My love affair with novellas

My Dad once told me that good things come in small packages. I have a feeling he told me this because I’m 5’4’’ on a good day, and have been ever since I stopped growing around the time high school started.

This is the book that started my
love affair with short reads

Speaking of smaller things, I’ve always enjoyed short books. I read a lot of category romances which run at the 50,000 word mark and I’m a huge fan of novellas as well which can be anywhere from 15,000 to 40,000 words (they can be longer for other genres where the average word count of a book is higher).

It’s not to say I can’t find pleasure in longer reads (since I just finished A Game f Thrones by George R.R. Martin which is longest book I’ve ever read and I loved it) but I enjoy the immediate gratification of a shorter read.

Not convinced? Here are my top reasons to pick up a novella today:

Instant gratification

Many novellas can be read in a single sitting. They’re great if you’ve come off the back of a long read and you’re looking for something quick and enjoyable. You get your happy ever after right away!

Revisit your favourite worlds

Many romance series these days have novellas as well as full-length novels. They’re a great way to check back in with your favourite world, see the characters who’ve been in the background of previous stories or to find some new characters to love.

Try out a new author

If you’re interested in trying out a new author, you don’t always have to commit to a full-length book straight away. Novellas are generally cheaper as well as quicker to read, which makes them a great way to see if you connect with an author’s voice and characters before you hand over the price of a bigger book.

Get your fix between big books

Writing is tough work and the publishing process can be slow. This means readers often have to wait long times between installments in their favourite series. A lot of authors are now releasing novellas so they can give their fans something between larger projects.

Novellas pack a punch

You might only have half the words but you still get all of the perks: chemistry, conflict and the beloved HEA. With the short word count authors have to work hard to fit everything into the story, meaning novellas are a concentrated form of romance goodness. Less words doesn’t have to mean less story.

Are you a fan of novellas? What the best one that you’ve read so far?

If you're looking for a place to start my novella with Entangled’s Lovestruck imprint, The RulesAccording to Gracie, is out today!! Happy Days.