Enemies to lovers might be the most enduring trope in romance. From Pride and Prejudice to modern fantasy romance, we keep coming back to stories where two people start out hating each other and end up in love. But why? What is it about this particular dynamic that...
Found family is one of those tropes that can make me cry just thinking about it. There’s something about watching characters build family from scratch – choosing each other, protecting each other, becoming each other’s home – that hits on a...
Forbidden love is one of fantasy romance’s most enduring tropes. From Romeo and Juliet to modern romantasy, we keep coming back to stories where the couple absolutely shouldn’t be together. But why? What is it about forbidden love that makes it so...
Fated mates is one of the most beloved tropes in romance—and especially in fantasy romance. The idea that the universe itself has chosen your perfect match, that destiny has decided who you belong with, that somewhere out there is your soul mate… it’s...
The “alpha hero” is one of romance’s most popular—and most controversial—archetypes. When done right, alpha heroes are confident, protective, take-charge characters who make readers swoon. When done wrong, they’re controlling, domineering, and...
