What are your favourite themes in Romance books?

[Ramla Zareen]

Hello everyone,

Please share about your favourite themes in Romance books.

Thanks :-)

[Katariina]

Older hero - younger heroine
Virgin hero/heroine
Gunslinger hero/western
Ward
Scarred hero
Beauty and beast
Hockey players
Bdsm

and recently MC books

[Brianna]

Arranged/convenient marriage, enemies-to-lovers, reformed rake, opposites attract.

[C.]

Prefer them "Clean but Secular.
Fake/Temporary Relationship/Engagement/Marriage
Second Chance
Marriage Of Convenience/Mail Order Bride/Husband
Historical or Contemporary-Frontier/Westerns Cowboy/Cowgirl/Rancher/Lawman/Law-woman/Farmer/Veterinarian
Divorced/Widowed Hero/Heroine
Opposites attract
Adversaries to Lovers
Hero or heroine/Single parent or guardian of child/children
Boss-employee/co-workers

[C.S.]

Question - does "second chance" mean: second chance with the same person ie. love lost, but found again with an old lover? Or, a second chance at love after loss, with a new lover?

[Ramla Zareen]

C.S. wrote: "Question - does "second chance" mean: second chance with the same person ie. love lost, but found again with an old lover? Or, a second chance at love after loss, with a new lover?"

According to my knowledge, it means second chance with the same person.

For example, a couple may draw apart due to certain misunderstandings and become temporarily separated ...but eventually manage to resolve them, realize afresh that they are truly meant for each other and get together again :-) 

[C.S.]

Ramla Zareen wrote: "C.S. wrote: "Question - does "second chance" mean: second chance with the same person ie. love lost, but found again with an old lover? Or, a second chance at love after loss, with a new lover?"

A..."

Ahhhhh. Okay. Thanks for the clarification.

[Ramla Zareen]

C.S. wrote: "Ramla Zareen wrote: "C.S. wrote: "Question - does "second chance" mean: second chance with the same person ie. love lost, but found again with an old lover? Or, a second chance at love after loss, ..."

You are welcome :-)

[Abigail]

I've also heard that second chance referred to as reunion.

<3

[Shirley]

I love:
Best friends who fall in love
Second chance
Fake/pretend relationship
Reformed bad boy or rake
Marriage of convenience

[Dorottya]

I kind of like almost all tropes that are done in a good way, but I have a soft spot for these:

- making a bad relationship work again, learning from mistakes and fighting for getting the loved one back / second chance
-forbidden love, supposed enemies in love
-time travel love
-villain to hero
-underdog love stories (someone not as pretty or popular getting a chance at love)

[Adelyn]

Right, I really love the "second chance" thing, however, I haven't read that many romance books with that themes. Do you guys have some recommendation other than The Opportunist, Dirty Red and Before We Were Strangers ?
Thank you. ;)

[Ramla Zareen]

Adelyn wrote: "Right, I really love the "second chance" thing, however, I haven't read that many romance books with that themes. Do you guys have some recommendation other than The Opportunist, [b..."

Hi Adelyn, if you like then you are welcome to check out the following discussion thread:

Second Chance / Reunion
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Maybe you will be able to discover some good books based on this theme there, thanks! :-)

Note: Those who would like to respond to Adelyn's query can also recommend the books in that discussion thread, thanks! :-)

[Adelyn]

Thank you so much, Ramla. ;) ;)

[Ramla Zareen]

Adelyn wrote: "Thank you so much, Ramla. ;) ;)"

You are welcome, Adelyn :-)

[HR-ML]

* 2nd chance love
* H or h was physically or mentally scarred.
* Heroine in HR had unusual vocation/ avocation.

[Tyler_zakiyareadsbooks_]

Some of my favourites include:

- sports
-enemies to lovers
-slowburn
-rom-coms
-nerdy, quirky heroines/heroes
-military
-stranded, trapped or marooned

[Danica]

~enemies to lovers all day every day
~slow-burn
~romantic comedies with hilarious heroines.

[Ramla Zareen]

Favourite themes . . . 

Well, generally, writing and characterisation matter more to me than the story. I can enjoy almost any theme if:

(a) it's written in an engaging and/or entertaining way, and
(b) if it pushes the characters to learn and grow, both as individuals and as a couple.

Having said that, there are some themes I enjoy more than others, like:

—Enemies To Lovers

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

—Opposites Attracts

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

—Second Chance / Reunion

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

—A Bad Revious Relationship / A Bad Breakup

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

—Tortured/Tormented/Broken/Damaged Hero or Heroine

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

—Fake/Temporary Relationship/Engagement/Marriage

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

—Marriage Of Convenience

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

—Forced Marriage

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

—The hero makes a sacrifice for the heroine.

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

—Reformed Rake / Villain To Hero

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

—Grovelling Hero

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

—A third person tries to create a rift between the hero and the heroine.

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

If anyone knows of any good books based on these themes, please feel free to recommend them in the relevant discussion threads.

Thank you :-)

[HR-ML]

Caught by the Scot
HR hero made compromise/ consession!

The Courtship Dance
HR couple never stopped loving each other.

Dashing Through the Snow: A Regency Christmas Novella
Enemies to friends to ?

Most Valuable Playboy
A QB sees his BFF in a whole new light.

[Ramla Zareen]

Thanks for the recommendations, Cheryl :-)

[C.]

Ty wrote: "Some of my favourites include:

- sports
-enemies to lovers
-slowburn
-rom-coms
-nerdy, quirky heroines/heroes
-military
-stranded, trapped or marooned"

These are good!:D

[HR-ML]

Ramla---

You are welcome.