Discussion Post
My Least Favorite Romance Trope?
We all have that trope we just stay away from. Maybe it reminds us of something from the past, maybe we just find it stupid and unrealistic. Either way, we ALL have one! Mine you ask?
-TIME SEPARATION-
Seriously… those two words. They stoke a fire in me, that makes me want to scream and throw things. I LOATHE stories that have the Hero & Heroine separated for a long period of time. Anything longer than eight months is simply TOO LONG.
What’s worse is you don’t always know you’re reading a book that has time separation in it. You have ZERO time to prepare. Whereas other tropes you do have time to prepare, or just simply stay away from. Like my second least favorite trope – Teacher & Student, NOPE! I REFUSE to read those. But that’s a story for another time…
My point is, other tropes you can read in the description; secret billionaire, enemies to lovers or even a fake relationship trope. Time separation sneaks up on you. They make you fall in love with the characters and then BAM! Some tragic event tears them apart for years.
Oh my word! The worst one that has snuck up on me was The Locker Room by Meghan Quinn. That book was AMAZEBALLS, and then you hit 70% and they’re torn apart for… “Wait for it!” …EIGHT YEARS!! Like what the actual hell? What’s the point of that? I seriously can’t even. 🤦🏼♀️ The book itself is just SO freaking good that even with time separation, it’s still my fifth favorite book.
I think a big part of disliking this trope is that my parents were high school sweethearts. However, my dad, to put it frankly, was a dumbass and married someone else. They didn’t find their way back to each other for fifteen years! Imagine, being apart from the person you loved, your soul mate, for FIFTEEN FREAKING YEARS! These people aren’t living their truly best lives because their other half isn’t with them. It not only affects those two people, but those around them -trust me, I know.
In the novel I mentioned (The Locker Room), one of the characters says; “I remember the day they split, because it was the day a very different Knox was born. He was known for being one of the good guys… the man who always has a kind word and a quick joke. But when he lost Emory, Knox became a complete bastard. No one wanted to be around him.” UGH! 😭 Just thinking about this book again has me all worked up.
Anyway, my least favorite novel with this trope? EASY. It’s A Love Letter to Whiskey by Kandi Steiner. She’s an amazing author! Her book Blind Side is in my top fifteen favorite books. That’s why I had hope for this book. NOOOPPPEE! Oh my gosh, that book’s premise is garbage. 🙄 I loved the Hero & Heroine, but the constant back and forth (and four love triangles) over eleven years is seriously ridiculous and mentally exhausting. Either get it together or move one!
So basically, in the words of the Grinch;
Diary of a bookworm 
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