Five Questions about Writing Romance with Michaela Kuntzmann

The romance novel market has been growing since 2021, according to a June 2025 report. The report states, “…the volume for romance books has more than doubled compared to four years ago, with 51 million units sold in the past 12 months.”

Readers choose romance novels for several reasons, although many gravitate to the genre because they want a compelling, joyous love story. Michaela Kuntzmann, romance author, shared her thoughts about why she loves writing this category, where she draws her inspiration from, and some insights into her book, Unbreak You.

When she’s not writing, Michaela works as an in-home caregiver. She credits her parents with instilling a love of reading and books in her life. When asking her what her favorite book is, Michaela is likely to tell you a different book each time. It’s actually Jane Austen’s Persuasion. She lives in Spokane, Washington with her husband, two dogs, and two rabbits.

What do you love about the genre of romance?

What I love most about romance is it encompasses nearly every other genre. You can have romance in sci-fi, fantasy, horror, etc. I love the journey the characters go on. There is a sense of peace knowing that whatever happens to them in the course of the narrative, these two people will end up together. Romance is a high grossing genre for a reason. It’s a genre for women by women.

Where did you come up with the idea to write Unbreak You?

Unbreak You came from a song of the same name by Ryan Star. The line in the song that spoke to me the most was “For every dream that you lost, every tear that it cost.” I wanted to tell a story about the aftermath of an abusive relationship. What would it be like for the next relationship. Using the song as a blueprint I developed the story. Other pieces of music such as Lady Gaga’s Till It Happens to You, Idina Menzel’s I Feel Everything were also catalysts for character arcs and development. Music plays an important role in my writing.

Unbreak You began its life as a fan fiction for the Disney film Frozen. When I finished it, my good friends Mary and Karen said it should be an original novel. I put it away for a time because life happens. I’d work on it every now and then, tinkering with the timeline, character arcs and traits until a cohesive narrative appeared. Eightish years and an entire rewrite later, complete with multiple name and setting name changes, Unbreak You came together. Both Ben and Audrey’s names changed up until the deadline for publishing.

Some genres have rules — things that have to happen for the story to be classified in a certain way. What’s your favorite rule of romance novels?

My favorite rule, regardless of what the internet and naysayers want to say, I love the Happily Ever After (HEA) or Happily for Now (HFN) endings. There is something so comforting that no matter what happens, these people are going to have a good ending. It’s what makes a romance novel a romance. Especially in Unbreak You. I put these people through so much that if I didn’t give them a happy ending, none of it would be worth it.

On the cover, you have the tag line ”Hope is worth thirty-six cents.” Where did that come from?

Tina Turner. When Tina ran from Ike in Dallas, Texas, all she had on her was a Mobil gas card and thirty-six cents. For Audrey, she holds on to thirty-six cents like it's a talisman. She says as long as she has thirty-six cents, she will have the courage to move forward.

Is there a quote from the book that resonates with you the most?

Too many to choose from, really. If I had to pick, it would be a moment in chapter 9: Paved With Good Intentions. By this time in the book, Ben and Audrey have been exploring their relationship. They have their first big argument. And for the first time, in any relationship Audrey has been in, she’s heard and have her feelings acknowledged. For someone coming out of a situation where they were always made to feel that they were in the wrong, that their feelings weren’t accepted, this moment is so important for the growth and laying the foundation for what’s to come.

Follow Michaela on Instagram and Threads here: @michaelakuntzmann. You can also visit her website.