Friday, October 16, 2009

Romance Tropes I Love (and hate)

I love all the emerging genres in romance, especially anything paranormal. The more plot twists and the darker the hero, the better. However, there are certain romance tropes that no matter the genre, I'm picking up. In theory, I know some of them are cheesy, I just don't care. Here's a list of my favorites:
  • Friends to lovers (love this, especially in erotic romance)
  • Enemies to Lovers
  • Don't judge me, but I LOVE amnesia stories!
  • Forbidden love with dead best friend's (or brother's) widow
  • Wrongly accused hero (or heroine)
  • I'm actually judging myself for this one, but I love virgin widow stories (hanging my head in shame right now)
Now, onto tropes I hate (or dislike very much):
  • The Big Misunderstanding (my all time pet peeve)
  • Marriage of Convenience (except in some historicals)
  • Anytime a hero blackmails a heroine, yet they're still having sex
  • Greek billionaires with virgin mistresses *g*
  • Secret babies (UNLESS it's impossible for the heroine to tell the hero for whatever reason)
I'm sure I've forgotten some so tell me what you would add to your list! If I can admit to loving virgin widow stories, I want the truth :)

10 comments:

Chudney Thomas said...

Okay So I like Marriage of convenience only if it's done well though. Mostly in historicals. I did find one that also had a big misunderstanding as well. Don't really like those. Love, just love, friends/enemies to lovers and I will hang my head in shame with you on the virgin widow stories. Though only in historicals.

Savannah Stuart said...

Yeah, I agree that the VW works best in historicals. Actually I can only think of one contemporary where it worked (at least for me). It's a Linda Howard novel. I can't recall the name but I remember it took place on the gulf coast of Alabama. Hmm, gonna have to look that up.

Anny Cook said...

I loved the old Anne Mather stories. She had sexual tension as an art waaaay before the erotica wave. The girl was always a virgin and the hero was always very experienced. Hiding my head now...

Dara Edmondson said...

I'm a fan of the exes who can't get each other out of their head! The misunderstanding thing bores me to tears. If you do a misunderstanding, resolve it within a chapter, two at most.

Shelley Munro said...

I'm a fan of the friends to lovers trope. It's one of my favorites because the characters know each other so well already. Family feuds and Beauty and the Beast type plots are also fun.

I'm not as fond of secret babies and amnesia plots, but I think any trope can work in the hands of a good author. It's all in the author execution.

Savannah Stuart said...

Oh yeah, I forgot Beauty and the Beast plots. Love love love those too!

Valerie Douglas said...

I'll take almost anything done well, but the one thing I absolutely hate is a hero who treats the heroine so badly I have to wonder about her (ant the author's) self-esteem issues. The misunderstanding thing drives me crazy.

Asylumgirl said...

I totally know what you mean about that whole Greek Billionaire thing. Those books could be the best in the world, but the titles are just ridiculous. No offense whatsoever to the writers. I know they don't always have a choice in the matter.
I can't stand simpering females who MUST have a man to take care of their weak, lowly personage. Ugh!

Deidre

Savannah Stuart said...

Exactly Valerie! I think some authors confuse alpha and asshole. Just b/c a hero is take charge doesn't mean he has to be a jerk ;)

Deidre - I know, those titles just crack me up!

Naima Simone said...

Hi Katie!
My favorites are friends to lovers, definitely. Also, like Savannah, I love the Beauty and the Beast trope. Like when a man is scarred from battle or some heroic deed and the woman he falls in love with, she doesn't even see the scar. *sigh* Brings to mind a Johanna Lindsey book I adore. I think it's "Once Upon a Princess".

Pet peeve of mine? Don't throw stones at me!--Amnesia! LOL! Reminds me too much of Lifetime movies!