I ♥ Characters

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Another Thursday, another great prompt from Dani @ Perspective of a Writer and this week we were asked to share:

 An OTP Embodying Your Favorite Romance Trope 

My favorite trope is the return to hometown trope. I love these type of stories and have ever since I discovered it. Whether its the male or female protagonist returning to their roots makes no difference to me. I love the type where they return for a specific reason and don't intend to stay but then their eyes get opened (or re-opened) to the charm and loveliness and all the wonderful things that make their hometown unique, as they fall in love, and then they decide to stay. Or if they do leave, they miss it (or their love interest) so much they have to return. 

The first story of this type I ever read was Whirlwind from the Welcome to Tyler series published by Harlequin Romance in the early 90's. I  believe I was 11 when the book came in the mail for my mom, but the cover intrigued me and I casually walked the book to my room, where I devoured it in one day! The covers of all the Tyler series novels are like beautiful quilts: 

The female protagonist (although after reading I'm not 100% sure she wasn't a bit more of an antagonist!) is Liza Baron. With her life in shambles, Liza climbs into her classic car and drives aimlessly through the night. As dawn approaches she realizes she has driven back to her family's old, sprawling, once gorgeous but now in disrepair lake house Timberlake Lodge. 

On her arrival, Liza scares the heck out of reclusive caretaker and Vietnam war veteran Cliff Forrester. Cliff suffers from flashbacks and PTSD and figures it's safer for everyone else (and himself) if he just plain stays away from people for the most part. 

Liza takes a liking to standoffish Cliff immediately and decides to stay and fix up Timberlake Lodge (and Cliff). Sparks fly, verbally and romantically, and if you want to know what actually happens, you'll have to read the book yourself. 

I have loved Liza and Cliff since I was 11 years old, and I'm 38 now. For my birthday this year my parents gifted me the ENTIRE Welcome to Tyler series. I have no idea how, or where, my mom laid her hands on them but she did and I am immensely thankful. 

There's also a buried body discovered on the property during the renovation, and the mystery of who it is continues throughout the WHOLE series...is that enough enticement for you??

And if you were wondering about what, exactly, constitutes a "trope" (believe me I had no idea there were SO many!!) skip on over to Mindy Klasky's site and read this great entry

Comments

  1. Dani @ Perspective of a WriterFebruary 27, 2019 at 7:13 PM

    Actually I think I totally read this when I was a kid too... your story is almost exactly my story, hahaha and I can't agree more! I don't read straight up romance so much any more but I did and do love romance when the protagonist returns home to a small town. It's full of the best characters and you want to live their too! <3

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