My Least Favorite Romance Tropes

[@hayleyfaith6723]

i hate surprise pregnancies! then again i dont like pregnancies in romance novels anyway 🤣

[@nicholeperdomo5699]

What I don’t like is when a girl likes two guys, is sorta dating them and gets annoyed when they argue with each other or gets possessive because they should be understanding but if any of them looks or talk to another girl, she gets mad and stop talking to them and so on.... this really annoys me. Also what is weird is when after a long hard day they have a date or something and just change their clothes and put on make up then end up getting busy with the guy. Just take a quick bath jeez. Sometimes they don’t bathe for a couple of days. That’s just wrong. I also don’t like when a girl follows a guy around saying “we belong together “ or some such comment. I like strong heroines but not too strong where they overdo the “ if I don’t do it it won’t/can’t be done “or “ I don’t need anyone “.

[@luvdove7136]

So can relate to the love triangle sitch, it's so damn hypocritical yet we're expected to sympathize with the main girl still smh

[@ashheartbooks2192]

Love this! 🙌🏻 Miscommunication has got to be one of the most annoying plot devices ever!

[@Katiez2399]

“super popular and becoming a movie” *flashbacks to 14 year old me being addicted to wattpad*

[@Katiez2399]

“super popular and becoming a movie” omg is it after

[@kristinaanderson1394]

I HATE insta-love! It makes me crazy, most of the time I end up just giving up. And I hate when the main characters jump into bed immediately- like hook up to love. Not my favorite. I don't think I'm a prude or anything, I just want the build up.

[@dhanashreekadam5787]

Oh. Thank god! I finally have someone to agree with me on this. 🙈

[@danical4489]

The waiters and waitresses 😂😂😂

[@andivass2500]

I really liked your picks. I especially agree with you when it comes to insta-love, cocky girls and miscommunication. That really kills the whole mood of a story for me. Insta-love and miscommunication are just dumb. And when it comes to girls, I prefer smart, independent and humble female characters. I don't have many, but for example, I like Vanessa from The Wall of Winnipeg and Me, or Sara from Pestilence... And also they don't have to be all beautiful - to be comfortable in their owns skin, is far more appealing.

[@shalesszucs6815]

Sooo true I totally agree I absolutely cannot stand the pregnancy trope either and the cocky girl trope just rubs me the wrong way

[@kaleidoscope6623]

As a dog owner and a college student, I really agree with you on the things that you've said regarding that.

[@literatureads1439]

I love how great of a dog mom you are!!! 💕 and the pregnancy thing drives me crazy too! And the work thing too!!!!! yesss

[@sweety11480]

This is an unpopular one but i HATE when the guy used to date someone or was married to someone and that person died or if the guy is in a relationship! This is why i couldnt love Maybe Someday lol

[@aquadaisy]

I still have to read that book! I hate love triangles and heard there's one in the book, so it's been sitting on my shelf unread..

[@sweety11480]

@@aquadaisy A lot of people love that book! You should try it! It has other aspects that i really enjoyed! I just need the male interest to fall in love just one time haha it's a me thing a guess 😂

[@shalesszucs6815]

Omg I thought I was the only one that thought that! I totally agree with you on maybe some day

[@amelieromanticreader]

I am the same. I hate that trope and I avoid books with this kind of plot. Glad I'm not the only one.

[@elenas.2757]

Definitely. That is my least favorite troop. Maybe someday was hard to read because of that, It was still a good book and I own it, but I probably won’t read it again because it really puts your heart through a lot. And I hate the past lover who died troop, I can’t stop thinking if the main character is the second choice. I like first time truly loving someone kind of romance.

[@DoOverDiaries]

So trueeeee i hate the miscommunication plots they're like my biggest pet peeve

[@hams2410]

I have only been watching your recommendations videos lately but I think I like your chatty videos! I just love the way you rant about your least favourite tropes like a little kid. It's nice to see that someone also hates what I hate 😂 I think I like Perfect Chemistry because of the last trope you said. It doesn't use it as a plot device

[@MjLeny101]

Yay I actually knew what book you were talking about at 11:30 hahaha

[@safroniastiles3624]

After is so good! 😂😍❤

[@BehindThePicketFence]

The miscommunication one really gets on my nerves. It’s why I stopped reading romance for a little while cause I felt like every book I was reading they would break up at the end of the book because of some stupid little thing. Also I have encountered a book a while back that was like a sex scene every other page, so much so that you couldn’t even get to know the characters. That really irritated me too. Don’t get me wrong I love the steamy romance and erotic romance. But when the book is clearly just sex then what is the point?

[@magdalena0831]

I totally agree with you about the dog thing. When I get my dog there was always someone home with her for the first week. And not only being at home but also watching her every few minutes to see what she's doing! :) btw Happy New Year from Poland!

[@amandac.8366]

OMG I 1000% agree on the surprise pregnancy one! Also, I just read a scene in my current read with the waitress hitting on the hot guy. It absolutely happens all the time.

[@mikaylan104]

I'm a sucker for some slow burn romance. That is the best.

[@noranahmed1112]

I totally agree with you. I might add I hate when characters deal with love as obsession. Like really over exaggerated obsession.

[@nirvanasolano6122]

I understand your stance on the cocky girl. I only like it when it's done well, just so not in your face. That's also how I feel about cocky guys. Mister Tonight by Kendall Ryan did it well for me concerning cocky girls. Also, I also don't like surprise pregnancies. Great video!

[@elisabethlane6718]

And the dog thing, yes! Leaving a dog alone overnight was the reason I DNFed a book last year. I wasn't loving it anyway but I just couldn't go on after that. So with you.

[@sumrgrl100]

Hi Jessica 😊 I haven't read enough romance as of yet to have the least favorite tropes, BUT I can say that if I were to read a synopsis that had a surprise pregnancy in it, I would not read the book. OR if I was reading a book and a surprise pregnancy happened, I would not read the book any further. However, I have read a book with the miscommunication situation and it was annoying. So if I had to guess, miscommunication would probably be one of my least favorite tropes.

[@ginacaparotta7971]

My thing is i hate whinny girls that need a man to save her all the time. i like it a strong female character who can handle herself and if she needs someone to save she will ask.

[@TheTechnoshaun]

I had an actual surprise pregnancy happen in 1995 and it was from antibiotics. Wouldn't change a thing I have a beautiful daughter and 3 grandsons now. Though her surprise pregnancy was caused by the same thing. Her mother and I always let her now how she came to be and I would think of all the young women out there she would know better.

[@hinnaparmar]

I 100% agree with you on the everyone hits on the really attractive main character. Like that does not happen in real life and it's super annoying!

[@katyareads221]

I took a job where I can work from home.....to be near my dogs.....and when I have to go in for 8 hours.....i make my brother (who I live with) come home from work early. Lol my dogs are my kids....i hate leaving them alone. I miss them too much.

[@LynnetteReads]

Nope cats are just as needy. I have 3 and I don't like leaving them overnight. When we go away mine or my partners mum moves into our house so they are not alone all week. If we go out for the evening I alway nag my partner to leave so we can go home to the cats. Just like your dogs are your babies my cats are mine. I don't know any pet parent that would leave their animals completely alone. Agree I hate when this happens in books it is so unrealistic. A book that did it well was Breaking Hollywood by Samantha Towle. The h had to move in with the H but wouldn't go without her pet.

[@sophiarose99]

Yep, those would bug me, too. I'm not a secret baby fan and I always marvel when a character can drink their body weight in alcohol in a 24 hour period and not get alcohol poisoning (just read that one). But, the not talking, yeah, from your list, is the one I get hit with the most.

[@libraarc]

I was really surprised when I saw this video title. You seem to enjoy all kinds of romances. I actually agree with the tropes you mentioned especially when the author focuses on looks for the main couple. Looks are not everything in a relationship. And yas to the miscommunication as a plot point trope. But it is used in almost all romances. Argh. I suppose miscommunication is a way for an author to make more drama and just extend the story.

[@natscorner]

I think the trope I hate the most is when at the end there is a surprise pregnancy and the guy says to the girl, it's either me or the baby... How can you make the girl choose?? Also, I hate super cocky guys as they just get on my nerves, they can be a little bit cocky but not overly cocky that it becomes unbearable. Great video Jessica! :)

[@moonlight-sunriize]

i feel like most people really do hate insta love and i’m the same way bc, like you said, i need the relationship to build instead of having it so quick into the book. 🤧 but great video!! 💞💞

[@lilylefco1469]

I don't like insta love, but I do really like when one person has like an insta crush but the other person doesn't know for a long time

[@nicoleh8371]

I really don’t mind surprise pregnancy when it’s done well. Particularly toward the end of a story after a relationship has already developed. The thing I hate though, in the same way is like an injury and hospital stay. I get SO bored and over it when we have to waste precious time in a book holding the hospital bedside vigil and it’s used as a device for how people change or get over their drama without actually talking about it. So. Boring. I also don’t have a problem with books that don’t spend as much time at work or school. I like to know that they are doing these things, because of course, it’s realistic. But, I couldn’t care less if I read about it. One of my biggest pet peeves is when characters don’t spend any time together furthering their relationship. If I wanted to see all the ins and outs of someone’s day for more than half a book, I would read a different genre. If I’m reading romance and see someone’s life aside from that, that’s great, but it should be contributing something to the overall love story. I just read a Jewel E Ann book, “Look the Part,” that did all of these things exceptionally well.

[@henrieharris9014]

You can tell your were talking about after in the end 😂😂

[@kellyc.7301]

I agree with all of these! I cannot stand when characters meet within the first few pages. I need to get to know them and their story a little. The book I picked up last night had the characters meet sentence three, and I was like nope! I put it down. (Simply Kelina)

[@ecole5000]

Yes to everything you said

[@ursulajoni15]

I know full well the consequences of leaving a newly adopted dog alone right after you take it home. when we adopted my dog we had something that was already scheduled that we all had to go to so we put her in her crate with her bed and food and water and we come home to find the cheesed somehow squeeze her way out of her crate and completely ransacked our home she ate $20 for my room a piece of one of my mom's shoes food from the counter cheap ripped apart a bunch of things at traumatized our cat and she was a year old when we adopted her just leaving a puppy out in your home alone is just asking for disaster

[@chrissssjay8795]

Books that go back and forth in time. Also kinda the same as your but relationships based on a lie(the most common I can think of is when a reporter lies about what they are reporting or that they are a reporter all together)

[@intheclauds37]

Lmao!!! The flu 😂😂😂😂

[@bringmetheblackveilbrides7361]

The miscommunication part reminded me of a book I read yesterday(which I loved) where there was a wife and husband, and the husband was often talking to this pretty woman, and the wife said to everyone that he was cheating(or thinking about cheating with her) and she was so sad and eventually confronted him about the “cheating”. Turned out the pretty woman was a horse seller and the man was surprising his wife with a gorgeous horse and then he got mad that she could even think he would ever cheat; it was a bit cute though when he got mad about it but I just felt like commenting cuz you mentioned it

[@dhanashreekadam5787]

Aah. Which book is this?

[@amelieromanticreader]

I love discussion video about tropes. I would love for you to make a video about your favourite tropes. I hat the surprise pregnancy trope. I avoid books with that trope because I can't stand it. Miscommunication is soooo annoying. As a person who communicates a lot and values the importance of communication, it is very irritating when the characters don't take the time to talk. A classic trope I hate is the love triangle. I never liked it and never will.

[@mimile9240]

I love all your videos!!! chatty videos about what you like dislike recommend are my favs!! (enemies to lovers) (erotica) (romantic-comedy) recommendations like those!!

[@samanthamitchell7738]

I hate the trope where two couples who are in love always have these break ups like oh, we can’t be together for some other reason and they say we can’t be together because it’s the right thing like good Lord it’s annoying

[@anthihavy]

I hate miscommunication in modern settings like your example too, but in historical/fantasy settings where women are oppressed, and the female character is a shy, quiet, and epitome woman and in a lower class than the male character; or they can't explain to each other because of outside force, like magic, then I'll be completely fine

[@keramgould]

Please someone tell me what the last book referred to is... the one that is possibly becoming a movie?!? Aside from that, I totally agree with just about EVERYTHING you said!

[@inaarasurani8111]

That's AFTER by Anna Todd

[@mommyharmony2041]

Yes, girl! I can not stand insta-love. I always lose interest when that happens.

[@QManagerin]

unrealistic dog-parents! YES! I almost always hate dogs in books in general- which is funny since I love them in real life. It's very obvious if the author don't have dogs or only use them as a cuteness factor. And it's solved so easily by writing one or two sentences about brining the dog to a friend/family member while you're away or have a dog sitter (I have one in RL because I don't leave them alone the whole day while working).

[@ashleyoreads]

I literally put down breaking dawn because of one of these tropes-like i was just over it. Also i think there was a scene in twilight with the waitress liking edward..but i accept that because have you seen his golden eyes? (it also might have been in the movie idk)... also i guess twilight was very instalove...idk at 14 i loved it XD

[@_Disa]

One I've noticed recently with m/m romances and that I really hate is the random proposal or adoptions, it happens so often, especially in the epilogue, and it's so unrealistic. They usually barely know each other enough to get married or the adoption happens really fast and they have no struggle to get it at all. I've read a series of 4 books and at the end of each book there was a proposal. The worst one was a polyamory relationship where they barely got together, weren't used to each other or this type or relationship and yet they already thought about adopting after randomly meeting someone in the street. It felt so forced and unecessary, especially when one of the characters was mute because of a trauma which would have been a lot more interesting to develop alongside their relationship.

[@solevazquezmaria]

I just found this old video! I would love it if you could update it. Are there any new tropes that you dislike? I hate insta-love and also when the whole plot takes place over, like, 2 months...maybe because I'm older but things that seemed very intense for 2 months in my twenties I can barely recall! I hate it even more when it ends with marriage or pregnancy. I also don't like dark romances where one of the main characters is a criminal: actual criminals are not romantic and murdering people gives you ptsd, I don't believe that a person who kills others (or looks the other way) can be a good enough person for me to root for them. And probably my least favorite trope is when the author hides something to have a big reveal and forces characters to talk in an unrealistic manner: "I haven't been the same since "the episode" happened, " or "if it weren't for "what happened" I would be willing to trust you, but "you know what you did"", and then the reveal is always something stupid

[@phillyst4668]

That’s so true about everyone hitting on the main characters. So annoying and unrealistic!

[@mirnatius]

My least favorite romance trope is ex girlfriend drama. I hate it and it’s a definite DNF if I see it. You mention hating the cocky women trope and I think it has to do with internalized misogyny, I think many other women have been conditioned to hate it because of society and media standards. I’ve never read that trope but I’m actually for it, I rarely see it and I would love to see more promiscuous, confident, cocky, etc... heroines. Thank you for admitting that you hate the fact that you personally dislike it, I think it’s a alright to at least admit that.

[@animeotaku7348]

Please do some fantasy romance recommendations

[@Groanola]

I am currently reading The Royals series by Erin Watt and Ella’s chapters in Broken Prince are full of her not willing to hear Reed out 🙄🙄

[@TheGoofy1932]

I hate surprise pregnancies especially where the woman decides to keep it from the father, like who does that? Get rid of her and try to get full custody of the kid. Second chance romances, if it didn't work the first time move on! Cheating! If a relationship is not working out be an adult and end that one then start the new one. Instalove, unless it's like a shifter fated mate situation. Yes,miscommunication as the main plot point bothers me. It's like a 5 minute conversation could have solved this, but now we're 300 pages into this mess. Ugh!

[@haticek.4261]

PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEAS TELL ME WHICH BOOK IT IS (THE LAST ONE THAT YOU DONT WANNA SPOIL)

[@inaarasurani8111]

That's definitely AFTER by Anna Todd

[@PeaceLoveBooksxo]

Inaara Surani 😉

[@melissalisea]

What was the book with the pregnancy at the end? i don't really mind that trope occasionally but yeah i hate the bet and miscommunications tropes just feel like filler and really annoying

[@elisabethlane6718]

OMGEEEEE! Hard agree on the surprise pregnancy romance trope for exactly the same reason! It becomes all.about the baby. Ugh.

[@zubaerchaudhari8267]

PeaceLoveBooksxo you’re just really most amazing female Booktube

[@charlottedlee]

Definitely miscommunication. I hate wasting chapters on them just being hating on the wrong things. Don't get me wrong. I like me some angst. But if I feel like the book is even more annoying than my real life, I'll get really pissed. Like if the girl is just trying to complicate things instead of moving on and being with the hero. That's annoying for me. 😅 I agree with the waitress and waiter thing. I haven't seen that in real life like a waitress flirting with the guest/customer. 😂

[@elllisgrey]

oh i’m the exact opposite of you with the “cocky girls” thing, i absolutely HATE when dudes are like “i’m so hot and i can have any girl i want” but when the girl does it i’m like yes bitch go off!

[@lilacfantasy4]

I HATE the trope where the girl is obviously a supermodel, but doesnt know she's beautiful until her man tells her. I hate it so much. I can respect it when she finds it out on her own and she discovers shes beautiful by herself or is actually not supermodel pretty and discovers things she likes about herself, but other than that...it just feels like another damsel in distress plot. I have yet to read a book about a girl who actually thinks she's pretty without thinking that shes better than other people because of it.

[@rpark5605]

You should listen to the podcast “Learning the Tropes”. I think you would like it.

[@eobrien1]

Best thumbnail ever! I totally agree w instalove and surprise pregnancy. They’re almost enough to make me put a book down. As to your dog point, I hate plot moppets/unrealistic depictions of kids, especially w dialogue. Newsflash! 5 year olds don’t have discussions and make really profound statements on the couple’s relationship. Also LOATHE overdone descriptions of food, which seems to really be becoming a thing in lighter contemporaries lately. Like sure, tell us what the meal is, but for the love, stop describing tastes of food to us as if no one has ever eaten a grilled cheese before. Other things that drive me bananas are: a “crazy” family that isn’t really crazy, sex scenes amidst dangerous situations in subplots of book, unnecessarily defiant heroines getting angry bc they can do it themselves when a guy is just trying to have manners (like opening a door). You can be a feminist and still let someone help you. Yeesh.

[@moonstone-dreamer6512]

i hate love triangles most books have one its so annoying

[@מאיהקרימקא]

I just hate it when they’re getting married after like a month Sooooo annoying And I’m with you on that pregnancy thing that’s just makes me wanna close the book and never reread it ever again

[@DragonLandlord]

i hate when the MC becomes friends with the kid and then suddenly falls for the single parent. yeah, you have to get close to the kid(s) too, but they always come across as a greater bond btwn the MC and the kid than the kid and their parent or the couple themselves.

[@phancy1194]

i HATE when there’s a bad boy who doesn’t care about anything, but then he reveals he’s a straight A student even though he doesn’t study or care! Thats not how real life works!!! I read three books in a row where this was a trope, so annoying 😤

[@halakaraca1195]

Can u make top romance books with strong female protagonist. Oh and if u know some viking romances I'll rlly appreciate it. I couldn't find anything like it and most of them r weak female characters. 🙆❤

[@AuthorEJamie]

LOL! 99% of your least favourites I absolutely love! I'll give you the miscommunication (USE YOUR WORDS, PEOPLE!) and cocky girls (while also acknowledging I totally have the same double standard! :p )

[@jjcheever]

I HATE triangles!

[@Ltandbeyond]

I understand that miscommunication can be frustrating but also, it can be reflection on real life relationships, right? Especially if the couples are young and still have some maturity to develop and then its provided as a learning curve for them, no? With the cocky girl... yeah, I gotta disagree with you on that one. Quite frankly, I'm tired of reading girls who are presented to being 'naive' but rather, they're stupid and the reason they're stupid is because they're virgins. This is mostly shown in the NA romance genre. There are virgins to understand the concept of sex, right?

[@Areyka]

It's not a trope but i absolutely hate when in epilogue the guy proposes to the girl to marry him or the girl announces she's pregnant.. the book ends, i am happy how it ended but then comes the epilogue with it and it makes everything so sweet and the book is ruined for me. I dont know why i hate it so much :D

[@tarareads23]

I hate miscommunication as a plot point. Assuming things without talking about it is so annoying. So annoying. It happens a lot in romance. lol Another trope is the single mom who decides that her baby daddy did her and her child/children wrong, so she's through with men for the rest of her life. Yeah okay. I know this is fiction but really I know a lot of single mother's and they keep trying and hoping for the one. I rarely find a romance where the single mom is willing to try and date again or knows there might not be room for live in her life now but maybe in the near future. It's like romances love to have the single mom afraid to love again, be done with men forever, etc. And the single mom is one of my fave tropes but not when it comes to 100% giving up on love. And we know she finds romance again because it is a romance. lol But not when she's so resistant for half the book. Not big fan of the enemies to lovers office romance. Just don't care for it.

[@markiehicks6740]

Yes girl I hate insta love it’s so annoying the girl’s is like oh he just saved my life from a dangerous situation and I think I’m in love with him and They just freaking met so yeah unless it’s for a reason like Colleen Hoover then I like the way she does that but other than that I hate it 😂

[@kem717jdm11]

I can’t stand the pregnancy trope. I always drop a book down a star when that happens. It’s the worst.

[@missmegan4052]

I hate when male characters say all the right things. Every guy I've ever dated has fumbled over their words talking about emotions. I read a lot of bad boy type romances, and when the author makes this big brolic dude give an eloquent speech about the depth of his love and flowery souls connecting, it just feels so inauthentic. Like?? What damaged guy with a fucked up past speaks in Shakespearean sonnets?

[@ecclesiastes2000]

Привет, детка

[@MissyP80]

Insta-Love makes me cringe, I hate it! I have dnfed quite a few books for that reason. I also can't stand the surprise pregnancy trope. One of my biggest pet peeves is the girls who acts so tough that she's just over the top. I love a good strong woman who can stand up for herself and doesn't play the damsel in distress all the time, but some of these women have so much attitude and toughness that they might as well be an alpha male. It's not attractive in a woman in my opinion and it makes me want to smack her lol! Great video Jess!

[@skadi6750]

1)I hate when they use fate as an instalove tool:-D Like soulmates and stuff. I forgive soulmate trope when the relationship still gets a fairly normal development arc. 2)Also hate if physical desire is misunderstood as eternal love and if authors main interest is on the persons hottness or size of their dick. I dont give a shit, I want them to dissect their brain for me. 3)I hate 100% happyendings! Give me trauma, give me permanent mark on my brain! I am not 12 anymore, I dont read fairytales:-D I hate when they end up together, free, happy, with family, married, conveniently rich, although they were poor the whole fucking time, all dreams fullfilled, nowhere else to go from there. I need my brain to keep working, after the story is over! 4)I also kinda hate if I am supposed to cheer to a love story, where a protagonist is cheating on someone else and the book does not see it as his flaw, just because the person, who is cheated on, is not a protagonist. Its a different case if the person, who is cheated on, has their own story or if its fully aknowledged as a massive character flaw. Then I take it. 5) I also hate miscommunication, but I forgive it, if its kinda the point of certain character... Like traumatised person with deep rooted problems to open up. And since I love mental health issues in stories, I can cut this one a slack.

[@KLR307]

If I had a dog, I would be ok leaving it home alone. They can handle themselves. I would only have one if I could be home enough to give them care and affection but they are capable of being alone for a while. I don't think the situations you gave were unrealistic.

[@JudithSanchez-ht6jn]

I saw other videos but this one is not my cup of tea.

[@eduo.2096]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 I am actually ashamed watching this cos I write and I’ve written at least 2 out of these tropes. I think the one that annoys me is unnecessary drama or strain on a relationship. Like you know u know u want to get with this guy/girl but you’re just dragging it out. Like!!! Ugh. It annoys me. Like we all know u want them so why all the unnecessary fronting? It pisses me off lol. Another one I hate is one that’s really common in mafia/Stockholm syndrome tropes. Where the girl who’s been kidnapped is this loud mouthed and snarky “strong feminist” mc that just starts talking back to her kidnappers and insulting them and being head strong and shit and I’m likeeee um, bish u need to stfu 😂😂😂 cos I’m likeee let’s be realistic here. This ppl kidnapped you. They’re dangerous. You’re supposed to be begging and crying for your life not running ur mouth. I absolutely hate that in books. Its so unrealistic and it irritates me tbh haha

[@Diningwithsatan]

I really dislike the stereotypical 'fake' ex-girlfriend that always seems to pop up in romance books. Ya know the one... She's skinny, fake boobs, fake blonde hair, always dolled up. Why does this warrant instant dislike, it's boring!

[@katyareads221]

I don't mind kids in stories, but hate when they use those kids to make you cry....Either they are abused, unpopular, unloved by their parents or dead beat dad or mom......why not kick a kitten while you are at it? Grrrrrrr

[@elizabethlewis3745]

You use the word "annoying" about 100 times in 12 minutes....coincidence? I think not.........