Romance Tropes List: 100 Tropes and Terms, Explained in Plain Words
By Romance Book Guide Editorial · Last checked October 2026
This romance tropes list explains 100 tropes and terms, grouped by the love story each one promises. If you're new, start with four familiar ones: enemies to lovers, slow burn, friends to lovers and forbidden love. One catch: a trope tells you how they fall, not how spicy the book gets or how it ends.
You can love the bickering and still hate a bully. Knowing the label helps. Knowing what it leaves out helps more.
What changes your pick
- You heard a word and want the meaning. Every trope below has its own numbered line. Tap a family or use the search box.
- You know the feeling, not the word. Jump to Which trope fits the feeling you want?
- You have a hard no. Read the "check before you pick" column, and look at Darker tropes before you buy.
- Heat level or the ending matters most. A trope can't tell you either one. Use what to check besides the trope and our book spice rating scale.
- You want a book tonight. Go to 13 real books to try.
Jump to: The full list · Pick by feeling · Tropes that sound alike · One book, many tropes · What to check · Books to try · Most searched · Make your own trope list
The full romance tropes list, sorted by the story you want
A trope is a familiar pattern in a love story, like two enemies falling for each other or two friends pretending to date. Below are 100 tropes and terms in 11 families, from how the couple starts out to how the book ends. The numbers help you find a line again. They are not a ranking.
Each line has a plain meaning and one thing to check before you pick a book with that label. Some labels overlap, and authors don't all use them the same way. One publisher's guide even points out that "enemies to lovers" means different things depending on who you ask (Pan Macmillan, May 2024). So treat these as working meanings, not rules.
Where they start: who they are to each other on page one
These tropes are about the relationship before the romance. Friends, rivals, strangers, a boss: the starting point shapes the whole journey.
| # | Trope | What it means | Check before you pick |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Enemies to lovers | They start out truly disliking or working against each other, and love grows out of the friction. Also called "hate to love." | Is it dislike, a real feud, or cruelty? Cruelty is closer to bully romance (#97). |
| 2 | Rivals to lovers | They compete for the same job, prize or title, and keeping score slowly turns into caring. | What are they competing for? Rivals don't have to hate each other. |
| 3 | Friends to lovers | Close friends realize they want more than friendship. | Years of friendship, or a newer one? |
| 4 | Childhood friends to lovers | Friends since they were kids finally act on it as grown-ups. | Were they ever a couple? If so, it's also a second chance (#63). |
| 5 | Strangers to lovers | They meet in the story and fall from zero. | Nothing extra to check. This one just tells you they're new to each other. |
| 6 | Best friend's sibling | The love interest is a best friend's brother or sister, or a sibling's best friend, so it feels off-limits. | Which connection is it, and who might get hurt? |
| 7 | Workplace romance | Coworkers fall for each other on the job. | Equals, or boss and employee? |
| 8 | Boss and employee | One of them works for the other. | Some readers avoid the power gap. See how the book handles it. |
| 9 | Neighbors to lovers | They live next door, across the hall or share a wall. | Is it cozy or a feud over the fence? |
| 10 | Bodyguard romance | One is hired to protect the other. | How much danger and violence is in the story? |
| 11 | Single parent | One lead is raising a child alone, so loving them means loving a family. Some books use a guardian instead of a parent. | How big a part does the child play? |
| 12 | Nanny romance | One is hired to care for the other's children. | Also a boss-and-employee story. Same check as #8. |
| 13 | Age gap | The adult leads have a noticeable age difference. | "Age gap" can mean 5 years or 25. Check the actual ages. |
| 14 | Celebrity and regular person | One is famous; the other isn't. | Is the fame fun, or a source of real pressure? |
| 15 | Royal romance | One lead is a prince, princess or heir. | Real-world royals, made-up kingdoms, or fantasy? |
| 16 | Sworn off love | One lead has decided never to date or marry again. | Why? Grief and betrayal make very different books. |
Term sources: Pan Macmillan, Harlequin and Kevin Snell. The choice checks are our editorial guidance.
Arrangements and pretending
Somebody makes a deal, and feelings break the rules. These setups give two people a reason to act like a couple before they are one.
| # | Trope | What it means | Check before you pick |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | Fake dating | They pretend to be a couple for a reason, like a wedding, an ex or a job, until the pretend part turns real. Also called "fake relationship." | Who needs convincing, and why do both agree? |
| 18 | Fake engagement | The same idea, raised to a pretend engagement. | How public is the lie, and who could get hurt? |
| 19 | Marriage of convenience | They really marry for a practical reason, like money, safety, a title or an inheritance, then fall in love. | What is the bargain? Compare six in our marriage of convenience romance books guide. |
| 20 | Arranged marriage | Families, rulers or duty choose the match; the couple didn't pick each other. | Did they get to say yes? Arranged doesn't have to mean forced, but in dark romance it sometimes does. |
| 21 | Accidental marriage | They marry by mistake or on impulse, like the classic Vegas wedding, and have to deal with it. | Comedy or crisis? |
| 22 | Contract relationship | A spoken or written deal sets the rules: appearances, a time limit, "no falling in love." | What happens if one of them breaks the deal? |
| 23 | Marriage pact | Two friends promise to marry each other if they're both single by a certain age. | It's friends to lovers (#3) with a deadline. |
| 24 | Secret relationship | They really are together but hide it from family, work or the public. | Why the secret? Privacy, a rule, or another partner? |
| 26 | Mistaken identity | Someone is taken for someone else, and the romance starts on a mix-up. | A mix-up is not the same as a lie (#25). |
| 27 | Anonymous letters or messages | They fall for each other through notes, letters or chats without knowing who's writing, often someone they already know. | Do you enjoy the "it was you all along" moment? |
| 28 | The bet or dare | One starts dating the other because of a bet, then falls for real. | The reveal hurts. Expect an apology arc (#56). |
| 29 | Matchmaker | Someone sets other people up and ends up falling in love themselves. | Usually light and funny. |
| 30 | Lessons in love | One teaches the other how to date or flirt. | In open-door books the lessons are often sexual. Check the heat level. |
| 31 | Runaway bride or groom | Someone flees a wedding and lands in a new love story. | What were they running from? |
| 32 | Married to lovers | A married couple falls in love for the first time, or all over again. | First-time love, or repairing a marriage in trouble? Those are different setups. |
Term sources: Harlequin, Pan Macmillan and Evie Alexander. The choice checks are our editorial guidance.
Stuck together
These tropes keep two people close when they'd rather not be. The question is what keeps them there, and whether you'd enjoy being stuck with them too.
| # | Trope | What it means | Check before you pick |
|---|---|---|---|
| 33 | Forced proximity | Something keeps them close, like a shared house, a trip or a job, so they can't avoid each other. | A job, the weather, or something darker, like being held captive (#98)? |
| 34 | Only one bed | There's one bed and two people, so they share. | This one moment can be a kiss in a closed-door book or a full scene in an open-door one. |
| 35 | Snowed in or stranded | Weather, a breakdown or a locked door traps them together. | Usually a short, cozy stretch. Check whether it's the whole book. |
| 36 | Roommates | They share a home, sometimes before they really know each other. | Strangers, friends or exes at the start? |
| 37 | Road trip | They travel together for a long stretch. | Is the trip the whole story or one part? |
| 38 | Wedding date | One brings the other to a wedding, often as a fake date. | Often paired with fake dating (#17). |
| 39 | Forced to work together | A project, case or quest makes them team up. | Often paired with rivals (#2). |
Term sources: Harlequin and Kevin Snell. The choice checks are our editorial guidance.
Personalities and pairings
These tropes are about what the two people are like together. They help you choose a kind of chemistry. They don't set the heat level or how dark the book gets.
| # | Trope | What it means | Check before you pick |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | Grumpy/sunshine | One is gruff and guarded; the other is warm and cheerful. The grump softens toward them. | Gentle contrast or sharp friction? "Reverse grumpy/sunshine" means the heroine is the grump. |
| 41 | Opposites attract | Different personalities, lives or values, and the difference is the pull. | Which difference drives the story? |
| 42 | Golden retriever love interest | An openly loving, loyal, upbeat love interest. | Readers often pair this with a grumpy lead (#40). |
| 43 | Cinnamon roll | A soft, kind, gentle love interest. | Kind doesn't mean low heat or low conflict. |
| 44 | Morally grey love interest | A love interest who does questionable or dangerous things but keeps their own code. | Common in dark romance and romantasy. Read the content notes. |
| 45 | Bad boy and good girl | A rule-breaker falls for a rule-follower. | How "bad" is bad? Charming trouble or real harm? |
| 46 | Reformed rake | A famous flirt or scoundrel changes for the right person. A historical romance favorite. | How much of his past is shown on the page? |
| 47 | The thaw | A cold, reserved character warms up for one person. Sometimes called "ice queen" or "ice king." | Close cousin of grumpy/sunshine (#40). |
| 48 | Beauty and the beast | A gruff, scarred or isolated character is drawn out by love. | Not the same as monster romance (#81), where the beast is literal. |
| 49 | He falls first | The male love interest falls in love before the other lead does. "One falls first" is the broader version. | Falling first doesn't always mean making the first move. |
| 50 | Protective love interest | Fiercely protective, the "touch her and die" type. | Books draw the line between protective and controlling in different places. |
| 51 | Hurt/comfort | One is injured, sick or hurting, and the other takes care of them. | What kind of hurt, and how much is shown? |
Term sources: Evie Mitchell and Kevin Snell. The choice checks are our editorial guidance.
Pace and endings
These words describe how fast the love grows and how the book wraps up. The last two are endings, not tropes, but readers use them right beside trope names.
| # | Term | What it means | Check before you pick |
|---|---|---|---|
| 52 | Slow burn | The romance builds slowly, often deep into the book before the first kiss or confession. | Slow is about timing, not heat. A slow burn can still be open-door. |
| 53 | Insta-love | They fall fast, sometimes at first sight. | Instant attraction and instant love are different promises. |
| 54 | Mutual pining | Both want each other but haven't admitted or acted on their feelings. | Do you enjoy knowing what they haven't admitted yet? |
| 55 | Unrequited love | One person's love isn't returned, at least at first. | Check who the final romance is with; this label alone doesn't promise that the original feelings are returned. |
| 56 | The grovel | One hurt the other and has to truly earn forgiveness. | What did they do? Make sure it's something you want to forgive too. |
| 57 | Will they, won't they | Near misses and interruptions keep pulling them apart. | Close cousin of slow burn (#52). |
| 58 | Banter | Quick, funny back-and-forth is a big part of the romance. | Teasing, or real meanness? |
| 59 | Third-act breakup | Late in the book a conflict splits them up before the ending. | Many readers dislike it. Reviews usually mention it. |
| 60 | Grand gesture | One makes a big, meaningful move to win the other back. | Usually comes near the end, often after a grovel. |
| 61 | HEA (happily ever after) | An ending: the couple ends committed, with lasting love. | Check this book's ending, not the series. Some series spread one romance over several books. |
| 62 | HFN (happy for now) | An ending: together and hopeful, without a forever promise yet. | Check the romance and the outside plot separately; a plot cliffhanger can leave a relationship settled. |
Term sources: Harlequin, Kevin Snell and Romance Writers of America. The choice checks are our editorial guidance.
The past and second chances
These tropes bring history into the room: an old love, a loss, a secret. Ask what happened before page one, because the book will spend time there.
| # | Trope | What it means | Check before you pick |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63 | Second chance | Former partners get another shot at love. | What split them up, and has it changed? |
| 64 | Return to hometown | One comes home and runs into someone from their past. | Often paired with small-town romance (#90). |
| 65 | Love after loss | A widow, widower or grieving lead finds love again. | Grief is on the page. |
| 66 | Secret baby | One parent learns they have a child they didn't know about. | Why was it hidden? The child may already be years old. |
| 67 | Surprise pregnancy | An unexpected pregnancy changes the relationship. | Different from a secret baby (#66), though one book can have both. Check pregnancy-related notes if they matter to you. |
| 68 | Amnesia | One forgets the other or the relationship. | Do you enjoy watching someone fall twice? |
| 69 | Time travel | One lead travels through time and falls for someone from another era. | Which era, and does it end with them in the same time? |
| 70 | Soulmates across lifetimes | They've loved each other in past lives. | Close cousin of fated mates (#78). |
| 71 | Redemption arc | A love interest with a bad past tries to become better. | How bad was the past, and how much is shown? |
Term sources: Pan Macmillan and Evie Alexander. The choice checks are our editorial guidance.
Forbidden and against the odds
Something says "no," and that's the point. Ask what stands in the way, because a family feud and a workplace rule make very different books.
| # | Trope | What it means | Check before you pick |
|---|---|---|---|
| 72 | Forbidden love | A rule, a duty, a family or society says they can't be together. | What makes it forbidden? |
| 73 | Star-crossed lovers | Fate or the world itself seems set against them. | The tag alone doesn't promise a happy ending. In a tragedy like Romeo and Juliet, they don't end together. |
| 74 | Feuding families | Their families are enemies. | Often paired with enemies to lovers (#1). |
| 75 | Class difference | One is far richer or higher-ranked than the other. | Who gives up more to be together? |
| 76 | Cinderella story | An overlooked person is lifted into a glamorous world through love. | Close cousin of class difference (#75). |
| 77 | Love triangle | One person is torn between two love interests. | In most romance one partner is chosen. If you don't want anyone left out, see "why choose" (#88). |
Term sources: Pan Macmillan and Evie Alexander. The choice checks are our editorial guidance.
Fantasy and paranormal
Magic and destiny change the rules of a love story. Fated bonds, shifters and immortals all bring big promises, so check how much choice the characters really have.
| # | Trope | What it means | Check before you pick |
|---|---|---|---|
| 78 | Fated mates | Magic, biology or destiny says the partners belong together. | Can they question or refuse the bond? Each world sets its own rules. |
| 79 | Rejected mate | A fated mate rejects the bond, and the story deals with the fallout. | Take him back or move on? Our rejected wolf shifter romance books guide sorts them that way. |
| 80 | Omegaverse | A made-up world where alpha, beta and omega roles shape attraction and bonding. | Often open-door; heat and darkness vary a lot. See our omegaverse romance books guide. |
| 81 | Monster romance | One lead isn't human, like an orc, alien, beast or demon. | Cozy and funny, or dark? Both exist. |
| 82 | Human and immortal | One lead is a vampire, fae, god or other long-lived being. | What does forever cost the human? |
| 83 | Soul bond | A magical link joins them, like shared thoughts, life or power. | Can the bond be broken, and did they choose it? |
| 84 | Villain romance | The love interest is the story's villain. | Often darker. Read content notes first. |
| 85 | Shifter romance | One or both leads can change into an animal, often a wolf. | Is there a pack and a fated-mate bond (#78)? |
| 86 | Political marriage | Kingdoms or rulers join through a royal marriage. | A fantasy cousin of arranged marriage (#20). |
Term sources: Michelle Pillow and Evie Mitchell. The choice checks are our editorial guidance.
More than two
Romance isn't always one-on-one, and it isn't always only about the couple. These two terms are about who else is in the story.
| # | Trope | What it means | Check before you pick |
|---|---|---|---|
| 87 | Found family | A chosen group of friends becomes family alongside the romance. | Is the romance the main story, or the group? |
| 88 | Why choose / reverse harem | The main character can keep more than one romantic partner. Reverse harem commonly centers a heroine and several male love interests; why choose can include other pairings. | Who is with whom, and does this book finish the story? Check heat separately. See rejected mate reverse harem books and omegaverse reverse harem grovel books. |
Term sources: B. K. Borison, Traci Lovelot and Alisson Bento. The choice checks are our editorial guidance.
Settings readers call tropes
These are really settings or subgenres, not tropes. Readers search for them the same way, so they're here, with a note on what each one leaves open.
| # | Term | What it means | Check before you pick |
|---|---|---|---|
| 89 | Romantasy | A blend of fantasy and romance; the balance varies by book. | Check this volume's ending and the series status rather than assuming a genre-romance resolution. |
| 90 | Small-town romance | The town and its people are part of the love story. | Cozy community, or a place full of old secrets? |
| 91 | Sports romance | One or both leads play a sport. | Heat varies a lot from book to book. |
| 92 | Billionaire romance | One lead is extremely rich. | Fairy tale, or power imbalance? Often both. |
| 93 | Cowboy romance | Ranches, rodeos and the American West. | Often small-town (#90) too. |
| 94 | Holiday romance | Set around Christmas or another holiday. | Often short. Check the length if you want a big read. |
| 95 | Historical and Regency romance | Set in the past. Regency romance usually evokes early-1800s Britain; the formal Regency ran from 1811 to 1820. | Ranges from no sexual scenes on the page to open-door. See clean Regency romance books or Regency romance books. |
| 96 | Mafia romance | One lead is part of organized crime. | Usually dark romance. Violence is common. |
Term sources: Romance Writers of America, Collins and The Regency Town House. The choice checks are our editorial guidance.
Darker tropes: read the content notes first
Some tropes usually live in dark romance, where violence, cruelty or consent problems may be on the page. That's a choice some readers love and others want to skip. Either way, it's a choice worth making on purpose.
| # | Trope | What it means | Check before you pick |
|---|---|---|---|
| 97 | Bully romance | One lead was cruel to the other, often at school or college, before the romance. | Bullying is on the page. How, and whether, it's made right varies. |
| 98 | Captor and captive | One lead holds the other against their will. | Kidnapping and consent problems are central. |
| 99 | Stalker romance | One lead watches or follows the other obsessively. | Stalking and privacy violations are central. |
| 100 | Revenge romance | The relationship starts as part of a plan for revenge. | Lies or cruelty may come first. |
Term sources: Evie Alexander and Evie Mitchell. The choice checks are our editorial guidance.
Which trope fits the feeling you want?
Start with the part of a love story you want to spend time in, then try the tropes beside it. The books in the last column are from our list of 13 real books to try below; check each one's content level before you choose. A book can match one term in its row without containing all of them.
| If you want… | Try these tropes | A first book |
|---|---|---|
| Sparks and sharp banter | Enemies to lovers, rivals to lovers, banter | The Hating Game |
| A slow, lingering ache | Slow burn, mutual pining, friends to lovers | People We Meet on Vacation |
| Laughs and a pretend romance | Fake dating, fake engagement, wedding date | The Love Hypothesis, Boyfriend Material, The Bodyguard |
| A practical deal that turns real | Marriage of convenience, arranged marriage, contract relationship | The Work of Art, then our marriage of convenience shelf |
| A shared space that draws two people closer | Forced proximity, roommates | Icebreaker (shared rink), The Flatshare (home shared in shifts), The Unhoneymooners (shared trip) |
| Someone soft for only you | Grumpy/sunshine, the thaw, he falls first | Things We Never Got Over for grumpy/sunshine |
| Love coming back with history | Second chance, return to hometown | Seven Days in June |
| A love worth hiding, or fighting for | Secret relationship, forbidden love, class difference | Red, White & Royal Blue |
| Another world, the same heart | Fated mates, romantasy, shifter, omegaverse | Fourth Wing for romantasy (cliffhanger reported), or our omegaverse and rejected wolf shifter guides |
| Romance without explicit scenes | Any trope, paired with a content boundary | The Work of Art, or our clean romance books guide |
Say you just closed a slow-burn Regency and want that same ache without the ballrooms. You'd look at the second row: slow burn and mutual pining, in a modern setting. The trope carries the feeling across; the setting is the part you change.
Now you have words for your kind of love story. The Next Chapter, Romance Book Guide's email letter, sends romance recommendations, new guides and occasional news about books Romance Book Guide publishes, with your tastes in mind. You can unsubscribe any time.
Tropes that sound alike, and how to tell them apart
Some trope names sound like twins but promise different books. One question usually settles it.
| These labels | The question that separates them | The answer |
|---|---|---|
| Fake dating · Marriage of convenience · Arranged marriage | Is there a real wedding, and who chose it? | Fake dating: no real relationship at first. Marriage of convenience: a real marriage the couple agrees to for a practical reason. Arranged marriage: someone else chose the match. The last two can overlap. |
| Enemies to lovers · Rivals to lovers · Bully romance | Is it dislike, competition or cruelty? | Enemies dislike each other or stand on opposite sides. Rivals compete. Bully romance means one was cruel to the other, and it's usually darker. Some authors use "enemies" for rivals too, so read the description. |
| Forced proximity · Only one bed · Roommates | Is it the whole setup or one moment? | Forced proximity is the setup. Only one bed is a scene inside it. Roommates is one kind of setup. |
| Friends to lovers · Childhood friends · Second chance | Were they ever a couple? | No: friends to lovers. Friends since childhood: childhood friends. Yes, they dated before: second chance. |
| Slow burn · Clean romance | Is it about timing or heat? | Slow burn is timing. Clean is heat: no explicit sexual scenes on the page. A slow burn can be open-door. |
| Grumpy/sunshine · Opposites attract | Is the difference mood, or everything? | Grumpy/sunshine is a mood pairing. Opposites attract can be values, lifestyle, anything. |
| Fated mates · Insta-love | Is it destiny, or just fast? | Fated mates have a magical or biological "you're mine." Insta-love is simply quick. |
| Love triangle · Why choose | Does someone have to pick? | Love triangle: yes, usually one partner. Why choose: no. |
| Secret baby · Surprise pregnancy | Is the secret the child, or the pregnancy? | Secret baby: a parent didn't know about their child. Surprise pregnancy: an unplanned pregnancy happens in the story. |
| HEA · HFN · Cliffhanger | Is the romance settled, and is the outside plot settled too? | HEA: lasting romantic commitment. HFN: together and hopeful for now. A cliffhanger leaves something unresolved; check whether that is the romance, the outside plot, or both. |
| Forbidden love · Star-crossed lovers | Is it a rule, or fate? | Forbidden: a rule or a person says no. Star-crossed: the world itself seems against them. |
These are practical lines we draw to help you choose, not official definitions. Authors and publishers don't all agree, and the book's own description is always the better guide.
Can one book have more than one trope?
Yes. One romance novel can have several, because each trope names a different part of the story. Here's a made-up example to show how they stack.
Made-up example, not a real book: Alex and Priya run rival bakeries on the same street. To enter a couples-only baking contest, they pretend to date. Then a burst pipe floods Priya's shop, and they have to share Alex's kitchen for a month. The bickering slowly turns into small kindnesses, and it takes them most of the story to admit what changed.
| Detail in the made-up story | The trope it points to |
|---|---|
| They compete through their bakeries. | Rivals to lovers (#2) |
| They act like a couple for the contest. | Fake dating (#17) |
| They have to work in the same kitchen. | Forced proximity (#33) |
| Their feelings take most of the story to surface. | Slow burn (#52) |
Notice what the four tropes don't tell you. You still don't know if any intimate scenes happen on the page, whether there's swearing, or how it ends. Those need their own check, and that's next.
What to check besides the trope
A trope tells you how the couple comes together. It can't tell you how much sex is on the page, how dark the story gets, or whether this book ends the romance. Keep these questions beside the trope when you pick a book.
| Question | What to look for | What not to assume |
|---|---|---|
| Where does it happen? | Contemporary, Regency, small town, fantasy, sports, workplace. | That a setting is the whole story. |
| Who is in the central relationship? | The named characters and the pairing the author describes. | That queer romance is a single trope. |
| How much sexual detail is on the page? | Our four plain phrases: no sexual scenes on the page, fade to black (the scene cuts away before detail), some on-page intimacy, or open-door (sexual scenes shown on the page). | That a slow burn, a grumpy hero or a cute cover sets the heat. Our book spice rating scale explains the numbers people use. |
| How much swearing? | A source that talks about language specifically. | That closed-door means no swearing. |
| Are faith themes part of it? | A stated faith-based or secular approach. | That "clean" and "Christian" mean the same thing. |
| What hard topics are in it? | A content note that names the topics you care about. | That no warning means nothing hard happens. |
| How does this book end? | HEA, HFN, cliffhanger, or not stated. | That a trope tag or a "romance" label settles this book's ending. |
| Can you read it on its own? | The author's or publisher's standalone or series note. | That Book 1 of a series always ends on a cliffhanger, or never does. |
About endings. A romance novel, by the genre's own definition, puts the love story at the center and gives it an emotionally satisfying, hopeful ending (Romance Writers of America, checked October 24, 2026). Some multi-book love stories and romantic fantasy leave a volume unresolved. Check this book's romantic resolution and its outside plot separately; a romance label alone is not an ending check.
Same kind of setup, different content. The Love Hypothesis and The Work of Art both start with an arrangement: a pretend relationship in one, a practical marriage in the other. Ali Hazelwood's own content notes flag explicit, graphic sexual content and cursing and vulgar language in hers (author's content notes). Mimi Matthews has said her historical romances are closed-door (All About Romance interview, October 2022). Similar setups, very different reads. That's why we always list content separately.
13 real books to try, one trope at a time
Want to taste a trope before you commit? Each book below has an author, publisher or bookseller description that shows the trope in its premise. They're starting points we researched, not books we're claiming to have read, and where we couldn't confirm the heat level or ending, we say so.
How to read the labels: Author or publisher information means the author, publisher or a bookseller's copy of the publisher description says it. Reader report means it comes from a review or a reader, not the author; we name which. Not verified means we couldn't confirm it, which doesn't mean the content isn't there. Formats and narrators were checked on October 24, 2026.
| Book · author | Trope it shows | Content level (label) | Ending / series |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Work of Art · Mimi Matthews | Marriage of convenience | No sexual scenes on the page: author calls her historical romances closed-door (Author or publisher information, author-wide) | Somerset Stories #1; ending Not verified |
| The Love Hypothesis · Ali Hazelwood | Fake dating | Open-door: explicit content in the author's own notes (Author or publisher information) | The Love Hypothesis Series #1; a sequel about the same couple is announced; ending Not verified |
| Boyfriend Material · Alexis Hall | Fake dating, opposites attract | Author describes the sex as “relatively off-page” (Author or publisher information; qualified) | London Calling series #1; a complete story on its own, per publisher; exact HEA/HFN Not verified |
| The Hating Game · Sally Thorne | Rivals to lovers | Open-door reported (Reader report, Goodreads) | No sequel planned, per author; ending Not verified |
| Seven Days in June · Tia Williams | Second chance | Open-door reported (Reader report, Booklist quoted by publisher) | No series listed; ending Not verified |
| Icebreaker · Hannah Grace | Forced proximity; hockey and figure skating | Open-door reported (Reader report, Common Sense Media) | Maple Hills #1; ending Not verified |
| People We Meet on Vacation · Emily Henry | Friends to lovers | Open-door reported (Reader report, Common Sense Media) | Standalone; ending Not verified |
| The Flatshare · Beth O'Leary | Roommates; falling in love through notes | Not verified | No series listed; ending Not verified |
| The Unhoneymooners · Christina Lauren | Fake marriage, forced proximity, enemies | Not verified | Standalone (author-stated); an audio-original companion novella follows; ending Not verified |
| Things We Never Got Over · Lucy Score | Grumpy/sunshine, small town, runaway bride | Not verified | Knockemout #1 of 3; ending Not verified |
| The Bodyguard · Katherine Center | Bodyguard, fake relationship | No explicit on-page sexual scenes reported (Reader report, Erin on the author's page) | No series position stated in inspected sources; ending Not verified |
| Red, White & Royal Blue · Casey McQuiston | Secret relationship, royal, rivals | Open-door reported (Reader report, Common Sense Media) | Original novel; continuation novella announced for December 1, 2026; ending Not verified |
| Fourth Wing · Rebecca Yarros | Romantasy, enemies to lovers | Open-door; heavy violence (Author or publisher information) | The Empyrean #1; continues in Iron Flame and Onyx Storm; cliffhanger reported (Reader report) |
The Work of Art : a marriage made for safety
Start here if you want a practical marriage in early-1800s England and no sexual scenes on the page. A young woman from the country has drawn the attention of a duke who collects rare things, and she needs a way out. A captain badly wounded in the Peninsular War can offer her the protection of his name.
- Why it fits: the marriage is the bargain that starts the love story, the heart of marriage of convenience (#19).
- Published: July 2019 by Perfectly Proper Press. Somerset Stories, Book 1.
- Content level: no sexual scenes on the page. Matthews describes her historical romances as closed-door and secular (author's essay; Author or publisher information, author-wide). Swearing: Not verified. Faith themes: she says these romances are not Christian or inspirational fiction; book-specific religious references are Not verified. Hard topics: a threatening pursuer and war injuries in the author's premise; a full list is Not verified.
- Ending: Not verified.
- Formats: about 390 pages in paperback; ebook; an audiobook narrated by Alex Wyndham (author's format details), checked October 24, 2026.
- Skip it if: you want a modern setting, or a predatory pursuer is the wrong story for you right now.
- Sources: OverDrive listing, Audible listing, All About Romance interview.
The Work of Art · Audiobook buying options (author)
The Work of Art · Check library ebook availability (OverDrive)
The Love Hypothesis : fake dating with the door open
A grad student kisses a famously stern professor to prove a point to a friend, and the two end up pretending to date. The pretending gets harder to keep separate from what's real. It also has a grumpy/sunshine pairing (Reader report: Jessica Clare's publisher-hosted endorsement).
- Why it fits: the fake relationship is the engine of the story (#17).
- Published: September 2021 by Berkley. The first novel in The Love Hypothesis Series.
- Content level: open-door. The author's notes flag explicit, graphic sexual content. Swearing: cursing and vulgar language. Hard topics: the death of a parent from cancer, workplace sexual harassment (not by the love interest), and the student/professor power difference (Author or publisher information, author's content notes). Faith themes: Not verified.
- Ending and series: a sequel about the same couple, The Two-Body Problem, is listed by the publisher for February 2, 2027. Book 1 can be read now; its exact ending is Not verified.
- Formats: about 400 pages in the original 2021 paperback; ebook; audiobook narrated by Callie Dalton and Teddy Hamilton (publisher's edition details), checked October 24, 2026. The 2026 tie-in paperback has 416 pages.
- Skip it if: you want no sexual scenes on the page, or a professor/student dynamic is a hard no.
The Love Hypothesis · Print, ebook and audiobook editions (Penguin Random House)
Boyfriend Material : fake dating, a very different flavor
A man whose reputation keeps landing in the tabloids needs a respectable boyfriend fast. He talks a buttoned-up barrister into posing as one. The two couldn't be less alike, and the act starts to feel personal.
- Why it fits: fake dating and opposites attract, both in the description (#17, #41). A queer (two men) romance set in contemporary London.
- Published: July 2020 by Sourcebooks Casablanca. London Calling series, Book 1.
- Content level: the author describes the sex as “relatively off-page” (author's FAQ; Author or publisher information). Whether it meets a strict “no sexual scenes on the page” boundary is Not verified. Swearing and faith themes: Not verified. Hard topics: the author's guidance lists homophobia, workplace discrimination, emotionally abusive parents, cancer, discussion of disordered eating, and an incident of body-shaming; it is not a full list.
- Ending: the publisher says this book tells a complete story on its own (Author or publisher information). Its exact HEA/HFN label is Not verified.
- Formats: about 432 pages in paperback; the author lists ebook and audio editions. Joe Jameson narrates the English audiobook (edition record), checked October 24, 2026.
- Skip it if: homophobia or emotionally abusive parents are a hard no.
The Hating Game : rivals sharing one office
Two executive assistants at a newly merged publishing company sit across from each other and can't stand each other. Then a promotion opens up, and they both want it.
- Why it fits: rivals to lovers in its purest office form (#2). Many readers also file it under enemies to lovers (#1).
- Published: August 2016 by HarperCollins. The author says no sequel is planned.
- Content level: open-door reported; readers on Goodreads describe graphic sexual scenes (Reader report). Swearing and faith themes: Not verified. Hard topics: workplace hostility in the author's premise; a full list is Not verified.
- Ending: Not verified.
- Formats: about 384 pages in paperback; ebook; audiobook narrated by Katie Schorr (audio edition record), checked October 24, 2026.
- Skip it if: you want no sexual scenes on the page, or you were hoping for enemies on opposite sides of a war rather than coworkers.
Seven Days in June : love with a shared past
Eva and Shane spent one intense week together as teenagers. Years later, both are writers, and they run into each other at a literary event in New York. The past they buried comes right back.
- Why it fits: a second chance (#63), with the history at the center of the story. The publisher also calls it star-crossed.
- Published: June 2021 in hardcover by Grand Central Publishing. No series listed in the records we checked.
- Content level: open-door reported. A Booklist review quoted on the publisher's page describes explicit sexual scenes (Reader report). Swearing and faith themes: Not verified. Hard topics: painful shared history in the publisher's description; a Library Journal review on the same page names childhood trauma and chronic pain (Reader report). A full list is Not verified.
- Ending: Not verified.
- Formats: about 352 pages in the 2022 paperback; hardcover and ebook; an audiobook narrated by Mela Lee, checked October 24, 2026.
- Skip it if: you want two people meeting for the first time, or a lighter story without painful history.
Seven Days in June · Paperback, hardcover and ebook (Bookshop.org)
Icebreaker : forced to share the ice
A college figure skater and the captain of the hockey team must train at the same rink after a facilities problem. She is not pleased to have him in her way.
- Why it fits: forced proximity (#33) brings two college athletes together in a hockey and figure-skating setting (#91), as the author's setup explains (Author or publisher information).
- Published: first self-published in 2022, supported by an original-edition retailer record. The Atria U.S. paperback followed in February 2023. Maple Hills series, Book 1.
- Content level: open-door reported by Common Sense Media (Reader report). The author also confirms on-page sex across her books (Author or publisher information, author-wide). Language: explicit language, in the author's Icebreaker content notes. Faith themes: Not verified. Difficult material: those notes list disordered eating, toxic friendships, anxiety and stress, a near-death experience, past parental death, past cheating outside the main couple, and alcohol use (Author or publisher information).
- Ending: Not verified.
- Formats: about 448 pages in the U.S. trade paperback; ebook also listed. The audiobook is narrated by Elizabeth Louise and Tim Paige, checked October 24, 2026.
- Skip it if: you want no sexual scenes on the page, or need to avoid the themes in the author's content notes.
People We Meet on Vacation : friends to lovers
Two best friends took a summer trip together every year, until something went wrong between them. Now one of them asks for one more trip.
- Why it fits: friends to lovers (#3), with a long friendship and a falling-out to work through. The publisher's reading guide asks why they take so long to admit their feelings (Author or publisher information).
- Published: May 2021 by Berkley. Standalone; the author's FAQ says no sequel is currently planned.
- Content level: open-door reported, with scenes described as more emotional than graphic (Reader report, Common Sense Media). Language: strong swearing reported by the same source. Faith themes: Not verified. Difficult material: childhood bullying and alcohol use reported by the same source; the publisher's reading guide also identifies professional burnout (Author or publisher information).
- Ending: Not verified.
- Formats: about 400 pages in paperback; audiobook narrated by Julia Whelan, checked October 24, 2026.
- Skip it if: you want no sexual scenes on the page.
People We Meet on Vacation · Print, ebook and audiobook (Penguin Random House)
The Flatshare : flatmates who have not met
Two strangers share a one-bed London flat in shifts. One sleeps there by day, the other by night, and they get to know each other through notes left around the place.
- Why it fits: roommates (#36) grow close through notes before meeting, as the publisher's description explains (Author or publisher information). Their shared bed is used in shifts, so this is a twist on sharing a home, not a promise that they must sleep together.
- Published: 2019 in the U.S. by Flatiron Books. No series is listed on the author's page or the publisher's page.
- Content level: sexual detail, language and faith themes are Not verified. Difficult material: a Publishers Weekly review mentions an emotionally abusive ex in the plot (Reader report).
- Ending: Not verified.
- Formats: about 352 pages in the U.S. paperback; ebook also listed. The audiobook is narrated by Carrie Hope Fletcher and Kwaku Fortune, checked October 24, 2026.
- Skip it if: a story involving a controlling ex is hard for you right now.
The Unhoneymooners : a fake honeymoon
When most of a wedding party gets sick, the bride's sister and the groom's brother, who can't stand each other, take the free honeymoon instead. To get away with it, they have to pose as newlyweds.
- Why it fits: fake marriage (close to #17), forced proximity (#33) and enemies to lovers (#1) in one setup, supported by the author's description (Author or publisher information).
- Published: May 2019 by Gallery Books. Christina Lauren is the pen name of two co-authors. The authors call this a standalone; The Honeymoon Crashers is a later audio-original companion novella.
- Content level: sexual detail, language and faith themes are Not verified. Difficult material: food poisoning is part of the setup (Author or publisher information, author's description); a full content check is Not verified.
- Ending: Not verified.
- Formats: about 432 pages in the U.S. trade paperback; ebook also listed. The audiobook is narrated by Cynthia Farrell, with Deacon Lee, checked October 24, 2026.
- Skip it if: you need a confirmed heat level first.
The Unhoneymooners · Print, ebook and audiobook (Simon & Schuster)
Things We Never Got Over : grumpy/sunshine in a small town
A runaway bride lands in a small town and keeps colliding with its gruff barber, all while looking after her young niece.
- Why it fits: grumpy/sunshine (#40) is named in the publisher's description, along with small town (#90) and a runaway bride (#31).
- Published: first released in January 2022; the U.S. paperback is published by Bloom Books. Knockemout series, Book 1 of 3.
- Sexual detail: Not verified.
- Language: Not verified.
- Faith themes: Not verified.
- Difficult material: family abandonment, theft and danger are part of the author's premise (Author or publisher information); this is not a full content list.
- Ending: Not verified.
- Formats: ebook, paperback and audiobook. The publisher lists the paperback at about 560 pages; the audiobook is narrated by Lila Winters and Sebastian York. Formats checked October 24, 2026.
- Skip it if: you want a short read.
The Bodyguard : a protector playing girlfriend
A small but very capable bodyguard is hired to protect a movie star, and she has to pose as his girlfriend at his family's ranch.
- Why it fits: bodyguard romance (#10) and fake dating (#17), plus a celebrity (#14), are supported by the publisher's premise.
- Published: July 2022 by St. Martin's Press. No series position is stated on the inspected author or publisher page.
- Sexual detail: no explicit on-page sexual scenes reported: a reader named Erin calls it “closed door” on the author's book page (Reader report). The author or publisher does not confirm that content level in the sources checked.
- Language: profanity appears in Chapter 1 of the St. Martin's Griffin paperback excerpt, ISBN 9781250219411 (Sample checked); the whole book's frequency is Not verified.
- Faith themes: Not verified.
- Difficult material: stalking, family illness and a past family tragedy appear in the publisher's premise (Author or publisher information). Chapter 1 of the same publisher's excerpt also includes a parent's death and alcohol-related illness (Sample checked).
- Ending: Not verified.
- Formats: 336 pages in the U.S. paperback; ebook and audiobook also listed. The audiobook is read by Patti Murin, with the author's note read by Katherine Center. Formats checked October 24, 2026.
- Skip it if: a stalker storyline is a firm no.
Red, White & Royal Blue : a secret relationship
The son of the U.S. president and a British prince have to fake a friendship for the cameras. What grows between them is real, and they have to hide it.
- Why it fits: a secret relationship (#24) and royal romance (#15), starting from rivalry (#2). A queer (two men) romance. The author's premise and publisher's description support that setup.
- Published: May 2019 by St. Martin's Griffin. The original novel comes before Red, White & Royal Blue: The Private Correspondence, a continuation novella announced for December 1, 2026.
- Sexual detail: open-door reported: several sexual scenes are described on the page (Reader report, Carrie R. Wheadon for Common Sense Media).
- Language: frequent strong language reported by the same reviewer (Reader report).
- Faith themes: Not verified.
- Difficult material: heavy drinking, family bereavement and a reference to attempted sexual predation during adolescence are reported by the same reviewer (Reader report).
- Ending: Not verified.
- Formats: 448 pages in the U.S. paperback, ISBN 9781250316776; audiobook narrated by Ramón de Ocampo. Formats checked October 24, 2026.
- Skip it if: politics-heavy plots aren't your thing.
Red, White & Royal Blue · Paperback (Harvard Book Store)
Red, White & Royal Blue · Audiobook buying options (Macmillan Audio)
Fourth Wing : romantasy that keeps going
A young woman who expected a quiet life as a scribe is forced into a deadly war college for dragon riders. One of the most dangerous cadets there has every reason to want her dead.
- Why it fits: romantasy (#89) with enemies to lovers (#1) driving the plot. The author's book page identifies fantasy romance and the hostile setup.
- Published: May 2023 by Entangled: Red Tower Books. The Empyrean, Book 1; the story continues in Iron Flame (Book 2) and Onyx Storm (Book 3), both listed on the author's series page.
- Sexual detail: open-door; the author's content note states that sexual activity is shown on the page (Author or publisher information).
- Language: strong language, identified as graphic language in the author's content note (Author or publisher information).
- Faith themes: Not verified.
- Difficult material: war, intense violence, serious injuries, death and poisoning are listed by the author (Author or publisher information).
- Ending: Hannah Biedess describes the ending as a cliffhanger in The Reflector (Reader report; linked review contains spoilers). Plan on reading the next book, Iron Flame, to continue the story.
- Formats: about 528 pages in the standard U.S. hardcover, ISBN 9781649374042; the unabridged audiobook is narrated by Rebecca Soler and Teddy Hamilton. Formats checked October 24, 2026.
- Skip it if: you need one complete story in one book, or heavy violence is a no.
Fourth Wing · Hardcover (Harvard Book Store)
What about the rest of the list? We only add a book here when its own description shows the trope. For practical marriages, our marriage of convenience romance books guide compares six. For fated mates and pack stories, see omegaverse romance books and rejected wolf shifter romance books.
Which romance tropes do readers look for most?
Among the exact U.S. search phrases checked below on October 24, 2026, enemies to lovers is far ahead, followed by slow burn, friends to lovers and forbidden romance. Then come age gap, monster romance and omegaverse, tied. These numbers are rough and change with wording, so read them as a snapshot of interest, not a ranking of the best tropes.
| What people typed (U.S.) | Estimated searches per month |
|---|---|
| enemies to lovers books | 12,000 |
| slow burn romance books | 1,100 |
| friends to lovers books | 1,000 |
| forbidden romance books | 800 |
| age gap romance books | 600 |
| monster romance books | 600 |
| omegaverse books | 600 |
| second chance romance books | 500 |
| billionaire romance books | 500 |
| fated mates books | 400 |
| bully romance books | 400 |
| fake dating books | 350 |
| bodyguard romance books | 250 |
| arranged marriage romance books | 200 |
| love triangle books | 200 |
| marriage of convenience books | 150 |
| single dad romance books | 150 |
| small town romance books | 150 |
Bigger umbrella searches, kept separate because they're genres or settings rather than tropes: dark romance books (23,000), romantasy books (8,800), hockey romance books (5,700), reverse harem books (4,700), mafia romance books (3,600) and sports romance books (1,400).
Source: Ahrefs Keywords Explorer, U.S. estimates checked October 24, 2026. These are average monthly searches over the latest 12 months of data, not searches counted during October. This is a selected set of phrases, not a complete popularity ranking. Wording matters: "grumpy sunshine books" is estimated at 40, "grumpy x sunshine books" at 30, and "grumpy sunshine" at 70. Those figures do not tell us why readers chose one wording.
Make your own trope list
The fastest way to get good recommendations is to say what you love and what you'd rather skip. Fill in the checklist below, or tap the hearts and crosses on the list above, and you'll have a note you can paste into a request post, hand to a librarian, or text to the friend who always knows what to read.
My trope checklist
- I love: ______________________________
- I'm fine with: ______________________________
- Please no: ______________________________
- Heat level: ☐ No sexual scenes on the page ☐ Fade to black ☐ Some on-page intimacy ☐ Open-door ☐ I'm flexible
- Ending: ☐ HEA only ☐ HFN is fine ☐ A series is fine if I know where it stops
- Hard topics to avoid: ______________________________
A filled-in example: I love: grumpy/sunshine, small town, found family. I'm fine with: fake dating. Please no: love triangle, third-act breakup, bully romance. Heat level: fade to black. Ending: HEA only.
Want to add setting, heat level and format too? The reading brief on our homepage puts all your preferences into words. It's a preference tool, not a book recommender.
You've done the hard part: you know what you love and what you'd rather skip. If you'd like more reading ideas, choose your reading interests in The Next Chapter form below. It brings romance recommendations, new guides and occasional news about books Romance Book Guide publishes, with your tastes in mind, and you can unsubscribe any time.
Where to go next
Each of these guides takes one choice from this page and goes deeper.
- Want a real marriage that starts as a deal? → Marriage of convenience romance books
- No explicit scenes, please → Clean romance books or clean Regency romance books
- Ballrooms at any heat level → Regency romance books
- Borrow instead of buy → Kindle Unlimited romance books
- A fated mate who said no → Rejected wolf shifter romance books
- Alphas, betas and omegas → Omegaverse romance books
- More than one love interest → Rejected mate reverse harem books
- What spice numbers mean → Book spice rating scale
A few more trope questions
What is a trope in a romance book? It's a familiar story pattern readers recognize, like enemies to lovers or fake dating. It tells you what kind of journey the couple takes, not the details of the plot.
Are tropes just clichés? No. A cliché is a pattern done in a tired way. A trope is a pattern readers look for on purpose, and the same one can feel brand-new in different hands.
Is there a complete list of every romance trope? No. There's no official count that authors, publishers and readers all share, and readers name new ones all the time. This page covers 100 useful tropes and terms.
What is a microtrope? Readers use it for a small moment inside a book, like only one bed (#34), rather than the whole relationship. If a tag names one scene, it's probably a microtrope.
What are the top 10 romance tropes? There's no official ranking. Among the exact phrases in our U.S. search snapshot checked October 24, 2026, enemies to lovers leads, followed by slow burn, friends to lovers and forbidden romance, then age gap, monster romance and omegaverse (tied), then second chance and billionaire (tied), then fated mates and bully romance (tied). The numbers are in the table above.
Is romantasy a trope? It's a blend of fantasy and romance, with the balance varying by book. It's full of tropes, like fated mates and enemies to lovers.
How we checked this guide
We wrote each trope meaning ourselves, grouped the tropes by the kind of love story they create, and checked every starter book against author, publisher, bookseller or library pages.
Romance Book Guide helps you find romance books that feel like your kind of love story — comparing real books by setting, relationship, content level and ending, with the author or publisher information behind every pick, so you can choose your next read with confidence.
Research note. The 100 meanings and the "check before you pick" notes are our own summaries, informed by publisher and author trope guides. They describe each trope in general, not any one book. For the 13 starter books, we checked title, author, publisher, first publication year, series position and premise against publisher, author, bookseller or library pages on October 24, 2026, and listed a book only when that description shows the trope. Content levels come from the author's own statements (Author or publisher information), from named outside reviews (Reader report), or are marked Not verified. A cited publisher excerpt supports only the material present in that excerpt (Sample checked). Not verified means we couldn't confirm a detail; it doesn't mean the content is absent. We have not read or listened to these books for this guide, and no sample was used to judge a whole book. Narrators and formats come from publisher, bookseller and Audible listings checked the same day. Prices and Kindle Unlimited status were not checked and aren't claimed. Search figures are Ahrefs average monthly U.S. estimates over the latest 12 months of data, checked October 24, 2026. We may use software, including AI, to help organize research and drafting, and we're responsible for everything we publish. Romance Book Guide is operated by Kozi Publishing LLC. This page has no affiliate or paid links. See our editorial standards, how we make money and about us. Spot something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
Trope and genre sources
- An A–Z of romance tropes, Simone Soltani, Pan Macmillan, May 21, 2024 (checked October 24, 2026)
- The romance genre, Romance Writers of America (checked October 24, 2026)
- Search estimates: Ahrefs Keywords Explorer, U.S., latest-12-month average monthly estimates (checked October 24, 2026)
Book sources (all checked October 24, 2026)
- The Work of Art: OverDrive · Audible · Mimi Matthews interview, All About Romance · Author’s book and format details · Author’s closed-door and secular statement · Paperback edition
- The Love Hypothesis: Penguin Random House · Ali Hazelwood's content notes · Original paperback and series record · Official sequel listing
- Boyfriend Material: Blue Willow Bookshop · Author’s book and content guidance · Author’s sex FAQ · Sourcebooks · English audio edition
- The Hating Game: Publishers Weekly · Harvard Book Store · Goodreads reader Q&A · Author’s book details · Author’s FAQ · Audio edition
- Seven Days in June: Bookshop.org · Harvard Book Store · Publisher’s first hardcover and quoted reviews · Publisher’s paperback record · Publisher’s audio record
- Icebreaker: Simon & Schuster paperback · Audiobook · Hannah Grace's book page · Author FAQ · Author content notes · Common Sense Media · Original-edition retailer record
- People We Meet on Vacation: Penguin Random House paperback · Audiobook · Publisher reading guide · Emily Henry's FAQ · Common Sense Media
- The Flatshare: Bookshop.org paperback · Beth O'Leary's book page · Macmillan paperback · 2019 ebook · Audiobook · Publishers Weekly
- The Unhoneymooners: Simon & Schuster ebook · Paperback · Audiobook · Authors' book page · Authors' companion novella announcement
- Things We Never Got Over: Lucy Score's book page · Sourcebooks edition record · Lucy Score's publishing timeline · Audible series and narration record · Cavalier House Books
- The Bodyguard: Macmillan paperback record and Chapter 1 excerpt · Macmillan original ebook record · Macmillan Audio · Katherine Center's book page and quoted reader reports · Akron-Summit County Public Library · Bookreporter
- Red, White & Royal Blue: Casey McQuiston's book page · Macmillan paperback record · Macmillan Audio · Announced continuation novella · Common Sense Media · Harvard Book Store · Publishers Weekly · Audible
- Fourth Wing: Rebecca Yarros's series page and content notes · The Reflector review: contains spoilers · Barnes & Noble unabridged audiobook record · Harvard Book Store · Common Sense Media