Happy Tuesday, reader friends, and welcome to another Top Ten Tuesday post thanks to That Artsy Reader Girl. Today’s topic is Favourite Tropes (in other words, a commonly used theme or plot device), and one of my favourite plot devices is the meet-cute.
In a kind of literary “breaking the fourth wall” moment, Bethany Turner defines the meet-cute in her novel Wooing Cadie McCaffrey: “You know what a meet-cute is, right? It’s that charming first encounter between two characters that leads to a romantic relationship between them.” In particular, there is often a humorous or amusing element to the meeting, such as when her eponymous character, Cadie McCaffrey, is left standing on a desk holding her ridiculously large birthday cake, unable to get down thanks to the heels she’s wearing. (If you want to know how she got there and why she got stranded, you’ll have to read the book!) Enter Will, the hero. And hello, meet-cute!
So, which books have my favourite meet-cutes? I’m glad you asked!
THE SECRET LIFE OF SARAH HOLLENBECK
Bethany Turner
Okay, so this one appeared in last week’s list. Oops! But really, this is a ridiculously cute meet-cute. When you think about it, it’s as clichèd as you can get. Physically bump into each other? Check. Lost in each other’s gaze? Check. Say something really silly? Check. And yet, it feels so fresh. And sweet. And you just can’t stop smiling as you read it. *sigh*
THE NUMBER OF LOVE
Roseanna M. White
Okay, so this one was in last week’s list too. (I promise I’ll be giving you some new ones after this!) But I love the moment when Margot and Drake first meet. This one’s only a near-collision, but it’s the conversation that makes this a meet-cute for me. If you ask a silly question like, “Have you a name?”, you had better be ready for a sassy answer!
FROM THE START
Melissa Tagg
If I were forced to pick a favourite meet-cute ever, this would be a finalist. And it’s so much fun that I don’t want to spoil it for you by telling you anything. Let’s just say that, if you arrive at your parents’ home late at night and decide to just crawl into bed and wait until morning to let everyone know you’ve arrived, you’d better make sure you’re the only guest! 😂
THE TRUTH ABOUT ROMANTIC COMEDIES
Sean McMurray
This is another conversational meet-cute. Teen boy and teen girl meet in a cancer clinic (they’re accompanying family members) and strike up a conversation about the paranormal romance novel teen boy is reading in the hopes he might find some window into his ex-girlfriend’s mind. It’s a delightfully droll conversation!
TRUE TO YOU
Becky Wade
If you’re going to set up a great meet-cute, why not go all out and have her play the roll of hostage in a training exercise? Then the hero can storm in (after the sprinklers have been activated and turned turned her to a drowned rat) and play knight in shining armour! Or, well, maybe knight in not-so-shiny tactical gear. Or something like that…
ONE PLUS ONE EQUALS TROUBLE
Sondra Kraak
Here’s a handy tip. If stepping outside to confront your former fiancè first thing in the morning, check that:
(a) the man in question IS in fact your former fiancè; and
(b) you’re wearing something other than your lace nightgown and robe.
A DEFENSE OF HONOR
Kristi Ann Hunter
Nothing spices up a boring Regency ball like having a conversation with a young lady hiding behind the potted shrubbery!
WORTH THE FALL
Bria Quinlan
Okay, I said I was done with the repeats from last week, but I have one more. The meet-cutes (yes, plural) in this story are also among my absolute favourites. In fact, it isn’t until the third meet-cute that the hero and heroine get properly introduced. And each of them is meet-cute gold!
THEN THERE WAS YOU
Kara Isaac
These guys actually get FOUR tries before they meet properly, and they range from meet-cute to meet-foot-in-mouth! 😂 And there may be a meet-shirt-off thrown in for good measure. 😉
CURSE OF MISTY WAYFAIR
Jaime Jo Wright
This book could probably lay claim to establishing the meet-grump, but I couldn’t resist including it in my lineup. When Heidi is stranded on the side of the road with car troubles, Rhett is the ministering “angel” sent by her brother-in-law to help her out. And he’s the most abrupt, deadpan character I’ve ever met, to the point where I couldn’t help laughing!
I think it’s awesome you included examples of meet-cute stories!
My TTT
I LOVE a good meet cute and I didn’t even think of it for one of my answers! D’oh 🤦🏻♀️I haven’t read any of these but some of them are definitely making their way to my TBR now! From the Start and Then There Was You sound SO cute!!! Great list 🙂
My TTT post
Meet cutes are super cute lol. I’m glad you gave some recommendations for it!
These are delightful, Katie!!! My TTT
My favorite meet-cute is from “When You Look At Me” by Pepper Basham. So stinkin’ adorable!
LOVE the meet-cute! Becky’s is a fantastic choice, loved Sarah Hollenbeck, and CANNOT wait to read Bethany’s newest novel. Also, I feel like in general, Melissa Tagg is the QUEEN of the best meet-cutes! 🙂
I love a good meet-cute! Thanks for introducing me to some new books.
I liked the snowed-in car in Brunch at Bittersweet Cafe by Carla Laureano.
Oh, I forgot about that one. Yes 🙂
There are so many great meet-cutes out there! Thanks for including One Plus One. I love the first meeting of Olivia and Ridley in Tamera Alexander’s To Whisper Her Name: a rescue from a carriage! What makes for a good meet cute, in my opinion, is one character or both in a precarious, embarrassing situation. And witty banter!
Ooh, I love this! Meet-cutes can be so brilliant and honestly I’m always into it when I see it in fiction. Although I don’t think I see it used as much as I’d like to so *adds a ton of these to my TBR* but especially Then There Was You because you had me at meet-cute AND meet-foot-in-mouth. Which honestly? Yes. I’m here for this.
I don’t always use the meet-cute in my books, but I did for Plan B, and honestly, it qualifies as a SUPER-meet-cute! A jilted bride and jilted groom both travel alone to the island honeymoon resort where they have reservations, and are thrown together on the crowded shuttle bus taking everyone in from the airport. She mistakes him for one of the entertainers and greets him with a totally foot-in-mouth comment that sets up their next couple of contacts to be just as funny and awkward!
Lol! Sounds fabulous!
I believe Plan B is on your schedule to review sometime this fall, Katie. I think you’ll enjoy it!