But fiction is always held to a higher standard than real life!

Fiction is expected to make sense, even though reality doesn't. Fictional characters are supposed to act in ways that are understandable, even though real people don't. Fiction is supposed to be engaging and interesting and entertaining at all times, while real life is full of boring, unexciting shit nobody wants to hear/read/write about.

I don't want to read about an "inexplicable" romance any more than I want to read about a dude cleaning his bathroom.