Romance Readers Notice Tone Before They Notice Plot

Readers can forgive a lot. Confusion usually isn’t one of the things they forgive.

Before they know your exact plot, romance readers are already reading for tone. Sweet, angsty, dark, funny, tender, chaotic. The emotional contract starts early.

If your cover, title, and copy disagree with each other, you end up attracting curiosity instead of fit. Those are not the same thing.