: Re: What are techniques for romantic subtext in a first-person novel? In a first-person narrative, how do you effectively make it clear to the reader that a second character likes your protagonist,

@Welton431

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There are many roads, all leading to Rome. So let's look at a few.

Cultural differences. If in her culture all men treat all women a certain way? If this guy is treating her like that, she'll attribute it to him just being a guy (nothing romantic about that).
All men in this culture treats her this way. It would stand out more, compared to the above situation. Only this time, it's more annoying because she isn't used to it.
Mixed signals. She just has no idea what to make of this guy. I mean, it was so sweet that he brought her flowers, but he offers flowers to a dozen girls where she can see(not exactly making her feel special, now is he). Or he offers to hold a door open (to him, he's being so chivalrous. to her it's mostly annoying because she now has to speed up to make sure he doesn't wait too long). This will usually play out as her telling one of her friends she just can't get a read on him.
"He's always like that." This is going to make so many guys roll their eyes so hard. But it's a fact that women study the guy she's interested in (or just studying people around her in general). If he's different with me than he is with everyone else, that's a sign (maybe good, maybe bad, but a sign). Enough signs and she'll start agonizing over the reason for them (doesn't mean she immediately understands)
Low emotional intelligence. It could just be that she is clueless as a general rule. She's great with her niche (Ask her to break into the pentagon, no problem. Ask her to explain what the person beside her is thinking and she'll only have guesses.)
Too busy to notice the signs. People like to think that all women are on a hair trigger for subtle cues regarding romantic attraction in all people around them. Fact is, many are completely clueless. This is why so many women (though most learn this sooner rather than later) hear from their friends who has a crush on them.
Low self-esteem. It's not that she doesn't see, she simply doesn't believe. "I mean, a cutie like that? Strong and upstanding and smart and so this and so that. Why would he be interested in me? I must be imagining it."
Doesn't want to see. "There are none so blind, as they who will not see." Something happened. It doesn't matter what, when, or why. Something happened,, and she simply never wants to go down that road again. So she ignores everything she can. And if someone forcefully brings it to her attention, she goes out of her way to sabotage it. This isn't happening, and even if it is, it won't survive long.

It all depends.

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