Info
Soulmates are a popular trope in romance—and understandably so. The idea that we might find our soulmate, our exact match, our fated partner, can sound quite romantic. Soulmates have been used in romance of all subgenres, from cozy romance to contemporary to paranormal. Lately, romantasy books often utilize a soulmate or fated mate in their various romance arcs.
Utilizing soulmates in romance can take many shapes. There’s the Red String Theory, or red thread of fate, which originated in Chinese folklore. This theory contends we have a red string attached to us (in some stories it’s around a finger, in others an ankle, etc.) that is attached to our soulmate and leads us to them. I’ll include an example of a book that utilizes this trope below. Other stories, particularly in the fanfiction realm, use soulmate marks, or soulmarks.
“Soulmarks, developed as a subtrope of Soulmates, commonly referred to as Soulmates AU. It takes the idea of people who are fated to be together further, imagining there is physical proof to identify this connection. Soulmarks are often explored through how this mark affects one’s approach to relationships and the certainty of a destined relationship.”
“Soulmate Marks” — Fanlore Wiki Article
All Access members, read on for more about the soulmate trope and recommendations of romance books that include it.
This content is for members only. Visit the site and log in/register to read. 🏷️ Books_feed