Romance Readers Reading Challenges discussion

Team Members

Wedding Planner
🔔Christina

Partiers
🍾Louise
🍾Grace
🍾Jessica
🍾Kat (bookworm)
🍾Linda

1. Introduce yourself to your team. Let your team members know where you are from. This is a 'nice to know' when categories are announced and when team-mates can expect other members to post their book choices.

2. Wedding Planner (Captain) - reserve a couple of posts in this thread tracking your team's book selection and completion. (Alternatively they could convert a chat comment to the tracking post/s.)

3. Name your team. Using this round's theme, come up with a fun name. Given we are an open/public group with no age limit, so please make sure any chosen name is smart, not smutty ;)

Please PM your name to Jane(PS) by 16 April

4. If you have a private profile, please 'friend' your team-mates. This is really important, because without this, your team-mates can't see your shelves to select a books under option 2. (It will also help with one of the categories in this round!)

5. Please post your book selections/completions in the format provided below. (This format is also posted in both the Q&A and Sign-Up threads.) We need to know the week that each book corresponds to, the page numbers, and how the book qualifies including links to lists/shelves (where applicable), etc. I can't stress this enough. When in doubt - link it*!

* don't link to your review in your completion post - reviews in your completion posts should be included in full in that post.

You don't want to start reading a book and then find it doesn't meet the requirements because some information (eg page count or theme link) was missing from your original post.

I will be monitoring this and your book will not be considered complete until I am satisfied that your selection and completion posts comply with the format rules of the challenge.

Remember - you can ONLY change your book selection in the week that the theme is called.

6. You MUST check in with your team each week, ideally once the theme is announced. Please let your team know if you expect to have spotty communication or are on holidays or having an operation, etc.

7. When you post the completion of your book, you must post a review; enough for us to know you have actually read the book. Please don't link to a review. You must post the review in this thread.

8. Re-reads are allowed but you can't read the same book twice within this challenge.

9. There is no prize for the winning team - bragging rights only :)

10. Each week, the theme will be announced in the Q&A/Calls thread. The full list of themes announced during this round will be maintained in msg 1 of that thread.


The Rule on the Pass Option
* Each team can only have ONE member using their pass each week.
* Each member can only use that pass once each 5 weeks.
* This means that one or two team members (dependent upon the size of your team) will miss using a pass in each 5 week block.
* No-one can use the pass option in the last week of the challenge.
* In the final week Option 2 has altered and I will be allocating each team another team from which their book selection must be chosen :)

Key selection and completion post information. You must have ALL elements in your book posts.


For selection post Option 1 you must have:
Week #
Bookcover/link
Page numbers
How the book qualifies - please note which qualifying bookshelf/list you are using or the tags that justifies that it works.
If the theme is based off the bookcover, post the cover. If there is a letter count in the title, publication date etc, please note these details.

For selection post Option 2 you must have:
Week #
Bookcover/link
Page numbers
Name of the team-member, their star rating, the date they read the book.

For selection post Option 3 you must have:
Week #
PASS


For the completion post you must have:
Week #
Bookcover/link
Rating (1-5)
Review


Please DO NOT CHAT in these selction/completion posts. It needs to be super clear.

If you 'waffle' about your decided book - please REPOST your selection once you decide. DO NOT go back and edit your waffling post.

IF YOU NEED TO CORRECT A POST FOR MISSING INFORMATION or because the didn't qualify etc, please REPOST this information in a NEW post, particularly when the request is more than a day old. Its difficult to find older posts when going backwards in the threads.

Team Name: The Book Affair

Team bookshelves:
Christina: Read books
Kat: Read books
Grace: Read books
Louise: Read books
Linda C: Read books
Jessica: Read books

Themes called:


Week 1: There is often a dress code chosen by the couple, with many selecting to have a formal or semi-formal event
Read a book with a cover model in a suit or a flowing/formal dress.

Week 2: The ceremony follows well established rituals
Read a book with the MPG 'Magic'.
This must be on the main page and not after you extend the genres to a full page list.

Week 3: Marriage is a legal contract
Read a book with a main character who is a lawyer.

Week 4: There is a public declaration by an official (Minister, celebrant etc.)
Read a book with punctuation in the title and/or series name.
These are: full stop (aka period), question mark, exclamation mark, comma, colon, semicolon, dash, hyphen, brackets, braces, parentheses, apostrophe, quotation mark and ellipsis.

Week 5: A wedding takes extensive planning
Read a book:
* with a character who is a wedding planner OR
* from a series of more than 5 books.

Week 6: And they lived happily ever after
Read a book tagged 'hea'.

Week 7: Popularised by Queen Victoria, the bride will often wear white.
Read a book with a character who is considered royal or rules a country, eg monarch, king, queen, emperor/ess, prince/cess, ruler of a country OR read a book with a mainly white cover (at least 50%).

Week 8: A wedding unites 2 people
Read a book from a 2 book series (duology) or read the 2nd book in a series. A series that has only 2 books to date may be used.
Please link to the series page.

Week 9: A wedding is generally a pretty expensive event
Read a book with a wealthy character.

Week 10: A honeymoon trip will generally mark the beginning of the couple's married life
Read a book tagged 'holiday' or 'vacation'.

Week 11

Remaining themes that can be called:
(view spoiler)[ 1. A wedding unites 2 people
Read a book from a 2 book series (duology) or read the 2nd book in a series. A series that has only 2 books to date may be used.
Please link to the series page.

2. Rings are exchanged
Read a book with a ring on the cover. Any type of ring ~ eg wedding ring, smoke ring, donut. It must be round and have a clear empty middle.

3. There is a public declaration by an official (Minister, celebrant etc.)
Read a book with punctuation in the title and/or series name.
These are: full stop (aka period), question mark, exclamation mark, comma, colon, semicolon, dash, hyphen, brackets, braces, parentheses, apostrophe, quotation mark and ellipsis.
A combined 'title: series' name will work. The proof can be on the main page of GR or on the bookcover. It must be limited to the actual title and/or actual series name. Tangential sentences to the title or series will not work.

4. Music is played ~ before, during or after
Read a book with an MC who is a musician.

5. The ceremony follows well established rituals
Read a book with the MPG 'Magic'.
This must be on the main page and not after you extend the genres to a full page list.

6. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly across cultures, religions and social groups
Read a book set in a country outside the USA.
The country must be stated in the precis or on the main page.

7. A wedding takes extensive planning
Read a book with a character who is a wedding planner or from a series of more than 5 books.
Please link to the series page.

8. Marriage is a legal contract
Read a book with a main character who is a lawyer.

9. A wedding is generally a pretty expensive event
Read a book with a wealthy character.

10. Popularised by Queen Victoria, the bride will often wear white.
Read a book with a character who is considered royal or rules a country, eg monarch, king, queen, emperor/ess, prince/cess, ruler of a country OR read a book with a mainly white cover (at least 50%).

11. There is often a dress code chosen by the couple, with many selecting to have a formal or semi-formal event
Read a book with a cover model in a suit or a flowing/formal dress.

12. At the end of the vows, the couple will kiss
Read a book with a kiss on the cover by the models, or with the word 'kiss' in the title.

13. Traditionally parents paid for the wedding
Read a book tagged with 'parent'.

14. Family and friends are invited to attend the ceremony
Read a book from a series where each new book is centred on a different couple.
A couple may be repeated in another book in the series, but only once. A compilation catch up, eg a Christmas book with multiple couples is fine.

15. A honeymoon trip will generally mark the beginning of the couple's married life
Read a book tagged 'holiday' or 'vacation'.

16. And they lived happily ever after
Read a book tagged 'hea'. (hide spoiler)]

Selection and Completion Posts

Week 1
Christina: Selection Post -- Completion Post
Louise: Selection Post -- Completion Post
Grace: Selection post -- Completion Post
Jessica: Selection Post -- Completion Post
Kat: Selection Post -- Completion Post
Linda: Selection Post -- Completion Post

Week 2
Christina: Selection Post -- Completion Post
Louise: Selection Post -- Completion Post
Grace: Selection Post -- Completion Post
Jessica: Selection Post -- Completion Post
Kat: Selection Post -- Completion Post
Linda: Selection Post -- Completion Post

Week 3
Christina: Selection Post -- Completion Post
Louise: Selection Post -- Completion Post
Grace: Selection Post -- Completion Post
Jessica: Selection Post -- Completion Post
Kat: Selection Post
Linda: Selection Post -- Completion Post

Week4
Christina: Selection Post -- Completion Post
Louise: Selection Post -- Completion Post
Grace: Selection Post -- Completion Post
Jessica: Selection Post -- Completion Post
Kat: Selection Post -- Completion Post
Linda: Selection Post -- Completion Post

Week 5
Christina: Selection Post -- Completion Post
Louise: Selection Post -- Completion Post
Grace: Selection Post -- Completion Post
Jessica: Selection Post -- Completion Post
Kat: Selection Post -- Completion Post
Linda: Selection Post -- Completion Post

Selection and Completion Posts


Week 6
Christina: Selection Post -- Completion Post
Louise: Selection Post -- Completion Post
Grace: Selection Post -- Completion Post
Jessica: Selection Post -- Completion Post
Kat: Selection Post PASS
Linda: Selection Post -- Completion Post

Week 7
Christina: Selection Post -- Completion Post
Louise: Selection Post -- Completion Post
Grace: Selection Post -- Completion Post
Jessica: Selection Post -- Completion Post
Kat: Selection Post -- Completion Post
Linda: Selection Post -- Completion Post

Week 8
Christina: Selection Post -- Completion Post
Louise: Selection Post -- Completion Post
Grace: Selection Post -- Completion Post
Jessica: Selection Post -- Completion Post
Kat: Selection Post -- Completion Post
Linda: Selection Post -- Completion Post

Week 9
Christina: Selection Post PASS
Louise: Selection Post -- Completion Post
Grace: Selection Post -- Completion Post
Jessica: Selection Post -- Completion Post
Kat: Selection Post -- Completion Post
Linda: Selection Post -- Completion Post

Thru Post 216

Week 10
Christina: Selection Post
Louise: Selection Post -- Completion Post
Grace: Selection Post
Jessica: Selection Post -- Completion Post
Kat: Selection Post
Linda: Selection Post

Week 11
Christina
Louise
Grace
Jessica
Kat
Linda

I'll be driving tomorrow, so I'll introduce myself today. I live in Ohio (Eastern Time) and I will read pretty much anything. My love lately seems to be fantasy and sci-fi. My favorite romance/contemporary authors at the moment are Emily Henry and Abby Jimenez. If I rate something 5 stars, I will literally recommend it to everyone, which is why I mostly have 3s and 4s.
I've played this game once before and enjoyed it very much. It helped me work through my gazillion books on my TBR so I'm excited to play again.

Looking forward to meeting everyone and seeing what books everyone loves!

Hi everyone! As you check in, if you have any good team names in mind, drop those in the chat too. 😊

Hello everyone

I’m Kat 37 from Glasgow, I live with my fiancé and two cats. I’m loving crime and thrillers and banter romance. My last romance I loved was part of your world by Abby Jimenez. I’m hoping to read a mix of books for this challenge. Think this is my fourth time?

Hi teammates! I'm Grace and from San Diego. I have played this challenge before. I read primarily MF romance and jump around romance genres depending on what mood I'm in.

I'll try and think of some team names tomorrow, at the moment all I can think of is something like Here Comes the Readers.

Grace wrote: "Hi teammates! I'm Grace and from San Diego. I have played this challenge before. I read primarily MF romance and jump around romance genres depending on what mood I'm in.

I'll try and think of so..."

I like that team name.

I'm not very creative with team names, but here are a few:
Married to my Books
The Book Affair
Congratulations... I'd Rather be Reading

I have also updated Post 4 above with suggested names and sent friend requests to all members.
Team names

Hi all, bit of a hectic weekend OH. Birthday celebrations for my OH. Not very good with team names but do like
The Book Affair

I’m happy to go whatever for team name, I like book affair too

I'm good with The Book Affair too.

Fabulous! I'll let Jane know we have a name then :-)

Hi team - I'm adding Linda to your team. Should Jessica not join in, you will at least have the full complement :)

Hi Team,
I'm Linda C from Upstate NY near Rochester on Lake Ontario. I am a retired librarian. I am married with 1 daughter who lives locally with her husband and my grandson. I have played this game in the past but not recently. I read a wide variety of genres but do like a bit of romance in my fiction. Looking forward to starting. I like the team name you've picked.

Great! I'll add you to the post above tomorrow.

I have tomorrow off work so hopefully I'll finish one of the books I'm currently working on just in time for the challenge. Or maybe I'll just take some time to look through the recent reads of everyone in case I want to use it for the challenge.

I hope everyone has a nice Easter weekend if you celebrate it.

We have a family Easter egg coloring event tomorrow evening that is fun for us adults to watch the kids make a mess of themselves with all the cups of dye. Everyone goes home with some "unique" looking eggs.

That sounds like fun!! My son is 17 and probably a bit too old for egg coloring now. I'm still doing an Easter basket because who doesn't love candy?

Hi Team!!
I updated one of the posts to include everyone's bookshelves Here

Christina wrote: "That sounds like fun!! My son is 17 and probably a bit too old for egg coloring now. I'm still doing an Easter basket because who doesn't love candy?

Hi Team!!
I updated one of the posts to include everyone's bookshelves..."

Christina,
I can't open Louise or my READ shelf links in that post. Can you double-check when you get a chance.
thanks

Sorry about that. Formatting error. Should be fixed now.

Thanks, Christina

First theme has been called. I have copied it here with Jane's comments about what she will accept.

Option 1
11. There is often a dress code chosen by the couple, with many selecting to have a formal or semi-formal event
Read a book with a cover model in a suit or a flowing/formal dress.

[From Wiki: Semi-formal wear or half dress is a grouping of dress codes indicating the sort of clothes worn to events with a level of formality between informal wear and formal wear. The typical interpretation for men is black tie for evening wear and black lounge suit for day wear, corresponded by either a pant suit or an evening gown for women.

In addition, equivalent versions may be permitted such as ceremonial dresses (including court dress, diplomatic uniforms and academic dress), religious clothing, national costumes, and military mess dress.]

I will be looking for tuxedos or suits (with tie/bowtie), organza, silk and flow/long dresses. Pant suits are also acceptable, along with military dress etc. per above. Men in shirts that are open-necked/undone will not work.

If there are multiple cover-models, only one needs to be dressed per above.

Please show the cover of your book in your selection post.

If you aren't sure how to insert links in your posts, please read these instructions in the Q&A thread:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...


Option 2
Key date: 18 October 2024
Team mate read on or after this date and rated at least 3 stars


Option 3
Pass

A selection post must be made for whichever option you choose - INCLUDING A PASS
Refer msg 3 in your team thread for formatting of all 3 options

Hi Team, sorry about the delay! My dog ended up in the emergency room for the last 36 hours and we just got him back!

My name is Jessica I'm a mom of a spicy 4-year old daughter and I live in Washington state! I am really into Romantasy and Darker romances.

Week #1 - Selection Post
Option 1
11. There is often a dress code chosen by the couple, with many selecting to have a formal or semi-formal event
Read a book with a cover model in a suit or a flowing/formal dress.


The Last Waltz - Mary Balogh
Pages: 225
How the book qualifies - Lady and gentleman are in formal attire

Week 1
Option 2

Book Sanctuary by Ilona Andrews
Page #: 152 pgs (Kindle Edition)
Qualification: Read by Christina on December 6th, 2024, 5 stars

📅Week 1 - Selection Post
Option 1
🔖Task 11. There is often a dress code chosen by the couple, with many selecting to have a formal or semi-formal event. Read a book with a cover model in a suit or a flowing/formal dress.


📚Book: Fairydale
✍️By: Veronica Lancet
📃Page Numbers: 776
🗝️How the book qualifies: The illustrated cover version has a man and woman in noble/ceremonial outfits

Hi Jessica! Glad to hear your dog is better.

Week 1
Option 1
Selection Post

Pages: 371
How it qualifies: Formal dress on the cover

Week 1
Option 1
Selection Post
Играта
Pages: 440
How it qualifies: Model wearing dress

Kat wrote: "Week 1
Option 1
Selection Post
Играта
Pages: 440
How it qualifies: Model wearing dress"

Hi Kat - The booklink I provided was to prove the book fit the theme. Please link the book to your ENGLISH edition but post the bookcover as proof rather than just saying 'model wearing dress'. The idea is that if we can see in your post that it fits the theme, we don't NEED to click through to check.

Please update both the booklink and how it qualifies (to include the bookcover).

Thanks!

Week 1
Option 1
Selection post
Pages:422
The Play by Elle Kennedy
How it fits : Bulgarian version is fitted although I’m reading English

Selection Post - Week 1
Option 1

Her Heart for a Compass by Sarah Ferguson
Pages: 576’
How it Fits: Formal dress on cover

Week 1
Option 2

Book: Sanctuary
Rating: 🖤🖤🖤🖤
Review: Roman was a great character in the Kate Daniels character and I loved that he has this novella. Perfect amount of humor and I love the scene when he talked with his mom. I do have to say there was a lot of information dumped in a short story and sometimes it was information overload. Hopefully there will be more Roman stories in the future.

Week #1 - Completion Post
Option 1
11. There is often a dress code chosen by the couple, with many selecting to have a formal or semi-formal event
Read a book with a cover model in a suit or a flowing/formal dress.


The Last Waltz - Mary Balogh
Pages: 225
How the book qualifies - Lady and gentleman are in formal attire
Rating: 4 stars
Read: 4/21/25

Review: Gerard Percy, unexpected Earl of Wanstead upon the deaths of his uncle and 2 cousins over the past 10 years, has returned from Canada to claim his inheritance. His cousin Gilbert’s widow, Christina and her 2 daughters continue to live at the manor with her sister-in-law and aunt-in-law. Gerard and Christina have a fraught past before her marriage to his cousin and have built up a strong dislike of each other. The story occurs during a house party over Christmas when the actuality of their previous relationship and the truths about their lives in the interim come out bit by bit.

This is a particularly angsty story that gets at some home truths about the lack of rights of women and their dependence on the men in their lives good or bad. Balogh is a master of this kind of story.

🐣

Hi Everyone! I hope your week is going well. I'm about 60% of the way through my book, but I'll finish it this weekend I'm sure.

🌷

Week 1 - Completion Post (DNF Post)
I made it 75% of the way through this book (~170 pages) before DNF

Stars: 1 star
Review: I ended up with my first DNF of the year. I don’t think this book could figure out if it wanted to be historical fiction, romance, or horror. The personalities of the 2 main characters annoyed me. For 2 people that are clearly in their early 20’s and grew up on a ranch during a time when Mexico and Texas are fighting over land, they are both incredibly immature. And for a man that supposedly can woo women, Nestor is pretty dumb when it comes to Nena’s feelings. I wanted to like this book. I loved the premise and the unusual vampires.

Week 1
Completion post
Option 1
11. There is often a dress code chosen by the couple, with many selecting to have a formal or semi-formal event
Read a book with a cover model in a suit or a flowing/formal dress.


The Play by Elle Kennedy
Pages: 422
Date read: 25.4.25
Rating: 5 star
Review: I absolutely adored this book from first page until last. This is about a girl and a rich hockey player and how they blossom from friends to lovers to perfection together. This is the 3rd in a spin off series from the off campus series. There’s humour, heart breaking moments, moments I wanted to slap people for their idiotic comments. I hate dictators and this had one which made me so angry. I cannot wait to read the last two books. If they’re anything like this I’m gonna love them.

Hi Everyone!

Week 2 selection post has been called!
Option 1
5. The ceremony follows well established rituals
Read a book with the MPG 'Magic'.

This must be on the main page and not after you extend the genres to a full page list.


If you aren't sure how to insert links in your posts, please read these instructions in the Q&A thread:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...


Option 2
Key date: 25 October 2024
Team mate read on or after this date and rated at least 3 stars


Option 3
Pass

Week 2
Selection Post
5. The ceremony follows well established rituals
Read a book with the MPG 'Magic'.

The Love of My Afterlife by Kirsty Greenwood
Pages: 400
How it fits: Magical Realism is in tag which is allowed by Jane

🥦

Week 2
Selection Post
Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman

Pages: 286
How it qualifies: Magic is listed as an MPG.

Week 2 - Selection Post
Option 1
5. The ceremony follows well established rituals
Read a book with the MPG 'Magic'.


The Rise of Magicks - Nora Roberts
Pages: 467
How It Fits: MPG Magic

Week 2 Selection Post

Book On the Edge by Ilona Andrews
Page #: 309 pages (Mass Market Paperback Edition)
Qualification: MPG tagged "magic"

Grace wrote: "Week 2 Selection Post

Book On the Edge by Ilona Andrews
Page #: 309 pages (Mass Market Paperback Edition)
Qualification: MPG tagged "magic""

This was the first book I read by Ilona Andrews and it got me hooked.

✅Completion Post - Week #1
Fairydale

Rating (3.5) ⭐⭐⭐💫
Review: I had really high hopes for this book because so many people were talking about it on Insta. This is a somewhat slow burn but the spice payout is pretty good. It is a little complex since there are 3 different timelines going on so you definitely have to be paying attention. This is a fatty book, so be prepared to do this in a a number of reading sessions. I thought the writing was honestly a little cringy and while the author states in the intro that she doesn't make any promises regarding accuracy, but Darcy in 1955 talked like she was straight out of the 1800s England. I have a special edition signed by the author, but not sure if it's something that I would pick up again. (view spoiler)[I still am really not sure how Sela is "reborn" as Elizabeth and Darcy as a cocoon/butterfly and just "picking" a mother...it is a little lost on me. (hide spoiler)]

📅Week 2 - Selection Post
Option 1
🔖Task #5. The ceremony follows well established rituals
Read a book with the MPG 'Magic'


📚Book: A Dawn of Onyx
✍️By: Kate Golden
📃Page Numbers: 432
🗝️How the book qualifies: MPG tagged 'magic'