Top 30 Romance Tropes
by Greer | Content Lead | Writing Tips | Planning
When it comes to the number of trope options on the table, the romance genre is in a league of its own when it comes to choice - there's just so many! Which is your favourite? That was a question put to the wonderful audience of We Got Story, and the results are in! Here you can find our very own top 30 romance tropes!
Want an exhaustive list of romance tropes in your life? Check out The Ultimate Romance Trope Master List!
What Exactly Are Tropes?
Have you ever had a niggling feeling reading a new book that - gasp - you are reminded of a plot you have read before? It happens, and likely because the author has used a trope or two within their story. A trope is a theme or literary device which has been used in numerous works (books, TV, Movies etc) for a similar impact. In fiction, this is usually a type of plot line or character/sitation which has appeared often enough to be recognised by readers. Many are genre-specific but others can straddle multiple.
Tropes exist in near-all genres out there, and are not restricted to literature! TV shows, movies, music - they get into every nook and cranny. The 'Final Girl' trope is a popular sight within horror flicks, and science fiction enjoys playing around with the concept of parallel universes to comedic or tragic effects.
However, romance takes the cake when it comes to successful, if at times overused, tropes. The WGS audience have spoken, and now we can present the top 30 romance tropes (in alphabetical order) - perfect for your next romance writing or reading sessions!
Top 30 Romance Tropes
Alpha / Beta Heroes – Yes, both types were very popular, so let's just bundle them together for ease! In the case of the alpha-lover, the protagonist navigates a relationship with a domineering, strong-willed and possibly financially powerful hero. Unlike the Alpha Hero, the Beta Hero is a more reasonable and measured love interest who is considerably less forceful and may also be less confident. Often an alpha and a beta hero will be pitted against one another, with the beta usually winning in the end, though that isn't a hard-fast rule!
Anti-Hero – The romantic interest plays an anti-hero role, being the unwilling saviour and gaining adoration despite not acting like the typical ‘good guy’. They are the ones reluctant to step in but usually do because they do have a good heart...not that they always admit it.
Beauty And The Beast – The romance stems from pairing a traditional beauty or handsome individual with someone considered unattractive or in some other way lesser. This can also be linked to good and bad natures as well.
Blackmail – The protagonist is blackmailed, either by their love interest or another, into entering into a relationship or more. This blackmail obviously kick-starts the 'relationship' on the worst foot, but attitudes and hearts can soften over time.
Celebrity – One of the romantic leads is famous, for example an actor, musician, writer, personality, sportsperson etc. The protagonist may be in this position, but more often they are the one who sees the genuine person behind the fame and therefore earn the celebrity's love in return.
Christmas Love Story – The main bulk of the story takes place during the Christmas period, and the settings and atmospheres reflect this. Mistletoe and snowy nights lend themselves well to this trope, as romance flourishes naturally during this festive period. Cosy snuggles by the fire has to be the start of many-a love story.
Circle Of Friends – This is a rare group-trope which typically involves three or more protagonists who share a social or working group as they each search for love and explore relationships. They may find love between themselves or have their own experiences and interlock as the story progresses.
Coming Of Age – Usually a story of a first real love, whether a sweet innocent romance or dark attraction to the wrong person. The term 'coming of age' definitely hints at a mid-teen to early twenties age range, when hormones are going crazy and the protagonist is experiencing a lot of changes and new challenges in their life.
Damsel In Distress – One character finds themselves in a bad situation and in need of rescue. Enter: love interest. The saving may be from a physical danger, pragmatic problem, or a more undercurrent issue.
Dangerous Attraction – The love interest is physically, mentally, or emotionally dangerous. By falling in love with this individual, the protagonist's life becomes a lot more treacherous. Their lover could be linked to gangs, underground crime, and in certain sub-genres, the person may be abusive to the protagonist.
Dark Secret – Though a romance exists between two characters, one harbours a dark secret, for example within their history, intentions, identify etc. They attempt to hide this secret, though it eventually comes out.
Dominant Male - One of the characters is a dominant male, possibly into BDSM but at minimum continuously demonstrates a dom-like attitude and actions towards a submissive partner.
Enemies to Lovers – The protagonist detests the hero, usually due to an antagonist history or be at the very least rivals in some way. Yet, with a change in circumstances, they find themselves being attracted to each other. Though they fight the notions, love may still rear its head.
Fake Date – For one reason or another, two people agree to pretend to be together. This could be to impress at a family wedding, make an ex jealous, or mutually help one another achieve a desired effect, however they begin to catch real feelings along the way.
Fairytale Retelling – A classic fairy tale, such as Cinderella, is given a modern or otherwise different twist. Maintaining the bare bones of the original story and bringing it into the 21st century is one example on how this can be done. Sometimes, heroes and villains trade places as you discover the original story may not have been as straightforward as you first thought
Forbidden Romance / Star Crossed Lovers – A couple falls in love despite coming from two extreme places, with family or friends forbidding the relationship causing the couple to defy their orders to be together. Famous examples would be Romeo and Juliet, or the more modern West Side Story plot.
Friends to Lovers – After being friends for a considerable time, two people begin to feel attraction to each other in a way not felt before. Debating whether or not to risk the friendship is usually a sticking point.
Kidnapped – The protagonist is kidnapped but steadily, and usually against their better judgement, falls in love with their captor. The kidnap trope also works with someone needing to be saved by their captor and the hero steps up.
Love At First Sight – Two characters instantly feel deep attraction or love for each other after meeting or seeing each other for the first time. From this point on, they can only think about one another, both determined they are meant to be.
Love Triangle – The protagonist is torn between two lovers and must wrestle with their contradicting feelings to choose their eventual partner. A great twist on this is when the two love rivals develop their own unique relationship in the process.
Matchmaker / Matchmaker Goes Wrong – It wasn't clear in the vote which version readers like best, so we're putting them together. Why not? In a simple matchmaker scenario, two characters are set up together by a mutual connection, their matchmaker. Matchmaking gone wrong is when the matchmaker themselves is the protagonist, who sets up two people only to regret it once they realise they have feelings for one of them.
Opposites Attract – Both characters are polar opposites in a number of ways (e.g. attractiveness, beliefs, deposition, social standing, moral compass etc) yet still are drawn to each other. They find that they complement each other pretty well.
Playboy – The lifelong playboy character, usually against the idea of commitment, finds themselves considering hanging up their player threads to be with someone who does not fall for their charms, or the protagonist sets upon a notorious playboy to improve them.
Revenge – Within the story, either one half of the main couple or a third party seeks vengeance for a past wrong-doing, wrecking havoc on true emotions. This could be a vendetta plot line, a subplot which acts as one of many challenges, or result in the vengeance being retracted as genuine love takes root.
Social Standing World Apart – The lovers come from wildly different social scenes, with each being from one extreme, such as extremely wealthy and popular to poor and lonely. This difference brings with it unique and challenging obstacles wherein both must adapt for their partner.
Stranded Together / Forced Close Proximity – Two tropes which can often overlap, stranded or forced together was one of the most popular among WGS readers. Stranded is as follows: Whether it is at an airport when flights are grounded or in a log cabin waiting out a bad snow storm, the characters are left more or less with each other as company and they must stick it out or work together to resolve the situation. 'Forced Close Proximity' typically involves a couple who, against their will, are made to be constantly near one another. Initially this is a bad experience for both, but eventually they bond. This ‘close proximity’ could involve being trapped in a small space like an elevator, forced to work together on a project, or cohabit a space such as a home
Unexpected Heir/Inheritance – A character discovers they inherited a vast fortune or empire once someone unassuming or distantly related passes away. This may put them in the path of a different type of person or butt heads with someone angry at the result – cue romance.
Mythical Being - One or more of the characters is a creature typically found in folklore or legend, such as vampires, werewolves or gods. Sometimes, those affected are cursed and their lover is the only one who can break said curse. The curse may also just be an important hinderance, or an issue the characters must navigate around for the sake of their love.
Wallflower – One character is a shy bystander, unassuming and otherwise ignored until someone takes a romantic interest in them. The wallflower could very easily become a Mary Sue, which is almost unanimously detested in the romance industry, so care is needed when writing this trope!
Wrong Side of the Tracks – Either the protagonist or love interest falls for a ‘diamond in the rough’, usually from the bad side of town and with a very different homelife. This challenges their relationship, possibly with opposition from friends and family.
Did your favourite trope make the cut? Let us know over on the We Got Story Instagram page or shoot us a message in the Contact Us section! Check out these related posts to get more romance knowledge in your life!
When it comes to the number of trope options on the table, the romance genre is in a league of its own when it comes to choice - there's just so many! Which is your favourite? That was a question put to the wonderful audience of We Got Story, and the results are in! Here you can find our very own top 30 romance tropes!
Want an exhaustive list of romance tropes in your life? Check out The Ultimate Romance Trope Master List!
What Exactly Are Tropes?
Have you ever had a niggling feeling reading a new book that - gasp - you are reminded of a plot you have read before? It happens, and likely because the author has used a trope or two within their story. A trope is a theme or literary device which has been used in numerous works (books, TV, Movies etc) for a similar impact. In fiction, this is usually a type of plot line or character/sitation which has appeared often enough to be recognised by readers. Many are genre-specific but others can straddle multiple.
Tropes exist in near-all genres out there, and are not restricted to literature! TV shows, movies, music - they get into every nook and cranny. The 'Final Girl' trope is a popular sight within horror flicks, and science fiction enjoys playing around with the concept of parallel universes to comedic or tragic effects.
However, romance takes the cake when it comes to successful, if at times overused, tropes. The WGS audience have spoken, and now we can present the top 30 romance tropes (in alphabetical order) - perfect for your next romance writing or reading sessions!
Top 30 Romance Tropes
Alpha / Beta Heroes – Yes, both types were very popular, so let's just bundle them together for ease! In the case of the alpha-lover, the protagonist navigates a relationship with a domineering, strong-willed and possibly financially powerful hero. Unlike the Alpha Hero, the Beta Hero is a more reasonable and measured love interest who is considerably less forceful and may also be less confident. Often an alpha and a beta hero will be pitted against one another, with the beta usually winning in the end, though that isn't a hard-fast rule!
Anti-Hero – The romantic interest plays an anti-hero role, being the unwilling saviour and gaining adoration despite not acting like the typical ‘good guy’. They are the ones reluctant to step in but usually do because they do have a good heart...not that they always admit it.
Beauty And The Beast – The romance stems from pairing a traditional beauty or handsome individual with someone considered unattractive or in some other way lesser. This can also be linked to good and bad natures as well.
Blackmail – The protagonist is blackmailed, either by their love interest or another, into entering into a relationship or more. This blackmail obviously kick-starts the 'relationship' on the worst foot, but attitudes and hearts can soften over time.
Celebrity – One of the romantic leads is famous, for example an actor, musician, writer, personality, sportsperson etc. The protagonist may be in this position, but more often they are the one who sees the genuine person behind the fame and therefore earn the celebrity's love in return.
Christmas Love Story – The main bulk of the story takes place during the Christmas period, and the settings and atmospheres reflect this. Mistletoe and snowy nights lend themselves well to this trope, as romance flourishes naturally during this festive period. Cosy snuggles by the fire has to be the start of many-a love story.
Circle Of Friends – This is a rare group-trope which typically involves three or more protagonists who share a social or working group as they each search for love and explore relationships. They may find love between themselves or have their own experiences and interlock as the story progresses.
Coming Of Age – Usually a story of a first real love, whether a sweet innocent romance or dark attraction to the wrong person. The term 'coming of age' definitely hints at a mid-teen to early twenties age range, when hormones are going crazy and the protagonist is experiencing a lot of changes and new challenges in their life.
Damsel In Distress – One character finds themselves in a bad situation and in need of rescue. Enter: love interest. The saving may be from a physical danger, pragmatic problem, or a more undercurrent issue.
Dangerous Attraction – The love interest is physically, mentally, or emotionally dangerous. By falling in love with this individual, the protagonist's life becomes a lot more treacherous. Their lover could be linked to gangs, underground crime, and in certain sub-genres, the person may be abusive to the protagonist.
Dark Secret – Though a romance exists between two characters, one harbours a dark secret, for example within their history, intentions, identify etc. They attempt to hide this secret, though it eventually comes out.
Dominant Male - One of the characters is a dominant male, possibly into BDSM but at minimum continuously demonstrates a dom-like attitude and actions towards a submissive partner.
Enemies to Lovers – The protagonist detests the hero, usually due to an antagonist history or be at the very least rivals in some way. Yet, with a change in circumstances, they find themselves being attracted to each other. Though they fight the notions, love may still rear its head.
Fake Date – For one reason or another, two people agree to pretend to be together. This could be to impress at a family wedding, make an ex jealous, or mutually help one another achieve a desired effect, however they begin to catch real feelings along the way.
Fairytale Retelling – A classic fairy tale, such as Cinderella, is given a modern or otherwise different twist. Maintaining the bare bones of the original story and bringing it into the 21st century is one example on how this can be done. Sometimes, heroes and villains trade places as you discover the original story may not have been as straightforward as you first thought
Forbidden Romance / Star Crossed Lovers – A couple falls in love despite coming from two extreme places, with family or friends forbidding the relationship causing the couple to defy their orders to be together. Famous examples would be Romeo and Juliet, or the more modern West Side Story plot.
Friends to Lovers – After being friends for a considerable time, two people begin to feel attraction to each other in a way not felt before. Debating whether or not to risk the friendship is usually a sticking point.
Kidnapped – The protagonist is kidnapped but steadily, and usually against their better judgement, falls in love with their captor. The kidnap trope also works with someone needing to be saved by their captor and the hero steps up.
Love At First Sight – Two characters instantly feel deep attraction or love for each other after meeting or seeing each other for the first time. From this point on, they can only think about one another, both determined they are meant to be.
Love Triangle – The protagonist is torn between two lovers and must wrestle with their contradicting feelings to choose their eventual partner. A great twist on this is when the two love rivals develop their own unique relationship in the process.
Matchmaker / Matchmaker Goes Wrong – It wasn't clear in the vote which version readers like best, so we're putting them together. Why not? In a simple matchmaker scenario, two characters are set up together by a mutual connection, their matchmaker. Matchmaking gone wrong is when the matchmaker themselves is the protagonist, who sets up two people only to regret it once they realise they have feelings for one of them.
Opposites Attract – Both characters are polar opposites in a number of ways (e.g. attractiveness, beliefs, deposition, social standing, moral compass etc) yet still are drawn to each other. They find that they complement each other pretty well.
Playboy – The lifelong playboy character, usually against the idea of commitment, finds themselves considering hanging up their player threads to be with someone who does not fall for their charms, or the protagonist sets upon a notorious playboy to improve them.
Revenge – Within the story, either one half of the main couple or a third party seeks vengeance for a past wrong-doing, wrecking havoc on true emotions. This could be a vendetta plot line, a subplot which acts as one of many challenges, or result in the vengeance being retracted as genuine love takes root.
Social Standing World Apart – The lovers come from wildly different social scenes, with each being from one extreme, such as extremely wealthy and popular to poor and lonely. This difference brings with it unique and challenging obstacles wherein both must adapt for their partner.
Stranded Together / Forced Close Proximity – Two tropes which can often overlap, stranded or forced together was one of the most popular among WGS readers. Stranded is as follows: Whether it is at an airport when flights are grounded or in a log cabin waiting out a bad snow storm, the characters are left more or less with each other as company and they must stick it out or work together to resolve the situation. 'Forced Close Proximity' typically involves a couple who, against their will, are made to be constantly near one another. Initially this is a bad experience for both, but eventually they bond. This ‘close proximity’ could involve being trapped in a small space like an elevator, forced to work together on a project, or cohabit a space such as a home
Unexpected Heir/Inheritance – A character discovers they inherited a vast fortune or empire once someone unassuming or distantly related passes away. This may put them in the path of a different type of person or butt heads with someone angry at the result – cue romance.
Mythical Being - One or more of the characters is a creature typically found in folklore or legend, such as vampires, werewolves or gods. Sometimes, those affected are cursed and their lover is the only one who can break said curse. The curse may also just be an important hinderance, or an issue the characters must navigate around for the sake of their love.
Wallflower – One character is a shy bystander, unassuming and otherwise ignored until someone takes a romantic interest in them. The wallflower could very easily become a Mary Sue, which is almost unanimously detested in the romance industry, so care is needed when writing this trope!
Wrong Side of the Tracks – Either the protagonist or love interest falls for a ‘diamond in the rough’, usually from the bad side of town and with a very different homelife. This challenges their relationship, possibly with opposition from friends and family.
Did your favourite trope make the cut? Let us know over on the We Got Story Instagram page or shoot us a message in the Contact Us section! Check out these related posts to get more romance knowledge in your life!
Want tips like these sent straight to your feed?
Connect on Instagram!
Latest Articles
