But see--with you--what matters most is if the book works. With many editors, the story working isn't enough--for them what's most important is that the story fits what they think a romance should be. And that can make a tough sell for some really good books. If i was starting out, I'd write a book that fit easily into a genre and then stamp it with my voice. Once I gained the editor's confidence, I'd take more risks.
Re: genre