I used to be a fantasy-only reader, though I did enjoy it when there was a romance subplot. But within the last few years, I’ve been getting more into reading romance novels. The majority of which I read on my Kindle, so it’s always funny seeing whatever book my Kindle wants to advertise to me when it’s not fully on. Most of the time they don’t immediately draw me in, but sometimes they do. I have found a few books through there. So, I thought it would be a fun idea to share which Romance Tropes I love seeing in books.
These are not in any specific order.
Forced Proximity
The characters are forced to be together in a confined space or have to share a space for some reason. Like “until this mission is done, you have to stay here” kind of thing or trapped together.
Examples:
- Bryce and Hunt in Crescent City: House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas have to share an apartment, which helps them get closer to one another.
- In Dirty Broken Savages by Eva Ashwood, the characters have to share a house until River is done with her mission to take out the last name on her list. This forces them to get closer to each other.
Along those lines, there’s also the “Only one-bed” trope. Where the characters have to share a bed at the inn or hotel. It almost always leads to sex and the couple is finally forced to deal with their feelings for one another.
Fake Relationship
The characters agree to pretend to be in a relationship to either avoid another arrangement or to achieve some goal that they have.
Examples
- The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller. The characters are not really in a relationship together because the Shadow King cannot be in a physical relationship with anyone, so Alessandra agrees to get into a fake relationship with him so his court will stop trying to arrange a marriage for him but she has the hope of making it real.
- Electric Idol by Katee Robert. Psyche and Eros get into a fake marriage (granted they actually do get married for a time) in order to prevent Psyche from being killed by Eros’s mother.
Enemies to Lovers
Oh, the height of banter. Force two individuals on opposite sides to get together for some reason, and it makes for grade A quality.
Examples:
- The Savage & The Swan by Ella Fields. The couple in this book are on opposite sides of a war, but they are mates so Dade kidnaps Opal after she is locked up by another kingdom.
- These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong. A Romeo and Juliet retelling. Juilette and Roma are in different gangs but must work together to solve the mystery of the bug creature that is killing people throughout their city.
Partners in Crime
The couple gets together due to being forced to work together or a bargain they have made to achieve their separate or collective goals.
Examples:
- Bryce and Hunt in Crescent City: House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas have to work together in order to save the mystery of a series of murders caused by demons that are searching for something specific called the Horn.
- The Folk of the Air series by Holly Black. Jude and Cardan are forced to work together to stop a civil war by crowning the next High King after Cardan’s entire family was slaughtered by one of his brothers that wanted the crown for himself.
Arranged Marriage/Marriage of Convenience
Ok, this one isn’t my favorite favorite, but some books I have enjoyed reading have included this trope. Basically, it’s where characters are forced to get married when they may not know each other, then they eventually fall in love with one another due to that arrangement.
Examples:
- A Deal with the Elf King by Elise Kova. They have to get married in order to maintain the balance of the world. The two agree to work together to find a way to break that cycle since the magic is dying.
- Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin. Reid and Lou are forced to get married in order to avoid destroying Reid’s reputation and save Lou from being killed due to her crimes.
- A Shadow in the Ember by Jennifer L. Armentrout. Seraphina and Ash (Nyktos) are arranged to be married as part of a bargain made centuries ago. Granted initially Nyktos was not going to go through with the arrangement since neither of them made that original deal, but he eventually ends up collecting on that bargain to make her his Consort.
Soulmates/Mates
I really like this trope that there’s one person or specific people made for you. A LOT of books I read include this trope. Either it’s something that is revealed over time or it’s more instant.
Most of the examples for this one are going to be series:
- Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon. Couples have a resonance that is specifically for mating, but it always ends up being a relationship that individual needs in their life.
- Zodiac Wolves by Elizabeth Briggs. A bond that is driven by magic, the shifters are able to sense their mate. However, the main couple is not able to sense it, due to a false bond being put in place on one of them with someone else.
- Aelin and Rowan from A Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas are mates, but they don’t immediately recognize that bond.
- Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti. Really goes with a large majority of the couples in these connected worlds. But they have a mate or mates dictated by the stars and are forced through trials before being given the choice if they want to have the bond. I love that while it is soulmate there is still a choice. You can decline the bond if you don’t want it, granted it’s still there.
I will be posting my least favorite romance tropes in a few days. But in the meantime, which romance tropes do you love to read?
Love ya,
Mae Polzine
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