There are many less-than-ideal impacts that the rise of #BookTok has had on recent literature, but in my humble opinion, the exponential increase of marketing books based around specific tropes takes the cake. While I have no problems with popular tropes being used in books when they are done well, I also feel as though it’s very easy to tell when a book has been written solely around a handful of cliched tropes. So without further ado, here is my ranking of 10 romance tropes based on how much hype I think each one deserves.Â
1. Enemies to lovers – I think I’m in the majority when it comes to loving a good enemies-to-lovers read. This trope is absolutely incredible when it is executed successfully. It does, however, veer into dangerous territory when the animosity is excessive or cruel. I love some good banter or a snappy roast, but it’s really hard to root for a couple that constantly belittles each other. In my opinion, this trope is done best when there is a valid reason behind the couple’s disliking of each other, and the way in which they overcome said disliking doesn’t exclusively involve finding each other attractive.Â
2. Forbidden romance – It’s a classic for a reason. So long as there is a valid and realistic reason that the couple cannot be together, the tension created from this trope is unmatchable! The higher the stakes, the more invested a reader can get into the romance.Â
3. Only one bed – Same goes for this one – perhaps it’s a little overused, but I can still get behind it most of the time as long as there is a valid and realistic reason for there not being two beds!Â
4. Fake dating – Okay, the only reason this trope is so far down on the list is because I feel like it happens a disproportionate amount in literature when compared to real life. Generally speaking, I feel like fake dating is not something that often occurs in real life, so when every other romance book invokes this trope, it does tend to induce quite a bit of skepticism in me.Â
5. Work/academic rivals – Because who doesn’t love a little competition? :)
6. Childhood friends to lovers – Personally, this one has always felt kind of meh for me. I’ve read a couple books where this trope has been executed successfully, but more often than not, I find myself feeling as though the romance falls a bit flat. While I can appreciate the intimacy of falling in love with someone who has known you inside-and-out for years, I’m personally glad that my partner never had the opportunity to see my middle-school braces phase.Â
7. Second chance romance – There’s a reason your best friend tells you to NOT go back to your ex. The relationship ended for a reason, and most of the time, pretending otherwise is like reading the same story multiple times and expecting a different ending.Â
8. Love triangle – This poor horse has simply been beaten to death in my eyes.
9. Miscommunication – I don’t think I’m alone in finding this to be one of the most frustrating tropes to ever exist. It drives me absolutely insane when the only thing standing in the way of a romance is a stupid misunderstanding that could be resolved if the characters would take two seconds to TALK TO EACH OTHER. If a couple isn’t able to communicate when they’re not even dating yet, what incentive does that give a reader to root for their relationship?
10. Slow burn – The only reason I’m putting this one last is because it shouldn’t even be a trope, in my opinion. When you really think about it, is there any alternative to a slow burn? Is there any relationship that doesn’t take some degree of time to evolve as the characters get to know each other better? I’m not saying that the couple has to take five years to finally begin dating, but even the quickest relationships still involve some time period of developing feelings for each other.