Bookending Autumn '19 – FALL in love
Good morning bookworms!
Welcome, welcome, welcome, to BOOK ENDING AUTUMN!! This is my final hosting post, and can I just give a great big gushing THANK YOU to everyone who has liked, commented on, or JFC actually done one of my prompts?! You have all made my little black heart a bit fuller.
This post is part of Bookending Autumn 2019, which is organized by Sam & Clo!! The prompt for today, “FALL in love” is hosted by Me! (This will never stop sounding weird…) If you want to do this prompt, please don’t forget to link back to this post!
Prompt Explanation: Autumn is for walks in the brisk air, drinking lattes, wearing matching scarves and hats, jumping in piles of leaves… wait! Is this sounding a little tropey to you? Let’s talk about some of our fave (and not so fave) love tropes.
Enemies to lovers
Honestly, I just can’t get enough of this one. Their passion and lust for each other is so wild they thought it was hate… or maybe it was hate to begin with, and then slowly grew into admiration (but loathful) and then one day when they were standing too close or they pulled a piece of lint from your shoulder, a switch flipped and suddenly they were the dream partner. Who knows how this happens (magic, hypnotherapy, poison) but it does. And it’s corny and I love it.
Fave recs: Captive Prince, The Hating Game, Red, White and Royal Blue, The Cruel Prince
Fake dating
Ahhh, fake dating is the best (well, after enemies to lovers…). I mean, who knew that if you held someone’s hand for long enough or kissed them many times, you might actually develop REAL feelings for them? *gasp* Not these characters! Nope. They couldn’t see it a mile away.
Fave recs: The Kiss Quotient, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before
Slow-burn, nerdy, self-conscious lovers
“I mean… I’m such a nerd / dork / geek / introverted-monster-who-lives-in-a-cave! Why would they ever love me?!” Ahhh… young love!! If it’s not plagued with self-doubt and crushing anxiety then who would believe it anyway? And if it takes 6 times longer to actually happen due to conflicting emotions (ewww, emotions!!) then EVEN BETTER!! (Yes, apparently I AM an introverted monster who lives in a cave because I do enjoy watching these nerds suffer…)
Fave recs: Emergency Contact, The Upside of Unrequited, The Summer of Jordi Perez, Going Off Script, Fangirl
If someone could please write me a book with a nerdy, anxiety-ridden protagonist who starts off as brutal enemies with the cool kid, and then they end up fake dating, which inevitably leads to them falling madly in love forever, I would possibly leave the Husband for you. Or at least bake you lots of cookies, cupcakes, etc.
Insta-love
Look, I’m sorry. I just don’t get it. Insta-lust, for sure, understand 100%. Lust that can turn into love, ok I get that too – with time. But Romeo and Juliet style “I’ve known him for 12 hours and would arrange to fake kill myself because I can’t bear the thought of being without him (even though we are 14…)” nope. I don’t stan that at all.
Love triangles
Unless this is less of a triangle and more of a polyamorous relationship that everyone consents to, then I don’t care. It was actually one of a few things that pissed me off about Darkdawn. I don’t really recall ever seeing it done well, and it always ends one of two ways: a) X and Y end up together and the relationship with Z sours and ends badly, or b) X and Y end up together and Z meets and (instantly) falls in love with K, realising that they were never really in love with Y to begin with – it was just their long term friendship getting their feelings mixed up… Please excuse me while I’m vomiting over here.
Cheating
I don’t abide by it, and I won’t tolerate it. If you want to be with someone other than your current partner then end the relationship or have a grown up discussion with them first. If you’re doing it out of retribution or retaliation, then why are you still with them in the first place. I’m not religious, but I live by the motto “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” and I would not want that to happen to me. Also, it’s a cheap plot device and is usually linked to either a love triangle or insta-love.
On a slightly less salty note, I just want to say one more thank you for all your support these last few days! And if you think this is the last of my BE Autumn posts, then… HAHAHAHAHAHAHA… you may get a surprise in the next two weeks!!
What are some of your liked and disliked tropes?
22 Comments
suzannarivera
I’ve got similar taste! Love enemies to lovers but I can’t stand cheating or love triangles. It’s normally just extra drama thrown in and is annoying
Meeghan reads
That is such a mood!! I also dislike “unnecessary non-communication” like, be a grown up and talk about your feelings. With the person you have feelings for. (Not like, everyone else in existence.)… but I thought I should keep it to an even 3 positive and 3 negative!!
suzannarivera
Yeah I agree and it would solve many things quicker. Sometimes stuff like that gets prolonged so much!
Meeghan reads
So annoying!! (Although I do acknowledge no one has their shit together in real life either…)
suzannarivera
Yes very true
dbsguidetothegalaxy
Enemies to Lovers is just *chef’s kiss*. I honestly can’t get enough of them – even if it’s just the two characters looking at each other with “oh no, look at them. I hate them with a passion” – like SURE OF COURSE YOU DO.
Fake dating leads to one bed trope and that leads to “oh no we have to practice kissing in private so we don’t look bad in front of other people” ahaha Like I’ve read millions of this trope and I will still read millions more because it never gets old ?
The Summer of Jordi Perez was such a cute book!
What really annoys me is when they put insta-love AND love triangles together?? Like why would you do that? If I had to pick, I’d probably chose love-triangles, but don’t put them together!
Meeghan reads
Insta-love love triangles are the worst!!
And yes please, I want all your enemies to lovers and fake dating trope recs please!!
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PerfectlyTolerable
I agree with every single one of these!! But specifically Enemies to lovers is my favorite and love triangles are my most hated! Great answers!
Meeghan reads
Naww!! They are the best/worst, aren’t they!!
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Kristina
Ohh yes !! I love “Slow-burn, nerdy, self-conscious lovers” so much !! because you know what? I do that so damn well aswell xD
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theorangutanlibrarian
I can’t get enough of enemies to lovers too! Loved the hating game and cruel prince. Really want to read red white and royal blue. And fake dating is the best! Love your picks for that! I hate insta love, love triangles and cheating too.
Meeghan reads
I do love that so many of us agree on these things!! I hope you enjoy Red, White and Royal Blue when you get to it!! ?
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