Books like 'Happiness is a Shade of Blue'

Readers who enjoyed Happiness is a Shade of Blue by Venetia Di Pierro also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.

lesbian romance  christmas  angst  queer

  • These Thin Lines by Milena McKay

    These Thin Lines by Milena McKay

    Rated: 4.52 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 3 of 5
    Open door [?] · 21 ratings
    Some lines should never be crossed...In the heart of Paris, Chiara Conti is a Queen trapped in an Ivory Tower of haute couture, fortune and lovelessness. Lonely and dejected, she’s longing for inspiration, for direction, for understanding.When Vi Courtenay falls at her feet, losing her shoe like a veritable Cinderella, events are set in motion that will unravel their carefully fashioned lives...
  • Damaged Goods by Eliza Lentzski

    Damaged Goods by Eliza Lentzski

    Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 4 of 5
    Explicit open door [?] · 22 ratings
    New from Eliza Lentzski: Damaged Goods – the sequel to Don’t Call Me Hero. The past few years had been difficult for former Marine, Cassidy Miller. She’d left the military, joined the Minneapolis city police, only to voluntarily remove herself from active duty...
  • Sponsored links
  • Casting Lacey by Elle Spencer

    Casting Lacey by Elle Spencer

    Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 3 of 5
    Open door [?] · 30 ratings
    Coming out is easier when you’ve got someone by your side. At least that’s how the hyper-private Quinn Kincaid sees it. When her publicist suggests a good old-fashioned sham of a Hollywood relationship, Quinn reluctantly agrees...
  • Separate Like Stars by Diana Kane

    Separate Like Stars by Diana Kane

    Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars
    · 16 ratings
    On paper, Jordan Cohen has it all. With numerous bestsellers under her belt, a number of blockbuster movie adaptations to her credit, and a high profile relationship with one of Hollywood’s most prominent stars, what more could she possibly ask for? Maybe for Olivia Bradley, the only woman to ever break her heart, to exit her life as quickly as she’d re-entered it...
  • One Little Secret by Eliza Lentzski

    One Little Secret by Eliza Lentzski

    Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars
    · 15 ratings
    Most stories have a beginning, middle, and end. But when you work in the Cold Case division, you come to the realization that not every story has a tidy conclusion and not every story starts at the beginning. One little question. Cold Case Detective Cassidy Miller is beginning to feel more comfortable in her new career path...
  • The Forever and The Now by K.J .

    The Forever and The Now by K.J .

    Rated: 4.68 of 5 stars
    · 11 ratings
    Bron McIntyre, forty-two, has it all together. Terrific job. Loving family. No desperate need for a girlfriend but would be interested if one came along. Bron McIntyre is Teflon.Kate Agostino, forty-eight, is not Teflon. Yes, she has a terrific job. But a loving family? Not really. And her personal life is rapidly disintegrating and turning into dust...
  • Ensnared in Her Symphony by Jolie Dvorak

    Ensnared in Her Symphony by Jolie Dvorak

    Rated: 4.53 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 5 of 5
    Explicit and plentiful [?] · 12 ratings
    Maestro Virve Vintinen is at the very top of her game. She’s the principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra – the classical music world is hers to rule and she does so in style. She has a reputation, sure. She’s been known to make entire brass sections cry with one raised brow. She’s reduced the harshest music critics to tears of rapture...
  • Stolen Hearts by Eliza Lentzski

    Stolen Hearts by Eliza Lentzski

    Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars
    · 9 ratings
    In 1984, Danika Laroque, a young indigenous woman, was reported missing. The investigation went cold not long after. Decades later, a True Crime podcaster starts poking around, bringing the missing persons case to the attention of Cassidy Miller...
  • Mirror by Max Ellendale

    Mirror by Max Ellendale

    Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars
    · 9 ratings
    In the final installment of the Four Point Trilogy, Sali and Maggie, despite their retirement, find themselves tirelessly recruited by civilians asking for their help. When a desperate mother appeals to Sali's sensitivities to search for her missing daughter, the duo, reluctantly, give in...
    Categorized as:
    angst  queer  f-f  mystery  length-medium
  • Cigar Club by J.A. Armstrong

    Cigar Club by J.A. Armstrong

    Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars
    · 15 ratings
    Fallon Foster is Whiskey Springs' self-proclaimed token lesbian. She isn't a token any longer. After her year-long affair with best friend, Andi Maguire ends, Fallon hopes to earn the trust and win the heart of the town's newest resident, Riley Main. Ghosts from the past still haunt Fallon and Riley. Informed by loss and betrayal, the pair endeavors to find their way to each other...
  • Hunter's Revenge by Gerri Hill

    Hunter's Revenge by Gerri Hill

    Rated: 4.53 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 5 of 5
    Explicit and plentiful [?] · 11 ratings
    When a seventy-one-year-old man is shot dead in his home, it seems like a random act of violence. But the hundreds of photos of Detective Tori Hunter found at the scene seem to say otherwise. And when the gun that proves to be the murder weapon in the brutal murder of Tori’s family some thirty-something years earlier is found, Tori is not only facing her past, but a massive conflict of interest...
  • Betrayal by Nancy Ann Healy

    Betrayal by Nancy Ann Healy

    Rated: 4.37 of 5 stars
    · 15 ratings
    There is no one to trust in Nancy Ann Healy’s thrilling new novel, Betrayal.FBI agent Alex Toles is relieved to return to work at the NSA after a frightening on-the-job ordeal. Her life partner, Cassidy O’Brien, and Cassidy’s seven-year-old son, have also been instrumental in healing Alex’s wounds...
    Categorized as:
    angst  queer  f-f  mystery  suspense  betrayal  length-long  audiobook
  • Conspiracy by Nancy Ann Healy

    Conspiracy by Nancy Ann Healy

    Rated: 4.49 of 5 stars
    · 11 ratings
    The past sins of fathers will return to haunt their daughters in the final installment of the Alex and Cassidy series. What had started as a simple case three years earlier, forever altered the course of FBI Agent Alex Toles’ life. A committed investigator, Alex had always avoided personal entanglements. That was until she meet Cassidy O’Brien...
    Categorized as:
    angst  queer  f-f  mystery  military  suspense  length-long  audiobook
  • Separate Like Stars by Diana Kane

    Separate Like Stars by Diana Kane

    Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars
    · 14 ratings
    On paper, Jordan Cohen has it all. With numerous bestsellers under her belt, a number of blockbuster movie adaptations to her credit, and a high profile relationship with one of Hollywood’s most prominent stars, what more could she possibly ask for? Maybe for Olivia Bradley, the only woman to ever break her heart, to exit her life as quickly as she’d re-entered it...
  • When We're Meant to Be by Skye Von Triessen

    When We're Meant to Be by Skye Von Triessen

    Rated: 4.37 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 5 of 5
    Explicit and plentiful [?] · 14 ratings
    When Dr. Alexandra Edison’s world was ripped apart, the last thing she expected was to end up in a casual affair with Blake Westmore. Soon after she was forced to choose between her past and her present, when her strong sense of obligation forced her to leave the woman whom she shared one of the most unforgettable experiences with, and head back to L.A. to help the woman who broke her heart...
  • Marking Time by Sherryl D. Hancock

    Marking Time by Sherryl D. Hancock

    Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars
    · 11 ratings
    Raine Mason has never been in a relationship with a woman… or anyone for that matter. Then she meets Natalia, the feisty Latina dance teacher. A dancerturned cop, Raine captivates the eyes of the dance teacher and with a little push from their friend, they embark on a whirlwind romance...
    Categorized as:
    queer  angst  f-f  sports  military  length-short
  • Letters Never Sent by Sandra Moran

    Letters Never Sent by Sandra Moran

    Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars
    · 13 ratings
    "The story unfolds like a flower; the impact of it on each person is profound. It’s a spectacular offering of love gained, lost, and struggled with over a lifetime—a poignant tale with a marvelous reveal at the end."—Anna Furtado, Lambda Literary ReviewThree women, united by love and kinship, struggle to conform to the social norms of the times in which they lived...
    Categorized as:
    angst  queer  f-f  historical  length-medium  audiobook
  • Christmas in Heaven by Lise Gold

    Christmas in Heaven by Lise Gold

    Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 4 of 5
    Explicit open door [?] · 10 ratings
    Helen works for Heaven, a high-end matchmaking company with a tailored and personal approach. As their number one matchmaker, there’s no way she can turn up at the company Christmas party solo, but she struggles to find a date.Matilda is a corporate party planner hired by Helen to organise Heaven’s Christmas party...
  • All Wrapped Up in You by T.B. Markinson, Adrian J. Smith

    All Wrapped Up in You by T.B. Markinson, Adrian J. Smith

    Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars
    · 14 ratings
    A saboteur. A bookstore in trouble. A writer on the verge of ruin.After a painful divorce, Mathilda “Mat” Kincaide has one clear vision. Ascend the throne of her family’s cherished chain of bookstores. Yet a mysterious troublemaker lurks in the heart of her store, intent on derailing Mat’s every ambition...
  • At Seventeen by Gerri Hill

    At Seventeen by Gerri Hill

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 4 of 5
    Explicit open door [?] · 24 ratings
    Madison Lansford and Shannon Fletcher met when they were ten years old. Madison—daughter of wealthy parents and Shannon, daughter of their live-in maid and cook—became fast friends, yet both knew their place in life.There was never a doubt that they would become lovers . . . there was also never a doubt that Madison would marry and maintain her social standing in the community...
  • Another Stupid Love Song by Miranda MacLeod, Em Stevens

    Another Stupid Love Song by Miranda MacLeod, Em Stevens

    Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 4 of 5
    Explicit open door [?] · 7 ratings
    The stage is set for success… and heartbreak.Maxine Gardner is a rock and roll legend who hasn’t had a hit in years. She’s on a mission to get her old band back together for a once in a lifetime reunion tour that could save her floundering career. The problem? One band member is dead and the other hates her guts...
  • The Touch of Her Voice by Sara Scott

    The Touch of Her Voice by Sara Scott

    Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    ...Firebird Awards 2022 (Speak Up Talk Radio)First Place LGBTQ FictionFirst Place New Adult FictionFirst Place New Fiction (first time published)...2022 American Fiction Awards Finalist (LGBTQ+ Fiction)...Literary Titan Gold Book Award (September 2022)...Readers' Favorite 5 Star BookMy world turned to shades of grey as I squared my shoulders and turned around...
  • Loved and Lost by Stephanie Kusiak

    Loved and Lost by Stephanie Kusiak

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    Blake Fortnier and Rachel Kaplan are the perfect couple. Fifteen years into a marriage that will seemingly last forever, a tragic accident tears them apart. After reaching the end of her rope, Blake is blessed with the chance to relive her life. She can right her wrongs, live life to the fullest and change the course of fate, or so she hopes...
    Categorized as:
    angst  queer  f-f  contemporary  length-long
  • A Woman Undone by T.B. Markinson

    A Woman Undone by T.B. Markinson

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    Despite Lizzie’s attempts to hide from her family, circumstances pull her even deeper into the complicated Petrie web. After a disastrous family Christmas, Lizzie’s friends and family seek her counsel, dragging Lizzie back into their orbit...
    Categorized as:
    angst  queer  humor  f-f  length-medium  audiobook
  • Rekindled by Erica Lee

    Rekindled by Erica Lee

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    After getting married right out of college, Jordan and Spencer Barlowe were sure their love would last a lifetime. Unfortunately, life didn't work out that way and they've spent the last ten years apart. The only connection they have left is their teenage daughter...
  • Lasting Impressions by Michele L. Rivera

    Lasting Impressions by Michele L. Rivera

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    Fifteen years ago, Bryce Keating and Cameron Shapiro met for the first time on the worst blind date of their lives. They ended the night hoping to never see each other again and went their separate ways.Unfortunately for Bryce and Cameron, fate had other plans. Over a decade later, the two women randomly run into one another. It’s disastrous and stirs up mixed feelings for them both...
  • Lucky Yellow Shoes by Jae

    Lucky Yellow Shoes by Jae

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 4 of 5
    Explicit open door [?] · 8 ratings
    Denny is planning to propose to her girlfriend, Eliza, on Christmas Day, but she needs some help finding the perfect ring. Will it all go according to plan, or will she end up being the one surprised?“Lucky Yellow Shoes” is a short story sequel to Jae’s light-hearted lesbian romance Wrong Number, Right Woman...
  • Donegal's Wish by JA Armstrong

    Donegal's Wish by JA Armstrong

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    No one should have to wait until December for a dose of holiday cheer! Meet Abby Turner and Bess Riley. Abby Turner is a dedicated nurse and mother who spent her life in New York City until the death of her longtime partner, Connie. Abby’s adjusting to a new, quieter life in suburban Connecticut. Most days she finds the change refreshing...
    Categorized as:
    angst  queer  f-f  second chances  length-medium
  • Call of Love by Lee Haven

    Call of Love by Lee Haven

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    Separated by fear. Reunited by fate. Will they get a second chance at life and love?Parker Snow left home at nineteen after being abandoned by her family for loving her foster sister, Kate Cain. She joined the Marine Corps and has had little contact with her parents since. But when she’s transferred back to Washington D.C...
    Categorized as:
    angst  queer  f-f  contemporary  length-medium
  • Snowed Inn with Madelyn by Chelsea M. Cameron

    Snowed Inn with Madelyn by Chelsea M. Cameron

    Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars
    · 9 ratings
    Nothing says “Merry Christmas” more than arriving at the adorable inn your mom has booked for your family and seeing your former babysitter, and first crush, sitting behind the desk. Turns out Madelyn Hawthorne is the owner, and after a massive snowstorm traps us, we’re all going to be getting pretty cozy for the next week...
    Categorized as:
    christmas  queer  f-f  length-novella
  • Don't Quit Your Daydream by Adrian J. Smith

    Don't Quit Your Daydream by Adrian J. Smith

    Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars
    · 9 ratings
    What happens in the elevator doesn’t stay in the elevator. When Laura Finch’s business partner hires Skylar to bring their company to the next generation, Laura sees red. An obnoxious millennial isn’t someone she wants to work with—they’re known for failing their side hustles...
  • Heal their Hearts by Claire Highton-Stevenson

    Heal their Hearts by Claire Highton-Stevenson

    Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 4 of 5
    Explicit open door [?] · 9 ratings
    Georgia Samuels lives her life with no commitments other than the love of her job, and the flashy little apartment overlooking the Thames. That is until tragedy strikes and her sister, Aston, and Aston's husband Ben are both killed when the plane they're returning home on crashes, leaving the family rocked, and three kids orphaned...
  • Intersection: 10th Anniversary Edition by Nancy Ann Healy

    Intersection: 10th Anniversary Edition by Nancy Ann Healy

    Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars
    · 20 ratings
    When FBI agent Alexis Toles was dispatched to New York to investigate threats sent to Congressman Christopher O’Brien, the last thing she expected to find was romance. But during her investigation, Alex finds herself in a love affair with the congressman’s ex-wife, all while discovering the convoluted conspiracy behind the threats...
  • Christmas at Rainbow Falls by T.B. Markinson, Miranda MacLeod

    Christmas at Rainbow Falls by T.B. Markinson, Miranda MacLeod

    Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars
    · 14 ratings
    A Sweet Small Town Romance Christmas at Rainbow Falls is a sweet small town romance written in the style of your favorite holiday movies, so grab a cup of cocoa and snuggle in for some yuletide cheer!When a disastrous mistake at work puts her career in jeopardy, Natalie Dunbar retreats to the small Vermont town of Rainbow Falls to settle the estate of an aunt she hardly knew...
  • Just for Show by Jae

    Just for Show by Jae

    Rated: 4.09 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 4 of 5
    Explicit open door [?] · 30 ratings
    When Claire, an overachieving psychologist with OCD tendencies, hires Lana, an impulsive, out-of-work actress for a fake relationship, she figures the worst she’ll have to endure are the messes Lana leaves around. It’s only for a few months anyway. And it’s not as if she’ll enjoy all those fake kisses and loving looks. Right? A lesbian romance where role-playing has never been so irresistible...
  • A Purrfect Gift by Jae

    A Purrfect Gift by Jae

    Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars
    · 11 ratings
    Lena has just moved to Freiburg with her cat, Scully, so when she finds little gifts on her doorstep every day, she thinks they are a welcome-to-the-building Advent calendar from her new neighbors.Caroline, who lives next door, can’t figure out how her stuff keeps disappearing until she catches a cat in the act of stealing from her. She follows the feline felon home—and meets its cute owner...
    Categorized as:
    christmas  queer  f-f  contemporary  audiobook
  • Sleigh Bells Ring: A Sapphic Romance by Alyson Root, Tara Sullivan

    Sleigh Bells Ring: A Sapphic Romance by Alyson Root, Tara Sullivan

    Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    For Nicole Robinson, Christmas means returning to the family home in Hebden Bridge with her sister Beth and their brother Liam, who has lived with permanent delays since a childhood accident. Though Beth and Nicole have grown up and moved away, every December the Robinson kids reunite for a month of family and festive traditions...
  • Where the Heart Is by Lily Seabrooke

    Where the Heart Is by Lily Seabrooke

    Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 4 of 5
    Explicit open door [?] · 11 ratings
    Kissing her childhood friend on a family Christmas vacation is probably a bad idea…The Jackson family is primed to explode over Christmas—with Stella’s parents hiding their divorce proceedings from the family during a two-week vacation to the cozy Christmas town of Bellsford, Stella and her sisters are under strict orders not to cause drama...
  • Cabin Fever by Addison M Conley

    Cabin Fever by Addison M Conley

    Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars
    · 12 ratings
    Kate Minton's life is collapsing. She's fired, her estranged father dies, and her girlfriend dumps her. Her older half-brothers inherit everything, and all Kate gets is a remote, rundown Idaho cabin that no one knew existed. But if Kate lives there for a year, she’ll inherit half a million dollars. The move leads her to family secrets and an infuriating, and inconveniently sexy, contractor...
    Categorized as:
    angst  queer  f-f  length-medium  audiobook
  • Before You Go by Melissa Tereze

    Before You Go by Melissa Tereze

    Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    Ryann Harris has everything she needs. A thriving tattoo studio and the woman she loves by her side.But Ryann’s world is turned upside down when she discovers lies and deceit.With the belief that she has no comeback, Ryann makes a drastic decision. She heads towards the river.And then she meets Lydia Nelson.Both are at the river railings for different reasons...
    Categorized as:
    angst  queer  f-f  contemporary  length-medium
  • Kissed By Her by Chelsea M. Cameron

    Kissed By Her by Chelsea M. Cameron

    Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 4 of 5
    Explicit open door [?] · 10 ratings
    I was so looking forward to this summer. My job as a nanny for eleven-year-old twins means never a dull moment, and I’m excited about hanging out with my best friend, Joy, and reading all the books we can get our hands on next to my employer’s fabulous pool.Then my boss goes and hires a new assistant who is clearly gunning to be his second wife...
  • Naughty or Nice? A Very Merry Decadence Christmas by M. Never

    Naughty or Nice? A Very Merry Decadence Christmas by M. Never

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · 9 ratings
    Are you Naughty or are you Nice? Get claimed by Kayne one last time as the entire Decadence crew comes together for a winter wedding no one will forget! Christmas is magical in New York— lights gleam and snow swirls as a powerful foursome reunites! Warning NSFW! Available only during the month of December! Get it while it’s hot! My Christmas gift to you! Author note: Naughty or Nice is a...
    Categorized as:
    queer  christmas  f-f  m-m  military  bdsm  menage  contemporary
  • Operation: Secret Santa by M.J. Duncan

    Operation: Secret Santa by M.J. Duncan

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · 9 ratings
    When Holly Burke saw who she’d drawn for Secret Santa, she knew she had to do something to make it special. It was Christmas, after all, and if anyone deserved some extra Christmas cheer, it was Mo Davy...
  • Ghosted Christmas Past by Bryce Oakley

    Ghosted Christmas Past by Bryce Oakley

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · 9 ratings
    Last Christmas, I gave her my heart, but the very next day…Well, you know how it goes.Merritt Perkins has spent an entire year thinking maybe it was too cliche to be real. Dylan Camber: the cute private chef, and her: the nanny — connecting over being tucked away in the Rockies while working through the holidays...
  • Don't Marry Me At Christmas by Clare Lydon

    Don't Marry Me At Christmas by Clare Lydon

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · 9 ratings
    Deck the halls with awkward tension…Meet Sara Christmas fanatic, festive wedding Grinch. Her dream nuptials? Sun-soaked, Beth-free.Meet Beth Expert at running. From countries, feelings, and one-night stands with best friends.Now Beth's back, armed with apologies and tinsel-wrapped determination...
    Categorized as:
    christmas  queer  f-f  length-medium  audiobook
  • The Summer You Were There Vol. 4 by Yuama, ゆあま

    The Summer You Were There Vol. 4 by Yuama, ゆあま

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · 9 ratings
    At the start of summer, Kaori suggested to her writer classmate Shizuku that they should pretend to date to give Shizuku material to write about. Together, they've not only gone on dates and grown closer, Kaori has also helped Shizuku face her past. But now, as Kaori sits in a hospital bed thanks to her chronic illness, she tells Shizuku that they should break-up. Shizuku is shocked...
    Categorized as:
    queer  angst  f-f  contemporary  length-short
  • A Game Of Two Hearts by Iona Kane

    A Game Of Two Hearts by Iona Kane

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · 9 ratings
    Tess Kennedy isn’t where she thought she’d be at forty-six. She’s focusing on keeping things together as a single parent as she returns to a town that holds mixed memories. As she tries to build a new life for her family, she’s relieved that she’s finally in control of her own destiny. The last thing she’s looking for is a relationship.Rowan Russell is living her regular, predictable life...
  • The Christmas Inheritance by Addison Clarke

    The Christmas Inheritance by Addison Clarke

    Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    Charlie Monroe loves everything about Baxter Tree Farm. From the smell of the pine trees to the shimmer of Christmas lights, Charlie is at home on the farm. Having managed the farm since graduating high school, Charlie considers herself an expert on all things Christmas trees. Her dream is to continue to grow the place she loves so much and make it a must visit place in Maine...
  • This Is the Season to Make You Mine by Johana Gavez

    This Is the Season to Make You Mine by Johana Gavez

    Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    Will the Christmas magic help these two friends take a shot at love?Morgan Bergman doesn’t want to go home for Christmas. She loves her family, but since her parents retired and her sister moved back to their hometown of Apfelville to take over the family business, she’s been avoiding them, feeling guilty about choosing her rising career in New York over her family...
Fantastic book recommendations by romance book lovers for romance book lovers.
Find out more about romance.io.


Get recommendations by genres & tropes

Use the romance book finder to mix and match over 100 content keywords to find the books that match your preferences

romance book finder

Looking for more inspiration? Enter another book title to get more suggestions on what to read next.


Or - use our amazing romance book finder to get recommendations based on your favorite content tropes and themes. Mix and match at will.