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Writer's pictureCaroline

The Best of Each Trope

Updated: Apr 3, 2021

As I’ve previously stated, I have a slow burn enemies to lovers relationship with the enemies to lovers trope. I’m being serious with you. As time has passed I’ve just read more and more enemies to lovers (because I’ve been reading more fantasy) as opposed to only reading friends to lovers contemporaries. With all this time I’ve been pondering my thoughts on these tropes (please check out my other post for more trope content), I decided to share all of my favorite tropey romance books/movies/tv shows with you. Hope you have fun and get some nice recommendations -- happy reading!!


Love Triangle

Description: Two characters both like the same person (usually the main character), and that person has to figure out who to pick/be with.

TV Shows: The Vampire Diaries, Greenhouse Academy (I’m team Leo but I really should be team Daniel), My First First Love, Jane the Virgin

Books: An Ember In The Ashes by Sabaa Tahir, Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Movies: The Hunger Games, PS I Still Love You (John Ambrose deserves better btw)

Notes:

  • I like love triangles more than the average person even though the girl always picks the wrong guy #teamgoodboy. I guess that just means that John Ambrose is all mine

  • Watch Greenhouse Academy

  • It’s quite embarrassing when you’re fawning over this one dude in the love triangle but he turns out to be a literal nightmare man. Totally not speaking from personal experience


Enemies to Lovers

Description: Two characters dislike each other initially and then develop feelings for each other.

TV Shows: Outer Banks, Never Have I Ever

Contemporary Books: Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett, Four Days of You and Me by Miranda Kenneally, Today Tonight Tomorrow by Rachel Lynn Solomon, Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

Fantasy/Sci-Fi Books: Skyhunter by Marie Lu, The Wrath and the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh, We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal

Movies: 10 Things I Hate About You

Notes:

  • My love for10 Things I Hate About You is unparalleled

  • The way I’m obsessed with this section the most is very revealing

  • If no one leaves a love letter in my senior year yearbook I’m throwing hands


Friends to Lovers

Description: Two characters are friends initially (whether that be best friends or old childhood buddies) and then either develop feelings for each other or admit that they have feelings for each other.

TV Shows: My First First Love, Sweet Magnolias

Books: I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver, Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz, Her Name in the Sky by Kelly Quindlen

Movies: Love, Rosie, 13 Going on 30

Notes:

  • Friends to lovers? So underrated

  • I’ve only watched one episode of Sweet Magnolias but I’m already obsessed with Annie and Ty


Boy/Girl/Person Next Door

Description: Very similar to friends to lovers, but the two characters are neighbors (and usually friends) and subsequently develop feelings for each other or admit that they have feelings for each other.

TV Shows: Gilmore Girls

Books: Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins, My Life Next Door by Huntleigh Fitzpatrick, On The Fence by Kasie West, Emmy and Oliver by Robin Benway

Movies: To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before

Notes:

  • On The Fence is also very much childhood best friends to lovers

  • The interactions between the main and love interest with this trope are always the cutest thing ever I cannot contain myself

  • Yeah I’ve never experienced anything close to this BUT I WANT TO


Fake Relationship

Description: Two characters pretend to be in a relationship and then develop feelings for each other and get together for real.

TV Shows: The Good Place (I think... that’s what Google says)

Books: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han, Fake It Til You Break It by Jenn Nguyen, Open Road Summer by Emery Lord

Movies: Easy A, The Hunger Games

Notes:

  • The way To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before owns my heart is astounding (ngl mostly because of John; book Peter > movie Peter)

  • Fake It Til You Break It is also enemies to lovers

  • I would love to go up to a guy and just be like “ayo let’s fake date what do you think”


Stuck Together

Description: Two characters are stuck together in an awkward situation (stuck in an elevator, stuck at an airport in a snowstorm, etc) and develop feelings for each other as a result.

TV Shows: Put Your Head on My Shoulder

Books: By Your Side by Kasie West, The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer E. Smith, Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett

Movies: The Hunger Games if you really think about it HAHA

Notes:

  • The opportunity for the one bed trope with the stuck together trope…

  • Me realizing that The Hunger Games is technically stuck together is hilarious

  • I mean, if I’m ever stuck in a library for three days, I’d hope it’d be with a cute guy


Forbidden Love

Description: Two characters fall in love but aren’t permitted to be together, whether that be because of socioeconomic status, rival groups or families, or other factors that involve other people not wanting them to be together.

TV Shows: Grey’s Anatomy, Riverdale

Books: Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston, Legend by Marie Lu, These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong, Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan

Movies: The Notebook, Romeo + Juliet, Titanic

Notes:

  • Legend is high-ranking government officer + the nation’s most wanted criminal, so I think that’s forbidden enough

  • Y’all know how I feel about The Notebook

  • I put Romeo + Juliet on there for young Leonardo DiCaprio only

  • The RESPECT I have for Chloe Gong


Opposites Attract

Description: Two characters who appear to be complete opposites develop feelings for each other.

TV Shows: Friends

Books: Always Never Yours and If I’m Being Honest by Emily Wibberly and Austin Siegemund-Broka, Nowhere But Here by Katie McGarry, What I Thought Was True by Huntley Fitzpatrick

Movies: 10 Things I Hate About You, A Walk To Remember

Notes:

  • As long as it’s not too cliche (naive girl/popular girl + leather jacket motorcycle bad boy) I’m a sucker for this

  • Owen Okita -- call me (please)


Love At First Sight

Description: Two characters fall in love at first sight (or one falls in love with the other at first sight) -- the first time they see the other, they’re smitten.

TV Shows: Married at First Sight (HAHA I couldn't think of anything)

Books: Romeo and Juliet

Movies: West Side Story, (500) Days of Summer

Notes:

  • I don’t read insta-love books so you’ll have to settle for Romeo and Juliet

  • I’d say give me recommendations for this one but please don’t -- give me friends to lovers


Online Relationship

Description: Two characters meet online (usually under aliases) and develop feelings for each other -- this is often coupled with the two characters meeting in person and developing feelings for each other in real life.

TV Shows: Love is Blind (tell me it doesn’t count because it literally does)

Books: Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett, Tweet Cute by Emma Lord

Movies: Sierra Burgess is a Loser

Notes:

  • Sierra Burgess is a Loser is one of the many Noah Centineo romances on Netflix; it’s not my fave but I mean it has this trope?

  • This one’s also hit or miss for me because I hate when people lie in books (like those super elaborate lies that always come out in the end), and sometimes people will lie about their identity with this trope


Royalty/Celebrities

Description: Two characters develop feelings for each other, but one is a celebrity/famous person.

TV Shows: Once Upon a Time

Books: Prince Charming by Rachel Hawkins, Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston, Heartless by Marissa Meyer

Movies: Crazy Rich Asians, Princess Protection Program, Camp Rock

Notes:

  • I love OG DCOMS please give me back OG Disney and Nickelodeon

  • Red, White, and Royal Blue is such a comfort read man like I just want someone to send me emails and talk to me like Henry and Alex do with each other

  • Much much love for Crazy Rich Asians


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