Poll

Haven't read much new releases romance lately but could you give some examples? With that said, it all comes down to a couple's chemistry to make things believable. One thing I've always seek for in a romance is actually their communication and how they deal with problems either apart or together. A good communication always wins a point in my book, no matter how awful the characters development are. 😅

❁ lilyreadsromance (and other stuffs too) wrote: "Haven't read much new releases romance lately but could you give some examples? With that said, it all comes down to a couple's chemistry to make things believable. things I've always seek for in a..."

Take any book from Tessa Bailey, Ali Hazelwood, Chloe Walsh, Lauren Asher, etc the appeal to produce smut seems to be a rising trend. These authors are off the top of my head. I don't really mind it much but when smut seems to be paid more attention than emotional connection, chemistry and communication, it does affect my enjoyment level lol. Lol I do agree with your point tho

I definitely need more slow burn and pining. I feel like no one can even write proper pining anymore except in fanfiction. Hell I need the characters to suffer and not for a chapter or two but for a good 3/4th of a book. I feel like these days they are jumping each other faster than I would have jumped the 2005 version of Joe Flanigan😄

i got back into reading romances like, 4 years ago and i feel like it has always been like this. that’s why i am more incline to read and enjoy slowburns than any other kind of "tropes/arcs"

I think it depends on the author tbh.
Some do really well with establishing a romance and having emotions and angst and yearning there. And some just don´t

Yes!!! I think with the whole booktok hype a lot of people started reading because of the smut and therefore authors tend to now focus on it even more. And usually I don’t mind smut if it’s in an acceptable amount but after switching to mainly fantasy books I realized how much smut there is in the books of the most common romance authors. I just think without discrediting anyone that writing smut is not showing any special ability to write a book🙃 it gets annoying after some time in my opinion.

Alíi wrote: "I definitely need more slow burn and pining. I feel like no one can even write proper pining anymore except in fanfiction. Hell I need the characters to suffer and not for a chapter or two but for ..."

True, I feel like there has been a decline in slow burn romances. The pining, yearning and suffering is truly beautiful to see and then we can get to the smutty part lol.

Lilyya wrote: "i got back into reading romances like, 4 years ago and i feel like it has always been like this. that’s why i am more incline to read and enjoy slowburns than any other kind of "tropes/arcs""

Could be the case. For me it's become more like this now than before lol

Leonie wrote: "I think it depends on the author tbh.
Some do really well with establishing a romance and having emotions and angst and yearning there. And some just don´t"

Good point

Big yes!!!! Even if fantasy and in some cases, thrillers. It makes the mmcs seem excessively shallow like the only romantic about them is height, have a random high paying job, mean as hell especially to fmc and have a dirty mouth... it gets annoying really fast 😒

Yes! Unless it's being tagged as an erotica, which by the way can be also be less lacklustre smut and more love, the authors needs to give us those 'slow burn simmering with tension, longing filed looks and silent passion' romances!

leonora wrote: "Yes!!! I think with the whole booktok hype a lot of people started reading because of the smut and therefore authors tend to now focus on it even more. And usually I don’t mind smut if it’s in an a..."

I agree with your view fully. I don't mind the spice at all but it doesn't need to be overdone and would prefer a more elaborate connection and story prior to it

"Needs to be more balanced" is not going to happen. Smut not only sells, it also fits the agenda of misogynists. Uncouth and coarse men want women to fold in with lousy marriages (and relationships), so they prepare females of all ages to EXPECT trouble in 'paradise'. It's a trick as old as the world.

benedicta wrote: "Big yes!!!! Even if fantasy and in some cases, thrillers. It makes the mmcs seem excessively shallow like the only romantic about them is height, have a random high paying job, mean as hell especia..."

Haha true. There needs to be more!! And it's kind of becoming old in some ways

Fatima wrote: "Yes! Unless it's being tagged as an erotica, which by the way can be also be less lacklustre smut and more love, the authors needs to give us those 'slow burn simmering with tension, longing filed ..."

Agreed, eroticas are surely an exception. One expects to be met with lot of spice there. But needs to be well written still

Luffy Sempai wrote: ""Needs to be more balanced" is not going to happen. Smut not only sells, it also fits the agenda of misogynists. Uncouth and coarse men want women to fold in with lousy marriages (and relationships..."

It does seem like the case lately. Well put point!

They definitely focus on more smut. But some people read books just for the smut and some for the emotional aspect. These days most books have no story line just smut

Definitely an issue that I've noticed. I hate to see lust overpowering love, and I feel like these erotic books are such instant fun for the readers. Disappointed honestly 😅 smh

Yes. Smut means nothing to me without chemistry and a good plot to back it up. (This is why I love slow burns so much 😅) and maybe because I've read so many romances, all these spicy scenes are starting to sound the same to me. 😅 but apparently smut sells more nowadays so maybe that's why it's been unbalanced lately

I'd much rather have a strong emotional connection than some cringey spice...most of it is cringey IMO. If the romance bit is actually good, it kinda makes up for the cringey spice and I'll just skip over. (I have nothing against well-written spice.) Let's not forget the actual romance though. I agree that it seems that a lot of authors are adding more in, but leaving out the emotional connection and communication. For a romance to be satisfying to me, the characters have a lasting connection actually ends with me believing they end up together.
Hope that made sense.

Khushi wrote: "They definitely focus on more smut. But some people read books just for the smut and some for the emotional aspect. These days most books have no story line just smut"

True.. I do wish there was more story to it tho

Ahjeen wrote: "Definitely an issue that I've noticed. I hate to see lust overpowering love, and I feel like these erotic books are such instant fun for the readers. Disappointed honestly 😅 smh"

Eroticas are definitely not an issue as one expects a lot of smut there but romance in itself has seen an interesting peak in smut for sure. I just wish for more balance between the connection romantically and sexually

cha ♡ wrote: "Yes. Smut means nothing to me without chemistry and a good plot to back it up. (This is why I love slow burns so much 😅) and maybe because I've read so many romances, all these spicy scenes are sta..."

Same here, been happening to me as well. The spice has started to sound same. True, it does sell more

Leslie wrote: "I'd much rather have a strong emotional connection than some cringey spice...most of it is cringey IMO. If the romance bit is actually good, it kinda makes up for the cringey spice and I'll just sk..."

It makes absolute sense, fully agree with you and hold the same view. I don;t have anything against spice and people enjoying it but there needs to be romance and connection as well. Romance has been lacking depth lately. Beautifully put!

☆°•°☆♡kelly♡☆°•°☆ wrote: "Honestly cannot comment on recent authors as I haven't delved too deeply into them, yet. However, I have recently read some terrible smut, for the sake of it being in... and actually one book I rat..."

I agree.

☆°•°☆♡kelly♡☆°•°☆ wrote: "Honestly cannot comment on recent authors as I haven't delved too deeply into them, yet. However, I have recently read some terrible smut, for the sake of it being in... and actually one book I rat..."

Haha I totally get what you mean. I do enjoy smut as well, sometimes it just helps and is exactly what one needs but if I look at the overall picture of romance novels these days, it does make me question if most of it is leaning towards smut more so than romance. Am more like you in my reading habits and experience when it comes to spice and romance. Well said gir, agreed!!

YES!! these days it seems like they write/think of the plot, character depth and chemistry as an afterthought to the smut. I don't even mind if there's smut or not but at least give me proper tension!

gracie wrote: "YES!! these days it seems like they write/think of the plot, character depth and chemistry as an afterthought to the smut. I don't even mind if there's smut or not but at least give me proper tension!"

True, it does show at times. Spice would be more impactful and enjoyable if there's proper tension prior.

I think it depends but it’s definitely hard to find a new romance release these days that doesn’t include multiple smut scenes

autumn ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ wrote: "I think it depends but it’s definitely hard to find a new romance release these days that doesn’t include multiple smut scenes"

True that

I swear girl. I've read so many romance and fantasy novels lately where the smut is unnecessarily inserted to give it more "adult" vibes. I think the authors are forgetting that smut is more enjoyable when passion and chemistry between two or more characters are involved. But nowadays you can see smut anywhere and everywhere. Especially in YA books. Too much smut puts off my reading mood. Nowadays I wish to read some NA books with as much less amount of smut as possible.

Don't get me wrong, I love a smutty romance, but sometimes I want there to be more romance to smut ratio. Like make me giggle and kick my feet before we get to the dirty dirty

I think it depends. I mean there are books that are solely based on emotional connection with no smut, though that's mostly YA. But I've read books that are all about the bond between the characters and the plot where the smut becomes secondary and sort of an addition to the plot, even with new releases. So honestly depends on the book and the author.

Darshini wrote: "I swear girl. I've read so many romance and fantasy novels lately where the smut is unnecessarily inserted to give it more "adult" vibes. I think the authors are forgetting that smut is more enjoya..."

Well put. Smut in YA is troublesome tbh. It really needs to be handled delicately and some authors don't handle it aptly imo.

Dani (Daniiireads) wrote: "Don't get me wrong, I love a smutty romance, but sometimes I want there to be more romance to smut ratio. Like make me giggle and kick my feet before we get to the dirty dirty"

Exactly!! This is how I feel about the issue as well

Keya wrote: "I think it depends. I mean there are books that are solely based on emotional connection with no smut, though that's mostly YA. But I've read books that are all about the bond between the character..."

True that. I don't think that no smut makes it YA tho, there can be no smut in adult romances as well but like you said depends on the book and author.

I think there is a balance of books out there that provide a little of everything. There’s a constant stream of releases in the romance genre that either have no smut, a little spice, a 50/50% balance between both plot and story line. Then some that dedicate on the smut with little thought to the plot.
I personal don’t like tame books and I need raunch within my romance and not just some ‘light petting’ but I find the authors I go for have the balance right and the spice compliments the story whether that is ALOT of it or just a couple of chapters.
I think there is a lot of hate towards the spicy bookish community but my answer to them is just don’t read it and stop interacting on the socials and then it won’t be in your face *literally*

Dom wrote: "I think there is a balance of books out there that provide a little of everything. There’s a constant stream of releases in the romance genre that either have no smut, a little spice, a 50/50% bala..."

No hate to readers who enjoy spice. I do enjoy smut in my books as well but I do prefer a balance. It's lately been very hit or miss for me. I don't know if there's been hate towards the spice community, it would be disappointing to find out if that's the case as everyone is entitled to read what they want.

For real though, I want all the emotions!

Noi wrote: "For real though, I want all the emotions!"

Can relate. Emotions and spice combo is much better

Definitely. And that’s very sad.

Helene wrote: "Definitely. And that’s very sad."

Indeed

Every new release book (2023 & 2024) i’ve read so far has been smut focused w terrible chemistry and terrible writing

angel ౨ৎ wrote: "Every new release book (2023 & 2024) i’ve read so far has been smut focused w terrible chemistry and terrible writing"

It surely feels that way lol

I am always looking for extremely spicy work that also has romance development and depth (and preferably pain and suffering) in equal measure. it is a skill to be able to write both very well. In fact, other than a handful of authors each in their own sub-genre i don't believe most can. And that's fine. So when i see writers of YA suddenly dropping into the smut realm i don't even allocate reading time to it because i know it will not be what i am looking for. it's really all about expectations, but that's a prerogative of a mood reader. I know what i need before i start on a book. Oh, and dare to DNF which i believe you do when a book isn't serving, good for you.

KnittingMamaBear-Reads wrote: "I am always looking for extremely spicy work that also has romance development and depth (and preferably pain and suffering) in equal measure. it is a skill to be able to write both very well. In f..."

Facts. Am always looking for that balance. Also depends on mood, sometimes I just want something more smutty but I generally tend to lean towards more on the romantic side doesn't matter how much spice is in it as long as there is good connection.

If you like fantasy, I recommend reading Spark of the Everflame. It's a phenomenal slow burn romance with lots of emotional development between the love interests before anything spicy ever happens between them.

Jamie wrote: "If you like fantasy, I recommend reading Spark of the Everflame. It's a phenomenal slow burn romance with lots of emotional development between the love interests before anything spicy ever happens..."

I really loved it. So excited for the finale ^_^

I don’t have an issue with a lot of smut per se, but I’ve noticed an alarming trend of smut being shoe horned into places for no rhyme or reason. It’s jarring, and in a lot of cases completely unnecessary (I’m lookin at you, JLA 🧐).

Mara ✨ wrote: "I don’t have an issue with a lot of smut per se, but I’ve noticed an alarming trend of smut being shoe horned into places for no rhyme or reason. It’s jarring, and in a lot of cases completely unne..."

Haha completely agree with you!