What's More Delicious...
...than Opposites Attract?
Do you have an important person in your life who’s your total opposite? Like, they make going to parties an extreme sport and you’ll move heaven and earth to get under a fluffy blanket and enjoy the wonder that is being alone and reading a book? Or, they can whip up an incredible meal with half a dozen random items from the back of the pantry and you struggle to not burn the house down while making toast?
Or how about this one: they radiate confidence and you’re just learning to not be afraid to let your light shine bright?
I love writing characters who are opposites. SO MUCH.
They make for delicious tension. Awkward struggles. Hilarious banter.
And they offer challenge.
Their opposition helps us see our world a bit differently. That same ol’ status quo we’re so accustomed to? They blow it right up. They often hold a mirror up to us and offer a glimpse of who we could become, and who we long to be.
Characters who are opposites also let us explore multiple sides to a problem, a fear, or a desire. What happens when an FMC who thinks love is our most precious resource meets an MMC who thinks love always leads to ruin? 🔥🔥🔥
Sometimes, we just need to borrow a little from that person who’s our opposite—a little confidence, a bit of faith. A dash of curiosity or steadfastness.
When I wrote One Sweet Holiday, I started with an opposites-attract vibe. Because fake dating was happening, I wanted Gwen and Logan to be from completely different worlds. Logan’s a worldly Scottish bazillionaire who’s all charm and confident swagger. Gwen’s a masterful baker but a tad insecure, and struggling to make her mark in her small hometown. She thinks it’s safe to fake date Logan because he’s “so far out of her league.” But what happens when they see past all of their differences? (No spoilers—you’ll have to read that roller coaster for yourself. 😎📚)
I’m grateful for the opposites in my life: the people who introduce me to things I’d never even thought of attempting—like blacksmithing, furniture-building, or clearly articulating my feelings. (Don’t come at me for that last one— it took some time because I’m Gen X and grew up feral, with parents who thought the only way to handle feelings was to shove them down deep, to the core of the earth—and never EVER speak of them.)
I love the opposites attract trope because it gives us ALL the flirty, awkward fun and games—but it also gives us space to challenge our beliefs that we’ve held onto for so long.
It invites us to get out of our own heads and coaxes us into new experiences that help us grow in ways that are often surprising (and sometimes downright hilarious).
And that friend or partner who feels like our total opposite? They also remind us that, in the end, we’re more alike than different in the ways that matter most.
QOTW: What are some of your favorite books that use the opposites attract trope? I’d love to see them in the comments! 💙
Until next time—happy reading, friends!
xo,
Lucy
P.S. Have you met Gwen and Logan?
