Booktok is currently the most influential online community for social reading, and romance is one of its most talked about genres. This article examines how the use of tropes shapes the conversations about books among romance readers on Booktok. By combining quantitative and qualitative approaches, the study offers a comprehensive overview of romance tropes and the various ways in which they are communicated, including an analysis of specific practices. The tropes are used both as a terminology and as a concept which provides the readers a common framework for formulating their own trope-like statements about the romance books. By incorporating humor and presenting affective readings, a considerable portion of the communication regarding romantic tropes seems to point inward, back to the community, providing and maintaining a collective identity and a sense of belonging.
Here's the abstract: