The Romance Tropes Readers Can't Get Enough of Right Now
If you're a romance author wondering what readers are actively hunting for in 2026, you're in the right place. Knowing what's trending isn't about chasing the market - it's about connecting your story with the readers who are already desperate for it. And at Pen Pinery, our romance-only community of ARC readers tells us exactly what they're craving.
Here's what's dominating right now.
Enemies to Lovers - Still Undefeated
Don't let anyone tell you this trope is oversaturated. Enemies to lovers remains one of the most searched and most requested tropes among romance readers, and for good reason. The slow-burn tension, the sharp banter, the moment one character realizes they're in trouble - readers never tire of that emotional payoff. If your book has rivals-turned-lovers energy, lead with it. ARC readers will show up.
Romantasy Is Having Its Moment (And Then Some)
The biggest genre story of the past two years has been the explosion of romantasy - romance and fantasy woven together. Fantasy book sales have surged dramatically, with romantasy at the heart of that growth. Readers want sweeping worlds and swoony love arcs, and authors who deliver both are finding passionate, loyal fanbases. If your manuscript lives in a fantasy world with romantic stakes at its core, there has never been a better time to get it in front of readers. Pen Pinery's community has a growing appetite for exactly this.
Grumpy x Sunshine - Timeless and Thriving
The emotional contrast of a brooding, closed-off character softening for someone warm and relentless continues to be one of the most beloved dynamics in romance. It works because it promises transformation - and transformation is what romance readers are here for. Whether your grumpy character is a CEO, a fae prince, or a small-town mechanic, readers are ready.
Fake Dating - Humor, Tension, and Inevitable Feelings
Fake dating has staying power because it does so much at once: it creates forced proximity, builds slow-burn chemistry, and generates that delicious internal conflict of when did this stop being pretend? It's consistently one of the top-performing tropes on BookTok, and ARC readers seek it out by name. If your book has it, say so loudly.
Why Choose & Dark Romance - A Dedicated, Passionate Readership
Niche subgenres are thriving. Why choose romance, dark romance, and shifter romance all have deeply loyal reader communities who consume voraciously and review enthusiastically. These readers aren't casual - they're hunters. Getting your ARC in front of them early can build the kind of word-of-mouth that carries a launch.
What This Means for Your ARC Strategy
Knowing your tropes isn't just useful for writing - it's essential for marketing. Readers search by trope. They follow hashtags by trope. They join communities by trope. The more clearly you can name what your book delivers, the faster the right readers find you.
That's exactly why Pen Pinery was built as a romance-only ARC platform. Our readers aren't here for thrillers or literary fiction - they're here for this. For the slow burns and the spice and the happily ever afters. Adding your ARC to Pen Pinery means putting it directly in front of readers who already speak your language.
Ready to find your readers? List your ARC on Pen Pinery today.
