Hello everybody and Happy Friendship Day!
It is August already and you know what month it is?? The Romance Awareness Month! Now I don’t know from where and how it generated but being a historical romance devourer I had to do my bit. So I decided that each week I’ll read at least a book by a new to me HR author. And do HR related Super Seven Sundays. The first week turned out to be very successful as I started Secrets series by Anne Mallory. And for today for the Super Seven Sunday I’m doing my super seven tropes in historical romances!
For beginners, according to Wikipedia, the word trope has also come to be used for describing commonly recurring literary and rhetorical devices, motifs or clichés in creative works. There are so many tropes out there and frankly I love them all (except a few maybe?). But if I had to pick my favourites, they would be these in no specific order:
Marriage of Convenience
I don’t know why but I love this trope the most. As the name obviously suggests, two people get married just for mutual benefit. Then slowly they start to see each other’s better sides, the one they find desirable but being too stubborn and holding on to their vow of being in just marriage of name, they resist each other until the inevitable occurs and they find themselves crazily in love! Unsurprisingly, my favourite historical romance novel falls under this trope!
Devil In Winter
Rakes and Rogues
There’s something really heady about a dangerous man with a wicked wit, who when meets the right woman literally and figuratively falls on his knees for her. It’s funny when all the mamas want to keep their daughters away from the rake with a horrible reputation but secretly wish to get him married to the same daughter.
When He Was Wicked
Non Tonnish
Reading about the ton sometimes gets a bit monotonous so not only is it refreshing when one of the protagonist is from the non tonnish background but also it gives me a high when they break some society rules to be with the one they truly love. It’s important to remember that to have a Happily Ever After is possible for everybody from a Duke to a lowly shop girl.
Any Duchess Will Do
Tortured Hero/ Heroine
It’s a no brainer really. Usually one or both hero and the heroine has suffered some kind of tragedy in the past which makes them unable to trust people or open up or fall in love. Therefore, it’s all the more sweeter when they struggle against the self-created barriers getting over their pain and past fears to be completely with the one they love.
The Highwayman
Wallflowers
Ah! Never forget boys that the overlooked girls are always the gems! Being a wallflower simply means that the lady doesn’t fit into the standard moulded by the rigid society. It’s such fun to read about such woman and how they finally find a man who recognizes their true richness. And that’s why not surprisingly The Wallflower Series by Lisa Kleypas is my favourite!
The Secrets of a Summer Night
Villainous Heroes
I don’t know about you people and you might think me crazy but this trope is almost a fetish for me. I swear to God I love nothing more than a man- a bad man whose a danger to all but that one woman he’s absolutely in love with. That he would literally kill if his lady love is in danger. In my brain I know that a real man like would be a bit psychotic but in literature he’s the kind of man I would want!
Duke of Sin
Lost/ Mistaken/ Hidden Identities
These I believe are the most fun to read! When one of the protagonists is mistaken to be someone else or hides some other entity maybe just for fun or maybe it’s a secret that will rock the ton who knows? But there are bound to be many situational hilarious moments and confusions that I as a reader know about but can’t wait for that other person to find out!
Seven Secrets of Seduction
Well these were my favourites and what are yours? Is there a combination that you love even more?
If you ask me marriage of convenience with a rake makes a deadly combination! So I hope you enjoy the list and I’ll see you very soon. Have a lovely Sunday and happy romancing! 🙂 Love,