best first lines of romance novels

In 'The Notebook' by Nicholas Sparks, the first line 'I am nothing special; of this I am sure. I am a common man with common thoughts, and I've led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten.' This humble start sets up a beautiful and poignant love story that shows how love can transform an ordinary life into something truly remarkable.

One example could be 'It was a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.' from Pride and Prejudice. This line sets the stage for the story's exploration of marriage and relationships in that era.

One great first line is 'It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife' from 'Pride and Prejudice' by Jane Austen. 'We were somewhere around Barstow on the edge of the desert when the drugs began to take hold' from 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas' by Hunter S. Thompson is very distinct. 'Once there were four children whose names were Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy' from 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe' by C.S. Lewis is a simple yet effective start.

The first line 'Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.' from Anna Karenina is very profound. It sets up the exploration of family dynamics. 'I am an invisible man.' from Invisible Man is a powerful start, making you curious about how someone can be invisible. 'Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.' from Rebecca is a haunting start. It has an air of mystery and makes you want to know more about Manderley and why the narrator is dreaming about it.

They also set the mood. If the first line has a dreamy or passionate tone, it gives the reader an idea of what kind of romance to expect. For example, a line like 'The first time he saw her, the world seemed to stop spinning.' immediately gives a sense of a powerful, instant attraction. This draws the reader in as they are eager to see how this intense feeling will develop. In addition, the first lines can introduce a conflict or an obstacle related to love right away. Such as 'She knew she could never love him, not with the secret she held in her heart.' This creates a sense of tension that makes the reader curious about how the characters will overcome this and find love.

They often create intrigue. For example, a first line that poses a question or presents a mystery makes the reader want to find out more. If it starts with something like 'She saw him across the crowded room, but she knew there was something different about him that she couldn't quite put her finger on...' It makes you wonder what that difference is and how it will play into the love story.

Another great line might be 'In a world full of chaos, you are my constant.' This line shows that the person is a stable and important presence in the narrator's life. It implies a deep connection that withstands all the difficulties and changes in the outside world. Romance often thrives on the idea of having that one special person who is always there for you.

One of the best could be 'In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.' from 'The Hobbit'. It immediately draws you into a world where a hobbit lives in a hole, making you curious about what this hobbit is like and what adventures await.

One of the best first lines is from 'A Tale of Two Cities' by Charles Dickens: 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.' This line immediately sets a tone of contrast and complexity, drawing the reader in with its paradoxical nature. It makes you wonder what could be both good and bad at the same time and sets the stage for a story that is full of such contradictions.

The first line of '1984' by George Orwell, 'It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.' This line creates an immediate sense of unease and a feeling that something is not quite right in the world of the novel, which is a dystopian society where the government has extreme control.