Before playing and knowing that the companions have an approval rating (whatever you call it) I suspected that would have an effect on romance and I wish it did!
I must have done almost everything that would get shadowheart to hate me by just approving astarion and Lazeal, and yet she still invites me for a lovely evening?????
I like the idea of companions having no restrictions regarding race or gender because at the end of the day it's a fantasy game, if you dont want to romance a certain companion because you dont see them liking x race or x gender then that's up to you on how you play your game! But dont ruin it for other players who have a completely different view from you! Its DnD we all play differently my good G!
The only restrictions I do want is the approval and disapproval system set in place on romance because it just makes sense!
I don't know exactly how the approval and the romance work together... There are some decisions that affect the possibility of triggering romance (for example, siding with the goblins block any chance of romancing shadowheart) but I'm not sure how approval factors in