Here’s the thing:
I love to say I venture out and try new things, but I’ve never really
specified how often I actually do that. For me, often means maybe once
every seven years. For you, it might be every other month, and honestly, I
admire that level of bravery.
So, let’s break
it down. What I will always read, what I’ll skip like a disease, and what I’ll avoid
like an ex who suddenly wants to “catch up.”
I’m a romance
girly through and through. If you put my skin under a microscope, it would be
sewn with pink thread, hearts scattered through every stitch, and the word daydreamer
spelled out in glowing, deep red. I’d have lace frills surrounding my heart
while it pumped out the word love like a neon sign on top of an ’80s
diner.
I love them all,
from small towns to lavish cities. It could be a farmer or a billionaire. The
trope could be anything from friends-to-lovers, forced proximity, enemies to
lovers, all the way to arranged marriage — though that one has been scratching
an itch I thought was dormant for way too long.
One thing people
misunderstand (again, people and their misconceptions) is that this means I
read from a lot of authors. No. No. No. You’ve got it completely
twisted. I read a lot of tropes across a very selective range of authors. It’s
rare that I’ll add someone to my carefully curated, short but impressive list
of authors I dare to be unfaithful to.
You can read a
book by an author and still never insta-buy from them again. Those two things
are not the same. It takes consistency for that to happen.
I’ve dedicated
two posts to this already. Scroll down. I’m sure you smart little minds will
figure it out from the titles, I can’t do all the work for you.
Now, I’m picky
with genres too. I only read contemporary romance. However, for the purpose of
this blog, I’ll walk you through why I’m in no hurry to read the other genres,
along with the reasons behind it. Let me preface this by saying I’m not saying never,
I’m just very comfortably saying not right now.
Historical
romance is a no for me. I do not think Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
even counts as historical romance in the first place. It sits much more
comfortably in the Gothic literature category.
And even for
research purposes, like the movie that is coming out and causing all the
commotion, no amount of money could convince me to read it. Truly, not a single
sum. It is just not my thing.
Paranormal and
fantasy romance is another no for me. I love all of Ali Hazelwood’s STEM books,
yet when Bride came out, I went straight back and restarted the STEM
marathon with The Love Hypothesis. Great if you’re into supernatural
elements, imagined worlds, and magical creatures, but respectfully, that is not
for me. I’m not a mythical creatures or alternate worlds kind of person. I can
barely read about the real world as it is, we don’t need floating pots and pans
added into the mix, guys.
The Shatter Me
series by Tahereh Mafi has had some amazing reconciliation moments, though I
haven’t seen it pop up on my book socials in a while. That could largely be
because my algorithm isn’t really set up that way. I’ve always wanted to jump
on the Aaron Warner bandwagon, but halfway through book one, if you can even
call where I left it halfway, I was out. That was the closest I’ve come to a
fantasy dystopian romance, and it was enough to know it just isn’t for me.
Sure, it wasn’t a
vampire or werewolf story, but still. The last werewolf thing I actually
watched was when Mason revealed himself as one and Juliet as a vampire in Wizards
of Waverly Place when I was ten or eleven years old.
Now if you had
asked me before December 2026 whether I would even think about a
romantic suspense or thriller, I would have said no. But now? Yeah, it is kind
of my thing, well, sort of. I have read plenty of contemporary romance with
suspense elements. A lot of Ana Huang’s books have that tension and the Knockemout
series by Lucy Score has even more.
Then there is The
Housemaid by Freida McFadden, which was my first psychological thriller.
And honestly, probably my last.
Erotic romance
was a tricky one because so many romance books feel like they are all about
erotica. Just read a Rina Kent book. Oh wait, actually, upon reflection, I
have. Ahem, Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James. I read it for the
romance, it is true, I am not lying. The BDSM elements did not hurt either,
even if they were a little cringey. The movie was not any better, to be honest.
365 Days? Just a worse version of it. Talk about a lack of plot, though
the Fifty Shades trilogy at least had a plot.
YA, again, no.
Not in the mood.
For the LGBTQ+
romance section, I have read it from Rina Kent. It’s not that I won’t or don’t
want to read it. Like I said, I’m selective about the authors I pick up. It’s
not the kind of book you just grab and read; it has to be done right. Other
than Rina Kent, I haven’t found many authors who do it well. Rina Kent is real
and true to representation especially in God of Fury.
I’m dedicating a
whole post to mafia romances, so I won’t dwell too deeply here.
You know, as
someone trying to become a publishing professional and who just loves reading,
it can be a bit pressuring to feel like you have to read everything. New books
drop every day, which is amazing, but I don’t want to read every single one.
Why? Well, a) it might not be for me, b) the author’s style might not click
with me, or c) I’m perfectly happy re-reading what I already have.
I find it hard to
truly love an author’s writing and their stories even more than that. Take Rina
Kent, for example. She’s an author I really like, but I don’t jump at every new
release. I loved her mafia series, and I really enjoy certain books from her Legacy
of Gods series. She’s an author I know I’ll go back to one day, exploring
and re-reading for sure. Rina Kent is on standby, ready when I am.
Now, let me
rewind and explain why contemporary romance is the only genre I truly love.
Simply put, nothing does it better. For my heart and my imagination, nothing
compares to a love story grounded in the real world yet capable of twisting
itself into a thousand different emotional shapes. You could argue that every
genre offers romance in some form, and maybe that is true, but it never feels
the same. Contemporary romance has what I like to call the daydream factor: the
intensity of feeling, the emotional immersion, and that deliciously guaranteed
happily ever after that gets me every time.
I love how
powerful a well executed simple plot can be, especially when compared to overly
extravagant stories that sometimes collapse under their own weight. There is
something mesmerizing about watching authors play with language, how they use
words, pacing, and those key phrases tied to every trope to make something
familiar feel brand new. It is captivating. It leaves me in awe.
Recently, I have
been rereading The Made Men series by Danielle Lori, who seems to have
vanished off the face of the planet, and my God, it is perfection wrapped up in
350 pages. The emotional depth, the relatability of the characters (I wish I
were some of them), and the angst? Completely unmatched. These are the kinds of
stories that linger, that live rent free in your mind for days afterward, long
after you have turned the final page.
I do not mind any
trope, but I have a soft spot for two: enemies to lovers and the arranged
marriage trope. Why? Because they are the most unpredictable. Other tropes tend
to carry an air of inevitability. Friends to lovers or workplace romance often
follow a familiar path. You can usually see the ending coming. But with these
two, you never truly know what is going to happen.
While rereading The
Sweetest Oblivion, which I am still only halfway through, I found myself
genuinely excited all over again. It made me realize that my sister’s fiancé
fits a trope too. Completely unpredictable and undeniably sexy.
See, in my
opinion, diversity and representation in books have been growing tremendously.
There truly feels like a book for everyone now, no matter the experience,
background, or kind of love you are searching for. Stories are becoming richer
because more voices are finally being heard.
Now, do
publishing professionals still need more color and broader perspectives behind
the scenes? Yes, absolutely. Representation should not stop at the page. Who
gets to tell the stories matters just as much as the stories themselves, and
there is still meaningful work to be done in that space.
And with that, I
end this list right here. Choose your authors wisely and never feel ashamed of
having preferences. Reading is personal. It is meant to bring you joy, comfort,
escape, and sometimes even healing. Your taste reflects what speaks to your heart
and your imagination, and that is not something to apologize for.
At the end of the
day, the beauty of reading lies in choice. The freedom to pick the stories that
move you, challenge you, excite you, or make you feel seen is what makes
literature so powerful. Read what you love, love what you read, and let no one
tell you that your preferences are anything other than valid.
Now, this was
meant to be a “what I read in January” kind of post, but truthfully, I have not
read anything new. Instead, I have been rereading old favourites, and that
feels more than okay. January has been what it always is for me: bold, daring,
and unexpectedly quiet.
I have been much
more active over on my sister
blog, which you can find here, and do not forget to check out my
socials by heading over to the contact page.
I will be back
with another post soon.
Until next time,
Vivian
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