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Writer's pictureJordyn Alexander

ABCs of Romance Tropes

A Complete Alphabetical List of Romance Tropes

As an indie romance writer, I often find myself searching for romance trope lists to help me market my book effectively. There's lots of lists out there that are very good, but no list that I would call a "complete list." I usually find myself cross-referencing several lists and sometime still can't find exactly what I'm looking for. So I decided to put together this, the most complete list that currently exists on the internet, pulling together my favorite lists, some reddit posts and my own observations into one giant, alphabetical, searchable list. The current count of tropes is 407!


Before we begin, a note: I use some shorthand in my descriptions. For those that aren't familiar with them, they are:

  • MC: Main Character

  • FMC: Female Main Character

  • MMC: Male Main Character

Now to begin!

  • Abduction to Love: Commonly used in taboo or dark romances, one MC kidnaps the other with the intent of getting them to fall in love. (See Beauty and the Beast, Stockholm Syndrome)

  • ABO: Shorthand for a non-shifter world where people are born as Alphas, Betas or Omegas, with various abilities coinciding with each designation. (See: Omegaverse)

  • Accidental Pregnancy: The FMC's pregnancy is unplanned and causes drama.

  • Afraid to Commit: One or both MCs are afraid to commit to a long-term relationship.

  • All Grown Up: One MC returns to the other MC, discovering that a once-off-limits juvenile is now mature enough for a relationship. This can literally mean turned 18 or, more figuratively, emotionally matured.

  • Already Married: The main couple is already in a relationship and usually face external or internal troubles to feed the story. (See Marriage in Trouble, On the Rocks)

  • Alpha hero(ine): One MC is the top of the pack; they are driven, confident, and in power, either figuratively or literally.

  • Altar Diplomacy: Our MCs are brought together in marriage to bind two countries together, end a war, etc, whether they want to or not. (See Political Marriage)

  • Age Gap: Our MCs have a large, possibly taboo, age gap. (See Cougar, May/December)

  • Alien: One or both MCs are extraterrestrials and non-human, though typically this role will be taken by the MMC. (See: Monster)

  • Alien Abduction: An MC, usually the FMC, is kidnapped by aliens and brought into a sci fi setting.

  • Almost Incest: The MCs fall in love with each other, only to find out that they are somehow related, most often half-brother and sister. This will almost always be a fake out and they'll find out at the last moment that they aren't really related and can be together.

  • Amnesia: Due to some injury or trauma, our MC doesn’t know who they are, who their family is, lover is, where they are, etc.

  • Antihero(ine): One or both MCs doesn't have a strong sense of right/wrong, is looking out for number one or just generally isn't quite a good guy or a bad guy. (See Morally Gray Lead)

  • Arranged marriage: External forces bring our MCs together in a marriage for a variety of reasons.

  • Armed Forces: One or both MCs are in a uniformed military branch.

  • Asshole Hero(ine): More commonly the MMC, this MC has a lot of growing to do before they are worthy of their partner.

  • Athlete in Love: One or both MCs are a star or professional athlete. This encompasses, but is not limited to:

    • American Football

    • Baseball

    • Basketball

    • Boxing

    • Cricket

    • Cycling

    • Fencing

    • Football (Soccer)

    • Golf

    • Hockey

    • MMA

    • Rowing

    • Surfing

    • Swimming

    • Tennis

    • Volleyball

    • Water Polo

    • Wrestling

    (See: Quarterback, Sports Romance)

  • Attempted R*pe: Typically when the MMC saves the FMC from an attempted sexual assault, but can be both ways.

  • Authoritative in Public, Docile in Private: An alpha, Type-A MC that is domineering in public but craves being submissive in private. (See Dom/Sub)

  • Baby Makes Three: Often as part of the MCs' Happy Ever After, with the FMC (or even the MMC; See: Mpreg) becoming pregnant, adopting, or somehow adding a child to the mix.

  • Baby on Doorstep: An MC, typically the MMC, receives a baby on their doorstep, usually from a past love interest, and, must adapt to the situation.

  • Bachelor/ette Auction: One MC has a date with them auctioned away at a charity even, usually with the other MC winning the date.

  • Back from the Dead: A character that was previously though to be dead is revealed to be alive. (See: Fake Death)

  • Band of brothers: A structure commonly used to facilitate a romance series, where the MMCs are in a close-knit group designed to achieve a common goal, making for stand-alone, interconnected romances. (See: Girl Squad)

  • Barbarian: A Conan-esque MMC, usually strong, nomadic and a good fighter, who typically comes from a less technologically-advanced society.

  • BBW: A “Big Beautiful Woman,” The FMC is plus-size, or curvy, and typically confident and body-positive, though she can also insecure about her looks, though she is attractive to the MMC. (See: Plus-Size)

  • BDSM: One or both MCs are involved in Bondage and Discipline, Dominance and Submission, Sadism and Masochism. One can be a seasoned BDSM practitioner introducing a novice, they can both be experienced, or they can both be exploring kink for the first time.(See: Dom/Sub)

  • Beautiful All Along: The FMC will be described as plain, thinks of herself as plain, or is tolds that she is plain by an abusive party, then gets a make-over or confidence boost that reveals her as stunningly beautiful all along. (See Make-Over)

  • Beauty and the Beast: Taking its name from the classic fairy tale, this trope will have some semblance of the following in a plethora of settings: A father will owe a debt to the beastly MMC (beastly either figuratively or literally) and the FMC will volunteer to exchange herself for her father's debts. THE MMC and FMC learn to love each other along the way. (See: Abduction to Love, Stockholm Syndrome)

  • Best Friend’s Current Partner: One MC falls in love with their best friend’s current partner.

  • Best friend’s Former Partner: One MC falls in love with their best friend’s former partner.

  • Best friend’s sibling: Typically, the FMC is the sister of the MMC's best friend, but the inverse possible too. The sibling has always been off-limits, but growing attraction upsets the status quo.

  • Betrayal: One MC betrays, or seems to betray, the other for gain.

  • Beta Hero: The MMC is often kinder, more patient and more laid back. He tends to let the FMC lead and isn't possessive or the jealous type. However, he can still rise to the occasion and defend the FMC when pushed.

  • Beta in the Streets/Alpha in the sheets: The MMC is more reserved in public, but is dark and dominant in bed.

  • Big Gesture Apology: One MC has royally screwed up and must do something big to earn forgiveness; i.e. by completing an impossible task or humiliating themselves in public, etc.

  • Billionaire: One or both of the MCs are billionaires, but most typically the MMC

  • Bisexual Awakening: A person who has always seen themselves as only straight or gay suddenly finds themselves attracted to a gender they've never been attracted to before. (See Gay For One, Straight For One)

  • Bisexual Hero/ine: One or both of the MCs are bisexual

  • Blackmail: One MC knows something about the MC and holds it over their heads, often to force them into a relationship of some kind.

  • Blind Date: The MCs meet on a blind date set up by friends or family.

  • Blue Collar: One or both of the MCs work in blue collar industries; i.e. plumber, electricians, carpenters, etc.

  • Boarding School: The story takes place at a boarding school. (See: School)

  • Bodyguard: One MC is protecting the other, most typically the MMC guarding the FMC.

  • Bonding: When the MCs get together, they develop an innate bond of some kind that most often includes feeling the other's emotions, knowing if they are in danger, etc. This bond can happen through a number of means, but most often happens because of a bite.

  • Boss/Employee: One MC is the boss at work and the other is an employee that embarks on a relationship with them. This is usually forbidden in some way.

  • Boy Hates Girl: The MMC cant' stand the FMC in some way, but eventually realizes that he has feelings for her and that he was wrong about her.

  • Boy Meets Girl: The way that the MMC and FMC meet and gain initial impressions of the other. (See: Meet Cute)

  • Break Their Heart to Save Them: One MC breaks up with the other to save them from physical or emotional harm that is threatened by an outside source, only to end up reunited after the threat is taken care of.

  • Breakup Due to Misunderstanding: A misunderstanding occurs that causes one mC to break up with the other, only to reunite when the truth comes out.

  • Brother’s Best Friend: One MC is in love with their brother's best friend. They've usually been told this friend is off-limits or is uninterested in them. Growing feelings cause an upset in the status quo.

  • Bully: One MC cruelly attacks, belittles, humiliates or otherwise torments the other. Most often this is because they secretly pine for the object of their torment and in the end reform due to love.

  • Business rivals: The MCs are rivals at work, generating tension that ultimately explodes in the bedroom. (See Rivals to Lovers)

  • Can't Confess: For some external or internal reason, one or both MCs can't admit they are in love or at least can't say it out loud.

  • Can’t Live With Them, Can’t Live Without Them: The MCs aggravate each other and often bicker, but they feel incomplete when not together. (See: Enemies-to-Lovers, Love/Hate)

  • Cat Lover:  One or both MCs love cats, have a pet cat, or have cats as their personality. This love brings the characters together or causes conflict.

  • Celebrity Loves Normal Person: A celebrity meets a normal person and falls in love with them.

  • Celibate Hero(ine): One or both MCs are taking a break from being sexually active.

  • Cheerleader: Typically the FMC, an MC is a cheerleader/popular person that is generally pursued by the other MC; i.e. a jock, nerd, outcast, stoner, etc.

  • Childhood Enemies: MCs with an antagonistic past meet later in life and strike up a romance.

  • Childhood Friends: The MCs share a past where they were friends and grow to see each other romantically.

  • Childhood Marriage Promise: The MCs were friend as children and promised to marry each other.

  • Chosen One: One of the MCs is the one chosen by fate to right a cosmic wrong or fulfil a prophecy.

  • Cinderella Story: Named after the fairy tale the story usually has the semblance of these story beats with different frames: A kind hearted FMC is abused by family, only to go to a party and meets a wealthy MMC, who who fall in love with her. She has to leave and the MMC must use the clues she left behind to find her, usually right under his nose. They get together, rescue her from her evil family and live happily ever after. (See: Rags to Riches, Royalty Falls For Commoner)

  • Cinnamon Roll: A character that is sweet, innocent and kind. Usually being described as too good for this world.

  • Class Warfare: One MC comes from money and social status, the other lacks both, yet romantic tension formed between the two.

  • Cloak and Dagger: The story involves spies, shifting loyalties and sneaking around looking for secrets.

  • Clueless Love: One or both of the MCs are oblivious to their feelings for each other and have to told that they are in love. (See: Learn to Love)

  • Coach's Daughter: One MC, usually a MMC, is in love with his coach's off-limits daughter.

  • College: The story takes place at a college or university. (See: School)

  • Coming of Age: The MCs are teens that are becoming adults and navigating the complexities that brings. (See: Young Love)

  • Coming Out: A character discovers or reveals that they are gay

  • Commoner/Aristocrat: A common person falls in love with someone above their social station (See: Class Warfare, Nobility, Royalty, Royalty Falls For Commoner)

  • Compromised Heroine: A trope of mainly historical romances. The FMC is found in position that would ruin her and her family's reputation and must marry to avoid scandal. (See: Honorable Marriage Proposal)

  • Consanguinity: The MCs are cousins, step-siblings, or other relatives close enough to know each other but distantly related enough to have a romance without it being strictly incestuous.

  • Cougar: An older FMC pursuing a younger MMC.

  • Countryside: The story takes place in a rural community (See: Farm/Ranch Life, Small Town)

  • Court Intrigue: The story involves political maneuvering, secret societies and secrets. (See: Politics)

  • Cowboy: The MMC is a cowboy, either in a historical or contemporary setting.

  • Crazy in the Head, Crazy in the Bed: A character's oddities or outright insanity makes them dangerous but hot in bed.

  • Crazy Love: Being in love can cause one or both MCs to behave strangely or act irrationally

  • Culture Clash: The MCs come from different cultural backgrounds and must work to overcome difference and understand each other

  • Cursed: One or both MCs are under some kind of curse that must be resolved (See: Magic Spell)

  • Cyrano: One MC woos another for a friend, knowing they are in love with the other MC or only to realize that they are falling in love with them themself later.

  • Damsel/Dude in Distress: Either the FMC or the MMC is in peril and the other saves them.

  • Dare Setup: A dare takes place, either between the MCs or between an MC and a third party. Typically this looks like a dare to prove that the MCs don't have feelings for each other or a dare to get an MC to fall in love with the other in exchange for a prize. (See: Kiss Dare)

  • Dark: A romance that is either a little or a lot twisted, with many trigger warnings and content that could be seen as shocking.

  • Dark Secret: One or both MCs have a dark, shocking secret that they are keeping from the other MC.

  • Dark Secret Keeps Them Apart: The dark secret that one or both of the MCs are keeping makes it impossible for them to date.

  • Dating Game: Named after the popular older TV show. A bachelor or bachelorette asks questions of three mystery contestants to win a date. (See: Reality TV Show)

  • Destitute Hero/ine: One, but typically not both, MC is in dire financial straits that leaves them in a desperate and vulnerable position.

  • Different Worlds: The MCs come from different backgrounds, setting or even literal worlds and must surmount their differences. (See: Class Warfare, Culture Clash)

  • Disguise: One or both MCs pretend to be something they aren’t or literally disguise themselves as someone else, but fall in love while in disguise and are forced to continue the act.

  • Doctor: One or both MCs is a doctor of some kind.

  • Dog Lover: One or both MCs love dogs, have a pet dog, or have dogs as their personality. This love brings the characters together or causes conflict.

  • Dom/Sub: A subset of BDSM. One MC is dominant over the other in bed and sometimes out of bed as well. Sometimes they are subservient out of bed but dominant in it. There are lots of possible combinations for this dynamic. (See: Authoritative in Public, Docile in Private, BDSM, Beta in the Streets/Alpha in the Sheets)

  • Double In-Law Marriage: The FMC's sibling is married to the MMC's sibling, forcing the MCs to interact in some way.

  • Dystopian: The plot takes place in a society where there is great injustice and a dark tone, typically sometime in the future.

  • Enemies-Friends-to-Lovers: The MCs start as adversaries but slowly transition to friends, only to realize that it's something more.

  • Enemies-to-Lovers: The MCs are adversaries and their combative exchanges create a tension that eventually explodes in a romantic or sexual way.

  • Epistolary: The MCs communicate primarily through written communication, such as letters, diaries, emails, or newspaper clippings (See: Pen Pal)

  • Everyone Can See It: Everyone except the MCs can see and know that they are in love. (See: Last to Know)

  • Ex of MC is hanging around: One or both MCs have exes waiting in the wings to cause some sort of drama or act as a barrier toward the MCs starting a relationship.

  • Extended Breakup: The MCs breakup earlier in the story and it lasts a long time before being resolved.

  • Fairytale Retelling: A fairytale is retold in a different cultural, historical setting, or genre.

  • Fake Death: A character that was thought to be dead is revealed to have been alive the whole time. (See: Back From the Dead)

  • Fake Relationship: The MCs pretend to have a relationship, such as dating, engagement, or even a marriage, often involving complicated rules designed to keep them from actually falling in love with each other.

  • Fallen Woman/Man: One or both MCs work in the a sex work field, but come from a higher social background; i.e. aristocracy, middle class, etc.

  • False Pretenses: One or both the MCs have represented themselves in a way that renders themselves desirable, but are fraudulent and must eventually deal with the fall-out of their deception. (See: Disguise)

  • Family Saga: A structure commonly used to facilitate a romance series, where most of the MCs are in a family together, most often as siblings, making for stand-alone, interconnected romances.

  • Famous but Unrecognized: A celebrity either goes somewhere where they aren't famous or is in disguise and meet someone that doesn't recognize them, which the celebrity finds to be charming a refreshing. (See: Celebrity Falls For Normal Person, Disguise)

  • Farm/Ranch Life: The story takes place in a rural setting, where one or both MCs work on or adjacent to to farm or ranch. (See: Countryside, Cowboy, Small Town)

  • Fast Burn: The MCs fall into bed/fall in love very quickly and intensely. (See: Insta-Love, Insta-Lust, Love at First Sight)

  • Fatal Attraction: One MC develops an unhealthy obsession with the other, leading to behaviors like stalking, love-bombing, etc. Often used in dark romances or romantic thrillers.

  • Fated Mates: The MCs are fated to be together, often through magical means, interference from a god or literal Fate.

  • Female Friendship Group: The FMC has a close-knit band of friends to give support and advice. (See: Girl Squad)

  • FF: Shorthand for a lesbian romance. (See: Lesbian, Sapphic)

  • First Love: The MCs either fall in love for the first time or knew each other in the past and are each other's first loves.

  • First Responder: One or both of the MCs are any type of first responder, including police, firefighter, paramedic, etc.

  • Fish Out of Water: One MC doesn’t fit into a social or professional environment, usually requiring help by the other MC to blend in, leading to them eventually proving themselves and winning the other MC.

  • Fling: The MCs intend their relationship to last for a short time and stay casual, but feeling arise that make them grow beyond the initial limitation. (See: One-Night Stand)

  • Florence Nightingale Effect: The MMC is injured and the FMC nurses him back to health. In the process, they fall in love. (See: Hurt/Comfort, Injury)

  • Forbidden Romance: The MCs are somehow not supposed to be together, either because of familial, societal, or other pressures and conventions.

  • Forced Proximity: The MCs are forced to spend a lot of time in close-quarters, either by outside pressures (working on a big project together, etc.) or by a literal convention (handcuffed together, etc.).

  • Friends to Enemies to Lovers: The MCs start out on close, friendly terms, only to turn adversarial. In the end, however, they discover feelings for each other and overcome whatever is it was they caused their relationship to fracture.

  • Friends to Lovers: The MCs have been friendly and close for some time, but one or both find that they want something more from their relationship.

  • Friends with Benefits: The MCs start out in a casual, sexual relationship. Usually they have rules against developing feelings that one or both MCs breaks when they start to fall in love. (See: No Strings Attached)

  • Friendship Group: A structure commonly used to facilitate a romance series, where most of the MCs are in a tight-knit group of friends, making for stand-alone, interconnected romances.

  • Frenemies: The MCs have a competitive friendship that sees them challenging each other in different ways. (See: Rivals-to-Lovers)

  • Gay: A romance between two or more of the same gender. (See: FF, Lesbian, MM, Sapphic)

  • Gay For One: An MC that has considered themselves straight their whole lives meet someone of the same gender that they are attracted to, the exception to the rule. (See: Straight For One)

  • Ghost Lover: One MC is a ghost that visits the other MC in visions, dreams and even through possession.

  • Girl/Guy Next Door: One MC falls in love with their neighbor or has always been in love with their neighbor.

  • Girl Squad: A structure commonly used to facilitate a romance series, where the FMCs are in a close-knit group designed to achieve a common goal, making for stand-alone, interconnected romances. (See: Band of Brothers, Female Friendship Group)

  • Golden Retriever/Black Cat: One MC is earnest, enthusiastic and optimistic. The other MC is moody, shy/reserved and pessimistic. Typically in seen the Golden Retriever MMC/Black Cat FMC, it can go the other way as well. (See: Grumpy/Sunshine, Puppy Hero, Reverse Grumpy/Sunshine)

  • Good Girl/Bad Boy: A typical rule-following FMC falls for a rule-breaking MMC.

  • Grand Gesture: One MC does a big action as great personal risk to prove their love.

  • Grieving Widow(er): One or both MCs are widowed and still grieving their lost partner. Learning to love again is part of their healing journey.

  • Groveling: One MC has messed up so badly in their treatment of the other that they must beg for forgiveness, showing growth and true remorse. Can be accompanied by a public reckoning. (See: Grand Gesture)

  • Grumpy/Sunshine: The MMC has a grumpy, brooding pessimist; the FMC is a cheery, "sunshine-y" optimist. (See: Golden Retriever/Black Cat, Reverse Grumpy/Sunshine)

  • Guardian/Ward: A guardian and the ward under their protection develop romantic feelings for each other.

  • Happily Ever After: The MCs fall in love and are happy in the epilogue of their story, with the expectation that they will always be together.

  • Happily For Now: The MCs fall in love and are together, but the story continues and the MCs may or may not succeed in their endeavors, but will still stay together.

  • Hate to Love You: One or both MCs do not want to be attracted to the other and fight their growing attraction, only to give into it eventually

  • He-Man Woman Hater: The MMC hates women because of past trauma by a woman, and will be healed in the end by the FMC.

  • Hidden Identity: One or both MCs are pretending to be something that they are not, but they will be revealed in the end and have to deal with the fall-out of their deception. (See: Disguised, Famous but Unrecognized)

  • High School: The story takes place in a high school. (See: School)

  • High School Sweethearts: The MCs have been dating or in love with each other since high school.

  • Highlander: The MMC is a tall, strong Scotsman. (See Man in a Kilt)

  • Holiday: The MCs fall in love during one or more major holidays.

  • Home for the Holidays: One or both MCs come back to their home town for a major holiday, only to run into each other.

  • Honorable Marriage Proposal: Common in historical romances. Typically in reaction to the MCs being caught in a compromising position that would ruin the FMC's reputation.

  • Hurt/Comfort: One MC is injured and the other nurses them back to health. (See: Florence Nightingale Effect, Injury)

  • Imaginary Love Triangle: One or both MCs think they have rival for the other's feelings, but it's all in their head. (See: Jealousy)

  • Immortal Love: One or both MCs are immortal or cannot die.

  • Infertility: One or both MCs want a child but struggle with conceiving.

  • Ingenue: The FMC is innocent and kindhearted, but also sheltered and unworldly. Typically paired with a worldly playboy/rake MMC who desires to corrupt the FMC, but ends up being redeemed instead. (See: Good Girl/Bad Boy)

  • Injury: One MMC is injured. This causes the other MC to either nurse them or realize that their feelings are stronger than they thought. (See: Florence Nightingale Effect, Hurt/Comfort)

  • Insta-Love: One or both MCs fall in love with each other the moment they meet. (See Love At First Sight)

  • Insta-Lust: One or both MCs instantly fall into bed with each other moment they meet.

  • Instant Family: One MC discovers a family they never knew they had.

  • Interfering Family: The family of one or both MCs is too involved in their lives and either tries to force the MCs together or apart.

  • It's Always Been You: One or both MCs have only ever had feelings for the other, no matter how klong they have known them.

  • Jealousy: One MC gets jealous of the attention the other MC displays toward another character. This often makes them realize that their feelings are stronger than they previously believed. (See: Imaginary Love Triangle)

  • Jilted Lover: One MC has been left at the altar. They either find romance with a new partner or reconcile with the one that jilted them. (See: Runaway Fiancé)

  • Jock/Nerd: One MC is a popular jock or athlete, the other is a less popular, more cerebral academic nerd. Typical set ups include the popular jock is dared to date the nerd, the nerd is tutoring the jock, etc. (See: Athlete in Love)

  • Just a Dream: The MCs have a romantic or sexual encounter that turns out to just be a dream of one of the MCs.

  • Kidnapped: One MC is kidnapped with by the other MC or the antagonist. (See Abduction to Love, Damsel/Dude in Distress)

  • Kiss Dare: The MCs are dared or dare each other to kiss. Surprising chemistry ensues.

  • Knight-in-Shining-Armor: One MC rescues the other from peril, either physical or social. Typically the MMC saving the FMC, but it can go both ways.

  • Ladykiller in Love: The "rake" or chronically womanizing MMC falls in love and no longer want to live his playboy ways.

  • Lady's Companion: A historical romance trope. The FMC is a lady's companion to a wealthy older lady and then meets the MMC.

  • Land Lord/Lady: One MC is the other's land lord or lady.

  • Last to Know: The MCs are the last to realize that they are actually in love. (See: Everyone Can See It)

  • Later in Life: The MCs are above 40 years old when they get their great romance. (See: Older Couple, Seasoned Lovers, Silver Fox)

  • Lawyer: One or both MCs are lawyers.

  • Learn to Love: One or both MCs have baggage that precludes them from being in love or knowing that they are and must be taught to love/recognize it.

  • Lesbian: A romance between two women (See: FF, Sapphic)

  • Long Distance Relationship: The MCs are in a relationship but live in different location. The relationship is tested and must survive the distance.

  • Love at First Sight: The MCs fall in love at their first meeting. (See: Insta-Love)

  • Love Conquers All: All the conflicts of the story are surmounted by love alone; i.e. addiction, trauma, etc. (See: Power of Love)

  • Love Deja Vu: One MC reminds the other of someone else; i.e. a past love, a family member, etc.

  • Love/Hate: The MCs think they hate each other/are annoyed by each other but are actually attracted to each other. (See: Enemies-to-Lovers, Hate to Love You)

  • Love Letter: One or both characters send each other love letters.

  • Love Potion: Our lovers are brought together through a magic potion and must struggle to find out if their feelings are real. (See: Magic Spell)

  • Love Reforms Villain: The villain gives up their evil plot because they have fallen in love with the MC

  • Love Thy Neighbor: One MC falls in love with their neighbor. (See: Girl/Guy Next Door)

  • Love Triangle: One MC must choose between two love interests.

  • Lovable Rogue: Typically the MMC, the character is simultaneously charming and attractive, while being displaying off-putting or dangerous behaviors.

  • Magic Academy: The story takes place at a school for learning magic or magical beings; i.e. witches, vampires, shifters, etc. (See: School)

  • Magic Spell: One or both MCs are under a spell. This can be a love spell or any other types of spell they wan to break/overcome. (See: Cursed, Love Potion)

  • Magical Hero(ine): One or both characters are some kind of magical, paranormal being; i.e. witches, vampires, shifters, etc.

  • Mafia: One or both MCs are involved in the Mafia.

  • Maid: The FMC is a maid, typically for a wealthy, attractive employer.

  • Mail Order Bride: Typically of western or western-adjacent romances, the MMC lives in a remote place and sends for a bride to keep him company/help with his homestead and the FMC arrives.

  • Make-Over: Typically the FMC, but it can be the MMC as well, under goes a transformation at the hands of an expert to reveal they have been attractive the whole time. (See: Beautiful All Along, Ugly Duckling)

  • Man in a Kilt: A MMC, most often in historical settings with Scottish Heritage, who wears a kilt. (See: Highlander)

  • Man in Uniform: The MMC is a profession that requires a uniform and has some level of authority. (See: Armed Forces, First Responder)

  • Manic Pixie Dram Girl/Boy: One MC walks to the beat of their own drum, is often a little socially awkward and has unique taste in art/music and exists to teach the other MC how to live less seriously. (See: Quirky Lead)

  • Marriage in Trouble: The MCs are already married and have come upon some stumbling blocks in their marriage that they must overcome to be happily ever after.

  • Marriage of Convenience: The MCs get married because it would be convenient for practical reasons; i.e. paying taxes, accessing an inheritance, etc. They enter without feelings for each other but find themselves falling in love.

  • Marriage Pact: The MCs vow that if the aren't married by a certain age they will marry each other. (See: Singles Pact)

  • Mars Needs Women: Not literally Mars, but an alien planet is lacking woman, often due to war or a virus, and comes to Earth to recruit our women. (See: Alien)

  • Matchmaker: A matchmaker either helps the MCs get together or one MC is a matchmaker that find themselves falling in love, often with the person they were trying to set up in the first place.

  • Mating: The MCs are bound together on a primal level for life after getting together, often accompanied by a supernatural bond. (See: Bonding)

  • May/December: Traditionally describing a much older MMC with a much younger FMC, but it can be used to describe the inverse as well. (See: Age Gap, Cougar)

  • Meet Cute: Most typically used in a romantic comedy (rom-com), it is the "cute" or funny circumstances that first bring the MCs together.

  • Menage: Also called a Menage a Trois, it is where three people are in a relationship with each other. (See: MMF, MFF, Polyamory, Throuple)

  • Mental Health Issues: One or both MCs struggle with mental health, past trauma, etc.

  • Mentorship: One MC is the mentor to the other MC and helps them find their footing or overcome a difficulty. (See: Fish Out of Water)

  • MF: Shorthand for a heterosexual romance, meaning literal Male/Female.

  • MFF: A MMC and two FMCs all in a relationship with each other. (See: Menage, Polyamory, Throuple)

  • Military Life: One or both MCs are in a branch of the armed forces. (See: Armed Forces)

  • Miscommunication: The MCs struggle with saying what the really mean and read into exchanges subtext that isn't there, often resulting in drama and conflict.

  • Mistaken Identity: One MC thinks the other MC is someone they are not, either by design or on accident.

  • MM: Shorthand for a male homosexual relationship, meaning literally Male/Male.

  • MMF: Two MMCs and one FMC all in a relationship with each other. (See: Menage, Polyamory, Throuple)

  • Monster: One or both MCs are not human and tend to be more monstrous or bestial than your typical vampire and shifters; i.e. dragons, orcs, cryptids, etc. Typically the MMC is the monster, but it can be the FMC or both, just not as commonly. (See: Alien)

  • Morally Gray Lead: One or both MCs has shifting morals, a "what's in it for me" attitude and dubious allegiances. There are still lines they will not cross, such a murder of innocents or sexual assault, but everything else is in play. (See: Antihero(ine))

  • More Experienced Chases the Innocent: A more sexually and/or romantically experienced person pursues someone who has very little to no romantic or sexual experience.

  • Motorcycle Club: One or both MCs are involved with a motorcycle club, which may be legitimate or on the wrong side of the law.

  • MPreg: Male Pregnancy. A trope most commonly found in ABO stories, fantasy or sci fi.

  • Mutual Pining: When the MCs secretly love each other, but don't say anything due to a variety of circumstances.

  • Nanny: Typically the FMC, one of the MCs is a nanny, often caring for the children of a single father they fall in love with.

  • Never Date/Marry: One or both MCs has vowed never to date or marry, but when they meet the other MC, their vow is tested.

  • New in Town: One MC is newly moved to an area and meets the other MC.

  • New Old Flame: One MC runs into the MC from their past, with whom they share a romantic history. (See: Second Chance)

  • Nice Guy: A kinder, gentler MMC, who often is overlooked by the FMC at first in favor of a more Alpha Male, only to see that her true love has been by her side the whole time. (See: Beta Hero)

  • No String Attached: The MCs embark on relationship that is supposed to be all sex, no feelings, but things get complicated along the way. (See Friends With Benefits, Sex First/Feelings Later)

  • Nobility: One or both MCs are of a high social status and are landed gentry in their country.

  • Not Good Enough: One MC is told that they aren't good enough to be with the other MC for various reasons or believes it of themselves.

  • Not Like Other Girls: The MMC tells the FMC she's not like any other woman he's ever met and emphasizes how different she is. Can be positive or negative.

  • Occult: Romances that involve things like: witchcraft, voodoo, psychic phenomena, supernatural knowledge, etc. They tend to be darker and more grounded then typical Paranormal Romances.

  • Office Romance: The MCs work together in an office setting. (See: Workplace Romance)

  • Older Couple: A couple over 40 years old finding romance with each other. (See: Later in Life, Seasoned Lovers, Silver Fox)

  • Omegaverse: A non-shifter universe where people still have the designation typical to a shifter pack: Alpha, Beta and Omega. Typically Alphas and Omegas are helplessly drawn to each other and can be bin monogamous relationships or in polyamorous "packs." (See: ABO)

  • On a Journey: The MCs are on a trip together that forces them together and feelings begin to form. (See On the Run, Quest)

  • On the Run: The MCs are on the run from the antagonist, having to stay one step ahead of being caught and form feelings for each other as they struggle to stay in one piece. (See On a Journey, Quest)

  • On the Rocks: The MCs are in a relationship as the story begins, but their bond is being tested. (See: Already Married, Marriage in Trouble)

  • One-night stand: The MCs intend their relationship to last for a single sexual encounter, but things happen that lead to them meeting beyond that and growing feelings.

  • One That Got Away: One MC has always held a torch for the other, but they ended up breaking up or never getting together in the first place. (See: It's Always been You)

  • One True Love: The ultimate romantic ideal, that there is only one perfect person for everyone.

  • Only One [Blank]: The MCs get where they are going and discover that they must share a bed, or a car, or a horse, etc.

  • Opposites Attract: The MCs appear to be opposites in everything superficial, but they discover that fundamentally, where it counts, they are the same and fall in love.

  • Organized Crime: One or both MCs are involved in organized crime, most typically the Mafia, but can also be the Bratva, Yakuza, etc.

  • Orphan: One or both MCs are orphans, either literally (both of their parents are dead) or figuratively (their parents were absent, so they were in foster care, etc.)

  • Outcast: One or both MCs lives on the fringes of society or what is socially acceptable and therefore is alone.

  • Overprotective Brother/Male Relatives: The FMC has over protective men around her that are a barrier to her getting into a relationship.

  • Paranormal: Magical beings exist, usually in a secret parallel society; i.e. vampires, werewolves, ghosts, witches. (See: Ghost Lover, Shifters, Vampires, Werewolves, Witches)

  • Partners Against Crime: The MCs fight crime either with the law, like as police or detectives, or under the law, like as vigilantes.

  • Partners in Crime: The MCS operate as team and are always together what ever they do, sometimes as actual criminals.

  • Passionate Lovers: The MCs are in a passionate, sexual relationship. (See: Spicy, Steamy)

  • Pen Pals: The MCs first meet as, or keep in contact through being, pen pals. (See: Epistolary)

  • Perilous Marriage Proposal: One MC proposes in the middle of a dangerous or unideal circumstances.

  • Pining: One MC spends a significant portion of the story being in love with the other MC secretly, but not saying anything.

  • Pirate: One or both characters are pirates, either in a historical, fantasy or sci fi setting.

  • Plain Jane: When the FMC isn't considered conventionally attractive by society at large or even herself.

  • Playboy: The MMC has a reputation for playing the field, seeking out casual sexual relationships, and just generally being a F***boi—until they fall in love.

  • Plus-Size: One or both MCs are overweight, or just above what is considered "in shape" or "skinny." Typically this is the FMC, but can be the MMC, just less commonly. (See: BBW)

  • Political Marriage: The MCs must get married to join two countries together, whether they like it or not. (See: Altar Diplomacy)

  • Politics: The story involves politics or political entities maneuvering around each other.

  • Politician: One or both MCs are in or are running for public office.

  • Polyamory: The story is about at least three, if not more, simultaneous MCs in a romantic/sexual relationship. (See: Menage, MFF, MMF, Reverse Harem)

  • Pool Boy: The MMC is a pool boy. Most often accompanied by the Cougar trope.

  • Possessive Hero: The MMC is fiercely possessive of the FMC, jealous and protective. (See: Jealousy)

  • Post-Apocalyptic: The story takes place after a cataclysmic event that destroyed life as we know it and replaced it with something darker and more dangerous.

  • Portal Romance: An MC, most typically the FMC, falls through a portal into another world where she falls in love.

  • Power of Love: Love breaks past all barriers and solves all conflicts in the story. (See: Love Conquers All)

  • Prank Date: One MC goes on a date with the other as joke, only to catch real feelings and have to eventually come clean about their initial motives.

  • Priest: The MMC is a priest, usually of the Catholic faith, making relationships with them forbidden.

  • Pseudo-incest: The MCs have a family relationship that could almost be considered incest except for a technicality (raised together, but not blood-related.)

  • Puppy Hero: The MMC is young, earnest and enthusiastic, with a need to please and certain amount of innocence of naiveite (See: Golden Retriever/Black Cat)

  • Rags to Riches: One or both MCs starts the story very poor, only to come into a lot of money and become startlingly wealthy.

  • Rake: Typically the historical romance version of the Playboy, the MMC has a reputation for daring, reckless behavior (e.g., gambling, seducing lovers, etc.)

  • Reality TV Show: The MCs participate in a reality TV show, either as contestants, hosts, producers, etc. and fall in love, usually with someone they are not supposed to. (See: Dating Game)

  • Redemption: One or both MCs have committed wrongs in the past (either against the other MC, or against someone or something else) for which they must should true remorse.

  • Reformed, but Not Tamed: When an MC goes from evil/chaotic to good/lawful while still retaining the character traits they had as a villain.

  • Reformed Rakes: The MMC was a bad boy, but he'll be the ideal man by the end, due to his relationship with the FMC.

  • Regency: Historical romances taking place in 1811-1820 England.

  • Rejected Marriage Proposal: One MC proposes to the other, only to be rejected.

  • Rejected Mates: Fate has put two characters together, but one or both reject the other and refuse to be together. They may get back together by the end of the story or will become empowered to reject fate entirely and be with someone else. (See: Fated Mates)

  • Relationship Coach: One or both characters are relationship coaches that fall in love and find that they don't know as much as they thought by the end.

  • Removing the Rival: A character, usually villainous, is in competition with an MC for some sort of goal, and resorts to underhanded methods in order to somehow dispose of them.

  • Rescue Romance: One MC save the other from certain peril, which forges a strong romantic bond between the two characters.

  • Resistant children: One or both MCs have children who actively resist the MCs new relationship and must be won over.

  • Return to Hometown: One MC has left their hometown and then experienced some sort of loss or failure that causes them to have to go back and deal with the people they left behind.

  • Reunion Romance: The MCs get together after being separated for a long period of time. (See: Second Chance)

  • Revenge: One or both characters are on a quest for revenge. It can be revenge against each other, revenge against the same person or dueling revenge.

  • Reverse Grumpy/Sunshine: A grumpy, pessimistic FMC with a bright, cheerful MMC. (See: Golden Retriever/Black Cat, Grumpy/Sunshine)

  • Reverse Harem: A subset of polyamory, where our story involves one FMC with multiple MMCs. (See Menage, MMF)

  • Rich/Poor Dynamic: One MC is rich, the other is poor. Sparks fly as they navigate their different social statuses. (See: Class Warfare)

  • Rivals-to-Lovers: The MCs are in direct competition for something, but eventually develop chemistry with each other and find their competition less important. (See: Business Rivals, Frenemies)

  • Road Trip: The MCs are on a road trip together to get to the same destination. The forced proximity leads to feelings and tension growing. (See: On a Journey, On the Run, Quest)

  • Rockstar: One or both MCs are rockstars

  • Romance on Set: One or both characters are movie stars on the set of movie and fall in love.

  • Romeo/Juliet: A romance where two groups or families are at odds and members of those rival groups fall in love. Many end tragically, but there can be a happily ever after.

  • Roommates: The MCs are roommates and must learn to live with each other, while feelings grow.

  • Royalty: One or both MCs are members of royalty of a country.

  • Royalty Falls for Commoner: One MC is royalty, the other is a commoner of some kind. The royal fall in love with them, marrying them and making them royal. (See: Cinderella Story)

  • Runaway Fiancé: One MC leaves their intended at the altar. They can eventually work it out with the jilted party or meet someone else. (See: Jilted Lover)

  • Sapphic: A romance between two or more women. (See: FF, Lesbian)

  • Scarred Hero/ine: One or both MCs has physical or emotional scars that affect them very deeply.

  • School: The MCs live and/or work in an academic setting (See: Boarding School, College, High School, Magic Academy)

  • Seasoned Lovers: One or both MCs are older than the conventional age for a romance novel, typically 40 years old or older. (See: Later in Life, Older Couple)

  • Second Chance: The MCs were together in the past but it didn't work out. Years later they reconnect and try again, this time successfully.

  • Secret Admirer: One MC has someone sending them anonymous letters and gifts expressing their feelings. This person can be the other MC, the villain or someone else entirely.

  • Secret Baby: Typically the result of a one night stand, the FMC has had the MMC's baby and never told them, only to turn up with their child years later.

  • Secret Billionaire: One MC is a billionaire, but is pretending not to be to test whether the other MC is with them for their money or not.

  • Secret Heir: One of the MCs turns out to actually be the heir to a large fortune, country or company.

  • Secret Identity: One or both MCs are living under a false identity, but they met their other love interest as the false identity so they have to keep up the ruse or come clean.

  • Secret Relationship: For any variety of reasons, the MCs must keep their romantic relationship secret in order to avoid undesirable consequences.

  • Secret Royalty: One MC is actually royalty, but they are disguising their identity for any variety of reasons.

  • Secret Waiting to Tear Them Apart: One or both MCs are keeping a secret that would rock the foundations of their relationship.

  • Sex Club: The story takes place at or visits a sex club where things like BDSM and kink are explored.

  • Sex First/Feelings Later: The MCs fall into bed first, but later develop romantic feelings. (See: Friends With Benefits, Insta-Lust, No Strings Attached)

  • Sex Worker: One or both MCs work in the sex work fields.

  • Shared Past: The MCs share connection deeply rooted in their pasts. They can be aware of this connection or discover it later.

  • Sheikh: An OG romance trope with a questionable past, The MMC is an Arabian oil sheikh, who is very wealthy.

  • Shifters: A magical creature that is a human who can turn into an animal and retain their human reasoning in their animal form. Popular animal categories include, but are not limited to:

    • Bears

    • Big Cats

      • Cougars

      • Jaguars

      • Lions

      • Panthers

      • Pumas

    • Wolves

  • Sibling’s Current Partner: One MC falls in love with their sibling’s current partner.

  • Sibling’s Ex Partner: One MC falls in love with their sibling’s ex partner.

  • Sibling Triangle: A love triangle where two of the participants are siblings vying for the same love interest. (See: Sibling's Current Partner, Love Triangle)

  • Silver Fox: The MMC is an older man with graying hair that is considered to be highly attractive given his age.

  • Singles Pact: Our lovers vow to seek each other out if they remain single by a specific date. (See: Marriage Pact)

  • Single Parents/Guardian: One or both MCs are single parents for a wide variety of reasons.

  • Similarities Attract: The opposite of Opposites Attract. The characters find that they agree on or are the same in every way/interest and fall in love.

  • Slow Burn: The character are very slow to act on their feeling or growing romantic tension and it takes a long time for them to fall into bed.

  • Slow Seduction Due to Trauma: One MC has trauma surrounding relationships, so the other MC is patient and slowly leads them into a relationship and physical activities.

  • Small Town: The story takes place in a tight-knit small community.

  • Snowed-In: The MCs are at a location that gets a heavy snowfall or blizzard and can't leave until its over, forcing them to spend time together.

  • Social Standing World Apart: The MCs are opposite sides of social regard. One is beloved and admired, the other is outcast and reviled. This can be for a variety of reasons, wealth, charm, looks, but they are drawn together none the less.

  • Socially Awkward Hero(ine): One or both MCs is socially awkward and doesn't know how to navigate social situations or romantic relationships, leading to conflict.

  • Sociopathic Hero(ine): One or both MCs have no regard for the people around them, doesn't value life, privacy or decency an does what they want. Usually a notable exception is that hey will treat their love interest relatively well, especially in comparison to how they treat others.

  • Soul Mates: Can be figurative or literal. The MCs are harmonious and belong together in everyway.

  • Spicy: On-page open door, explicit and titillating sex scenes. (See: Passionate Lovers)

  • Sports Romance: The story is told with the backdrop of a sport. MCs can be players, sports reporters, physical therapists, team owners, etc. (See: Athlete in Love, Quarterback)

  • Star-Crossed: Everything is working against this couple being together, up to and including Fate itself. They have to overcome insurmountable odds to get together.

  • Steamy: On-page but less-explicit sex scenes that focus on the feelings generated by the sex, rather than the act itself.

  • Step-parents: One MC is the step-parent of the other.

  • Step-siblings: The MCs are step-siblings of each other.

  • Stockholm Syndrome: Named after a real psychological phenomenon, one MC is kidnapped or otherwise mistreated by the other but develops a bond with them, becomes sympathetic to their motivations, and even falls in love with them. (See: Abduction in Love, Beauty and the Beast)

  • Straight For One: An MC that has considered themselves gay their whole lives meets someone of the different gender that they are attracted to, the exception to the rule. (See: Gay For One)

  • Stranded: The MCs are stuck together in a location that they can't leave and must interact and rely on each other for survival.

  • Student/Teacher: A trope of taboo or forbidden romances, a teacher or professor falls for their student and vise versa.

  • Sudden baby: One or both MCs finds or inherits a child they never planned on raising.

  • Summer Romance: The MCs get together over summer break and have a short, intense relationship that must try to survive outside of the summer months, when everything goes back to normal.

  • Supernatural: A romance that contains elements outside the normal, physical realm. (See: Ghost Lover, Paranormal, Shifters, Vampire)

  • Surprise Pregnancy: When the FMC was not planning on getting pregnant, but ends up pregnant with the MMC's baby, leading to conflict and drama. (See: Accidental Pregnancy, Unexpected Pregnancy)

  • Surprise Virgin: When an MC that was shown to be worldly and confident turns out to be sexually inexperienced, for a variety of reasons.

  • Survival: The MCs are in peril and must rely on each other to survive the horror and trials before them.

  • Sweet: A romance with all romance-no-sex, (or at least on-page sex.)

  • Taboo Relationship: Any relationship that falls out of socially acceptable relationships; i.e. teacher/student, therapist/client, serial killer/anyone.

  • Teacher: One or both MCs are teachers. They can have relationship with other teachers, parents or, as discussed above, students.

  • Terminal Situation: One or both MCs are dying.

  • Third-Act Break-up: The MCs break up due to differences, trauma or a betrayal in the last third of the book, only to get back together by the end.

  • Threesome: Three partners engage in intercourse. They do not have to be in a relationship.

  • Throuple: Three MCs in a romantic or sexual relationship with each other equally. (See: Menage, MFF, MMF, Polyamory)

  • Time Travel: One or both MCs time travel to another time period.

  • Tortured Hero(ine): One or both MCs have broody baggage and a traumatic past that causes them a lash out. (See: Tragic Past, Trauma)

  • Touch Her and Die: A protective MMC that will literally or figuratively kill for the FMC if she is threatened in anyway.

  • Tragic Love Affair: The MCs are in love with each other but are doomed to never be together because of a variety of reasons.

  • Tragic Past: One character has a tragedy in their past that has made them the way that they are. (See: Tortured Hero(ine), Trauma)

  • Trapped: Some external force is keeping the MCs together in one place, where they start to bond over their captivity. (See: Forced Proximity, Snowed-In, Stranded)

  • Trans Hero(ine): One or both MCs are transgender.

  • Trauma: One or both MCs has experienced a trauma that effects them throughout the story. (See: Mental Health Issues, Tortured Hero(ine), Tragic Past)

  • True Love's Kiss: A staple trope of fairytales and fantasy, where the kiss from one's true love will break a curse or heal a wound.

  • Twin Swap: One MC is an identical twin and swaps with their twin to deal with a problem, woo a love interest or deal with an unwanted suitor. Usually ends up with the MC falling in love with someone that thinks they are in love with the twin. (See: Disguise, Hidden Identity, Secret Identity)

  • Two-Person Love Triangle: One MC is in love with the other, while that MC is love with someone who they think is different than the first MC but is actually them in disguise. The most famous example would be Clark Kent loving Lois Lane who loves Superman. (See: Secret Identity)

  • Ugly Duckling: An MC, usually the FMC, is picked on for their unconventional looks, only to get a make-over or come back after a long period of time and show they they were attractive all along. (See: Beautiful All Along, Make-Over)

  • Ugly Hero(ine): One MC is not what is considered conventionally attractive, but the other MC falls in love with their personality and learns to see them as attractive.

  • Undercover: One or both MCs are in disguise as someone else to investigate something, but fall in love in their undercover identity. (See: Disguise, Hidden Identity, Secret Identity)

  • Unexpected Heir: One of the MCs turns out to be the heir to a fortune, country or company. They may or may not know about their status as heir. (See: Secret Heir)

  • Unexpected Pregnancy: The FMC isn't planning on becoming pregnant, but becomes pregnant with the MMC's baby. Commonly this happens from a one night stand. (See: Accidental Pregnancy, Surprise Pregnancy)

  • Unexpected Virgin: An MC that appears to be experienced turns out to be a virgin. (See: Surprise Virgin)

  • Uniform: One or both MCs wear a uniform. This can be for school, military placement or job. (See: Armed Forces, Boarding School, First Responder, Man in Uniform, Military Life)

  • Unlucky in Love: One or both MCs has had only bad experiences with romantic relationships before meeting the other MC.

  • Unobtainable Love Interest: One MC is in love with the other, who is so high above them in status, looks, wealth, etc. that it it should be impossible for them to ever be together. (See: Class Warfare, Social Standing World Apart)

  • Unrequited Love: One MC is in love with the other without it be reciprocated or without it be visibly reciprocated.

  • Unresolved Sexual Tension: A source of drama and banter that can last for a long time. In a standalone romance it can remain unresolved for up to the end of the second act, but will most likely be resolved in the third. In a book series it can last much longer.

  • Vampire: One or both MCs are vampires.

  • Vegas Wedding Surprise: The MCs are in Vegas and go on a bender. When they come to they are married to a stranger. (See: Woke Up Married)

  • Victorian: A historical romance setting from 1837-1901 in England.

  • Viking: One or both characters are Vikings or have Viking heritage. (See: Barbarian)

  • Villain becomes Hero: Typically through the power of love, the villain switches sides and helps the heroes with their aims. (See: Love Reforms Villain)

  • Virgin Auction: The FMC needs money and the only thing she has of value is her innocence. It'll almost always be purchased by the MMC, who becomes obsessed with the FMC.

  • Virgin Hero(ine): One or both MCs, though typically the FMC, are inexperienced when it comes to sexual things.

  • Wallflower: Typically a trope of historical romances, the wallflower is seen as undesirable in some way and is never asked to dance at balls.

  • War-time: The setting takes place around a war of some kind that influences the plot.

  • Wedding: A wedding takes place in the story, either between the MCs or one that they attend and meet at.

  • Werewolves: One or both MCs are werewolves. Werewolves are different than shifters in that they typically lose control in their wolf form, where shifter keep their reasoning faculties.

  • Western: A setting mainly in historical romances. The story will take place in homesteaded western United States, for the most part. (See: Cowboy)

  • Witches: One or both MCs are witches.

  • Woke Up Married: Typically paired with Vegas, but a character wakes up with a stranger they are married to with no memory of how it happened.

  • Working With An Ex: One of the MCs starts a new job or gets new co-worker, only to discover that it is their ex. Long office hours rekindles the flame between them.

  • Workplace Romance: The MCs work together at the same place. (See: Office Romance)

  • Wrong Side of the Tracks: One or both characters come from the poorer area of town and are of lower social status.

  • X-Rated: Highly explicit, on-page sex scenes. Essentially pornographic.

  • Xenobiologist: A trope in Alien Romances. On or both of the MCs are scientists that study alien life.

  • Xenophobia: An MC of color or of a different culture could run into xenophobia (or the strong dislike of people from other countries) as a conflict, often from friends or family of the other MC, where the other MC must choose between their family/friends and their new love interest.

  • You Sexy Beast: A specific genre of Monster Romances where the FMC is an ordinary human and the MMC is a monster, or "beast, " of some kind and the human FMC helps them overcome their more bestial urges and become more tame.

  • Young Love: The MCs are teens or young adults experiencing love for the first time.

  • Zaddy: A older MMC who is seen a sophisticated and attractive. (See: Silver Fox)

  • Zero-to-Hero: One or both MCs start out as weak and useless, but through the course of the story rise to the occasion and become the hero.

  • Zombies: Either the setting has zombies, or in rare cases, one of MCs is a zombie, but usually a different kind of zombie than your average rotting corpse.


Whew! That was a lot! This list took literal days to put together and I know that I still missed some tropes. If you see any that I missed, feel free to comment them below so that I can add them. I'll keep a running tally up top.


If you'd like to read my sources, they can be found here, here, here, here, and here. Some are also tropes that I've noticed from social media and my own reading and added in.


Thanks for reading!


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