I think what I'm finding baffling throughout this whole discussion is how much people are discussing these characters as if they themselves are dating them rather than a character they've created is romancing them. To some extent, your own preferences might dictate whether you want to pursue a romance route (like I don't go for cold LI routes first because it's not my thing). But there's a lot of projecting of people's own issues and baggage . . . onto characters. Fictional characters who are there to progress the plot. Make a guy to give them a kiss. Make a jealous guy. Make a laidback one. Maybe don't be so self-entitled to whinge to the author of an IF because a romance route isn't custom catered to you down to the last detail. Either make a character who can cope or not at all for the drama or just do a different route. It is definitely an issue atm - I mean in recent years if we look at BG3, the devs let fans dictate how characters are to the extent they're not even allowed to be kind of mean or have certain boundaries, watering them down every time. This isn't Build-A-LI - they're characters in their own right with their own preferences, goals, interests, who might be interested in another character, might be obsessed with the mc, might find everyone a chore. Customise your own character - let the love interests be who they are and work out what kind of oc can handle that or not.
Just today (or the day or writing this since I queue everything up) my friend and I were making characters. They had a character that I wanted to romance for a while in our RP but nothing ever felt right. So, we sat down and I made one up. Because that's what fiction is. Making up characters and exploring the world. I love that kind of building. Trying on new hats. Now, I don't know if that's because I have a theater and improv background but that's what I did for most of my youth so it makes sense to me to do it in writing.
