As previously mentioned, writing the category romance isn't for everybody. Some authors find the limited shelf life of the novels to be a deterrent, as well as the restrictions placed on them by a shorter word length and limitations of the story content. When you add to this list of disadvantages the limited number of publishers currently releasing category romances … well, it's clear that this is not a format for the faint of heart.

While some people can flourish creatively when given specific guidelines under which to work, others cannot. In fact, some writers simply write books that are larger in scope or contain a storyline that would be inappropriate for a series romance.

Also, in the majority of series romance novels, the primary focus — sometimes, the only focus — is on the developing relationship between the two main characters. This means that there may often be little space for secondary characters or subplots.

One of the biggest downsides to writing series romances is their reduced lifespan. Most category romances only remain on the bookshelf for four weeks. When the new crop of titles arrives in the bookstore, the old ones are removed to make space. Consider the consequences, therefore, if a natural disaster, such as a hurricane or earthquake, delayed a delivery of books. Or, as sometimes happens, a bookstore failed to put the books out in a timely fashion. With a short shelf life, sales for that particular title would be impacted. Perhaps irreparably.

Another disadvantage to the series romance is that their potential earnout, or the money the books actually earn from sales, is capped. Unlike single-title romances, which can return for a second, a third, or even more printings if demand requires it, a series romance is rarely sent back for additional printings. This means that while booksellers can usually order additional copies during the book's four-week run, the book's potential earn-out is limited to the number of copies published during its initial print run.