ALL THE TROPES

I have a sneaking suspicion that each year, as Valentines Day comes and goes, certain people are hoping that the blog post to come will be an announcement.

It's adorable, the hope you all have 😂

There will be no announcements today. We all know the only love in my life is of the fictional variety, and I am perfectly ok with that. Thrilled, actually, because it has inspired the words for the day.

Today, we will be talking about all of the tropes.

What is a trope, you might ask, just as my mother did when I explained my idea for what is sure to be one of my most favorite blog posts ever?

A trope is basically a scenario that occurs often in different types of literature. In the rom com world, it simply explains to the reader what kind of love story they are about to step into. Enemies to lovers, older brother's best friend, and so on and so forth and what have you.

All readers have their specific, beloved kinds of trope, but rather than describe my preferred style, I've decided to select the ones I love most in varying trope categories. I say ones because sometimes you just can't make a singular pick. It's just not possible.

Now, most people know I can sometimes inhale books as if they are the very air I need to breathe. And though I usually opt for a book that has a least one storyline with romance in it, I've decided to focus solely on rom com books in this recommendation list. You know, to give me some sanity. I don't know that I'd ever be able to narrow it down if I opened myself up to all the genres.

So, to follow will be a list of tropes, a brief description of said trope, and my suggested rom com book in that section.

Also, I'd like to mention that all these books fall into the categories of: Young Adult, Closed-Door, and Clean. So, basically hand created for me😁

Happy Valentines Day! You are welcome in advance for the new Book Boyfriends. 😉

Enemies To Lovers

Ahh, Enemies to Lovers. I've heard it said that the reason this specific trope is so popular is due to the fact that the reader, too, hopes they can show the worst side of themselves first, and still be loved.

Whatever the reason, there is something so thrilling about watching hate melt into love.

Complex - Kortney Keisel

Falling For Your Enemy - Emma St Clair

My Own Worst Enemy - Julie Christianson

Friends To Lovers

On the opposite of enemies, we have Friends to Lovers. I think this is my very favorite trope, by far. I'm not sure what that says about me, but here we are.

I think it's the longing. When both parties long for something more, but are too afraid to ruin what they've already established together. So, so good. You'll see.

Falling For Your Best Friend - Emma St Clair

The First Taste - Annah Connell

Easy As Pie - Carina Taylor

The Twelve Holidates - Emma St Clair

Stand By Me - Jess Mastorakos

Marriage of Convenience

Oh, there is a big dilemma? A giant problem that causes one or more of the parties lives to hang in the balance? Everything is going to fall apart, unless a solution can be found? And what would that solution be? Marriage, of course.

Sounds like my dad's been swaying romance authors to his point of view.

The Buy-In - Emma St Clair

A Not So Fictional Fall - Savannah Scott

Falling For Your Fake Fiancé - Emma St Clair

Brother's Best Friend

Looking for love in the wrong places, when all along, it's been right there beside you. Well, I guess standing beside your brother. Perhaps you've been pining after his best friend for years, and finally, he seems to be noticing you. Swoon.

Unfortunately, the horror stories my brother constantly feeds me, ones where some of his roommates are the stars of disgusting bathroom sagas, has made it very clear this is not the route my love life will take.

Falling For Your Brother's Best Friend - Emma St Clair

Censorshipped - Savannah Scott

Best Friend's Brother

In contrast to the trope mentioned above, we have the best friend's brother. How can one not be fearful of how your best friend will react when she finds out you are in love with her brother? Or, on the flip side, perhaps the brother has been sworn to stay away from the best friend he's always had a special connection to.

This one is always all kinds of complicated, and I am here for it.

The Pocket Pair - Emma St Clair

Falling For Your Best Friend's Twin - Emma St Clair

Are We There Yet? - Savannah Scott

Can't Help Falling - Courtney Walsh

Grumpy and Sunshine

We love a good grump. I think I love this one so much because of the reason lots of readers adore Enemies to Lovers. Even if one doesn't always start with the best foot forward, or perhaps you tend to view life through a somewhat negative lens, there is still hope for you. There is a sunburst to pair perfectly with your rain cloud.

I think it's pretty obvious to all that I'm the rain cloud in this scenario, but if not, I am. For sure. No doubt.

The Bluff - Emma St Clair

The Grump I Despise - Hayley Zaragoza

Ripped and Shipped - Savannah Scott

That Time I Kissed the Groomsman Grump - Julie Christianson

Doctorshipped - Savannah Scott

Second Chance

Oh, what could have been. Horrible break up? Misunderstanding? Giving up on love to let the other follow their dreams? Whatever the catalyst behind the parting, love is always presented again to these couples, reminding the reader that you never know what could happen.

However, if you never date anyone ever, you are in the clear. Perfectly safe from the possibility of tripping into this trope.

No Place Like Home - Jess Mastorakos

Merrit and Her Childhood Crush -Emma St Clair and Jenny Proctor

Age Gap

I'm not going to lie, this one for some reason has never been my favorite. Which is ironic, seeing as my OG book boyfriend is a over a century older than his beloved. When you're Edward Cullen, you get to do whatever you want. 🤷‍♀️

However, the one listed below I really, really enjoyed. Perhaps it will even sway me over! Only time will tell.

One Last Play - Annah Conwell

Sports Romance

There's just something about a man in uniform. And in the world of rom coms, it really doesn't matter what kind of sports uniform it is. We will take them all 😂

I don't think I've read a soccer player one yet. I should add it to my list!

Just Don't Fall - Emma St Clair

Royal

I think this trope is instilled in us the day we are born. No one can deny the desire to be swept off their feet, then onto a white horse, and finally, being taken to a castle, where one become a Princess to the Prince. It's literally what fairytales are made of. Magic and fairy dust and all that stuff, all with the weight of the crown mixed in.

If you listen closely, you can almost hear Snow White singing the words to, "Someday My Prince Will Come".

Royally Rearranged - Emma St Clair

Christmas

Fresh off of the season, Hallmark has assured us that the holiday can be celebrated year round. And you can bet your bottom dollar than in my reading adventures, I always do.

And in the movies, because they are just so good.

The Holiday Stand-In - Kortney Keisel

Single Parent

As is well known here on the blog, I am a sucker for kids. Most of them have me wrapped around their finger, making me laugh at the most inappropriate of times, such as in the middle of a church service. They are just so stinking cute.

Add in an adorable dad to the mix? Who wouldn't like that book?

Compared - Kortney Keisel

Celebrity

Similar to the Royal trope, I believe all readers can somewhat connect to this love story. We all had posters of our celebrity crushes on our walls, dreaming of the day when they would spot us in the crowd at the concert, or appreciate our fangirling at the movie premiere, or perhaps get lost in our eyes after we had just won some sort of contest to meet them, and our lives would never be the same again.

Oh, that's just me? Well, seems like some of you didn't have a childhood.

As The Crow Flies - Jess Mastorakos

Opposites Attract

The unlikeliest of pairings can sometimes be the sweetest. It's important to find someone who complements you, and Opposites Attract proves just that. Even if it sometimes takes the soon-to-bes a minute to get over the stark contrast that separates them.

It would be weird to end up with someone just like you, right?

The Even Odder Couple - Julie Christianson

Holy Toledo, Batman! I never in a million years expected this to be that long. And I totally missed so many good tropes. There's Only One Bed? The Healthy Taking Care of the Sick? He Falls First? So, so good. All of them.

But alas, I'm not sure many will have made it this far. Apart from my mom, because she is the best and I will never deserve her.

However, if you did make it this far, congrats! You win a really great list of books. Happy reading! Remember me as you claim another book boyfriend 😉