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How to Write the Class Differences Romance Trope

Updated: Jul 4

If you're looking for a way to add tension to your romance novel, there are a slew of tropes out there to try. Enemies-to-lovers is usually the go-to, but for a twist, try the class differences trope.


It's a common trope in historical romance.


It makes sense when you think about it—it's harder to distinguish between classes in the modern West, but in centuries past, the task was much easier. 


From someone's clothes to their accent to their profession—or lack thereof— there were many visible and/or audible clues that hinted at someone's class. 


The class differences trope also lends itself well to historical romance because one of the best examples of it is from the Regency era. 


It's—you guessed it—Pride and Prejudice. 


Class differences are the basis for some, though not all, of the external conflicts that Lizzie and Darcy have to battle on their way to love. And though the book ends in a happily ever after, it's clear that they'll never totally escape the repercussions of their origins. 


Authors have applied the class differences trope to other historical eras, including:

The book cover of "Slippery Creatures" by KJ Charles shows an illustration of a white man in a black suit offering a book to a seated white man in yellow holding a knife. They are set against a red, art-deco patterned background.
The book cover of "Baron" by Joanna Shupe shows a photograph of a white man and woman in formal attire embracing in front of a dark, ornate background.

The 1920s, with Slippery Creatures by KJ Charles 

The Gilded Age, with Baron by Joanna Shupe

Edwardian, with The Nature of a Lady by Roseanne M. White

The book cover of "The Nature of a Lady" by Roseanne M. White shows a photograph of a woman in a purple dress standing in a garden archway. Blue flowers adorn her hair.


But the class differences trope isn't just for historical romance. It's prevalent in contemporary romance, too, though usually with different character archetypes. Instead of dukes and earls, you have royals. Instead of wealthy industrialists, you have billionaires, business heirs, rockstars, and actors. 


The conflict the trope creates remains the same: two (or more) people, from vastly different backgrounds, trying to figure out how and if they can make it work with someone whose lifestyle seems totally different from theirs. 


My favorite contemporary examples of the trope are:

The book cover of "A Duke by Default" by Alyssa Cole shows a Black woman and a white man embracing in front of blue-toned stone arches. The woman wears a colorful geometric dress, and the man is in a dark shirt and jeans.

A Duke by Default by Alyssa Cole (royal!)

The book cover of The Stand-In" by Lily Chu shows an illustration of an East Asian woman with dark hair split by pink and teal halves. One the pink side, she has long hair and wears a green dress. On the teal side, she has short hair and wears a floral-patterned white t-shirt.

The Stand-In by Lily Chu (actor!) (and one of my favourite romances of 2022)

Hurts to Love You by Alisha Rai (heiress!)




The book cover of "Hurts to Love You" by Alisha Rai shows a photograph of a couple, made up of white man with his shirt being pulled off by a Brown woman wearing a black dress with a sheer bodice. They are set against a dark background.

Read these for inspiration and see how you can apply the class differences trope to your next romance novel.


Until next post, happy reading and writing!

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