You can’t judge a book by its cover…

…but you CAN judge a person by their taste in books.

The New York Times Sunday Book Review published an essay this past weekend called “It’s Not You—It’s Your Books” about the mysterious power literary tastes can have in determining relationship compatibility.

In other words—if we’re dating and it turns out you’re really into Jean Paul Sartre (insert eye roll here), we might have a problem. It’s probably not going to work out.

Some might think it’s shallow to judge a potential partner based on their taste books, or lack thereof. But, as the article puts it: “If you’re a person who loves Alice Munro and you’re going out with someone whose favorite book is The Da Vinci Code, perhaps the flags of incompatibility were there prior to the big reveal.”

I think those of us in the literary world and book lovers everywhere can identify with this sentiment. So the next time you’re looking to impress a new love interest, remember to think twice before divulging your guilty reading pleasures!