As a writer who is also an avid reader, I often get caught up in posts about books, the writing process, and the like. (I don’t really like reviews as a reader because I don’t care what you thought about the book, I care what I think about it! But as a writer, they are critical so I digress!) Recently, I was watching a post by a book influencer about a recent read and she described it as “not really a romance novel” because it dealt with so many other issues, but in a good way.

A lighbulb went off in my mind! As I’ve begun the promotion of my book, I’ve – struggled is not the right word – been fluid with my descriptions of the novel. This works for interviews but not so much for metadata and book summaries.

Initially, I billed my new novel, Love At Second Sight, as a romance because it features a love story. However, that story is not the totality of the book. It is the story of the protagonist Shane building a life for herself and her son. It follows the journey of her career, motherhood, and relationships. It explores issues of family, love, and artistry. The themes of grief, heartache, and community are also present.

I want the book to be relatable about a real person with everyday issues. And I chose to showcase a Single Mom (yes I capitalized it to convey value) because the narrative that is created for us is narrow, inaccurate and many times negative.

I’m rethinking the characterization of this book as a romance novel. I appreciate the genre, but it may be too limiting for this title. It may require a more expansive “label.” But what would that be, fiction? (I’m rolling my eyes right now….)

In case you’re interested, the purchase links are in my linktree.