List of regency romance tropes
What are tropes?
Tropes are common themes, plot devices or motifs. In other words, they are common scenarios and patterns that often take place in a novel of a particular genre. Novels don’t need to have all these tropes to be considered a regency romance, but you’ll notice when reading regency romance novels that these tropes may turn up time and time again. For example, a common trope in regency romance novels is the marriage of convenience, when the love interests get married because it brings them other benefits, such as money or status.
Here is a list of regency romance tropes to use as inspiration in your own novel.
List of regency romance tropes
Relationship tropes
He must marry to retain his title
Marriage of convenience
Enemies to lovers
Friends to lovers
Grumpy/sunshine
Rake
Wounded war hero
Childhood sweethearts
Marrying for status or title
Reluctant heirs
Falling for someone without a title or money
The spinster sister (at the elderly age of 25!) finds her match
Given up on love
Wallflower catches the eye of a rake
Marrying for love
Arranged marriage
Commoner catches the eye of a prince or lord
The widow gets a second chance at love
The Ton's most eligible bachelor
Country girl arrives in town
Ruined reputation
Scandal tropes
They were caught kissing (gasp!) or in an otherwise compromising position
Illegitimate child of a nobleman
The cautionary tale – a young woman who was caught in a compromising position and ruined her prospects of marriage
Secret engagement
They've kissed or were spotted unchaperoned, and now he must marry to protect her honour
Getting pregnancy before the wedding
Marrying knowing she's pregnant with someone else's child
Mistaken identity
Men duelling for a woman's hand in marriage
A broken engagement
Family tropes
Love interest is engaged to a sibling
Illegitimate heir
Sibling's best friend
Marrying to appease one's family
Heir must marry an acceptable match to get inherit his fortune
Family scandal ruins her prospects
All the best with your regency romance novel! If you're not ready to go back to writing and feel you need more procrastination – I mean, planning – time, why don't you look at my developmental editing services or free writing advice?