How to Pick a Romance Novel

Romances are a popular genre and there are rows and rows of choices at any bookstore you frequent. It can be daunting to select the right one and very disappointing when you end up with a flawed, clichéd, uninspired book. Romance novels are often made in a cookie cutter style, so it can be difficult to find something that breaks the mold. Follow the suggestions below to help make a more informed decision and find a winner the next time you pick a romance novel.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Choose an author you already know. If you liked one story by this author, chances are you'll enjoy their other books.

2. Ask friends and family for recommendations. If you know other readers that enjoy romance novels, ask them for their favorite stories or authors. You'll often discover great books you never would have known about or chosen yourself.

3. Check out reviews in publisher's and romance-oriented magazines. Whether the review is positive or negative, their summaries and comments will give you more to go on and evaluate the right books for yourself.

4. Check the reviews posted on online bookseller's pages. Reviews on these sites are often very detailed and are posted by real life readers like you, rather than paid journalists.

5. Get recommendations from readers' websites and forums. There are a lot of people out there with extensive book collections who have read a lot more than you. When these people come together online, you can find yourself with a vast source of knowledge about the best and most intriguing romances out there. Look for top ten lists and reviews of new releases for hints on the best books to look for.

6. Check with the readers' advisory desk at your local library. Experienced librarians can take what authors you already like and find you new authors with a similar quality or style that you might also enjoy. Borrowing books instead of buying them will also save you money if you make a wrong choice.

7. Pay attention to the illustrations. The type of cover will usually let you know if it's a historical romance, a regency book, a contemporary or other type of genre within the romance section. You can eliminate certain types of romances just by looking at them.

8. Read the back cover for information on the plot and characters.

9. Read the first few pages and then read a sample from farther along in the book. (Not too far, to preserve any surprises if you buy the book!) Look for any big turnoffs you have with romance novels. You should be able to tell right away if a book is going to draw you in or just bore you with romance clichés.

10. Consider books that are more than just a romance. There are a lot of romance novels out there where the central story revolves around a mystery, or science-fiction elements or some other type of genre action. These novels can be a nice break from standard romance fare, and are more likely to break the mold with character types and story lines.

11. Consider books that are part of a series. If you enjoy the first volume, you'll have more to look forward to, and it will be easy to pick the right book the next time you visit the bookstore.

Tips & Warnings

• Another option is to choose by bestseller lists, but be wary. A book may make the list because it was mentioned on a TV show, or the author is famous for other exploits, or the book is controversial. Just because a lot of people you know nothing about have decided to buy this book, doesn't mean it's good quality or is going to be anything you personally like. I've been disappointed by many books that were on the bestseller list!

Resources

• Find extensive romance reviews by category at Coffee Time Romance
• See the Top 100 books ranked by romance readers!

[Chaotica]

on 4/21/2008 Most of the "romance" novels I pick up turn out just to be a correlation of cliche lines and very disgustingly described sex scenes instead of sensual scene that make me get goosebumps. That's why I mostly shoot for other genres that have romance mixed in and actually well written. A suggestion would not going for the 99 cent book with the shirtless guy on the cover.

[ValerieDavid]

on 1/12/2008 I totally agree; it's the same with film reviews. I don't understand why reviewers feel the need to give so much away--knowing too much about the story, let alone the *end*, just ruins the story for everyone.

[grouch]

on 1/12/2008 I like the ideas of looking up reviews. I only look at websites that tell if the review is a spoiler or not. If I wanted to know the end I would read the book but some reviews are so detailed these days that you have to be careful which ones you choose to read.