Tropes are something every reader knows – they provide the structure for the book’s plot, after all! They are even more essential in romance fiction as they help the authors decide how their characters will meet and fall in love. Naturally, readers gravitate towards some tropes – think of enemies to lovers, billionaire romance, and fake dating – more than the rest.
But these tropes appear in romance novels so frequently that they make the stories predictable and boring. If you think the same and are tired of reading the same romances with different characters, check out these offbeat tropes. From one-night-stand pregnancy to amnesia, these tropes are rare, full of drama, and offer a love story like no other!
One Night Stand Pregnancy
This particular trope has been on the rise lately, thanks to the shock value it carries! Usually, the main pair has a sensual rendezvous – maybe it’s a drunk decision, a planned one-night stand, or a fling with a stranger. It is a no-strings-attached experience, with no promises to see each other ever. But the woman soon finds out she’s (accidentally) pregnant, and everything changes.
The one-night stand-pregnancy trope works out in a number of ways. Sometimes, the female protagonist never reveals it to the father, and the latter discovers it after the kid has grown up. Another way this branches out is the woman does reveal it, leading to the two cohabiting and eventually finding love. This trope – with its midnight cravings, baby talks, and lots of pregnancy hormones – will give you baby fever!
Pen pals
Pen pals, or penfriends, is a program that lets people, usually same-aged strangers, exchange letters. It was all the rage before everyone got smartphones in their hands, letting them connect with people across the world. In romance novels, it translates into the main pair writing to each other and eventually falling in love. But their feelings develop in response to the written word, not with their appearance!
The couple finds out about each other’s fears and goals, experiences and memories all through the letters they send. And as the letters grow more friendly and vulnerable in tone, the feelings start brewing. The focus is more on knowing each other’s soul, not on how they look or what others think of them. Isn’t it beautiful – the idea that someone fell in love with you because of the way you write?
But it’s an offbeat trope, as it usually appears in support of tropes like enemies-to-lovers and secret identity.
Amnesia
Amnesia as a trope in romance is more than just a disease – it actually works as a plot device! With the main character experiencing memory loss, it helps the authors explore themes of love, trust, and identity. The amnesic person is terrified and vulnerable after this big change – usually shown through a big accident – and their love interest is there to help them.
To make it more dramatic, authors employ all kinds of backstories. Perhaps the couple were already facing problems, and amnesia lets them solve it without any biases. Bonus points if they are exes, but the amnesic protagonist doesn’t remember that! Another way to portray this is to have them in a happy relationship, but the memory loss invites angst between them. And that makes their reunion that much sweeter!
Amnesia is definitely an underrated trope, allowing the pair to find their way back together to rekindle their romance!
AU pair/Nanny
Au pair is the term used for a helper from a different country who lives with the host family and works for them. In return, they receive food, shelter, and pocket money. But in romance novels, this au pair is called a nanny!
So, when it comes to these romances, you almost always see a single dad as the hero. His job keeps him so busy that he can’t take care of his child. And so, he seeks out the heroine to become the nanny. Usually, the dad is rich, and he lets the woman move in with him and his children. This unusual co-parenting then eventually turns into a happy family.
This trope gives off homely vibes, as it’s full of themes like personal growth, trauma, and family. But balancing those themes is its forbidden aspect, thanks to the employer-nanny dynamics, which readers love!
Fish out of Water
Fish out of water is exactly what it sounds like! A character (the fish in question) is placed in an unfamiliar environment as a way to further the story. It can be used to make the plot more tense or even comic, depending on how the character adapts. When it comes to romance novels, this new environment introduces the heroine to the hero.
What follows is their unpredictable love story running alongside the protagonist’s attempts to adjust to this new place! This new environment can be moving into a big city, going on a trip, or even returning back to their hometown. It reinforces the idea that if you open your heart up to new experiences, you will find love too.
Lovers in denial
Lovers in denial is a trope where the main pair are deeply in love with each other. But they also feel as if the other doesn’t reciprocate their feelings. Their pining then stretches out for the entirety of the plot, sprinkled with many misunderstandings. All these misconceptions pile up like a mountain until the confessions – appearing almost at the end – make these misunderstandings disappear into love!
This trope is often in the shadow of other tropes, such as enemies-to-lovers, forbidden love, I want him/her to be happy and ruined friendships. Depending on the plot, their denial works both ways – it can induce humour or give the plot some angst. But it’s guaranteed that there’s a lot of idiotic behaviour from both parties.
Jilted bride
The jilted bride trope is the exact opposite of the runaway bride trope. How so? Because here, it’s the groom who runs away, leaving the bride at the altar. He is shown to not appear for a variety of reasons – maybe he doesn’t want to get married or already has a lover. Whatever the reason behind his absence, it’s the bride who has to face the shock and judgement of everyone attending the wedding.
The bride then tries to restart her life, and there’s a lot of emotional upheaval throughout the story. In the process though, she meets the one and has her happily ever after! The books of this trope are high on drama and tension, especially if the bride sets out to take her revenge. However, they are equally as fun and sweet, with the hero giving the jilted bride her space to heal but also smothering her with love!
Final Words
More often than not, these tropes are seen accompanying other, more popular tropes. For example, amnesia is paired with exes-to-lovers, while you’ll find billionaire romances with the au pair trope. As a result, the value they add to the plot goes undetected.
Now that you know how important yet fun they can be, it’s time to read these quirky romance tropes and explore more riveting love stories!
