What is the secret romance trope? The secret romance trope, also called a “hidden relationship,” centers on partners keeping their connection under wraps from everyone…coworkers, relatives, or the public. The reason they keep things hidden is often because of social expectations, taboo situations, or workplace rules. These secret relationships build tension in all the right ways. They usually end with a big reveal and the pair committing to each other despite fallout. Books full of secrets There are a lot of innocent – or innocently ADJACENT at least – reasons to keep a romantic relationship under wraps. Maybe you know your family won’t approve. Perhaps one of the people involved is involved in a fake relationship with someone else. Or better still, one partner is an ultra famous serial dater who dreams of serial monogamy. Regardless of the specific narrative details, one thing remains true across the trope: secrets are sssssexy! We find the allure of the forbidden so titillating, but there some chaste bullets to love as well. Often, when a couple is keeping their relationship a secret, there is no outside influence from loved ones or anyone else. Relationships grow under their own power, and that focus can