10 Ways to Choose Which Romance Novel You’ll Read Next
What should I read next…?
I adore that bubbly feeling of excitement when you’ve finished a book, written your review, and get to select what you read next. But if you’re anything like me, you have a neverending list of books on your TBR, so that can make selecting your next book…complicated.
In theory, you would contemplate the kind of mood you’re interested in reading. A dark romance? Contemporary? Sports? Then you’d narrow it down with some tropes and spice level before you read a blurb that just feels right.
Sometimes, though, you want to make selecting your next read a bit more fun. Here are some things you can do to make picking out your next romance book a little more straightforward and way more enjoyable, so you can spend less time deliberating and more time reading.
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Pick a Paper from a TBR Jar
This is such a fun way to pick your next read, and it’s an easy way to determine what to read next based on books you like. On separate scraps of paper, write down the titles of the books you want to read. When it’s time to pick out your next romance, pull out a paper and let that guide you.
Turn to Social Media
Bookstagram is overflowing with book recs, so search for your next read here! Use hashtags to search for tropes that you’re most interested in picking up and see what you find. You can also use social media to literally make the decision for you—put up an Instagram Stories poll for people to vote on a few books and the winner is the book you pick up next.
Look for Your Favorite Tropes
This is a great idea for romance book lovers, since tropes are usually really important to readers. Search online or on your favorite book retailer for a trope (or combination of tropes) and see what pops up. The more specific, the better.
Good: spicy small town romance
Better: spicy small town romance with found family
Best: spicy small town Ireland romance with found family
Pack Your Bags (Mentally)
I’m a travel romance author, so obviously the setting is something I’m always paying attention to. Look for “romance books set in [destination]” and use your next romance book as a chance to do a little armchair traveling.
Phone a Friend
Whether it’s a bookstagram friend or someone IRL, ask someone else to make the decision for you. This is a great way to put the responsibility of choosing on someone else 😂 But just be prepared for potential wild cards of suggestions!
Pick Your Top 3
Feeling indecisive? Go with the top 3 books your interested in and read the first chapter of each one. Whichever one calls to you is the one to read next.
Let the Library Guide You
If I’m just looking for a next read and want to be struck by inspiration, I’ll check what the library has immediately available. This is the perfect way to pick a book to read when you’re willing to be struck by inspiration and want to let your curiosity lead the way.
Explore an Author’s Backlist
New releases get a lot of love, but we authors adore when you pick up books we published months or years ago. Consider diving into the previously published books of your favorite author or the author of your last 5-star read.
See What Other Books Show Up When You Look For Your Faves
In Amazon or Goodreads, go to the page for a book that you like that has similar vibes to what you’d like to pick up. There’s usually a “Readers Also Enjoyed” section that can give you some books with similar themes, tropes, or writing styles. If you’re not interested in branching out and want to try something that is a bit more tried and true for you, this is a great way to decide on the next book you read.
Look at Goodreads or Fable Lists
You will have endless options here, and you can search for lists that are as broad or as niche as you’d like. I personally like Fable as a social book platform, so it’s a great place to follow some readers who have similar styles and tastes to you and see what lists they might have.
Bonus: Scour Your TBR (really—you might find some gems!)
I have added so many books to my To Be Read list that I’ve forgotten half of the books that are on there. If you’re looking for how to decide what to read next, just do a quick scan through the romance books you’ve marked interest in and see if any of those call to you. It ain’t rocket science, but hey, you saved those books for a reason!
Whatever romance book you decide to pick up next, just make sure it’s one you’re excited about. I find that reading books out of obligation (“This one has been on my TBR forever…”) often leads to a reading rut, but when I have a genuine spark for something, that is when I find myself always eager to continue reading. Hopefully you got some useful ideas so that you can pick your next romance book to read!