Charlotte
@romansdegare.bsky.social
Romance reader, sentence appreciator. She/her. I do close readings of romance novels at closereadingromance.com
Pinned
Charlotte
@romansdegare.bsky.social
· Nov 10
Close Reading Romance
Explications de texte
closereadingromance.com
Oh man, I don’t think I’ve ever had cause to do a “hello new followers” post but I’m excited about how this place is popping off today, so here’s a link to my romance blog for any and all interested parties:
closereadingromance.com
closereadingromance.com
ok, my blog is mostly defunct at this point, but if I was to briefly resurrect it for a side-by-side close reading of the same scene from Heated Rivalry in book and TV show form... would people read that?
December 20, 2025 at 10:15 PM
ok, my blog is mostly defunct at this point, but if I was to briefly resurrect it for a side-by-side close reading of the same scene from Heated Rivalry in book and TV show form... would people read that?
Reposted by Charlotte
you ever read a book so bad you wanna go back to mesopotamia and uninvent writing
December 20, 2025 at 8:29 PM
you ever read a book so bad you wanna go back to mesopotamia and uninvent writing
If I could ask one thing of the Heated Rivalry TV adaptation (which is basically perfect, no notes), it's that its popularity could bring back high-heat, high-angst romances
Let this be what kills the romcom
Let this be what kills the romcom
December 20, 2025 at 1:50 AM
If I could ask one thing of the Heated Rivalry TV adaptation (which is basically perfect, no notes), it's that its popularity could bring back high-heat, high-angst romances
Let this be what kills the romcom
Let this be what kills the romcom
Reposted by Charlotte
I do not want your AI slop
I do not want it in my mop
I do not want it in my house
I do not want it in my mouse
I do not like brain-rotting AI spam
I do not want it, Sam Alt-man
I do not want it in my mop
I do not want it in my house
I do not want it in my mouse
I do not like brain-rotting AI spam
I do not want it, Sam Alt-man
December 17, 2025 at 12:01 AM
I do not want your AI slop
I do not want it in my mop
I do not want it in my house
I do not want it in my mouse
I do not like brain-rotting AI spam
I do not want it, Sam Alt-man
I do not want it in my mop
I do not want it in my house
I do not want it in my mouse
I do not like brain-rotting AI spam
I do not want it, Sam Alt-man
Guys, what are we going to do with ourselves after the last episode of Heated Rivalry airs, asking for a friend?
December 17, 2025 at 12:13 AM
Guys, what are we going to do with ourselves after the last episode of Heated Rivalry airs, asking for a friend?
My childhood masterpiece of an egg-carton angel’s still got it
December 16, 2025 at 8:03 PM
My childhood masterpiece of an egg-carton angel’s still got it
Let it be known that I got a GIANT gold star on my most recent Beethoven piece
December 15, 2025 at 1:36 AM
Let it be known that I got a GIANT gold star on my most recent Beethoven piece
Look: it’s all anyone’s talking about, it’s certainly all I’m thinking about, so now is as good a time as any to remind everyone that I wrote about Heated Rivalry over 5 years ago (!) on my blog:
closereadingromance.com/2020/04/17/f...
closereadingromance.com/2020/04/17/f...
Friday Feature: Favorite Words I Read this Week
Photo by Chris Liverani on Unsplash These last few weeks, I have done a lot of re-reading. It’s familiar and comforting, and has managed to kickstart my reading mojo a bit, to the point where…
closereadingromance.com
December 13, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Look: it’s all anyone’s talking about, it’s certainly all I’m thinking about, so now is as good a time as any to remind everyone that I wrote about Heated Rivalry over 5 years ago (!) on my blog:
closereadingromance.com/2020/04/17/f...
closereadingromance.com/2020/04/17/f...
'tis the season where I honestly make myself believe I'm going to resurrect my blog in the new year
December 12, 2025 at 8:37 PM
'tis the season where I honestly make myself believe I'm going to resurrect my blog in the new year
About to cook and ABSURD amount of food for two people, only one of whom eats animal products
November 26, 2025 at 12:43 AM
About to cook and ABSURD amount of food for two people, only one of whom eats animal products
Question for any romance novel history people out there: does anyone know who might have been the first romance author to write/publish strict dual POV, ie: in equally distributed, alternating chapters? (Or, first-ish, I know tracking firstness in literature is complicated)
Feel free to RT/boost
Feel free to RT/boost
November 18, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Question for any romance novel history people out there: does anyone know who might have been the first romance author to write/publish strict dual POV, ie: in equally distributed, alternating chapters? (Or, first-ish, I know tracking firstness in literature is complicated)
Feel free to RT/boost
Feel free to RT/boost
Me, 5 minutes into every re-read of an Erin McLellan novella: WHY aren’t there 100,000 more of these so I never have to read anything else 😍😭😍😭😍😭😍
Nobody does joyful, queer sex-positivity quite like this, I’m telling you
Nobody does joyful, queer sex-positivity quite like this, I’m telling you
November 15, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Me, 5 minutes into every re-read of an Erin McLellan novella: WHY aren’t there 100,000 more of these so I never have to read anything else 😍😭😍😭😍😭😍
Nobody does joyful, queer sex-positivity quite like this, I’m telling you
Nobody does joyful, queer sex-positivity quite like this, I’m telling you
I am so ready to read some romance novels that take Big Risks. Give me stakes. Real imperfections. Trust me to not need your characters to be exemplary, highly-therapized individuals. I’d like a theme or two, but I am not a baby bird, and I can chew on it myself
November 12, 2025 at 10:06 PM
I am so ready to read some romance novels that take Big Risks. Give me stakes. Real imperfections. Trust me to not need your characters to be exemplary, highly-therapized individuals. I’d like a theme or two, but I am not a baby bird, and I can chew on it myself
Anyone read any good angsty romances lately?
November 9, 2025 at 12:01 AM
Anyone read any good angsty romances lately?
Also worth keeping in mind that if you use this service as an author, I (as a translator) may personally come piss in your Cheerios some morning. You never know.
Amazon has launched a new AI-driven translation service, Kindle Translate, for Kindle Direct Publishing authors 👇 #BookSky
Amazon launches AI translation service for indie authors
ebx.sh
November 7, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Also worth keeping in mind that if you use this service as an author, I (as a translator) may personally come piss in your Cheerios some morning. You never know.
Oh what's this? One of my favorite romance series of all time is on sale?
It's my birthday, so have a present. SLIPPERY CREATURES (Will Darling Adventures book 1) is going on cheap over the weekend. 1920s pulp adventure m/m romance with plots, spies, Bright Young People, and emotional support knife, all for 99p!
Available now at your favorite digital store!
Slippery Creatures by KJ Charles
books2read.com
October 30, 2025 at 11:24 AM
Oh what's this? One of my favorite romance series of all time is on sale?
I am not an influencer, but please help me boost Palestinian-owned Nabiha cafe on U street near 17th in DC. The coffee is AMAZING, staff is super friendly, links to donate to Gazan families are easily accessible for customers who want to help
October 29, 2025 at 2:07 PM
I am not an influencer, but please help me boost Palestinian-owned Nabiha cafe on U street near 17th in DC. The coffee is AMAZING, staff is super friendly, links to donate to Gazan families are easily accessible for customers who want to help
Not me getting the address wrong in the last post… hold please 😔
October 29, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Not me getting the address wrong in the last post… hold please 😔
If you saw me going for a 5 mile run on the streets of DC while absolutely sobbing my eyes out to the audiobook of Atmosphere, no you didn’t, it was dark out, you were probably mistaken
October 27, 2025 at 11:24 AM
If you saw me going for a 5 mile run on the streets of DC while absolutely sobbing my eyes out to the audiobook of Atmosphere, no you didn’t, it was dark out, you were probably mistaken
Reposted by Charlotte
Feeding America has a page where you can input your zip code and it'll show you all of the food banks near you overlaid on a map. If you need it, it's there. If you don't need it, think about donating money if you have it and your time if you don't.
www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-lo...
www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-lo...
Find Your Local Food Bank | Feeding America
Find the Feeding America member food bank nearest you. Over 200 member food banks can connect you with free food, food pantries, soup kitchens, and mobile pantries in your community.
www.feedingamerica.org
October 26, 2025 at 7:16 PM
Feeding America has a page where you can input your zip code and it'll show you all of the food banks near you overlaid on a map. If you need it, it's there. If you don't need it, think about donating money if you have it and your time if you don't.
www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-lo...
www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-lo...
October 26, 2025 at 12:46 AM
what's the tiniest microtrope in romance that lights your soul on fire?
examples: mine is when a person's expression subtly "softens" while looking at their LI in public
I have a friend who loves when 2 characters sit on opposite sides of a wall/closed door and each press their hands to it
examples: mine is when a person's expression subtly "softens" while looking at their LI in public
I have a friend who loves when 2 characters sit on opposite sides of a wall/closed door and each press their hands to it
October 21, 2025 at 9:54 PM
what's the tiniest microtrope in romance that lights your soul on fire?
examples: mine is when a person's expression subtly "softens" while looking at their LI in public
I have a friend who loves when 2 characters sit on opposite sides of a wall/closed door and each press their hands to it
examples: mine is when a person's expression subtly "softens" while looking at their LI in public
I have a friend who loves when 2 characters sit on opposite sides of a wall/closed door and each press their hands to it
Reposted by Charlotte
the Muppets have been real quiet since the Louvre heist
October 19, 2025 at 10:19 PM
the Muppets have been real quiet since the Louvre heist
Couldn’t protest today as I was stuck on a train for 8 hours, but when I got back to DC the mood felt… different? Lighter? Idk, I’m usually a cynic, but I think today mattered
October 19, 2025 at 12:57 AM
Couldn’t protest today as I was stuck on a train for 8 hours, but when I got back to DC the mood felt… different? Lighter? Idk, I’m usually a cynic, but I think today mattered