Sparks, Banter, and Ghosts: The Magic of Opposites Attract

From Tracy & Dexter to Kirsty & Jasper: How opposites collide and hearts connect

There’s something irresistible about a romance where two people who shouldn’t work together… somehow do. I freely admit that I’m a sucker for the “opposites attract” trope, and I’m thrilled that it has been a reader favorite for centuries. When sparks fly between characters who are worlds apart in personality, background, or beliefs, the tension crackles off the page—I’m hooked.

I can’t put the book down or stop the movie until I’ve reached that satisfying conclusion when both characters realize that, at their core, they really aren’t opposites at all. I’m not ashamed to admit that I’ve watched It Happened One Night(1934) and The Philadelphia Story (1940) more times than is probably healthy. There’s something about the snappy banter, the underlying sexual tension, and the plot lines that are still relevant today.

In The Philadelphia Story, Tracy Lord (Katharine Hepburn) is an ice-cool socialite who demands perfection, while her ex-husband, Dexter (C.K. Dexter Haven, Cary Grant), is playful, mischievous, and determined to win her back. Their battle of pride and vulnerability is classic opposites attract with real emotion. I relate so much to Tracy, who can’t admit to herself—or anyone else—that she might have made a mistake letting Dexter slip away. I love that Dexter is entirely focused on winning her back, going about it in ways he knows will reach her. Their competitive energy keeps the back-and-forth alive, and in the end, they both come out winning. This movie is in black and white if you decide to watch it but still worth the time!

It’s not just classic movies that keep me hooked. One of my favorite modern examples is 10 Things I Hate About You—Kat Stratford (Julia Stiles), the fiercely independent, sharp-tongued outsider, and Patrick Verona (Heath Ledger), the charming rebel with a bad-boy reputation. On the surface, they’re total opposites, but that tension is exactly what makes their romance so electric and unforgettable. That moment at prom when Kat realizes that Patrick took money to go out with her--heart-breaking! And then the poem Kat reads at the end makes me tear up every time. As a bookish, feminist woman, I relate deeply to Kat—and of course, Patrick’s bad-boy vibes make the story irresistible.

And happily, fall always calls for a rewatch of You’ve Got Mail. Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) is a whimsical, romantic indie bookstore owner, while Joe Fox (Tom Hanks) is a pragmatic corporate giant. Business rivals in real life, anonymous online confidants—they clash and connect in all the right ways. The hidden-identity twist adds extra charm: Kathleen doesn’t realize that her online pen pal NY152 is actually Joe, the very man she despises. When they finally meet, Joe’s mix of irritation, care, and subtle charm gets Kathleen—and the audience—hooked. It doesn't hurt that Kathleen owns a lovely bookstore or that New York shines in all of it's seasons. That’s opposites attract at its finest: they aren’t really as different as they seem.

Have you seen Anyone But You? I wasn’t sure about it at first, but I watched it on a recent flight and loved it. Bea (Sydney Sweeney) and Ben (Glen Powell) collide after a dreamy first date—he saves her at a coffee shop and makes her grilled cheese sandwiches that look amazing. They spend the night together, but miscommunication the next morning leaves them both frustrated. She’s sharp and guarded; he’s cocky and laid-back—one of my favorite combinations. They’re forced back together when her sister and his close friend get engaged. Their forced proximity proves that sometimes sparks hide in all that bickering. And yes, there’s fake dating involved, which is another personal favorite trope.

From the glamorous sparring of Tracy and Dexter to Kat and Patrick’s teenage rebellion, the opposites attract trope has never gone out of style. I still fall for it in modern films like Anyone But You, with Bea and Ben’s witty banter, or the timeless charm of You’ve Got Mail, where Kathleen’s romantic idealism collides with Joe’s corporate pragmatism. What makes these couples so memorable is what keeps the trope alive: two people who seem mismatched on the surface slowly reveal that they’re exactly what the other needs. It’s that same spark I wanted to capture with Kirsty and Jasper in Ghost of a Chance.

Ghost Of A Chance cover

In Ghost of a Chance, Kirsty Henson is a skeptical mystery writer who only pretends to talk to ghosts, while Jasper Cotton is literally haunted. She guards her heart with logic and secrets; he’s open and desperate for answers—making their clash (and chemistry) inevitable. Kirsty is fiercely independent, having essentially raised herself while her single mom worked hard. Jasper, in contrast, is surrounded by a large network of friends and family. She’s goth; he’s a jock. I made sure everything about them was different—but then I added shared loves: Star Wars, the fictional band Deadboys, tequila, and late nights.

What about you—do you have a favorite “opposites attract” couple from books or movies? I’d love to hear which ones have stuck with you. And if you’re looking for a new romance that mixes cozy fall vibes, a little spice, and even a meddling ghost or two, Ghost of a Chance brings that opposites-attract spark to life in a whole new way. Kirsty and Jasper may come from different worlds—one faking ghosts, the other literally haunted—but sometimes the best love stories are the ones that surprise us most.