posted on December 9, 2014 by Wynter Daniels

The Value of Romance Tropes

by Wynter Daniels

TSH_500Have you ever ordered an item from the internet only to receive it a week or so later and be completely disappointed that it wasn’t at all what you’d had in mind? The sping-do or whatever looks nothing like it did in the picture. And your hopes are dashed.

Romance tropes are a lot like those descriptions next to that item on the computer screen. They tell you what you can expect from a story. Be it a friends-to-lovers tale, a secret baby story, one about an affair between the boss and his secretary, the trope lets you know exactly what you’re buying.

I’d hate to order a pair of gold hoop earrings for pierced ears only to receive clip-on pearl studs set in silver! But just because you know what you’re getting in the way of theme, that doesn’t make the ride any less exciting. Twenty amnesia stories will take the reader on twenty different journeys of character and plot.

In The Surrogate Husband, I employed two popular romance tropes—opposites attract, and the fake marriage. Lucy and Dex are different in most every way, from the way they think to how they dress, to the way in which they were raised. Often the fake marriage story involves the hero looking for a woman to play his wife, but in this book, it’s Lucy who’s in need of a groom.

You have my word that The Surrogate Husband uses these tropes. No bait and switch here! Isn’t it nice to know you’ll be getting what you you’re promised? That’s the value of tropes.

The Surrogate Husband

To have and to hoax…

Wild child lingerie store owner Lucy Hamilton is a happily confirmed bachelorette. As far as she’s concerned, men are something best enjoyed in small doses, never to be allowed too close. Then Lucy’s mother tells her Aunt Bev that Lucy has eloped and is married—a tiny lie only meant to appease the dying woman…until Aunt Bev miraculously recovers. Now Lucy needs to find a “husband” for an upcoming family wedding, and fast.

Fortunately, Lucy’s ridiculously hot, ridiculously straitlaced new accountant Dex Levian is willing to be her stand-in spouse for the weekend. And that’s when the trouble really begins. For starters, Dex’s “involvement” with a client―no matter how irresistible―might ruin a merger he hopes will make his career. Worse still, the chemistry between Dex and Lucy is more than convincing―it’s sizzling. But for Lucy, falling for her fake new husband is the most dangerous thing she can do…

Author Website ~ Author Blog  ~ Author Twitter ~  Author FacebookAuthor Goodreads

The Surrogate Husband
Excerpt

Lucy folded her arms over her chest. “We can’t ask him to be my fake husband. First of all, I haven’t agreed to play this game. Secondly, Dex is my accountant, not my boyfriend. I hardly know him outside our professional dealings. And I just met him in person for the first time five minutes ago!”

“Let’s just ask him,” her mom said. “See if he’d even consider it.”

Through the door, Dex coughed loudly, as if to remind them he was still waiting.

Lucy motioned toward the sound. “Come on. We can’t leave him out there. He’s an important, busy man. I’m sure he has numbers to crunch or something.” Swallowing hard, she pulled the door back open and headed to the sales floor. And found Dex examining a pair of red lacy crotch-less panties. He didn’t look in the least confused by them, which sometimes happened to the more clueless men who came in to buy something for their girlfriends or wives.

His gaze skimmed over her body so fast she wasn’t really sure she’d seen it. Was he imagining her in those panties?

A warm flush started at her ears and worked its way down to her throat and neck.

With a barely concealed amused expression on his face, he returned the underwear to the display table. “Everything okay?”

Mom went over to him. “I…we…Lucy has a question for you.” Placing a palm in the middle of Lucy’s back, she shoved her forward. Lucy stumbled, righting herself just before she slammed into Dex’s broad chest.

Coward.

Amazon ~ B&N ~ Goodreads ~ Entangled

 

 

Wynter Daniels

Wynter Daniels has authored more than two dozen romances, including paranormal, contemporary and romantic suspense books for several publishers including Entangled Publishing, Carina Press, Ellora’s Cave, Loose Id and Red Sage. She lives in sunny Florida with her family and two spoiled cats. After careers in marketing and the salon industry, Wynter’s wicked prose begged to be set free.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Latest from our Blog

Have Your Heard About Mookies?

Discover “Mookies,” a delightful cross between cookies and muffins. These heart-healthy treats have all the ingredients of a yummy oatmeal breakfast in a to-go form. It is not only perfect for a morning boost but also doubles as a convenient snack for family gatherings and spontaneous social events. A few years back, I decided to… Read More

Read More