A few questions I often get asked (or think you might be wondering!) about Chapters & Cravings.
From the books I read and the recipes I test to how the blog works behind the scenes, hopefully you’ll find what you’re looking for here.
As Chapters & Cravings continues to grow, I’ll keep adding to this page and updating things whenever needed.
Grab a cuppa, and let’s get into it! ☕
📚 Books
What kind of books do you read?
Romance is my favourite genre and makes up the majority of what you’ll find here.
From dark romance and mafia stories to fantasy romance, sports romance, contemporary love stories and everything in between, if it has romance at its heart, there’s a good chance I’ll be reading it.
Every now and then I might venture into another genre, but romance will always be my first love.
How do your ratings work?
Every book I read receives an honest rating based on my own personal reading experience.
If you’d like to know exactly what each star rating means (along with my spice rating system), you can find everything explained on my Rating System page.
Do you accept book review requests?
Not currently.
Between work, family life, keeping the blog running and a seemingly never-ending list of home decorating projects, I simply don’t have the time to commit to formal review requests at the moment.
I never want to agree to reviewing something if I can’t give it the time and attention it deserves.
That said, I’m always happy to receive book recommendations!
If there’s something you think I’d enjoy, feel free to send it my way through my Contact page. I can’t promise I’ll read or review every suggestion, but I’m always up for discovering another book to add to my ever-growing TBR.
Not that my TBR needs any encouragement…
Do you accept ARCs?
Not currently.
I’m taking a break from accepting Advance Reader Copies (ARCs) and any reading commitments with set deadlines.
If this changes in the future, I’ll update this page with more information.
Will we always agree on the same books?
Probably not — and that’s part of the fun!
Every review reflects my own personal reading experience. What didn’t work for me might become your next five-star favourite, and vice versa.
We all have different tastes, favourite tropes and fictional men we’re willing to overlook a questionable number of red flags for.
A different opinion doesn’t make either of us wrong!
🍽️ Kitchen Notebook
Do you create your own recipes?
Not usually — and that’s completely intentional.
Kitchen Notebook is all about testing and reviewing recipes I’ve discovered in cookbooks, on food websites, in magazines or through family recipe collections.
I cook them in my own kitchen, share my honest experience, explain what worked (or didn’t), note any changes I made, and let you know whether I’d make them again.
Sometimes that means following a recipe exactly. Other times it means making a few swaps to suit my family’s tastes, what’s already in the cupboards or, let’s be realistic, the weekly food budget!
Whenever possible, I’ll always credit and link to the original recipe creator.
Can I suggest a recipe for you to try?
Absolutely!
I’m always looking for new recipes to test, whether they’re family favourites, cookbook classics or something you’ve discovered online.
Although I’m not currently accepting formal or sponsored review commitments, you’re more than welcome to send me a recommendation.
I can’t guarantee when (or if) I’ll get around to trying it, but if it sounds like something we’d enjoy, it might just find its way into my Kitchen Notebook!
Do you calculate nutritional information?
Not for the blog.
Any nutritional calculations I do are purely for my own personal use at home, rather than something I include in my published recipe reviews.
Kitchen Notebook focuses on testing recipes, sharing honest experiences, ingredient swaps, costs and, most importantly, whether we’d actually make them again!
Do you include the cost of making recipes?
Yes! Where I have the information available, I include a little section called 💷 The Budget Breakdown in my recipe reviews.
This looks at things such as how much the ingredients actually used cost, the full shopping basket price and how much each serving worked out to be.
Because there’s a big difference between a recipe claiming to serve six and my family dishing it up into four rather generous portions!
Prices are based on what I’ve paid or the information available when preparing the review, so they may change over time.
Do you review supermarket products?
Yes!
Taste Tests are one of my favourite things to write.
You’ll find honest reviews of new supermarket finds, limited editions, imported snacks and anything else that catches my eye.
Sometimes it’s something genuinely delicious. Other times I’m left questioning my shopping decisions.
Either way, you’ll hear about it!
🤝 Collaborations
Do you work with brands?
I’m not currently accepting brand collaborations, sponsored content or promotional review opportunities.
Chapters & Cravings is something I work on in my spare time, alongside my job and family life. Right now, things are rather busy behind the scenes, and I want to enjoy creating content without taking on additional commitments or deadlines.
This doesn’t mean collaborations are off the table forever, just that I’m keeping things a little simpler for the time being.
If opportunities reopen in the future, I’ll update this page.
Do you accept gifted products?
Not at the moment.
I’m currently taking a break from accepting gifted products in exchange for reviews, social media coverage or other promotional content.
Any products I feature are generally things I’ve purchased myself or chosen to try independently.
If I do feature a gifted product in the future, this will always be clearly disclosed, and receiving something for free will never guarantee a positive review.
My opinions will remain my own, regardless of where a product comes from.
Can I still send you a recommendation?
Of course!
Although I’m not taking on collaborations or formal reviews, genuine recommendations are always welcome.
Whether it’s a book you couldn’t put down, a recipe you think my family would love or an unusual snack you’ve spotted somewhere, I’m always happy to hear about it.
Just remember that a recommendation doesn’t guarantee a feature or review on the blog.
💻 The Blog
How often do you publish new posts?
Whenever life allows!
Chapters & Cravings is my little corner of the internet, created and maintained in my spare time.
Between working, family life, reading, cooking and whatever project I’ve decided to start around the house, there isn’t always a set publishing schedule.
Some weeks might be full of new posts, while others are a little quieter.
I’d much rather share something I’ve genuinely enjoyed creating than rush to publish just for the sake of sticking to a schedule.
How are your AI character images created?
Some of the character artwork featured on Chapters & Cravings is created using AI image generation tools based on descriptions of fictional characters from books themselves.
These images are intended as creative interpretations and are not official artwork or endorsed by the original authors.
They’re simply another way for me to explore the fictional worlds and characters I enjoy reading about.
Can I use your photos or graphics?
Please don’t copy or republish my original photography, writing or graphics without permission.
You’re always welcome to share a link to one of my posts or pin my images on Pinterest (where appropriate), provided the original source is credited and linked.
Some imagery featured on the blog is AI-generated or sourced from elsewhere, and the relevant rights may differ. Please don’t assume that everything appearing on Chapters & Cravings is available for unrestricted reuse.
If you’re unsure about using something, you’re always welcome to get in touch and ask.
How can I stay up to date?
The easiest way is to subscribe to Chapters & Cravings by email!
I’m currently using WordPress’s standard email subscription feature, which means you’ll receive an email notification whenever a new blog post is published.
No complicated newsletter schedule or overflowing inbox — just a little update when there’s something new to read.
You can find the subscription option on the blog.
Still Have a Question?
If there’s something I haven’t answered here, I’d love to hear from you.
Whether it’s a book recommendation, a recipe suggestion or a general question about Chapters & Cravings, feel free to get in touch.
☕ Get in touch via my Contact page, and I’ll do my best to help.
