I used to hate reading.

Not dislike. Not avoid. Hate.

As a kid, I’d do anything to get out of reading assignments. Books felt like punishment—boring, pointless, something adults forced on you because they thought it was good for you.

Then my mom handed me Towers of Brierley by Anita Stansfield.

I have no idea why I actually opened it. Maybe I was bored. Maybe she caught me at the right moment. But I started reading—and I couldn’t stop.

That one book changed everything. It showed me that stories could transport you somewhere else, make you feel things, make you care about people who didn’t exist.

I went from hating reading to devouring every book I could find.

Years later, those books I fell in love with shaped the stories I wanted to tell. Here’s the journey from reluctant reader to aspiring writer—and the books that made it possible.

The Book That Started It All

Towers of Brierley by Anita Stansfield

This was the book that made me a reader.

I don’t remember much about the plot now—it’s been years. What I remember is the feeling of getting lost in a story for the first time. The discovery that reading wasn’t boring—I just hadn’t found the right book yet.

What it taught me as a writer: The right book at the right time can change someone’s entire relationship with reading. I think about that now when I write. Somewhere out there might be a reluctant reader who picks up my book and discovers they actually love stories—they just needed to find their story.

That’s powerful. That’s why I write.

The Gateway Book

Calico Captive

Shortly after Towers of Brierley, I read Calico Captive. Between these two books, I became officially hooked on reading.

More importantly, I discovered I loved historical settings and strong characters navigating difficult circumstances. I loved stories where people had to be brave, make hard choices, and find love despite obstacles.

What it taught me as a writer: I learned I’m drawn to stories with stakes. Characters who face real challenges and have to grow to overcome them. Romance that develops through shared struggle and mutual respect.

Those elements show up in everything I write now.

The Historical Romance Phase

After those gateway books, I went on a historical romance binge.

I read everything I could get my hands on by authors like:

• Carla Kelly
• Barbara Hazard
• Barbara Metzger

These books taught me what I loved in romance: clever heroines, heroes who respected them, witty banter, and relationships that developed through genuine connection rather than just physical attraction.

What this phase taught me as a writer:

Strong Character Dynamics

Historical romance excels at building relationships through conversation, shared experiences, and emotional connection. Physical intimacy was limited by the genre conventions, so everything else had to work harder.

I learned that you don’t need explicit scenes to create chemistry. You need characters who genuinely like each other, challenge each other, and choose each other.

The Power of Witty Dialogue

Historical romance mastered the art of loaded conversation—what’s said versus what’s meant. Subtext. Banter that reveals character and builds tension.

I use that constantly in my fantasy romance now.

Obstacles That Matter

The best historical romances had real obstacles—class differences, family obligations, social consequences. The stakes felt real even though I knew they’d get their happy ending.

I try to create that same sense of meaningful conflict in my own work.

Discovering Fantasy Romance

Eventually I discovered fantasy—and more specifically, fantasy romance.

The combination felt like coming home. All the emotional depth and relationship focus I loved from historical romance, but with magic, other worlds, and supernatural elements.

I read widely in the genre, including popular series like the Cat and Bones books (Night Huntress series).

What this phase taught me:

Genre Blending Works

Fantasy and romance don’t have to compromise for each other. You can have complex world-building AND deep romantic development. Epic stakes AND intimate moments.

Neither element has to be secondary.

Finding What Works for You

I learned something important during this phase: I didn’t love all fantasy romance equally.

Specifically, I realized explicit content didn’t work for me as a reader. When scenes started heading in that direction, I’d skip ahead. I was there for the relationship, the magic, the story—not the bedroom scenes.

At first, I thought that meant I was reading the “wrong” books. Then I realized—maybe I just needed to find different books.

The YA Gateway

That realization led me to YA fantasy romance, where I discovered:

Cinder by Marissa Meyer A brilliant retelling that showed fairy tales could be fresh, complex, and surprising.

The Selection series Introduced me to the magic of combining romance with competition, political intrigue, and world-building.

What YA taught me as a writer:

You Don’t Need Explicit Scenes to Create Romance

These books proved you could build incredible romantic tension, create swoon-worthy moments, and deliver satisfying relationships without explicit content.

The chemistry was there. The longing was there. The emotional payoff was there.

Everything I loved about romance—without the chapters I’d been skipping.

Stories in My Head Were Valid

For years, the stories I imagined in my head didn’t include explicit scenes. I thought that meant they weren’t “real” romance or weren’t as good as books with spice.

YA fantasy romance showed me that wasn’t true. My stories were just as valid. Just as romantic. Just as worthy of being told.

That was huge for me.

Finding My Home: Clean Fantasy Romance

After exploring YA, I branched out into clean fantasy romance for adult audiences.

I discovered a whole world of fantasy romance that had:

• Complex world-building
• Adult protagonists
• Mature themes and conflicts
• Deep emotional content
• Swoon-worthy romance
• No explicit scenes

This is where I found my place as both a reader and a writer.

What clean fantasy romance taught me:

My Niche Exists

There are readers who want exactly what I want—fantasy romance with passion, chemistry, and emotional depth, but without graphic content.

I’m not alone in preferring closed-door romance. There’s an audience for these stories.

I Could Write the Books I Want to Read

For years, I read what was available even when it wasn’t quite what I wanted. Clean fantasy romance showed me I didn’t have to settle.

I could write the books I’d been looking for.

Stories with magic, fated mates, forbidden love, and protective heroes—but that stayed closed-door. Romance that focused on emotional intimacy and building connection.

That’s what I write now. The books I wish I’d had years ago.

The Common Threads

Looking back at all these books that shaped my journey, I see clear patterns:

I’ve always loved:

• Strong character relationships
• Emotional depth and connection
• Obstacles worth overcoming
• Romance that develops through shared experiences
• Witty, loaded dialogue
• Characters who grow and change
• Stakes that feel real

These elements show up in everything I write.

Whether it’s historical romance, YA fantasy, or adult fantasy romance, the core of what I love remains the same: relationships between fully-realized people who choose each other despite difficult circumstances.

How These Books Shaped My Writing

When I started writing A Fog of Shadows, I drew on everything I’d learned as a reader:

From historical romance: Character-driven plots, dialogue that reveals relationship development, emotional intimacy over physical.

From early fantasy romance: World-building that serves the story, magic that creates meaningful obstacles and connections.

From YA fantasy: Proof that closed-door romance can be just as swoon-worthy and satisfying as explicit romance.

From clean fantasy romance: Permission to write the books I wanted to read, confidence that an audience exists for these stories.

I’m still learning. Still figuring out what works and what doesn’t. But every book I’ve loved taught me something about the writer I want to become.

For Aspiring Writers

If you’re thinking about writing but aren’t sure if your stories are “the right kind” of stories:

They are.

The books you love, the stories in your head, the type of romance that speaks to you—those are valid. Someone out there wants to read exactly what you want to write.

I spent years thinking my preference for closed-door romance meant I couldn’t write “real” romance. That was wrong.

Your stories matter. Write them.

What Books Shaped Your Journey?

I’d love to hear about the books that made you a reader or inspired you to write.

What was your gateway book—the one that made you fall in love with reading? What authors taught you what you loved in romance? When did you discover the genre that felt like home?

Drop a comment or join my newsletter to share your reading journey. I love connecting with fellow readers and writers over the books that shaped us.