The Power of First Person Voice
There's something magical about writing in first person that connects readers directly to your character's heart. It's raw, intimate, and perfect for romance that needs to feel real and immediate.
Direct Access to the Heart
When I write "My breath catches as he steps closer," readers don't just observe the scene - they experience it. First person narration eliminates the barrier between reader and character, creating an intimacy that third person simply can't match.
In romance, especially the intense world of mafia fiction, this immediacy is everything. Readers need to feel every flutter of uncertainty, every spark of dangerous attraction, every moment of internal conflict when love battles logic.
The Beauty of Unreliable Emotions
First person lets me show how emotion distorts perception. When my heroine thinks "He's dangerous, but his touch feels like coming home," we understand she's not thinking clearly - and that's exactly the point.
Love makes us unreliable narrators of our own lives. We justify the unjustifiable, see potential where others see red flags, and convince ourselves that this time will be different. First person captures that beautiful, messy reality of falling for someone we shouldn't.
Intimacy in the Ordinary Moments
It's not just the big dramatic scenes where first person shines. It's in the quiet moments - "I catch myself memorizing the way he laughs" or "His coffee cup sits in my sink, and I can't bring myself to wash it."
These intimate observations pull readers deeper into the emotional landscape of the story. They're not watching someone fall in love; they're falling alongside her.
Why It Works for Dangerous Romance
When your hero is morally ambiguous - a man who might order someone's death before breakfast - first person becomes crucial. Through your heroine's eyes, readers see past the monster to find the man worth loving.
"Everyone sees the killer, but I see the way he holds me like I'm made of glass." That kind of insight only works when readers are living inside her head, feeling what she feels.
Do you prefer first person or third person in your romance reads? What draws you to one over the other?