Addicted to Toxic Love, Romance and Relationships? Remember Reality!

Article by C.L. Riley

Like most authors of dark fantasy and paranormal romance, I like the idea of love and romance with a paranormal twist or two that spices things up for the couple. I’m also a fan of love that is intense, at times irrational, and even impulsive. It makes for great reading. However, because of the hot topics we write and/or read about, we might want to consider adding a warning label to our special brand of sexy, supernatural shenanigans.

Warning: Hot and Heavy Romance leading to heated hormones. Hellacious heartbreak may result from attempting to replicate the relationships in this book.

What I’m saying … we need to keep our feelings for steamy supernatural romances that have the potential to shred our hearts and maybe even our hope in check.

So, let me ask you, have your friends ever pointed out your relationship failures? Ever heard the word co-dependent and cringed? Do you excuse and tolerate behaviors that are unacceptable and hurtful in your mate, lover, or even a friend? For example: He makes me bleed because he can’t help himself. He is, after all, a vampire. Or … he only puts me down and bosses me around when the moon is full; remember he’s a werewolf.

If you can relate to questions like those, and you make excuses for someone's "bad" behavior, you just might be in an unhealthy relationship and possibly addicted to love, romance, or the idea of participating in a relationship despite the painful consequences and high emotional price tag.

I know the scenario all too well. It’s easy to fall for those alpha males we inhale like a breath of fresh air while devouring our favorite romances, paranormal or otherwise. The stories make dysfunctional, and dare I say, at times, abusive men appear so tantalizing. They also tempt us with the notion that we can’t live without a specific relationship/person … think Bella sitting in that darn chair following Edward’s departure in the Breaking Dawn, The Movie.

Why am I bringing up this depressing topic?
Because it’s important to remember the books we read, featuring men who ultimately bring danger and even disaster to our lives aren’t good for us in the real world. We don’t have super powers, (unless you’re hiding something super secret!) to combat the villains and vicious characters that seem to cling to these men like a pair of poured on leather pants. Nor are we equipped to handle all the chaos that accompanies them roaring down the main highway of our hearts.

But the main reason, friends, is because I care. I know what it’s like to search for love in the darkness while hoping it would light up my life. 

Unfortunately, I ended up with a blood thirsty vampire latched onto my neck unwilling to release his relentless and painful hold. What seemed so enticing and intoxicating in the beginning, became poison to my heart, soul, and life. When a vampire is attached to your throat, it’s hard to embrace life fully, let alone experience real, authentic love.

This special post is just a reminder for us to enjoy the lethal love in the books we read without allowing our desire for love and romance to overpower our commonsense.

Remember: Beware of TOXIC LOVE and RELATIONSHIPS.