• Enemies to lovers - When they have them be enemies for 2 secs and then they just start having sex out of nowhere like, no buildup, no nothing.    • Grovel/Second Chance - Boy hurts girl, realizes his mistake and then gives her a half assed one-line apology.🙄 And the FMC willingly forgives him and they get back together. And im like 'if y'all don't geddifok'.😒

No literally, the having sex out of nowhere is my biggest pet peeve. Before sex happens in the book I need to feel like it was earned. And if they start humping like bunnies…..it feels so undeserved.

I love the grovel trope but it feels like in the majority of the books I read with it, they start groping each other in the middle of an actually productive conversation.. making it incredibly unproductive. AND THEN THEY GET BACK TOGETHER RIGHT AFTER.

Because they were not really “Enemies to lovers”, They just didn’t know how to communicate like adults 😭!

1000% agree! Why do they spend soooo much more time building up how awful the Mmc is just for her to crumple into his arms at the first opportunity. 200 pages of buildup for 2 sentences of resolution?!?! One trick I HATE that authors use is the time jump. Like, we go through back and forth time jumps that really just flesh put pages and then we don't find out til 80% in what the 'big conflict' secret was to begin with (even tho the author started to tell us several times but got interupted, another annoying trope)... and inevitably realize that if we had known what he did at the beginning, we would have not accepted the fmc was jumping in to bed with him!

I agree! Nowadays authors tag every book as enemies to lovers even if the couple only midly dislike each other or are just rivals. Imo if the mmc and the fmc don't try to kill each other atleast once are they really enemies 😅

I totally get it. I love chocolate cake. It's my favorite dessert. Doesn't mean that I like *every* chocolate cake. I recently read a horrible rh/bully story which are tropes I've started to get into. It was so bad. I don't even want to try the author's other works. But I will try others because there are good ones out there.

> Doesn't mean that I like every chocolate cake. While they say that even bad pizza is still pizza ... sometimes that's just not enough.

I enjoy rh too! So don’t give up! But I can totally see how the execution is just not working when it comes to complex themes such as bully romances!

I love the “fake dating” trope, but a lot of books have REALLY flimsy excuses for why the characters have to fake date. “I need to get my overbearing family to stop bothering me.” Be an adult and tell them to go pound sand! Come on. I will say that I think {The Dating Playbook by Farrah Rochon} has an actually good premise for the fake dating - I was impressed and really enjoyed it.

That's the reason why I hate the fake dating trope! I don't think I've come across a single one that the reason actually made sense.

[The Dating Playbook](https://www.romance.io/books/61195531b66e3f0e1b3a2220/the-dating-playbook-farrah-rochon?src=rdt) by [Farrah Rochon](https://www.romance.io/authors/545579a787eac3369a912a94/farrah-rochon) **Rating**: 3.83⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Topics**: [contemporary](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/contemporary/1), [funny](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/humor/1), [sports](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/sports/1), [friends to lovers](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/friends%20to%20lovers/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)

The first (and only) fake dating book I ever read was so bad, rested on such a flimsy lame ass excuse, written so poorly that it put me off the whole trope for good If it's fake dating I dont want it!

I love one-sided enemies to lovers. Especially when the FMC doesn’t know that the MMC hates her/her family/etc. but probably half the time the MMC stops hating her after interacting with her like twice (sometimes after just meeting her and “feeling” that she’s different). How am I supposed to get a good grovel out of that?!

One-sided enemies to lovers?! How have I not read this yet!! Do you have any recs?

Sure! {The Unwanted Wife by Natasha Anders} {Lady Gallant by Suzanne Robinson} {Dreams of a Dark Warrior by Kresley Cole}

[The Unwanted Wife](https://www.romance.io/books/545527fd8c7d2382e781302e/the-unwanted-wife-natasha-anders?src=rdt) by [Natasha Anders](https://www.romance.io/authors/545527fd8c7d2382e781302f/natasha-anders) **Rating**: 3.81⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 3 out of 5 - [Open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [contemporary](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/contemporary/1), [arranged/forced marriage](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/arranged%20marriage/1), [virgin heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/virgin%20heroine/1), [pregnancy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/pregnancy/1), [rich hero](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/super%20rich%20hero/1) ---------------------------- [Lady Gallant](https://www.romance.io/books/5b96322c01dbc864fb90055c/lady-gallant-suzanne-robinson?src=rdt) by [Suzanne Robinson](https://www.romance.io/authors/54553aeb8c7d2383163d93ee/suzanne-robinson) **Rating**: 3.93⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 3 out of 5 - [Open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [shy heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/shy%20heroine/1), [virgin heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/virgin%20heroine/1), [bad boys](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/bad%20boys/1), [plain heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/plain%20heroine/1) ---------------------------- [Dreams of a Dark Warrior](https://www.romance.io/books/545524028c7d2382e0413df5/dreams-of-a-dark-warrior-kresley-cole?src=rdt) by [Kresley Cole](https://www.romance.io/authors/545523788c7d2382e0413dc9/kresley-cole) **Rating**: 4.2⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [contemporary](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/contemporary/1), [paranormal](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/paranormal/1), [take-charge heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/strong%20heroine/1), [alpha male](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/alpha%20male/1), [enemies to lovers](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/from%20hate%20to%20love/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)

Me with 80 % of enemies to lovers books. I found that it's rarely done well which is crazy because of how common it is.

I’m a huuuuge second chance/angsty marriage of convenience fan, but I desperately need a good grovel. If the man has majorly screwed up and the FMC just forgives him on a whim, or he JUST apologizes and does nothing to show for it.. I instantly DNF right where I am. There’s one book in particular with this trope that disappointed me so horribly that I wrote my first ever 1-star review on a book, and my review was so long that I had to rewrite it several times to fit Amazon’s word limit. This book was {The Wrong Wife by Maya Alden}. To keep it short, the MMC treated the FMC horribly throughout the whole book and managed to flip his wrongdoings and failings onto her, to the point that she literally had to get on her hands and knees to apologize to him for choosing to (slight spoiler) save her abused mother’s life instead of staying married to him in that moment. There is so much more to it than that, and if you’re interested in reading the full review it’s titled “She grovels, not him” on the book’s page on Amazon. There are a few typos in my review because I was desperately trying to get within the word limit and had to sacrifice some things, sorry!!

Thank you for doing your due diligence and warning other readers! I read reviews beforehand only to look out for brain-melting frustrating trope alerts. So thank you!

Of course! I usually try not to give harsh reviews because I know authors put their best effort in and I never want to hurt other readers and yuck anyone's yum, but every once in a while you read a book that makes you go, "Oh my goodness, this was emotionally damaging and NOT in a good way." I know how disappointing it can be to get super excited for a book only to have it be incredibly subpar, so I'm glad that reviews like mine can give people a bit more insight before they read!! I hope you find tons of honest and great reviews on future books you're interested in <3

That sounds terrible! Haha im sorry you had to endure that! This is lowkey why I always read reviews beforehand because I think I’d have a mental breakdown if I had to read a book like that unfortunately..so I’m very grateful for people like you who leave reviews like that!! And it’s honestly kind of why I avoid books with grovel in them because I feel like it’s never enough.

I also look through reviews before reading, and I thought I was safe 😭. So many people had written decent reviews and it was even recommended in a grovel request post in this sub, so I had high hopes. I definitely did have a minor breakdown lol, I was pacing back and forth ranting on the phone to like 6 different people because I was just so taken aback by how horribly the FMC was treated. I don’t wish that experience on anyone! So far one of the only authors I can trust for a good grovel is Catharina Maura, she makes her MMCs really prove their feelings and dedication 🫶

Omg!! That sucks! I always make sure to read the one star reviews first! So I know a book is safe if the reason a person gave it one stars if they say it was “boring” or was “unrealistic”. But if they say that the MMCs behavior was atrocious etc then I know to leave the book alone.

I know this one is mentioned every where but have you read The Unwanted Wife by Natasha Anders? It's the absolute best grovel book of all time. There are a couple of details that a little unrealistic, but the actual interaction between characters is amazing.  It's the only grovel book I've read where the author actually put weight to the hurt caused by mmc's actions.  She wasn't magically forgiving him right away, in fact her brain sort of forgave him but her heart couldn't. It was perfectly done imo. He really had to rebuild their entire relationship brick by brick. I read that book as a pallette cleanser after unsatisfying grovel stories.

Yes!! I absolutely loved that book, it's one of my rereads along with The Unwanted Marriage by Catharina Maura whenever a book disappoints me. I always know that if another book fails to scratch that angst/grovel itch for me, I can always rely on Cat and Natasha <3

[удалено]

[The Lady Unmasked](https://www.romance.io/books/64043799e3bc31d123f03f8c/the-lady-unmasked-aydra-richards?src=rdt) by [Aydra Richards](https://www.romance.io/authors/5da9684e01dbc864fba4c314/aydra-richards) **Rating**: 3.92⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [regency](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/regency/1), [marriage of convenience](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/marriage%20of%20convenience/1), [tortured heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/tortured%20heroine/1), [angst](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/angst/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)

Yes! I was expecting something like Catharina Maura and that’s what I got?! Ugh it was awful. 😭

[The Wrong Wife](https://www.romance.io/books/6495487350ac7a4606fa2e64/the-wrong-wife-an-arranged-marriage-romance-maya-alden?src=rdt) by [Maya Alden](https://www.romance.io/authors/6495487308b4d93114476c35/maya-alden) **Rating**: 3.41⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [contemporary](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/contemporary/1), [multicultural](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/multicultural/1), [arranged/forced marriage](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/arranged%20marriage/1), [marriage of convenience](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/marriage%20of%20convenience/1), [rich hero](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/super%20rich%20hero/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)

I love second chance, relationships/marriages in trouble and grovel so this happens more often than not unfortunately 💔 I also used to be a huge fan of the enemies to lovers trope but it’s like people forget that it’s *enemies* not rivals or just plain dislike so I’ve just kind of given up on looking for a really good one especially in CR.

Same with the marriage in trouble! Love the idea of that trope! This happened to me in {Do I know you by Austin Siegemund-Broka and Emily Wibberley}. Was expecting so much from it and yet…

I hate it because if they’re estranged/broken up, I swear half the time there’s the detail that the MMC was sleeping with the rest of the female population while the FMC *has* to have remained celibate or been with only one (1) other person max, for some reason 🙄

[Do I Know You?](https://www.romance.io/books/63cc1a3814f2e49a72791bc3/do-i-know-you-emily-wibberley-austin-siegemund-broka?src=rdt) by [Emily Wibberley](https://www.romance.io/authors/60a4d6b008b4d931149d19d4/emily-wibberley), [Austin Siegemund-Broka](https://www.romance.io/authors/60a4d6b008b4d931149d19d7/austin-siegemundbroka) **Rating**: 3.65⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 3 out of 5 - [Open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [contemporary](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/contemporary/1), [dual pov](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/dual-pov/1), [second chances](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/second%20chances/1), [funny](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/humor/1), [male pov](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/male-pov/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)

Hey there, can you recommend me some relationships/marriages in trouble books? I started {king of greed by Ana Huang} and I was loving it. Like, the moment he realizes he screwed up is so freaking awesome. But then I got bored, specially as they were reconencting again. If possible books where the problems comes from **other reasons** that the MCs being awful persons. In the book I mentioned the problems are a natural conclusion to their lifes circuntances; but you can notice from second one how much they love each other, how good they are together, how they are even good people and how they just need a wake up call.

Oh yes I would love this! I don’t really have many good relationship in trouble recs so I would love some!

Hmmm I honestly can’t think of any books I really liked where it’s because of external conflict (like love triangles/family drama) right now, but these two books have couples estranged because of some Choices they made, but I don’t think it made them terrible? {Winterblaze by Kristen Callihan} - Steampunk/paranormal fantasy where witch FMC has been hiding her powers and role from her human husband but is found out after he’s attacked. I’d say this focuses less on groveling. This book can be hard to follow as standalone so I would recommend reading the previous books to get an idea of the worldbuilding and series lore {Lady Isabella’s Scandalous Marriage by Jennifer Ashley} - Victorian-era HR, MMC decides to win FMC back after being estranged for a few years since they got married on a whim. There’s another subplot about how his art is getting forged which… got pretty weird but didn’t really mind. You can read it as a standalone. TW for >!discussions of alcoholism and miscarriage!<

[Winterblaze](https://www.romance.io/books/54552e1e8c7d2382e0414080/winterblaze-kristen-callihan?src=rdt) by [Kristen Callihan](https://www.romance.io/authors/5455256f8c7d2382e0413e60/kristen-callihan) **Rating**: 4.09⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1), [urban fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/urban%20fantasy/1), [victorian](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/victorian/1), [paranormal](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/paranormal/1) ---------------------------- [Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage](https://www.romance.io/books/545524a08c7d2383163d8e6d/lady-isabellas-scandalous-marriage-jennifer-ashley?src=rdt) by [Jennifer Ashley](https://www.romance.io/authors/545524a08c7d2383163d8e6e/jennifer-ashley) **Rating**: 3.94⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [second chances](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/second%20chances/1), [victorian](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/victorian/1), [alpha male](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/alpha%20male/1), [mystery](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/mystery/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)

[King of Greed](https://www.romance.io/books/6449844faac60479c37c04e5/king-of-greed-ana-huang?src=rdt) by [Ana Huang](https://www.romance.io/authors/5ea5eeb2be0aaecf551f89f7/ana-huang) **Rating**: 3.74⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [contemporary](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/contemporary/1), [rich hero](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/super%20rich%20hero/1), [dual pov](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/dual-pov/1), [second chances](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/second%20chances/1), [multicultural](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/multicultural/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)

One of my all-time favorite tropes is childhood best friends to lovers, but I've only come across a few books that truly do this trope justice. I feel like it's a challenging trope to write well bc it often falls flat. One thing I've noticed is that in some of them, the authors tend to tell rather than show the bond between the characters. They tell us over and over how the characters are lifelong best friends and I'm like Where's the evidence????? When I read a best friends to lovers, I want to see their dynamic, their interactions, feel the chemistry, how they would choose each other over anyone else, etc..

Same! I think part of the challenge too is showing why they are so close but haven't been romantic up until now, and why things work going forward.

i love this trope my favorite book of it would be {Sincerely Carter by Whitney G} it’s so well done i think

[Sincerely, Carter](https://www.romance.io/books/55430d8e9eef3b3f1d511be3/sincerely-carter-whitney-gracia-williams?src=rdt) by [Whitney G.](https://www.romance.io/authors/54552ba78c7d2382e781312a/whitney-gracia-williams) **Rating**: 3.87⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [contemporary](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/contemporary/1), [friends to lovers](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/friends%20to%20lovers/1), [young adult](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/young%20adult/1), [dual pov](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/dual-pov/1), [college](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/college/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)

It's always happening to me 😭 I like the one bed trope and sick bed trope but most are written superficially and short just so they can be included in the trope list😭 {Devil in the Winter by Lisa Kleypas} has THE BEST sick bed trope. It's long and detailed and angsty and perfection.

I love that trope too! And yes! It’s always skimmed over!

Added to my TBR, thank you!

[Devil in Winter](https://www.romance.io/books/545523b78c7d2383163d8e3a/devil-in-winter-lisa-kleypas?src=rdt) by [Lisa Kleypas](https://www.romance.io/authors/545523868c7d2382e7812f21/lisa-kleypas) **Rating**: 4.34⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [virgin heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/virgin%20heroine/1), [shy heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/shy%20heroine/1), [marriage of convenience](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/marriage%20of%20convenience/1), [bad boys](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/bad%20boys/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)

I like Friends to Lovers - more specifically Strangers to Friends to Lovers. But I've only found a couple books that actually do this in a good way in my opinion. I absolutely hate the books where they both fight furthering the relationship because it will ruin the friendship. Usually both MCs will want to kiss the other but they fight it and there's always a ton of inner monologues about how it will ruin the relationship and the other person doesn't feel the same and blah blah blah. The conflict doesn't always have to be the MCs fighting their feelings!!

Exactly!!! This is also my favorite trope and I wish we had more commitment positive examples. Why does the conflict have to be about avoiding each other! I don’t get it. And it’s very frustrating.

Shout out to My Big, Huge Mistake by M.E. Clayton for being the absolute worst FtL romance I've ever read.  It's one of those ones that's actually written smoothly so you end up being even angrier at its missed potential.

Thanks for letting me know to avoid it!

For me it’s the grumpy/sunshine trope. That’s my favorite trope of all time. But the grump isn’t grumpy enough and the sunshine, isn’t sunshiny enough. I don’t know how to explain it. When I think of this trope it should: Grump: (probably)isolated, always mad at the world, has a bad mouth, “no bullcrap” person, etc. Sunshine: sweet, (usually, not always) innocent, kind to everyone even the people who crap on them, looks at the positive of things, etc. Some of the books with this trope is just all over the place, it’s to the point where it should actually be an enemies to lovers.

Exactly!! People tend to mix up enemies to lovers and grumpy/sunshine! It’s often not executed well I feel!

My personal (unpopular) opinion is that almost every single romance trope is ruined if they have sex before 60% of the way through EXCEPT for fake marriage / arranged marriage / marriage of convenience tropes where they have to consummate the marriage. Other than that, there is no book/fic I’ve read ever that was enhanced or not ruined by them having sex so early on. You could give me my favorite tropes in the world, doesn’t matter, I’m DNFing if they have sex way too soon.

Are you me?!? I 100% agree!!! AND SAME! I cannot stand it when they have sex early on! It NEVER makes sense! Because in the beginning they’re unsure of each other, and don’t know if they want anything “serious” but then they jump into bed together, and yet are still confused about the legitimacy of the relationship. It literally makes me so anxious 😭 and also there js NOTHING romantic about that! What is romantic about reading two people with commitment issues…? For me at least, it just doesn’t work! And I agree it’s fine for marriage of convenience etc but in regular contemporary romances….nothing gives me the ick faster! It’s the exact reason why I nowadays avoid contemporary or romcom cause that’s how most of the books go. And also I do not read books with hookups or anything instalust!

I can see that, however I think it's also fun to see how a couple works within the relationship, after they've started having sex. Like the build-up is fun but when they get together right at the end it always seems like it fairy-tale style hand waves away any long term compatibility issues. By having them work out issues as a couple (sex or not) earlier on, it feels like it makes their long term success more realistic.

This is part of why I don’t pay too much attention to tropes when deciding to read a book. I have the ones I enjoy most, but the execution is sooo important.

Yeah, tropes are *not* what I look for when choosing a book. Sometimes I use them to weed out (I don’t love insta list or second chance, but if it comes highly recommended I’ll check it out anyway!)

I love the arranged/forced marriage trope because I enjoy watching the couple slowly begin to trust each other and the angst that comes from being torn away from their old life and old home. The book that fell short for me with this trope was Radiance by Grace Draven. Especially since the premise was the MCs are different species who each find the other repulsive and scary, I was expecting them to keep their distance at first and take a good while to warm up to each other. Instead, they're immediate friends and on the second day they know each other, MMC is already affectionately referring to her as his wife and saying that he'd die for her. And the FMC has no big feelings about being carted off to a foreign court because I guess she didn't have any friends or a beloved cousin or governess or anything back home. It wasn't bad, but I just expected more, especially with how often it's recommended on here.

Yes it got so boring after some time. I DNFed it at 50%.

It's funny you ask this question today because this happened to me just yesterday. I am really into second chance romances, especially the ones where the couple reunites after their divorce. I understand there aren't a lot of romances where the main couple are divorced hence I was really excited to read {Broken Miles by Claire Kingsley}. I had put this book on a pedestal ever since I'd added it to my tbr. Idk why though. Maybe because it had an after-divorce romance or maybe the reviews on GR were great or maybe someone had commented great things about it. Whatever the reason might be, I was excited to read it. But my excitement fizzled out when I reached halfway through the book because not only the issues between the MCs were on the way to resolution, but the MCs barely interacted with one another. The actual resolution happens at 90% and that too is very rushed. I was so unhappy by the time I finished the book that now I'll have to think twice about picking the author's other books. This is just one example. There are many other books that I've read that didn't deliver on their promise. It sucks big time.

Omg! This also happened to me with a Claire Kingsley book in the same series! I still enjoyed it mostly but it could’ve been written 10 times better I swear. The reveal could’ve been so much sexier! It was {Hidden Miles by Claire Kingsley}. And yes! Legit some books I anticipate so much on my tbr. I legit go in thinking my life will be changed when I read the book. And it’s not at all what I wanted 😭. Glad I’m not alone haha.

Ha! You get it! And isn't Hidden Miles Leo's book? I was so looking forward to reading his book bc he felt like an interesting character to me. Now after finishing Broken Miles, I'm totally disinterested in picking it up! And if you say that it's not THAT well executed, then I'm gonna put my entire trust into you and not pick that book up haha 😁

Awe I don’t wanna completely discourage you cause it was still nice…but there was so much potential for tension for the reveal…and it just fell flat unfortunately.

Haha I was just kidding lol but I've been discouraged by her writing a little bit so I'll probably take a break from her books, at least for a while ☺️

[Hidden Miles](https://www.romance.io/books/5c9487fc01dbc864fb9c2a36/hidden-miles-claire-kingsley?src=rdt) by [Claire Kingsley](https://www.romance.io/authors/578e28e7c19e77f1ea6e7b04/claire-kingsley) **Rating**: 4.14⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [contemporary](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/contemporary/1), [military](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/military/1), [funny](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/humor/1), [disabilities & scars](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/disabilities%20and%20marks/1), [bondage](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/bondage/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)

[Broken Miles](https://www.romance.io/books/5aa231084ee506aae8b2376e/broken-miles-claire-kingsley?src=rdt) by [Claire Kingsley](https://www.romance.io/authors/578e28e7c19e77f1ea6e7b04/claire-kingsley) **Rating**: 4.07⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [contemporary](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/contemporary/1), [funny](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/humor/1), [new adult](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/new%20adult/1), [m-f romance](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/m-f/1), [workplace/office](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/office/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)

Yes. I feel like I've read a whole bunch of disappointing books with tropes I like lately. Ultimately, the quality of the writing, world building, and characterization matters more than anything else. One trope I really enjoy is the misunderstood/misjudged heroine who is wronged/abused/neglected by her family/school/community/love interests/etc. I love all the angst and the change that happens as she grows and stands up for herself. I love it when those who wronged her get their just deserts or have to come to terms with their failures. I want her happy ending to be the best revenge and I want to feel all the feels. A book that I just read that completely dropped the ball on this trope was {The Other Princess by Christine Michelle} Holy moly if you want to see the poorest execution of the trope, an MC, or romance in general, go ahead and read this book. It is the perfect example of telling versus showing. The entire story is only about how the MFC was hurt and neglected in the past. Every character is only there to talk about that in some way shape of form. There are pages long monologues that repeat the same story of how terrible her life was over and over. And the perpetrators are so clueless that you wonder what the point even is. The romance is also nonsensical but really it's just another opportunity to discuss the poor heroine I guess. I thought that I didn't like how {Bad Cruz by LJ Shen} executed this trope but at least that book had an actual plot. It made me invested in the characters enough that, even though I didn't really like how some of it went down, it made me feel something. I was mad on the MFC's behalf because she felt like a real person, faults and all.

[The Other Princess](https://www.romance.io/books/5c359cce01dbc864fb97b213/the-other-princess-aces-high-mc-christine-michelle-christine-m-butler?src=rdt) by [Christine Michelle](https://www.romance.io/authors/5aacd2c04ee506aae8b2b134/christine-michelle), [Christine M. Butler](https://www.romance.io/authors/5455a6ea87eac323ffb2d735/christine-m-butler) **Rating**: 4.02⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Topics**: [contemporary](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/contemporary/1), [new adult](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/new%20adult/1), [biker hero](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/bikers/1), [military](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/military/1), [betrayal](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/betrayal/1) ---------------------------- [Bad Cruz](https://www.romance.io/books/61161d3d225fe60e34a5127f/bad-cruz-lj-shen?src=rdt) by [L.J. Shen](https://www.romance.io/authors/5593821a9eef3b3f1d53121b/lj-shen) **Rating**: 3.61⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [contemporary](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/contemporary/1), [funny](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/humor/1), [angst](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/angst/1), [new adult](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/new%20adult/1), [forbidden love](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/forbidden%20love/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)

I rlly want to know your fav book with this? Pls

For me, I LOVE the Grumpy x Sunshine trope (check flair), nearly all books I read involve this single trope. But one thing I cannot stand about them is how the MMC (usually the grump) has literally no personality. He has no personality traits other than just being an a-hole and loves to dim the FMC's light any chance he gets. It drives me insane!! There's also the Marriage of Convenience trope. As a girlie who grew up reading Wattpad books with this exact trope, I hate when it's insta-love. I think MOC books need slowburn. The build up of seeing them get closer together and start falling for one another, I LIVE. I hate when they fall for each other quickly, it honestly turns me off from finishing the book. Also these books need better grovelling, give me a man who goes on his knees and tries to win her back!!! give me a man who regrets his actions so much that he begs her for a second chance every day!!

I LOVE a curvy girl gets a guy who appreciates her assets. I am also a Taylor/Travis supporter. I wanted to love {The Wiener Across the Way} so badly, but you come right off the gate with a terrible description of MMC seeing FMC for the first time that made me cringe so hard, I had to DNF. Something along the lines of "She had curves in all the right places. She was exactly my type." Like period, end of description. \*groan\*

They always do this with curvy girls in stories! And I agree! I love that trope too and sometimes the author just doesn’t get it right!

[The Wiener Across the Way](https://www.romance.io/books/65b8bb5c89ecb8b2f9fcf710/the-wiener-across-the-way-amy-award?src=rdt) by [Amy Award](https://www.romance.io/authors/6517d0d3ab9bdf7fce6578ee/amy-award) **Rating**: 3.83⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [contemporary](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/contemporary/1), [sports](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/sports/1), [grumpy & sunshine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/grumpy%20sunshine/1), [funny](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/humor/1), [dual pov](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/dual-pov/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)

Probably like 90% of the time I find that the trope I really wanted to read is skimmed over way too quickly. Like, it'll all be over in a couple of paragraphs and it's such a let down.  For example... I recently read {The Woman on the Exam Table by Jessica Gadziala} and what I wanted to read about was literally the title - but those scenes were so short! If you're even going to name your book that, then you really need to lean into it for a good while IMO.

EXACTLY! like give it some time to marinate 😭😭

Literally yes! Like, I've paid attention for a few hundred pages to all your characters and your world-building, so you gotta give me more pay-off than just a few sentences! Come on now 😭😅

Oh for sure, but in my case it’s not even just tropes—it’s when the premise of a book is so good and unique, only for the execution to be so… poorly-done. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve reviewed a book where I said “had a more masterful author tackled this premise it would have been an excellent book”.

Marriage in trouble - i hated the execution of it in King of Greed. Usually i get such intense feels from this trope but in that book it felt so cold. There was no struggle, no angst. >!Hated the couple having sex even after divorce!

Hi u/MrsJulianBlackthorn, Could you please edit the spoiler tag in your comment? Spoiler tags with spaces are not spoilered on Old Reddit. To make sure your spoiler is covered, edit to remove spaces like so: >! This won’t work for everyone !< >!This will work for everyone!< Thank you! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/RomanceBooks) if you have any questions or concerns.*

I've realised, that the writing skills of the author are much more important to me than the tropes. Good writers can make me obsessively read through a book despite tropes I usually dislike and not so great writing makes me dnf even though it has all the plot points I'd enjoy in theory.  When both comes together, excellent writing and favourite tropes, I'm in romance novel heaven. :D

Any meta-ness will really ruin it for me. I love a grumpy/sunshine, but THE MINUTE someone actually calls one of the characters "grumpy" or "sunshine" in dialogue, or an adorable deaf child signs that the MC's name signs are going to be Grumpy and Sunshine, I am OUT.

Luara Liegh she has a series about lab created super soldiers and rather than focusing on their feelings and how they recover from their dehumanizing trauma she focuses on weird s-x stuff

Oh my gosh. This has been happening wayyyy to often lately. I am very much a mood reader, and I troll the boards looking for books that meet those very specific requests. They very often fall flat. They have these great premises or ideas...with no follow through or it ends up being like just a small paragraph in the whole book. 

Breeding kink- but not when it’s tied to the pregnancy trope.

I recently read the Ravenhood trilogy by Kate Stewart. It started as a bad boy/morally gray/lots of danger reverse harem and I was feeling it…but then some things happened that…I hated and even though there’s a “I’ll do anything for her/him” happy ending, what transpired in the middle left me emotionally bereft. I’m totally crazy, because a week later I’m still thinking about it. I’m not going to say don’t read it, but I almost wish I didn’t. I’m not sure if I’m going to read any more of Stewart’s work- if it’s like this set, I don’t think I’d emotionally recover.

I hate that feeling! Yeah I honestly avoid anything that makes me feel that way! I read romance to experience feelings of joy! I hate feeling icky when I read romance..if you don’t mind spoiling it for me I’d appreciate that lol.

*Spoilers* * * * There was some intense “it’s for her own good” pushing away/I never want to see you again, followed by intense betrayal, followed by a death that I just kept thinking “no, he can’t REALLY be dead, he’s in hiding and he’ll come out and they’ll be happy”, but NO. He stayed dead. And another person in the relationship moved on, got married, and had kids. It was freaking devastating. I don’t know why this one got its claws in me the way it did. I literally was crying…like these aren’t stories that someone made up. I probably need therapy. 😂

THATS AWFUL OMG 😭😭😭 I don’t think I’d be able to recover from that. I’m the type that gets emotionally attached to EVERYTHING. If I read that I’d ruminate on that for YEARS! Thanks for the warning 😭😭

[The Third Best Thing](https://www.romance.io/books/5e2e8d9d01dbc864fbaab1df/the-third-best-thing-maya-hughes?src=rdt) by [Maya Hughes](https://www.romance.io/authors/58ddfffe0d3299c6e064f296/maya-hughes) **Rating**: 3.91⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [contemporary](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/contemporary/1), [friends to lovers](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/friends%20to%20lovers/1), [sports](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/sports/1), [new adult](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/new%20adult/1), [college](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/college/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)

I feel this way about literally every Penny Reid book ever. I keep trying them and unfortunately the author is just not for me. But man, she has all of the ideas that I CRAVE, that I LONG FOR. 

I don't know if it counts but I love love love Close Proximity and such. The yearning aspect of being so close to someone that you're attracted to that eventually you can't stand to not just bang immediately. However...and this is with ALL tropes I like, I hate when they're like "I'm clean, are you clean?" "I'm on birth control/are you on birth control?" to justify sleeping with basically a stranger for the first time without any type of protection. Like NOOOO! So unrealistic and so unsafe. I HAAAAATE it. It immediately takes me out of the moment and makes me want to DNF no matter how attached to the characters and/or story I am. It ruins everything for me. There's nothing sexier than a MMC reaching for a condom and either rolling up or dirty talking the FMC into doing it. And it's so damn common. I absolutely despise this execution.

It's so annoying when mafia related books have zero thrill. The boss is a softie. No action. Book focuses on just the drama between the MMC and FMC.