I am back with this week’s Trope Tuesday match up. If you haven’t checked out the #RomanceReadsApril Instagram challenge, do so. There is still time to join. Today’s Trope Tuesday is Fake Relationship vs. Stuck Together. If you missed last weeks be sure to check it out for some enemies to lovers and friends to lovers Trope recommendations.
Fake Relationship:
Definition:
A trope in which two characters who are not in a romantic relationship pretend to be in on.
Why It’s Great:
The fake relationship is my second favorite trope behind enemies to lovers. And sometimes this trope is combined with enemies to lovers, which makes it even better. I like this trope because like with enemies to lovers, you see two people getting to know each other and realizing that maybe there was more to this person than they thought. A lot of times, one or both characters also learn to value themselves a little more. This is especially true when the reason for the fake relationship is to make someone jealous.
Recommendations:
Again, I have a ton of recommendations for this one. But I have narrowed it down to five because I don’t want this post to be too long.
The Kiss Quotient
If I Never Met You
To All the Boys I loved Before
Devil in the Winter
Unhoneymooners
Stuck Together
Definition:
Two characters are stuck together for an extended period of time, and romance blooms
My Opinion:
I realized when I had to come up with recommendations for this trope, that this is not one I read a lot. I’m sure why, because it is actually a good trope. I do think that you find this trope more in romantic suspense or adventure books which tend not to be my go-to reads.
Recommendations:
I am not going to lie here, I struggled to come up with recommendations for this one. However, all the books I’ve included are ones I’ve read and really enjoyed!
Long After Midnight
Starry Eyes
By Your Side
The Perilous Sea
Cress
I never really differentiated those two tropes, but you are right, they are definitely different.