Romance the Every Day, Andrea Kasprzak

5 *****

My thanks to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for an advance review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review..

The book’s subtitle is “Inspired Ideas for a Year of Little Luxuries”. I love this idea!

Book enthusiast I may be, but I almost never pay any attention to the Table of Contents until I need to look something up. In this book, though, I paused to enjoy it (because it’s attractive) and then wondered why the segments were listed in alphabetical order. I quickly realize, of course, it’s to make it easier for us to refer back to an idea we only remember by its key element, and we can easily find it because they are listed alphabetically! I really appreciate that degree of forethought by the author.

The introduction is beautifully written, laying out the author’s thesis of romance (beauty, pleasure of the senses) in everyday life. I strongly recommend reading it in full.

The specific suggestions – bakeries, beachcombing, etc. – are artfully written and remind us to call on not only our senses, but the information we don’t see (for instance the time consuming steps in creating a croissant, that we could otherwise mindlessly devour in under a minute). There are plenty of reminders to be present in the moment, to pay attention, to practice mindfulness.

Some suggestions won’t surprise the reader (have fresh cut flowers around; walk on the beach) but some do: “closets”, for instance, was an excellent example of applying the mindset of “romance the everyday” along with a suggestion of figuring out how to accomplish it, and then some specifics to apply at home. Another interesting one to me was “play dress-up: When you change your clothes, you change your story.”

Be sure to read the final entry, Wildflowers. It has an insightful and surprising interpretation.

Attractive watercolor illustrations are liberally interspersed with the verbiage.

This book was a delightful experience all around, and has definitely helped me upgrade my everyday point of view, to look for the magical beyond the mundane. Highly recommend it to read through, randomly dip into, enjoy the watercolors – you can brighten your day and improve your viewpoint in just a few minutes.

I'm a firm believer in romancing every day things, so I love this! Also, the illustrations are beautiful! I will be looking into buying this to use as a coffee table book, it's so fun!!

i’m really going to be romanticizing my life to the fullest after reading this one. this book was the definition of a warm hug and gave me this immense feeling of joy while reading it! all the little ideas were so cute and had the most beautiful illustrations to go alongside it! I would share some of my favorites, but i would be copy and pasting the whole book at that point LOL!

thank you to netgalley for the arc <3

This was such a lovely visual journey through a curated list of ways to romance the everyday. It felt like going through a curated TikTok channel full of big and small ways to fall back in love with the world in a small way every day. I loved the art style and simplicity of the book made it such an easy read. I could see it as a cute coffee table or gift book for a loved one.

If you are looking for everyday little luxuries you will love this book. Chalked full of little ways to make ordinary life extraordinary in the most special of ways.

While there are no revolutionary offerings there are little practical things and suggestions that feel like, "oh I totally should have thought of that" nuggets in the book that allow you to think of life outside of "normal" and turn even the most mundane life task into special gifts.

Longing to recreate the slower version life that we were given during the pandemic, you might like this book.

A quick read to help you refocus on the little things in life. While this is a short book, it holds valuable information.

For some reason I was expecting real photos from relaxing scenes in nature, glorious spas, and cozy fireplaces by which to sit and relax and follow all the advice that this book gives. Instead there were juvenile looking illustrations and a page (or less) of blurb-sounding suggestions for inspiring your every day life. Overall I was a bit bored reading this, and unfortunately not inspired.

I really appreciate the idea of this book. This book itself had some good ideas but overall not super inspiring and not one I would pick up again and again so unfortunately I wouldn’t pay to own it.

I love this so much, it’s full of beautiful watercolor type art and so many ideas on self care. I love everything self care, I love adding ideas to incorporate into my self care regime. This is great for anyone needing new ideas, feeling just burnt out on life in general. Everyone should start romanticizing their life.

To echo what other reviewers have said: This is the perfect coffee table book. I could see this in an Airbnb, the lobby for a business, etc. It would also make a great gift for a friend for their housewarming, a birthday, Galentines or any celebration.

In this book there are 52 different tips to romanticize your life. The way the ideas were presented was done well and the accompanying illustrations were beautiful. I feel like the author accomplished what they set out to do and I’d recommend this for anyone looking to elevate their everyday life.

This is a beautiful book about finding joy and happiness in the little things. I love the message in this book.

*Romance the Every Day* offers a refreshing and practical guide to infusing ordinary moments with a touch of magic and joy. This charming book, filled with 52 thoughtful and actionable ideas, is designed to transform the daily grind into a series of delightful experiences, one for each week of the year.

In a world often dominated by the rush of work and obligations, finding time for joy can be a challenge. This book provides a remedy by focusing on simple, accessible ways to romanticize everyday life. From the enchanting idea of arranging fresh bedside flowers to the indulgence of lighting a candle while tackling household chores, *Romance the Every Day* encourages readers to find beauty and pleasure in the routine.

The book is illustrated throughout with charming watercolor artwork, adding a visual element that enhances the appeal of each idea. It covers a wide range of suggestions, including savoring a baguette and coffee at a bistro table to simulate a Parisian café experience or embarking on a road trip with a carefully curated cinematic playlist. These ideas are designed to be easily integrated into busy lives, proving that romantic living doesn’t require significant financial investment or elaborate setups.

One of the book's strengths is its approachability. The prompts are practical and low-effort, making them suitable for anyone looking to add a bit of optimism and romance to their daily routine without overwhelming their schedule or budget. This makes it an ideal resource for self-care enthusiasts, those interested in mindfulness, and anyone seeking to elevate their everyday life with a positive and cost-effective approach.

*Romance the Every Day* also makes for a thoughtful and versatile gift. Whether for a partner, friend, or family member, its universal appeal and lovely design make it a perfect choice for occasions like Valentine’s Day, birthdays, or anniversaries. It’s a gift that encourages the recipient to celebrate the beauty in daily life and to cherish the small, yet significant, moments.

Overall, *Romance the Every Day* is a delightful guide that brings a breath of fresh air to self-care and daily living. It offers practical advice wrapped in a beautifully designed package, reminding us that romance and joy can be found in the most ordinary aspects of life.

You’ve all seen the reels that’s like “romanticize your life” and if you are like me, you’re probably like -” wtf does that mean? Buy myself flowers? Okaaaay” I have a feeling Andrea Kasprzak must have felt that too, because this book solves that problem for you.

Romance the Every day has 52 practical ideas for you to do to romanticize your life, from visiting a cheese shop, taking yourself to a sunday matinee, wake up and dance to a song, read (:)) ,see a live show, write yourself a love note to yourself, and so much more.

I think this book is special because it highlights all of the little things you can do to make you feel big. It’s a nice reminder about the little moments and how much love you can bring into your own life.

I walked into this book thinking it would be a book on how to find romance in everything, but instead it was a book that talked about how to romanticize very specific things in your life. 52 different common aspects or actions in life are discussed as to how they can be romanticized. I really like this approach, I think the specificity will make this book more accessible to people who are starting out on their journey towards romancing their lives.

This book is beautiful, and I loved the illustrations. The idea is one that I try to live by: that each day can be beautiful and romantic if we try to make it that way. The introduction was well written, and I enjoyed reading the author's perspective on the importance of romance in daily life. The suggestions were well written, though I wished there were more of them.

This book applies quite an expansive definition to the word 'romance' and I have to say, I don't hate it! Perfect for those in love with the idea of a little self-care, Romance the Every Day is a cozy little guidebook for ways to treat yourself and put some joy in your life. They had me at "Bakeries" but I love some of the less-predictable suggestions like beautifying your closet or reading a children's picture book. I'm definitely going to make a note of some of these suggestions for those days when my day could use a little more romance!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

This book was very aesthetically pleasing and gave good reminders to enjoy the simple things in life and live a little slower.

I enjoyed this book so much that I plan to buy a hardcopy when it is officially released. I have already started incorporating some of the ideas in the book into my day-to-day life. I am a firm believer in not only self-care, but in having a variety of ways to care for yourself. I like how this book provided simple but effective methods for bringing pockets of lovely joy into one's life.

The illustrations were an excellent touch and highlighted the romanticized nature of the book. I also liked how the ideas presented were simplistic enough that it invited modification if you lived in different areas than the author, or had access to different things.

I can say that I am not a romatic person but I want to try. So, this book, Romance the every day, is really helping me with ideas and inspiration for a year of little luxuries.

Just adorable! The perfect gift for yhour favorite independent woman. Romanticizing the little things in life like doing homeowrk or reading in a cafe makes life feel so much sweeter. Very well written little self-care read.