Romance where one protagonist has multiple love interests and doesn't have to choose between them, often ending with all partners together.
Reverse harem (increasingly called 'why choose') features one protagonist, typically female, with three or more love interests. The key distinction from a love triangle: the protagonist doesn't have to pick one. The story often ends with the protagonist in a committed relationship with all love interests simultaneously. The subgenre thrives in fantasy, paranormal, and contemporary settings and has a passionate, rapidly growing readership.
Reverse harem demonstrates how romance conventions are evolving beyond the traditional couple. It's one of the most commercially successful niche subgenres in self-publishing, and understanding its conventions helps you grasp how reader communities drive genre innovation. If you're drawn to writing multiple romantic dynamics, this gives you a framework.
Fantasy reverse harem with fae warriors, establishing many of the subgenre's conventions.
An omegaverse reverse harem blending shifter worldbuilding with the multi-partner dynamic.
Write a scene where a protagonist interacts with three different characters in sequence. Each interaction should have a distinct dynamic (playful, intense, protective). Through these contrasts, show why each relationship offers something the others don't, making a choice between them feel impossible.