Conversations With Kav – What’s in a title? + Giveaway

We all know that I am a self-confessed cover snob, but did you know that I am just as opinionated about book titles? It makes sense, in a way, since both title and cover make up a reader’s first impression. Some titles entice me immediately, while others leave me indifferent, confused, even cringing. So I thought it would be fun to chat about our title preferences because I’m sure I’m not the only reader with opinions! 🙂 And stick around to the end for the giveaway announcement.

My Title Dislikes

(Titles used as examples are made up by me, any similarities to real titles of published works is completely coincidental)

Titles that list every trope in the book:

The Billionaire’s Second Chance at Love : Fake Dating His Secret Baby’s Mama

I get that the author/publisher is trying to grab a reader’s attention to make a sale BUT surely they understand that we know how to read a synopsis on the back of the book or online? If you want to emphasize tropes, make them a tag line at the beginning or end of the synopsis and get more creative with the title!

Titles that read like a review:

Millicent Finally Gets Her Man : a well-written, emotionally gripping love story featuring an enemies to more romance guaranteed to stir your heart and curl your toes.

Talk about oversell! If an author has to 5 star review a book in the title, it’s immediately downgraded in my mind. I’m assuming the intention is to make a sale, but it has the opposite effect on me. I wouldn’t even give the back book blurb a chance! ( I know, I’m such a title snob!)

Titles that read like a synopsis:

Lad, a stray dog searches for a family all his own and along the way helps a mother cat find her lost kitten only to discover that her humans might be the right furever family for him as well.

Bwahahaha! My example is a bit (!) extreme, but I’m sure you’ve all seen titles that tell way too much. This would be an automatic no go for me even though I love dogs and the premise of the story is appealing…just not as a title!

Series that have books will similar titles.

Book One: Heat, Book Two: Scorch, Book Three: Burn

I can totally accept that this is unique to Kav issue, but when a series has similar titles, especially when paired with similar cover art, I always get confused and can’t remember which one I’ve read. So, when I’m browsing online or at the library I’ll often bypass these books, promising myself I’ll check my records later but I usually forget. 🙂

My Title Likes

Pun-y titles

Owl’s Well That Ends Well (actual title in the Meg Langslow series)

One of the delights of cozy mystery reading are all the pun-y titles. So many wonderful options and I’m amazed that authors/publishers are still creating new ones!

Along that line – titles that play on words, especially when they are a twist on classic literature

Sense and Suitability (actual title!)

So clever! It immediately draws me in and I start to wonder how the author is going to reimagine elements from a well-loved story.

A title that’s intriguing on it’s own but once you’ve read the book, you realize how aptly it suits the story.

Hearts in Circulation (actual title!)

Librarian heroine with a bookmobile finds romance on the road. 🙂 This is one of my favourite titles because it matches the story perfectly and there’s hidden layers that fit too!

A title that sparks my imagination

Forgotten

When I read a book with a title like this my mind goes all over the place. What is forgotten? Does the heroine feel forgotten? Does a main character have amnesia? Is there a mystery around something that has been forgotten? A character with dementia? A family history that needs to be uncovered? So many directions the story could take and I want to be in at the very start!

Giveaway Opportunity:

US – paperback or ebook

Canada – paperback, ebook or audible (if available)

International – ebook if you have a US Kindle account

Time to put your thinking caps on and share your title likes and dislikes in a comment or email (kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca) but this time, add in the intriguing title of a book you would like to win if your name is drawn. Books must be Christian Fiction and already published.

Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday December 6 2025

54 thoughts on “Conversations With Kav – What’s in a title? + Giveaway”

  1. Ooh I’m with you on all of those, except I like books in a series to match well, even though it is confusing. I have bought doubles before! I try to keep current pictures on my phone of all the books on my shelf. I like titles that are based on Bible verses or hymns because I know that story will be one of spiritual depth. One book I’ve been intrigued to read is Gold Digger by Skylar J. Kent. Now that’s a title that draws you in!

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    1. That reminds me that there are romance series where all the titles are love songs. That was neat. Hymns would make an interesting series. Gold Digger does sound quite intriguing. I’m playing a game where I imagine what the book is about based on the titles you are all sharing today before I look up the book and I was waaaayyyy off base on this one! Good luck, Rebecca!

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  2. Fun post, Kav! I do like your conversations segments. Your (I’m guessing) over-exaggerated examples did tickle my funny bone, and it was fun to see your handcrafted synopses… I mean, titles.

    I like puns a lot in general, though I haven’t personally read a lot of titles with puns. I did really like the title of the book The Rise and Fall of Miss Fannie’s Biscuits. What a clever play on words! (Though the book ended up being not as much my cup of tea).

    I also agree with you about titles that become meaningful once you’ve read the story. I relish that moment where it suddenly makes sense in a powerful way.

    Concerning series, did you read Ted Dekker’s Circle series? I like to recommend them to the teens I work with, but it is funny because of how the titles do not correspond with the covers. Black is on a green background, so it’s easy for the reader to think they read “the green one,” but Green is on a white background.

    Hmm! An intriguing title for the giveaway… The Beautiful Ashes of Gomez Gomez by Buck Storm. I’ve actually read the book that follows it, which also had a cool title: Venus Sings the Blues.

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    1. Moi? Exagerate? I would never!!!! Bwahahahaha! Though, honestly, I’ve seen a few titles perilously close to my examples. 🙂 Those covers of Circle are interesting. I haven’t read that series but I just looked them up — whoa, very confusing with the colour switch up. I wonder if there’s a reason behind it? Like some inner message in the stories themselves? I might have to read the books to find out. I’m intrigued by your giveaway choice title…I was partially (maybe) right about my interpretation of the title, but not close enough. Sounds like a complex, intriguing story. Good luck, Stephanie!

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  3. This was a fun one! I like quirky titles. I remember one that was a play off Austen, and included something about “Cheese Grits.” But I also like meaningful titles. I am reading Splendor of the Land right now, and I love how the title holds physical meaning not only for the land of Israel, but also for the inward beauty and worth of the main characters.

    The Words We Lost by Nicole Deese has a great title. Thanks for the giveaway opportunity!

    kathrynlvossATgmailDOTcom

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    1. Ohhh, yes, Pride, Prejudice and Cheese Grits by Mary Jane Hathaway. That whole series has clever titles. I love the connections you are making with the title ‘Splendor in the Land’ – it definitely evokes lots of images and ideas, especially since it’s Biblical fiction. And I agree, The Words We Lost is a fantastic title – it conjures up so many different ideas. I still have that whole series sitting on my TBR! Good luck, Kathryn!

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  4. Good morning, Kav! Our temps have dropped 20° & just in time our heat & air unit went out. Ugh! Freezing in here Thanksgiving day. The compressor went out & is on order for Tues. Thankfully still under warranty & we can use emergency heat. It gets too hot during the night & have a hard time sleeping, but better than freezing.

    I agree with everything you mentioned above! I do enjoy series with one word titles such as Ambush, Prowl, and Conspiracy since they tend to differ. Just started Frostbite by Christy Barritt! Love cover & title!! I looked at my books on Goodreads & realized I tend to gravitate towards shorter titles with 1 to 3 words. I do love pun-y titles which are typically on cozies, but are also cute on rom/coms. Too much info is a turn off for me such as A Widowed Duke’s Disguised Governess’s Secret Baby (fake title, but we’ve all seen similar.)

    Snowed Inn by Ashley Clark has a fun, pun-y title & cute cover! Thanks for the opportunity to win it! dianalflowers at aol dot com

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    1. Our temps have dropped too and we get snow with it so that’s fun. 20 ams today. Managed to walk to church and back in the Winter Wonderland which is the perfect setting for the first Sunday in Advent! Mother Nature got the window dressing just right. 🙂

      Ohhh, yes, a one word title can often say so much more than a long, convoluted one! Love your examples. Frostbite sounds chilly and chilling — the perfect winter weather read! I see it’s a Christmas book as well, but it’s seventh book in a series…should they be read in order do you think?

      I’m so with you on titles with too much info in them – and I love your example! (snicker) Ohhh, yes, Snowed Inn is a great title — just by changing that ‘in’ to ‘inn’ it has so many possibilities! I’ve seen that one on Instagram a lot in recent weeks. Mentioned here too. Good luck, Diane!

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      1. Oh my! You walked to church in the snow? I’m such a sissy I would’ve gotten “Frostbite”! lol It does sound pretty & perfect, however I’m still wondering what happened to Fall. 🤔 I guess I was too busy playing book BINGO & missed it. 🤣

        As far as reading the entire series, I didn’t. I just read the one before Frostbite called Enigma to familiarize myself with the characters. It was pretty good & I wanted to see how the series ends, so that’s where Frostbite comes in. Plus it’s Christmas-sy! Note: I think book 7 is the last one in the series.

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      2. Sorry, another question. Does The Christy Barritt series feature the same hero and heroine all the way through?

        It actually feels warmer when it snows. We had a blustery rain day on Thursday and it was bitter, much worse than todays pouffy snowfall. It’s so pretty too BUT we’re supposed to get rain again later in the week so…grrr….

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      3. Yes, the same hero & heroine. But I honestly didn’t feel like I had missed a thing bc Christy did such a good job of recapping. And really just a smidgen of romance between Jason & Olive so far, which is another reason I want to read Frostbite to see what happens. More misunderstandings between them than anything else so far. But I’d definitely read at least Enigma 1st.

        I’d much rather have snow than icy, slushy rain. Especially when it’s accompanied by wind. The cold bites you all the way to your bones! But we seldom get much of either as you know. A white Christmas would make it difficult for kids & gkids to make it home from our house on Christmas Eve, but Christmas day would be nice! Sigh . . . I’m glad you enjoyed walking in a winter wonderland! ❄❄❄

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  5. Great topic! My dislikes run the same as yours although I can add a few more. 1) Books in series that use the same picture but just alter it slightly. I notice this when I’m skimming CF lists on amazon. There’s an Amish set right now that has the same women on all three covers with only a leaf color for variance. 2) Another personal quirk is a book with a title that I look for all throughout the book and it never appears leaving me wondering where the title came from. 3) Books with titles you can hardly see because there are so many books in series. I often see sets of books with 20-30 books in them for cheap. I just saw a mail order bride series online with a whopping 51 books for .99! This makes me sad for the author. Their prices tells me that don’t value their own work. I wouldn’t even consider buying one of these 20, 30, 50 book sets. 4) Lastly, I see some awkward covers (titles too) that make me feel bad for the author. Why would anyone work so hard on a book, then put a second rate cover on it. I guess it’s expensive to get a quality cover, but I pass books by because of cover and titles like this, but often wonder if I’ve missed something because of it. I’m in the cover snob club too.

    Now on to the good stuff! I love books with clever titles and play on words. I was looking through my 2026 list and came up with some great ones. 1) Claire Holloway is Winging It: A High Flying Romance by Angela Ruth Strong. A great play on words about a flight attendant. She’s writing what she knows since she is one and I’m she has lots of fodder for her story. 2) A Brewed Awakening by Pepper Basham, cleaver title twist about a tea shop. 3) All Booked Up by Melody Carlson, an empty nester widow who has a beloved library and rents rooms to other women so she can stay in her home. Booked with books and renters, I love it.

    Another thing with book titles on amazon I like is they are adding a description of the book in the title on their page These descriptions are not actually on the book but given for the readers benefit so they can see what it’s about without going to the summary. This is the opposite of those long descriptive titles that are part of the book title you were referring to. Just a helpful tool for quick book skimmers.

    I didn’t mean to go on and on, lol. Anyway, I also like one word titles, they immediately make me want to know more. The Bridge by Shanna Hatfield is one I’m still hoping to read this month.

    Thanks for the giveaway opportunity, Kav! tracey14567 atgmaildotcom

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    1. Goodie, more examples!!!! Totally agree with covers that are way too similar. And there seem to be a few stock photos of Amish women that reappear not only in series but across all the publishing houses. Makes it impossible to know if you’ve read the book or not. I usually err on the side of caution and assume I have and move on.

      And yesssss — titles that don’t match the story at all. That’s such a let down — but such a buzz when you find the connection as you’re reading. I would be totally overwhelmed at the idea of buying that large a box set — 51 books for 99 cents?! And all by the same author? They must be mini novellas. And how can she make any money selling them all for that low a price? It boggles the mind. I get what you’re saying about ho-hum covers/titles. They really do lower the appeal. And that reminded me to go and order How to Sparkle by Leslie Kirby DeVooght which has a dreadful cover but there first book, Stealing Magnolias was so amazing, also has a dreadful cover BUT the audible cover is amazing and that’s what lured me in. So, yes, we do miss out on excellent reads sometimes when our title/cover sensitivities take over. 🙂

      Eeeepppp!!!! A sneak peek into our 2026 reading future. Am I impressed that you are already making lists? Why, yes I am! And these sound wonderful. Great play on words and I do so appreciate a clever title twist like that. Kinda makes me feel like if the title is that good than story will be too. I haven’t noticed that about Amazon adding blurbs in title searches. Must pay more attention. As long as their AI gets it right. Diane mentioned one word titles too and I agree with you both – they are intriguing, leaving so much up to the imagination. Good luck, Tracey!

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      1. Eeepp!! I didn’t know about How to Sparkle! I loved Stealing Magnolias, but both covers are . . . well you know. lol Stealing Magnolias was almost a full-length book for $4.99 and How to Sparkle is also $4.99 and only a 118 pgs. What’s up with that?

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  7. It’s amazing how similar our thoughts are in cover love and title choices! You pretty much hit on the head for both my likes and dislikes.

    I think my favorite titles are the cozy mysteries that use the puns that refer to a famous saying and relate to the storyline. Also love titles that draw your attention because they give short great hints to what the story is about without going into any detail.

    Some titles puzzle me. A prime example is the title for THE SECOND STORY BOOKSHOP by Denise Hunter. I’m immediately thing that’s first – a book store on the second floor. Then I read the description and find it’s a second chance romance with an EX. No way! Definitely not my cup of tea even if does involve a bookstore.

    I’ll have to admit the cover gets my first love. K-9s have my love at first sight. I also love covers that make you think about them “after” reading the book to see what all relates to the story.

    My book of choice is an older book (2018) that for some reason I’ve not had the opportunity to read yet. It’s THE SECRET, BOOK & SCONE SOCIETY by Ellery Adams, which falls in the title that gives hints about the story in very few words. In this title, we know there are secrets (Will they be direct or need to be found?), books play a big part (major plus there) and a scone society means food is involved (I’m all in on that!).

    Thank you so much for the chance to win a copy!

    Have a fabulous Sunday and a magnificent coming week! We are in the freezer this week with snow/sleet suggested. I’m hoping they are wrong. It will be a stay at home by the fireplace with a book type week. For that much, I will not complain. 🙂

    2clowns at arkansas dot net

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    1. I guess great minds think alike! 🙂 Part of the fun of cozy mysteries are those pun-y titles. I always get a thrill when a particularly clever one catches my eye! Ohhhh, something I didn’t know about you, Kay – you don’t like second chance romances with an ex? This one had a love triangle too.

      Often it’s hard to separate title from cover — they are kind of a package deal but now you have me wondering if I’ve come across a book that had a cover that drew me and a title that repelled me or vice versa. Will have to think on that a bit. I love The Secret, Book & Scone Society series — so many emotional layers and interesting characters. Good luck, Kay!

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  8. Fun comments…I like books with short titles, too, but am anxious to read Book 2 by Beth Wiseman, An Unlikely Match. Thanks for the chance, Kav. jacsmi75 at gmail dot com

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  9. I am always curious about how titles get chosen. I know it’s not always the title that the author starts with.

    I love book series that have a connecting theme or similar syntax in the title. Such as Gabrielle Meyer’s Timeless series (day, moment, lifetime, age, hour, tomorrow, era) or Colleen Coble’s Sanctuary series (Ambush, Prowl, Conspiracy). Does that make sense?

    I would love a copy of Through Each Tomorrow… if you were not familiar with the series I think the title would be a little intriguing=)

    Also thanks for mentioning How to Sparkle! I had forgotten it, and really enjoyed the first book. And I see it only has 7 reviews on Amazon=( so we need to help rectify that!

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    1. Yes, I was surprised to find out that authors published traditionally didn’t get a say in their titles! It’s a whole publishing committee apparently. I know they check to see if there are any other books with the same title which must veto a number of selections. I never thought about the way the titles in Timeless are connected – great observation, Patty. I didn’t know the third title in Colleen Coble’s series so that’s a cool revelation. And, yes, they all fit together so well.

      And, woohoo, we all need to Sparkle this Christmas 🙂 Can’t wait for my book to arrive. Through Each Tomorrow is a title with all kinds of possibilities for sure. Good luck, Patty!

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  10. I understand when a publisher wants to make clear expectations about a book by giving it a very matter-of-fact title, but a boring title doesn’t give one great hope about the contents of the story. And the trope-listing, review-style, and synopsis titles all tend to be pretty basic and boring.

    I do really enjoy clever titles. Titles that can mean two different things at once while both applying to the story are top tier (such as Hearts in Circulation–such a great title). Comedies tend to get better titles, like Jen Turano’s books To Write a Wrong and Storing Up Trouble. And cozy mysteries generally have fun, punny titles–some might be a bit of a stretch, but, like good dad jokes, effort has gone into making it groan-worthy!

    An intriguing title I’d like to win: Every Word Unsaid by Kimberly Duffy. It doesn’t tell much about the story, but it does spark the imagination!

    rdalquist AT gmail DOT com

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    1. That’s the perfect way to describe it: “a boring title doesn’t give one great hope about the contents of the story” Exactly! Talk about poor first impression! And Jen Turano;s books are great examples of clever – twist kind of titles. I wonder how much input she has for them? Every Word Unsaid does spark the imagination. Talk about reading between the lines. Good luck, Rachael!

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  11. I agree that when titles and covers are too similar, they get confusing from one book to the next in a series. I also would say that my favorites are the ones that you uncover the deeper meaning to while reading, and finish the book with a whole new appreciation for the clever title that fit the story so well.

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    1. Ha, I’m glad I’m not the only one who feels that way! Maybe my brain isn’t as addled as I thought. 🙂 And yes, love finding the title connection in the middle of the read! Happy Reading. Elly!

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  12. My tastes are very similar to yours, Kav. I’m definitely a cover and title snob. I don’t like covers that are obviously photoshopped together, or book titles that are blah and unoriginal. If an author is going to write a book, the cover and title should make people want to read it. Diane’s made-up title actually sounds like a lot of titles I’ve seen: A Widowed Duke’s Disguised Governess’s Secret Baby. I had to laugh at it, because I’ve seen quite a few like that. It doesn’t make me want to read it at all.

    I love Gabrielle Meyer’s Timeless series titles. I’ve read some of them. The titles are clever. I’d love to win Across the Ages, which is the 4th book in the series.

    whthomas13 at yahoo dot com

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  13. I also like titles with puns and titles that play on words. Pepper Basham’s latest books have great titles (Sense and Suitability, Some Like it Scot, A Brewed Awakening). I don’t care for books about whoever’s secret baby or the billionaire’s whoever.

    I would love to win a copy of A Brewed Awakening by Pepper Basham, though it doesn’t release till May ’26. If that’s too long to wait, my second choice would be Kate Landry Has a Plan by Rebekah Millet. It make me want to know what her plan is and I liked her in the first book.

    pmkellogg56[at]gmail[dot]com

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  14. Kav, like you and many here, I like titles that pique your curiosity and I also like ones with a clever play on words — but not overdone unless it really fits the tone of the book, etc. Also love when a title and cover work super well together. An intriguing title I’d like to read is The Fault Between Us by Stephanie Landsem.There are others too, of course, but I’ll go with this one today 🙂

    ckbarker at gmail dot com

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  15. I guess I tend to focus more on covers, but I do tend to agree with your dislikes.  I’m not so much on board with the pun-y titles (I’m too serious by nature). I don’t really like a series that has similar names like Charles Martin’s Murphy Shepherd series: The Record Keeper, The Letter Keeper, The Water Keeper, etc.  I could never keep track of which book was next in the series!  He does have some intriguing titles that I haven’t read though: The Mountain Between Us, Long Way Gone, Wrapped in Rain, The Dead Don’t Dance.(Forewarned that his books are incredibly intense!) Ambush and Prowl by Colleen Coble grabs my attention for a great one word draw (I need to read these!).  I have to agree that Sense and Suitability is a fantastic title!  It’s a fun read with the perfect title. Snow Place Like Home by Lacey Baker is cute. Stories that Bind us by Susie Finkbeiner (need to read), love that title.  For the drawing, I would choose All We Thought We Knew by Michelle Shocklee because don’t we often think that we know it all? 🤣🤣🤣

    perrianne (DOT) askew (AT) me (DOT) com

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    1. That Murphy Shepherd is a great example of similar titles in a series! It confuses me too which is likely why I haven’t continued with it. 🙂 Ha — Snow Place Like Home is kinda a pun-y title, so you’re just a discerning title reader. I must get back to All We Thought We Knew. I started it but then I got side-tracked by Christmas books. lol Good luck, Perrianne!

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  16. I agree with your title dislike list. However, I don’t always mind when the series have a similar title, IF the covers are different enough to differentiate between them. 🙂 I don’t know if this pet peeve falls under the same category or not, but I usually won’t read a book if the title has anything to do with twins, especially if the title mentions anything with a negative stereotype about them (like the evil twin). Since I am an identical twin, it’s hard for me to read books about them (they just never seem realistic!)

    I agree completely with all of your title likes! Pun-y titles are awesome and usually point to an enjoyable read, same with play on word titles. 

    One title that intrigues me is Code Name Edelweiss by Stephanie Landsem.

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    1. Good point about distinctive covers for books in a series that have similar titles. That would definitely be helpful. And interesting take on twins! I can see how that my trigger annoyance if the author falls into twin cliches. I’ve never personally known any twins so I’d be clueless whether an author got it right or wrong. Good luck, Bridget!

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  17. I like when the title is unique, and/or intriguing, especially when the title compliments the cover in some way. A few of my favorites come from Karen Witemeyer: “Short-Straw Bride” & “Stealing the Preacher”. I’m not a huge fan of book titles that – I guess you could say over explain? Or, quite frankly have the word “billionaire” in it.🤪

    Series I have mixed feelings on series with similar title names. For instance, I like Megan Soja’s “Harbor of Spies” series, where each book starts with an ’S’ word and ends with “of the Revolution” (though I’ll admit it can be difficult to know the difference of each book when talking about it). I also like how in MaryLu Tyndall’s series “Charles Towne Belles” the common thread in the title names is a color, not a specific letter word. However, I’m less found of Tamera Alexander’s ‘Fountain Creek Chronicles’ approach where all the titles are a single ’R’ word. (Hopefully this all makes sense!)

    A book title that has intrigued me for a while is Man of Shadow and Mist by Michelle Griep.

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    1. Bwahahaha! Yes, billionaire is a no-go for me too. And you’re right, Karen Witemeyer’s books are a great example of titles that intrigue a reader and fit the story. Series are tricky – I get why publishers/authors want to create that connection between the books, but sometime it backfires because it muddles certain reader’s (ahem, me) brain. 🙂 Good luck, Sabrina!

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  18. I agree with other comments about a series with all similar titles, I can’t remember which story goes with each title.
    I do like titles like Susan May Warren’s Marshalls series with the character name as the title. I also like titles by T.I.Lowe and Nicole Deese’s series have similar titles but each one matches the story really well.

    I love the titles in the Checking out Love series by Sarah Monzon and can’t wait to read Hearts in Circulation.
    Sandyavery at comcast dot net

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  20. I love this conversation! I am with you when it comes to the REALLY long titles… I am NOT a fan, and they are hard to figure out how to post about them because I don’t know if I should shorten the title, or what?! LOL! Another pet peeve of mine is similar titles… I know of one clean romance author that has multiple titles that say brothers best friend, best friends brother, grumpy brothers best friend, firefighter best friend… SO many of them had the trope in the heading and they were all the same or similar trope and it was just too confusing.

    For the Giveaway, I am going with Francine Rivers “The Masterpiece” I like the way she names some of her books. I feel like you are left wondering if there are hidden meanings or what all will be uncovered within the pages. Blessedmommy3x AT gmail DOT com

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    1. Yikes – all those best friend brother titles by the same author would completely confused me!!!! I can see how it could be thought of as a kind of cool brand thing, but with so many similar titles it can backfire from a reader’s perspective. The Masterpiece is one of the few Francine Rivers books I have read…might have been the first one…and I really enjoyed it. Intense and emotionally layered. Good luck, Jo Ruth!

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  21. Anything with lighthouses or tearoom shops in the Title pulls me in. I agree about the photoshopped covers. There is one author I have passed up because of a body going forward and the head going to one side like it’s lying down or pasted on. Consistent covers following that you can identify author without looking at name. Sad. The story I am after is The Lighthouse at the Cove by Amy Clipston – Thomas Nelson, December 2, 2025 Kathleen ~ Lane Hill House lanehillhouse(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. I agree with lighthouses being a draw. There’s something so, magically thrilling about a lighthouse. And, I had to laugh at your description of that badly photoshopped cover because I picture a kind of zombie apocalypse kind of story to match. 🙂 Good luck, Kathleen!

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  22. I agree with you on your title dislikes, Kav. Wordy titles feel like you’re walking the plank and about to drown in all the verbiage. 🤪 I also don’t care for books about billionaires. It seems so unrealistic that it’s not even entertaining for me. For the drawing I would choose Christmas in the Castle Library. Covers are a huge draw for me. Not only is this cover wonderful, but I like anything that has to do with castles and Christmas!

    Alison Boss
    nj(dot)bossman(at)gmail(dot)com

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  23. I think you nailed it on my dislikes. And my likes. An intriguing title I would like to win is: Embers of Truth by Avrie Swan . I lived near where this took place in Wisconsin.

    paulamarys49ATgmailDOTcom

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  24. I definitely agree with your dislikes. I think punny titles are too cheesy for me. I do like a clever play on words though. Titles most intriguing to me are mysterious (A Brilliant Night of Stars and Ice), nostalgic (The Heart of Bennet Hollow), or give me something to look forward to without being cliche- my example for that is the one I’m hoping for- The One With the Kiss Cam by Cindy Steel, and the format also references the titles to episodes of the show Friends. Have you read Cindy Steel yet? Every book of hers has been 5 stars for me!

    colorvibrant at gmail dot com

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    1. I enjoy discovering the play on words in a title too — the more mysterious the better! Like your examples, they do make a reader wonder about the story inside which is the whole point of a good title. I LOVED The One With the Kiss Cam! Good luck, Heidi!

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