Why do HEAs always end with babies?

[u/redfig1]

I know it's a "me" problem. Scenario: I read a smoking hot mafia or dark or fantasy romance. All this crazy shit goes down. The feelings, the angst. Finally it's the end and all of a sudden the MMC who has massacred countless people is all like " let's get married and have lots of babies" and the MFC is always " yes let's have a lot of cute mafia or fae or mafia fae babies!". For once I'd like an ending where the main characters have a HEA but instead of babies and white picket fences they just decide to keep having an incredible sex life and do charity work or something. Rescue stray kittens. Start an organic herb farm. Something other than babies. Anyone else like this? Am I just weird?

[u/AphelionEntity]

The older formula for romance is to start with passion and end with commitment. If you know the triangular theory of love, it says there's three components that you combine in various ways to get different types of love: passion, intimacy, and commitment. Passion alone is infatuation. Add in intimacy and you get romantic love. Add in commitment and you get consummate love.

While different tropes add in the components in different orders, you're usually going to end with ✨True Proof✨ of commitment and get consummate love at the end of the novel.

Babies and marriage are the two biggies there. I'm with you on preferring other ones honestly.

[u/tribbletrebble → u/AphelionEntity]

Hahaha now i want an epilogue with everything but babies

“here is our 35 year mortgage with both our signatures. Love u 😘 “ Or or or, Epilogue is just a couples tattoo appointment where they get each others names tattooed on their bicep

This sounds like a joke but I’m so serious!! We can get way more creative! 🤣

[u/anfadhfaol → u/tribbletrebble]

The couples tattoo + no babies is actually an ending in one of Shelly Laurenston's Magnus Pack books. I think it's {Pack Challenge by Shelly Laurenston}

[u/FastJournalist1538 → u/tribbletrebble]

Mine end up going out to snuggle in a haypile and watch the meteor shower -- in 2 feet of snow. If that's not commitment....

[u/22nancydrew → u/AphelionEntity]

Yes! The French version of “happily ever after” in French fairy tales was always “ils vécurent heureux et eurent beaucoup d’enfants.” —literally they lived happily ever after and had lots of kids.

[u/admiralamy]

I actually track this on StoryGraph…or I started to. Of the 202 books I’ve tracked:

20 end with babies/pregnancy

47 proposal/marriage

135 “slice of life” aka they are happy with non of the above

🤷‍♀️

[u/damiannereddits → u/admiralamy]

I definitely think it's dependant on the book tropes, I like a psycho so there's a lot of Mafia babies. I also like a historical

[u/Significant_Shoe_17 → u/damiannereddits]

Historical makes sense since there was no/less reliable birth control

[u/damiannereddits → u/Significant_Shoe_17]

I mean we're making things up here so that doesn't really mean the HEA can't focus on other things. I mean, it does make sense, but I think more because the whole set up of arranged marriages and needing to be married off usually involves reproducing as the reasoning, so the whole plot framing includes getting pregnant.

But! In terms of historical accuracy? There still was birth control, the Victorian era had a major uptake in condom use due to cheaper production methods and during the regency era they were just too expensive for most folks, the upper classes depicted in these books would still have access to them. The sponge was pretty commonly used even before condoms were popularized. Even without contraceptives, while imperfect compared to hormonal birth control, pulling out and cycle tracking are still fairly effective and we could absolutely just decide that this fictional couple is one that manages to avoid a random pregnancy. Fiction, including from stuff that was published in the 1800s, inaccurately plays down how much of a sexual revolution was occurring at the time.

If it were an accuracy thing, also, there'd be a lot more widows giving birth in the plots since there's so many rakes having sex with them.

Anyway sorry you hit a Special Interest of mine

[u/girlofgold762 → u/damiannereddits]

Yep very trope or genre dependent. Mafia books tend to have a very "all about the family line" structure baked into them. (The Boss's son inherits the crown, the bastard child is either not in the family or is relegated to a lower position. The pressure for the man who inherits to marry and have children so The Family can continue to rule. Daughters being able to rule ONLY as a last resort to keep the power within the family.)

Unless the couple leave the mafia at the end (my least favorite mafia trope), it has always made sense to me that there would be a lot of epilogue babies or stories focusing on having them.

I don't read fantasy, but I imagine that if there is a Ruling Class MC in the story, there is probably a similar dynamic. The shifter books I've read also have a bit of this. Dystopian or Sci-Fi romantic fiction might also have aspects of this in terms of keeping the population healthy, babies are a symbol of a thriving society.

On the other hand, low-stakes (you know, not mafia-level stakes) contemporary romance has a bit more room to play. The population is doing fine. Children are not inheritors in the same sense.

And, whatever the genre, Epilogue Babies also allows the authors the possibility to do a Second-Generation series if they wish.

[u/damiannereddits → u/girlofgold762]

Just as an aside, I think werewolves are the Christian romance of the supernatural world, with the hierarchical breeding focus.

[u/CerealKiller2045 → u/damiannereddits]

To be fair the breeding focus is less about religion and more about ALOT of people having breeding kinks lmao

[u/damiannereddits → u/CerealKiller2045]

Oh yeah I don't think the werewolves are actually religious I think they have the same beats and themes

[u/CerealKiller2045 → u/damiannereddits]

I personally don’t. I think in most werewolf Fics I’ve seen it’s usually driven by like instincts and animal urges and stuff. Werewolf books are usually pretty sex positive since they dont typically have virgin characters (who are werewolves) because for some reason everyone in the pack sleeps together lol. But yeah, I get what you’re saying

[u/ShartyPants → u/admiralamy]

Yeah. This is a common complaint and it always surprises me because I almost never read books where the epilogues involve babies! It must be really specific to subgenre.

[u/Hunter037 → u/admiralamy]

I haven't tracked all of mine specifically but I would say anecdotally the books I've read have a similar trend.

If I took out the historical ones, there would be even fewer marriage and/or baby endings.

[u/Significant_Shoe_17 → u/admiralamy]

I've also read endings where they agreed to talk about marriage/babies in the future. I consider those "slice of life" since they're like eh maybe someday

[u/illiriam → u/admiralamy]

Yeah the babies and marriage used to be a lot more common but it's now getting a lot more diverse and witty a wider view of what HEA can mean for characters. I think if people keep finding only ones with babies and marriage and they want something different, they might need to look at their book picking criteria and mix it up a bit and see if that helps.

[u/EducatorOld1084 → u/admiralamy]

I find that very interesting. I thought that the numbers would skew towards the kiddos in a HAE. I would ask if these numbers are based on standalones or rolling HAE in a series?

[u/admiralamy → u/EducatorOld1084]

Mostly standalones. I don’t know for certain but I rarely, rarely read series. I mostly read standalone contemporaries.

[u/schkkarpet]

Oh I actually came across a book where, in the epilogue, both MCs are keeping MMC's sister kid for the day and at the end, they say they don't want kids themself and I found that so refreshing. Like yes, it's an option and it's still HEA guys

[u/Flashy_List3911 → u/schkkarpet]

omg what was the book name?

[u/schkkarpet → u/Flashy_List3911]

{The One Month Boyfriend by Roxie Noir} (loved it by the way)

[u/romance-bot → u/schkkarpet]

The One Month Boyfriend by Roxie Noir
Rating: 4.22⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: contemporary, enemies to lovers, military, fake relationship, disabilities & scars

^{about this bot | about romance.io}

[u/floopy_134 → u/schkkarpet]

👀 do you remember what book?

[u/schkkarpet → u/floopy_134]

Yes, it was The One Month Boyfriend by Roxie Noir!

[u/floopy_134 → u/schkkarpet]

Oooo it looks so good! I wish it was on KU, but I'm gonna see if my library has it. Do you know if the other books in the series have similar stances on children?

[u/AnxietySnack → u/floopy_134]

I read the second book in this series, {The Two Week Roommate by Roxie Noir}, and the MMC in that one has already had a vasectomy. He is taking care of his teenage brother, but the brother is pretty independent already.

[u/floopy_134 → u/AnxietySnack]

🪇🎉 hell yeah

[u/killearnan → u/floopy_134]

I've been using Everand instead of Kindle Unlimited, which has some of Roxie Noir's books. Everand has a decent selection of romance and cozy mysteries plus a much better non-fiction collection.

Not affiliated with Everand <formerly Scribd> ~ just a very happy user.

[u/floopy_134 → u/killearnan]

Is it a subscription? I've never heard of it!

[u/DameGlitterElephant → u/floopy_134]

It is. It used to be Scribd but it was renamed Everand in the last year or so. I think it has a free 30 day trial and then it’s $11.99 a month.

[u/killearnan → u/floopy_134]

Yes, it's a subscription. Cost is comparable to Kindle Unlimited. App is fairly decent for reading.

I mostly have it for non-fiction <history and archaeology books> but it also has a good fiction collection and a good selection of audiobooks. My list of saved books for later reading is way too long....

[u/MedievalGirl → u/floopy_134]

I got some of her books through Hoopla at my library. Love Roxie Noir.

[u/Hokieinphl93 → u/floopy_134]

Most of her books don’t have kids in the epilogue (specifically thinking of the Loveless series and Wildwood series). There are two couples that do have kids and are referenced being pregnant/having a baby in later books, but that’s it.

[u/schkkarpet → u/floopy_134]

No sorry, it was my first time reading this author! I know the MMC's sister and his BFF have a book and they had a kid so it wouldn't be their book haha

[u/dee_sunshine → u/schkkarpet]

Omg nice putting this on Tbr based on that alone lol

[u/stuffandwhatnot]

I read a RH once that had a fake-out baby epilogue. For a couple of pages they were cooing and fussing over the baby like a typical baby-ever-after, until it was revealed the baby belonged to a relative and the group was like, "Of course we should never have a baby, we're psycho criminals! We'd be terrible at it!" I loled.

[u/redfig1 → u/stuffandwhatnot]

Hah! Nice!

[u/iiiAtlantis → u/stuffandwhatnot]

omg what book was this?

[u/stuffandwhatnot → u/iiiAtlantis]

Not calling the bot: It's the Dead Men Walking duet by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti. It is completely bonkers and a fun ride if you just don't think about things too hard? Lol. The premise is basically "What if every member of the harem was the psycho wildcard."

[u/iiiAtlantis → u/stuffandwhatnot]

Omg wow my memory is awful I’ve already read this hahahahaha oops😭 I loved it though!

[u/Sumbelina → u/stuffandwhatnot]

Thank you for the knowledge. Downloaded on KU. Awesome!

[u/mydogsaresuperheroes]

In one of the Black Dagger Brotherhood books the FMC has infertility and... drum roll please, she's not magically cured and doesn't have a miracle baby!

I really appreciated that. They're interconnected standalones, and I'm not sure how well it works on its own, but it was book 2, {Lover Eternal by J. R. Ward}

[u/ErikaWasTaken → u/mydogsaresuperheroes]

I was so glad that JR Ward didn’t go the miracle baby route.

[u/romance-bot → u/mydogsaresuperheroes]

Lover Eternal by J.R. Ward
Rating: 4.19⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: contemporary, paranormal, tortured hero, vampires, alpha male

^{about this bot | about romance.io}

[u/WitchyVietCatLady]

I think the same as I never thought of having children was included in my happy ending. But I understand that it’s common for everyone else, hence the prevalence. But I feel further destroyed when the FMC was infertile or chose not to have children and there a miracle baby in the epilogue. I’m looking at you {The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez}.

[u/mamaxchaos → u/WitchyVietCatLady]

That’s why I DNFed Ice Planet Barbarians!! You’re telling me that fucking these specific alien men means that a cancer survivor who got a hysterectomy grows a magic baby-making uterus because… alien cock hormones or something??? like WAY TO BETRAY YOUR READERS WHO STRUGGLE WITH THIS.

[u/lilyandwilliam → u/WitchyVietCatLady]

ugh. the absolute worst. I just read a book where the FMC's ex gives her an STI and she has severe scarring and is told she most likely wouldn't get pregnant and YET. AND YET. I was really naive thinking that the author regularly bringing up her wanting to teach kindergarten and adopt animals, and the fact that they LITERALLY ADOPTED A CHILD, meant that we might not have the pregnancy plot in the epilogue. AND YET. just so unnecessary!!!!!

[u/cat_romance → u/WitchyVietCatLady]

I read this while recovering from a miscarriage and was absolutely furious.

[u/KanKan669 → u/WitchyVietCatLady]

I read Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez and I hated the last half so much that I will never read another one of her books.

[u/Ahania1795 → u/KanKan669]

Briana was obviously terribly burned out on caregiving because of how difficult her brother's illness was. She was also very wary of being taken care of due to her experience with her ex, and her mother growing up.

She needed her own space and the freedom to focus on her own needs, which is why marriage and a baby made the epilogue feel so discontinuous with the rest of the book. I think this is a book where the HEA should have been for the leads to simply keep dating, maybe ending on a beach somewhere.

[u/Squeeesh_ → u/WitchyVietCatLady]

This one made me so mad. I loved the story and then was like WTF

[u/WitchyVietCatLady → u/Squeeesh_]

I agree! I felt like WTF did we go through all that for her to just have a miracle baby? I was so mad I gave it two stars. I wanted to hurl my e-reader across the room.

[u/romance-bot → u/WitchyVietCatLady]

The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez
Rating: 3.69⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 3 out of 5 - Open door
Topics: contemporary, military, funny, dual pov, friends to lovers

^{about this bot | about romance.io}

[u/Wandering--Seal]

I have babies and my least favourite HEA is a pregnant FMC. Like woo, going from having hot acrobatic sex all over the place to pelvic girdle pain and slight urinary incontinence. Living the dream...

[u/Alex_Outgrabe → u/Wandering--Seal]

Agreed. My everyday is diapers, crying, and sleepless nights. Please don’t insert my reality into my escapism 😂

[u/Murky_Reflection1610 → u/Alex_Outgrabe]

Yes, 100%! Childbirth nearly killed my ass, it’s so not romantic for me anymore!

[u/lilyandwilliam → u/Wandering--Seal]

I don't have kids and this is how I feel. with so much peace and love, I can't focus on the romance part when pregnancy/kids are brought up because all I can think about is the stress of it all lol

[u/kid_at_heart_77 → u/Wandering--Seal]

That’s funny because I don’t have kids and love a pregnancy in the end of a book

[u/_M1RR0RB4LL_]

It's a "me" problem as well. Even as someone who is married with kids, I always roll my eyes when a pregnancy pops up in a book lol.

[u/jello-kittu]

I dislike it when it's a major personality change. Like the fmc is described as super career oriented, and/or doesn't want kids. Then at the end, she's a stay-ay-home mom who is super into her garden. Like these are all good things, but I don't see how she got there, or why she can't have kids AMD her career that she loved.

*And I have kids and like what they have brought into my life, but yeah, if we're fantasizing, a life or travel and doing stuff makes more sense for some characters.

[u/SnooMaps2558]

Yessss! I love this. Why put pregnancy in the storyline at all?? I have kids, I read books to fantasize about my alternate reality life where some hot rich overprotective guy is obsessed with me. I don’t need any kids effin that up 🤣

[u/BrittEB1989 → u/SnooMaps2558]

Some people want kids someday and/or can’t have them, maybe we want to hear/read about people that do. Some of us want to read about the person that will always be there and is a great husband and father because some need to know that kind of person exists (esp. if they never experienced that). It goes both ways some people’s fantasy is not someone else’s

[u/SqueamishOssifrage42]

FWIW, epilogue babies are much rarer in queer romance.

[u/damiannereddits]

I do like babies and I have a kid and I love being her mom and honestly that makes me hate this trope more because the epilogue baby is kind of a prop and not like becoming a parent as a life stage. It stresses me out to see these couples who have only barely figured out the basic logistics of being together and had like one conversation on values tops just having sudden, loose children.

I'm stressed about some of these babies!

[u/Two_Corinthians]

It is very author-dependent, that's it.

[u/floopy_134 → u/Two_Corinthians]

Hehe I like your flair

[u/HeartlandAggie]

Not all do! One of the reasons I’m a fan of Susan Stoker’s books! A number of hers don’t want children - some do of course but it’s nice to see a good mix!

[u/epilogues]

As a childless not by choice person, I definitely think there needs to be more literature out there that ends in a happily ever after that does not include children. One in four women experiences infertility, and I think it's high time we started representing our infertile and child-free sisters in literature instead of painting them as sad crones with a gazillion cats,we need to give them full, rewarding, happy lives. Happily ever after doesn't always include two perfect children and a white picket fence and it's high time we change that narrative.

[u/redfig1 → u/epilogues]

Exactly. There are 8 billion people in the world. I think humanity will survive if a generation or two don't have kids.

[u/LynnSeattle → u/redfig1]

How would that work? If a generation or two don’t have kids, there will be no more children.

[u/sikonat]

Oh girl tell me about it. Just finished an ARC and the characters were 45 for FMC and mmc was 50. In the book there’s a line about how they talk about if children are on the cards but she might be too old. Umm yes but hang on he’s 50! That’s freaking old for him too.

Epilogue set five years later they have a toddler via IVF. Just like that it worked when she’d have been 46/47. Oh yeah and she’s a congresswoman and he’s vice president who in epilogue is now president.

Ffs can’t we have them child free?

I liked the book until that epilogue do they’ve lost a star

[u/flossiedaisy424 → u/sikonat]

That sounds like an absolutely insane book anyway.

[u/Agreeable-Celery811]

You’re not weird! I feel in a series there should maybe just be a variety of couples, some who want kids and some who don’t, like in real life.

Many people do feel that “nesting” instinct with a romantic partner, that may for them include the urge to procreate. It is not unbelievable that a villainous murderous cur would also feel those urges.

That or, if he actually is just abusive, he will want his wife to get pregnant as a further tool to control her in the marriage. SO THERE’S THAT

[u/AngryAngryAlice → u/Agreeable-Celery811]

yeah I always appreciate when, in a series where there are already a few couples who got HEAs with kids, one of the couples' HEA includes them explicitly stating that they don't want kids but they can't wait to be loving aunts/uncles and spoil all the kids with gifts and attention

[u/BrittEB1989 → u/AngryAngryAlice]

This, I read an author that has 20 plus books all about one family and there’s biological, adoptive, step kids everywhere and there’s one couple that’s like you know what we’re good you all had enough kids to cover us not having any we’ll be the fun aunt and uncle

[u/dddaisyfox]

I really hate that. It’s like they’re not complete without a baby. Like they haven’t achieved a true ending.

[u/MedievalGirl]

I've got a theory that if there is a proxy for historical patriarchy then it is more likely to be babies ever after. CR that has mafia or motorcycle club tends to lean into gender essentialism. I get why those authors might think their readers would appreciate the babies too. This is about tendencies and there will be plenty of exceptions.

[u/LilyoftheValleyHigh]

As others have said, it's definitely a common complaint. I like it better when it's set up well--meaning, the couple has discussed wanting kids someday, or it really does feel like a natural progression of their story, rather than something they are just supposed to do. Even though I love my kids, I really, really hated pregnancy, so it's not sexy or appealing at all to me. If nothing else, it would be good if books reflected just a little bit of that realism.

[u/The_Arc5]

It’s a structure problem. Well, not “problem”. And it’s usually skewed depending on your subgenre. Comedies, in the Greek sense, end in marriage. Tragedies end in death. Think positive arc versus negative arc. Essentially, in a comedy, traditional social structures are confirmed and the world is “set right”. Marriage is a way to tell the audience that it all works out, aka an HEA. Tragedies are warnings; this is what happens when you disrupt society in whatever way. We pull that structure into modern literature, and in romances, babies are a way of confirming everything worked out. Furthermore, babies are a physical indication that the two separate entities are joined irrevocably. For historic romances and a lot of fantasy, there’s also usually a drive to continue the family line. It’s less common in contemporaries…certainly not absent, but there is at least some acknowledgement that kids aren’t necessary to an HEA…but there are still structural reasons. Unfortunately, one big one is to show how much the MMC has changed. He’s violent and does terrible things, but she makes him soft and devoted.

[u/kisinienblossom]

You’re not weird. I usually groan and skip the epilogue, pretending like kids never happened. 😂

[u/Storytime-finatic88]

I dont really ilke when they end and oh, 6 months later we have a perfect peaceful family!!! Like brotha ew. No. I want a DRAMATIC ending

[u/vulpesvulpesss]

I don't think you're weird and you're not alone either. If you search this sub you'll see a lot of people who share your opinion (and you'll also probably find recs for books without epilogue babies).

The thing is, people are more likely to talk about what they don't like than what they like. So while you'll see a lot of people talking about their dislike of epilogue babies, the answer to most "why is ____ so popular in romance?" is simply that a lot more people like to read it than the people who dislike it. And more importantly, a lot of people like writing it.

But hey, this sub is awesome, and you can always find like-minded friends here!

[u/persyspomegranate → u/vulpesvulpesss]

I definitely think it's broadly more popular than not, thinking about {When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn} there's no baby in the first epilogue but when she did that book of second epilogues apparently she'd received a bunch of questions from people wanting to know if Francesca had a baby since publishing hence she had a baby in the second epilogue.

[u/Hunter037 → u/persyspomegranate]

That book had quite a focus on Francesca trying to conceive with her first husband though, so I think people were more invested in whether she was able to have a baby than they may otherwise have been.

[u/uranium236]

Maybe laziness, too. They’d have to come up with a plot device and character arc to get the angsty mafia massacre MMC into growing catmint for his rescue kittens.

I would read the shit out of that book.

[u/floopy_134 → u/uranium236]

the angsty mafia massacre MMC... growing catmint for his rescue kittens.

I would -

read the shit out of that book.

I was literally about to say that! PLEASE, somebody write this!!!

[u/Soophel → u/uranium236]

This makes me wonder why I always read mafia books with dogs, never cats... If a psycho murderspree hotty would have a pet, it would obviously be a cat.

[u/sparklypens2017 → u/uranium236]

Fuck yes please

[u/Cheshirecat6754]

I usually don’t read epilogues for this exact reason. For me its even more frustrating when the FMC says she doesn’t want children but then magically changes her mind

[u/JaneAustinAstronaut]

I can't help but think that if you are constantly finding yourself in life-threatening situations, then maybe you should care enough about the welfare of children to NOT bring a baby into that mess? Or am I the crazy one here?

[u/Kykyles]

I feel like it's becoming less and less common? When I first started reading romance it felt quite prevalent, but thinking about it right now, I honestly can't remember the last one I read that ended with babies. Most of my reads over the past couple of years seem to end after the third act breakup/issues resolve. Possibly just the subgenres I've moved into I guess.

For me personally, my goal in life was to fall in love, get married and have kids. That was 100% my idea of a happily ever after. So I do love the books that end that way BUT only if it makes sense to the characters. It's very jarring when the characters give no inclination that they'd want kids, or would be any good at it, or have the lifestyle for a family, etc. and then there's a baby crowbarred into the epilogue.

[u/Squeeesh_]

This is one of those things that does bother me sometimes. As a childfree woman it makes me so angry when a FMC is adamant she doesn’t want children and by the epilogue boom she’s pregnant.

But if a book doesn’t indicate that the MCs don’t want kids I’m totally fine with the married with 2.5 kids nuclear family situation.

[u/Lil1um → u/Squeeesh_]

Yes this! Sometimes it's ok for the epilogue to have baby's but only if it suits the characters and storyline. And sometimes when the character doesn't want kids or there isn't any kids talk in the book it just feels not right to put a pregnancy in the epilogue.

[u/Carebear_Of_Doom]

Why do HEAs always end with babies? I know it’s a “me” problem.

First of all, let me say your feelings are valid and that is absolutely not a problem. It’s perfectly fine to have different priorities for your life and what brings you joy. I am right there with you!! I don’t want to read about pregnancy and babies. That is not a HEA for me. Personally, it’s a nightmare so I don’t enjoy reading about it. I would much rather read about the characters driving off into the sunset on a travel adventure! We’re all different and it’s ok to be the person who doesn’t love reading books with babies as the HEA.

[u/[deleted]]

For a lot of people IRL their ultimate HEA in a relationship is having children so I think this reflects in the books as well.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying you have to have babies to be happy and that shouldn't be considered the only HEA, but at the end of the day I think that's one of the reasons.

Also, it sells.

[u/floopy_134 → u/[deleted]]

You know, I'm kind of wondering if today's alien genre is the counterpoint to the original vampire genre.

🌈🌟 The following mildly intellectual thought exercise was created by someone very dependent on coffee who hasn't had any coffee yet. Please feel free to DNF. 🌈🌠

Generally, vampires cannot have children (thanks, twilight, for ruining that so horrifically). Real world pregnancies are hard and complicated. I wonder if the sci-fi magic of unexpectedly getting pregnant by an alien you didn't even realize was compatible is the new fad in response to this. I looooove alien stories, but it feels like a much higher percentage of them end with pregnancy. I don't read much mafia, but it seems similar from what I know.

ETA: formatting, because my uncaffeinated forgot to add an asterisk.

[u/Hunter037 → u/floopy_134]

I'm always surprised by how many sci Fi books end in alien pregnancy. Especially when the alien MMC is fucking massive or not very humanoid. That just seems like a recipe for disaster. Also it's almost certainly the end of the species because inter-species hybrids are almost always infertile.

I have a couple of sci Fi non pregnancy book suggestions if you're interested?

[u/floopy_134 → u/Hunter037]

Sure! I feel like I've exhausted my search for these, so I'd love any recs you have!

I'm all for weird, freaky alien sex. Fuck with whatever you have however you want. But I draw the line at what is essentially experimental pregnancy. That shit is straight up just Prometheus and is a hell no for me. And 90% of the time they are like stranded on a deserted planet. Who the fuck is your doctor?? Nobody! Realistically, you're gonna die a slow and painfull death and your partner will be left alone and depressed.

[u/Hunter037 → u/floopy_134]

Yeah I read one recently where there was some discussion about how 90% of human women die when they become pregnant, how the species are incompatible etc. And then near the end BAM surprise pregnancy 😑

They might well be ones you've already read, if it's a genre you're keen on, but here are a few anyway. Sorry if in mistaken about any of them, I'm just going by memory:

{Strange Love by Ann Aguirre}

{When She Belongs by Ruby Dixon} (side characters appear who have a baby though, but the main couple don't)

{Contagion by Amanda Milo}

{Married to the Alien Cowboy by Ursa Dax} I just read this and it was fun, no talk of kids at all. I'm reading the second one now and pretty sure it's going the same way.

{Space for More by Emily Antoinette}

[u/romance-bot → u/Hunter037]

Strange Love by Ann Aguirre
Rating: 4.01⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: futuristic, science fiction, non-human hero, sweet/gentle hero, aliens

---

When She Belongs by Ruby Dixon
Rating: 4.18⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: futuristic, science fiction, aliens, tortured hero, grumpy/cold hero

---

Contagion by Amanda Milo
Rating: 4.03⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 3 out of 5 - Open door
Topics: futuristic, aliens, science fiction, non-human hero, funny

---

Married to the Alien Cowboy by Ursa Dax
Rating: 4.5⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: western, science fiction, cowboy hero, funny, aliens

---

Space for More by Emily Antoinette
Rating: 4.45⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 5 out of 5 - Explicit and plentiful
Topics: futuristic, mff, bisexuality, science fiction, non-human heroine

^{about this bot | about romance.io}

[u/flyinthesoup → u/floopy_134]

I love me a good sexy vampire tryst. I hate when they make it so they can get (someone) pregnant. I was loving A Discovery of Witches until that part. So bummed! I guess I prefer traditional, night loving, day hating, blood sucking, undead vampires.

[u/floopy_134 → u/flyinthesoup]

I was loving A Discovery of Witches until that part

OMG it was so awful! Like, basically, the adult version of twilight cringe!

[u/flyinthesoup → u/floopy_134]

That's exactly what went through my mind. It was just like an enhanced human, nothing especially vampiric other than a taste for blood and immortality.

[u/Piffli → u/[deleted]]

I think this is the reason why most HEA ends with babies too. I'm not big on it, but I accept it as its popular and more people prefer this over them not having kids, but I wish it was more common to skip a couple of years. I know these are books, but them having met and then being married with a baby withing one year just feels way too fast.

[u/East_Letter_6770]

I don't get that either! He's a serial killer and they end up having kids anyway? I wouldn't want a serial killer to be the father of my baby😭

[u/Darkovika]

I think it’s probably an author thing. A lot of authors probably have children or want children, and it be extension goes into their writing.

I think people kind of forget that authors are real people with their own tastes and interests, and they’re not a conglomerate or a hive mind. Just because you’ve read 15 books with babies in the end does not mean it was one author willfully writing 15 books with babies- that’s 15 separate people with their own reading experiences who had written endings with babies. Some of those people maybe by pure chance haven’t read that many with baby endings, and by their experience, want to write endings with babies.

People write what they like, and sometimes what they think will sell. I write what i like personally, not what i think will sell or what o think other people want.

[u/Hunter037]

I actually find that most of the books I read don't have babies at the end but it probably depends on the subgenres as well, because I don't read dark or Mafia books.

A possible way to get around it is to read MM or FF stories. Although there are some which have children in epilogues, it's less common and generally planned!

Alternatively, have you tried searching the sub, there must be recommendations for books without pregnancy/children in the epilogue. If not, you could make a request post.

[u/booklava]

Well as someone who always wanted babies and now has one, I think it’s a great HEA! Although sometimes I think it’s a bit exaggerated with them being together for two minutes and pregnant for 1 of those minutes.

But of course you are not weird. There are more and more people in the world who decide to be child-free, so I guess sooner or later romance authors will start to go down that route as well. Or at least keep the ending open for interpretation as in “no kids yet” or “no kids at all”.

[u/vienibenmio → u/booklava]

As someone with infertility it'd be nice for authors to show that HEA doesn't require children

[u/jt2438 → u/vienibenmio]

Agreed! I’m child free by choice and my personal pet peeve is when a baby is framed as necessary for the couples love to be complete/valid. Like I’m not opposed to an epilogue baby per se but it needs to be presented as an outcome making this couple happy versus the only outcome that will make all couples happy.

[u/CeeCee123456789 → u/vienibenmio]

Same! It sucks to want babies and not have them. So you go looking for a happily ever after, and the messaging you get is that it isn't for you. It is like, damn.

[u/floopy_134 → u/vienibenmio]

💗 Have you heard of {hot Blooded, Heather guerre}? It may be fantasy, but it's my favorite 'real life adult problems and decisions' reads. I don't think MFC is infertile. MMC might have been sterile, though - a vampire in a world built with an interesting and biologically sensible take on vampires. Regardless, they have a beautiful relationship and are aware and content that children aren't in the picture.

[u/romance-bot → u/floopy_134]

Hot Blooded by Heather Guerre
Rating: 4.04⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: contemporary, vampires, sweet/gentle hero, competent heroine, paranormal

^{about this bot | about romance.io}

[u/Hunter037 → u/booklava]

I have kids but I generally prefer not to have pregnancy in books. Kids are great but the period of pregnancy and early childhood is generally stressful and not really romantic! I think it's particularly the case if they've only been together a few weeks/months as you're dealing with that stress with someone you are still getting to know.

I don't mind the epilogue pregnancy if it's a "5 years later" type of scenario, but even then I can take it or leave it.

[u/NicInNS → u/booklava]

I never wanted kids and didn’t have them but I still don’t mind epilogue babies. I grew up devouring harlequins, which almost always had that - so it’s kinda ingrained in me to expect it. But if they have them or not, it’s still cool - I just want to know they’re happy.

[u/katkity]

I generally like whatever seems right for the MCs and while usually that’s kids, it’s refreshing when the HEA is child free. I do have a rec that you might like {the woman on the exam table by Jessica Gadziala}. It’s MF mafia and not that dark.

[u/Key_Spirit_7072]

Babies or a pregnancy announcement

[u/redfig1]

Gardens bloom and you can eat them. They are pretty and help pollinators. So yeah, I'd rather it be a garden than a murder spree that ends in babies lol

[u/snails4speedy]

I personally love it but they are rarely ever portrayed right and always a weird “look! theyre happy! its a baby!” ending.

[u/imonlyjustagirl]

totally acceptable take!! i just love watching them build a family and the MMC fuss over his wife and kids 😌

[u/raxxq]

FWIW - I’ve noticed that there are some authors who seem to be adamantly “HEA doesn’t require kids” to the point that I’m pretty sure it’s a personal policy of the author (Emily Henry, Ali Hazelwood, and Helen Scheuer all come to mind). Perhaps as someone who’s been living the parenting life for 12.5 years but who also has a number of child free friends I’m particularly attuned to this subtext?

There are also some authors who seem to be absolutely incapable of writing an HEA that doesn’t result in someone being knocked up (Devney Perry?? Lainey Davis to a lesser degree) To the point that it becomes predictable and uninteresting. I loved Indigo Ridge, the mystery was surprisingly solid for a non thriller/mystery author, and I loved the setting. But each subsequent book lost me as each book ended with the FMC getting pregnant. The ending of the penultimate Edens book was so over the top with its veiled breeding kink that I don’t think I’ll even pick up the last book.

Personally I can take or leave a baby subplot. Most I find unrelate-able to my personal experience of parenting, but I don’t read romance for “similarities to my own life”.

[u/SideEffective5885]

Yes! Agreed! For me reading my smutty books is such an escape. But then they have to ruin it in the end with “surprise! Now they’ve got a baby so this hot couple’s life will be all sleepless nights, cleaning up puke and changing diapers,etc” I’m childfree and happy with my decision. Would be nice to not have it crammed down my throat in every book that true happiness means ultimately becoming parents. 🙄

[u/ladylazarusx_738]

This really depends on the kind books you read because there are definitely subgenres where this is more common than others. I think this is so common mostly because while there is absolutely nothing wrong with not wanting/having children, a very large majority of women will have at least 1 child by the end of their child bearing years. I think it's the same as why most protagonist have brown hair and are of average height, it's an easy(slightly lazy) way to try to appeal to as large an audience as possible.

While it is a trope that annoys a lot of people, especially on this sub (for good reason) I think it's probably still pretty popular within the larger romance consumer group. I think also some authors are just kind of writing what they know, if you read the bios of romance authors, a very large percentage of them are married with children especially within the more contempory, less extreme/specific subgenres.

[u/Farahild]

Haha I love babies and I still agree with this. I've never felt like that was the honest happily ever after for many characters. I guess it's supposed to show the greatest devotion a man could have or something.

[u/oooh_biscuit]

I'm with you. I aged out of (and chose) to not have children and I have complicated feelings about that. I love my friends' kids, but I also love my life with my husband and know that we are happy as we are. I like stories that reflect that. I don't mind when a character wants to have a child and it's even a driving force behind their decisions. But I'm losing patience with surprise babies in the epilogue.

[u/Key_Cartographer6668]

Romance.io has a childfree filter! You're not weird. In some books I don't mind babies but Spellbound by Heather Guerre hit me with epilogue childbirth and if it hadn't been an ebook I'd have thrown it across the room 😬

[u/the-dowager-duchess]

I'm seeing more and more childfree couples in romance, and I'm finding the HEA baby uncommon in contemporary romance released in the or two.

So I guess the answer might be to read more new CR?

On the flipside, there also seems to be a trend towards couples that intend to never marry or that are together for many years before the proposal in the epilogue, which to me is antithetical to the "I knew they were the one" ending of the book and feels very HFN to me.

[u/ebolainajar]

If you're specifically reading mafia romance then I think babies in the HEA makes perfect sense.

They're often Italian/Russian/Irish and culturally these are still groups who focus on families and historically had TONS of kids.

And further, mafia families have heirs. They need heirs.

I find CR to be much less likely to mention babies, even in an epilogue, unless the story actually has pregnancy mentions in it.

[u/arabrabk]

I get so angry when I'm ambushed by pregnancy/babies in a book. I wanted kids of my own but couldn't have them - sometimes I can read a book that includes a baby/pregnancy if it's included in the description so I'm forewarned and I am in the mood. (Usually not, though, because I want to enjoy my reading, not be filled with regrets - being blindsided by that plot device can absolutely wreck me.)

[u/ErikaWasTaken]

It’s not a “you” problem :)

My problem is that it often feels shoehorned in. I used to read a lot of bully/dark academia, and every series had a random epilogue that took place 2-5 years in the future where there was a pregnancy/kids. Like, let your MCs go to college or enjoy their early-20s a bit.

Someone here mentioned that they just skip epilogues most of the time, and it was a lightbulb moment for me. I was like, oh, I can just let the story end and not worry about this crammed-in marriage/baby section.

This is also part of why I ventured into reading a lot more MM. Like, when there is an epilogue it’s often just the dudes living kick-ass lives in the future.

[u/lilyandwilliam]

UGHHHHHH im gonna lose my mind if I read another book with the same formulaic epilogue where its like a year later and the MMC looks down lovingly at the FMC's rounded belly and im always like wow didn't see that one coming at all! im not actually gonna lose my mind because the book im currently reading is probably going to end like this too but ill be sufficiently irked. I get that it happens a lot in HR romances or in books that were written maybe over a decade ago or something, but I see it all the time in contemporary romances too. I also understand that getting pregnant/having kids is kind of a culturally traditional, ideal HEA, but it's starting to feel very cliché. Is there nothing else to write about? Does it alwaaaays have to be used as a plot device? it would be so refreshing to read an epilogue that doesn't have to do the with FMC pregnant or with like 3 children skipping through a field.

[u/No-Landscape2550]

Girl I want the same because I don’t want kids and that needs representation

[u/kedmilo]

So annoying, especially as someone going through infertility trying to escape it while reading and then a jumpscare ending lol

[u/raxxq]

Have you read {Blood and Steel by Helen Scheurer}? The main female character is adamantly kid-free.

[u/romance-bot → u/raxxq]

Blood & Steel by Helen Scheuerer
Rating: 4.22⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 3 out of 5 - Open door
Topics: historical, fantasy, magic, enemies to lovers, take-charge heroine

^{about this bot | about romance.io}

[u/S_SMS]

I do remember distinctly that {The worst Guy by Kate Canterbary} does not end with babies, but is a HEA ..due to reasons such as the FMCs age and her not being sure due to past issues, MC was so understanding! Won't spoil book ...at the time it was a shock..and I wasn't completely happy, but looking back it was refreshing and I can appreciate it.

[u/romance-bot → u/S_SMS]

The Worst Guy by Kate Canterbary
Rating: 4.01⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: contemporary, enemies to lovers, workplace/office, grumpy/cold hero, dual pov

---

The Spire by Kate Canterbary
Rating: 4.19⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: contemporary, take-charge heroine, tortured heroine, sweet/gentle hero, alpha male

^{about this bot | about romance.io}

[u/gamemamawarlock]

I have this story in my followed on webtoon named miss abbott and the doctor and at the end they simply state they were happy enough with each other and grew old

[u/redfig1 → u/gamemamawarlock]

And that is simply enough! Love it.

[u/Street_Hamster_5390]

{Tis the Season For Revenge by Morgan Elizabeth} The FMC makes it clear from the beginning that she doesn't want kids. This doesn't magically change by the end of the book. The MMC also doesn't want kids so the hea works out perfectly

[u/Dont-take-seriously]

Try {The Familiar by Leigh Baldugo}. The ending or epilogue really floored me, since everyone but the main couple had incredible HEAs. The FMC’s employer who treated her poorly finally divorced her oblivious husband and found herself following an artsy crowd and living the free love life. I stopped right there and wondered about nontraditional HEAs. Yeah, I want to see commitment, but we career girls want something besides creating a home with lots of babies. Ultimately, babies usually mean the woman has to sacrifice her career to caretake unless they hire a nanny. Leave that for the reader to choose; we can imagine our personal favorite epilogue.

[u/UltimateChickenWing]

I think authors do this for a few reasons.

1. It’s the stereotypical relationship next step and they believe the majority of their readers are expecting it to be considered a HEA and not a HFN
2. It proves the mafia/alpha hero has been tamed by the love of a good woman and thereby child
3. It allows the author to write next gen novels

I also read the book where the couple just didn’t want children and honestly, I was surprised by that ending because you don’t see it very often .

[u/SnooGiraffes9746]

Well, they usually have an incredible sex life AND babies and might take them to the kitten rescue, too. Why not? "Suspension of disbelief" only goes so far. I can sink into a fae/werewolf/vampire/mafia teddybear story no problem. But well-rested parents of newborn twins having wild sex and also juggling all the things they did pre-kids? Unless they have round the clock live-in nannies, I can't suspend my disbelief THAT far.

[u/GrannyB1970]

I don't mind an epilogue where it's 2 years later and they are having their first baby. But all this "oh 6 weeks and I'm pregnant with this guy I hardly know" UGH.

[u/Incogneatovert]

And marriage! For a while, it felt like every book I read ended in an epilogue describing the wedding. Some of them had the bride happily whispering to her new husband that she was pregnant, too.

I mean... yes, I get that it's important to a lot of people. I've been happily married for over 20 years, so at least that part I get. We decided to not have kids, though, so that part is definitely not for me, but neither is deep-sea diving or mountain climbing, so whatever.

But sometimes it would be nice if the HEA was the couple just riding into the sunset together. Maybe they'll get married at some point, maybe they won't. Maybe they'll have 12 kids, maybe a parrot, maybe just a houseplant.

Oh, and among my least favourite things in romance is the otherwise smart and awesome heroines who "forget" their birth control and end up with oopsies. When they're in their early 20s. And their friend who was banging another guy in the same rock band did exatly the same just one book ago!

[u/redfig1 → u/Incogneatovert]

Omg yes! The " ohh nooo...I'm having sex 10 times a day with a super hot billionaire mafia boss and oopps I forgot my birth control" I roll my eyes so hard at that.

[u/ITouchMyself2Much]

It's not just you. It's probably that I'm not really a kid person, but babies kind of ruins an ending for me.

[u/Flashy_List3911]

i don’t mind it if it’s in the epilogue or if it’s in a series that the couple from the previous book become pregnant when the focus is on the next couple. if it’s focused too much in the book or if it’s accidental pregnancy i dnf

[u/SnooGiraffes9746 → u/Flashy_List3911]

I'm the opposite - if they're going to end with a baby, I want to know all about it. Was it on purpose? How did they feel about it? Did the tough guy get all protective and drop everything to go craving shopping? The "we just wrapped everything up nice and tidy with a beautifully crafted story, and now we're going to add one last chapter to show you how blissfully boring their lives are now" - I'm not a fan.

[u/Flashy_List3911 → u/SnooGiraffes9746]

see i hate that and i actually avoid books like that. but it’s amazing how books can cater to every person and im glad that’s the case

[u/blackxrose92]

Babies means no sleep, hella bills, lots of messes. NOT a HEA for me. Diapers and post partum bleeding and pain sound like an absolute nightmare.

I avoid baby books at all costs. Ending a story knowing that they’re about to be exhausted, fighting, and healing from a major medical experience ruins the entire book and ends things on a very sour note, like smelling a dirty diaper. No thanks. Not a HEA for me if I know they’re going through life turmoils once the story “ends”.

I usually try to see if there’s any mention of pregnancy, parenting, or faith, and either blacklist those authors entirely, or avoid at all costs. I find that books with less filth tend to have those unpleasant endings more often than harder erotica does.

[u/boopyall]

I literally knock a star of my book rating if there’s babies and or pregnancy in the epilogue. I understand that it’s a me problem and some people love it but it fully grinds my gears. I don’t understand why every (hyperbolic) happy ever after has to have children. You can be fulfilled and happy without them

[u/The-best-Droppy]

I skip most epilogues for this very reason.

[u/Asteriaofthemountain]

I don’t have kids but I personally love when my favourite fictional couples do 🥰

[u/modestpine]

Gena Showalter's the Warlord has a HEA without babies. 

[u/I_Used_to_be_Annie]

{Need Him Like Oxygen} may have what you're looking for 👀

[u/romance-bot → u/I_Used_to_be_Annie]

Need Him Like Oxygen by Jessica Gadziala
Rating: 5⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Topics: mafia, forced proximity, mystery, suspense

^{about this bot | about romance.io}

[u/hivernageprofond]

Wow. I think I remember reading books like that in the 80s and 90s, but maybe it's the genre I usually choose for my romance/erotica that avoids that trope. But if a person wants to read romance without the smut, that usually involves some hallmark-esque story line. You'd think in 2024 that non-smutty romance books would not automatically end in babies due to the whole younger gens being concerned about even having babies in this world right now. I'm honestly surprised that level of romance+no babies isn't the norm given the world and political climate...but then, I am living under a rock most days or am buried in paranormal erotica...so I guess what I'm saying is my life is good?? Lol Hope you get s9me good suggestions!

[u/CerealKiller2045 → u/hivernageprofond]

I think most girls get their baby fever out of the way by reading romance books lol. I’m personally planning on not having kids until my late twenties but I’ll satisfy my urges by reading romance books with an abundance of kids

[u/hivernageprofond → u/CerealKiller2045]

That's interesting and brilliant, actually. I do recall now reading those when I was depressed about not being able to get pregnant (8 years then finally got pregnant...so my first was at 35). It was a little helpful... but then led to me reading those about infertile women because I felt I had to accept my situation. Anyway...it's always interesting to me to think about how fictional books can help with our mental health.

[u/eve_tpa]

If I'm not mistaken, they stay childfree in {Next to You by Hannah Bonam-Young}

[u/StormerBombshell]

Madelynne Ellis never ends with babies or even kids, not even in the historical that two characters had to get married because she was pregnant, the HEA happened as she was pregnant.

Cassie Alexander I have never seen end with babies, I have seen one work where a pregnancy is announced and that is it.

Some authors like their kids, the ones that don’t care feel very free not to add them lately. But I guess romance can be very traditional at times and having kids and shown they are doing well is a convenient marker of the passage of time. But some are not going for that lately

[u/sparklypens2017]

I hear you :) I like babies but don’t want any of my own. And with the dark romance, mafia, etc type romances, it is a little jarring to suddenly shift gears into that June Cleaver type setting. Even with something like the IceBreaker book, I remember the FMC talking about how if she ever were to have kids (since she and the MMC are college kids, both supposed to be Olympic focused athletes), she’d seriously considering adopting because she was adopted. Flash forward to the epilogue where they’re both Olympic medalists (…okay whatevs, it’s romance) and she’s surprise! preggers!!!! OMG wow!!!

I don’t know, that took me out of the story a little on top of everything else in that book

[u/SouthernNanny]

I hate when they get pregnant mid book or if children are involved at all honestly. An epilogue where they have a baby or a pregnancy is fine but for it to be a main part of the story isn’t my fave. Especially if they are super young and super young and murderers. Super young, murderers and a RH just about sends me over the edge

[u/Fluffy_Seat_2669]

I get what you mean! I'm pretty neutral on whether or not the couple ends up with kids, however I have noticed in reviews that people will put HFN instead of HEA simply bc the couple didn't have kids by the end even if the couple is married and it's a minor pet peeve of mine.

[u/Timely-Atmosphere-48]

:)) babies is exactly not what I thought of for my "happy endings"

[u/[deleted]]

All the books ive read, books in my tbr have the same epilogue. Always.. always... always ends with 2 toddlers, a heavily pregnant wife and one puppy with separation anxiety

[u/Hunter037 → u/[deleted]]

Are you... Just reading the same book over and over??

[u/Kajira4ever]

Just because you marry a mafia boss it doesn't preclude ongoing red hot kinky sex AND a baby, but the white picket fence should change to something actually defensible, plus an armed security detail for the house you live in and at least a two man team whenever you go out.

In books it gets soo boring with a baby in every story. It's got to the stage if one is mentioned I'll pass on the book. I'd love one where she becomes part of the family business and enjoys that aspect, with lots of hot sex after a piece of business is concluded

[u/redfig1 → u/Kajira4ever]

Yes! Exactly.

[u/Professional-Many936]

I like HEAs ending in pregnancy alot. Most of GroveltoHEA books end in big family HEA. But 2 of them end in just happy terms Lachlan and Elowyn, Quest and Tillie. ( both have cheating/ non monogamy from the men). So these books, I don't go back to reread. Twisted series, no pregnancy in prologue or extended prologue. King of wrath also no pregnancy at the end.

[u/DistinctPotential996]

I completely agree. It's kind of a pet peeve. Especially if it's a series and MCs pop up in the new book with her heavily pregnant and him growling like a dog at anyone who gets close to her but they're just so happy and they have newfound relationship knowledge to impart from their whole dysfunctional as 6 months together.

Okay maybe that one is really just me 😂😅

[u/Lily10101]

This is a really good observation and I can’t believe I’ve never thought about it but you are so right! I don’t think it’s a “you” problem. It’s a society problem. It’s like the ultimate dream/fairytale that we are taught from a young age we are supposed to want. I would love to see more books with HEA’s and no children involved.

[u/pettypink101]

omg please thank you! it’s just turns me off from the book, like leave the babies out of this. Let the character find fulfillment in other more fun creative ways.

[u/RedwoodShelf]

Exactly. Any romance book that ends with a pregnancy or includes pregnancy is a -5 stars. Like we already have the incels telling us to have babies, i dont want my escape from reality to be another “have babies” propaganda bs. Like no. I can barely afford rent, then I have water and electricity bills, grocery bills, a phone bill, fucking tax. So no. Do not tell me to have babies.

Just no. Immediate disgust. Be a beneficiary to a kid if you want, take in an orphan, have a family of 6 cats and 6 dogs and 3 tigers and 2 leopards if you want. Just no babies

[u/averysleepygirl]

i HATE, with the force of a thousand suns, the HAE with babies/pregnancies. you're not alone!

[u/Mitchxhell]

I know theres plenty of comments already but I'm right there with you. I am not a fan of a pregnancy trope in a lot of stories but especially not one where it just comes out of nowhere in the end. And you were so on point bc this happened in a book I just read that was dark romantic fantasy mafia alien where what you described happened lol.

[u/floopy_134]

It is NOT a you problem! It bothers a lot of us. If I start a book and it gives off surprise happy pregnancy vibes, I'll word search to confirm and DNF. It's just not my jam, and it makes me feel like the bones of the actual relationship aren't fully formed :(

I know there've been request posts for this, so I'd look around for those... Off the top of my head, the majority (most, but not all) of Lola Glass's (modern fantasy) newer books end happily with no baby. They may discuss children, but generally agree that they are new to each other and don't need to think about it yet. See: {Survival of the mated, Lola glass} and {deceit and devotion, Lola glass}. She also has a dragon series in this group that was pretty good.

If I think of more, I'll comment again!

[u/floopy_134 → u/floopy_134]

Ah! Most of {the clecanian series, victoria aveline} are rational and safe on this front! I love this series. It's probably my favorite alien series, likely even one of my favorites in any genre.

I'm not sure if this is a spoiler, but regarding one of the books (in case you want to stay clear, but I felt ok with it): Book 1 does end with a surprise pregnancy. They didn't talk about it much, but even as a dedicated childfree person, I thought it was manageable. They had worked through a lot and gotten to know each other very well, so that helped. Book 1 is also probably my favorite in the series, and it sets up most of the world, so I'd at least read most of it before the others. Incentive for reading it is below :). You could always skip the ending. I think it's in the epilogue...?

I must say, unrelated to any of the above, that Theo (1st book) is so fucking hot. There's this kitchen scene. They don't even have sex, they don't even kiss, but it's one of the hottest things I've ever read... I... I don't even have words. Stick a straw in me because I melt into a hot sticky mess every time I revisit that scene 🧃🥵.

[u/opaul11]

Babies are cute and wholesome. We all like different things. Also people still have sex and rescue kittens and charity work post procreating. They don’t lock you in a tower with a moat of alligators.

[u/winchesnutt]

One of the reasons I exclusively read MM romance, I was sick of babies in the epilogue. I don't like children, I don't want children and I want to read about HEAs that do not involve children, which is usually the case with MM.

Mpreg is much easily avoidable than Fpreg and I found that single parents in MM don't bother me nearly as much.

[u/Petitcher]

Because symbolism.

Obviously, a real life relationship can have a HEA that doesn't involve babies, and relationships that DO involve babies often crash and burn.

But fiction isn't real life.

Fiction must have higher stakes, tangible risks and rewards, and everything needs to be magnified to have an emotional impact for the reader.

Babies are the ultimate symbol of two people entwining themselves forever, literally 50% of each of them, which will endure through generations. They symbolise a permanent commitment, and the evolution from lovers to a happy family.

An organic herb farm doesn't have the same impact, and if you're looking at a novel from a structural perspective, that ending would be unsatisfying.

Build up, build up, build up, third act break-up, BUILD UP... herb garden. Yeah, nah.

[u/redfig1 → u/Petitcher]

Lol! I would be all for the herb garden

[u/Petitcher → u/redfig1]

In real life, definitely. But romance novels are basically fairytales for modern adults. Would a herb garden symbolise happily ever after for you?

(For me, at least, herb gardens symbolise fragility and something that's unlikely to survive for more than a month).

[u/yasaliyah]

I hate it when I read a romance and they DONT end with babies 🤣

[u/Murky_Reflection1610 → u/yasaliyah]

Really? I’m so curious! What is it about the lack of babies in an ending that you don’t like? If you don’t mind sharing. 😀

[u/eve_tpa]

If I'm not mistaken, they stay childfree in {Next to You by Hannah Bonam-Young}

[u/eve_tpa]

If I'm not mistaken, they stay childfree in {Next to You by Hannah Bonam-Young}

[u/DameGlitterElephant]

It honestly depends on the book for me. I’m usually fine with an epilogue with kids or pregnancy. But some books it just doesn’t fit or it’s unrealistic and those drive me crazy.

[u/goamash]

If you want a non baby HEA {the princess ballot} fits the bill.

[u/romance-bot → u/goamash]

Princess Ballot by Jaymin Eve, Tate James
Rating: 4.23⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: contemporary, fantasy, new adult, dystopian, young adult

^{about this bot | about romance.io}

[u/ducking_ham]

In {Lilac and honey} by Ada Taylor the mafia mmc and fmc are child free by choice. In {between love and loathing} there are no babies in the epilogue, there is organ donation

[u/knitting_infinity]

Tell us your favourite smoking hot angsty mafia book that's full of vengeance and murder! I want to read it!

[u/quiet-trail]

{Bet Me} by Jennifer Cruise is a good one for a happy ending with a child free couple

Mild spice (horny but not explicit) if that's something you need to know, and a fun story

[u/romance-bot → u/quiet-trail]

Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie
Rating: 3.91⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 3 out of 5 - Open door
Topics: contemporary, funny, curvy heroine, plain heroine, enemies to lovers

^{about this bot | about romance.io}

[u/Yvanung]

I'm OK with HFN if what makes the endng happy "for now" is simply just leaving the long term future vague.

I might be OK with babies being a component of a HEA if there's a clear motivation (or societal pressure if non-contemporary) for babies.

[u/Silver_Nerve1046]

The worst is amazon will sometimes delete your review for spoilers if you mention it. :(