Audiences are now fluent in the language of psychology. They know what "love bombing" is. They know what "gaslighting" looks like. Consequently, they have zero tolerance for toxic behavior dressed up as romance.
If you want your readers to root for a couple, you must show them trying . You must show the argument, the apology, the changed behavior. The romantic payoff is no longer the kiss; it is the quiet morning after the fight where one partner says, "I hear you. I will do better." Subverting the Tropes (Without Destroying Them) Tropes exist for a reason. "Enemies to Lovers," "Friends to Lovers," "Fake Dating"—these are the scaffolding of relationships and romantic storylines . The trick in 2024 is not to avoid them, but to subvert them with self-awareness. tamil.sex.4.com
Not "Why these two attractive people." Not "Why these two convenient people." Why these specific, messy, contradictory, hilarious, broken, hopeful human beings? Audiences are now fluent in the language of psychology