The ThriftBooks Blog

By Ashly Moore Sheldon • September 25, 2025

Dark romances take readers on a wild ride. They feature relationships that are spicy, messy, and twisted. The characters at the center of these love stories can be complex and morally ambiguous. They're not for everyone, but if your curiosity is piqued, read on to learn more about the genre and get our recommendations for eleven titillating titles. 

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By ThriftBooks and Likewise • May 20, 2025

Explore a curated list of reality TV-inspired books that blend romance, drama, and humor, perfect for fans of the genre.

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By Ashly Moore Sheldon • April 02, 2025

The fact that romance novels often employ familiar tropes doesn’t make them any less enjoyable. In fact, some of us never tire of certain delicious scenarios like getting out of the friend-zone or workplace competition. Here we review some of the top tropes in slow-burn romances. 

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By Barbara Hagen • February 04, 2025

All of us at ThriftBooks believe tropes deserve to have their time in the sun. So, we are kicking off a bit of a Trope Era by introducing the ThriftBooks TropeTrove™, a collection of book titles organized by various tropes. In this dedicated section of ThriftBooks.com you can search for books by popular tropes or seek out recommendations based upon certain book tropes you enjoy.

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By Ashly Moore Sheldon • January 28, 2025

As Valentine's Day approaches, we're indulging in our favorite guilty pleasure—romance novels! We love love! Our newest poll takes a look at the secret lives of romance readers. Read on for all the juicy details!

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By Susie Dumond • January 26, 2025

New year, new books! There's no better way to kick off a year than with some swoony, spicy, charming romance reads. Whether or not you're a regular romance reader, we've got something for everyone.

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By Ashly Moore Sheldon • December 20, 2024

It's time for our annual collection of the best books of the year. The titles that made the cut cover a robust range of genres. This roundup includes the standouts in romance & horror. Check out past posts on literary fiction & nonfiction; kids & YA; and mystery & sci-fi/fantasy.

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By Amanda Cleveland • February 06, 2024

Last month, in a survey conducted by OnePoll on behalf of ThriftBooks, 2,000 romance novel lovers shared their thoughts and opinions about the genre and their favorite characters. Read on to see what we learned about Romance vs. Real Life.

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By Ashly Moore Sheldon • July 18, 2023

The fact that romance novels often employ familiar tropes doesn’t make them any less enjoyable. In fact, some of us never tire of certain delicious scenarios like split inheritances or cute-kid connections. Here we review some of the top tropes in cowboy romances. 

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By Ashly Moore Sheldon • February 12, 2023

Who are the bestselling romance authors of all time? We decided to find out. Here's a retrospective of authors who topped the bestsellers lists from the 1930s onward.

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