Most Common Romance Tropes Ranked - Because Why Not?
We are starting to reach the era where romance as a genre is less looked down upon. After all, how is a book that inspires warm and fuzzy feelings that different from your usual Stephen King tome that inspires terror, or a murder mystery that inspires smug self-satisfaction after you have, once again, correctly predicted that the butler did it? We are all just junkies for different brain chemicals.
Now, after this petition not to judge different genres, let's judge and rank different romance tropes together!
For the uninitiated, tropes are recurring elements such as the creepy abandoned house of the horror genre or the classic of the action genre: henchmen who cannot aim for the life of them. The romance genre, too, is teeming with tropes, some of them so prevalent that they can be seen as their own subgenres.
It is only natural for some of these tropes to rise above the others in terms of pure entertainment value. Hence this ranking, based on scientific data and expert knowledge, i.e., my personal feelings.
12. LOVE TRIANGLE/RECTANGLE/PENTAGON/PYRAMID
Ugh.
Can't you all just be together? It is 2022, goddammit.
11. EMPLOYEE & BOSS / STUDENT & PROFESSOR / THE NANNY
Dumping all the tropes with some obvious power imbalance issues in the same category. The first two are self-explanatory, and perhaps the least volatile variation called The Nanny (almost always) describes the relationship between a foxy single father who needs someone to rear his kids, as featured in Jane Eyre, Sound of Music, Sanditon and, of course, The Nanny.
There is no reason a piece of media with this trope must make you feel like taking a shower, but the line is razor thin, and most content creators are no trapeze walkers. I have resigned myself into anticipating at least one or two wives in the attic when it comes to this trope, but the few instances where it actually works keep it from the very bottom of the barrel.
10. BEST FRIEND'S BROTHER/SISTER
Or as I like to call it: Romeo and Juliet for preschoolers.
Why is this even a trope? Stop letting your sibling boss you around and just date the person you are into!
9. FAKE RELATIONSHIP
Yeah, I am a bit of a hater.
In theory, this trope could be a load of fun. In theory. In practice, all the tension in this kind of arrangement seems to vaporize the second the two people realize they are actually quite into sucking each other's faces in public. The worst variation of the trope is when two strangers have to pretend to be together. Alright, and? What exactly is keeping them apart when they realize they actually do enjoy fake snuggling together?
Verdict: snoozefest.
There needs to be something more to it. Maybe the pair absolutely cannot stand each other, and there is humor in forcing them to commit some lovey-dovey exhibitionism. As long as they actually hate each other, that is. Otherwise refer back to my abovementioned verdict. It is also fun to witness two friends giving it a go... depending on the level of their friendship. If there is nothing really at stake, I ask you once again to refer to my previous verdict.
Also, no one is actually asking people to make out to prove they are together, right? Or did I miss the memo on how to human?
8. BILLIONAIRES/ROYALTY
I don't know about you, but I like money. Being able to afford rent? Love it. One could say I am a big fan.
I consume media with this trope not because of the romance, but the sweet, sweet escapist reprieve where I can imagine spending my days wearing gorgeous fluffy gowns and turning down suitors offering me rings with rocks you can see from Mars. Let me eat cake!
7. ENEMIES TO LOVERS
I hear you, Enemies to lovers aficionados. This trope is popular for a reason. When done right, this trope has you cackling at the two fools who have no idea how their feelings are going to change for the biggest jackass they know, and absolutely swooning when the fog in their eyes finally clears and they realize they are actually in love.
And yet... this trope can also be utterly butchered in countless creative ways. You either end up with something where the biggest conflict between the two characters is an incompatible room temperature preference in their shared office, or something where the so-called love interest kills the protagonist's parents, stabs them in the chest, burns their crops, sabotages their science project and tips them off to the IRS, but we are still expected to root for these two crazy kids to work it out. My suspension of disbelief has its limits, you know.
Basically, I have no idea what I will be getting when it comes to this trope which is why the placement is relatively low.
6. DATING CATWOMAN
No, this trope name was not made up by me, though I wish it was because it fits the bill so well. Some explanation is necessary: this trope describes a romantic relationship between two people who are antagonists due to the plot or their personal ideologies, e.g., Batman having the hots for the Catwoman.
It could be considered a subcategory of enemies to lovers, but I feel there is a subtle difference. The characters do not necessarily have to loathe each other, they just have to be on opposing sides, whether it comes to rivaling spies, superheroes battling supervillains, or detectives chasing criminals. In any case, the conflict here is tangible and way harder to sweep under the rug, making for a much more interesting story. The pitfalls of Enemies to lovers are present here too, however.
5. SECOND CHANCE
Second chance gets a bad rap for some reason.
I think too many people overlook the revenge fantasy aspect of it. The protagonist could have hit rock bottom after the break-up: unemployed, crashing on their brother's couch, spending their days scrolling through new cats to adopt, and yet, their ex will turn up, take one look at them and go "I want that back". It is literally built in the trope's structure! And what could be better than the protagonist (and their 13 cats) then turning up their nose to the ex? The revenge is sweeter than anything in a Quentin Tarantino flick.
The earlier the ex realizes their mistake and the more they grovel, the better.
Hmmm, I wonder if I have unresolved issues with my exes?
4. FORBIDDEN LOVE
When this trope is mentioned, one usually imagines a Shakespearian dynamic where two youths from rivaling factions fall in love, but the big old meanie authority figures try to keep them apart. Yeah, I am usually tempted to turn the TV off or kick the book to the floor the second the innocent protagonist meets someone attractive & mysterious they are not supposed to talk to because *insert reason here*.
When executed right, however, this trope is timeless. There is a reason why we keep telling stories about people choosing love over everything else. It is something extremely human.
Or maybe I just really love Moulin Rouge.
3. FRIENDS TO LOVERS
Look, when I talk about friends to lovers, I'm not talking about "Teehee, we get along and you are attractive, but for some reason I cannot get my head out of my ass for long enough to make a move". I am talking about BEST friends to lovers, I am talking about a bond so strong that there is a 110% chance of ruining one of the best things that has ever happened to you by pursuing something romantic. That level of conflict has me kissing my fingers like a gangster family's patriarch.
This trope also has the perk of being harder to mess up than enemies to lovers. At worst, it is boring - but not atrocious to the extent where it is hard to watch like with some other tropes. Even when the effort put into developing the romance is, politely speaking, half-arsed, you will still usually get a moment or two that has you giggling like a fool.
2. FORCED PROXIMITY
Or how I like to call it: 'Only one bed'.
It doesn't have to be a bed, it could be an elevator, or a car, or a snowed-in cabin - you get the gist. To some this trope may feel cheap, merely a short-cut to the intimate phase of the romance, but in my opinion, it is genius in its simplicity.
What do you get when you add two compelling characters and a single bed they must share for some contrived reason?
An audience leaning in their seats with a grin on their face, of course.
Do you think a scene with the two characters going on a date at the local Starbucks could achieve even remotely the same? Oh please!
1. ALL VARIATIONS THEREUPON
Why not mix it up a little?
My favorite love stories of all time have several of these tropes so tightly interwoven you cannot even begin to dissect them. I encourage all the fans of romance not to settle for too little - look for stories that you cannot immediately categorize, stories that trick you and turn into something you did not expect, and stories that keep you hoping and guessing until the very last page.
The possibilities are endless, and that is why I adore this genre.
