My Favorite MM Romance Tropes (and How I’m Putting a Twist on Them)

Tropes exist for a reason—they work. And when it comes to MM romance, the right trope with the right tension? Chef’s kiss.

Here are a few of my personal favorites (and yes, they’re woven into my current book in one way or another):

✨ Friends-to-Lovers

There’s just something about that shift. One moment they’re joking around like usual, the next there’s silence… thick, loaded, and laced with what ifs. It’s emotional, it’s intense, and it never fails to wreck me in the best way.

✨ Forbidden/Off-Limits

Whether it’s a best friend’s brother, a fellow officer, or someone from the past, I love when there are real consequences for giving in. That push-pull between I want you and I shouldn’t creates so much delicious tension.

✨Hurt/Comfort

One character is strong until they’re not. The other steps in, unexpectedly soft, and everything changes. Vulnerability in MM romance is powerful—and it makes the connection that much deeper.

✨Only One Bed

Classic? Yes. Overdone? Never. It forces physical closeness when they’re still emotionally guarded, and it always leads to tension you can cut with a knife.

Of course, I like to twist things a little. Flip expectations. Let the quieter one be the dominant one. Let the tough guy be the one who falls first. Because in the end, tropes are just the starting point. It’s how you write them that makes readers fall in love.

And trust me… I’m writing them to make you fall hard.