Let's Talk About Tropes

Ok, I think it is safe to say that we all have a list of tropes that we love but also an equally long list of ones we don't. I have compiled a list of my favourite and my least favourite tropes that are frequent in romance books.

I'm going to start with the positive. There are so many tropes that I love in romance books that it was hard to actually choose the ones I like the best. I feel like the first however is pretty obvious, enemies to lovers (let's be honest that was 100% what you were thinking). This trope is extremely popular but it doesn't matter how many books I read that have this kind of story line, I just don't ever get sick of it. I love following along on the journey of the characters and seeing them slowly falling in love with the little things that the other does. My next favourite is the brothers best friend trope. I think the reason that I love this one is that it has a slight element of forbidden love as well as most of the time they can be quite funny (that's you Travis and Viola from Checkmate: This is War by Kennedy Fox). These types of books can also be so SEXY!! The next trope I love is the dating royalty trope (specifically ordinary girls meets prince and they fall in love, I mean swoon...). I think my love for this kind of story line comes from my OBSESSION with fairy-tales (and let's me honest any Disney movie). Ever since I was little my all time favourite movie has been Aladdin, I think this might be where the whole royal romance obsession began. Plus if it can happen for Meghan and Kate it can happen for me (that's what I choose to believe anyway). One of my favourite books with this trope is The Selection series by Kiera Cass (I mean America and Maxon are just goals).

For trope number four I have chosen one that is very similar to that of royalty, that is the celebrity trope. I think I like this one so much because I know just how unrealistic it is (a girl can dream though, right?). Some of my favourite celebrity romance books include Along for the Ride by knightsrachel (shout-out to Wattpad) and Meet Cute by Helena Hunting. The final trope I have chosen to put into my top 5 is the billionaire boss trope. There are so many books that have this trope that I love, this could be because they also tend to fit into the enemies to lovers trope. My absolute all time favourite book with this trope is 69 Million Things I Hate About You by Kira Archer (stay tuned for a full review on this book). I also really liked Maliciously Obedient by Julia Kent and Can You Keep a Secret by Sophie Kinsella also had this kind of feel about it. Another book I absolutely love is The Billionaire's Wake-up-call Girl by Annika Martin, read this and thank me later.

Now onto tropes that, to be honest, can really ruin a book for me. I'm going to start with the age gap trope. Now don't get me wrong, I love a good romance where the main characters have an age gap of up to probably about 10 years butttt any bigger than this I find to not be my cup of tea. In this same kind of area, another trope that I don't like is student/teacher relationships. Specifically with this one, student/teacher relationships where they have a large age gap. I think part of the reason I don't like this is because I am currently in my third year of studying to become a teacher. A third trope that I am not a fan of is one where there is an unexpected pregnancy. With this one I am specifically referring to when the main characters seemingly only stay together because of the unplanned pregnancy or when they part ways then meet up again the woman is either pregnant or has since had a child. In stories like this, I feel like regardless of how the author writes it, I feel like the characters only stayed together or came back together because of the baby and not because they actually love each other. An example of this is A Lie For A Lie by Helena Hunting. I loved this book, however I really wish the author had taken it in a different direction rather than the unplanned child story line that she went with.

So, there you have it. Those are my favourite and least favourite tropes. I would love to hear what your opinions are on these and what your favourite tropes are.

Until next time, happy reading

Jess xx

Books Mentioned

Checkmate: This is War by Kennedy Fox

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31946442-checkmate

The Selection Series by Kiera Cass

https://www.goodreads.com/series/57517-the-selection

Along for the Ride by knightsrachel

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22931212-along-for-the-ride

Meet Cute by Helena Hunting

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41063454-meet-cute

69 Million Things I Hate About You by Kira Archer