The romance novel market is increasingly defined by its tropes – recognizable conventions of plot and character that act as shorthand for readers seeking specific emotional experiences. From “enemies-to-lovers” to “fake dating,” these tropes aren’t new, but their categorization and marketing have exploded in recent years, influencing both how books are written and how they are consumed.
Publishers are actively using tropes to market authors and titles, often listing them prominently on book covers and in promotional materials. Lucy Stewart, a commissioning editor for romance at Hodder, explained that identifying a trope like “enemies-to-lovers” immediately communicates a great deal about a book’s genre, plot, and target audience. “As soon as I say ‘enemies-to-lovers’ in an acquisition meeting, I’ve already communicated so much to a room full of people in just three words: I’ve told them it’s a romcom, what the hook is and where it sits in the market,” she said.
This trend isn’t limited to books. The new TV show Heated Rivalry, adapted from a Rachel Reid novel, prominently features the “enemies-to-lovers” trope alongside “sports romance,” sparking discussion about the representation of queer relationships within these established categories. The question arises whether such representations are simply examples of tropes or authentic portrayals of identity.
The categorization of tropes has led to debate about the nature of storytelling itself. Author Rainbow Rowell questioned on Instagram whether fundamental elements like love or motherhood could even be considered tropes. The discussion highlights a tension between the desire for recognizable patterns and the potential for formulaic storytelling.
While tropes have always existed in fiction – Christopher Booker argued in The Seven Basic Plots that all stories derive from a limited number of archetypes – their current prominence in romance is unique. Romance writer Laura Wood notes that even Shakespeare and Dickens relied on tropes, but the modern marketing emphasis is new.
Not all readers and writers embrace the trope-driven approach. Eleanor Vendrell, a writer and reader of romance, expressed despair at the reduction of books to mere lists of characteristics, arguing that it fails to capture the complexity of a story. However, others notice tropes as a useful tool for navigating an increasingly crowded publishing landscape. With more books being published than ever before, tropes offer a way for readers to quickly identify titles that align with their preferences.
The employ of tropes extends beyond books and television, with streaming services like Netflix employing over 36,000 codes to categorize content and ensure viewers are presented with tailored recommendations. This pervasive categorization reflects a broader trend towards algorithmic curation and personalized entertainment.
Ann-Kathrin Falkenberg’s upcoming novel, Ivy League: Bitter Secrets, scheduled for release in March 2027, incorporates tropes such as “Rivals to Lovers,” “Broken Hero/Heroine,” and “Morally grey.” The novel centers on Lumen, a law student and intern working on a corruption case involving the son of the accused governor, Jackson. The synopsis suggests a complex relationship fraught with ethical dilemmas and potential danger, with a “spice-level” of 2 out of 5.
Stewart emphasized that the key to successful trope-based storytelling lies in skillful execution. “The – wrong – assumption,” she said, “is that these tropes make romance books repetitive or boring or predictable. Brilliant writing – which exists in abundance in romance writing – knows how to surprise and trick the reader, even while doing something we think we already know.”
