nonromance

nonRomance is a labeling concept used in literature, film, and media to describe works whose central narrative does not revolve around romantic relationships. It is not a formal genre but a tagging approach intended to help audiences distinguish content that lacks a primary romance arc from works classified as Romance or romance-focused subgenres. The term appears in publishing catalogs, library databases, and online fan or media tagging systems.

Scope and characteristics include media across novels, movies, television, and video games. nonRomance emphasizes plot-driven storytelling in genres such as mystery, science fiction, fantasy, thriller, action, or historical fiction, where themes like survival, political intrigue, or personal growth take precedence over romantic development. When romance is present, it is typically incidental or secondary rather than central to the narrative.

Distinctions and relationships to other labels: nonRomance contrasts with Romance, Rom-com, and romance-centric subgenres. It can intersect with tags for genre (crime, adventure, sci-fi) and with content warnings. The absence of romance does not imply a lack of emotional depth or character relationships; it mainly signals that romantic plotlines do not drive the story.

Criticism and limitations include the lack of standardized criteria across catalogs and the subjective nature of what counts as central to a narrative. Some works may be ambiguously categorized, and cultural differences can affect interpretations of romance. See also romance, genre tagging, and content labeling.