5 Romance Tropes That Never Fail

So, you want to write a romance novel and don’t know where to begin. May I suggest starting with a trope? A trope is a recognizable, recurring situation authors employ in a story’s plot. Tropes appeal to readers because they are comfortably familiar, offer a high-tension escape, and help them identify stories of interest. Their predictability allows readers to quickly settle into the story, which is good for both reader and author.

(10 Tips on Finding Your Happily-Ever-After From a Bestselling Romance Author.)

Also helpful for the author: Tropes provide a framework that helps plot the story. There are dozens of romance tropes, but among the most popular are: enemies-to-lovers, fake dating, friends-to-lovers, second-chance, and forced proximity.

This type of story delivers sparks from page one. Readers enjoy high tension as the characters make the journey from antagonism to love, usually with lots of banter. The gradual transition causes a will-they/won’t-they dynamic that keeps the reader flipping pages. This arc often requires characters to reevaluate initial opinions or confront prejudices, and that results in satisfactory growth. The ride is as exciting as it is bumpy, and readers are all in on the experience.

Bonus tip: For best results, give these adversaries a compelling reason to be trapped together until the right kinds of sparks are flying.

Sample it: The Best Man, by Kristan Higgins

This is another tried and true trope. The magic of this one is that the trope itself creates a crucible for the couple. They make a decision to pretend to date, which puts them together for much of the novel—a boon for the author. Readers can look forward to delicious tension as they are forced to fake their feelings for their friends—hello, chemistry! It won’t take long for attraction to heighten, feelings to flourish, and intimacy to grow—and the reader will be there for every moment.

Bonus tip: Make sure you give the couple a persuasive reason to fake date or the reader will be unable to suspend disbelief.

Sample it: The Bodyguard, by Katherine Center

If you want to write a story that feels like a warm hug, this is your answer. This trope usually results in a slow-burn romance. The hero and heroine already know each other intimately, but making that little jog over to true love creates a lot of delicious tension. As your heroine (or hero) feels a shift in the relationship, she doesn’t know if she’s alone and is afraid to admit her new feelings. There are high stakes in telling the hero because the friendship is valued so highly. Enter the friends, family, and maybe a rival or two (jealousy!), and there’s bound to be all sorts of interesting situations that’ll keep the reader flipping pages long into the night.

Bonus tip: To make your story extra angsty, give your couple an additional reason why they absolutely can’t be together.

Sample it: More Than Friends, by Denise Hunter

This trope focuses on characters who were previously together but were separated by circumstance or conflict. When the hero and heroine connect again, sparks—of some kind—usually fly as those old feelings and conflicts rise to the surface. A wise author will put them in a crucible so they are forced to work out their issues now that they’re older and wiser. In a second-chance romance, the couple’s previous relationship offers a gold mine of history to delve into, and opportunities for personal growth abound.

Bonus tip: Well-placed flashbacks can bring the couple’s history to life, unravelling the mystery of their break up, and enhancing the present-day story for the reader.

Sample it: Same Time Next Summer, by Annabel Monaghan

In this trope the crucible can be something physical such as being trapped in a snowstorm, on a deserted island, or on a road trip together. It can also be situational like a work project, a marriage, or an assignment. This trope automatically solves the author’s problem of “why are they together?” If you like writing high-tension stories, this trope can deliver, especially if the hero or heroine (or both) are very reluctant to be there. Trapping the characters together breaks down barriers between them and accelerates intimacy, taking the reader on a fun ride that’s sure to please.

Bonus tip: Give the couple incredible chemistry and a compelling reason they absolutely cannot fall in love, and watch the tension ratchet up. 

Sample it: Meet Me at the Lake, by Carly Fortune

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Writing tropes, especially if you give it a unique spin or pair them up, can be fun and rewarding for the author. And when it comes time to market your book, you will have a ready-made audience in readers who are searching for a story just like yours.

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