Sweet Savage Flame is all about old-school romance novels.
You know—those campy, smutty books your mother, grandmother, or older uncle read? Perhaps you’ve read one or two yourself!
Retro Reads and Gorgeous Clinch Covers
We adore retro reads, from sweet vintage love stories to epic bodice rippers and sensual historicals to short and passionate category romances.
These books had their day long ago. Sometimes their plots were shocking or politically incorrect. But we at Sweet Savage Flame look back at the past with fondness, not scorn.
Besides, we can’t get enough of gorgeous clinch covers! We show off stunning artwork every Sunday with our Covers of the Week feature.
The Home of Romance Oldies
Sweet Savage Flame is the go-to romance website for retro readers. Our primary focus is on novels published between 1972 and the dawn of the twenty-first century.
Why is 1972 our starting point? It’s the year Avon published Kathleen E. Woodiwiss‘s groundbreaking historical romance, The Flame and the Flower. As the first bodice ripper, the novel completely transformed the genre, ushering in a golden age of old-school romances.
Our Mission for Old-School Romance
Sweet Savage Flame is dedicated to chronicling the history of English-language romance novels from the late 20th century. In this endeavor, we strive to offer a diverse range of perspectives, from critical to enthusiastic.
Although, be forewarned: this is a guilt-free zone. “Problematic” is not a term in our vocabulary.
So take a look around and enjoy the rompy fun. If you’d like more information on old-school romances, please subscribe to our blog updates.
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Is this your first time here?
We have a vast archive of pages and articles discussing genre-relevant topics, as well as the top authors (plus our personal favorites), publishers, and talented cover artists from this era.
Of course, there are hundreds of reviews of books from the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s.
You can access the historical review archives here:
For “retro” contemporary romance, click below:
Sweet Savage Flame Quick Links
Don’t know where to start? Click on quick links to popular Sweet Savage Flame pages and articles.
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FAQ Section
Do You Provide Trigger Warnings For Off-Putting Subjects?
These retro romance books we review are a product of their time. As such, it’s possible younger readers might be shocked or offended by what we read and find genuinely entertaining.
To that end, in some extreme cases, we add “content” alerts.
We also provide tags and category designations that identify subgenres, tropes, and plot elements.
Sweet Savage Flame is not a site for young children, so it’s up to each discerning individual to determine if our content is worthy of his or her time.
Do Your Reviews Contain Spoilers?
Short answer: Yes. Sometimes, a book needs to be spoiled to be properly reviewed.
A slightly longer explanation: Since the books we review are 50 to 30 years old, not too many blogs or sites spend time discussing them. For that reason, we like to go as in-depth as possible. We are pro-spoiler!
However, we do provide spoiler warnings for every review: “spoiler-free,” “mild spoilers,” or a “full spoiler alert.”
Does Sweet Savage Flame Review New Books or ARCS?
Sweet Savage Flame is a blog that reviews old books, so for that reason, we don’t accept ARCs. Since our focus is on romance novels from before 2000, many are no longer in print. As a result, most copies come from our personal libraries.
On the other hand, IntrovertReader has her own blog where she discusses and critiques works from various time periods and in all genres. So, please contact her there if you would like her to review your book.
Do you accept guest reviewers or bloggers?
Yes! Sweet Savage Flame is always looking for new voices to express their thoughts on old-school and vintage romance.
If you’d like to guest blog, review, or post regularly, we’d be more than willing to work with you.
We ask that you provide your own books and limit your reviews to books published from 1970 to 2000. In addition, we’re open to classic romances, post-World War II vintage reads, and some newer books, as recent as 2004.
To submit a request, please visit our CONTACT page. We’ll be in touch!
