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There are certain devices or phrases we authors tend to employ in the writing of our romance novels. And I love them! And I use them! And whenever I come across one of these tropes, I smile. For example…
That irascible lock of hair. That hair. It’s hypnotically irascible. It Just Won’t Stay Put, especially in times of stress. The heroine’s fingers itch to smooth it away (or cut it off, maybe. But probably smooth it.) Oh, you poor duke/earl/marquis! That irascible lock of hair says so veddy much about your personality! And it’s all good, baby. You may seem to be a stuck-up pain in the butt, but that hair tells me otherwise!
The contemporary romance trope (that word makes me feel smart, so I’m going to throw it around as much as possible)—anyway, the contemporary trope of the Irascible Lock of Hair is the hero’s unruly hair. The sticking up in back/front. The bedhead hair. He shoves his hand through it, and guess what? It sticks up even more! And it’s irresistible! In all the novels I’ve written, I’d say 90% of the heroes have unruly hair. I’m getting a little turned on just thinking about it. Where’s McIrish, dang it?
The stipulation in the will. I have to what? Marry within a month or I shall not inherit/get that promotion? This is utterly insensible! Why do I have to…well, well, well. What have we here? A high-spirited nonconformist who says she/he despises me? I smell a challenge! Also, she’s/he’s bee-yoo-tee-ful! Maybe Grandmama knew what she was doing after all, since I am rather thick, a man-slut/evil biache and can’t see what’s right here in front of my face, and being with Her/Him, who is so good, so pure, so sparkly…
Listen. I LOVE arranged marriage books. My great-grandparents had an arranged marriage. Did they love each other in the end? Er…not sure about that, but in a romance novel, they certainly would have! You can bet the manor home!
That one incredible dance. Whoa. Hang on a sec. Now that my hands are actually On Your Body and the salsa music is throbbing (and the salsa music ain’t the only thing, am I right?), I seem to be Feeling Something. Hey! You’re…really gorgeous! I…love you! Let’s…Do It!
Whyever hasn’t the hero realized the heroine is sssssssmokin’ hot until he dances with her? Are men really that thick? (Don’t answer that.) But you know what? I love when the hero and heroine dance together and YES! I’ve used That One Incredible Dance in a book or two! And I’m proud of it.
These damn crowds. Out of my way! Hold that plane! Dodge the fat lady! Jump over the crying toddler! I have just realized I Love You and I must prove it! How? By my balletic grace/linebacker skills/both, exhibited as I dodge the throngs at LAX/Grand Central Station/my sister’s wedding until—le gasp!—I’ve found you and Declared My Love! And I have! And it worked! Because it’s a romance novel, gang, and we ain’t gonna let no stinkin’ crowds keep us from our True Love. Nuh-uh!
So…which set-ups or phrases do you love in a romance novel? The secret baby? The fully, pouty lips of the heroine? The (cough) adorable dog? Leave a comment, and one of you will win a copy of UNTIL THERE WAS YOU, in which the bad-boy hero looks amazing in his battered leather jacket!
And to order a copy of the newly reissued JUST ONE OF THE GUYS, in which one of the above romantic tropes (there she goes with that word again) is utilized, click here.
Filed in: Jaunty Post
Sep 17th
2012
3:42 am
Katherine Garbera Said:
I love them all! Really in the right hands all of these stories are irresistible. My favorite though is…um…its so hard to choose. I’d have to go with secret baby these days.
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Sep 17th
2012
6:07 am
Rachael Johns Said:
I absolutely LOVE it when the hero (or heroine) looks after the heroine (or hero) when she’s (he’s sick)! He sees her when she’s at her absolute worst and realises he loves her anyway
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Sep 17th
2012
12:24 pm
Ada H Said:
Totally got to agree with you. The sickness/injury one gets me all. the. time.
But I love all the ones mentioned too….especially the hair. Thick, shaggy, unmanageable hair *sigh*
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Sep 17th
2012
6:13 am
Tara S. Said:
This made me laugh. They are irresistible – love all of the above. But I think I’m a sucker for the emotionally closed off, single dad. Of course there’s only one woman that can find the key past his defenses… sigh.
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Sep 17th
2012
6:16 am
CateS Said:
The ‘conditional’ one is a favorite… live on the ranch for a year, work together in a business, that kinda thing has such opportunities for conflict and resolutions.. Thanks!!!
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Sep 17th
2012
6:17 am
Laurie G Said:
I like:
stranded- due to weather , car trouble, ditched
amnesia
search for a lost relative
twin switcheroos
ex/love secret baby
boss crush leads to baby (secret)
marriage of convenience
gaze across the room and chemical reaction takes place
on the run and hero offers protection
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Sep 17th
2012
6:22 am
Liz Flaherty Said:
Marriage of convenience is my favorite, I think. Thanks for the picture of Colin Firth–he’s my favorite, too.
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Sep 17th
2012
6:29 am
Viviana Said:
They are all great as the character always either add to the scenario or give it a bit of a twist!!
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Sep 17th
2012
6:54 am
Kristan Higgins Said:
I want you to know I’m combing through your comments for ideas on my next book!
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Sep 17th
2012
7:58 am
PJ Sharon Said:
This is the second hilarious blog post I’ve read this Monday morning and I’m snarfing my tea once again! I’m still choking and may not be able to work today. These tropes crack me up! Incidentally, my brilliant teen writing group introduced me to the word “tropes” several months ago, and I felt a bit daft not knowing what it meant. I learn something new from them every time we meet
As for tropes I love to hate in romance novels, here’s my list:
1) The race against time
2) Dead parents in YA novels
3) The quest for hidden treasure, magic elixir, or eternal life.
4) Sparkling, piercing, or stunning blue eyes
5) Full, pouty, rose petal lips
And my all time favorite-
6) The emotionally wounded hero who can’t commit because he’s afraid of a broken heart.
I mean, seriously, MAN UP dude!
Of course, I’ve used all of these in my books because as you pointed out, they work!
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Sep 17th
2012
8:03 am
Jenn C Said:
Ooh lordy, too many to count! I love the virginal heroine being matched up with the bad boy with a heart of gold. (You know the type, gruff on the outside, but mows his widowed neighbors lawn for her.) The “librarian” with a wild side.
Then there’s what I like to call the “almost”. When the couple has a passion-filled moment, but they stop or get interrupted before it can be taken too far.
If I sense one of these in a romance novel, I’m all the more likely to pick it up!
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Sep 17th
2012
8:06 am
Wendy Said:
I’m a sucker for the danger. I love when a hero/heroine are in something too deep but haven’t got anyone to ask for help. Along comes Mr./Ms. right but they fight eachother through the peril and emotional connections. Truth be told, I also love a story where said Alpha male shows his nurturing side when it comes to a woman who will stand up to him regardless. Hmm…I just can’t pick one type over the other. Just give me a man that can dish it out as well as take it and a woman who isn’t afraid to stand up for herself.
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Sep 17th
2012
8:12 am
Laura Moore Said:
Hi Kristan!
Thanks for making my morning with these excellent examples! I’m also a big fan of the ugly duckling cliche.
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Sep 17th
2012
8:12 am
Kristan Higgins Said:
Preach it, Wendy! And PJ, I believe I wrote an entire blog about dead parents littering the highways of romance novels (seriously: stay off the roads of a romance novel!). Secret babies: yes! More! Secret triplets, even! If it works, it just works.
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Sep 17th
2012
8:22 am
Sherry Burney Said:
Love all of your books that I have read thus far and would love to add the next one to my collection. Thanks!!
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Sep 17th
2012
8:22 am
Connie Fischer Said:
Thanks for the laugh! I’m sitting here giggling and my husband is looking at me like he’s going to have me committed. Who cares? Just put me away with lots of books! OK, on to your question.
I love arranged marriages and marriages of convenience. Those are my favorite. Bring on the governess theme! I never tire of those. I love the gorgeous but tough heroine who eats like a bird and stays thin, unlike myself. I think I’m a winged dinosaur leftover from the Jurassic period. But I digress. Bring on the hero in the tight pants in which all of his muscles ripple. ALL of them…
Humor is an absolute MUST in a novel. That grabs me every time.
Come to think of it, I pretty much like all the themes presented in a romance novel because authors are so creative, again, unlike myself!
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Sep 17th
2012
8:23 am
Fran Said:
I love “secret baby” scenarios and “reunions after the mistakes/misunderstandings from the past have been cleared”
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Sep 17th
2012
8:23 am
Ritney Said:
I absolutely love unruly hair. It is such a turn on!! (Trevor Mead)
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Sep 17th
2012
8:33 am
Tammy Cook Said:
I love the first love that ended badly but due to circumstances now we are together again & can’t fight those old loving feelings cliche! But that being said I truly LOVE em all, I’m a sucker for a Happy ending! I’ve thoroughly enjoyed all your books I’ve read. You make me laugh & cry & laugh some more! Keep up the great writing!
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Sep 17th
2012
8:50 am
Denise Said:
I’m a sucker for best-friends-to-lovers stories and makeover stories. Maybe because my hubby and I were friends before lovers, and I’m dying to make myself over. Who knows LOL?!
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Sep 17th
2012
8:59 am
Sori Said:
I love the reunion of the couple who ended badly. Even tho I have zero past bad breakups from high school.
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Sep 17th
2012
9:00 am
Melody May Said:
I love when when you have the long lost friend who they loved forever comes back and tries to win your love. I also like the secret pregnancy and they try to keep it secret yet manages to come out. I love when the hero falls in love with the governess/nanny after swearing off women cause of his dead wife.
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Sep 17th
2012
9:05 am
Jennifer I. Said:
Blue eyes on my alpha male,not to mention incredibly strong arms with the unspoken ability to… I make no excuse for it – I love this type! He does exist in real life (hint hint, nudge nudge)and I’m merely embellishing his willingness to sacrifice pride or self in his haste to get me against a wall. Er, I mean the heroine.
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Sep 17th
2012
9:09 am
ellie Said:
Widower who has children and is still in love with his wife but has a change of heart.
Mechanic love story.
Carpenter whose skills are necessary.
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Sep 17th
2012
9:14 am
Debbie Haupt Said:
Kristan, wow what a wake up for Monday am, thanks
My favorite is the hero and heroine who are a bit older than their 20s, 30s, or even 40s
I would love to see more heat between the sheets of folks of a “certain age”
Plus I love what ever you write
deb
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Sep 17th
2012
9:15 am
Jenny Martin Said:
I like a Marriage of convienence ideas, men with beautiful blue eyes and dark hair, and those that have carpenters that make beautiful art with their wood!
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Sep 17th
2012
9:45 am
Jessica Pike Said:
Can’t ever say no to that devil-may-care hero waiting to be taken seriously. Colin Bridgerton, anyone?
Thanks for this hilarious pick-me-up, Kristan. It made my morning!
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Sep 17th
2012
9:55 am
Hellion Said:
Those are all great cliches–esp love the lock of hair!
My can’t resist reading ones are:
1.) Tortured heroes with such black pasts they don’t think they’re worthy of redemption.
2.) Marriage of Convenience–you’re stuck with each other for eternity, deal with it!
3.) Reunited lovers–even better than MOC because there’s nothing like repeating your mistakes. Over and over and over again.
4.) The dog or the child who sets up the lovers. Doesn’t matter which, though the kid usually has better dialogue.
5.) The best friend who points out the obvious to the hero/ine about what an idiot they’re being: they’re like the mentor and sidekick rolled into one, and usually gets their own story later where they get to play the schmuck.
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Sep 17th
2012
10:07 am
Tracy Gilpin Said:
I like the ones that feature adorable animals (or not-so adorable animals). Basically, I love all you write (and those like Jill S, etc.) and at the time I’m reading the book, the hero is just right!
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Sep 17th
2012
10:42 am
Sharlene Wegner Said:
How about when the hero & heroine knew each other as children & hadn’t seen each other for many years, and then meet again as adults, with a major attraction?
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Sep 17th
2012
11:00 am
Heather E Said:
One of my favorites is when the hero is attracted to someone that violates the man code. Such as his best friend’s sister, his (work) partner’s sister, bosses daughter. I enjoy the twist when the man waits or has reservations because of how it could change the other relationships in his life if things go south. Is it worth risking his best friend, and perhaps his handsome face if he pursues a relationship that my tick off his best friend? I love the moment when he finally gives in as if that kiss with that one woman is worth risking it all.
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Sep 17th
2012
11:07 am
catslady Said:
I love variety and the above posts listed a little bit of everything lol. If I enjoy the author’s voice, I’m good with about everything.
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Sep 17th
2012
11:18 am
Kathryn in Montreal Said:
Oh this was funny, Kristan… I enjoyed them all, but I have to say that I love the public declaration of love/damn crowds scenario… for instance, our heroine racing to head him off at the ferry, not making it and jumping in the water to ask him to marry her… wait, wait a minute… hasn’t that been done already, lol?
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Sep 17th
2012
11:24 am
Kristan Higgins Said:
Oh yeah, Kathryn! Most definitely have used all of these. : )
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Sep 17th
2012
11:43 am
Katie Said:
I loooooove the “I absolutely hate him he is a scoundrel/jerk/loser oh wait he volunteers at a children’s hospital or rescues homeless dogs and is actually a huge sweetheart and is only scowly because he’s been hurt, twist”
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Sep 17th
2012
12:02 pm
Nicki Said:
I love the convenience kind of romances and the romance between the sexy man (or woman!) and the complete opposite of him (or her). I can’t stand the secret baby ones, except if it’s a newborn baby. I really like danger in the way of romance too.
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Sep 17th
2012
12:09 pm
Chelsea B. Said:
How about that delicious first locking of eyes? Already, they’ve never felt anything like it!
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Sep 17th
2012
12:18 pm
Shana Said:
I like all of them, really. The one I’m tired of is the heroine biting her lip. No one really does that (and yes, my heroines have bitten their lips, but no more!).
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Sep 17th
2012
12:34 pm
Nancy Robards Thompson Said:
I’ll see you all of the above and raise you one set of mile-wide shoulders that the heroine’s fingers just itch to touch…:) Thanks for the LOL, Kristan!
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Sep 17th
2012
1:09 pm
thea Said:
every once in awhile someone includes a secret baby in their story (and that’s the oldest tale in the world) and they do it up so well. but pretty much these tropes in real life would be a disaster. except for the mussy hair (and with my luck my guy would look like the professor from back to the future) – but what all these tropes give us is hope – that the secret baby won’t have colic, that the convenient marriage won’t be inconvenient, that the bad boy doesn’t stay bad, that tall dark and handsome isn’t just don draper, that the widower’s children don’t turn out to be human chuckie dolls, or the cowboy who delivers my baby in that blizzard doesn’t talk like any character played by billy bob thornton. leave my HEAs alone! lol
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Sep 17th
2012
1:10 pm
thea Said:
oh, i forgot. i love the amnesia stories. channing tatum and all that.
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Sep 17th
2012
3:13 pm
bn100 Said:
I like the ones where the characters don’t like each other at first.
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Sep 17th
2012
5:01 pm
RobynDeHart Said:
Oh man, Shana called me on one of my overused ones. My heroines (not all of them) bite their lips. But I actually do do that, well, I chew at the inside of my lip if I’m nervous. I’m sure I’m not nearly as sexy as my heroines though when I do it.
This is a great list, Kristan.
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Sep 17th
2012
7:54 pm
Kristan Higgins Said:
Dang. My heroine bit her lip in the last book. Damn you, E.L. James! You’ve ruined that trope forever!
A reminder that the winner will be posted on Sunday, so do check back!
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Sep 17th
2012
11:00 pm
Deb Z. Said:
I like the initial bad impression, followed by softening of judgment and ultimately, love.
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Sep 18th
2012
4:56 am
Rachel Roth Said:
It seems I like the bad boy (or as Deb Z said, initial bad impression) and he is able to prove the heroine wrong with his ruggedly handsome awesomeness (and by that I mean his personality
No seriously, it seems to be about not being who people assume you to be. I know that happens to all of us and when we’re wrong about a guy, there’s something in a woman that stands up and pays attention. I like it when its the other way around too, but for some reason, a girl can’t resist a bad boy on the outside and good guy on the inside 
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Sep 18th
2012
11:24 am
Huntley Fitzpatrick Said:
Oh that lock of hair. Gets me every time. And it’s in every story I have ever written, methinks. I’m also most fond of books that include inforced togetherness–trapped in snowed in cabins, having to take an extended road trip together just long enough for their hatred to turn to looove. I adore secret baby books, although that’s a plot twist that’s a little harder to manage in YA (though yes, I’ve done it–but the mom was not the heroine). I love the playboy who has never known true love until he meets This Girl. The jokester who’s humor masks Great Inner Pain and Emotional Depth (You were my first, Rhett Butler). The seemingly stupid hero who is actually clever and daring and has a secret life (Scarlet Pimpernel. The only cliche I really don’t like is someone pretending to be their own twin. Or the Alpha male and the TSTL heroine. And the one I struggle not to have every hero of mine do on every page….removing his shirt on the smallest of pretexts to reveal his toned, chiselled, manly chest….is it getting hot in here?
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Sep 18th
2012
9:03 pm
Cathy P Said:
I love almost any hero/heroine in a romance book. Just give me an HEA and a great love story and I am happy.
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