BookTok Made You Do It? Yeah, Same. Here’s How to Build a Romance TBR That Works

If your romance TBR list is starting to look like your online shopping cart — overflowing, full of vibes, and mostly forgotten — you’re not alone.

You saw a cute reel, a trending trope, someone crying over the “second chance, small town, grumpy x sunshine” plotline — and suddenly you’ve added ten books to your list. Fast forward to now: you don’t remember why you added half of them. And you’re still reading the same three books from January.

Let’s fix that.

Here’s how to build a realistic, joy-filled romance reading list that you’ll actually want to finish — without turning reading into a stressful checklist.

📝 Step 1: Choose Your Why, Not Just Your Number

Setting a goal to read 52 books this year sounds nice… until it doesn’t. Numbers are great, but they don’t always align with real life (or reading slumps).

Instead, set a reading intention:

• “I want to read more diverse romance authors.”
• “I’m finally finishing that long-running series I started three years ago.”
• “I want more cozy, happy endings this year.”

This isn’t about hitting a milestone — it’s about staying connected to why you love reading romance in the first place.

📚 Step 2: Treat Your TBR Like a Menu, Not a Contract

One brilliant Redditor said:

That’s your new motto. Your TBR should inspire you, not guilt-trip you.

👉 Instead of creating a mile-long, must-read list, try this:

• Keep a main TBR for books you’re interested in.
• Create a Now List with just 5–10 books you’re currently excited about.
• Rotate the “Now List” monthly so it stays fresh.

And if your mood changes? Cool. You’re not breaking a contract — just choosing a different dish off the menu.

📅 Step 3: Make Monthly Mini-TBRs (with Room to Mood Read)

One big mistake? Planning out your whole year. Life (and BookTok recs) change too fast.

Instead:

• Pick 2 “must reads” each month.
• Add 1 “wild card” pick (something spontaneous or buzzy).
• Keep the rest open for mood reads or rereads.

Want to spice it up? Use monthly tropes:

• January: Grumpy x Sunshine
• February: Second Chance Love
• March: Forced Proximity
• October: Paranormal Romance, anyone?

You stay focused and get the fun of changing things up.

🔍 Step 4: Audit Your BookTok-Influenced TBR

Be honest — how many books are on your list just because the TikTok lighting was aesthetic and the reviewer said it gave them “emotional damage”?

Here’s a quick reality check:

• Revisit your TBR and ask: “Do I still want to read this?”
• Move any “meh” picks to a “Maybe Later” list
• Organize by:
  • Tropes (e.g. enemies to lovers)
  • Spice level
  • Vibe (angsty, cozy, historical, chaotic)

This helps you match books to your actual reading mood, not your midnight impulse-save energy.

🚫 Step 5: Normalize DNFing and Seasonal TBR Cleanups

You don’t owe any book your time just because you added it to a list.

💥 DNF = Self-care.

If a book isn’t clicking by chapter 3, let it go. It’s not a breakup — it’s just a “not right now.”

Also, do a TBR refresh every season:

• Spring: What books excite you for warmer weather?
• Fall: What feels cozy and comforting?
• Holiday season: Time for snowy small towns and mistletoe slow burns?

Cut the fluff and keep the sparks.

💖 Step 6: Track What You Loved, Not Just What You Read

Tracking completed books is helpful — but tracking what made them special is a game-changer.

Try this:

• Keep a “Books I Fell in Love With” list.
• Track the tropes, authors, and moods that hit the spot.
• Use it to build future lists you’ll actually finish.

Bonus: This is how you build a personalized recommendation list when friends ask you for recs (which they will).

🛠️ Step 7: Use Tools That Match Your Brain

Some readers love spreadsheets. Some need something visual. Some are chaotic neutral with sticky notes.

Here are reader-approved tools to try:

• Notion templates with mood boards + trope tags
• Pinterest boards with book covers sorted by vibe
• StoryGraph for advanced filtering (like “slow burn + LGBTQ+ rep”)
• Libby/Hoopla for getting holds so books come to you

Make the system work for you — not the other way around.

🎉 Step 8: Make It Fun Again

Reading goals aren’t about discipline. They’re about pleasure. So bring back the fun:

• Join a book-themed bingo card challenge (like Romanceopoly)
• Try a trope-a-thon readalong with friends
• Re-read a comfort book when you’re in a slump
• Follow one BookTok creator you trust for solid recs, and unfollow the chaos

Reading romance is a joy — and your TBR should reflect that.

💌 Final Thoughts: Your Romance TBR Should Work for You

It’s easy to get swept up in the hype. To feel like you’re falling behind. To forget that reading is supposed to feel good — not like homework.

So let this be the year you build a romance TBR that feels like a stack of love letters to yourself.

Don’t finish what bores you. Don’t stress over what’s popular. Read what makes you giddy.

You deserve a TBR that loves you back.