The Ultimate TROPE BRACKET

Summary

Podcast Summary: "The Ultimate TROPE BRACKET"

Podcast: I’ll Read What She’s Reading
Hosts: Reggie, Mikayla, and Kennedy
Episode Date: August 5, 2026

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Overview

In this lively, laughter-filled episode, the three hosts—Reggie, Mikayla, and Kennedy—ditch the monthly book club for an all-out “March Madness”-style tournament to determine the ultimate romance book trope. Through chaotic debates, passionate takes, and nostalgic fangirling, they pit classic and unconventional tropes against each other, revealing not only their personal preferences but also why certain storylines have such enduring reader appeal. Whether you love yearning heroes or cringe at "hockey romance," there's a hot take or hilarious side note for everyone.

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Rapid Fire Trope Face-Offs (01:51–06:21)

To warm up, the hosts pit some of the genre’s most famous tropes against each other in quick-match “this or that” style:

• Enemies to Lovers vs. Friends to Lovers

  • Consensus: Enemies to lovers wins for its satisfying tension.
  • Quote: “Enemies to lovers is a lot more satisfying, I think.” (02:44 – Reggie)

• Slow Burn vs. Insta Love

  • Consensus: Universally, slow burn. Insta love is a mystery to the hosts.
  • Quote: “I’d be curious to know anybody who likes insta love more. Why? Respectfully, lovingly.” (03:18 – Kennedy)

• Fake Dating vs. Fated Mates

  • Consensus: Fake dating, hands down.
  • Quote: “I eat a fake dating every time. Gobble, gobble, gobble.” (04:11 – Mikayla)

• Only One Bed vs. Who Did This To You?

  • Only one bed is beloved, but "Who did this to you?" gives everyone “giddy” feelings.

• Touch Her and Die vs. Tending to Wounds

  • Mild disagreement, but “tending to wounds” is praised for its “tender” moments.
  • Quote: “When they, like, are both hurt and they’re like… let me bandage you.” (05:55 – Mikayla)

• Western Romance vs. Sports Romance

  • Sports romance edges out, unless it’s about hockey—which the group finds overdone.
  • Quote: “As long as it’s not hockey. That’s the key. No hockey for me.” (06:41 – Kennedy)

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On the Hockey Romance Trend (06:41–09:13)

A mini-rant highlights how hockey romances have over-saturated the market, with notable mentions of "Icebreaker" and “Off Campus” series being developed into shows.

• Quote: “I don’t know what it is about hockey, but it’s just not my favorite… I will even take pickleball over hockey.” (08:03 – Kennedy)

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The Trope Bracket: Head-to-Head Analysis

Early Rounds: Rapid Eliminations and Hot Takes (09:16–26:30)

• Enemies to Lovers vs. Military Romance:
  • Enemies to Lovers advances, though there’s respect for the “high stakes” of military settings (10:06–10:26).
• Nickname (Calling Her by Her Name) vs. Sports Romance:
  • Sports Romance wins (“Nicknames get overdone.” – 11:03).
• Only One Bed vs. Why Choose:
  • “Only One Bed” is preferred for its classic feel.
• Small Town Romance vs. Best Friend’s Brother:
  • The latter wins for “higher stakes” and more tension.
• Fated Mates vs. Rockstar Romance:
  • Split feelings here; celebrity tropes get little love, fated mates is called “overdone.”
  • Quote: “I just really hate fated mates so much.” (14:01 – Kennedy)
• Grumpy & Sunshine vs. Yearning:
  • “Yearning” wins; “grumpy” can come off as annoying.
  • “He needs to go to Disneyland or something.” (16:17 – Kennedy, on a too-grumpy hero)

Middle Rounds: Sifting the Best from the Rest (26:30–34:19)

Key match-ups see deep dives into why classics work, with particular love for:

• Tending to Wounds: For its “in-the-moment” satisfaction over “friends to lovers.” (27:00)
• Fake Dating vs. He Falls First: Torn, but ultimately fake dating prevails.
• Force Proximity: Identified as “top tier”—especially if characters are physically chained together, which the hosts find exhilarating.

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Quarterfinals and Semifinals: The Elite Eight (29:57–36:18)

Elite match-ups include:

• Enemies to Lovers vs. Best Friend’s Brother:
  • Enemies takes it, but debates continue about the nuances between "best friend's brother" and "brother's best friend."
• Yearning vs. Tending to Wounds:
  • “Yearning” sweeps through: “There’s something so hot about somebody so obsessed.” (30:29 – Mikayla)
  • Emergence of “crawling scene” from Divine Rivals as a platonic ideal of yearning (31:14).
• Slow Burn vs. Fake Dating:
  • Slow burn wins out for ultimate satisfaction; “you always lose interest if they get together too quickly.”
• Force Proximity vs. Brother’s Best Friend:
  • Force proximity seduces the panel; “Put them in a spaceship, chained together!” (34:19 – Kennedy)

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The Grand Final: Yearning vs. Slow Burn (36:18–38:02)

Ultimate Winner: YEARING

• Reasoning:
  • Yearning encompasses and enhances all other tropes.
  • Can be paired with any genre or storyline for maximum emotional payoff.
  • Quote: “Yearning just encompasses so much, so many… none of these tropes… can be done well, perfectly, without yearning.” (37:07 – Mikayla)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Gobble, gobble, gobble. You’re like, ‘We can’t kiss,’ but they kiss. I love it.” (04:11 – Mikayla, on fake dating)
• “I will even take pickleball over hockey.” (08:03 – Kennedy)
• “He needs to go to Disneyland or something. He’d probably be grumpy there, too.” (16:17 – Kennedy, on too-grumpy heroes)
• “When you read a book with good yearning, your heart aches for them.” (30:42 – Kennedy)

Celebrity Fangirling Highlight:

• The hosts imagine Tom Holland and Zendaya starring in a romance adaptation, losing composure over the hypothetical casting (“If they ever get divorced, love is not real. I will pass away.” – 32:49, Mikayla)

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Takeaways for Listeners

• Top Trope: "Yearning" is crowned the ultimate romance trope—the backbone of all satisfying romantic reads.
• Nuanced Preferences: The hosts’ lively debates reveal how much context, stakes, and the emotional journey matter to romance readers.
• Behind-the-Scenes Fun: The group's camaraderie and “unhinged” energy give a peek into what makes this book club-turned-podcast so relatable and beloved.

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:51 — Rapid Fire Trope Face-Offs Begin
• 06:41 — The Hockey Romance Rant
• 09:16 — Bracket Tournament Kicks Off
• 26:30 — Sweet 16 and Elite Eight Analysis
• 31:14 — “Yearning” and Divine Rivals moment
• 36:18 — Yearning vs. Slow Burn: The Finale
• 38:02 — Final thoughts and invitation for listener brackets

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Final Thoughts

You don’t have to be a hardcore romance reader to enjoy this episode. The bracket setup is dynamic, with the hosts’ opinions bouncing off each other in a way that brings both nostalgia and fresh takes to the romance genre. Plus, if you’re struggling with trope fatigue, you’ll feel seen, and you’ll come away wanting a yearning, slow burn romance to sweep you off your feet.

Ultimate Trope? Yearning.
Or, as the hosts suggest—maybe it’s time for a “Number One Yearner” T-shirt.

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For more fun or to submit your own bracket winner, join the I’ll Read What She’s Reading community on socials or on Patreon!

Transcript

[A]

Foreign.

[B]

I think I have the next psychological thriller for you guys. This, oh. Just got on my radar. And it is, I think, the perfect book for fans of Dexter. Okay. I think the premise immediately caught my attention. So it's pretty much about a man. Man that is flies under the radar, but he does some morally questionable things, but the system is failing. And so he is trying to do everything he can to fix the broken system. That is.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

A little bit of an anti hero situation. Okay. And in the back of the book it says, is it ever okay to do the wrong thing for the right reasons? I'm sold. And I thought that was like a seller line right there. I also find stories about people living in the gray area so interesting. Yeah. Because you don't know if you should be rooting for them. Yeah. Or horrified by what they're doing.

[A]

Is there an audiobook for this?

[B]

There is an audiobook for it. Yes. Would you guys read a book that makes you question who the real villain is? Thank you for watching, John, for sponsoring this episode. Hello, guys. Welcome back to I'll Read what She's reading. I'm Kennedy. I'm Mikayla.

[A]

And I am Reggie.

[B]

And today we are going to figure most elite top trope of the I'll Read what She's Reading podcast.

[A]

Wait, the trope about like us. Do we have tropes?

[B]

Wow. Friends to lovers.

[A]

You're already here first.

[B]

No, we basically have. It's like March Madness for tropes. So in July, August. Yep. But in August. August madness for tropes. But before we get into the actual bracket, we're going to do kind of a Rapid Fire 1v1, because who knows if these will actually be matched up in the bracket. Just so you guys can kind of understand our taste and tropes, where our minds are going to go. You guys ready? Yeah. It's meant to be hard. Hopefully it's hard.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

This first one's not hard. I'm not going to lie. Enemies to lovers versus friends to lovers. We're talking true enemies to lovers. We're not talking this fake. Yeah. Enemies to lovers. True enemies. I'm choosing enemies to lovers every time.

[A]

This is rapid fire, Reggie.

[B]

Quick, quick, quick.

[A]

I'm gonna go with enemies to lovers, but I'm kind of sick of enemies to lovers.

[B]

But when it's good, when it's like.

[A]

When it's like a true. Yeah. Like if at the. If I could pick the most perfect friends to lovers or most perfect enemies to lovers, Enemies to lovers is a lot more satisfying. I Think.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Oh, but I love Friends. All lovers. That's like my.

[B]

Yeah. Read too many recently that I'm like, eh. So you're choosing enemies. Enemies. Okay. Our next pairing also kind of easy. And I know what we're all going to choose and what the right answer is. Oh, I'd be surprised if anybody chooses one of them. Someone listening is going to choose it. Slow burn versus insta love.

[A]

Slow burn.

[B]

Slow burn. Burn. I'd be curious to know anybody who insta love. If you like insta love more. Why? Respectfully, lovingly. I would love to know why. Just not my favorite. I feel like it lose all. Loses all interest in books.

[A]

Right. Satisfying.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

All right.

[B]

I feel like the only case would be insta love where there's an under other underlining plot that has to make it like interesting.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So then it technically wouldn't be like a romance book. You know what I'm saying? Or maybe they're already betrothed to another person and then it's insta love.

[A]

Yeah, yeah. You know, like.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. That's. There's your underlying problem being torn apart.

[A]

But when it's like a rom com, then it's just.

[B]

Or like the most beautiful man I've ever seen. But they're enemies to lovers. Yeah. Quote. Yeah. Fake dating versus faded mates.

[A]

Fake dating.

[B]

I think fake dating. I'm choosing fake dating all the way, guys. I eat a fake dating every time. Gobble, gobble, gobble. You're like, we can't kiss, but they kiss. Like way we like each other. Yeah. Yeah.

[A]

I love it. Okay.

[B]

Only one bed or. Who did this to you? Who did this to you? Same. It's making me giddy. I want to read some of these.

[A]

I just read who did this to you? But it was done a little bit differently. Starside. Yeah, I've heard.

[B]

I've heard about that. That I was done differently.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

That's it. That's all I know about it. Yeah.

[A]

And it's funny because sometimes, like, it's not super often you actually hear those words in the book. You know what I mean? I don't know. But just like hearing it in my ears, the hooded this to you. I was like,

[B]

I just love it.

[A]

Never gets old.

[B]

Never gets old. Never gets old.

[A]

Never.

[B]

I'm gonna throw one in really quick. No, they might match up. Never mind. We'll leave it at that. Touch her and die or tending to wounds.

[A]

Touch her and die.

[B]

Tending to wounds. Tending to wounds. It's just so tender, you know? So baby boy, I don't know.

[A]

I just, like, touch her and die. Because it's just like.

[B]

I love the. Yeah, yeah. I've read some. Unfortunately, that don't work for me. It's like, too. Not strong. Too overpowered. No. What's the word? I'm. Like, it comes on too strong. Yeah. Or like. Like, it gives me the. Yeah. Yeah. But that's because I've. I. I feel like I like that theoretically. But some of the books I've read. This was a while ago, I think, just turned me away from that, you know?

[A]

Yeah. That makes sense.

[B]

You know, I'm just a sucker. When they, like, are both hurt and they're like, let me faith you and bandage you.

[A]

They're not even. Like, there's still tension.

[B]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

When they're. They're not already, like, they're not together yet.

[B]

Yeah. Yep. She has, like, this huge gash on her back and he has to unlace the corset. He's like, oh, my gosh. I see her bare back for the first time. I try not to graze her back. I'm trying to be respectful. Yeah.

[A]

Goosebumps.

[B]

I eat that up every time. Okay, our last rapid fire round. Western romance versus sports. Romance.

[A]

Sports.

[B]

Me too. I think. I just think historically, I have liked. I've rated the sports ones higher than the Western ones, but there's still a great time.

[A]

Both of them.

[B]

I'm gonna say sports romance. As long as it's not hockey. That's the key. No hockey. No hockey for me. All right, you guys ready to get into the real bracket now? I want to go back to the hockey thing. Oh, okay. Why was that the designated sport sport in books? I don't know.

[A]

Is it because once one does really well, it's almost like the industry is just like, we gotta do it, like, think about. Because I guess my question is, like, for example, Ice. Icebreaker is gonna be a Netflix show.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Do you think that got picked up because of heated rivalry and off campus, or do you think probably the plan.

[B]

Probably. But I also feel like Icebreaker was one of, like, the first sports romances I saw on Booktok when I joined Booktok. I think so too. I think that kind of page the path of some of these.

[A]

Because the thing is, it's like, I don't fully understand the publishing industry and the movie industry, whatever. But I do feel like from what I've understood, if something's working well, they want to keep it going, you know? So if, like, it wouldn't surprise me if they were like, let's get icebreaker greenlit because.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Heated rivalry and.

[B]

Okay, I don't know, TV wise, probably, but I think book wise.

[A]

Well, and I can see people being like, let me write a hockey romance because people are eating those up right now.

[B]

I will literally read any other. I don't know what it is about hockey, but it's just not my favorite. Yeah. I don't know. I will even take pickleball or hockey. Okay. At this point.

[A]

Horseshoe, of course.

[B]

Shoe. That's western. That's western. That can happen with darts. You know what? Curling. Curling, yes. And water polo. Yeah. I don't know. I'll take it. I'll take anything. Yeah. Anyway, sorry, I just had to. Because I'm like, I don't know why that just had to be the. The token book talk sport and I'm quite frankly sick of it. So am I. I don't know.

[A]

I'm so excited to watch off campus and heated rivalry season two.

[B]

I mean, not show wise book, but like, book wise.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Actually, I don't even think I've read a hockey book.

[B]

Well, you read mile high.

[A]

Oh, JK. I know. I didn't. I DNF'd it and.

[B]

Well, you read mile High halfway. The last one is hockey, isn't it? What's.

[A]

Yeah, but I feel like there was a lot of hockey going on.

[B]

Anyways, I sadly have read a lot of them. They're just not my favorites, so. All right, here we go. Into the bracket. Our first match.

[A]

Wait, do we have to pick all these together? We each have our own bracket.

[B]

I think we have to decide. We have to collectively agree.

[A]

Okay, we are in.

[B]

And this is completely randomized. So as I'm looking down this list, some of them are so easy to choose from and other ones, not so much. Our first matchup is enemies to lovers versus military romance. Oh, enemies, lovers.

[A]

I don't think we even need to discuss that one.

[B]

I feel bad for that military romance because I do like a good military romance. If you had to choose. Okay, let's take all of, like, the romance. So you have military romance, sports romance, western romance.

[A]

Like what genre?

[B]

Rockstar romance. Is there any other ones? I can't think off the top of my head. What would you choose? I.

[A]

Rock star romance or sports romance?

[B]

I think I would actually choose military because things are a little bit more high stake. Yeah, that's a good point. It just adds something. I feel like I'm a little bit more invested when there's that element.

[A]

I guess if I think of every Single one of Rebecca Yaros's romance books. They're some of my favorite romance books I've ever read.

[B]

Yeah, but is that because it's military, or is it because it's Rebecca?

[A]

Both.

[B]

Okay, touche. I think mine would be between sports and military. Yeah. As well. But Rockstar, it's great.

[A]

There's not, like, a ton of them out there and they have to be done well. But, yeah, I don't know. There's just something about. It's very.

[B]

Angsty. Yeah. Angsty. All right, matchup number two. All right, Calling her by her real name or sports Romance. Sports Romance. Okay. I would agree. And you know what, guys? I said this before on the podcast, but the nickname thing is not my favorite.

[A]

It's always overdone.

[B]

Almost always.

[A]

It's overdone.

[B]

Overdone.

[A]

It's cute for the first, like, few chapters, and then it's like, okay, yeah.

[B]

But then it's also like, oh, my gosh, he called her by a real name. We're getting serious. Anyways, matchup number three, Only one bed versus why choose? Ooh, I bet you there's a lot of people listening to this podcast that would choose. Why choose? I think I'm gonna do one bed.

[A]

I think I'm gonna say. I would probably say one bed too.

[B]

I'm gonna say one bed, too. What would you say? Yeah, I don't think I've chosen. I don't think I've read a White Shoes.

[A]

I don't feel like I read too many. Why choose books?

[B]

I just don't think I.

[A]

And I just think one bed, it doesn't really get old. I mean, it kind of does, but I just think that it's kind of exciting. You just, you know, I want to see. Won't they.

[B]

I want to see it done in a different way other than, like, they show up to an inn and, oh, the inn make. What is it? What are they called? The inn Keeper. Keeper. It's such a There's only one room

[A]

trope that just happens.

[B]

It.

[A]

It's just a funny trope in a sense. Like, there's not very many ways that you can reimagine.

[B]

Always really interesting.

[A]

The what?

[B]

The scenes after there's only one bed. Because I feel like they go one of two ways. Someone's sleeping on the ground or they're both sleeping on the ground, you know, or they're both.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Or they share the bed and.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. Not that way always. But sometimes. Yes, sometimes. Small town romance versus Best friend's Brother. This One's tricky. I actually would be fine either way, so I like them both very much so.

[A]

I mean, small towns are always just, like, fun, cozy. But Best Friend's Brother is kind of higher stakes.

[B]

Hot.

[A]

It's a little more. Yeah, there's more tension. It's a little more hot, a little more spicy. So that's why I'm gonna. I'm gonna. I'd say I'd probably pick that, but if we want to debate it, I'm. I'm down for a good debate because I also like a small town.

[B]

No, I think you're right. I think you're right. I think it just adds a little bit of tension.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I think it makes things more. A little more yearning.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. Best Friend's Brother. For sure.

[A]

For sure.

[B]

This is gonna be hard. For sure. Okay, here we go. Faded Mates. I know what Reggie's choosing or Rockstar slash celebrity Romance. I'm gonna say Faded Mates. Ooh. You really do not like celebrity. Don't. They're not my favorite. There's a few that I've really may luna being one of them. I really loved that. But other than that, I don't know what it is about Famous Person with Joe Schmo that I just don't like. I feel like the famous person always comes across as. I just really hate Faded Mates so much.

[A]

I mean, I don't like either of

[B]

these two, if I'm being honest.

[A]

Yeah. Here's the thing. I don't want to read another Faded

[B]

Mates book ever again.

[A]

I'm looking forward to the next Acotar books.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

That is.

[B]

That's a Faded Mates book.

[A]

Yes, in a sense, but like that. I just. I don't want a new series with Faded Mates. So that's why I hate it, because it's.

[B]

It's overdone.

[A]

It's overdone. But if I had to pick between the books that I have read that have been Faded Mates that I've enjoyed and the books that I've loved, Rockstar Romance, there's many more Faded Mates than there are.

[B]

But that's okay. You can choose based on what you want to read. That's okay.

[A]

I mean, what I want to read now, I'd rather read a Rockstar romance, okay, Than Faded Mates. But I do think Faded Mates has been done better than a Rock star romance. Does that make sense?

[B]

That's fair. What are we choosing? You don't have to choose Faded Mates. I'm fine choosing. That's my vote. But if you guys.

[A]

The thing Is here for the one of these that we pick. It's not gonna get in the final anyway.

[B]

Yeah, I don't really care. We gotta choose.

[A]

I just don't know what to base it off of, like, what I want to read or just, like, overall, whatever

[B]

you're feeling in this moment. Well, what I'm feeling in this moment is neither of those are gonna win, so we're gonna go with Celebrity Romance. Rockstar. Celebrity Romance. No, let's do fitted. Okay.

[A]

Go under your head.

[B]

Sure. Okay. All right, next one. I already know what's gonna work. Grumpy and Sunshine versus Yearning. And listen, I know. I know that some of these are more generalized tropes. Okay, I get it. But there's only so many you can use. So we're just kind of. We're expanding our horizons a little bit. Yearning year.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I actually. Hot take. Hate Grumpy Sunshine.

[A]

I kind of do, too.

[B]

Is the one where she goes. Yeah, I was going to say the one occasion. She's the only one I've liked. Grumpy and Sunshine. Yes. What was that one book? The one where she goes to hike with her mom because her mom passed away. All roads lead here, Mr. Rhodes. That is the one occasion where I like it. Yeah, me too. So I rated it really highly. And I also feel like she does yearning really well, too.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I just also, some of her other books. I don't love the grumpiness because I'm like, you're making the whole world revolve around you and your grumpiness. It actually quite pisses me off. Someone commented on one of our last few episodes and asked if I had read When Ma When Gracie Met the Grump by Mariana Zapata. I have, and that man is way too grumpy. Way too grumpy. He needs to go to Disneyland or something. The happiest place on Earth. He'd probably be grumpy there, too.

[A]

Probably. All right.

[B]

Secret relationship or tending to wounds? Listen, secret. Not saying I'm secret, but, like, what is the circumstances, like, forbidden or they're just being secret. However you want to interpret it. Listen, here's. Here's my argument. Tending to wounds is like, ooh, in the moment. You know, there's that tension. Secret relationship. There's tension for long periods of time.

[A]

It's a. It's more than just a small moment,

[B]

but also, at the same time, they're already together. Yeah, that's what I'm like. So the underlying plot would be keeping it from.

[A]

I'm gonna go attending to Wounds. Because that's a lot more satisfying to read.

[B]

I think it's more satisfying for. I feel like if I'm Forbidden, love would be a different story. You know what I'm saying? Unfortunately, I did not put that on this list. That would be great.

[A]

That's okay. That's okay.

[B]

Forbidden love versus Just kidding. Okay. Tending to wounds. One. Yeah. Also, those of you listening, you should keep track of what you're picking to win. And then you should let us know what your number one trope is. Okay. Next master. Next matchup. Friends to lovers versus accidental pregnancy.

[A]

Friends to lovers all the way.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Accident.

[B]

Just kidding. I. Friends to lovers. This is the thing. Why do authors keep writing that? Because, I don't know a lot of people that love that trope. Why do they keep writing accidental pregnancy?

[A]

I'm trying to think if there's a.

[B]

The only. Well, I can't say what book happened. So maybe it's just like. There's been one book that I was fine with, but I almost didn't rate it 5 stars because there was an accidental pregnancy in it. And you guys know what book I'm talking about. Just think about it for two seconds.

[A]

I mean, I can think of one, but I can't think of why you would change your rating because it's literally the entire plot of the book. Are you talking about Hannah Bonham Young?

[B]

No. Oh.

[A]

What was the other option?

[B]

Is my life.

[A]

Friends to lovers.

[B]

Yes. Friends to lovers. Yeah.

[A]

Friends to lovers. For sure.

[B]

For sure.

[A]

For sure.

[B]

For sure. All right, we're entering in the other side of the bracket, Slow burn versus dark romance.

[A]

Slow burn.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Slow freaking burn.

[B]

I love me some dark ro.

[A]

Just kidding.

[B]

We're not big dark romance girlies over here. And that's. That's okay. If you like dark romance, that's great. It's just not my face. I think I'm too sweet and innocent for a dark romance. I think the darkest I could ever go is. What's that one book? The lights out book where he stalks her.

[A]

Is that more dark than mind F.

[B]

No, it's like more of a dark rom com, I would say. The mind of series. Yeah. Is definitely. Is that considered dark romance or a thriller or both?

[A]

It's gonna be both. I mean, there's. It's dark and there's romance.

[B]

Dark romance. Dark romance.

[A]

Guys, that's gonna be a TV series.

[B]

I actually cannot wait. I'm stoked. I can't wait.

[A]

Yeah. All right.

[B]

Western Romance vs Good Girl Western romance.

[A]

Did we already have one? That was Western romance.

[B]

No, that was at the beginning. That was like, oh, that's right.

[A]

Western romance are good girl. Western romance, same.

[B]

You know what, though? There's lots of good girls in a western romance, though, so I also like good girls.

[A]

Something that's kind of, like, overdone. I'm like, can we think of something more creative?

[B]

I don't know. Good boy. Good gal. Good boy. Just makes me think of a dog boy. He falls first versus where is my wife?

[A]

He falls first.

[B]

He falls first. Me too. He falls first. There's only one instance for the other one. So I'm like, there's technically two kinda.

[A]

No, wait. I swear there's a.

[B]

Hold on. If there's two, I can't remember the other one. Are you talking about in the same series?

[A]

Wait, Same author. But I swear there's another book that's a different author, different series. That there's a. Where's my wife?

[B]

All right. Anyways, I love a simp. So he falls first. We're on to the next one. Black cat and golden retriever versus fake dating. My vote's fake dating.

[A]

Fake dating.

[B]

Fake dating. That was easy. Like I said, I just. I just really love fake dating. Guys I like. I don't know if I like black cat either, but I do like if there's like a really golden retriever man. Me too. But not like a black cat. Just like, why do you gotta be so angry and mean at the world? I guess Grumpy and Sunshine is almost literally identical to black cat Gold retriever. Usually the Grumpy is usually the man. Yeah, I guess the golden retriever. Black cat can be switched too. Black cat could be the man too. Force proximity or insta love.

[A]

Force proximity.

[B]

I love force proximity. Me too. Something about it, handcuffed together. That really paved the way. Absolutely for me. Loving that trope. I need another handcuff together moment. I just want.

[A]

I only think of two books.

[B]

I can only think of one.

[A]

I can think of two. You've read both.

[B]

You know what? Okay, well, I'm thinking of what I want, like an old western book where they're like, handcuffed together and one of the outlaw. Shut up. And some. Or like something where she. They're like handcuffed together and they, like, escape out a wagon or something. You know, like heist kind of vibes. And then they're like, surviving the way the western. And then like, I don't know. That just would be so fun. I would love that. Go to a saloon, man.

[A]

There's.

[B]

I sit on Each other's laps.

[A]

Why does that sound so familiar to me? Anyways, there's got to be. There's got to be an author that's always listening to our podcast that's gotten

[B]

some ideas from us.

[A]

Let us write a blur for you.

[B]

Sorry, it's because I'm watching. She's in her western. Her western era. Okay. Rivals to lovers or Boyfriend's best Friend. Oh, that's.

[A]

Well, boyfriend's best friend. I kind of read a book recently that ruined that trope for me.

[B]

I don't know how you do Boyfriend's Best Friend and have me not cringe, truthfully.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Unless the boyfriend dies. My brain was not thinking. Yeah, I was thinking, brother's best friend. Best friend.

[A]

Yeah, I. Boyfriend's best friend. Yeah.

[B]

Boyfriend's best friend. What was the other one? Rivals to Lovers.

[A]

Rivals.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Sorry, I was like, that's more fun to me.

[B]

Yeah, no, that's not hard. That's quite simple. Absolutely, absolutely. Paranormal Romance versus Touch her and die.

[A]

Paranormal romances have always weird. Weirded me out. I think I've only read.

[B]

Well, let's think about it. Let's think about it. Lila Sage's last one. Paranormal Good spirits. Paranormal.

[A]

Oh, yeah, I forgot Layla.

[B]

Paranormal. So, I mean, I'm gonna go with

[A]

the other option, though. What was it?

[B]

I would prefer Touch her. There's. It's something about them, just really the logistics of everything kind of, like, trips me up with paranormal stuff. Yeah, me too. Does that make sense? Like, my brain gets kind of, like, caught up on their spirit. How are you? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Marriage of convenience or brother's best friend?

[A]

Best. That's my fault. Brother's best friend.

[B]

I don't know. I don't. Those are both really good. I do love a marriage of convenience. I won't lie. But I also love brother's best friend. I'm gonna say brother's best friend. Let's do it.

[A]

That one has me, like, screaming a little bit more.

[B]

All right, we're on to our sweet 16. Sweet 16. Enemies to lovers versus sports romance. Oh, we're actually debating this. I thought for sure you were going to say enemies to lovers. That would probably debate this in the

[A]

beginning of the episode already.

[B]

Nope, that would probably be my pick. Good enemies. True enemies to lovers. If I had to.

[A]

Just because it's more satisfying.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

There's more possibilities with a sports romance that could kind of.

[B]

There could be enemies to lovers in the sport. We can't think like that. But he did. Rivalry. Oh, heated rivalry. Rivals to.

[A]

Yeah, it's more of a rivals. Yeah.

[B]

Okay. Only one bed. Rivalry versus best friend's brother.

[A]

Wait, what? Say that again.

[B]

Sorry. Only one bed versus best friend's brother. Best. I'm choosing best friend's brother. Best friend's brother.

[A]

Guys, wasn't just the last one.

[B]

No. I think I'm losing my brother's best friend.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Okay, brothers.

[A]

Let me best friends over here. Things are getting brother's best friend.

[B]

Best friend's brother versus only one bed.

[A]

Pick that one real quick. I need people to comment on this episode and tell us your book recs for best friend's brother. Yeah, Because I feel like I've only really read like one and I need another one because I loved that one so much.

[B]

So specifically childhood best best friend's brother. You grew up from the time you were little. Yeah. Which one's winning y'? All? I'll let you guys pick.

[A]

But best friend's brother. Best friend's brother.

[B]

I've read more one beds that are better than best friend's brother. But I can see how that could be a more entertaining trope right now.

[A]

Just cuz the book as a whole feels a little more entertaining. I feel like one bed. It's just.

[B]

That's great.

[A]

The actual moment versus the book. Best friends brother.

[B]

Okay. Faded mates versus yearning. Yearning. Absolutely. Faded mates. You're out of here. We never want to see you again. Tending to wounds versus friends to lovers. I know what I would choose. I would choose tending to wounds. So would I. And I know Reggie's gonna disagree. I really hate friends to lovers. I don't like friends to lovers either.

[A]

It's not always done well. So I will say tending to wounds.

[B]

Oh, all right.

[A]

Because it's always satisfying. Friends to lovers isn't always when it's done well. I love it.

[B]

Way too many recently that have been. Eh. Slow burn versus western romance. Slow burn. Me too. Yeah. Slow, slow burn.

[A]

Slow burns are great.

[B]

He falls first versus fake dating. Oh, this was hard. I love it when a man falls first. I want a man banging on the pavement on his hands and knees. I don't know. But then fake dating is also really great too. But I feel like usually you combine those two. Absolutely. It's usually fake dating and he ends up falling first. That's usually what ends up happening. But we got to pick.

[A]

My gut's telling me he falls for or no, no, no. My guts. I feel like I'm leaning more towards fake dating.

[B]

I feel like I have freaking off campus glasses on. Because I just love that's all you can think about. The little, like, pull of her butt. Also pants towards rip.

[A]

Also, like, I had Love hypothesis. Love hypothesis on my brain. I really want to reread that. It was so fun for me.

[B]

Is love hypothesis. He falls first. I can't remember. No, I don't remember.

[A]

I mean, you don't. It's not dual point of view. So I don't feel like.

[B]

Yeah, I. I don't remember. I feel like, based on his actions.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

He was simping a little bit.

[A]

Guys, I'm gonna be so giddy watching this movie. I cannot wait.

[B]

I can't wait either. Let's do fake dating. All right.

[A]

Fake dating.

[B]

Yeah, I feel good about that.

[A]

Solid win for me.

[B]

Okay. Force proximity versus rivals to lovers.

[A]

Force proximity.

[B]

Force proximity. Force them together. I should get a guy.

[A]

She's getting her.

[B]

What's your favorite version of like, what? Because I guess, like, only one bed could also be considered for proximity.

[A]

Yeah. I literally want those chained together.

[B]

I want them chained.

[A]

I want them, like, they can only get, like, a couple inches apart.

[B]

I want them in a spaceship on. Stuck on a planet together. And they're stuck in a spaceship close together with a ball and chain. Ball and chain. They're glued together. Okay. Wow. Toucher and die versus brother's best friend. Brother's best friend. Yeah. I'd go brother's best friend. Brother's best friend. There's something about that. Not forbidden love, kind of forbidden love, but that forbidden attraction of. You're not supposed to be attracted to your brother's best friend. Yeah. You know? Yeah. Okay. We're entering the Elite eight now. Elite Eight. Enemies to lovers versus best friend's brother.

[A]

Enemies to lovers.

[B]

Enemies to lovers. Sadly, enemies. When it's done well, it's just so good. Yeah. Here's my question. Let's ask this. Would you rather have. Actually, never mind. I was gonna say best friend's brother versus brother's best friend. I'd rather have brother's best friend.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I would rather have brother's best friend. Yeah. Yearning versus tending to wounds.

[A]

There's just something that's just a yearner. Just. Yeah. There's something so hot about somebody that's just so obsessed with somebody and they just maybe obsess isn't like word, but,

[B]

like, when you're reading it and you just can. When you read a book that has good yearning, your arch. Your. Your heart aches for them.

[A]

So your back is arching.

[B]

I mean, that, too. Sure. No, but your heart arches. No, your heart just hurts and you want them to be together so bad and they just. Yeah, yeah.

[A]

It's like you're yearning like I'm yearning for them.

[B]

So many things are pulling them apart, but they just want to be together.

[A]

Soulmates.

[B]

I feel like, you know what scene just comes to me? The crawling. Oh, my gosh. Chuck. My book across the room.

[A]

Yeah. This is. That's the kind of thing that I've just been like craving. Craving in a book.

[B]

And they don't. It's just everything is so mass marketed now that I just feel like they throw everything that you think they throw everything they think you want at you. Yes. And it's not what you want. You don't want this trope filled book. You want the tropes.

[A]

Because my heart is like swelling at the thought.

[B]

But Instead it's just 500 million tropes in one. You're like, I've seen this before. I've seen this before. Oh, this looks familiar. I like think about that scene quite often. Oh, my God.

[A]

Are we getting an adaptation of that? That's I. Divine Rivals.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

We'll just say that if you're curious. Divine Rivals.

[B]

You want to. Who I would love for them to cast. It's probably. It is not accurate at all. I don't think. Well, it could be accurate. Well, maybe it is accurate. I would love to see Zendaya and Tom Holland. That's what I was just thinking. Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh. Imagine that. Oh, yeah.

[A]

Hey, they said in an interview recently that they want to do a rom com together. I know that's not a rom com.

[B]

They've never done anything.

[A]

But they've never done. They. They need like something like that.

[B]

Yeah. I would quite literally pass away. Oh. Oh my gosh.

[A]

Catch them in everything. I've actually never been so obsessed with the celebrity couple in my entire life.

[B]

If they ever get divorced, love is not real. And I will pass away so much.

[A]

I just want to talk about Tom and Zendaya.

[B]

I saw someone in these fantasy. Whatever these fantasy adaptations. Zendaya needs to be cast as like a fairy. Oh, yeah. Oh, my gosh. That woman. I don't even care. Some sort of mythical creature. So the day court. I don't know. I want the courts. She just needs to be the goddess. She literally.

[A]

She already is a goddess.

[B]

She is a goddess.

[A]

And I love being a fan girl.

[B]

Me too. I love it. If person. I would probably melt to the ground and I would yearn for them. Okay. Slow burn versus fake dating.

[A]

Oh, I mean fake dating. In itself. Kind of feels like it could maybe be. No, just kidding. I don't know.

[B]

Slow burn. Yeah, probably. Slow burn. Burn. Slow. For sure. Burn. Because think about it. I feel like I always lose interest when the couple gets together. And so if they get together too quickly.

[A]

Yeah, like, fake dating is really fun to read, but slow burn is so much more satisfying.

[B]

I mean, if I had to put. I mean, think about it. Take slow burn out of the equation. Fake dating is probably one of my top tropes, just in general.

[A]

Same. It's fun, but you always know where it's going to lead. Slow burn. You're always questioning, is it something going to happen? I think it's like their fingers brush. Like, are they going to kiss? I like that.

[B]

Force proximity versus brother's best friend. Force proximity. Yeah. Put him on a spaceship. Put him on a planet. Alone.

[A]

A tiny little planet.

[B]

Our final four, everybody. Oh. Get ready for your hearts to ache. Okay, I'm ready. Enemies to lovers versus yearning. Yearning. I'm gonna say yearning as well now. You listening? You might be yelling at us, telling us that yearning is not a trope. Would you guys consider yearning a trope? I don't know. I did. We're making it one, so. Okay. Yeah, but I feel like when you describe. I feel like tropes came to be when you're trying to describe a book. Right. Like, what things are in it. And I feel like if you're like, this book has a lot of yearning in it. That would be like a trope describing it. Right. Touche. Yeah, I think it's great. No. Yeah. Maybe we should look up. What is the definition of a trope? Of a trope. Should have done this before the episode started, but here we go. A recognized recurring pattern, theme, or device in storytelling. So yearning. I would say. I would say.

[A]

Yeah, okay.

[B]

Sure, sure. Okay. Yearning. Slow burn versus forced proximity. Force proximity.

[A]

Therese, what was the first one again?

[B]

Slow burn. I don't care. Actually, both of the. I. I do love a forced proximity. And I love a slow burn. I know. Red, did you make a great point, or was it you?

[A]

They.

[B]

You get bored if they come together too, too quickly. So that force proximity could lead into something too quickly. You know what I'm saying?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So maybe slow burn.

[A]

I feel like slowboard. Slow burn is guaranteed to be more satisf.

[B]

It depends on how long the force proximity lasts, you know? But imagine if they're chained together and they're immediately like, we're girlfriend, boyfriend. Yeah, that's true. Slow burn, then. Slow Burn takes away all the, like, fun of force, proximity. Slow. You know, Burn.

[A]

I'd say slow burn.

[B]

All right, here is our championship two tropes. Yearning versus slow Burn. Slow burn.

[A]

All right, let me meditate on. Let me just.

[B]

I know my answer fast.

[A]

And pray about this for a second.

[B]

Say it one more time. Yearning versus slow burn. My vote is yearning. I think my vote would also be yearning.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

There's just something, like I said about a book that has a lot of yearning that I just. I don't even have a word to explain the emotion, but it's just. Oh, yeah. Also with yearning, there's a lot of other things that can get put into it because there can also be yearning, and they're together early. There can be yearning, and they're not together, like. Absolutely.

[A]

They're.

[B]

Yearning just encompasses so much, so many.

[A]

I think a great romance book, there

[B]

can be yearning with forced proximity, you know, like, I don't know. Yearning can just. Yearning is just elite.

[A]

The thing is. No. None of these tropes that we've talked about, I feel like, can be done, well, perfectly, without irony.

[B]

Yeah. Absolutely. Said it well, my friend. Absolutely. And also, I feel like what's cool about Yearning or Slow Burn is they're fun in any genre of romance book. Yeah. When you think of enemies to lovers, I feel like that's truly only fun in a fantasy book. Yeah. You know, so that's not usually really enemies to lovers. Usually rivals. It's rival celebration. Normal romance book. So. Which can still be fun, but it's not like true enemies. Yeah. They don't try to kill each other. I want a knife to the throat. Well, you guys, you heard it here first. On. I'll read what she's reading. The top trope is yearning.

[A]

Let us know.

[B]

Number one. Number one. Put that on a T shirt. You're I love you number one yearner. Number one. I yearn. Don't tell everyone. Think about. Okay, wait, what's the.

[A]

No.

[B]

You are the bane of my existence. That's not yearning. I guess it kind of is, you know. Oh.

[A]

Oh, he yearned for. Yeah, like, nobody's yearned before.

[B]

You're at the fate of my existence. That's what I'm saying. Let us know in the comments if you kept track of your bracket and what you would deem the top trope for you, because it might be different than ours. And I love to know what you guys like and what you dislike. That's all we have for you this week. If you guys didn't know, we recently had a new merch drop. You can go ahead and go shop it on All Read, which he's reading dot com. It's for the Western romance lovers. We do love Western romance. We just didn't pick it in this in this bracket here. But it's really cute. You guys have blown us away with the support. We love you guys so much. If you like this podcast and you don't follow us on socials, you can follow us on Tik Tok and Instagram at what she's reading pod. And if you like the content there, we also have even more content on our Patreon. If you search up already, what she's reading on there will pop up. We do fun vlogs. We do lives. You guys pick our books for us.

[A]

Us.

[B]

It's a good time over there. We hope you guys have a great week of reading and we will see you next time. Bye.