Welcome to Hearts & Highlights — the place where I gush, swoon, and sometimes cry about the books that have stolen my heart (and occasionally my sleep schedule). Whether it’s a slow-burn small town romance or a spicy fantasy with wings and tension, this is where I share my honest thoughts — from dreamy plotlines to the swooniest side characters.
As a lifelong romance reader (and now small business owner and full-time book lover), I wanted a space to connect with you all through the stories we’re obsessed with — and hopefully help you find your next favorite read along the way.
📖 What is Hearts & Highlights?
Hearts & Highlights is my ongoing blog series where I review romance books across all subgenres — contemporary, fantasy, spicy romcoms, and everything in between. Each post includes:
- A spoiler-free summary
- My personal take on the tropes and tension
- The vibes (soft, dramatic, steamy, hilarious — you get it)
- My overall star rating
- And a spice score (because some of us like to know what we’re getting into 😏)
⭐ Scale: My 5-Star Rating System
Romance is emotional — so my rating scale focuses on the full reading experience. Here’s how I break it down:
- ⭐ – Not for me, didn’t finish or connect.
- ⭐⭐ – Had potential, but something didn’t click.
- ⭐⭐⭐ – A solid read! Enjoyable, but not earth-shattering.
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐ – I really liked it. Great writing, characters, or chemistry.
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Unputdownable. It made me feel everything. I’ll be thinking about it for weeks.
🌶️ Spice Scale: How Steamy Is It?
Romance comes in all heat levels, and I want to make sure you find exactly the kind of story you’re in the mood for — whether that’s sweet kisses or full-on fan-yourself moments. So here’s the breakdown of my spice scale, from barely there to scorching.
Each book in Hearts & Highlights will include a spice rating using this scale:
- 🌶️ – Sweet & Subtle: Fade to black. Kissing and affection, but no detailed love scenes. Think Hallmark vibes.
- 🌶️🌶️ – Light Heat: Focus is still on emotional development but intimacy is implied without specific details. The door to the room is closed.
- 🌶️🌶️🌶️ – Medium Heat: 1–3 open-door scenes with clear yet tasteful descriptive details. Steam is balanced with plot and character development.
- 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ – Hot: Frequent open-door scenes with graphic detail. Spice plays a major role in the relationship dynamic.
- 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ –🔥 Off-the-Charts: Highly graphic, explicit scenes with little left to the imagination. Steam drives the storyline.
💡 Note: I’ll always try to add content warnings if needed and mention when spice includes kink, taboo themes, or power dynamics — so you can make the best decision for your reading preferences.
💬 What You Can Expect
I’ll be posting reviews regularly, covering both hyped-up BookTok romances and hidden gems that deserve more love. I’ll also note popular tropes, emotional tone, and whether you’ll likely cry, laugh, or fan yourself while reading.
And of course — I’ll always give you my honest opinion, even if the book wasn’t for me.
Whether you’re here to build your TBR, see what made me ugly cry, or find your next book boyfriend, I’m so happy you’re here.
Let’s fall in love (with fiction) together. 💕
- ShayAnn
0 comments