Gah, the delightful Courtney Walsh is talking romance tropes on the blog today…and she’s an expert!

If you aren’t reading her books – especially her recently released, IS IT ANY WONDER – then spend that book budget now! If you aren’t following her on Instagram, you are also missing out so next time you are scrolling through Insta, be sure to follow her. You will laugh, cry, and be encouraged, often in the one post! And never miss her Stories, especially her movie reviews, as they are the best!

Now, back to romance tropes! Courtney shares her top four below and we want to know yours too. Make sure you comment with your thoughts and enter the giveaway too, thanks to Tyndale House.

Twelve years ago, Cody Boggs and Louisa Chambers made a pact that no matter where their lives took them, they’d return to Nantucket Island’s Brant Point Lighthouse on July 30, their shared golden birthday, and continue their tradition of exchanging birthday wishes. But that was before a tragic accident upended both of their lives, irrevocably pulling them apart.

Their worlds collide just months before that particular day when Louisa’s fledgling event planning company is hired by the local Coast Guard station, where she discovers Cody has recently returned to the island as the second in command. As they plan a regatta fundraiser, hoping to promote positive PR in the community, neither can deny the fireworks each encounter ignites. But working together also brings up memories of the day Cody’s father died, revealing secrets that have Cody and Louisa questioning everything they thought they knew and felt about their families and each other.

A story about the price of fame, the truth sacrificed on its altar, and the love that brings a prodigal daughter home.

My Top Four Favorite Tropes in Romance

In a very noisy world, it’s hard for books to stand out. There’s a lot of pressure to be original. And yet we are drawn back to our favorite tropes over and over for a reason. Because they work. Because we love them.

And even when certain aspects of a story are familiar, there are certain tropes that we latch on to. And we all have our favorites.

Here are four of mine.

1. Childhood Friends to More.

Is It Any Wonder falls into this category, and I admit I had so much fun exploring this trope. There is something about a couple that’s known each other since they were babies—something so wonderful about two people who aren’t only aware of each other’s awkward stage but who were right there for it. I don’t know about you, but if I found a person who could fall in love with me after knowing me in sixth grade, I would have an automatic keeper on my hands.

2. Second Chance Romance.

Hands down, my favorite trope, my new book also tackles this one, and I’ll tell you why it’s my favorite trope to weave into a story. A couple with a history, with past hurts and legitimate issues to overcome, makes for the kind of story I can really sink my teeth into. It’s funny because when I’m brainstorming new story ideas, I feel like my character’s backstories are the first thing I land on. Knowing the events that shaped my characters and made them who they are is critical to me knowing them well enough to write about them. And giving two people something to work through right at the start instantly excites me as an author.

3. Enemies to More.

If you can find a good reason for two people to dislike each other and then take them on a journey where they end up begrudgingly professing their love for each other, I am here for it! How can you not love this trope? It’s so much fun to step into the shoes of two people who despise each other and then slowly crack away at preconceived ideas.

4. Fake Relationship.

My daughter mocks me for my love of this trope, but I can’t help it. Is it overdone? Yes. Is it plausible? Not even remotely. I mean, how many legitimate reasons can you think of for two grown adults to fake a relationship with someone else? And yet every single time I see a book or movie with this trope, I am 100 percent all in. The Proposal. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. Half of the Hallmark movie lineup. I love them all. And do you believe I’ve never written one? (I’m going to have to remedy that.)

So, yes, tropes are, well, “tropey.” They’re part of the reason romance novels get a bad rap of being predictable. Yet romance readers like me know and love our romance novels for exactly that reason. I want to know when I open the first page that I’m going to get that happy ending, and if you can take something familiar and breathe new life into it, taking me on a fun, unique story with characters I’m cheering for the whole way, I am an eternally happy reader.

Tell me, what are your favorite tropes in romance and what tropes are you tired of?

Courtney Walsh is the author of eleven inspirational novels. Her debut, A Sweethaven Summer, was a New York Times and USA Today e-book bestseller.

Courtney lives with her husband and three children in Illinois, where she is also an artist, theatre director, and playwright.

Relz Reviewz Extras

All Things Walsh @ Relz Reviewz
Visit Courtney’s website and blog
Buy from Amazon: Is It Any Wonder or Koorong