The True Love Experiment

Discuss how The True Love Experiment, as a novel, conforms to the conventions or formula of the romance genre in terms of popular tropes, character elements, and dramatic structure. Make a case for why any one of these elements might help explain the popularity of romance as a genre.

Examine the ways Fizzy and Connor undergo similar character arcs as they find their way to romance in this novel. Why might these similarities prove their suitability? You might also wish to examine their differences and make an argument for how that increases their romantic attraction.

Discuss how the reality dating TV show works as a device to move the plot along. What else does this premise add to the story, aside from opportunities for conflict?

Reflect on the argument that the novel is making for the romance genre as a whole. You may wish to incorporate some of the book’s feminist arguments about the liberation of female desire, the elements of fantasy, and the wish for significance that is introduced in the Prologue.

Fizzy makes a case at one point that dating happens in the context of communities and relationships people already have. What do the families and friends of the protagonists add to the novel? You may wish to look at aspects such as backstory, conflict and tension, mentorship, or other roles.

Analyze Fizzy’s career and fiction oeuvre compared to those of real-life romance novelists that you know of. What might have been fictionalized for the novel, and why? Which aspects are most persuasive or realistic?

Discuss the roles of Nat, Jess, Juno, or Stevie—or all of the above—as foils and complements to Fizzy. What does each character contribute to her character arc or growth? What do these extra dimensions add to the story?

Discuss the novel’s meditations on fandom, celebrity culture, social media saturation, and “shipping.” What point is the author making more largely about fandoms, pop culture, or popular entertainment?