Picking Daisies on Sundays: Spice Level, Age Rating & Series Info

Choosing your next romance read often comes down to two things: the story and the steam. Liana Cincotti’s “Picking Daisies on Sundays” has been circulating in bookish circles, but its exact spice level and age rating are surprisingly hard to pin down from a single source. This guide brings together the facts from reader reviews, retailer listings, and content warnings to help you decide if this childhood-friends-to-lovers romance is your next match.

Author: Liana Cincotti · Publication Date: July 30, 2023 · Genre: Romantic Comedy · Series: Yes (2 books) · Spice Level (StoryGraph): 3/10 · Content Advisory: Grief, sexual assault reference, kissing

The following table compiles verified metadata for the book.

Is Picking Daisies on Sundays a Spicy Book?

The short answer: it depends on how you define “spicy.” Among romance readers, spice levels are rarely official; they come from community ratings and content descriptions. For this novel, a detailed StoryGraph review — a user-tagging platform where readers rate sexual content — gives it a 3 out of 10 and notes there are no explicit on-page sex scenes, only “a couple of descriptive kissing scenes” and intimate thoughts.

What is the spice level of Picking Daisies on Sundays?

• StoryGraph assigns 3/10, placing it in the “sweet to mid” zone.
• The same reviewer says the romance is “sweet and tender” and free of explicit content.
• Other Goodreads comments describe the story as “very teenage-love-esque” despite the characters being in their 20s (Goodreads reader comment).
• Contrast with the content plan’s “High / Open Door” — no source supports that label; the reader-derived evidence points to a much milder heat.

Does it contain explicit scenes?

Based on the StoryGraph content warnings and the Eyas Book Nook review, the book does not contain graphic sexual encounters. Instead, the sexual content is limited to consensual kissing and internal emotional reactions. However, the book does include a trigger warning for sexual harassment (touching without consent) (The StoryGraph). This is a serious subject, not a steamy scene.

The implication: the book’s community ratings consistently place it at the mild end of the romance spectrum, making it a poor match for readers seeking high heat.

What Is the Book Picking Daisies on Sundays About?

This novel is a fake-relationship story wrapped in nostalgia. Daniella “Daisy” Maria, a hopeless romantic just out of college, agrees to be Levi’s fake girlfriend for his sister’s wedding. Levi is her childhood best friend — the boy she fell for once and then lost touch with for four years. The official Goodreads synopsis sets up a second-chance, friends-to-lovers arc with a time jump and plenty of unresolved feelings (Goodreads).

Who is the author Liana Cincotti?

Liana Cincotti is an independently published author whose primary work is this series. Her bio on retailer pages is minimal, but the book’s community presence on Goodreads suggests she is active in the contemporary romance space. The book appears to be her debut novel.

What is the main point of the book?

• Daisy learns that real love isn’t about perfect timing — it’s about being present when it matters.
• The story deals with grief (death of a parent) and self-discovery after college.
• The Eyas Book Nook review highlights themes of friendship, first love, and finding your own path (Eyas Book Nook).
• Tropes include fake dating, childhood friends to strangers to lovers, second chance, slow burn, and miscommunication (Eyas Book Nook).

The catch: the mild tone means readers expecting high-stakes passion may find the story too sedate.

Is Picking Daisies on Sundays a Series?

Yes. Goodreads lists it as the first in a two-book series (Goodreads). The second book has not been published yet — the input data shows the timeline as “TBC.” Readers who finish book one will need to wait for the sequel. No official title or date has been announced.

What order should I read the Daisy books in?

• Book 1: Picking Daisies on Sundays (July 30, 2023)
• Book 2: Untitled (release TBD)
• Reading order is simply publication order. The first book ends with a clear setup for the next installment.

How many books are in the series?

Two books are confirmed. Whether the series is complete or ongoing depends on the author’s timeline. Given the independent nature of the release, it is possible that more books could be added, but at present the listing shows only two (Goodreads).

The pattern: series completion is uncertain, so readers may want to wait until book two is released to avoid an unresolved cliffhanger.

What Is the Age Rating for Picking Daisies on Sundays?

No official age rating comes from a publisher or a censorship board. Two review sources offer guidance: the Eyas Book Nook review says it is suitable for readers 13 and older, and also gives an age rating of 14+ (Eyas Book Nook). The discrepancy suggests the site considers it appropriate for young teens but with caution.

Is Picking Daisies on Sundays a clean book?

• The StoryGraph review flags sexual harassment and grief as content warnings (The StoryGraph).
• “Clean” in romance circles usually means no sex scenes and no profanity. This book has kissing but not full sex, so it sits in the “closed-door” category — but the sexual harassment reference makes it not universally clean.
• Most readers would probably call it “sweet” rather than “clean.”

Is Picking Daisies on Sundays appropriate for 13 year olds?

A 13-year-old who has read about grief and sexual harassment in other books would likely manage the content. The emotional maturity needed is moderate. There are no graphic sex scenes, but the harassment scene could be upsetting. A parent or guardian may want to pre-read. A hard no would be more appropriate for 11–12-year-olds.

What this means: parents should evaluate their child’s readiness for a sexual assault reference before allowing unsupervised reading.

Where to Buy Picking Daisies on Sundays & Book Specs

The book is available through major online retailers in multiple formats. Below are the key specs.

All major retailers carry the book. For independent bookstores, Bookshop.org is the recommended option. No library lending data was available.

How Does Picking Daisies on Sundays Compare to Other Romance Novels?

Positioning this book among iconic spicy or banned romances helps set realistic expectations. The table below contrasts it with three well-known titles.

The pattern: Picking Daisies on Sundays is significantly lighter than both the moderately spicy Book Lovers and the explicit 50 Shades. Among popular books, it falls closer to a young-adult level of intensity.

What is the spiciest romance book of all time?

There is no official ranking, but lists such as Penguin Random House’s “Must-Read Spicy Romance Novels” include titles like Priest by Sierra Simone and Neon Gods by Katee Robert. These typically have explicit content openly described on the cover. Picking Daisies does not belong on that list.

What is the #1 most banned book of all time?

According to the Butler University LibGuide on banned books, the most frequently challenged book in recent years has been Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe (Butler LibGuides). Picking Daisies on Sundays is not banned and does not appear on any challenge lists. The book’s content is mild compared to many challenged titles.

The implication: readers who want a lighthearted romance should note that heavy themes temper the overall tone.

Timeline of the Series

• July 30, 2023 — Release of Picking Daisies on Sundays (Goodreads)
• TBC — Planned release of Book 2 in the series (confirmed as a 2-book series)

The pattern: the gap between books remains unknown, potentially frustrating series readers.

What’s Confirmed and What’s Unclear

Confirmed facts

• The book is a romantic comedy by Liana Cincotti.
• It features a fake relationship between Daniella “Daisy” Maria and her childhood best friend Levi.
• Published independently around July 30, 2023.
• StoryGraph rates it 3/10 spice, no explicit sex scenes.
• Content warnings include grief, death of a parent, and sexual harassment.
• Series: two books confirmed.
• Ideal age rating: 13–14+ according to Eyas Book Nook.

What’s unclear

• Not official age rating from a formal body; reader consensus is approximate.
• Exact spice level is subjective — some readers may find the kissing scenes “spicy” while others do not.
• Release date for Book 2 is unknown.

Key Quotes from Readers and Reviewers

“Picking Daisies on Sundays follows a hopeless romantic finishing college who agrees to embark on a fake relationship with her childhood best friend.”

Goodreads official synopsis

“The romance is sweet and tender, with no explicit content — just a couple of descriptive kissing scenes.”

StoryGraph review

“Trigger warning for sexual harassment. This book is suitable for readers aged 13 and older.”

Eyas Book Nook review

“Very teenage-love-esque even though the characters are in their 20s.”

Goodreads reader comment

The pattern across sources is clear: the book is a gentle, low-heat romance with a serious subplot. For readers who prefer explicit scenes, this isn’t the pick. For those looking for a nostalgic fake-dating story with emotional weight, it hits the mark. The audience for this book is younger teens (13–15) who are ready for mature themes but not for graphic sex.

For readers in the United States and Canada, the choice is straightforward: if you are between 13 and 15 and want a sweet romance with a heavy moment, go ahead. If you are a parent of a 12-year-old, you may want to wait. For readers over 16 who enjoy closed-door romance, this book will feel too young — the characters’ ages belie their teenage voice.

Frequently Asked Questions

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For readers in North America, the decision about whether to read Picking Daisies on Sundays comes down to tolerance for mild sexual content and heavy themes. If you are looking for a low-spice romance with a heart, this is a solid pick. If you need a truly clean or fully explicit book, you will have to look elsewhere.