Recommendations Romance without its fulfillment

[ThrillingHuman]

I love reading romance stories: bg, bb, gg and what have you but they all, with rare exceptions (or no exception, if you bar tragedy from the list) go downhill for me once the leads start going out together, no matter how good the story itself is.
And I don't really like dropping novels midway, so, I can't stop, and I read despite me not really liking the story.
So, recommend me stories where there's romance, but only up to the point of the characters getting together or even without that.
No harem or polyamory

 

[Plus1]

I love reading romance stories: bg, bb, gg and what have you but they all, with rare exceptions (or no exception, if you bar tragedy from the list) go downhill for me once the leads start going out together, no matter how good the story itself is.
And I don't really like dropping novels midway, so, I can't stop, and I read despite me not really liking the story.
So, recommend me stories where there's romance, but only up to the point of the characters getting together or even without that.
No harem or polyamory

Waaat... So you want to read a romance story without romance??

 

[The_Everdistant_Utopia]

I love reading romance stories: bg, bb, gg and what have you but they all, with rare exceptions (or no exception, if you bar tragedy from the list) go downhill for me once the leads start going out together, no matter how good the story itself is.
And I don't really like dropping novels midway, so, I can't stop, and I read despite me not really liking the story.
So, recommend me stories where there's romance, but only up to the point of the characters getting together or even without that.
No harem or polyamory

Consider the manga Hoshino Me wo Tsubutte, since the main pairing doesn't actually get together canonically.

The author was pressured into making an epilogue where they do get together, but I don't count it as canon due to the forced nature.

 

[Nahrenne]

I love reading romance stories: bg, bb, gg and what have you but they all, with rare exceptions (or no exception, if you bar tragedy from the list) go downhill for me once the leads start going out together, no matter how good the story itself is.
And I don't really like dropping novels midway, so, I can't stop, and I read despite me not really liking the story.
So, recommend me stories where there's romance, but only up to the point of the characters getting together or even without that.
No harem or polyamory

Maybe a quick transmigration story where the couple find each other and build up the relationship from scratch over and over again?
'-'

X

 

[skillet]

Anime recs:
Servant X Service - it's generally slice of life, but the romance doesn't really get 'fulfilled' by the end of the anime. Still one of my favorite romances lol
Lovely Complex - but only the first season, like, there is a second season but I usually pretend it doesn't really exist ahaha but this is one of my favorite romances too :D (also I didn't read the manga soooo dk about that)

Manga recs:
Mousou Telepathy - you probably know this one already :D but I think it ends when they get together so lol
Kuzumi-kun, Kuuki Yometemasu ka? - I'm pretty sure they finish off like soon after they get together and it was a cute read :D
The Girl Who Could See Emotions - short fluffy manga oneshot and idk if it counts as romance but it lowkey was (?)

Novel recs:
Miss Appraiser and the Gallery Demon - if you haven't read this you have MISSED OUT it is so good and the romance ends right at the last chapter. I wish there were five more volumes of this, but alas, all good things must come to an end.
The Daybreak - I double-checked and yep, they don't continue on much further after the main couple gets together.

Honorable mentions:
Yugami-san Wa Tomodachi Ga Nai (manga) - technically fits your bill! It's not romance-centered but it's tiny bit there?? lol I reread this manga a lot so I guess I recommend it either way