Icon Content Glossary
To help with your bookish selections, our listings have at-a-glance icons! While not exhaustive, these will denote maturity content, sexuality, representation and genres.
Fanning the Flames
01
Sweet & Swoony
Maybe some hand-holding through the story and a kiss when they get together.
There is no undressing on the page, and the bedroom door is closed, anything that does happen, isn't described.
02
Slightly Sizzlin'
Starting to feel more sensual than sweet, with lots of kissing and some touching.
If there's sexy talk isn’t graphic and the focus is on the feelings rather than the body parts. Sex is implied not described – generally no unzipping, prodding, poking or bodice ripping.
03
Turning up the heat
It's starting to get sexy up in here.
There's some graphic sex scenes on the page with language to match, with body parts being named, explored and used.
04
Where there's smoke
These titles have explicit sex and sex talk, often involving sex toys and exploring some mild BDSM or kink.
The detail of the sex becomes more intimate and explicit.
05
There's fire
Considered to be erotic romance with graphic language, explicit sex, may involve BDSM and kink, sex toys, and starts venturing into multiple partners.
06
Oh, you filthy goblin
The mysterious, sixth flame for those books (and characters) that take a pounding. Expand onto more intense BDSM and kinks, lots of partners and potentially copious amounts of fluid.
Content Maturity
Youth
Suitable for young teens with no explicit sexual content and lighter themes or age appropropriate content.
As always, please check your content warnings before proceeding.
Sensitive Themes
While this book may not have explicit content, we consider the themes to be darker and potentially confronting.
We would not consider books marked with this appropriate for YOUTH.
Closed Door
These books may have discussions of sexual content, but all acts are closed door or fade to black.
No explicit on page content, though may have darker themes.
Open Door
Explicit content ahead! These titles will have on page descriptions of spicy times. They may also have other Adult Themes, so please read your content advice before purchase.
Kink / BDSM
There will be elements of kink or BDSM in these books. This content may be sexual or non sexual and sometimes will involve poor BDSM practices. Please ensure your comfort before proceeding.
Sexuality
Queer
Baby, we're all Queer all year here.
Achillean / MLM
Books with this icon identify gay romance, man-loving-man stories. This includes our transgender men, and non binary honeys.
Sapphic / WLW
Books with this icon identify sapphic romance, women-loving-women stories. This includes our transgender women, and non binary honeys.
Bisexual
Here be bisexual content! This can include straight-appearing relationships, but we ain't here to gatekeep babe!
Ace Spectrum
Characters are on the Ace spectrum, which doesn't necessarily mean that there is no sexual content.
Sword Crossing
A common descriptor for bisexual romance, whereby the 'men' also engage sexually together. Used in the "one-woman" trope most commonly.
Multiple Partners
Whether it be polyamory, triads or simply multiple casual connections, these titles have more-than-two people involved.
Representation
Person of Colour
One, more or all of the main characters are a person of colour.
Transgender
One, more or all of the main characters are transgender.
Non Binary
One, more or all of the main characters are non binary.
Neurodiverse
One, more or all of the main characters are neurodiverse. This can include autism, ADHD, bipolar, obsessive compulsive disorder and much more.
Disability
One, more or all of the main characters have a disability. This can include invisible disabilities and is not limited to obvious physical ones.
Settings
Contemporary
Set in the present day or the recent past. Often rooted in real-world settings, modern culture, and current societal issues, they will sometimes have a small departure to suit the narrative of the story.
Historical
Settings that are focused on recognisable historical eras, whether true to reality or not. These are often Regency based stories, but can delves into the roaring 20's and beyond.
Fantasy
Fantasy-setting, which could include modern or contemporary takes. Generally will include magic or mythical creatures.
Omegaverse
These titles take place in the Omegaverse, where characters will have designations such as Alpha, Beta and Omega.
Queer Normative
A setting where queerness is as ubiquitous and accepted as heterosexuality is in our real world. In these books, LGBTQIA+ identities are the status quo.
Genres
Aliens / Sci Fi
One of the main characters is nonhuman, OR the title takes place in the future or in space.
Cowboy / Ranch
These titles can be modern or historical, but revolve around cowboys, ranches or general country living.
Dark
Themes explored in these titles are darker, often revolving around questionable morality or situations that might be more disturbing.
Monster
One of the main characters is nonhuman, such as an Orc or other mythical being that is more fantasy based than paranormal.
Paranormal
Often modern settings, but focused around ghosts, modern day magic, vampires, werewolves, ghosts, angels, demons, shapeshifters, and aliens (oh my).
Shifter
One of the main characters is a shifter, such as a wolf or dragon shifter. These books may include explicit acts while in shifted form.
Superhero
A world that has superhero's as a prominent feature. A main character may, or may not, be a superhero.
Baseball
Baseball is a prominent part of the story, whether one of the main characters is a player or not.
Ice Hockey
Ice Hockey is a prominent part of the story, whether one of the main characters is a player or not.
Rowing
Rowing is a prominent part of the story, whether one of the main characters is a rower or not.
Soccer
Soccer is a prominent part of the story, whether one of the main characters is a player or not.
Tennis
Tennis is a prominent part of the story, whether one of the main characters is a player or not.
ABOUT SWOON BOOKSTORE
Want to learn about the humans behind the brand?
If you can't immediately tell, Kell (they/he) is a little bit extra. Kell is the ideas guy, the one that uses their unmedicated ADHD brain to their advantage by thinking about seventeen different projects simultaneously all while holding down a full time job and looking after two extremely naughty French Bulldogs (Cash and Carter).
