Romance where former lovers or almost-lovers reunite and get a second shot at the relationship that didn't work the first time.
Second chance romance begins with history. The characters already have a past, a failed relationship, a missed opportunity, a falling-out, a 'one that got away.' When they reconnect, the tension comes from unresolved feelings, old wounds, and the question of whether they've changed enough for things to work this time. The built-in emotional backstory gives these romances unusual depth from page one.
Second chance romance starts with an emotional advantage: the reader inherits years of history without needing to build it from scratch. Studying this trope teaches you how to use backstory as present-tense tension and how to write characters grappling with whether people actually change. It's one of the most emotionally resonant romance setups.
The original second chance romance: Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth reuniting eight years after she broke off their engagement.
Best friends whose friendship ruptured, reuniting for one last trip to figure out what went wrong.
While complicated, the first love returning creates a second-chance dynamic that drives the narrative tension.
Write the moment two former lovers see each other again after years apart. Write it twice: once from the perspective of the person who left, and once from the person who was left. Same moment, same details, completely different emotional experiences.