The thing about romance is that you’re always guaranteed a few things, like love and a happily ever after (or happy for now), but what makes romance readers so voracious for more stories? I think it’s the ability to find something for whatever mood you’re in. That’s where tropes come in.
Tropes are a handy way for readers and authors alike to help find or market their book to the right audience. Let’s be real: people have 10 million things on their plates, and authors are facing all sorts of challenges to get readers to pick their book.
Tropes act as a menu so readers can see if what they want will be in the story. This is why many authors choose to create graphics with the tropes and vibes of the book. This is a very easy-to-read signpost of what to expect, which tends to hook readers and get them to download. In today’s world, you can’t take that for granted.
Let’s take retelling as a trope. Yes, you know the story of Cinderella, but how an author chooses to tweak and put their own spin on it is what keeps readers coming back for more. There’s comfort and predictability in knowing the general beats of a story, and tropes help give that structure.
Are you a mood reader or a mood writer? Sometimes you need a list of tropes to spark inspiration. Below is a list of 100 romance tropes for anything you’d need, from helping you choose the book you want to read to making that promotional image to help draw in readers.
Sweet & Cozy
- Insta-love
- Childhood sweethearts
- Friends to lovers
- Second-chance romance
- Found family
- Cozy
- He falls first
- Hurt / Comfort
- Summer fling
- Slow burn
- Virgin
- Snowed in
Spicy & High-Heat
- Enemies to lovers
- Rivals to lovers
- Grumpy x sunshine
- Only one bed
- Forced proximity
- Fake relationship
- Friends with benefits
- Fated mates
- Sexting
- BDSM
- Daddy Dom
- Dirty talking
- Taboo
- Praise kink
- Breeding kink
- Knotting
Small Town & Everyday Life
- Small town romance
- Neighbor romance
- Roommates to lovers
- City girl / country boy
- Single parent romance
- Nanny and single dad
- Local business owners
- Slice of life
- Tight-knit, nosy community
- Return-to-hometown
Genre
- Why Choose?
- Reverse Harem
- Poly
- Omegaverse
- Contemporary
- Sci-fi
- Rom-com
- Mafia
- Mystery
- Academy
- Paranormal
- Dark
- Hockey
- Billionaire
- Rockstar
- Widow(er)
- Retelling
- Suspence
- Historical
Dark, Angsty & Emotional
- Tragic past
- Groveling
- Morally grey
- Secret trauma
- Redemption arc
- Forbidden love
- Secret / surprise baby
- Touch her and die
- Miscommunication
- Stalker
- Kidnapping
Romcom & Lighthearted
- Meet-cute
- Accidental text or email
- Wedding disasters
- Fake engagement / Fake dating
- Blind date
- Prank war
- Best man / maid of honor
- Runaway bride or groom
- Holiday romance
- Betting on love
Workplace & Power Dynamics
- Workplace romance
- He’s the boss
- Doctor / nurse romance
- Bodyguard romance
- Teacher / student
- Sports romance
- Men in uniform
- Hidden identity
- Marriage of convenience
- Opposites attract
- Forbidden affair
- Love across class lines
LGBTQ+ & Identity
- Coming out
- Queer / Bi awakening
- Best friend’s sibling
- Secret relationship
- Sword crossing
- MMF
- MFMMM
- Menage
- Gender disguise / swap
- Grumpy / femme pairing
