Once upon a time, I wrote a post that ended up becoming one of the most popular on my site, all about romance tropes I cannot stand. Well, today, after much suggestion, I’m back with plenty of romance tropes that I will never be over. Though these themes and storyline might be overdone, I can never get enough of them!
Note: This post contains affiliate links. When you click on and/or purchase from some links, I make a portion of the sale. This helps keep Bitch Bookshelf running.
16. Just Once – To Get It Out of Our Systems
In this trope, two people feel a sexual spark between them, but for whatever reason, they don’t want to make a thing out of it. After they find the chemistry distracting one too many times, they decide to get it out of the way and sleep together (or sometimes just share a kiss) to get it out of their systems or test if the chemistry is legitimate. Of course, this one time thing is too good to resist or causes the two characters to develop genuine romantic feelings for one another.
15. Friends to Lovers
This trope is straightforward. Two friends realize they have feelings for one another. Sometimes the feelings were always there – perhaps one-sided, perhaps unacknowledged, or even unrealized – and sometimes they develop over the course of the book.
Titles I’ve reviewed with this trope:
- My Fake Rake by Eva Leigh – Read my review here. | Buy it here.
- Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn – Read my review here. | Buy it here.
14. Fling
One or both of the main characters decide that they need a fling, whether that’s a short term relationship or a one night stand. However, once they meet that special temporary someone, the sparks of a moment give way to real passion and romance when they find themselves falling for one another. They know one night or even a few weeks will never be enough.
Titles I’ve reviewed with this trope:
- Seducing a Stranger by Kerrigan Byrne – Read my review here. | Buy it here.
13. Hate Sex
Two people who hate one another get it on. Maybe it’s heat of the moment anger turned to passion. Maybe they realize that intense, hateful chemistry feels a little spicy. This is often, but not always, part of the enemies to lovers trope. Which brings us to our next one…
12. Enemies to Lovers
Two unlikely people fall in love. Maybe they have opposite goals, maybe they hate one another from a past experience, maybe they are rivals, or maybe their families are enemies. Regardless of whether these two initially loathe one another or just feel a sense of hesitancy because of what stands between them, this can be defined as the enemies to lovers trope.
11. Fake Relationship
In this trope, the main characters pretend to be dating or married for any number of reasons. No matter why they have to fake their relationship, acting stops being acting and lines blur between what’s real and what’s pretend.
10. Second Chance
These characters were connected in the past, and now they have a second chance that leads to romance. They might be exes, but this can apply to relationships that were previously non-romantic but now have a new energy to them.
Titles I’ve reviewed with this trope:
- Seven Years to Sin by Sylvia Day – Read my review here. | Buy it here.
- When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn – Read my review here. | Buy it here.
- The Stranger I Married by Sylvia Day – Read my review here. | Buy it here.
9. Contracted Relationship or Sex
The characters agree to date, marry, or sleep together. This could mean an arranged marriage, hiring an escort, signing a “mistress” contract, or using sex to barter for something one of the characters wants. Of course, these two feel the spark and want to stay together for longer than the span of their contract. What may have even felt like signing a deal with the devil blossoms into true love.
Titles I’ve reviewed with this trope:
- A Rogue of One’s Own by Evie Dunmore – Read my review here. | Buy it here.
- The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang – Read my review here. | Buy it here.
8. Antihero
The hero (or any main character) of the novel isn’t your typical good guy, but you can’t help but root for him anyway. Maybe he’s done some bad things, or maybe he’s just a tortured soul. The heroine (or another love interest) is the only one who can see through his tough guy act and can bring out his pure soul.
Titles I’ve reviewed with this trope:
- Neon Gods by Katee Robert – Read my review here. | Buy it here.
7. Parson’s Mousetrap
This one is almost exclusively seen in historical romance, but there are definitely way to spin this trope more contemporary. A couple is found in a compromising situation, forcing them to marry, even if it’s not something they were planning to do any time soon.
6. On the Road
The couple spends all or part of the book traveling, and the close proximity forces them to grabble with their attraction to one another.
Titles I’ve reviewed with this trope:
- Waiting for a Scot Like You by Eva Leigh – Read my review here. | Buy it here.
- Seven Years to Sin by Sylvia Day – Read my review here. | Buy it here.
- All the Feels by Olivia Dade – Read my review here. | Buy it here.
5. Good Girls Go Bad
This trope subverts the “reformed rake” trope in a lot of ways, and can apply to a character who doesn’t identify as female, too. Most often, we see it with a young woman who has always led a very expected and well-behaved life. She either falls in love with someone who shows her that the “dark side” is fun, or asks her love interest to show her “the other side of the tracks.” In doing so, she not only has fun and falls in love, but gains a sense of empowerment.
Titles I’ve reviewed with this trope:
- The Good Girl’s Guide to Rakes by Eva Leigh – Read my review here. | Buy it here.
4. Relationship of Convenience
This relationship is genuine, but didn’t start for genuine reasons. The parties involved decide to actually marry, date, and possibly sleep together, but only married because it suited both of their needs in one way or another.
Titles I’ve reviewed with this trope:
- Neon Gods by Katee Robert – Read my review here. | Buy it here.
- Her Accidental Highlander Husband by Allison B. Hanson – Read my review here. | Buy it here.
- Masquerade at Middlecrest Abbey by Abigail Wilson – Read my review here. | Buy it here.
- To Sir Phillip, With Love by Julia Quinn – Read my review here. | Buy it here.
3. Slow Burn
The romance in a slow burn takes an incredibly long time to reach a head. While the reader can feel the tension between the main characters, it takes a long time for them to actually confess their feelings, kiss, sleep together, or all three!
2. Grumpy Hero
There are variations on this trope – and times when the heroine is grumpy instead! Sometimes the partnership is more grumpy/sunshine, and sometimes the lover interest is just as staid as the other main character. Either way, something in particular about a grumpy hero appeals to me, though this trope is cute when genders are swapped too.
Titles I’ve reviewed with this trope:
- The Duchess Hunt by Lorraine Heath – Read my review here. | Buy it here.
- The Spinster and the Rake by Eva Devon – Read my review here. | Buy it here.
- All the Feels by Olivia Dade – Read my review here. | Buy it here.
1. Only One Bed
“There’s only one bed” has to be the best line written in fiction. Our love interests are forced to share a bed, often because the inn or hotel they have stopped at is completely booked. While someone inevitably plans to sleep on the floor, it makes the most sense to share that big, comfortable bed… This trope is the best when it leads to a steamy romance, but can also add humor or longing to the slowest of slow burns.
Titles I’ve reviewed with this trope:
- Waiting for a Scot Like You by Eva Leigh – Read my review here. | Buy it here.
Do you like any of these tropes? Or are there any of these that you hate? Maybe have recommendations for books that include or subvert these tropes? Comment below!
