We all have those stories we naturally gravitate toward, but don’t always have the name for why. What inherent plot structure is calling to us? Occasionally, people toss out names, but what do they really mean and did you actually sign up for all it entails?
You might be asking yourself “What exactly is a trope?” or even better, “I thought tropes were bad?”
- A trope, specifically a romance trope, is a plot device or theme used within a romance novel giving a recognizable starting point to the story that a reader can recognize. Though many romance books can use one common romance trope, it is their storylines and characters that differentiate each book using this common plot device. [definition courtesy of https://www.shereadsromancebooks.com]
- Tropes are not inherently bad. But, like all writing, due diligence and respect should always be front and center.
It also bears noting that there are several romance sub-genres: Historical, Rom/Com, Erotic, New Adult, Paranormal, Fantasy, Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Young Adult… I think you get the idea.
Now the tropes! I won’t call this a comprehensive list, because there are more tropes than hours in a day, maybe minutes–heck, maybe seconds! They are constantly shifting, evolving…multiplying. The good news is that most are self-explanatory.
I’ll be building this list over time so that it can be thorough, accurate, & most importantly, FUN. So be sure to check back! I’ll also be including links to some of my favorite examples as well as what stories of mine have them.
Abbreviation Guide
MC = Main Character
LI = Love Interest
Find My Trope
Enemies to Lovers/Rivals to Lovers:
Best friends to Lovers/Childhood friends to Lovers: The MC & LI have an established relationship as friends, whether that’s been since childhood or not quite that long. Something happens to tip the balance from platonic to romantic. Once lines are crossed, there’s no going back.
Secret Baby
Fake Dating
Age Gap
Forced Proximity
One Bed
(You might be noticing at this point, there’s quite a bit of overlap.)
Roommates
Second Chance
Fated Mates/Soulmates
Insta-love
Military
Alien
BDSM
Billionaire/Secret Billionaire (though, idk how you keep that a secret)
Bodyguard
Forbidden
Mafia
Marriage of Convenience
Nanny
Neighbors to Lovers
Office
Sports
Rockstar
Jilted at the Altar
Royal
Single Parent
May-December
Shapeshifter
Dark
Slowburn
Small Town
Surprise Pregnancy
Teacher/Student
The Dare/The Bet
Time Travel
The Virgin
Forbidden
Lauren Edwards 
This is such a helpful list for writing inspiration! Thank you!
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Happy to add any I might have missed. There are SO many. As well as book recs you’ve found that exemplify certain tropes!
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