To explain a little about what this post will be about, every Trope Tuesday post starts with the same introduction. In every romance book you read there are tropes or archetypes you find inside its pages. You can also see them in shows, movies, plays, etc. Every type of entertainment and media. Romantic tropes are everywhere, and they are fabulous. I adore them and I always tend to find my favorite ones in romance books so I can enjoy them even more. Trope Tuesday is a weekly column where I share books that I know people will enjoy with a specific central trope.
What is a trope? Urban Dictionary explains it best: “Despite the erroneous definitions already published here, trope on the interwebs really refers to an often overused plot device. It can also be described as another variation on the same theme. TV shows, movies, comics, games, anime’, & books are full of tropes & many rabid fan-sites now name & track said tropes with a self-explanatory title for each one.” We can name a few: accidental pregnancy, best friends to lovers, sibling’s best friend, marriage of convenience, and so many more. Your favorite couples? They probably got a trope too! It’s always so nice to realize or find out your favorite romance trope and keep searching for books with the same theme. So really? I’m just helping you find that new favorite book of yours. If ever you want a post on a trope I haven’t done yet, do drop me a tweet at @thebookvoyagers and let me know!
Don’t you just love that trope where these two people don’t realize that they love each other yet but like literally every single person around them knows something is going on or think they would be perfect together? Constantly telling them that they look so good together, but the ship is always like “we’re just friends!” or “we’re not like that jeez!” Their friends, their family, even strangers think they’re together only from knowing them for a few minutes. They might act like a married couple already! This trope has so many fun dynamics and we so enjoy them here at Frolic.
Some of those times you can see this trope with other ones like: childhood friends, best friends, hate to love. Each and every single trope that accompanies this one makes for a sweet journey to their happily ever after.
Chasing Mr. Prefect by Katt Briones
One of my favorite parts of this book is that Cholo’s family is constantly are shipping Cholo and Vinnie together. They also make bets of if they’re going to get together or not. As well as Vinnie’s family. They didn’t even blink an eye when Cholo and Vinnie got together because they kinda suspected they were already an item. The family dynamics between these two characters are definitely a joy to read and something that will make you fall in love with the novel more.
A light romance that features: 1) a dork hero who only wants to make the heroine laugh, 2) top level banter and a hate to friends to love trope, 3) shrimp vs chicken pizza battle, 4) a relatable heroine who goes on midnight food runs!
Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren
I love Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating so very much. First of all, I love the fact that Hazel is like “I’m going to become Josh’s best friend!” and they actually become best friends in the process of the book. But we also have Emily and Dave who lowkey think they already look like a married couple and that something is going on, until yeah, Hazel tells the whole table Josh and Hazel had sex but only as friends (they don’t buy it!!!). I love reading the dinner at Emily’s scenes, something wild always comes up and things get found out and chaos starts. It was so much fun to see Josh and Hazel interact with Emily and Dave.
The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You by Lily Anderson
In The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You, Trixie and Ben’s best friends know that if only they spend a minute talking to each other instead of fighting and bantering, they would be the perfect couple. Their best friends think that they have SO MUCH in common and actually create this elaborate plan to pair them up, and end up pushing them in the right direction. So when they finally end up together, the people around them already know this was going to be the perfect choice.
Prom Queen Perfect by Clarisse David
Alex and Adam dislike each other so much and have been some sort of nemesis for a while now. His brother married her sister so now they spend a little more time together, like family parties and glamorous events. But they clearly still don’t like each other and rather spend their time apart. Though Alice, Alex’s sister, thinks differently. Whenever she hears about a new thing happening between these two, she thinks they would fit perfectly together. And she tries to tell Alex but Alex isn’t hearing any of THAT. At all.
Burn for Me by Illona Andrews
I sped through the Hidden Legacy series a few months ago. I had heard so many good things about this series and I wanted to see for myself. It definitely didn’t disappoint. And what I loved the most? Nevada’s family. They are a bunch of fabulous characters that you will care for by the end of the first novel. You will want a trilogy for each character so they can find their happily ever after and grow as a character and a person.
The first trilogy is Nevada’s. And it’s so funny and a joy to see her family shipping Rogan and her together since the beginning. They leave wedding magazines for her at her office. They just want them together and they know he’s rich AF so they would be okay too. But truly they want the best for Nevada and they know her the very best too and they can see how Rogan affects her. They can see how he treats her, in that kind and loving way, but also how their passion is clearly there at the top.
He’s Not My Boyfriend by Jackie Lau
Iris is the last single grandchild. Her mother and grandmother want her married already! Or at least in a relationship. So they play matchmaker throughout the whole book. Iris isn’t having it so she decided she needs a one-night stand. But she soon discovers her one-night stand is working with her, things get complicated.
At first her mom and Ngin Ngin, her grandma, really try to match her with every available guy they know and think is great for her. But when Ngin Ngin meets Alex, it’s over. It’s actually really sweet when Iris bring Alex to meet her grandma. Her grandma tells him embarrassing stories of Iris’ childhood and it’s so much fun to see Iris react under these circumstances. Though she keeps telling everyone ‘HE’S NOT MY BOYFRIEND!’ so Ngin Ngin is like “if he isn’t your boyfriend and only your friend I guess it’s okay to tell these stories lmao”. She’s the best of the best. Iris’ mother keeps matchmaking her but her grandma is like “stop it she already has Alex”. He’s Not My Boyfriend is one of the sweetest and most funniest romance novels I’ve read and you should read it too.
