At the moment, "Stepmom," starring Julia
Roberts and Susan Sarandon, is one of the top-grossing films at the box office. And just like its romantic novel
counterparts, the story is bittersweet. Wife #1 is replaced by Wife #2, and although the hero may be ready to
accept the change, everyone else in the story has some major adjustments to make. One difference, though,
between real-life second wives and romance novel second wives is that, in novels, there is usually no stigma in
being a second "trophy' wife. In a romance, although the new wife may be younger (and possibly more beautiful
than wife #1), this isn't the conflict of the story.
What's The Appeal?
Second marriages may be based on love and mutual attraction, but they often emerge from rocky
foundations: either death or divorce. For most men and women, a second marriage can be a second chance, and
therein lies part of the appeal for romance readers. Who doesn't want the chance to re-do something that has
passed? Whether it was good or bad, you always hope to make things better!
A heroine who is the second wife
has to contend with a lot of history. In almost every storyline (regardless of plot variation) the hero has suffered,
either because he's lost the only woman he ever thought he could love, or because his previous wife betrayed his
trust. What a challenge for the average romance heroine! She not only has to teach her hero to love again, but to
trust again, as well.
But the hero isn't the only person the heroine has to transform. In a "Second Wife" story,
whether the hero has accepted his new bride's role or not, the heroine has to convince everyone else around that
not only is she as good as his former wife, she's better! She has to make everyone fall in love with her, not just
the hero.
Our heroine had better be indomitable, as she will facing unbelievable obstacles: she has to deal with
the ghosts of the past, the hero's children, his stubborn in-laws, and she will also face personal issues regarding
her own self-esteem. In this regard, she too will experience a transformation. No one wants to accept that she can
be a good replacement or substitute for another, because that implies that the reverse could be true. The heroine
must learn to love and value herself so that everyone else, especially the hero, can love her and appreciate her on
her own merits, not as a replacement.
-Kate Ryan
Authors' Thoughts...
"But I'm not a second wife, I said, although I could talk about second husbands if you like. Oh—a book you
mean... Never mind." Susan recommends Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier for its hero and sustained
suspense.
-Susan Johnson
"I love the idea of second chances. To take something that went wrong the first time and make it right— I
think is the most romantic notion in the world." Karen recommends Anne Mather's Jake.
-Karen
Robards
"No matter how strong the first love is, the heroine's love is purer and truer than the first wife's, and that is
satisfying to the reader and life-affirming for the hero. Particularly if the first wife is someone he loved." Sylvia
recommends Twice Upon a Time by Lisa Ann Verge.
-Sylvia Halliday
There are four variations of this theme in romance novels: 1) The second marriage is one of convenience.
2) The hero marries again to find a caretaker for his child. 3) The first wife has mysteriously died and the second
wife is unsure whether a wrongdoing may have occurred. 4) The husband is a widower who believes he will never
be able to love another woman again. Despite the variety of plots, the reason behind the stories' appeal is
consistent: "Love will conquer all."
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