Romance Tropes: Enemies to Lovers

Every writer has a favorite trope -- this is mine. Share your thoughts on Enemies to Lovers in the comments below!
Love Triangles video: • Are We Writing Love Tr...
Follow me on Instagram: / electraarcher
#tropes #romance #writing #enemiestoloverstrope

[@ElectraArcher]

I had a little trouble with the audio on this one, so I hope it’s not too noticeable/distracting. I’ll be getting new editing software soon, so hopefully improvements follow!🤞

[@FishareFriendsNotFood972]

I would say part of what is appealing for the enemies to lovers trope is it flirts with and sanitizes the substantially more dangerous 'predator and prey' tropes (I would put Bella and Edward in that category frankly). Predator and prey is perhaps the older trope, it's all over the bible, for instance. And why humanity is obsessed with framing human lust/love in those terms I think is a fascinating question. I would say on a very deep level, humans realize that love leads to procreation and procreation leads to your own replacement and death, so there's a built in danger/death wish to romantic love. We worry if by loving someone we could be killing them (predator), or that loving could be the death of us (prey).

[@wordswithdragons9599]

for me the biggest issue i've had with enemies to lovers is occasionally when things feel too unequal and lean into "character a just constantly takes character b's crap and would never actually leave and/or enforce consequences". sometimes you can have enemies to friends (to lovers) where the 'hero' always believes generally in the villain without much relinquishment (aang and zuko from ATLA perhaps) but even then there's boundaries and "i'm not going to just blindly let you join the group just because you saved us once" (which... unfortunately shera couldn't quite handle). i'm generally more a fan of if there is a power imbalance, it ends up being totally flipped by the end through the act of falling in love, or like - if there's torture and death threats, it's going both ways the whole time

[@carolinecdouglas]

I found your channel a couple of days ago and have since watched all your videos. Great work and I love hearing your perspective and all the great points you bring up in an efficient little video! Thank you. Enemies to Lovers is my favorite too.

[@jacobs483]

The fundamental appeal of the “enemies-to-lovers” trope is the built in requirement that the enemy sees the individual as some kind of threat. A threat is something that is taken serously, if for no other reason than it has power that you recognize. Even if they belittle and behave poorly towards the person, even trying to make them feel weak and powerless,the fundamental motivation is a recognition of the opposite. It’s a trope I hear a lot of my female friends really enjoy.

[@BlackDisneyPrincess]

Belle does not have Stockholm syndrome and she was about to leave The Beast’s castle after he frightened her which they both acknowledged and Belle bullied the Beast back after he screams at her and learns how to behave

[@vilmavanninen6950]

"enemies to lovers" means that the characters try to kill each other before they fall in love, not whatever the hell the Bridgerton siblings put their future spouses trough. What do you people think "an enemy" IS?

[@DaddyOfTheSugarVariety]

I vote for Kermit & Miss Piggy😋

[@carolinaazevedo2088]

I really think some are very bad, but I love this trope.

[@savanadelanore]

Kresley Coles Immortals after Dark. 😻

[@Kari_Grey]

RWaRB is less absurd in the book. Not a masterpiece, mind you, but a total cozy self-care read

[@LeChaosRampant]

My thoughts on the subject are… Catra and Adora are perfect together and they shall be forgiven of all their misdeeds. I will not hear otherwise 😅

[@SweetLala25]

Sorry but this troupe is one of my least favorites. If anything, I avoid it as much as possible. If for some reason we don't get along, I move on. There's no need to "battle it out" and then wham we're in bed together. I also really really hate the 'kidnap FMC and r-word her but we still end up together' BS. Please talk about harem troupes or fantasy mate troupes.

[@lakesuperioraquamanproduct1637]

Re: Kylo & Rae-Rae: if only they HAD been lovers...