by Kristin Gleeson
Romance books often get a lot of flak for being “predictable” or “tropey”. But why would that be a problem? In today’s guest blog, Kristin Gleeson tells us why she loves tropes in Fantasy Romance.
Friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, second chance, crush on younger/older best friend’s sister/brother, stuck together, forbidden love, soul mates, love triangle, secret billionaire, fake relationship…
These are all tropes that are used again and again in romance novels and even other genres. Who cares that we know the drill? They are tropes for a reason!
1. Tropes work!
Many tropes create tension between characters and build up the will they won’t they that gives us all butterflies and sweeps us into the story. Some of the tropes may not used in a way that’s credible in the real world, but give us the banter and the chemistry and we are there! Does it matter that it’s unlikely that some billionaire would slum it in a small town and marry that cute girl running the bakery shop? No, but we love the tension and will read it again and again.
2. Tropes are familiar
Tropes are like an old comfort blanket. We wrap them around us and they makes us feel warm and cozy. We know that it will be good and we can smack our lips, anticipating how the story will unfold
3. We relate to tropes
We can relate to some of them, or at least the impulse. Come on, you know there’s a time when you’ve had a crush on that older/ younger sibling of your friend. Even if we experience our fantasy through a book, it can be heartwarming. We may never marry, or be in a relationship with a billionaire but for the span of the novel we can enter that world and imagine we’re there.
4. They’re predictable and unpredictable
We can predict the trope generally but not the details. And the devil is in the details. Though tropes are used time and time again, there are so many ways they can be used. Different scenarios, genres, characters, etc. And these variations can be brilliant, even for that millionth time we’ve read that trope.
5. They help us find books to love
Because they are tropes, we know there are loads of books out there to read that contain them. An endless supply. Even if there is only one particular trope we love, there will always be plenty of books to feed that demand.
6. We can learn from tropes
As bizarre as some people may think it, we can actually learn from these tropes. They teach us that love triangles may best be avoided, or that second chances involve forgiveness. That hating someone can really be the other side of the coin that is love. Different tropes show us that love can be found in different places, with different people, which gives us hope.
About Kristin Gleeson
USA Today Bestselling author, Kristin Gleeson is originally from Philadelphia but has lived in Ireland for a number of years. She holds a Masters in Library Science and a Ph.D. in history, and for a time was an administrator of a large archives, library and museum in America. Myths and other folk tales have always fascinated her and she combined her love of these tales with her harp playing and performed as a professional harper/storyteller.