Romance is one of the most popular book genres for a reason. Everyone can enjoy a well-written story of two characters overcoming their differences and challenges to develop a relationship with each other. However, not all romance novels are created equal.
While some readers don’t mind love stories with more risqué details, others prefer books that focus solely on the sweet, wholesome moments of a budding relationship. But unfortunately, it isn’t always easy to tell if a romance book is clean or not based on an Amazon listing alone.
If you’re looking for wholesome books that don’t mention sex or lust, here are our top 5 tips to weed out any erotic or overly sexual novels when shopping for books online.
1. Check for spicy words in the description
In the product description section, the author will generally hint at what kind of content you can expect to find in their book. Descriptions of more erotic novels will often use words like:
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- Steamy
- Hot
- Passionate
- Adult
- Affair
- Sexy
- Seductive
- Want
- Resist
- Erotic
- Desire
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2. See if there’s a disclaimer
Sometimes, an author will include a warning or disclaimer about the sexual content of a book at the beginning or end of the book’s description. Just glance over the description quickly to see if there’s an obvious note about any potentially uncomfortable scenes.
3. Read some book reviews
If the description is lackluster or vague, it’s worth it to check out some of the Amazon reviews for the book. Specifically look for negative reviews to see if any other readers complained about overly sexual themes or imagery.
4. Filter your search results
The romance genre is a vast ocean of different types of stories, so finding wholesome novels can be easier if you narrow down your options! You can find specific romance subgenres on Amazon, including:
5. Examine the book cover
People always say to not judge a book by its cover, but in the romance genre, a book cover can often be pretty revealing (in more ways than one). If a book cover hints at any risqué or sexual themes, such as a couple passionately embracing one another in various stages of undress, you can probably assume there are going to be lustful scenes in the novel.