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad9/c-j-roberts-1400_love_this-is-not-a-romance-this-is-a-love-sto_1950545.jpg) > ““This is not a romance. This is a love story. The characters are flawed to the point of being broken. The hero is beautiful, but ugly in ways that defy the ordinary imagination. The heroine isn’t trapped in a tower, but a dark and lonely room. There is no prince coming to save her. While love blooms and thrives, there is no happily ever after. Love does not always begin or end the way we wish it would”” [C.J. Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-roberts/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Love stories can be messy, flawed, and lack traditional happy endings, reflecting real human complexity **In simple terms:** Love isn’t always perfect or rescued Key Takeaway Accept imperfection in relationships Themes love flaws realism Mood thoughtful melancholic Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - romantic relationships - personal growth - creative writing - media analysis Key Concepts narrative subversion character depth Questions to Reflect On - Do you seek flawless love? - How do you value realism in romance? A Different Perspective Romantic ideals may still influence expectations ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-story/) [Romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romance/) [Romance love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romance-love/) ## Related quotes > [True love blooms when we care more about another person than we care about ourselves. That is Christ's great atoning example for us, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/true-love-blooms-when-we-care-more-about-another-person-than-we-care-2/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [“She is my morning, she is my evening; we have a love that blooms over and again, more beautifully each time than the last.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-payne/she-is-my-morning-she-is-my-evening-we-have-a-love-that-blooms-over-2/) [Roman Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-payne/) > [Love. The world is so full of love. Love fills the sky. Love is spread all over the ground. Music is love in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-the-world-is-so-full-of-love-love-fills-the-sky-love-is-spread/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It's difficult to know when love blooms; suddenly one day you wake up and it's in full flower. It works the same way when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fredrik-backman/it-s-difficult-to-know-when-love-blooms-suddenly-one-day-you-wake-up/) [Fredrik Backman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fredrik-backman/) > [True love BLOOMS when we care more about another person than we care about ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/true-love-blooms-when-we-care-more-about-another-person-than-we-care/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [I equate peonies with love because they're the first blooms of summer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-mizrahi/i-equate-peonies-with-love-because-they-re-the-first-blooms-of-summer/) [Isaac Mizrahi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-mizrahi/) > [“Love blooms like a flower, but only the expression of love fills it with fragrance”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toddly-publications/love-blooms-like-a-flower-but-only-the-expression-of-love-fills-it/) Toddly Publications > [“Here’s the thing about falling for someone who’s already given up; there’s no promise of tomorrow. There aren’t any words of comfort that can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-ann/here-s-the-thing-about-falling-for-someone-who-s-already-given-up/) Jennifer Ann > [“He firmly pulled her body against his and he brushed her lips with his. Staring into her eyes, he lightly slid his tongue across…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laney-smith/he-firmly-pulled-her-body-against-his-and-he-brushed-her-lips-with/) Laney Smith > [“When it comes to romance, I'm always behind you. I am slower. It's like you are the lightening and I am the thunder.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/when-it-comes-to-romance-i-m-always-behind-you-i-am-slower-it-s-like/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [“Wrap your mind around my thoughts as I wrap my soul around your heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/munia-khan/wrap-your-mind-around-my-thoughts-as-i-wrap-my-soul-around-your-heart/) [Munia Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/munia-khan/) > [“But poetry, romance, love, beauty? These are what we stay alive for!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-h-kleinbaum/but-poetry-romance-love-beauty-these-are-what-we-stay-alive-for/) [N.H. Kleinbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-h-kleinbaum/) > [ “For \[erotically intelligent couples\], love is a vessel that contains both security and adventure, and commitment offers one of the great luxuries of life:… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-perel/for-erotically-intelligent-couples-love-is-a-vessel-that-contains/) [Esther Perel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-perel/) > [“I know a feeling like that only comes once in a lifetime, and I think you should follow your heart’s desires. I believe in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmad-ardalan/i-know-a-feeling-like-that-only-comes-once-in-a-lifetime-and-i-think/) [Ahmad Ardalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmad-ardalan/) > [“Something was bleeding… and something was broken. It was my heart… because I had to leave you. (Chase to Rayne)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-brockman/something-was-bleeding-and-something-was-broken-it-was-my-heart/) Kimberly Brockman ## More by C.J. Roberts > [“I wanted a fight. I needed a fight. I was sick and tired of playing nice. I AM NOT NICE. - Caleb”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-roberts/i-wanted-a-fight-i-needed-a-fight-i-was-sick-and-tired-of-playing/) [C.J. Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-roberts/) > [“Caleb fed me better food during my kidnapping than these people. I laugh at my own joke”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-roberts/caleb-fed-me-better-food-during-my-kidnapping-than-these-people-i/) [C.J. Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-roberts/) > [“I can’t take it anymore, Caleb. I’ve tried, but I can’t,” she sobbed. “Every time I think you’re coming around, every time I let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-roberts/i-can-t-take-it-anymore-caleb-i-ve-tried-but-i-can-t-she-sobbed-every/) [C.J. Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-roberts/) > [“All of the tears i made her made her shed, these were his favorite. "If happy tears taste the same as the sad ones,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-roberts/all-of-the-tears-i-made-her-made-her-shed-these-were-his-favorite-if/) [C.J. Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-roberts/) > [“I've seen you handle your stick, Caleb. You're much better at it than I am”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-roberts/i-ve-seen-you-handle-your-stick-caleb-you-re-much-better-at-it-than-i/) [C.J. Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-roberts/) > [“No one had ever looked at him that way, as if life were insignificant without him and he’d never valued anyone more than he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-roberts/no-one-had-ever-looked-at-him-that-way-as-if-life-were-insignificant/) [C.J. Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-roberts/) > [“No more movie references. No more fictional characters to relate to. This was real. It was destiny. I was…a thing, a commodity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-roberts/no-more-movie-references-no-more-fictional-characters-to-relate-to/) [C.J. Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-roberts/) > [“It wasn't the forgetting Caleb didn't like, it was the remembering”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-roberts/it-wasn-t-the-forgetting-caleb-didn-t-like-it-was-the-remembering/) [C.J. Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-roberts/) > [“Somehow I'd still managed to go all retarded at the sight of some handsome asshole with a nice smile.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-roberts/somehow-i-d-still-managed-to-go-all-retarded-at-the-sight-of-some/) [C.J. Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-roberts/) > [“If the first lesson every slave had to learn was to accept that their wishes did not matter, then the first lesson every master…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-roberts/if-the-first-lesson-every-slave-had-to-learn-was-to-accept-that-their/) [C.J. Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-roberts/) > [“We’d come so far, and I was oddly desperate to see where we could go.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-roberts/we-d-come-so-far-and-i-was-oddly-desperate-to-see-where-we-could-go/) [C.J. Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-roberts/) > [“I can’t keep you, Livvie. Stop trying to make me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-roberts/i-can-t-keep-you-livvie-stop-trying-to-make-me/) [C.J. Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-roberts/) > [“Live for me, Kitten. Be all those things you’d never be with me. Go to school. Meet a normal boy and fall in love.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-roberts/live-for-me-kitten-be-all-those-things-you-d-never-be-with-me-go-to/) [C.J. Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-roberts/) > [“I was insanely jealous." "I know. It should make me happy, but it doesn't." "Why ?" "I'd rather make you happy, Caleb. I'd rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-roberts/i-was-insanely-jealous-i-know-it-should-make-me-happy-but-it-doesn-t/) [C.J. Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-roberts/) > [“Where is all your bravery now, Pet? No clawing, no hissing? Where's my though girl? - Caleb”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-roberts/where-is-all-your-bravery-now-pet-no-clawing-no-hissing-where-s-my/) [C.J. Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-roberts/) [Explore all 240 C.J. Roberts quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-roberts/) ## More Love quotes > [Whatever meaning 'Annie's Song' had for me on a personal level, there was also a larger context. It could just as easily have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-denver/whatever-meaning-annie-s-song-had-for-me-on-a-personal-level-there/) [John Denver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-denver/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [I love going to Columbia, Missouri. That is a really underrated campus. It shocked me when I went there because I really didn't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-herbstreit/i-love-going-to-columbia-missouri-that-is-a-really-underrated-campus/) [Kirk Herbstreit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-herbstreit/) > [Life works most perfectly when a reciprocal love relationship is in place between man and God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/life-works-most-perfectly-when-a-reciprocal-love-relationship-is-in/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [We talk to God--that is prayer; God talks to us--that is inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-emilie-cady/we-talk-to-god-that-is-prayer-god-talks-to-us-that-is-inspiration/) [H. Emilie Cady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-emilie-cady/) > [I fell in love with social work, and that was my undoing as a poet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-rakosi/i-fell-in-love-with-social-work-and-that-was-my-undoing-as-a-poet/) [Carl Rakosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-rakosi/) > [You cant be controlling in improv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/you-cant-be-controlling-in-improv/) [Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/) > [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [“To be loved by a man, truly loved, made a woman feel as if she could burst. Of course, Lia was strong and could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-anne/to-be-loved-by-a-man-truly-loved-made-a-woman-feel-as-if-she-could/) [Melody Anne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-anne/) > [So when you take those tears, don't look to see I'm alright. …\*Seal - Violet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-nickel/so-when-you-take-those-tears-don-t-look-to-see-i-m-alright-seal-violet/) [Eric Nickel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-nickel/) > [Two things revolutionised life: moving to the countryside and falling in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-love/two-things-revolutionised-life-moving-to-the-countryside-and-falling/) [Nick Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-love/) > [“That horrible stinging sensation returned, the muscles behind my eyes straining as the first tear began to fall. “I’m scared, too. For eighteen months…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devon-ashley/that-horrible-stinging-sensation-returned-the-muscles-behind-my-eyes/) [Devon Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devon-ashley/) > [I could program a 'fabulous, I love it' kind of hit season right now. I'm more interested in breaking boundaries, telling a story, defying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-wolfe/i-could-program-a-fabulous-i-love-it-kind-of-hit-season-right-now-i-m/) [George C. Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-wolfe/) [Browse all 233,035 Love quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“This is not a romance. This is a love story. The characters are flawed to the point of being broken. The hero is beautiful, but ugly in ways that defy the ordinary imagination. The heroine isn’t trapped in a tower, but a dark and lonely room. There is no prince coming to save her. While love blooms and thrives, there is no happily ever after. Love does not always begin or end the way we wish it would”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "C.J. Roberts" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-roberts/this-is-not-a-romance-this-is-a-love-story-the-characters-are-flawed/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Love" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-roberts/this-is-not-a-romance-this-is-a-love-story-the-characters-are-flawed/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad9/c-j-roberts-1400_love_this-is-not-a-romance-this-is-a-love-sto_1950545.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad9/c-j-roberts-1400_love_this-is-not-a-romance-this-is-a-love-sto_1950545.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad9/c-j-roberts-1400_love_this-is-not-a-romance-this-is-a-love-sto_1950545.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“This is not a romance. This is a love story. The characters are flawed to the point of being broken. The…” — C.J. Roberts", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "C.J. Roberts", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-roberts/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“This is not a romance. This...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-roberts/this-is-not-a-romance-this-is-a-love-story-the-characters-are-flawed/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-roberts/this-is-not-a-romance-this-is-a-love-story-the-characters-are-flawed/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```