Books like 'Falling Slowly'

Readers who enjoyed Falling Slowly by Enni Amanda also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.

contemporary  funny  office  small town

  • Sweat and Soap, Vol. 11 by Kintetsu Yamada

    Sweat and Soap, Vol. 11 by Kintetsu Yamada

    Rated: 4.68 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 2 of 5
    Behind closed doors [?] · 26 ratings
    WEDDING BELLS ARE RINGINGThe ceremony is just around the corner, but there’s still a lot to be done: finalizing the guest list, sending out invitations, picking out wedding favors, figuring out flower arrangements… The tasks are endless and exhausting...
  • あせとせっけん 11 [Ase to sekken 11] by Kintetsu Yamada, 山田金鉄

    あせとせっけん 11 [Ase to sekken 11] by Kintetsu Yamada, 山田金鉄

    Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars
    · 25 ratings
    WEDDING BELLS ARE RINGINGThe ceremony is just around the corner, but there’s still a lot to be done: finalizing the guest list, sending out invitations, picking out wedding favors, figuring out flower arrangements… The tasks are endless and exhausting...
    Categorized as:
    office  contemporary  humor  length-short
  • Sponsored links
  • Sweat and Soap, Vol. 3 by Kintetsu Yamada

    Sweat and Soap, Vol. 3 by Kintetsu Yamada

    Rated: 4.51 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 2 of 5
    Behind closed doors [?] · 34 ratings
    The office romance between the quiet and sweet accountant Asako, who's spent her life ashamed of how much she sweats, and rising star of the bath and toiletry world Kotaro got off to a fast and steamy start! Kotaro's status at the company has made her wary of revealing their relationship to their colleagues at Liliadrop, and she's stumbled into the discovery that Kotaro has been mentoring an...
  • Sweat and Soap, Vol. 3 by Kintetsu Yamada

    Sweat and Soap, Vol. 3 by Kintetsu Yamada

    Rated: 4.49 of 5 stars
    · 31 ratings
    The office romance between the quiet and sweet accountant Asako, who's spent her life ashamed of how much she sweats, and rising star of the bath and toiletry world Kotaro got off to a fast and steamy start! Kotaro's status at the company has made her wary of revealing their relationship to their colleagues at Liliadrop, and she's stumbled into the discovery that Kotaro has been mentoring an...
    Categorized as:
    office  contemporary  humor  length-short
  • Sweat and Soap, Vol. 9 by Kintetsu Yamada

    Sweat and Soap, Vol. 9 by Kintetsu Yamada

    Rated: 4.55 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 2 of 5
    Behind closed doors [?] · 26 ratings
    COME WHAT MAY Now that Kotaro and Asako have gotten used to living together, they’ve started to think about what their future holds. It’s an exciting—and somewhat terrifying—prospect, one made all the more difficult when the haunting reappearance of a ghost from Asako’s past threatens their happily ever after..
  • Sweat and Soap, Vol. 4 by Kintetsu Yamada

    Sweat and Soap, Vol. 4 by Kintetsu Yamada

    Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 2 of 5
    Behind closed doors [?] · 32 ratings
    Natori and Asako are back from their first trip together, a romantic getaway to Hokkaido. But when Asako returns to the office, her anxiety comes back, too, because it’s time to let their secret out and reveal their relationship to their coworkers. Natori sets up a lunch to introduce Asako to his teammates in product development...
  • Final Vow by Kathleen Brooks

    Final Vow by Kathleen Brooks

    Rated: 4.49 of 5 stars
    · 28 ratings
    As the ultimate bodyguard, Ahmed’s focus has been protecting the lives of everyone he cares about. When the darkest part of his past resurfaces, Ahmed knows he must go on the offensive to protect his future . . . a future with the one woman that can match his toughness and return the love that was once robbed from him...
    Categorized as:
    small town  contemporary  humor  suspense
  • Sweat and Soap, Vol. 7 by Kintetsu Yamada

    Sweat and Soap, Vol. 7 by Kintetsu Yamada

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 2 of 5
    Behind closed doors [?] · 27 ratings
    After a lot of discussion and planning (and so many Post-It notes), Kotaro and Asako move in together, and a new era of their relationship dawns! But will these meticulously-laid plans stand up to the pressures and annoyances of real life? Pressures like..
  • Sweat and Soap, Vol. 10 by Kintetsu Yamada

    Sweat and Soap, Vol. 10 by Kintetsu Yamada

    Rated: 4.49 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 2 of 5
    Behind closed doors [?] · 27 ratings
    FIRST COMES LOVE, THEN COMES......well, a whole lot of stuff. Kotaro and Asako have been through a lot, and now they're finally ready to take the big plunge. Whatever comes next, they're committed to seeing it through -- together...
  • All You Need Is Love by Jessica Redland

    All You Need Is Love by Jessica Redland

    Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars
    · 29 ratings
    When you’ve loved and lost, how do you find the strength to let love in again?Jemma thinks she’s found the love of her life. Scott is everything she ever dreamed of and she can’t wait to begin the next stage of their life together. But just as she is heading for her happy ever after, a shock revelation shatters Jemma’s life as she knows it...
  • Sweat and Soap, Vol. 2 by Kintetsu Yamada

    Sweat and Soap, Vol. 2 by Kintetsu Yamada

    Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars
    · 31 ratings
    In an office romance, there's a fine line between sexy and awkward... and that line is where Asako — a woman who sweats copiously — met Koutarou — a perfume developer who can't get enough of Asako's, er, scent. Don't miss a romcom manga like no other! Asako's living her dream, working at the toiletry maker Liliadrop...
    Categorized as:
    office  contemporary  humor  length-short
  • The Start of Something Wonderful by Jessica Redland

    The Start of Something Wonderful by Jessica Redland

    Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars
    · 30 ratings
    Autumn Laine has lost her creative sparkle. After losing her grandad and her job as an illustrator in quick succession, she is at a crossroads in life and needs a break. Spending time with her parents in Paris, even in the artistic community of Montmartre, doesn't appear to be the answer...
  • Sweat and Soap, Vol. 5 by Kintetsu Yamada

    Sweat and Soap, Vol. 5 by Kintetsu Yamada

    Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 2 of 5
    Behind closed doors [?] · 31 ratings
    With great effort, the notorious workaholic Natori has managed to carve out a real holiday break, with time away from the office to spend with his girlfriend Asako...
  • Rocked by Love: Jillian Braden by Melissa Foster

    Rocked by Love: Jillian Braden by Melissa Foster

    Rated: 4.68 of 5 stars
    · 16 ratings
    What happens when a rock star with no plans of settling down finds out he has a teenage daughter, his manager is embezzling from him, and the woman he’s hired to design his tour wardrobe is breathing fire? Come along for the snarky, emotional, and insanely sexy ride as Jillian and Johnny get caught up in a storm that just might be bigger than both of them...
  • Finding Friends at the Cornish Country Hospital by Jo Bartlett

    Finding Friends at the Cornish Country Hospital by Jo Bartlett

    Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 1 of 5
    Glimpses and kisses [?] · 25 ratings
    A fresh beginning…Esther Hamilton, is finally finding her feet after her split with her horrible ex, and is looking forward to her new single life. She has a job she loves in the busy Accident and Emergency department, a new home and for the first time ever, a chance to just have fun with her good friends...
  • A Breath of Fresh Air by Jessica Redland

    A Breath of Fresh Air by Jessica Redland

    Rated: 4.54 of 5 stars
    · 20 ratings
    The BRAND NEW uplifting novel from MILLION-COPY BESTSELLER Jessica Redland Rosie feels like there's something missing in her life.She loves her job as the manager of Willowdale Hall Riding Stables, caring for the horses and teaching children to ride, and she loves the home she shares with her mother in the beautiful Lake District...
  • Sweat and Soap Vol. 6 by Kintetsu Yamada

    Sweat and Soap Vol. 6 by Kintetsu Yamada

    Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 2 of 5
    Behind closed doors [?] · 27 ratings
    Despite all the anxieties and obstacles, Asako and Natori's relationship has proven its staying power. Since deciding to move in together, they've found a home they both like, and a new chapter in both their lives has begun! But now that they've taken this adult step, there's an even bigger one looming further up the staircase..
  • Sweat and Soap, Vol. 6 by Kintetsu Yamada, 山田金鉄

    Sweat and Soap, Vol. 6 by Kintetsu Yamada, 山田金鉄

    Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars
    · 25 ratings
    In an office romance, there's a fine line between sexy and awkward... and that line is where Asako -- a woman who sweats copiusly -- met Koutarou -- a perfume developer who can't get enough of Asako's, er, scent. Don't miss a romcom manga like no other! WOULDN’T IT BE NICEDespite all the anxieties and obstacles, Asako and Natori’s relationship has proven its staying power...
    Categorized as:
    office  contemporary  humor  length-short
  • Talk Wicked to Me: Baz Wicked by Melissa Foster

    Talk Wicked to Me: Baz Wicked by Melissa Foster

    Rated: 4.66 of 5 stars
    · 15 ratings
    Veterinarian and Dark Knights biker Baxter “Baz” Wicked, the most charming and mysterious of the family, has a career he loves, a brotherhood he trusts, and plans that don’t include settling down just yet. Come along for the unexpected, hilarious, and heart-wrenching ride as Baz discovers that life and love can be messy, and carefully crafted plans can’t hold a candle to ten tiny fingers and toes...
    Categorized as:
    small town  contemporary  humor  m-f
  • Seabreeze Reunion by Jan Moran

    Seabreeze Reunion by Jan Moran

    Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars
    · 24 ratings
    What could possibly go wrong at a family reunion? At the Seabreeze Inn, you just never know...Ivy and Shelly are looking forward to hosting a long-awaited family reunion at the Seabreeze Inn...
  • Sweat and Soap Vol. 8 by Kintetsu Yamada

    Sweat and Soap Vol. 8 by Kintetsu Yamada

    Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 2 of 5
    Behind closed doors [?] · 27 ratings
    Now that Kotaro and Asako have met each other's families, things should be smooth sailing from here on out -- right? But there's still their first company trip as a couple, not to mention some unexpected... gains...of romantic bliss to navigate...
  • The Sawmill Book Club by Carolyn Brown

    The Sawmill Book Club by Carolyn Brown

    Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars
    · 29 ratings
    A restless woman discovers the comforts of small-town Texas—and more—in a bighearted novel about the next chapters in life by New York Times bestselling author Carolyn Brown.Unsure of the future but ready for risks, Libby O’Dell trades big-city life for whatever the back roads hold...
  • Can't Help Falling by Courtney Walsh

    Can't Help Falling by Courtney Walsh

    Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 1 of 5
    Glimpses and kisses [?] · 26 ratings
    All it takes to start a fire is one single match. . . Owen Larrabee is not my soulmate. He wasn't when I confessed my love to him on his wedding day, and he isn't now. I should probably say that I wasn't the bride when that happened. I don't have the best timing. He’s got a temper, he's moody, and he has a history of being misunderstood and making big mistakes...
  • The Potter's House by Hannah Ellis

    The Potter's House by Hannah Ellis

    Rated: 4.66 of 5 stars
    · 12 ratings
    Sometimes facing up to the past is the only way to create a better future…Since the tragic death of his father, Lowen Treneary has kept to himself in his pottery studio on the remote island of Bryher.His quiet life is just the way he likes it.Until Pippa comes along.The local café owner plunges his peaceful existence into chaos and brightens his days while she’s at it...
    Categorized as:
    small town  contemporary  humor  length-medium  m-f
  • Riverbend Reunion by Carolyn Brown

    Riverbend Reunion by Carolyn Brown

    Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars
    · 23 ratings
    Back home is the best place to start over in a heart-stirring Texas romance about friendship, second chances, and small-town scandals by New York Times bestselling author Carolyn Brown.Riverbend, Texas, doesn’t look like the crossroads of anywhere. But for four high school besties reuniting after twenty years, it’s a place to unpack a lot of baggage...
  • The Village of Lost and Found by Alison Sherlock

    The Village of Lost and Found by Alison Sherlock

    Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars
    · 26 ratings
    Scandal hit party girl Lucy Conway needs to leave London fast, so she packs her bags and escapes to the sleepy village of Cranbridge to take care of her beloved Uncle Frank.But the country village isn’t quite as idyllic as she remembers. To make matters worse, her Uncle’s pride and joy, The Cranbridge Times, is close to going out of business...
  • A New Song by Jan Karon

    A New Song by Jan Karon

    Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars
    · 37 ratings
    Jan Karon's millions of fans can't wait to sit down with her heartwarming and hilarious characters, who have a way of becoming family. In fact, readers and booksellers across the country kept Out to Canaan and At Home in Mitford on The New York Times bestseller list for months. In A New Song, Mitford's longtime Episcopal priest, Father Tim, retires...
  • Coral Weddings by Jan Moran

    Coral Weddings by Jan Moran

    Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars
    · 21 ratings
    Three weddings and a food truck... It's wedding season in Summer Beach, and you're invited!From a USA Today bestselling author.At the Coral Cottage, this summer is as busy as ever. Marina's sister Kai moved up her wedding, but she won't say why, and her new theater production is a guarded secret. Still, Marina is determined to expand her Coral Cafe with a new food truck and staff...
    Categorized as:
    small town  humor  contemporary  length-short
  • The Perfectly Imperfect Woman by Milly Johnson

    The Perfectly Imperfect Woman by Milly Johnson

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · 26 ratings
    The brand new, feel-good bestseller from the wonderful Milly Johnson...
    Categorized as:
    small town  contemporary  humor  length-long
  • The Mother of All Christmases by Milly Johnson

    The Mother of All Christmases by Milly Johnson

    Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars
    · 24 ratings
    THE MOST PERFECT CHRISTMAS FEEL-GOOD READ!'Every time you discover a new Milly book, it’s like finding a pot of gold'  Heat Eve Glace - co-owner of the theme park Winterworld - is having a baby and her due date is a perfectly timed 25th December. And she’s decided that she and her husband Jacques should renew their wedding vows with all the pomp that was missing the first time...
  • The Bluebonnet Battle by Carolyn Brown

    The Bluebonnet Battle by Carolyn Brown

    Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars
    · 23 ratings
    In Bonnet, Texas, Liddy Latham, the queen of funeral dinners, keeps a southern comfort-food tradition alive—until fancy-schmancy Matilda Monroe moves back to town. She wants room at the table for her own style of consolation and closure: healthy, modern, and vegan. But this is about more than fried chicken versus tofu turkey. Matilda’s return is also stirring up their volatile, unresolved history...
  • Coral Weddings by Jan Moran

    Coral Weddings by Jan Moran

    Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars
    · 20 ratings
    While Marina and Jack contemplate their future, her sister Kai and her new fiance Axe are planning their wedding. When disagreements threaten to derail the wedding, the sisters' grandmother, the indomitable Ginger Delavie, doles out unusual advice. Soon, an unforgettable event unfolds...
  • Sisters Behaving Badly by Maddie Please

    Sisters Behaving Badly by Maddie Please

    Rated: 4.37 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 2 of 5
    Behind closed doors [?] · 21 ratings
    Sisters Kitty and Jenny haven’t spoken since a very disappointing Carvery lunch. Kitty, sixty-two, thinks Jenny is turning grey. Jenny, sixty-six, thinks Kitty needs to grow up!So when both sisters inherit a farmhouse in rural France, it gives them the perfect chance to heal the rift between them...
  • The Christmas Holiday by Phillipa Ashley

    The Christmas Holiday by Phillipa Ashley

    Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars
    · 23 ratings
    Let Sunday Times bestseller Phillipa Ashley whisk you away to the Lakes this Christmas, with a story full of unexpected romance, second chances, snowflakes and starlight!She’s planned the perfect Christmas. But fate might have other ideas… Krystle didn’t have a normal childhood and longed for warm family Christmases with presents under the tree...
  • A Summer Surprise at the Little Blue Boathouse by Christie Barlow

    A Summer Surprise at the Little Blue Boathouse by Christie Barlow

    Rated: 4.68 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    Preorder the next book in the heartwarming and bestselling Love Heart Lane series Love Heart Lane – where friends are there for you no matter what When Bea Fernsby discovers her fiancé’s eyes have been wandering, she calls off the wedding and hits the road...
  • The Comfort Food Café by Debbie Johnson

    The Comfort Food Café by Debbie Johnson

    Rated: 4.62 of 5 stars
    · 11 ratings
    Staff Wanted – Must Be Comforting! Maxine Connolly has had a rough year with the loss of her mum, marriage, and job in quick succession, and she’d be the first to admit that she hasn’t been coping. But when her teenage daughter, Sophie, applies for a job at the Comfort Food Café on her behalf, Max realises she’s let things get out of hand...
  • The Golden Gals' French Adventure by Judy Leigh

    The Golden Gals' French Adventure by Judy Leigh

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · 14 ratings
    Sixty-nine-year-old Fliss has lived a life! A career running her own successful business, a beautiful home, a wardrobe full of designer clothes – Fliss has everything she ever wanted. So why does she feel so lonely?Sixty-six-year-old Shirl didn’t expect to be looking after a baby again, let alone a grown woman who should know better...
  • Sunshine Over Wildflower Cottage by Milly Johnson

    Sunshine Over Wildflower Cottage by Milly Johnson

    Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars
    · 27 ratings
    Escape to Wildflower Cottage this summer with the brilliant new novel from the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Teashop on the Corner and Afternoon Tea at the Sunflower Café.Viv doesn't like animals. And the feeling is mutual: animals seem to hate Viv too...
  • Staying For Good by Catherine Bybee

    Staying For Good by Catherine Bybee

    Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars
    · 27 ratings
    Zoe Brown may have been voted Most Likely to Never Leave River Bend, but the paper-thin walls and suffocating air of her family’s double-wide trailer were not what she wanted for her life. Other than BFFs Melanie and Jo, the only thing that kept Zoe sane during high school was her boyfriend, Luke...
  • The Village of Happy Ever Afters by Alison Sherlock

    The Village of Happy Ever Afters by Alison Sherlock

    Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars
    · 12 ratings
    Molly Hopkins has happily watched all of her friends’ dreams come true on Riverside Lane.Deciding to follow her passion for baking, Molly with the help of her friends takes the plunge and opens a Tea Garden in the village hoping to make it a summer to remember!Meanwhile, after a rather public end of his marriage, Logan Armstrong trusts no one but his beloved Grandad...
    Categorized as:
    small town  contemporary  humor  length-medium  m-f
  • The Devine Doughnut Shop by Carolyn Brown

    The Devine Doughnut Shop by Carolyn Brown

    Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars
    · 29 ratings
    Three women are torn between traditions of the past and unexpected new beginnings in a warmhearted novel by Carolyn Brown about family, romance, and the best pastries in Texas.For Grace Dalton, her sister, Sarah, and her cousin Macy, the Devine Doughnut Shop is a sweet family legacy and a landmark in their Texas town...
  • Seabreeze Honeymoon by Jan Moran

    Seabreeze Honeymoon by Jan Moran

    Rated: 4.52 of 5 stars
    · 13 ratings
    After embarking on their second-chance midlife marriage, Ivy and Bennett are eager to enjoy a relaxing holiday. However, when their flight to sunny shores is rerouted to a glittering city by the sea, they seize the chance to explore potential historical connections to Ivy's Seabreeze Inn. However, they never dreamed their discovery could have far-reaching effects...
  • The Perfect Gift by Kathleen Brooks

    The Perfect Gift by Kathleen Brooks

    Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars
    · 15 ratings
    Nabi dedicated his life to learning the security trade from one of the best, Ahmed Mueez. After seventeen years, Nabi has established an amazing career as an elite soldier and investigator in the small town of Keeneston, Kentucky. However, his pursuit of the perfect career left him with little time to find love...
    Categorized as:
    small town  humor  contemporary
  • A Summer Wedding at the Cotswolds Candy Store by Hannah M. Lynn

    A Summer Wedding at the Cotswolds Candy Store by Hannah M. Lynn

    Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 1 of 5
    Glimpses and kisses [?] · 14 ratings
    Going to the chapel, but will they get married? After the holiday romance to beat all other holiday romances, it’s back to regular life for Holly Berry, and the sweet shop is busier than ever. With Jamie and Fin’s wedding coming up, Holly is rushed off her feet, making sure their big day is perfect.So when her handsome boyfriend comes to visit, she is both elated to see him and overwhelmed...
  • Here Come the Girls by Milly Johnson

    Here Come the Girls by Milly Johnson

    Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars
    · 29 ratings
    THE TOP FIVE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR! A heartwarming and hilarious novel from the bestselling author of Afternoon Tea at the Sunflower Cafe and The Queen of Wishful Thinking .Ven, Roz, Olive and Frankie have been friends since school. They day-dreamed of glorious futures, full of riches, romance and fabulous jobs. The world would be their oyster...
  • A Winter Wedding at Starcross Manor by Christie Barlow

    A Winter Wedding at Starcross Manor by Christie Barlow

    Rated: 4.75 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    Preorder the next book in the heartwarming and bestselling Love Heart Lane series Love Heart Lane – where friends are there for you no matter...
  • A Business Proposal, Vol. 3 by Haehwa, Narak

    A Business Proposal, Vol. 3 by Haehwa, Narak

    Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 1 of 5
    Glimpses and kisses [?] · 24 ratings
    Mistakes were made. At the company dinner, Hari has one drink too many and wakes up the next morning with no memory of the previous night...except for a vague lingering sensation on her lips. Meanwhile, Yeongsuh also wakes up from a night of drinking, but unlike her best friend, she instantly realizes that something went very, very wrong..
  • Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason

    Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 46 ratings
    A compulsively readable debut novel—spiky, sharp, intriguingly dark, and tender—about a woman on the edge that combines the psychological insight of Sally Rooney with the sharp humor of Nina Stibbe and the emotional resonance of Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine.Martha Friel just turned forty. Once, she worked at Vogue and planned to write a novel. Now, she creates internet content...
  • My Everything - Seth & Amber by Melanie Shawn

    My Everything - Seth & Amber by Melanie Shawn

    Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars
    · 24 ratings
    Strong. Sexy. Skilled. Seth Sloan is returning to Harper’s Crossing a decorated war hero. As the leader of a Special Forces Marine Elite Unit Seth is trained to handle any situation…except one. An injury sustained in combat forced him to accept a medical discharge. Now he’s heading back to his hometown to reconnect with his family and a world he doesn’t recognize...
  • The Secret to Happiness by Jessica Redland, Lucy Brownhill

    The Secret to Happiness by Jessica Redland, Lucy Brownhill

    Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars
    · 31 ratings
    Danniella is running from her past, so when she arrives at the beautiful seaside resort of Whitsborough Bay, the last thing on her mind is making friends. After all, they might find out her secrets... Alison is fun, caring and doesn't take herself too seriously. But beneath the front, she is a lost soul, stuck in a terrible relationship, with body confidence issues and no family to support her...
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.