Romance Is My Day Job

Haven’t we all wondered why real-life romance isn’t more like fiction?

Harlequin editor Patience Bloom certainly did, many times over. As a teen she fell in love with Harlequin novels and imagined her life would turn out just like the heroines’ on the page: That shy guy she had a crush on wouldn’t just take her out—he’d sweep her off her feet with witty banter, quiet charm, and a secret life as a rock star. Not exactly her reality, but Patience kept reading books that fed her dreams.

Years later she moved to New York City and found her dream job, editing romances for Harlequin. Every day, her romantic fantasies came true—on the page. Patience was an expert when it came to fictional love stories—editing amazing books, she learned everything she could about the romance business. But her dating life remained uninspired. She nearly gave up on love.

Then one day a real-life chance at romance made her wonder if what she’d been writing and editing all those years might be true. A Facebook message from a high school friend, Sam, sparked a relationship with more promise than she’d had in years. But Sam lived thousands of miles away—they hadn’t seen each other in more than two decades. Was it worth the risk?

Could love and romance conquer all? As with the novels Patience edited for years, listeners will have to wait until the very end to find out.