The GENRE'D Edit

Before ACOTAR, Fourth Wing, and today’s romantasy boom, fantasy authors were already writing magical bonds, dangerous courts, powerful heroines, dragons, and complicated romances. Here’s what we mean by pre-romantasy.

Before today’s romantasy boom, these fantasy series were already giving us dragon bonds, court intrigue, powerful heroines, dangerous men, and romance. Consider this required reading.

Debut author Michelle Eileen joins Genre’d to talk A Real Paige Turner, cowboy romance, romantic suspense, female friendship, formative fantasy reads, and her seven-layer-dip approach to reading.

A dead body in a Impala, a beginner pole dancing class, an amateur sleuth, and the world’s most helpful group of new friends. We’re reviewing Last Night Was Killer by Mary Pauline Lowry, including what worked, the biggest twists, and why this funny mystery earned four stars from both of us.

Romance author Kate Robb joins Genre’d to talk Solar Eclipse of the Heart, magical realism, comfort reads, Hallmark movies, romance’s reputation problem, and the books she thinks every romance reader should have on their TBR.

Curious about Omegaverse but have no idea where to begin? These beginner-friendly Omegaverse books are great starting points for romance readers new to the subgenre.

We really liked In the Veins of the Drowning, so when it came time to finish Kalie Cassidy’s Siren Mage duology with In the Wake of the Ruined, this should have been an easy sell. It’s a duology. There are sirens. There’s gothic romantasy. Theo is now getting his own POV and, more importantly, spending most of it yearning aggressively for Imogen. And yet. We have things to say. Because while neither of us thought In the Wake of the Ruined was a bad book, this was one of those

Our little sister Amanda joins us for a wine-fueled Off Book episode about the genre that finally made her a reader. We talk Heated Rivalry, MM romance recommendations, forced proximity, stepbrothers, paranormal romance, and men who take far too long to discuss their feelings.

From hockey rivals and secret relationships to roommates, stepbrothers, and bi-awakenings, these MM romance books prove that forced proximity and emotional repression are a dangerously effective combination.

A serial killer’s daughter returns to the small town her family destroyed in Thornbird by E. Kennedy. We discuss the mystery, love triangle, true crime commentary, major twists, and why this dark YA thriller earned five stars from both of us.

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

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.

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.