Are Romance Tropes Warping Our Perception of IRL Romance?

Meagan Griffin

Within the past five years there has been a resurgence in reading. Maybe resurgence is the incorrect term to use. Reading has found itself in the zeitgeist with BookTok and other social media platforms recommending new pieces of literature for readers of all ages to sink their eyeballs into. This has brought literature classics back into book lovers' reading lists and has given way for the now, wildly popular, “romantasy” genre to thrive in an age of instantaneous Google searches. Yet this genre was not new to the average bibliophile as many have been familiar with this version of romance literature for the longest time. As they have even been reading within these romance sub-genres way before BookTok influencers brought them to the forefront.

In fact even the average book reader has probably gone further than the “romantasy” genre. They have scoured the internet for new books that offer a bit of spice to their reading experience. As that was a part of the reason why “romantasy” even gained traction. Since a part of appeal was attractive magical characters trying to save their world. All while there was underlying sexual tension between the protagonists. This spice has led some readers to partake in “dark romance,” another sub-genre that has also seen a rise in popularity.

What can be said about the “dark romance” sub-genre? It is exactly as the name suggests. What was once a taboo has become a loud secret within the bookish community. As the sub-genre has many tropes within it that have become infamously romanticized. While enemies-to-lovers and other spicy tropes are well loved, there is the other side of the “dark romance” coin. This would be the toxic tropes such as Age-gap, Boss x Employee, and Stalker relationships. Which are heavily romanticized by young readers who are unable to identify or justify the characters' toxic actions.

The justifications that are made for these tropes, is that the characters “consent” to being in these relationships and that the novels are simply a work of fiction. What the (young) fans do not see is how this affects their perception of real life romances. As these novels promote parasocial/harmful behaviors that give an impressionable reader the idea that these toxic fictional relationships are acceptable. As we are all heavily connected through social media platforms and are constantly taking in information. It makes these characters' actions more appealing to young readers who see these books as trendy.

There have been even instances of people misconstruing the interactions they have had with their co-workers, psychologists, and their professors. It is especially alarming that these experiences are documented online, where there are more opinions fueling the delusions. Strangers that will encourage this behavior on a whim without considering the consequences that their input could have. These parasocial interactions drive engagement to this behavior, which also boosts the original toxic “inspiration.”

Another aspect of the “dark romance” or the romance genres, is the spice. While the expression of sexuality in literature is enjoyable, there has been less literature and more smut. This very subject is highly contentious in online book communities. As the books that contain pure smut are making their way to the top of sites such as GoodReads without having a plot. So, those who are wanting to jump into a new series are disappointed when the book they have chosen from social media or GoodReads doesn’t check the storyline box. There is also an unusual habit that is developed by avid readers of spice.

That habit being, calling people prudish for not engaging with this kind of content or reading a series that is too “plain”, by their warped standards. With even aspiring writers becoming discouraged as they see people being disinterested in a novel without spice. This leads into another recent development in the bookish community. Which is the lack of story all together. There should be a plot and the smut should be adding something to the protagonist's development. Not just smut, being the main focal point of the novel. Otherwise the chatter from those online of what is good, bad, or “plain” is null and void since a story without a plot is just poor writing.

What a sour note to leave this blog post on. Yet there is much to be said about the power of a reader. We can simply change how we engage with different kinds of content with a turn of the page or putting a book back on a shelf. By steering the conversation to books that have an immersive plot, with healthier relationships, and tasteful smut there is hope for a happier ending.