Vague romance is dead romance. “He was handsome and kind” inspires nothing. “He had a habit of turning over the corner of page 47 of every book he borrowed, because he never got past that chapter, and he was ashamed of it” – that is a beginning.

This trope thrives on intense passion. The transition from hatred to love requires deep vulnerability, as characters must admit their initial judgments were wrong. It offers the ultimate payoff in character growth and mutual respect. Friends to Lovers

Focus on the "respect" that grows between them before the "love."