Caution: Contents May Be Hot
A discreet planner for modern romance readers who like it spicy.
The Spicy Book Club Planner proves a planner doesn’t have to play it safe. Designed as a discreet “little black book” for romance readers, it turns an everyday object into something more personal—a badge of honor for those who like their stories a little spicy.
A restrained, classic exterior keeps things understated. Inside, bold color, sultry typography, and expressive layouts shift the tone entirely—paired with a custom heat index rating system and reading logs to capture every detail.
The result is a functional tool that doesn’t just organize time, but celebrates how it’s actually spent. A “no-brainer” for Barnes & Noble, it achieved the highest sell-in of any planner title in the publisher’s history.
the idea
A reading planner that acts as a discreet “little black book”—subtle enough to hide in plain sight, but expressive enough to celebrate what’s inside.
Romance readers don’t just track what they read—they track how spicy it was.
Results
A “no-brainer” for Barnes & Noble, this in-house title was expanded from a 12-month to 16-month planner when selected for the B&N Early Program, and achieved the highest sell-in of any planner title to B&N in the publisher’s history. A companion title, All Booked Up, will join the 2028 line.
Concept + Design + Art Direction: Abby Gust Hutter
Editor: Mary Roccaro