I think I figured out the problem with the Enemies to Lover's trope, it has a bimodal distribution. Let me explain!
Most tropes have a normal distribution:
I hypothesize that with EtoL, there is very little middle ground. This is a bimodal distribution:
You either do EtoL well and join the ranks of the immortals, or you crash and burn. I've discussed previously what makes EtoL work, but there seem to be a lot of traps for writers to fall into when it comes to this trope. For example:
the turn being based too heavily on lust (common JAFF trap)
never fully establishing the enemies phase
insufficient apology on one side (almost always the man's) which makes the other's acceptance unsatisfying
the pair have the communication skills of a newborn baby (ei: the misunderstanding could be fixed with a single sentence)
one side is a real asshole but it's excused because of TRAUMA
growth is ignored in favour of acceptance (can work, usually doesn't)
Relationship is clearly toxic, above and beyond the extenuating circumstances/magical premise (The problem isn't that Edward is a vampire, that's part of the premise. The problem is his disregard for Bella's autonomy)
One side gives in because the other is too obsessed with them
Once Upon a Time flew by having Hook feel meaningful remorse for his past actions (the scene with the Little Mermaid got me so good) and establishing begrudging respect between him and Emma, The Mindy Project crashed and burned by not showing sufficient growth in Danny (does he respect her career now or are they just horny?). Parks and Recreation got it by making the leads both good people who just got on each other's nerves because they had different valid approaches. I think Brooklyn 99 is one of those rare mediocre ones, because the enemy stage isn't fully established but the relationship is still satisfying. The Kdrama Alchemy of Souls got it right by having both main characters display an impressive amount of personal growth, while 100 Days My Prince burned because it relied too heavily on obsession and trauma excusing behaviour.
Pride & Prejudice and Much Ado About Nothing show that the beginning dynamic can be completely different, old antagonists vs. first impressions, but the trope can still work if it's done right. The problem is that it's so often done wrong.
So when it's good, it's SO GOOD, when it's bad, it sucks.
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Imagine Price who just settles down and instead of fully retiring, just opens a small bakery on the coast for him and his lads with you by his side.
Its domestic and so fucking sweet and hes the kind of guy to smile so brightly at the staffs baking mistakes, got flour on your nose? He'll chuckle and wipe it off for you gently, or, if hes feeling cheeky he'd put even more on you
My utmost favorite trope is I don’t want you I want your dad so imagine military veteran Price, all tall and buff, stone cold serious face and with a couple of tattoo on him, running a little bakery in town (sometimes with the help of his son )
You had befriended his son through uni or work specifically when he brought a whole box of cookies with him for some special occasion, you’d been raving about how good they were and how you’d love to thank whoever made them.
That’s how you ended up in front of the bakery that his dad runs, ready to thank a stranger for the wonderful baked gods he made but when you walk through the door you freeze in place because this man looks nothing like what you had imagined, with flour dusted all over his tattooed arms, tight white apron clinging onto his buff form as his deep voice complained about the sweetness from his most recent concoction
“That’s your dad?”
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domestic cross guild, where mornings start off with a sleepy Buggy floating to the kitchen, eyes semi-closed. Mihawk at the kitchen island with two ready-made coffee mugs in front of him, silently sipping from his own while he passes one of the mugs to Buggy who wordlessly accepts and sits down across from him. Crocodile is soon trailing after him, also accepting the offered mug from Mihawk. no words are exchanged. Crocodile sets to making breakfast while Mihawk and Buggy move to sit at the table to give him more space. eyes still heavy with sleep, Buggy drapes himself on the table, trying to get a few more minutes of shut-eye. the sounds of Mihawk turning the pages of the newspaper and Crocodile humming as he cooks is a soothing lullaby to Buggy's ears by now. he has never had peaceful mornings like this before.
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