“We were like gods at the dawning of the world, & our joy was so bright we could see nothing else but the other” (Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller.) In the greatest love stories known to literature, including Pride and Prejudice and Romeo and Juliet, the storylines implement the use of different love tropes. Romeo and Juliet represent forbidden love, a tragic tale of an outside force keeping the two apart. Love tropes appear in BookTok as well, a component of TikTok that comprises passionate book lovers.

A love trope is a common plot device, theme, or recipe that a work of romance follows. They can act as guides as well that will help the author with the development of the characters and the story. A few romance BookTok books that have gone viral for their heartwarming love tropes are You’ve Reached Sam and The Unhoneymooners. 

You’ve Reached Sam by Dustin Thai tells a heartbreaking story about Julie and Sam: their love forbidden by Sam’s death. In an attempt to hear Sam’s voice one last time, Julie calls him, not expecting him to actually answer. Julie must learn to let go as every call leads them closer to a final goodbye. In The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren, the characters complete an enemies to lovers arc during a honeymoon trip taken after the rest of the wedding guests, including the bride and groom, suffer from food poisoning. 

Lauren Hernandez (10) comments, “My favorite love trope is the forbidden love trope because it has an immense impact on the audience’s engagement in the plot. It captivates attention by leaving people wondering how or if the two lovers’ paths will convene. The forbidden love trope will also force the audience to consider the consequences of the character’s actions.”

Love tropes such as enemies to lovers, forbidden love, and love triangles are popular BookTok cliches that catch either the interest or disdain of their audience. Critics may say that writing a story using particular love tropes, such as forced proximity, is too strange when an alternative storyline can be utilized. If an author does not write well and doesn’t use the love tropes to the best of their ability, the storyline can be poorly written and unappealing. 

On the other hand, the fact that certain books or movies consist of love tropes is what makes the sequence of events extremely fascinating. The TV show The Summer I Turned Pretty demonstrates a drama-filled love triangle that comes between the main characters Belly, Jeremiah, and Conrad. Suspense creates interest, and love tropes bring a considerable amount of both. 

Love tropes are a timeless template that can be altered and shaped to fit the limits of authors’ imaginations. They have inspired the creation of several of the world’s most pronounced romance stories and will continue to do so. Love is a phenomenon that will never not be impactful on literature, especially with love tropes to lead the way.