Romantic Recycling: When Harry Met Sally/Groundhog Day
Many contemporary romances are based on, or inspired by, rom-com movies. Turns out recycling romance is good for the narrative arc--and heart as well.
The Vulture roundup that inspired it all.
Movies
Groundhog Day is classic for a reason.
10 moments from When Harry Met Sally. I said that Harry and Sally don't marry anyone else during the movie, but always forget Harry's ex-wife.
About Time is a lushly romantic story with a gorgeous HEA.
Sliding Doors is mostly fun and romantic but there are some serious themes as well (just fyi).
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days isn't one of my favorite rom coms--it seems a bit mean at times--but apparently I love this plot in recycled form (see below).
Books
People We Meet on Vacation: the narrative arc of this story, told in flashback, takes you through ten annual vacations and miles of emotional history between friends-to-lovers Poppy & Alex. Affectionate, sexy & compelling.
In a Holidaze: Mae spends most Christmases with her family at a mountain cabin along with family friends. And she's spent most of that time pining for their friend's son. After a serious accident, she regains consciousness on her way to the cabin to begin the holiday again. And again. Maybe this time she'll finally romance the guy.
Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating: Hazel, a sweet, ditzy schoolteacher and Josh, a thoughtful physical therapist, are opposites yet best friends who don't realize that they're the ones actually dating on the double blind dates they set up for each other.
If Henry Golding is cast as Michael in The Kiss Quotient movie, I will launch into the crush stratosphere.
Not the Girl You Marry is a clever, richly emotional reverse How to Lose a Guy. Jack and Hannah meet and decide to date each other temporarily to save their jobs--without the other knowing the relationship is fake. Burned by love, they never expect to fall for each other, but oh, how they do.
Runaway Girl is a sizzling hot take on the movie Runaway Bride, about a sheltered beauty queen who runs from traumatic relationships with her fiancé and Southern family, right into the arms of a hunky special ops Army diver living in Florida. Drooled over every dirty detail.
Hold Me is an updated You've Got Mail. STEM geniuses chat for months online without sharing any personal details – not realizing they've already met on campus and detest each other. A warm, smart & sexy story, one of the first romances I've read with a trans main character.