Picture yourself wallowing through a bookstore’s endless isles of titles trying to find the perfect book to take home, but you do not know what genre, and more specifically what type of trope, to immerse yourself into. Do no fret — VALLEY has your back. We are here to provide you with a guide of four wonderful book tropes in the romance world and recommendations to get you started.
What is a Literary Trope?
When it comes to romance, the amount of tropes out there are endless. For those who are not familiar with tropes, a literary trope includes some type of recognizable or unique story component, whether that be in terms of elements such as specific character attributes, common themes or distinguishable visual aspects. For example, a hero’s inspiring journey of self discovery or a villain wanting to take over and rule the world are some identifiable story tropes out there.
Now onto what you have been waiting eagerly for … the romance.
Enemies to Lovers
Considered one of the most popular tropes out there, you can never go wrong with an enemies to lovers story. If you are looking for intense tension and angst, battles of overcoming differences and the hardships of finding love, then enemies to lovers may be the trope you are in need for.
Some enemies to lovers books that VALLEY recommends include “Red, White & Royal Blue” by Casey McQuiston, “The Hating Game” by Sally Thorne, “The Unhoneymooners” by Christina Lauren, “The Cruel Prince” by Holly Black, and finally the classic “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen.
Love Triangle
Are you Team Peeta or Team Gale? How about Team Edward or Team Jacob? Seen in endless movies and television shows, this trope ends up creating an exciting read from start to finish having you ask, “Who will they choose?” If you enjoy these types of messy and confusing scenarios, maybe it’s time to pick up a book within the love triangle trope.
Popular books VALLEY recommends include, “Love & Other Natural Disasters” by Misa Sugiura, “Clockwork Angel” by Cassandra Clare, “New Moon” by Stephenie Meyer, “One Day in December” by Josie Silver, and “More Than Words” by Jill Santopolo.
Forbidden Love
Do you fancy a little bit William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet?” If you would like to read a rollercoaster of a love story, this trope may be the perfect match. These types of stories will have you rooting for the characters to be together one way or another by the end.
For this trope, VALLEY recommends “These Violent Delights” by Chloe Gong, “Between You, Me, and the Honeybees” by Amelia Diane Coombs, “To Kill a Kingdom” by Alexandra Christo, “Five Feet Apart” by Mikki Daughtry and Rachael Lippincott, and “City of Bones” by Cassandra Clare.
Fake Relationship
If you are on the search for an exciting read that will give you butterflies, pick up a book that falls under the fake relationship trope. When the sparks were meant to be a show but end up being oh so real, it creates a whirlwind of emotions for the reader that can’t be beat.
Some titles VALLEY recommends includes “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” by Jenny Han, “The Spanish Love Deception” by Elena Armas, “Boyfriend Material” by Alexis Hall, “Better Than the Movies” by Lynn Painter, and “If I Never Met You” by Mhairi McFarlane.
Do you have any book recommendations or favorite tropes you would like to share? Tag us, @VALLEYmag, on Instagram with your picks and books you have been loving recently!
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