Privacy Policy
Website: bybookishbabe.com
Last updated: May 31, 2026
ByBookishBabe ("we," "us," or "I") is committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains what data we collect, how we use it, and your rights regarding that data. By using bybookishbabe.com, you agree to the practices described here.
1. Who We Are
ByBookishBabe is an independent romance book recommendation website operated by a sole creator based in the United States. You can contact us at bybookishbabe@gmail.com.
2. What Information We Collect
We collect the following types of information:
Information you provide directly:
Name and email address when you create a site account or save books to your bookshelf
Name and email address when you submit a contact or sponsorship inquiry form
Payment information when purchasing digital products from our shop (processed securely by our payment processor — we do not store your card details)
Any information you voluntarily include in messages you send us
Information collected automatically:
IP address, browser type, device type, and pages visited via cookies and analytics tools (including Google Analytics)
Bookshelf saves and reading preferences associated with your account
Referring URLs and how you found our site
3. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect to:
Operate and improve the website and its features (including the bookshelf, rec engine, and reader quizzes)
Fulfill digital product purchases and deliver download files
Send transactional emails related to your purchases or account
Respond to contact and sponsorship inquiries
Analyze site traffic and usage patterns to improve content
Comply with legal obligations
We do not sell your personal data to third parties. Ever.
4. Email Marketing
Our primary newsletter, The Smut & Sentiment Society, is operated via Substack (thesmutandsentimentsociety.substack.com). When you subscribe to that newsletter, your data is governed by Substack's own Privacy Policy in addition to ours.
If you sign up for any email communications directly through bybookishbabe.com, you can unsubscribe at any time using the link in any email we send.
5. Cookies
We use cookies to:
Keep you logged into your account
Save your bookshelf and reading preferences
Run analytics (Google Analytics uses cookies to track site usage)
Enable affiliate tracking through Amazon and other affiliate programs
You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings. Please note that disabling cookies may affect the functionality of certain features, including the bookshelf and account features.
We are working to implement a cookie consent banner. If you are visiting from the EU or UK, please be aware that continued use of the site constitutes acceptance of our cookie use until that banner is in place.
6. Affiliate Links
Some links on bybookishbabe.com are affiliate links, primarily through the Amazon Associates program and Bookshop.org. When you click these links and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This is disclosed on pages where affiliate links appear. See our full Affiliate Disclosure for more detail.
7. Third-Party Services
We use the following third-party services that may process your data:
Google Analytics – website usage analytics
Easy Digital Downloads – digital shop and payment processing
Substack – newsletter delivery for The Smut & Sentiment Society
Amazon Associates – affiliate program
Bookshop.org – affiliate program
WordPress – website platform and hosting
Each of these services has their own privacy policy. We encourage you to review them for details on how they handle your data.
8. Your Rights
Depending on where you live, you may have the following rights:
The right to access the personal data we hold about you
The right to request correction of inaccurate data
The right to request deletion of your data
The right to withdraw consent at any time (where processing is based on consent)
For California residents: rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), including the right to know what data is collected and the right to opt out of sale (we do not sell data)
For EU/UK residents: rights under GDPR, including data portability and the right to lodge a complaint with your supervisory authority
To exercise any of these rights, please email us at bybookishbabe@gmail.com. We will respond within 30 days.
9. Data Retention
We retain your account and purchase data for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide services and comply with legal obligations. You may request deletion of your data at any time by contacting us.
10. Children's Privacy
bybookishbabe.com is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will delete it.
11. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. Continued use of the site after changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.
12. Contact
For any questions about this Privacy Policy, contact us at: bybookishbabe@gmail.com