Shake Up Your TBR with the Romance Reading Challenge

Book Lists
Written By Frances Ramsey
Romance Reading Challenge

This month, I’m inviting you to join me in a little romance reading challenge! Let’s step out of our comfort zones and try a new romance genre or subgenre together. Maybe you’ve been sticking to contemporary, or maybe historicals feel like home—but what if your next favorite book is sitting just outside that familiar shelf? I’m sharing my own journey (from Nora Roberts to fantasy romance obsession) and offering ideas to help you take the leap. Ready to shake up your TBR? Let’s do this!

If you’re anything like me, your TBR pile is always teetering somewhere between I’ll never finish all these books and just one more won’t hurt. But let me ask you something, book bestie: when’s the last time you really shook up your reading routine? When’s the last time you picked up a book outside of your go-to genre and took a chance on something totally new?

Today, I want to challenge you to step out of your comfort zone and try a romance genre—or subgenre—you’ve been avoiding, dismissing, or just never considered. Trust me, I’ve been there, and I know the magic that can happen when you do.

Disclosure: This blog post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting my work!

My Reading Comfort Zone (and How I Broke Free)

I’ve been a romance reader for as long as I can remember. Like so many of us, I started my journey with contemporary romance. Back in the day, Nora Roberts was my queen. I devoured every contemporary romance I could get my hands on—Nora’s small-town settings, family sagas, and delicious slow-burn love stories had me hooked. If you haven’t experienced the magic of Nora Roberts yet, I highly recommend starting there!

For a long time, I didn’t see the appeal of historical romance. The idea of all those corsets, formalities, and drawing rooms just didn’t grab me. And the long haired rogue on the cover? Nope, didn’t appeal to me. That is, until my stepsister handed me a copy of Suddenly You by Lisa Kleypas like it was smutty contraband. Holy spice levels! 😳 That book opened my eyes—and my heart—to a whole new world of romance. I fell head over heels for historical romances and spent the next decade blissfully reading my way through the works of Lisa Kleypas, Sabrina Jeffries, Catherine Coulter, Julia Quinn (pre-Bridgerton fame) and many more. I even went through a phase where I devoured Joan Johnston’s historical westerns.

I thought I’d found my forever niche. Contemporary and historical romance felt safe, familiar, and endlessly satisfying. But that safety net? It was also a barrier.

The Book That Made Me (Reluctantly) Try Fantasy Romance

Fast forward to my time working at Borders Bookstore (RIP Borders)…who remembers the Twilight mania days? Everyone was buzzing about Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. I’ll admit, I was curious. But when I heard it was about vampires, I immediately wrote it off. Vampires? No thanks. It just didn’t seem like my thing.

Eventually, I caved—mostly because I wanted to understand what all the hype was about. And you know what? It wasn’t half bad! Sure, the writing wasn’t perfect, and the plot had its moments. But Twilight did something important: it cracked open the door to fantasy romance for me (cliche, I know).

That little push led me to try YA dystopian romances like Matched by Ally Condie and Divergent by Veronica Roth. Both were fun, fast-paced reads that hinted at the bigger, bolder worlds I’d been missing.

And then came the book that truly changed everything: From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout. This was one of my first adult fantasy romances, and OH MY. It was like I’d been reading in black and white and suddenly everything was in vivid Technicolor. The rich world-building, the high-stakes drama, the sizzling chemistry—I was hooked. I felt like I’d wasted so much time avoiding fantasy romance when it had everything I loved and more.

After that, it was a slippery slope (in the best way). I dove headfirst into A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas and never looked back. My shelves are now lined with fantasy romances, and I’ve discovered incredible authors I never would have found if I’d stayed inside my comfort zone.

Why You Should Take the Leap

So here’s my gentle nudge: if there’s a genre or subgenre you’ve been side-eyeing, I challenge you to give it a shot. Not every book will be a winner—and that’s okay! But you might just stumble onto your next obsession.

A few reasons why stepping out of your reading comfort zone is worth it:

  • You might discover new tropes you love. Think you hate paranormal? Maybe you just haven’t met the right brooding vampire, misunderstood witch, or tortured fae prince.

  • It keeps your reading life fresh. Even the most beloved genres can start to feel a little same-y after a while. A new genre can shake things up and reignite your passion for reading.

  • You’ll grow as a reader. Trying new things stretches your imagination, challenges your assumptions, and helps you connect with more stories and more readers.

Not Sure Where to Start? Here Are Some Ideas!

If you’re ready to branch out, here are a few suggestions (with links where you can learn more or buy the books):

If you love contemporary romance, try:

If you love historical romance, try:

If you love fantasy romance, try:

Final Thoughts: Don’t Wait!

If I’ve learned anything on this reading journey, it’s this: don’t wait as long as I did to try something new. If a book or a genre has been calling to you—even faintly—go for it. You might just fall in love all over again.

So tell me—what’s the genre or subgenre you’ve been too nervous (or stubborn!) to try? Drop a comment below or tag me on TikTok @mom_needs_a_chapter. Let’s inspire each other to branch out and find our next great read. 📚

P.S. Need ideas? Check out my Romantasy Must-Reads list or my Romance Recommendations for Your Summer Travel for inspiration!

Mom Needs A Chapter Romance Blogger

About the Author

I’m a mom of two spirited girls and one oversized Saint Bernard. I have a degree in English from the University of Wisconsin. By day, I work in health care as a Health Literacy expert; by night, I’m off wandering swoony fictional worlds, chasing plot twists and happily-ever-afters. I’ve been in love with the romance genre for as long as I can remember—I've read thousands of love stories and even had my own meet-cute with my library director husband… in a bookstore, of course.

-Frances

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