Romance plot conventions

[oyceter]

Because I am having a very interesting conversation with Justine right now...

What are the romance tropes and conventions that drive you nuts? Why?

And which ones almost always work for you? Why?

And which ones are the ones in-between? I.e. if done well, they totally work, and if done poorly, they prompt chucking the book at a wall.

Bonus question: does Doomed Love work for you? What counts as Doomed (or, should I say, DOOMED)? What about love triangles/quadrangles/geometric shapes?

(Note: these aren't limited to romance novels, but to any narrative that involves romance-with-a-small-r.)

Also, please put spoilers in spoiler text! <span style="color:#333333;background:#333333">Spoilers go here</span>

Comments

[oyceter]

One character's pre-relationship life, dreams, interests and such being devoured by the other character's without negotiation, discussion, etc.

OMG YES. Also, in romances, why does it always seem to be the heroine?? (rhetorical question)

Good point about Bad Things looming.

[the_rck]

I find myself wondering if the problem of Bad Things looming explains some of the popularity of Regencies. A reader with an average U.S. education knows almost nothing about British history, beyond the broadest strokes, between the Napoleonic Wars and World War I. Regencies can be after the Napoleonic Wars while still having time for the characters and their children to be assumed to be safe from World War I.

Of course, that sort of 'safe' gap could be found in other settings, too. I wish that it were something that more authors played with. It would require more work from both writers (research and incluing) and readers (paying attention and inferring).