In literature analysis, the term romance means a fictitiously embellished account or explanation. In other words, slightly beyond reality, as opposed to fantasy which is way beyond reality. So even in English, romance means fiction.
I was thinking about this recently and came to the hypothesis that romance books (about love and lust) are called that because they romanticize (fictitiously embellish) real couple interaction.
IMO, a man can be just as misled by his unrealistic expectations.