Cannot stand power imbalances. Relationships founded on things like boss/assistant, teacher/student, and huge age gaps can be and usually are dangerous and/or super toxic. I do think it could be done well if it's portrayed for what it is- toxic- but I think it's super irresponsible of the author to romanticize that kinda stuff.
I think this kind of falls under the same umbrella but I also hate romance stories involving some sort of contract, business deal, or trapping someone in the relationship for the same reason. It's just plain scary to me, I don't care how 'sexy' the dude who forced you into a contract marriage is, it's still abusive and terrifying. It's no better than a romance between a kidnapper and their victim.
This is why I dislike any kind of soulmate plot that makes soulmates inherently romantic/sexual. Like I love a good soulmate romance, love me some soulmates, but I the idea that it's inherently the love of your life takes away the choice. Same reason I'm fussy on reincarnation plots. I love platonic soulmates, they're just the one who completes you in some way, that doesn't mean romance to me and the idea that just because some fate gave you matching soul marks means you're absolutely definitely falling in love no questions asked is kinda uncomfortable. (Honestly, one of my favourite soulmate stories I ever read was a pair who were utterly against soulmate ideas and tried to actively avoid it and eventually became soulmates in hatedom and spent their days as eternal rivals/enemies)
Has soulmates (check)
Has reincarnation (check)
...My story ain't got nothing you said above, I swear.
I hate love triangles between friends.
It can be fun if it takes little time, but when it is extended...
I'm watching Korra and the first season, though great, could have been a lot better without the love triangle drama.
...
Also, BolinXKorra > KorraXMako
Had to say it...
With that trope, i get tired of it because the "hot guy" character usually has 10x the personality as the girl.
Ahh, I meant the personality of the protagonist. The reason lookers would get it on with those who aren't pretty is because they click. They have common interest or the other person has this something that's charismatic and that which has got nothing to do with looks.
The romance stories that fail to show that 'click' from the point of view of the efforts displayed by the protagonist just fails me, you know? They're just being a normal person, hiding under their hoodie and avoiding class. How am I supposed to know why the guy got attracted to them? XD
Not really a fan of enemies to lovers on a personal level, when it's something like bully and their victim. Two sides of a bigger conflict are okay for me, tho.
Also keep those cold and handsome CEOs away from me. xD
Personality is definitely important in relationships. Heaven-forbid, two people with common interests and complimentary personalities love each other (romantically or not).
In stories, I don't think a lot of writers take into account that guys have taste and can fall in love with someone's heart/personality. One of my best friends in college was one of the hottest guys I've ever seen and we loved each other. However, we loved each other as siblings and nothing more
I don't know if it's been mentioned before but I don't like it when they add a romantic rival, solely for the sake of adding drama. Like an ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend, can simply be an ex. Whether they are still friends or not, it's just weird to me that they'll have broken up five years ago and instantly want they back the moment the new partner is introduced.
On a wider scale than this, every one of the opposite gender, or same, or both, depending on the story, is either a "potential romantic rival home wrecker" or "uwu I'm so glad you two are together you're made for each other" and nothing in between.
Not really a trope, but anything with iffy consent is an eh for me. Like the guy being like: oh you didn't say no, so it's a yes. Those get especially uncomfortable if the girl (or I mean, this trope van happen with LGBT and vice versa too) then after a couple iffy consent scenes is like: omg yes this guy his so hot, I'm totally into it now.
And I do agree with a lot of these two: the bland protagonist, the "ugly" not so ugly bookworm and the sassy firecracker who actually doesn't get anything done are very annoying character tropes too for me
raises hand as a romance writer
But... hate the stories where they fall in love with their abductor/rapist thing.. just... yeah. nope.
@HGohwell Right? And the only "safe" people (especially in werewolf stories) are the male protagonist's immediate friends/family and their subsequent partners. No others friends than that.
@MeLovesTacos Same, and when your plain, yet beautiful, sassy bookworm also shifts into Xena Warrior Princess, I grit my teeth to hide my cringe
Tbh, I think that's most of the stories are going for it, but it's just doesn't come across because of the fairily basic level of writing.
Your most typical teenage high school female protagonist is 'nice' and modest to a debilitating degree, unfairly abused by everything and everyone the world, and secretly or openly more capable than her either terrible or bumbling parents and every teacher they come across.
Usually, they are 'too skinny' vs the voluptous, well-dressed 'sluts' of the school (that's another trope that I hate, btw, the Other Woman who is evil and a slut that the Hot Male MC should drop ASAP, but she would not let him) that the hot male MC rejects because they 'throw themselves at him' (and wear immodest clothes they despise vs the pure MC's virginal dresses....
One thing though I would personally warn writers again as too risky is an overweight male love interest in a romance. I had a male lead that had binge eating disorder and had been overweight, and despite everyone who read the story loving the character, I could never lift it off the ground.
Overall, when making the main characters average or inattractive looking it is a rather complicated game in the romance. I think it is pretty much unofficial rule of Romance with a capital R vs General Fiction
(If you're not sure who you love, maybe you don't love them at all);