Romance Trope Combos I'm Most Thankful For
Serving only the best romance tropes—and not a secret baby in sight
Oftentimes, people who don’t read romance refer to tropes as if they’re bad. They say they’re formulaic, predictable, and boring. But they would be wrong.
Rather than view tropes negatively, I find them useful for sifting through the content haystack to find exactly the needle you’ve been searching for.
And while I don’t subscribe to the idea that anything and everything can be a trope—to the point where reviewers are discussing microtropes, minitropes, and nanotropes—there are tried-and-true trope combinations that will always get me adding romance novels to my shopping cart.
To celebrate Thanksgiving week, I’m sharing the romance trope combos I’m most thankful for. Rave along with me, and be sure to leave a comment below with your favorites!
1. Opposites attract: Enemies-to-lovers + grumpy/sunshine
We’re starting this list off strong with a classic combo that goes all the way back to Pride and Prejudice. Nothing screams opposites attract like two people hating how much they love each other, especially when one hops out of bed with a smile on their face and the other can’t face the day without copious amounts of caffeine and a well-polished chip on their shoulder.
I’m not one for trope semantics. Romantasy fans are quick to write off contemporary enemies-to-lovers because they believe if you’re not actively trying to murder your crush, then you’re not really enemies. Insert eye roll here. Call it rivals-to-lovers, hate-to-love, or whatever you like, but if the characters can’t stand each other, they’re enemies enough for me.
It’s interesting to observe how this combo eliminates many other tropes from making it on my TBR. For instance, I don’t particularly like second-chance romances or friends-to-lovers because they begin with mutual trust and respect—and honestly, where’s the fun in that?
Gimme petty arguments and electric chemistry. I want my romances to be made with oil and water, not peanut butter and jelly. Because when characters finally set aside their differences and succumb to their desires, it’s storytelling magic ✨
Opposites attract recommendations:
It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey
The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
Opposites attract on my TBR:
Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert
The Worst Guy by Kate Canterbary
2. Tight twosome: Forced proximity + only one bed
Now, lovers don’t necessarily have to share a bed specifically, but there’s something special about shoving characters into cramped quarters and seeing where their nether regions take them.
They can be snowed in during a blizzard or fighting over the playlist on a road trip, but sparks are sure to fly when they can’t escape each other.
Forced proximity is especially delightful because it often removes all the unnecessary secondary characters I don’t care about. Friends and family? Who needs them when there’s a sleeping bag to strip naked in for warmth!
Tight twosome recommendations:
Something Wilder by Christina Lauren
Gone With the Nerd by Vicki Lewis Thompson
Tight twosome on my TBR:
Gone Too Deep by Katie Ruggle
You, With a View by Jessica Joyce
3. Tabloid transcripts: Celebrity romance + mixed media
I’m a sucker for celebrity gossip. I’ve already read a metric ton of memoirs, but I also love reading about fictional famous people. Whether we’re talking royals or reality shows, I’m immediately more invested when reputations are ripe for ruin.
The best celebrity romances are the ones that understand both the role of the paparazzi and the parasocial relationship between fans. These dynamics can come in the form of mixed media, including press releases, podcast interviews, leaked emails, and group chats.
I haven’t read many, and I’m dying for more, so if you know of romances featuring characters TMZ would have covered, I want them in my life!
Tabloid transcripts recommendations:
Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London
4. Anti-small town: Billionaire + workplace romance
Now that the holiday season is officially upon us, there’s a viral meme that resonates deep in my soul, courtesy of comedian Crystal Lowery:
No judgment if small-town romances are your jam, but nothing makes me sadder than watching a doctor, lawyer, or high-powered career woman give up her entire life to marry a mediocre man in a flannel shirt. Remember, in The Devil Wears Prada, the real villain is Andy’s garbage boyfriend, Nate.
One of the novels in the Silicon Valley rom-com series I’m writing is what I like to call an anti-small town romance, in which the bakery owner is the one who must compromise to find love in the big city. But until that story comes to life, I can’t get enough of billionaire bosses.
I may not have enjoyed the execution of Fifty Shades of Grey, but I’m always down for the concept. I’m one of the few who finds Succession sexy as hell, so even though I’ve got an “eat the rich” attitude in real life, I’ll drool over tycoons and media moguls on the page.
Anti-small town recommendations:
Preferential Treatment by Heather Guerre
Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren
Anti-small town on my TBR:
5. Bow chicka wow wow: Sex positivity + instalove
Despite its name, instalove is a trope that gets a lot of unwarranted hate. But not all slow burns are worth the wait, and sometimes you just want to get the X-rated show on the road.
Usually, you have to wait until the 50% mark for a contemporary romance to get spicy, so it’s a pleasant surprise when the good times get going sooner. While there are certain subgenres that turn up the heat, like Why Choose and alien/monster/paranormal, another fast pass in romance is unapologetic sex positivity.
It may be attributed to my obsession with Pretty Woman, but if one or more of the characters engages in some kind of sex work, whether it’s camming, escorting, or owning a toy shop, you can count me in.
These modern romances don’t shy away from conversations about body image, slut shaming, and gender politics—and the fact that they get physical much faster than your typical slow burn is a huge bonus.
Bow chicka wow wow recommendations:
Merry Little Meet Cute by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone
Happenstance by Tessa Bailey
Bow chicka wow wow on my TBR:
The Roommate by Rosie Danan
Counting My Trope Blessings
I’m grateful to all the romance authors out there mixing and matching my favorite tropes and delivering joy on a silver platter.
That said, I’m painfully aware my reading could be more diverse, so if you’ve got more BIPOC or queer recommendations that fit the bill, please send them my way!
Now it’s time for this month’s moment of sunshine.
Your Moment of Sunshine ☀️
Every month, I share the things I loved most to bring a ray of warmth wherever you are.
Reading 📖
The Tooth & Claw Series by Heather Guerre
With four of her books under my belt this year, Heather Guerre has skyrocketed to the top of my list of auto-read authors. This past month, I binged her paranormal romance series, Tooth & Claw, which features a multifaceted universe of werewolves and vampires.
Hot Blooded, the second installment, is my favorite by far, because it’s the perfect blend of sexy and sweet. Who knew blood donations could be this heart-pounding? You’ll want to skip if stalking and consensual non-consent aren’t your thing, but if you’ve been thirsting for the undead since Twilight, you’re in for a wild ride.
Watching 🍿
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes
Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, was one of my favorite reads in 2020, so I’ve been looking forward to this adaptation for years.
I’ve got a love-hate relationship with this franchise, since it’s a series that begins with a bang and fizzles out into an extremely disappointing ending. That said, this prequel succeeds in getting the awful taste of Mockingjay out of my mouth, and that’s a major win.
I love a good villain origin story, and this film delivers on all counts. Even though it’s divided into 3 chapters and has a runtime of 2 hours, 38 minutes, it’s thoroughly compelling to the very end.
My only minor complaints were Lucy Gray’s distracting accent and occasionally heavy-handed dialogue that gets a bit info-dumpy, but once you settle into the movie’s tone, you’ll be transfixed.
If you haven’t read the book, please note that music plays a larger role than you might expect, but I promise this adaptation isn’t trying to pull a fast one on you, a la the upcoming Mean Girls.
Traveling ⛵️
The Annex BVI
I didn’t get as much reading and writing done as I wanted to this month, but my consolation prize was spending a week in the British Virgin Islands with my in-laws, so I can’t complain.
It was my first sailing trip on a catamaran, chartered by The Annex, which took care of our every need. Our captain Devon planned our itinerary and transported us from island to island, while chef Jess and crew member Lindi made us the best food and drinks in the Caribbean.
Between snorkeling through caves and digging my toes into the softest sand, it was truly the trip of a lifetime. Shout-out to The Annex dream team and my daily dose of Dramamine :)
What have you been reading, watching, and traveling to this month? Let’s catch up in the comments!