Readers and authors are welcome to use the Book Submission Page. (Romance only, please.)
Keep it Simple!
BookBlush was originally developed to sort books by “Blush Level.” Additional filters, like subgenre and language, came later at the request of authors and readers. However, there’s no need to use anything more than you find helpful.
No Judgment
People like what they like. As a community, we can build a more robust catalog if everyone feels welcome and no one feels judged.
Reporting Errors
Books rarely fit neatly into categories and some will occasionally be mis-labeled. If you find an error or strongly disagree with a rating or category, we welcome your feedback in the comment box below.
No Erotica
Originally, the blush meter included a level for Erotica. However, children as young as twelve use BookBlush and teachers and librarians want to feel comfortable recommending the site, so we’ve dropped that category.
Kisses & Sweet Vibes: Exactly what it sounds like.
Kisses & Steamy Vibes: These books may include frequent references to physical attraction, suggestive situations and spicy innuendo.
Sex Implied Off Page: Books in this category may occasionally cross the threshold into the bedroom and go as far as kisses and caresses before fading to black.
Sex in subtle terms: No anatomical descriptions.
Sex in graphic terms: Exactly what it sounds like.
Clean Language: We consider a book to be clean even if an author occasionally refers to strong language without actually stating the words. For example: “He cursed under his breath as the pain shot up his arm.” Also, we recommend that authors not place books in this category if they contain sexual innuendo, off-color humor or words like “gosh” (derived from God) or “jeez” (derived from Jesus).
Mild to Moderate Swearing: Includes words like damn, dammit, jeez, gosh, and manufactured curses like frack, and “shut the front door.”
Strong Profanity (sparse vs frequent): We are leaving the definition of sparse and frequent to authors because they have the best sense of their market niche. This category includes: F-bombs, S-word, bitch, bastard and other similar curses. Even phrases like, “He had balls of steel,” are considered “strong” by some readers.
If you’re searching for Sci-Fi or Fantasy Romance, then time period doesn’t apply and we recommend you skip this filter.
Regency-Victorian-etc: Includes, Victorian, Regency, Georgian, Stuart, Tudor and Gothic.
Romantic, Mystery, Action, Thriller, Sci-Fi, & Fantasy: Even in these categories, there must be a central love story.
Women’s Fiction (aka “chic-lit”): BookBlush only includes such books that conform to the norms of romance novels with a central love story and a happy ending. It’s okay to include books that lack a happy ending as long as they’re part of a series that ends happily.
Contains Christian Content: These books are often categorized as “Christian Romance,” or “Inspirational Romance.”
Young Adult: Ages 13 – 18 (approximately)
New Adult: Ages 18 – 29 (approximately)
Novellas: 17,500 – 40,000 words. (This range is lower than some definitions, but takes into consideration that many of today’s romance novels are around 50,000 words.)
Short Stories: Anything less than 17,500 words. This definition varies depending on who you ask.
Anthology: A collection of short stories or novellas, by one or more authors. We list only the first author on the preview page, but include all authors on the “book details” page.
