I am a sucker for the genre of romance, whether it be a beautifully tragic novel or a light-hearted rom-com. There are certain romantic tropes that stand out to me and keep everyone else coming back to the genre as well. In case you’re unfamiliar with the term trope, it’s a conventional plot design or character attribute that is commonly used to keep people invested. This genre is full of ones that make the unfolding story absolutely irresistible. Here are some of my personal favorites leading up to number one, and the best narratives to go along with it.
6. Work Romance
Jim Halpert and Pam Beesly easily had one of the best sitcom loves that exists. These are two characters from the hit show The Office that viewers fell in love with. It is rare to see the guy fall first, especially as hard as Jim does, which is what made the story develop so wonderfully. We watch them confess their feelings for one another, get married, and start a family. Their connection was so unique and felt so real making it easy for watchers to become so wrapped up.
5. Love Triangle
The most obvious example of this is from arguably the biggest saga in pop culture, Twilight. While Bella and Edward are practically together throughout the five books/movies, Jacob always finds a way to remain relevant. He does his best efforts to sway Bella away from Edward and towards him, however Bella never gives in and leaves him in the friendzone. Thankfully, Jacob imprints on Bella’s baby and finds his soulmate in the end…I still don’t know what to think about this one.
4. Second Chance
While I’ve never seen the original, the 1998 remake of The Parent Trap starring Lindsay Lohan has been one of my favorite movies for as long as I can remember. The twin girls go to great lengths to successfully rebuild their family. After summer camp, they find soft spots of their mom and dad’s relationship to remind them of the special connection they share and what made them fall in love in the first place. It is clear to see throughout the film that Nick and Elizabeth are made for each other and that their love is one for the ages.
3. The Bet
While She’s All That had the iconic line, my favorite “fall in love because of a bet” example has to be Kat and Patrick from the cult classic 10 Things I Hate About You. Patrick was known as the tough guy around school, but we watched him soften up and develop real, deep feelings for the girl he wasn’t supposed to fall in love with. Kat didn’t think she was capable of that level of intimacy either, but thanks to the arrangement set up by Cameron, they realized they weren’t as alone as they once felt. The grand gestures displaying love ranging from paintballing to the “I Love You Baby” performance made viewers swoon for this accidental romance.
2. Enemies to Lovers
Emily Henry’s Beach Read was one of my favorite books I picked up this year and made me fall in love with this specific trope. When January’s father passes and she moves into the lake house of his secret family, she finds herself the neighbor of her former college nemesis. They are both authors but write wildly different stories and often tease each other for the quality of stories they’re producing. When they challenge each other to write a book of the opposite genre, they end up catching feelings and making the most perfect pair. January takes Gus on countless, stereotypical dates so he can write a romance novel, but they end up being more meaningful than solely finding inspiration to write.
1. Shared Trauma
The trope closest to my heart is so beautifully portrayed in the book/movie series The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Katniss and Peeta endure the unbelievable together which bonds them for life. The battle they experienced is so horrific and not universal, causing them to only have each other throughout the long journey. Things were rocky at the beginning between the two star-crossed lovers as Katniss tried to put on a brave face, but she eventually gave into Peeta’s sweetness. Their loving act to get approval from the capital turned into a true romance. The two survived and put an end to the games for good so they could safely raise a family and live happily ever after.
While I enjoy movies, books, and television of all kinds, romance holds a special place in my heart. A lot of people feel the same way which continues to let the genre thrive. The stories can get repetitive and predictable, but they are almost always guaranteed to be a feel good watch/read along the way.