Mention tropes around a group of readers or writers and everyone seems to perk up a little. Folks often have strong opinions about the best and worst and readily give their opinion when asked. But what do our favorite tropes reveal about us?
By definition, a trope is a particular theme an author uses in their book. These themes can apply to the plot or characters. Books can include more than one trope, but in the romance genre tropes are often identified in relation to the two main characters.
The other day, while thinking about this post, I thought about the tropes I’ve written. Of the eight contemporary Christian romance books I’ve published, how do the tropes break down? Do I have a clear favorite? Is there one I’ve not used—and any reason I’ve avoided it? And what might my tropes say about me as a writer or a romantic?
I took a quick inventory of my book’s tropes. For the sake of today’s conversation, I’m mostly focusing on the character relationship/dynamic tropes.
- Someplace Familiar: friends-to-more
- Suddenly Forever: neighbors-to-more, introvert/extrovert, forced proximity
- Someone Found: sunshine/grump, optimist/pessimist
- Say It’s For Good: second-chance romance, fake relationship
- Somehow This Christmas: engaged couple, getting-to-the-altar
- An Unscripted Christmas: second-chance romance, married couple
- Just Like That: city/country, opposites attract
- Gwen and the Three Dates: friends-to-more
Friends-to-more and some version of opposites attract are my most used tropes. But why? What might they reveal about me?
By and large, I’m not a fan of drama within my friendships, marriage, or other relationships. While every story needs some type of conflict or challenge, writing characters who start out as friends naturally removes layers of drama that feel more uncomfortable to me. I also believe that the purest romantic love can grow from a foundation in friendship—seeing things you admire in a person turn into affection.
The opposites attract trope is the other that repeats in my writing in various ways. To me, there’s no mystery as to why I often write this one. My husband and I are, in many ways, opposites. I’m an introvert and he’s an extrovert. I’m emotional and he’s logical. I’m a worrier and he’s more carefree. I could go on and on about ways we’re different. Our romance is unlikely. Why would two people different in so many ways end up happy together? This trope intrigues me because, like my own relationship, opposites who attract defy the odds. These characters must make extra effort to focus more on how their love brings them together than how their differences separate them.
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What are your favorite tropes? Least favorite? What do you think they reveal about you? I’d also love to hear about a favorite book that uses your favorite trope!
GIVEAWAY!
One reader will win an ebook copy of one of my Laurel Cove Romance Series books, winner’s choice. Choose from Someplace Familiar, Suddenly Forever, Someone Found, or Say It’s For Good. Open to anyone with a valid email address. To enter, leave a comment below answering one of the above discussion questions. Entries close Monday, August 7. Winner will be contacted by email soon after.
Teresa Tysinger is an author of Southern contemporary romance inspired by grace. She writes on the fringes of being a wife, mom, and full-time communications professional. Teresa is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, the Association for Women in Communications, and the Religion Communicators Council. She’s an introverted Enneagram 4 (if you know, you know) and loves coffee, traveling, and almost every genre of music. Born in Hawaii, raised in Florida, and educated in North Carolina, she now resides in Texas with her husband, daughter, and dog.
I love second chances and friends to more. Didn’t use to be fan of Grumpy/Sunshine but that one is growing on me. Don’t care for books about Royals or Billionaires because to me they are unrealistic.
I’m totally with you on the grumpy/sunshine trope! I’m writing that one in my current WIP!
Hi Teresa! As a retiree, I am intrigued with older couples second chance at love. Having celebrated our Golden Anniversary hubby and I tease how opposites attract, because for our long marriage he has been happily married 25 years and I have been happily married 25 years. We comprise on doing what the other person likes to do, eat and more. As a reader, I think I gravitate to reading a troupe that I probably need in my life at the time or maybe what the weather dictates. Not sure i read Grumpy / Sunshine when our Michigan weather is all gloomy for over a month. Best wishes. Thanks for a fun blog.
don’t like triangles
I honestly like and read any and all. As long as the story is good, I’m good! My favorite book is always whatever I’m currently reading. My favorite trope over all is a marriage of convenience, as that’s what I grew up reading by my favorite author, Betty Neels. I wasn’t even a teenager when I started reading her books, as I read the ones my oldest sister checked out from the library! I’d read what I got and what she got! To this day, we still read each other’s books!
Jane Eyre has been my favorite book since I read it in 1998. I have always loved “the plain Jane gets the popular guy” trope. I’m a plain Jane introvert and my husband is the super popular extrovert. I love that the guy who can get anyone he wants pays enough attention to see a girl for who she really is and then goes after her even though the rest of the world thinks he’s crazy for going after a plain girl. This trope will always make me swoon!
I like Second chances and Secret Baby.
I marriage of convenience I think the proximity and we’re in this forever vibe from this trope. My favorites are: Love Comes Softly by Janette Oke, The Lost Lieutenant by Erica Vetsch, The Belle of Belgrave Square by Mimi Matthews, The inConvenient Marriage by Cheryl Bolen,Wolf Creek Wedding by Penny Richards The Marriage Bargain, by Angel Moore,More Than Words Can Say by Karen Witemeyer and Short Straw Bride by Karen Witemeyer, the accidental Bride and The Convenient Groom by Denise Hunter, A Heart Caught Unaware by Audra Wells (KU) Lord Blackwell’s Promise(KU) by Ashtyn Newbold The Mistress of Tall Acre by Laura Frantz (KU) and Bride for Keeps by Melissa Jagears(all are clean and/Christian fiction of course.)
I love your comment on reading what you need in your life at the time! I bet a lot of readers, including myself, share that in common with you.
I totally agree with you!
That’s so fun to share books with your sister. Marriage of convenience has started to grow on me a little over the years.
Oh, great trope! I totally agree with you, too. Very swoony.
Second chances are at the top of my list to read as well.
Thanks so much for sharing so many great suggestions here!
My fave tropes are probably marriages of convenience, love triangles or opposites (grumpy/sunshine, city/country). My least favorite is age gap (gross), or billionaires. Robin Lee Hatcher’s book “I’ll Be Seeing You”!
I love small town and second chance books. I don’t like billionaires or work place romances. Cedar Cove series by Debbie Macomber.
I enjoy most tropes, as long as they are done in a believable way- second chance romance for example needs a real reason why the couple didn’t work out the first time and to show how this has changed., grumpy/sunshine can be great but if either character is overwritten they can become annoying and the romance just seems unbelievable. I think my favourite trope is marriage of convenience. I find Jessie Gussman does this really well.
I love, love, love enemies to lovers! The banter is so fun! I also love it when pranks come into play. One of my favorite books with that trope is Love in the Headlines by Penny Zeller. Such a cute book! I’m not sure what it says about me either than I love lots of drama in a book 😂
My least favorite would probably be age gap. It always feels icky to me 🤷🏼♀️
Friends to more is my favorite. I am not sure if I have one that is not my favorite. Thank you for sharing as well as the opportunity. God bless you.
My favorite trope is Beauty and the Beast, and I also love friends to more. I love the whole theme of looking underneath the beastly surface. I also love the theme of good friends who realize they want something more.
I love the friends to lovers tropes and also the enemies to lovers if done right, the slow burn and the marriage of convenience.
I’m not a big fan of billionaires either. Thanks for the recommendation!
Oh the series is great!!
I think you’re so right. Tropes, no matter which, must be written well with great supporting elements. Thanks!
I’ll have to check out Penny’s book. And I love banter, too!!
Thanks, Debra!
I completely agree! There’s an extra layer of hope in those tropes.
Slow burn is another good one!
I like love triangles, forbidden loves, multi-cultural romance. friends to more, opposites attract, a second chance to love (not necessarily with the first love, it could be a totally different, new person but when the main character thought everything was lost and he was doomed to be alone forever), even age gaps if it is well written and marriages of convenience which grow into more. I am writing them too.
I do not like billionaire stories, and not so much sports stories either.