The Romance Genre Specialist

Tropes! Whether you're just dipping your toes into the romance genre or have been a long-time reader and fan, you've probably heard of them. 

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But what exactly are they?

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Tropes are plot devices that are used to affect one of a few things in a romance novel:

-beats—key scenes—in the romance plot. For example, the bodyguard trope might influence the meet-cute, if the first time the main characters meet is when one main character is assigned to protect the other

-some or all of one or more main characters' internal conflicts, i.e., the reason they're reluctant to fall in love 

-beats—key plot points—in the character development arc (narrative) of a main character

 

Tropes can broadly be broken down into three types: relationship tropes, character tropes, and setting tropes. Below is a list of each type. Most of the tropes are self-explanatory, but for those that aren't, I've included definitions to save you the research! 

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This is a "living" list of tropes, which means that as new tropes appear, I'll add to that list, so check back here regularly for updates! 

 

Relationship Tropes 

Afraid to commit

Already married

Arranged marriage

Age gap-older man younger woman

Age gap-older woman younger man

Age gap-older woman younger woman

Age gap-older man younger man

Annoyance-to-lovers

Bargain

Bang it out/get it out of our system—The main characters decide to solve their searing sexual chemistry by indulging in one night of passion that they're sure will get all those sexy thoughts and feelings out of the way once and for all. But of course, that night only makes them want each other more! 

Beauty and the Beast

Blackmail

Blind date

Boss and nanny/manny

Boss and secretary

Brother's best friend

Coach’s daughter

Childhood enemies

Childhood friends

Cinderella

Chosen One

Class differences

Damsel in distress

Doctor and patient

Enemies-to-lovers

Epistolary

Ex's brother

Fake relationship

Fake engagement

Fairytale retelling

Fated mates

FFM—This dynamic describes two women in a relationship who are exploring a sexual and/or emotional connection with a man that, at least at the beginning of the story, they are not in a relationship with.

Fish out of water

Forbidden love

Forced proximity

Found family

Friends with benefits

Friends-to-lovers

Grumpy/sunshine

Guardian/ward

Hades and Persephone

Harem

Homecoming/return to hometown

Hurt/comfort

I hate everyone but you

Instalove

Kidnapped

Left at the altar/Jilted bride/groom

Lesbian toaster oven—When one half of a couple in a sapphic romance identifies as straight at the beginning of the romance, but realizes, through getting to know the love interest, that they’re queer/lesbian.

Long distance relationship

Love triangle

Mail order bride

Marriage of convenience

Marriage in trouble

Matchmaker

Mentorship

Mistaken identity 

MMF—This dynamic describes two men who are in a relationship at the beginning of the story, or enter into a relationship during the story, and are exploring a sexual and/or emotional connection with a woman during the story. 

MMMF—This dynamic describes three men who may or may not be in a relationship and are each exploring their own individual sexual and/or emotional connection with a woman.

MMMMF—Thisi dynamic describes four men who may or may not be in a relationship with each other, and are each exploring a sexual and/or emotional connection with a woman.

Nursed back to health

Off-limits—A less serious version of "forbidden love", often used as a synonym for tropes like ex's sibling, teammate's sibling, coach's daughter, and brother's best friend. 

One night stand

Only one bed/tent/sleeping bag—A specific version of the forced proximity trope that forces two characters to share close sleeping quarters, which almost always leads to a steamy scene or two. 

Opposites attract

Partners in crime—Two main characters engage in criminal activity together and develop feelings for each other during their lawbreaking exploits. 

Pen pals

Polyamory

Rags to riches/royalty

Rejected mate

Relationship coach

Reunion

Revenge

Reverse harem/why choose

Rivals-to-lovers

Road trip

Roommates

Second chance

Secret admirer

Secret baby

Stranded

Surprise baby

Slow burn

Taboo

Teacher/professor and student

Teammate’s sibling

The one that got away

Touch him/her/them and die—A character is so protective that they refuse to let anyone else touch their love interest/s. This trope goes well with possessive and/or over-the-top characters.

Trapped

Trauma bonding

Unrequited love

Vegas wedding

Virgin auction

Workplace/office romance

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Character tropes

Actor/actress/celebrity

Alien

Alpha, human

Alphahole

Alpha, omegaverse

Alpha, shifter

Antihero

Athlete

Babysitter/Nanny/Manny/Governess

Bad boy/girl

BBW—A female main character described as a "big, beautiful woman." This term has largely been replaced by the adjectives "curvy" and "fat", with the latter being a neutral, rather than derogatory, term. 

BBBW—A female main character described as a "big, Black, beautiful woman." 

Beta, human—A now mostly outdated term to describe a character, usually a hero, who is not overly aggressive, protective, or possessive. The term came about when alphas were all the rage, and readers needed a way to distinguish male characters who were not alpha. 

Beta, omegaverse

Beta, shifter—A shifter who is below the alpha in the pack hierarchy. Most often seen in werewolf shifter romance. 

Billionaire/Millionaire—A character so rich they never have to worry about money, but who often feel as though they have the world on their shoulders because of their position of power/wealth.

Bisexual hero/heroine

Black cat

Blue collar

Bluestocking—A woman who is intellectual, opinionated, and is usually spurned by society for being so (the term is often used in a derogatory manner in books, though many heroines reclaim the word and use it with pride). This trope is exclusive to historical romance.

Bodyguard

Boss/CEO

Boy obsessed/obsessed hero/obsessive hero

Bully

Celibate hero/heroine

Character with a disability

Chef/bartender/brewer

Cinnamon roll

Compromised heroine—A heroine whose reputation has been compromised after she was caught violating social decorum in some way—often, by being seen alone in a room with a man. This trope is exclusive to historical romance and sub-genres that borrow from historical romance, like historical fantasy romance.  

Cop/sheriff

Cowboy/rancher

Criminal

Demon

Destitute hero/heroine

Escort/Courtesan/Sex worker/Cam girl

Fallen woman

First responder (EMT/firefighter/mountain rescue)

Gamer

Ghostwriter 

Golden retriever

Grumpy

Highlander/Scot

Himbo—A character, usually a man, who, like a golden retriever, is loyal, happy-go-lucky, and excited about life, but is also lacking in the intelligence department. 

Ice Queen—A woman who initially seems cold and unfeeling, but slowly warms as she and her love interest/s get to know each other.

Lady’s companion (historical romance)

Laird

Maid/janitor/cleaner

Mafia boss

Mary Sue

Marshmallow hero

Military

Monster—A character who is also a fictional creature, like an orc, centaur, 

Morally grey hero/heroine

Motorcycle club member

Mountain man/Lumberjack

Navy SEAL

Omega, omegaverse—A character who is (often, but not always) submissive and gentle. They can be impregnated by alphas, and go into heats a few times a year, which aids in the breeding process.  

Orphan

Over-the-top (OTT) hero/heroine

Pirate

Politician

Possessive hero/heroine

Person of the cloth, e.g. priest, nun, imam, rabbi, vicar 

Professor/Teacher

Rake/Playboy

Reformed Rake/Playboy/Bad Boy

Rockstar

Romance author

Runaway bride

Royalty

Simp king

Single dad

Single mom

Scientist/STEM/Steminist

Shifter—A character who can shift from a human form into an animal form. The most common are werewolves, but you'll also find honey badger, hedgehog, cobra, and even shark shifters. 

Soft boy

Stalker

Step parent

Step sibling

Spy

Ugly duckling

Viking

Virgin

Witch/Wizard

Wounded main character

Wallflower—A character, usually a woman, who is shy and doesn’t interact much with potential love interests or, in the most wallfloweriest of circumstances, even friends, at social gatherings. Most commonly found in historical romance.

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Setting tropes

Alien planet

Archaeological site

Bar

Beach resort

Beachside town

Bed and Breakfast/Inn/Tavern 

Boarding school

Bookshop
Big city (we're talking cities, fictional or real, with big personalities; think New York, Paris, London, Tokyo, Bangkok)

Brewery

College campus

Fantasy/magical academy

Farm

Military station
Pub

Ranch

Reality show

Restaurant

Small town, non-magical

Small town, magical

Space station

Start-up

Summer camp 

Vineyard

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