Clichés can be sweet, just not when the whole storyline is one annoying/ unrealistic cliché after another. If you’re familiar with Young Adult or New Adult Romance novels, there’s no doubt you’ve noticed some annoying trends. Here are a few I’ve noticed:
1. Plain Jane Protagonist
“Sally has mesmerising green eyes, flowing, jet black hair, flawless skin and a body to die for. Most people who have seen her would agree that she’s “drop dead gorgeous”. Sally owns a mirror; she uses it every day. Lots of people have told her she’s stunning, but she wouldn’t believe it. In Sally’s eyes, she’s just a step above being ugly, and no one can convince her otherwise.”
(Apparently, self awareness is outdated.)
2. … No one but the Bad Boy Hero
“His name is Jake, and he plays college football. He has a whole fan club behind him and a bright future ahead of him. According to his adoring followers, he’s the greatest thing since sliced bread; the saviour of the feminine gender. All the girls want him, and the boys want to be him. Jake is perfect, and he knows it. One fateful day, he bumps into Sally on the way to class. He starts feeling things that are foreign to him…”
(Need I continue?)
3. Virgin Heroine
“Sally is innocent in every possible way you can think of. She’s turning twenty one soon, and her virginity is a burden to her. She is on a mission to lose her virginity before her birthday. Isn’t is so nice that Bad Boy Jake just happens to be struggling with his Calculus grades? Sally loves numbers, so her best bet is to trade math lessons for some cherry popping.”
(Cue eye roll)
4. Love Triangles
“Enter Ben, who is the exact opposite of Jake. He’s a broody, dark haired loner who has a guitar for a best friend. He has a dark past, and it all shows in his haunting eyes. He has deep feelings for Sally, but he’s ignoring them to keep her safe. Besides, Jake is everything he’s not so there’s no hope that Sally would ever choose Ben.”
(Or is there??)
5. Not-so-twisty Plot Twist
“Turns out Sally is a long lost princess. And her “junkie mother” was just a king’s scorned lover who stole Sally as a form of revenge.”
(Plots must always thicken, mustn’t they?)