What is a Cozy Romance? A cozy romance is story that is positive, warm, and upbeat.
The atmosphere in a cozy romance is cheerful, positive (not dark) and, well… cozy. Think feel good vibes.
A cozy romance often takes place within a community or within or around a chosen family. Conflicts are generally resolved through communication.
A cosy romance is not:
- dark
- brooding
- violent
- filled with triggers
- self harm
- characters harming each other in significant ways
This does not mean that a cosy romance is boring, dull, or that nothing happens in the book. It can still have a swift pace where you are turning the pages and can’t set it down at night.
Wondering if a book you’re considering is cosy? Look for reviews that say things such as:
This book made me feel good.
I smiled the whole time.
I was kicking my feet with happiness as they got their HEA.
This book made me feel warm and hopeful.
I wanted to be a part of this community/move to this town.
The characters felt like friends.
Now, of course, you can also have characters that feel like friends in a darker romance, but what we are looking for here are trends or certain keywords that tell us this is a comfort read. In fact, the aesthetic of a cozy romance is all about those comfort read feelings. They’re like a cup of hot chocolate by the fire with a cat curled up in your lap, or a dog snoring gently on your feet.
Does everyone agree what a cozy romance is? Nope! What one person finds comforting and cozy, might make another person itchy. (Looking at you, wool sweaters!)
Considering adding a comfort read to your read-next list? These two series of mine are definite comfort reads:
Fairy Godmothers and Other Fiascos (Found family is a big theme, cosy, trusting friendships, slow burn romances.)
Hockey Sweethearts (Heroes who are willing to communicate, put in the work to make a romance work, and set in a cozy, meddlesome and well-meaning small town.)
