Have you ever had a date you expected to be a young adult fantasy turn into a session of uptight silence or a nerve wracking romantic apocalypse? When you try to find a mate, you may browse online dating profiles, chat and talk on the phone. Despite great rapport during initial communication, a potential night of young adult fantasy romance can turn into one filled with awkward moments. It’s too bad that Harlequin romance novels don’t come with instructions!

In this type of dating and mating situation, you can either make an excuse to go home early or make some moves that can turn the date into the adventure romance you’re looking for. Since you don’t want to let a little nervousness blind you from a potentially perfect mate, it’s best to try to make the best of the evening—after all, you never know what can happen!

When the tension is almost palpable,  use some humor to lighten things up and acknowledge the awkwardness by making a joke about the silence. This shows your date that you can relate and puts you both at ease, setting up the potential for a young adult romance.

Another technique is to ask questions and sincerely listen to the responses of your potentially perfect mate. When you’re dating and mating and uncertain of someone’s interest, it can be unsettling. By showing genuine attention, your date will feel comfortable to let down their guard and be open to an adventure romance. We’re talking real interest—you can see it in a person’s expression when they fake it. Make eye contact, laugh when appropriate and encourage your date by interjecting positively from time to time. The results will be almost immediate and turn you right back around from the edge of a romantic apocalypse. If they’re very passionate about their work or perhaps a cause they’re involved with like Eden Newman and her quest to Save the Pearls, ask lots of questions and show sincere enthusiasm.

When a date deflects questions and is too nervous to talk, lighten things up and give the night an element of fantasy romance by talking about yourself. Tell your date about your day or what’s going on at work—though you probably want to leave out any mention of looking at online dating profiles or reading harlequin romance novels, lol. If you appear to be having fun, your date will feel less pressure to entertain you and eventually relax so you can engage them to talk about themselves.

You can also share an embarrassing story or confession with your date. Sometimes a little self-deprecation and willingness to show your humanity lightens the mood and puts you back on the road towards a young adult fantasy romance. The ability to laugh at yourself shows that you’re not perfect and will show someone who’s also trying to find a mate or a young adult romance that you’re fun and easy to get along with. When Eden Newman was on her quest to save the pearls and find a fantasy romance, she would tell the story of how she fell off her skateboard on her first day at the new job. It demonstrated to her dates that she was funny, lighthearted and a potential candidate for a young adult fantasy relationship.