The theme for this blog is the romance you might enjoy according to your astrological sign. We're complex creatures, and this was a fun way to organize all the multi-layered tropes we love.   

Admittedly, I have read few supernatural or fantasy romances. I’m open to new tropes but haven’t found one that captivates me yet. Maybe you can advise a GenXer newbie on your favourite romantasy reads? Give me a shout out and fill me in on what you think I should start with.  
 
After many a night I should have been sleeping but instead I was reading, this is what I found: 

1. Aries (March 21-April 19). Aries thrives on challenge and passion so Enemies-to-Lovers Trope could work for you. S. M. Shade is one of my favourite authors, so naturally, I read ‘Anger Banger’. I adore her slice-of-life stories, always perfectly spicy and funny. (I even woke my husband with giggles at 3am) Another Bang On hit. See what I did there? Wink. 
  
2. Tauras (April20- May 20). Taurus readers may appreciate the romance and building sensuality of a Slow Burn romance. Two books I read fit the criteria, both new to me, both talented writers. ‘Smut’ by Karina Hall was an enjoyable read and very close to home, in several ways. I love a good feel romance, and this fits the bill perfectly. ‘That Conflicted Feeling’ by Nicki Redford was slow burn fun as well. The enemies-to-lovers and slow burn tropes typically align in most stories. In these two books, the immediate and strong attraction is hindered solely by conflict. They were simply on opposite sides of an issue, thus lacking a true enemies-to-lovers dynamic. Both had little to no triggers that I could identify and were humorous.

3. Gemini (May 21-June 20). Geminis’ curious and adaptable nature could put them in the path of some Love Triangles. Once again, I picked two. One involves a perceived love triangle, and the other is a ‘Why Choose’ triangle. Both involve some very complicated relationships and f#cked up human nature. Both fall into the darker side of Romance, but not ‘Mafia’ dark. Be warned, these stories have loads of triggers. ‘Pleasure Extraordinaire’ by Liv Bennett was hot and filled with domestic violence and two competing brothers. I completed the series, which began with a fresh look at sexy, female empowerment, and I got hooked. That trope was not the running theme, though. Despite some frustration with the FMC, I read to the end to find out how she would fix the mess she created. But I will not be reading the next part of the series, as I cannot find any interest in reading Zane’s story. The character crossed a line in the series, and FMC Lindsay may have found closure, but I haven’t. The second one I downloaded after seeing a post by the author and I want to support new authors as well, so I read ‘Evading Darkness’ by K. M. Baker. It’s part of a duet and I enjoyed the story and loved the spice. It ended on a cliffhanger, but I see the second is released and it's on my TBR. That review will be part of a future blog. I did like her writing, so I wish there had been a pop-up to notify me that the second book is ready. 
   
4. Cancer (June 21–July 22). Cancer craves emotional connections, so a Childhood Friends Reunited romance may be what’s in order for you. ‘The Lucky Ones’ by Tiffany Reisz will blow your socks off. She has been a best-selling, highly acclaimed writer of erotica for a long time, and yet I feel like she is the best kept secret. Her ‘smut’ is next level, and her stories are all unique. No writing to formula with her. I must warn you, there is a technical taboo and loads of triggers. 

5. Leo (July 23–August 22). The glam and hype of Celebrity Romances captivates Leo, with an abundance to select from. Being Canadian, there’s no end to the hockey romance as a sub-genre, so of course I read the Meghan Quinn series about the Vancouver Agitators. If you like hockey tropes, you'll enjoy ‘So This Is War’. This series is very entertaining, some with a bit of heartache but always good spice. But if you would like to read a story based in Ontario, try a new author, Hilary Rose. ‘Wild Pucker’ was both enjoyable and spicy, delving into the heartbreaking story of abuse and the journey of recovery. I was glad I read it.
 
6. Virgo (August 23–September 22). Stability and genuine connections are what Virgos can dig into. I must be part Virgo because I love it when characters just know what they want and don’t deny their feelings. It appears courageous and trusting, beyond comprehension. The ultimate Romance goal. For this I recommend ‘Dark Water’ by Lauren Stewart. This is the first book in the series, and it could also be a Slow Burn romance. The ride is bumpy, but the friendship is genuine despite miscommunication. The connection level is surprising, as is their natural ability to talk and share. Again, plenty of triggers with talk of domestic violence and childhood abuse.
  
7. Libra (September 23–October 23). Libras NEED balance and harmony like they need to breathe. Resolving the issues of a Fake Relationship Romance could help get that feeling of ‘balance restored’ and I found a good one. ‘Ick Factor’ by Morgan Elizabeth was a great read. Her classic ‘revenge shenanigans’ were hilarious once again. Recently, I read 'Make Me Fall' by Ember Leigh. In my review I stated that I hated the MMC, that he was a meaner, vapid Ken doll but the redemption arc was very satisfying. So, if you want a true restoration of balance, give this one a try. Beautifully written and very hot spice.

8. Scorpio (October 23–November 21). Scorpions like it hot, so the intensity and risk of a Forbidden Love will most likely appeal to them. I must give a nod to Penelope Douglas and ‘Credence’. She’s an incredibly evocative writer. The characters’ complexity and flaws successfully tackle this taboo level. Sometimes we read to find a little piece of ourselves and sometimes we’re looking to peer into the psyche of characters we don’t know and likely never will. That’s the case here. But Penelope writes in such an engaging way, you quickly get past the character's flaws and root for them...mostly. 
  
9. Sagittarius (November 22–December 21). Sagittarians enjoy a good Adventure Romance. If you’re looking for a romance story that satisfies your wanderlust, “Be Still My Heart” by Emily McIntire and Sav R. Miller is a perfect choice. Very descriptive settings, deep emotions with a fair dose of suspense will transport you into the mysteries of Skelm Island. Though a few plot twists are predictable, my attachment to the characters made me curious about the unfolding story. 
  
10. Capricorn (December 20–January 19). Capricorns are ambitious and practical, Que up the Workplace Romance. I chose ‘Black Sheep’ by Brynne Weaver and Alexa Harlowe because of the extremely resourceful, ambitious and morally grey, unaliver Bria Brooks. If I read a dark romance, it usually involves a kick-ass FMC. Also, the reference to S. T. Abby and Sophia Lark drew me in, but I did truly enjoy this dark romance. The last conflict lacked something (Bria seemed out of character), but it was otherwise scorching hot. Still, I wouldn't want to be on her bad side.
  
11. Aquarius (January 20–February 18). Aquarians are creatives who love Sci-Fi and Fantasy. Personally, I’ve never been into this genre even before I started reading romance, but this one is the closest I could match in my reads. ‘The Red’ by Tiffany Reisz. It’s not exactly a romantasy, but it has some other worldly aspects. It’s original and some of the spiciest spice I have ever read. And I read Credence.
  
12. Pisces (February 19- March 20). Pisces are empathetic, spiritual, dreamers. Romances involving Soulmates and Reincarnation call to them. I read these two by J.T. Geisinger ‘Midnight Valentine’ and ‘Pen Pal’. Just a warning–you’re going to cry. But it’s so worth it. J.T.’s humour is in a class of her own and I rate it 5 chili peppers.
   
I have one more thing to say regarding book reviews. Reading is an escape and a journey. I enjoy stories that are set outside of the States, as well. It’s the Poorman’s way to travel. So, if you’re an author from the UK, Australia or New Zealand, please write us a story that tells us about where you’re from. Whenever I come across words like ‘keen’, ‘sprung’, and ‘mate’ in a story about American bikers or billionaires, it pulls me out of the story and gets annoying. I love UK writing because it is so well structured, but this habit can kill the mood. 
   
Maybe we’re all trying too hard to fit into tropes that are making it impossibly hard to get our books to stand out. Why don’t we write about the people and places we live in so that readers can experience stories in different settings? But if you have a biker romance burning inside you that you must get out–may I suggest learning the vernacular? The street cred of a biker that uses the word ‘keen’ drops at least 5 points out of a ten when we read that. But a British MC with a swoony accent uses the term ‘keen’ on us and we melt. Readers, what do you think? 

Check out my Amazon page, I have two additional notebooks. One is for the avid romance reader and reviewer to note your thoughts about your favourite steamy book reads. A great helper for your book clubs and blogging. The other is a Grace Files themed weekly planner in the smaller format that was suggested to me. It's perfect for planning your weekly schedule, taking notes and tracking your income.

Happy reading everyone, and as always, get what you want.