Many of Ashley Poston’s novels, including A Novel Love Story, fall into the genre of contemporary romance and the subgenre of romantic comedy. Although A Novel Love Story deals with dark subjects such as grief and loss, it is underpinned by lighthearted and comedic moments that often shift the tone away from more serious subject matter. Contemporary romances are categorized by their happy endings and familiar plotlines but often focus on the main characters’ personal growth and the obstacles they must overcome to achieve their happy ending. As in A Novel Love Story, most contemporary romance heroines and heroes are flawed; these narratives often show them helping each other overcome barriers not only to becoming romantically involved but also to being better and happier people.

The romance genre has experienced a recent boom driven by the social media platform TikTok. BookTok, a subcommunity of TikTok, brought romance novels to the forefront for many readers, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. BookTok has largely affected sales and the positive reception of popularized books on the platform, where creators review and discuss books they’ve read. While not entirely dedicated to the romance genre, BookTok often trends toward content about romance novels.