I don’t have this fantasy about marriage anymore. Everyone says it takes hard work. Well, it kind of does - and I’m much more pragmatic about romance than I used to be.

Garner contrasts youthful idealization (“fantasy”) with an adult, experience-shaped view of partnership. The quote acknowledges a common cultural refrain—that marriage requires “hard work”—but reframes it as a practical reality rather than a romantic disappointment. Her emphasis on being “more pragmatic about romance” suggests a shift from expecting effortless, movie-style love to valuing sustained effort, compromise, and day-to-day commitment. The significance lies in its demystifying tone: romance is not rejected, but grounded in realism, implying that durable intimacy is built through intentional labor rather than guaranteed by passion alone.