Romance & Fantasy Glossary: Terms You Should Know

Whether you’re new to the genre or just want to brush up on your bookish vocabulary, here’s a handy glossary of romance and fantasy terms to help you understand the stories you love.

• Enemies to Lovers: A popular trope where two characters who start off as adversaries eventually fall in love, often through tension and conflict.
• Forced Proximity: A plot device where characters are put in close quarters (like being trapped together), pushing them to interact and develop feelings.
• Fae: Magical creatures from folklore, often depicted as mischievous or otherworldly beings with their own courts and rules.
• High Fantasy: Fantasy set in entirely fictional worlds with elaborate world-building, magic systems, and often epic quests.
• Paranormal Romance: A subgenre combining romance with supernatural elements like vampires, werewolves, witches, or ghosts.
• Spice Level: The level of sexual content in a romance book, ranging from low (sweet) to very high (explicit and steamy).
• Slow Burn: A romance where the attraction and relationship develop gradually over time, often with tension and anticipation.
• Found Family: A group of people who become like family through friendship and loyalty rather than blood relations.
• Grumpy/Sunshine: A trope pairing a cranky or reserved character (the Grumpy) with an upbeat, cheerful one (the Sunshine), creating a dynamic contrast.
• Age Gap: A romance where there is a significant age difference between the partners, often exploring themes of maturity and growth.
• Friends to Lovers: A trope where best friends realize their feelings for each other go beyond friendship, leading to romance.
• Small Town Romance: Romances set in tight-knit communities where characters often know each other, creating charming and cozy stories.
• Witch/Magic: Stories featuring witches, wizards, or magic users, often combining romance with spells, curses, and mystical powers.