If you want a
love that transcends time, consider falling in love with a ghost.
They can't always offer the best in the way of earthly pleasures,
but they certainly will love you for all eternity. As appealing as a
phantom lover may be, the ghosts in romance novels are not always
the hero or heroine. Often they are friendly (and sometimes
mischievous) conspirators. The haunting ghost is usually present for
a reason–to help the heroine or hero uncover secrets which have
been kept hidden and/or to act as matchmaker to the hopelessly inept
couples.
What's The Appeal?
Ask any romance reader what the most
romantic movies ever made have been and you will inevitably find
"The Ghost and Mrs. Muir" on their list. The stunning Gene Tierney
made a believable heroine striving for personal independence after
being widowed, and Rex Harrison as the Ghostly Captain is still the
most appealing curmudgeonly hero ever to star on the silver screen.
Why does this movie transcend the passage of time?
Because the
eternal love shared by the main characters is deeply spiritual and
transcends the passage of time. The hero and heroine are truly soul
mates and the corporeal nature of the physical world doesn't prevent
them from falling madly in love with each other, even though they
exist on different planes of time and space.
Most humans live
with a constant fear of death. As living beings we strive to
preserve our own mortality. The character who is a ghost helps to
bridge this fear of death and the unknown. For when true love can
transcend all of our physical barriers, the fear of death lessens.
However, not all of the popular ghost romances feature immortal
and non- human leading players. Many romances offer ghostly
characters that play a guardian angel role. These characters provide
humorous scenarios for the main character because these ghosts are
usually invisible to the other "normal" characters in the story.
Because these ghostly chaperones have lived through many
generations (and often centuries), they are able to impart knowledge
that the average mortal wouldn't have access to: they reveal
secrets, expose hidden enemies and open the door to other-worldly
mysteries that usually bring together two mortal characters destined
for love.
Why is it so easy for readers to embrace the unknown,
to accept the possibility of an immortal? Because the romance reader
fully understands the fantasy of the perfect love–one that will
live through eternity, no matter who embodies it.
-Kate Ryan
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