What’s the most annoying trope in books or movies?
There’s something about the instalove trope that makes me want to throw my book across the room.
Don’t get me wrong—I love romance. I love the tension, the stolen glances, the awkward conversations, the moments where two people are clearly attracted to each other but neither one wants to admit it. I love the slow realization that oh no, I actually really like this person.
But when two characters meet on page twenty and suddenly they’re convinced they’ve found their soulmate? Please.
And it’s not just books. Movies do this all the time, too. Two people meet, have one meaningful conversation, stare deeply into each other’s eyes for approximately twelve seconds, and suddenly we’re supposed to believe they would die for each other.
Romeo and Juliet is probably the OG example. They meet and fall for each other almost immediately, despite knowing virtually nothing about one another. Twilight gives us Bella and Edward, whose attraction becomes an all-consuming, life-or-death romance remarkably quickly. The Princess Bride gives us Westley and Buttercup’s legendary devotion, while movies like The Notebook and Titanic also move very quickly from meeting to intense romantic attachment.
And books are absolutely guilty of it, too. Twilight, Romeo and Juliet, Outlander, and even The Princess Bride all have some version of that immediate, overwhelming connection.
I understand why people love it. There’s something incredibly romantic about the idea of meeting someone and just knowing. No doubts. No awkward getting-to-know-you phase. No wondering whether they actually like you. Just: There you are. I’ve found my person.
But personally?
I need the middle.
What happened to the build-up?
Give me awkward conversations. Give me unresolved tension. Give me stolen glances and accidental touches. Give me meaningful moments that make me slowly realize these two people actually understand each other. Give me the period where neither character is quite sure how they feel, but the reader absolutely knows something is happening.
I want to watch them earn each other’s trust. I want to see them learn each other’s weird habits and flaws. I want them to discover why they’re compatible instead of the story simply announcing, These two are soulmates, trust me.
That’s why instalove often feels like a shortcut to me. Instead of showing us why these characters belong together, the story tells us they’re obsessed with each other and expects us to feel the same way.
And maybe that’s the difference for me: I don’t want to be told that I’m supposed to root for a couple. I want the story to make me root for them.
Give me the painfully slow burn. Give me the tension that makes me want to scream, JUST KISS ALREADY.
I will take that over “I met you three days ago, but I would die for you” every single time.
