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!
I love when characters have history. It doesn’t matter if they weren’t together back then, but the fact that they knew each other in high school just makes me more excited to see their relationship dynamic evolve from all those years ago. The next books have this trope, reuniting the characters years later. They’re all grown up, ready to face each other and see that together they’re perfect. Some might feature characters who were high school sweethearts or one character who had a crush on the other one for many years. But either way, they will give you so much angst and yearning between these two characters who are trying to find their way to a future together.
Worship by Jack Harbon
As soon as I finished Worship, I was left feeling so MUCH. Not only is it beautifully written, the story itself is so much fun and the two main characters will make you swoon so hard! I was so obsessed with the story and after every chapter I finished, I wanted to keep reading.
This book involves a high school reunion that the heroine, Spencer, isn’t really that excited to return to. She then meets her ex there and everything goes out of control. But lucky enough, Arden, our sweet hero, is there too. They find themselves showering at the school’s showers and from then on… their relationship completely changes.
I love that when they were both back in high school Spencer and Arden emulated the popular girl meets nerdy boy trope. They meet actually because they were lab partners! Since then, Arden has harbored a crush for Spencer.
A Cowboy to Remember by Rebekah Weatherspoon
Reuniting after ten years? Oof. Talk about ANGST. Evie and Zach had history together! But then Evie left and they never saw each other again. Zach’s was Evie’s childhood crush and she just couldn’t meet him again.
Now, Evie has amnesia and she does not remember one thing. Her friends call her childhood friend, Jesse, to take her back home to California, but Jesse’s brother, aka Zach, also comes along. Weatherspoon is a master of writing amazing romances, and A Cowboy to Remember just made me all soft inside whenever I saw Zach and Evie trying to learn each other again and fall in love for the second time.
A Second Chance Road Trip for Christmas by Jackie Lau
Lau always does romantic tropes so well. You can always find a variety of them in each book and can’t help but give a shout of endearment. This time around she has high school sweethearts, snowbound, and only one bed. You aren’t ready for this!
Greg Wong doesn’t appreciate when things don’t go according to plan and when his mother asks him to drive Tasha Edwards back to Mosquito Bay for Christmas, he doesn’t know how to act. Because Tasha was his high school sweetheart, his first love! But he’s sure he isn’t feeling anything for her now… he’s sure. Now there’s a snowstorm coming and they have to stay in an unheated motel with only one bed. Will something happen?
Santa’s Helper by Shae Sanders
Another amazing, fun Christmas story that should be in everyone’s list. Shae Sanders has become a favorite of mine and I can’t help myself from recommending her books because I literally want everyone to read them.
Divorced mom Felina takes her two kids to the mall to take pictures with the only Black Santa in town during Christmas. Instead of finding the usual person there, she finds a younger-looking Santa who also happens to be her high school ex-boyfriend! Julian has always thought of Felina as “the one who got away”, so he takes this opportunity to show her that they’re better together than apart.
The Love Bet by GL Tomas
Are you ready for a GL Tomas romance? They always come for your heart.
Luz and Evan, high school sweethearts, reunite in this fun romance. Luz thinks love isn’t for her, so she prefers to focus on short-term hookups instead. But now she needs to write a column for the magazine she works for. Because of this, she goes to a speed dating event and surprisingly meets Evan there. You know that for second chance romances, there are so many unresolved feelings, and you will see this here!
