An Introduction to Write as I Read: What Do I Mean By ‘Non-Traditional’ Romances?

 

I have finally decided to make a blog for something that I wish existed, or at least have not been able to find – an accessible and sympathetic resource for those trying to find good fiction that contains ‘non-traditional’ romances, whether it’s their first or fiftieth time reading such content. 

So, what exactly do I mean by ‘non-traditional romance’?

My blog’s tagline is this: “Highlighting Queer & Non-Monogamous Relationships in Fiction”, which sums it up pretty well. In its original context, ‘non-traditional’ means to be “different from what is typical or usual, especially than that in the past” (Cambridge University Press, 2025), and in this case, that refers to most romances outside of those largely seen on bestseller lists – although thankfully, more and more Queer / LGBTQ+ fiction is making it in the big leagues (Patton, 2023).

Even non-monogamy has its moment every now and then. 

Maybe you’ve heard of the ‘Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter’ series by Laurell K. Hamilton, which was first published in 1993 and is still ongoing to this day? Or if not, perhaps the more recently viral ‘Pucking Around’ by Emily Rath, or even the gothic ‘A Dowry of Blood’ by S.T. Gibson, which I was surprised to see displayed in my local library? If not, I wouldn’t be surprised. The majority of authors writing non-monogamy are indie and self-published, which is also why so many are available through Kindle Unlimited. It is simply not considered mainstream enough for the likes of Barnes & Noble or Waterstones.

 

In regards to what you’ll be seeing on my blog, I tend to focus on a few main categories. These are:

• Reverse Harem - a romance between one (1) woman and three or more (3+) men.
• Queer Fiction - has LGBTQ+ characters and/or relationships as a major focus.
• Ménage - a romantic and/or sexual relationship between three (3) people, also referred to as a ‘throuple’.
• Polyamorous - a little more nuanced, as technically most of the categories on this list are considered poly. In my use, however, it refers to a set polycule of more than 3 people who are all, or almost all, in a romantic relationship with each other.
• Relationship Fluid - coined by author Auryn Hadley, this refers to relationships that don’t easily fit in a single box. This may mean anything intertwined from polycules to open relationships - you name it…(Auryn Hadley, 2021).

 

To finish this introduction, I am going to leave you with a recommendation from each category. All these and more can be found on my Goodreads & Storygraph accounts (both @writeasiread). 

(Please click to see the following photo in better quality).