You know that moment when a book is sold as a rom com, but halfway through you realise the romance is barely driving the plot and you are actually reading a story about a woman rebuilding her entire life? That, right there, is the rom com versus women’s fiction debate in the wild. And yes, it matters - especially if you are trying to avoid a mood mismatch that leaves you staring at the cover thinking, this is not what I signed up for.

Genre labels are not just publishing admin. They are reader promises. If you pick up a rom com, you are usually expecting chemistry, banter, romantic momentum, and an ending that feels emotionally satisfying on the love-story front. If you pick up women’s fiction, the promise is often broader. Love may be there, but so are identity, work, family, friendship, grief, reinvention, and the occasional absolute life wobble.