The Art of Building Sexual Tension: Slow Burn vs. Instant Attraction

I'm sitting here with my laptop balanced on my knees, second cup of coffee already gone cold (typical), thinking about the feedback I've been getting on Shadows of Willow Brook. One reader messaged me yesterday asking why Luca and Aria fell for each other so quickly, and honestly? It made me question everything I thought I knew about writing romance.

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Here's the thing—I'm an instalove writer. Always have been. Give me two characters who lock eyes across a room and know instantly that their lives just changed forever, and I'm in heaven. It's what I write, it's what I love reading, and it's what felt natural for Shadows of Willow Brook.

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But that reader's question got me wondering: what if I'm missing out on something incredible by always going for the lightning strike instead of the slow burn?

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Why I Chose Instalove for Shadows of Willow Brook

When I started writing Luca and Aria’s story, I knew I wanted that immediate connection. Luca’s been through hell—losing his father, carrying the new crown of the Corvino crime family. When he meets Aria in person, I wanted readers to feel that instant recognition, like his soul was saying, "Here’s someone who probably understands me."

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And Aria? She’s waited for someone to see past the shadows of her family’s legacy of power and corruption, and see the real her. The moment they lock eyes and can’t stop glancing at each other at a charity ball, Aria knows Luca is worth testing the boundaries with. Not because of some mystical mate bond (I don’t write anything supernatural… yet), but because she doesn't flinch from his status as the new leader of a rival family. Even though it could be dangerous.

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I wrote their first meeting as this collision of two people who've been incomplete, suddenly feeling whole. It happens fast because sometimes love does happen fast, especially when you've been starving for it without even realizing it.

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The Magic of Instalove (When It Works)

Here's what I love about instalove—it's not about physical attraction, though that's definitely part of it. It's about recognition. It's about two people meeting and thinking, "Oh, there you are. I've been looking for you my whole life without knowing it."

In Shadows of Willow Brook, Aria and Luca’s instant connection works because:

• They're both carrying similar weight on their shoulders

• They recognize strength in each other and respect it

• The fact that they belong to rival families creates an element of danger, thus the idea is exciting

• Their attraction reveals character—Aria’s willpower, Damien's capacity for tenderness

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The instalove trope gets a bad rap sometimes, but when it's done right, it can be incredibly powerful. It's the difference between "love at first sight" and "soul recognition at first meeting."

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But Here's What I'm Learning About Slow Burn

Getting feedback from readers, I'm starting to see the appeal of the slow burn approach. There's something delicious about making readers wait, about building that tension one conversation at a time.

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I think there are many authors who can stretch that romantic tension across 300 pages and make every moment feel earned. The anticipation becomes part of the pleasure. Readers get invested in the journey, not just the destination.

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Maybe there's something to be said for making characters—and readers—work for that happily ever after.

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What Each Approach Does for Readers

Instalove gives readers:

• Immediate emotional investment

• The fantasy of perfect timing and destiny

• Permission to believe in love at first sight

• Intense, passionate romance from the start

Slow burn offers:

• The pleasure of anticipation

• Deeper character development through the relationship arc

• The satisfaction of "earning" the romantic payoff

• More realistic relationship progression

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Both are valid. Both have their place. And honestly? Both can be incredibly satisfying when done well.

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My Next Experiment

Here's what that reader's question made me realize: I might be limiting myself by always defaulting to instalove. Don't get me wrong, I still believe in the power of immediate connection. Aria and Luca’s story wouldn't work any other way.

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But I'm curious about trying something different for my next book. What would it be like to write two characters who start as friends? Or even enemies? What if I let them discover each other slowly, layer by layer, revelation by revelation?

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The idea terrifies me, honestly. Slow burn requires so much patience, both mine and my characters'. It means writing scenes where nothing "happens" but everything changes. It means trusting that readers will stick with me through the slow simmer instead of demanding the immediate fire.

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But maybe that's exactly why I should try it.

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The Bottom Line

Shadows of Willow Brook is a novel-length instalove story because that's what Aria and Luca needed. Their connection had to be immediate and intense to overcome everything working against them, such as his trauma and stress and her yearning for something beyond being labeled a mafia princess.

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But that doesn't mean instalove is the only way to write romance, or that it's somehow "easier" than slow burn. Both approaches require skill, both can create incredible reader experiences, and both deserve respect.

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I'm proud of the love story I created in Shadows of Willow Brook. Luca and Aria’s instant connection feels real and earned within their world. But I'm also excited about the possibility of exploring slow burn in future books.

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Because here's what I'm learning. The best romance writers aren't married to one approach. They choose the type of romantic tension that serves their story, their characters, and their readers best.

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What about you? Team instalove or team slow burn? And if you've read Shadows of Willow Brook, did Aria and Luca’s quick connection work for you, or would you have preferred to see them take their time?