The best stories feature characters who have a reason not to be in a relationship. Perhaps they are afraid of vulnerability, haunted by a past betrayal, or focused entirely on a non-romantic goal. The romance serves as the catalyst for them to face their own flaws.
Romantic fiction is entering a "Golden Age" where genre boundaries are increasingly fluid. Dating and Relationships in the Digital Age puberty+sexual+education+for+boys+and+girls+nl+1991+online