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Love and Romance

Do Characters in Cozy Mysteries Have Sex?

Good gracious, yes! Mydears, they are going at it hammer and tongs!

The crucial difference between romance in a cozy mystery (and this includes gay cozy mysteries) and a subgenre like romantic suspense is that all sexual activity occurs behind closed doors. Many things, pleasant and unpleasant, occur behind the pretty painted doors of the cozy mystery.

That is one of the rules of the genre.

That doesn’t mean that your gay cozy mystery can’t have a strong and emotionally resonant romantic subplot. In fact, I would argue that having a strong and emotionally resonant subplot is mandatory for a gay cozy mystery.

In my opinion, the gay cozy mystery is where the cozy mystery subgenre and the subgenres of M/M or F/F romance intersect.

In case you aren’t aware, M/M romance focuses on romantic same-sex relationships between male characters. It’s a very popular category within the broader romance genre, appealing to a broad swath of readers, including those in the LGBTQ+ community as well as straight women and others who enjoy exploring the dynamics of romantic relationships between men through fiction.

The same is mostly true of the F/F romance subgenre. However, this is a smaller subgenre, largely lacking the powerhouse readership of straight women.

M/M romance spans various settings, time periods, and subgenres, including contemporary, historical, fantasy, paranormal, and more. The stories typically center on the development of theromanticrelationship between the protagonists, navigating the challenges they face, from societal pressures and personal conflicts to external obstacles that test their love.

Key aspects of M/M romance include character development, emotional depth, and the exploration of themes such as identity, acceptance, and the power of love to overcome adversity. Like other romance genres, M/M romance offers a range of heat levels, from sweet and closed-door romances to more explicit content.

The popularity of M/M romance has grown significantly, with a thriving community of readers and authors contributing to the genre. It’s celebrated for its diversity and inclusivity, providing space for stories that affirm LGBTQ+ experiences and offer varied representations of love and relationships, although many M/M readers will insist that they aren’t interested in books without erotic content.

Ruh-roh.

Now, if you know anything about cozy mysteries, you know that there will never be any onscreen erotic content, gay or straight. That’s not up for debate.

Which means, to some extent, the range of LGBTQ+ experience you can explore within your cozy mystery is limited.

Very simply, while your protagonist’s sexual identity is crucial to the development of their character, the journey to get to where they are when the story begins isnotcrucial or even relevant to the plot of a cozy mystery. It is no more appropriate in an LGBTQ+ cozy mystery than in a cozy mystery with a heterosexual protagonist.

Cozy mysteries aren’t about the protagonist’s backstory (barring the occasional Very Special Episode). They are about the protagonist solving crimes in the here and now.

Your character can identify in whatever way is true to them and meaningful to you. However, there is a limit to how much of their experience you may share on the page.

To reiterate, you may write anything you want. But if you plan to target a cozy mystery reading audience, if you plan to market your book to cozy mystery readers, you have to follow the rules of the genre.

Otherwise, it’s an exercise in frustration for everyone. But mostly you.

What Role Does Romance Play in the Cozy Mystery?

Regardless of what I think, it isnotmandatory to include romance in your cozy mystery; however, the modern trend is to create some kind of romantic interest for your protagonist. Which is why I advise you to adhere to this trend.

Romance in cozy mysteries serves several key roles, augmenting the narrative and adding layers to character development and reader engagement. Unlike in pure romance novels where the love story is the central plot, romance in cozy mysteries complements the main storyline, offering an engrossing subplot that supplements the overall reading experience.

Romance subplots provide a means to explore the protagonist’s character beyond their sleuthing skills. Romantic relationships can reveal vulnerabilities, strengths, desires, and fears, offering a more rounded and relatable character portrait. As the protagonist navigates the ups and downs of romance, readers see their growth and evolution, making them more invested in the character’s journey.

A romantic subplot can introduce additional motives, suspects, and red herrings, making the mystery more complex and engaging. Romance can intertwine with the main plot in surprising ways, where romantic interests might become suspects or unwittingly provide crucial clues, keeping readers guessing until the end.

Cozy mysteries are known for their warm, community-oriented settings that offer a contrast to the darker themes of crime and murder. Romance contributes to this cozy atmosphere by adding elements of love, hope, and human connection, balancing the tension of the mystery with the comfort of interpersonal relationships.

Romantic relationships can heighten the stakes for the protagonist, especially when there are complications along the way, or the love interests are in danger, accused of the crime, or otherwise entangled in the mystery. This added personal stake drives the protagonist’s motivation and invests readers more deeply in the outcome, creating a more compelling narrative.

Romance offers moments of levity and respite from the main plot’s tension, giving readers an emotional break and adding variety to the pacing of the story. These lighter, romantic moments can endear characters to readers and build anticipation for both the resolution of the mystery and the outcome of the romantic storyline.

In cozy mystery series, ongoing romantic subplots can serve as a thread connecting individual books, enticing readers to follow the series to see how the relationship evolves over time. The slow burn of romance across several books can build a loyal readership eager to see their favorite characters find happiness together.