I’ve been making some new lists lately. My newest is a list of romance tropes that are often used in novels or movies.
Tropes can be use alone or combined. For example, if a rich young woman grew up in the same house as the cook’s young son, you could have a “classes clash” trope and a “best friends/friends” first trope.
No matter which trope(s) you choose, make sure that both your hero and heroine each have two conflicts that keep them apart: an internal conflict and an external conflict. By the end of the story, they each must overcome both conflicts to reach their happily ever after ending.
Also, your hero and heroine might look differently at the situation. Could be it was “love at first sight” for your hero, but your heroine is experiencing an “everyone can see it” (except her) trope.
Play with it. And have fun.
abduction to love
accidental pregnancy
afraid to commit
all grown up
amnesia
antihero romance
arranged marriage
athlete
bait and switch
beauty and the beast
best friend’s lover
best friend’s sibling
best friends/ friends first
billionaire
blackmail
blind date
bodyguard crush
boss/employee
boy hates girl
boy meets ghoul
boy meets girl
break his heart to save him
brother’s best friend
bully turned puppy lover
can’t live with them, can’t live without them
celebrity loves commoner
celibate hero
childhood enemies fall in love
childhood friends
childhood marriage promise
Cinderella story/wrong side of the tracks
classes clash
clueless love
consanguinity
crazy love
Cyrano/matchmaker
damaged lead finds happily ever after
dark secret keeps them apart
different worlds
disguise
enemies to lovers
everyone can see it
fairytale
fake engagement
fatal attraction
first love
fish out of water
fling
forbidden love/Romeo and Juliet
friends with benefits
girl wants bad boy
guardian/ward
guy wants cheerleader
huge guy, tiny girl/ tiny guy, huge girl
if I can’t have you, no one will!
imaginary love triangle
impotent love
innocent cohabitation
instant/false sweethearts
it happened in Vegas
jilted bride/groom
law enforcement
long distance relationship
long-term lovers
love at first sight
love interest has a profession protagonist abhors
love interest reminds of estranged family member
love potion
love reforms villain
love triangle
love/hate
lovers in denial/ they’re the last to know
mad love
maid/janitor
mail-order bride
marriage of convenience
men in uniform
mistaken declaration of love leads to love
mistaken identity
noble rescuer steps in, She’s dating Mr. Wrong
nobody thinks it will work
not good enough for him/her
oblivious to love
older man, younger woman/ older woman, younger man
on the rocks
one night stand
one wants true love/other wants a fling
oops! fall in love with the wrong person (which could ruin everything!)
opposites attract
orphan
overly shy love
parent/childcare worker
partners in crime
passionate lovers
Plain Jane get the hottie
playboy
politics
pretending to be married or engaged
protector
redemption
rejected as unworthy/ turns life around
reluctant sex worker
removing the rival
rescue romance
return to hometown
reunion romance
revenge
rich man, poor woman/ rich woman, poor man
rivals/ protagonist vs. antagonist
road trip romance
rock star hero
royalty
runaway bride/groom
scars from the past
second chance at love
second time around
secret admirer
secret baby- He doesn’t know she’s PG
secret that can end everything
sibling triangle
sibling’s ex-spouse
similarities attract
sleeps with everyone but you
sorry, I’m taken
stranded together
student/teacher
sudden parent
the one that got away
time travel
tortured hero(ine)
tragic love affair
tragic past
two-person love triangle (involves some mistaken identity) ex. superman
ugly duckling
unobtainable love interest/ one-sided
unrequited love
unrequited-love-switcheroo love triangle
unwanted harem
virginal/innocent
wallflower noticed by the rake
was it all a lie? (undercover love)
widow(er)
(wo)man in peril
working with the ex
workplace romance
Which tropes are some of your favorites? Which do you hate? See any that I’m missing? Share in the comments.
And click here to download a nice printable version of the list.
This list is incredible! Thanks so much for putting it together ? Oh the plot ideas now swirling round my head because of it… ?