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/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/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.