Mistaken identity is the most underrated romance trope
There are certain tropes that the majority of people seem to love, like enemies to lovers or fake dating. They’re widely adored and ones you’ll often see in romance. Mistaken identity? Not so much.
When it comes to the mistaken identity trope, it's easy to say, "Well, if the character had just told the truth from the beginning, they wouldn't be in this mess." But here's the thing: life is messy, complicated, and rarely follows a straight path. People don’t always tell the complete truth (nope, not even you), and we make the best choices we can with the circumstances we’re dealt. Often, little white lies don’t impact us too greatly; other times, though—and as it is often the case in fiction—these choices lead to unforeseen consequences. What starts out as a tiny decision that a character thinks won’t come back to haunt them ends up snowballing into something much, much bigger.
And that's precisely where the beauty of the mistaken identity trope lies—it mirrors the nuanced complexities of the human experience.
Of course, readers want to root for the characters they’re reading about, right? This is where I think some folks really get turned off reading a mistaken identity romance. After all, we don’t want to root for a character who would lie. In these cases, it’s helpful to keep in mind that every day humans make choices based on what they think is the best route to go in that moment. Sometimes those decisions are easy; other times, we have to go with the lesser of two evils. So a successful mistaken identity romance novel hinges on the character having a compelling, believable reason to lie (or to omit a truth).
One of the most compelling aspects of mistaken identity romances is their emotional depth. Imagine being thrust into a situation where you're forced to navigate a web of deceit and deception, all while trying to reconcile these growing feelings for someone who doesn't know the real you. The internal conflict, the moral dilemmas, and the fear of being exposed all add layers of complexity to the story and keep readers on the edge of their seats.
I recently read A Winter in New York by Josie Silver, and it reminded me how much I love mistaken identity. The main character, Iris, has her reasons for withholding some information from her love interest—she fears it could literally crack the foundation of his tight-knit family and their gelato business. She ends up in a mess because of the path she goes down, but she always had good intentions, even if her actions are a bit misguided.
Mistaken identity romances also open up the opportunity for an amazing redemption arc for the characters involved. At their core, these stories are about forgiveness, growth, and the transformative power of love. Watching characters confront their mistakes, learn from them, and ultimately find redemption is a satisfying journey to go on.
In my first book, The Half of It, the main character Juniper is incredibly humbled by the end of the book, to say the least. She made the best choices she could for what she knew in the moment (although none of her choices were ideal), and it blows up in her face. The Juniper at the start of the novel would have handled this situation so differently, though, than the June you get to see at the end—and that’s what makes the trope work so well for her character growth.
Mistaken identity may never be readers’ top trope pick, but I love seeing these kinds of situations play out. The trope brings unparalleled emotional depth, suspense, and redemption to a storyline, and it highlights how we can love flawed characters. So the next time you come across a romance novel featuring mistaken identity, don't dismiss it—embrace the messiness, the complexity, and the transformative power of love found in the pages. You might find yourself pleasantly surprised!
Looking for mistaken identity romance books? Check out this megathread from the r/romancebooks subreddit. Lots of great recs in there!
