romantic heroine

A romantic heroine is the central female character in a romance narrative—the woman whose emotional journey and love story drive the plot.

The term carries conventions from literary tradition: she faces obstacles to love, demonstrates both vulnerability and strength, and ultimately finds fulfillment with her romantic counterpart.

She's a classic romantic heroine—spirited, misunderstood, irresistible to the brooding hero.

The phrase can describe real women whose lives seem to follow this arc, sometimes admiringly, sometimes with irony about the melodrama involved.