Tell Me the Difference Between Sweet and Clean Romances

Recently, a friend expressed her displeasure at Amazon listing her book as “a clean romance” — a tag they included after her title. I asked her why this upset her, not to be difficult but because I was genuinely curious. She writes for a line that is known for being wholesome, as in no sex, no swear words, no violence, no taboo subjects, etc.

Her response was that she preferred the term “a sweet romance” as opposed to clean. To her, adding “a clean romance” beside her book title felt like censorship while calling it “a sweet romance” felt more like identifying the book as a sub-genre (much like many consider erotic romance a sub-genre, along with suspense or historical or paranormal).

I see her point, but as with everything, there are two sides to consider. A tag can help readers immediately identify what they’re buying. A reader looking for a wholesome read will be confident they don’t mistakenly purchase a book containing elements they find distasteful or offensive. On the other hand, a reader interested in edgier reads will search elsewhere and not be disappointed.

Then again, it’s usually pretty clear what level of “heat” the reader is in store for from all the clues. For instance, the title (Her Hot Demon Lover vs. Her Heart’s Treasure), the cover art (a half naked man vs. a fully clothed woman carrying a bouquet of flowers), the teasers or quotes (“a sizzling read” vs. “a feel good read”) or, lastly, the back cover blurb (she meets a super sexy, mysterious man who promises to fulfill all her secret fantasies vs. will she ever trust him again after suffering his deep betrayal).

I did some research online in an attempt to discover the difference between “sweet” and “clean” romances, if any, and found some interesting posts by writers. One person called sweet romances immature and claimed they ignored an integral part of life, that part being sex. Okay, as an author of both sexy and sweet romances, I admit to being a little offended. I do believe that sex is an integral part of any healthy romantic relationship. However, when a couple chooses to engage in sex is their decision, whether in fiction or real life. Waiting until marriage or some other meaningful commitment isn’t immature, it’s a personal choice. Relationships can be equally deep and meaningful whether the couple engages in premarital sex or not.

Another individual stated that clean romances were those where the bedroom door closes and sweet romance were those with no more than kissing. Yet another person defined the difference as the exact opposite. Confusing, yes? I agree.

I’ve come up with my own answer to the question for the next time the subject comes up. For me personally, sweet romances emphasize the developing romantic relationship, focusing on the emotional conflicts standing between the couple and their struggle to overcome those conflicts. Love scenes have no more physical intimacy than kissing. They can be tender or a bit more intense but always with undeniable sexual undercurrents which are gently stated rather than explicit. The characters can have ugly or traumatic pasts, such as abuse or rape or addiction, but none of that takes place in the here and now. Mild curses like damn are acceptable if used in moderation and not gratuitously.

Clean romances (or any genre for that matter) go further in that they have no swear words whatsoever and no physical intimacy other than chaste kissing. There is also no violence, taboo subjects, and nothing a reader might possibly find offensive. Physical attraction between couples is only hinted at. Think Hallmark movies or traditional regency romances.

When it comes to my author friend who doesn’t like the tag Amazon has stuck on her book, in my opinion she’s right to be upset. Her book is genuinely sweet rather than clean — at least according to my definitions. Plus, doesn’t sweet sound nicer?

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