If you want a clean, no-fuss way to track your reading in Notion (TBR → Reading → Finished + notes + wrap-ups), NotionReads is the fastest way to get there.
If you read romance, you already know the problem:
Two books can both be “spicy”… and feel completely different.
- open-door vs closed-door
- slow burn vs insta-lust
- soft + sweet vs morally gray
- lots of scenes vs one big moment
A spice rating tracker in Notion helps you remember what you actually liked so you stop guessing based on vibes and TikTok comments.
Step 1: decide what “spice” means to you
There’s no universal scale. The goal isn’t to be correct—it’s to be consistent.
Here are two easy options:
Option A: 0–5 scale
- 0 = no spice / fade-to-black
- 1 = kissing + tension
- 2 = one open-door scene
- 3 = multiple open-door scenes
- 4 = frequent + explicit
- 5 = “this is the plot”
Option B: Labels (more intuitive)
- Closed door
- Open door
- Explicit
- Very explicit
Pick one and stick to it for a month. You can always tweak later.
Step 2: build the database (Romance Log)
Create a database called Romance Log with these properties:
- Title (Title)
- Author (Text)
- Series (Text)
- Status (Select: TBR, Reading, Finished, DNF)
- Spice (Number 0–5 or Select labels)
- Tropes (Multi-select)
- Relationship dynamic (Multi-select: Grumpy/Sunshine, Friends-to-lovers, Enemies-to-lovers, Second chance, Fake dating…)
- Vibe (Select: Cozy, Funny, Dark, Emotional, Chaotic)
- Content notes (Multi-select: Cheating, Violence, Pregnancy, SA mention, etc.)
- Rating (Number 1–5)
- Favorite scene? (Text)
- Quote(s) (Text)
- Would reread? (Checkbox)
- Read date (Date)
Pro tip: don’t try to add 40 tropes on day one. Start with 10–15 you actually use.
Step 3: add views that help you pick your next book
These are the views that save you the most time:
- Five-star + reread
- Filter: Rating ≥ 4 AND Would reread = checked
- Perfect spice range
- Filter: Spice between 2 and 4 (adjust to your taste)
- By trope
- Group by Tropes
- Comfort reads
- Filter: Vibe = Cozy OR Funny
Step 4: your “what did I love?” template (30 seconds)
When you finish a book, fill in three quick fields:
- Spice (your scale)
- Tropes (2–5)
- Why it worked (one sentence in Notes)
Example:
“Spice 3, slow burn + forced proximity, huge emotional payoff, low drama.”
That single sentence will guide your future picks more than any long review.
Tie it into your bigger Notion reading system
A spice tracker is even better when it lives inside a full reading hub (TBR, series tracking, stats, monthly wrap-ups).
These posts are good companions:
- Romantasy tropes explained (if your TBR is 90% dragons)
- Romantasy reading tracker in Notion (your genre-specific setup)
- Notion book series tracker (so you don’t accidentally start book 2)
- Reading journal prompts (Notion) (if you want deeper notes than “it was hot”)
A gentle reminder: spice is not the only signal
If you’ve ever DNF’d a “perfect spice level” book, it usually wasn’t the spice.
Add one extra field if you want better accuracy:
- Writing style (Select: Simple, Lyrical, Snarky, Heavy)
Sometimes you just don’t like the voice—and that’s useful to know.
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Want the full system already built (reading list, logs, notes, stats, wrap-ups) so your romance tracking is effortless? Start here: https://www.notionreads.com