Ask any romance reader what they loved about a certain book and nine times out of ten, they'll start talking about the characters. Characters are the heart of every story. Plot only becomes important when it involves people. But if the people you create don't feel real, if they don't appear worthy to hold the title of hero or heroine, your story will fall short. Creating lovable characters, with the right backgrounds, goals, and flaws, is the key to writing a great romance.