This post was originally published on Audible.com.

So, you want to become a romance listener? Or maybe you want to impress the romance fan in your life. First of all: welcome!! Second, we residents of Romancelandia take love very seriously (and also not seriously at all). Whether you’re here for the slow burns, the spicy fake-dating disasters, or the happily ever after—which every romance has—this guide is your crash course. I’ve decoded the lingo, broken down the classic tropes, and paired each one with recs that totally deliver a perfect start to your romance journey. Cheers to loving love—and happy listening!

• BDSM: Bondage & Discipline, Dominance & Submission, Sadism & Masochism. Often used as an umbrella term for various activities and role-playing scenarios that explore kink and power dynamics.

• BIPOC: Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. Used to highlight and center the experiences, voices, and representation of nonwhite communities.

• Book boyfriend/girlfriend: A fictional, crush-worthy character who readers adore—or audiobook boyfriend, in our world.

• Book hangover: The feeling of being unable to stop thinking about a story after finishing it.

• Cinnamon roll: An excessively kind, sweet, and cute character.

• Closed door: Sex is implied but not shown; the door “closes” before the scene.

• DNF: “Did Not Finish”

• Fade to black: The story cuts away just as things get steamy.

• FMC: Female main character

• FWB: “Friends With Benefits“

• Grumpy/sunshine: One love interest is broody; the other is cheerful. Also called black cat/golden retriever.

• HEA: “Happily ever after.” A must for traditional romance.

• HFN: “Happy for now.” A more realistic or tentative ending.

• Instalove: Characters fall in love very quickly.