A Book By Any Other Name?

As Shakespeare says, “What's in a name? That which we call a rose, By any other name would smell as sweet.” So would a book by any other name be as good? YES. The question lies in whether it would sell. How important is a title to a romance reader buying a book?

As for myself, when it’s time to find a new book to read, I start with my favorite authors. If they have a new one out, I buy it. I don’t read the title or the back cover. But what about when I look for a new author to try, then the title matters . . . somewhat. Okay, maybe it’s really the cover that catches my eye.

However, there are a few titles that have drawn me in over the years because they were different. WHITNEY, MY LOVE by Judith McNaught caught my attention, as did Jennifer Ashley’s THE MADNESS OF LORD IAN MACKENZIE. Another romance I read simply because I thought the title was clever was Angie Fox’s THE ACCIDENTAL DEMON SLAYER. But I have to admit, these are few and far between.

I guess the title matters for me when it gives me an idea about what the book is about. For example, if I’m in a Scottish mood (which happens a lot), my eye naturally travels to titles with the word “highland” in them. If a swashbuckling adventure is more my wish, then of course I look for “pirate” or “sea.” There are many other words in titles that give us an immediate impression: demon, cowboy, bite, warrior, wolf, knight, just to name a few.

So does the title really matter? Will you buy one book over another because of the title? Does the title influence your decision to read the book? Does it call you to pick it up and read the back cover? Let me know.