The GENRE'D Edit

Morally gray men have taken over romance, and we would like the bad boy with a heart of gold back. We break down the rules of the trope, how it differs from a morally gray love interest, and the best examples from books and TV.

This week on Genre’d Off Book, Katy and Elyse are joined by author Brooklyn Rose, whose debut romance Sex Positive is out August 4. And yes, the title is doing exactly what it needs to do. Brooklyn describes Sex Positive as the first book in a sexy new adult college romance series about characters taking control of their own pleasure and going after what they want. The story follows Charlie, a college senior trying to dismantle abstinence-only sex education and build somethin

From dragon riders and political marriages to snowed-in cabins and fake relationships, these are the forced proximity romances that absolutely deliver. There are plenty of romance tropes we love, but if we had to choose just one that almost never lets us down, it would be forced proximity. Give us two people who are stuck together, whether they're sharing one bed at an inn, trapped on a dangerous quest, thrown into an arranged marriage, or forced to work together despite abso

A missing dog leads Jane Trevally back to a creepy London mansion connected to her past. We discuss the twists, Thornwood’s secrets, the ending, and whether It Could Have Been Her worked as a psychological thriller.

Before you dive into In the Wake of the Ruined by Kalie Cassidy, let’s take a second to emotionally, spiritually, and romantasy-ly recover from In the Veins of the Drowning. Because this book did not end with peace, closure, or anything remotely resembling emotional stability. It ended with gods, monsters, blood bonds, identity reveals, ancient power, and one heroine finally beginning to understand that the thing she was taught to fear might be the very thing that saves her.

Halfway through 2026, we’re checking in on the books we loved, the books that personally attacked us, the genres that surprised us, and the romantasy formulas we may officially be tired of. From Daggermouth and Broken Dove to Yesteryear, A Murder Most Camp, and Into the Blue, this is our mid-year reading state of the union.

In this episode of Genre’d, we’re talking Broken Dove by Dani Francis, the sequel to Silver Elite and the book that brought us psychic war, rebellion politics, hidden powers, a morally suspicious mountain base, and one very emotionally inconvenient love triangle. We break down Wren, Cross, Gray, the Dagger, the Hollow, the Dani Francis conspiracy theories, and why this book is absolutely giving grown-up New Moon.

Trying to figure out how spicy your next book is? We rated every book we’ve reviewed on Genre’d, from zero-heat cozy reads to romantasy, romance, thrillers, and full five-pepper situations.

Before you listen to our Dire Bound and Fury Bound episodes, let’s emotionally return to the mountain, the wolves, the betrayal, and the prince who absolutely should have stayed “Lee” in the sewer where he belonged. Dire Bound by Sable Sorensen is the kind of romantasy that starts with a pit fighter trying to save her little sister and ends with ancient bloodlines, cursed crowns, soul-hopping villains, direwolf politics, and one of the most disrespectful fake-boyfriend reveal

Before you dive into Broken Dove by Dani Francis, let’s take a second to emotionally, spiritually, and politically recover from Silver Elite. Because Silver Elite did not end with a neat little bow. It ended with Wren separated from Cross, the Command in chaos, the Uprising looking a lot less heroic than advertised, and one absolutely devastating identity reveal that changes everything. This is your full spoiler refresher on what happened in Silver Elite, who matters, what th

In this Off Book episode, Katy and Elyse talk with Lanoi about historical fiction, literary fiction, Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower, grief books, comfort reads, audiobooks, and why the right book can feel like it finds you exactly when you need it.

This week on Genre’d, Katy and Elyse discuss Rumors and Whiskey by Victoria Wilder, a romantic suspense full of small-town rumors, whiskey, murder, family secrets, and Crowne women who absolutely know how to handle a problem. We get into spoiler-free thoughts, major twists, the Bourbon Boys connection, and why this book gave us Practical Magic without the magic.

In this Off Book episode, author Jourdana Webber joins us to talk about her contemporary romance Unconventionally, Elle, the emotional depth of romance, indie publishing, found family, and why stories about women choosing themselves matter.

In this episode of Genre’d, we’re diving into Fury Bound by Sable Sorensen, the sequel to Dire Bound. We’re talking Meryn’s disaster queen era, Stark’s shadow daddy devotion, Lucien’s scene-stealing siphon king energy, the goddess tears quest, the spice, the deaths, and why this book made us ask: did this really need to become a trilogy?

Author Georgia Clark joins Genre’d for an Off Book conversation about Play It Again, contemporary romance, second chance love, community theater, queer kissing, gateway romance reads, and why the best books still make you kick your little feet.

Finished Daggermouth and still processing that ending? Same. Let’s talk Callum, Brooker, Python, Maximus, and the final twist that made us sit fully upright with the lights on.

Is Alchemised actually spicy? We break down the romance, spice level, key relationship moments, tropes, and why readers can't stop talking about Kaine Ferron in this spoiler-light guide.

A tradwife influencer wakes up trapped inside a version of the 1800s and discovers the fantasy she's been selling online may be her own worst nightmare. We're breaking down Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke, including the twist ending, the satire, and why this buzzy novel feels more like a psychological thriller than literary fiction.

Three friends, one microphone, and somehow an entire unexpected Bones rewatch podcast. This week on Off Book, Katy, Elyse, and Heather discuss cozy mysteries, romance tropes that should’ve been solved with one conversation, Hallmark fake dating supremacy, true crime blog nostalgia, and why Angela Montenegro may have secretly invented modern technology.

A dead mystery author. A secluded Scottish island. A group of midlist writers competing to finish his final novel before people start dying. In Episode 23 of Genre’d, Katy and Elyse discuss The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clark, including the killer reveal, publishing industry commentary, audiobook experience, and whether the ending actually worked.