I hope you’re all recovered from whatever level or type of festivities you might have enjoyed over the holiday weekend, even if it was getting too much rest and reading too many books (the dream, right? :lolsob:)
Sponsored by Cold Day in the Sun by Sara Biren.
Holland Delviss is a good hockey player—she’s also the only girl on the boys’ varsity team. When her team is selected to play in a televised, statewide event, Holland’s status as the girl turns her into the feature story. Not everyone is thrilled with Holland’s new fame, but her bossy team co-captain, Wes, unexpectedly becomes her fiercest supporter. With cameras set to roll, Wes continues to surprise her, and Holland is dangerously close to breaking her number one rule: No dating teammates, ever.
News and Useful Links
Adriana Herrera shared her favorite librarian romances. Some familiar titles there, but never hurts to remember the ones we love.
So this is romance-adjacent, but how cool is it that Bea Koch (co-owner of The Ripped Bodice) is writing a (non-romance) book? (The subject is real women from the Regency, though, so it’s definitely of interest to romance readers and writers.)
Anybody in the DC area? (I’m sorry, I cannot bring myself to call it The DMV because…yeah no.) If you live there or plan to be around on Thursday, April 11, check out this amazing-looking panel at East City Bookshop!
(Also, are you going to Avon KissCon? Please let me live vicariously through you.)
Sometimes we forget that the people on covers are actual people. And unlike the guy Penni talked about last week, we actually know who this one is. But after over 600 covers, he’s hanging up the…what would he hang up? A too-tight tee shirt?
Love’s Sweet Arrow didn’t make their Kickstarter goal, sadly, but they do have a Patreon now!
Also romance-adjacent, but did you hear that Victoria Helen Stone (AKA Victoria Dahl) sold the rights to Jane Doe?
Deals
I’ve heard a lot of chatter about Lee Welch’s Salt Magic, Skin Magic on twitter. It sounds like a great place to start if you’re looking to get into historical fantasy romance. It’s a world where industrial magic exists, so that’s cool, right? It’s 2.99, and appears to stand alone (unless it’s the first in a series that hasn’t yet been announced.
If you’ve been looking to start a new contemporary series instead, Catherine Bybee’s Fool Me Once is 1.99. The others in the series are pretty inexpensive as well, so check out the first one and see where it takes you.
And bonus: If you didn’t check out Perv by Dakota Gray last time I talked about it, it’s free right now in celebration of the release of the third book in the series, Adonis Line.
Recs
It’s been a rough week, and I honestly wasn’t sure what to recommend this time. I did get some feedback with some more hockey romances, and I’ll toss those in at the bottom. I thought about maybe doing activist romances, like Rogue Acts, or romances with Muslim characters, like Wrong to Need You or I Can’t Think Straight (if you are looking for a place to start there, here’s a good list from last year). But really, what we all need is some low-angst romance. Some of these will be things I’ve recommended on KB before, and others are go-to happy places for me.
Rafe by Rebekah Weatherspoon
This is the first book I go to when someone asks for a low-angst romance to read. Sure, there are issues—a single divorced mother, a nanny with a childhood that wasn’t the best, and an asshole from afar. But it’s so fluffy. It’s so fluffy, even the back-matter says it’s fluffy.
The Craft of Love by EE Ottoman
One of the protagonists in this historical novella is trans, but the only angst that causes is within himself. And even then, it’s not about his being trans, but whether the woman he is developing quite a crush on is okay with that. Spoiler alert: that’s not a problem for her.
Cinnamon Blade by Shira Glassman
Sure, there’s conflict in this book; there has to be, because one protagonist is a superhero. But even then, there’s less fingerbiting about her survival and that of her team (and her love interest) than whether she and said love interest will finally get their acts together.
Bound to be a Groom by Megan Mulry
Honestly, this is so low-angst it’s practically low-plot. But there’s still enough of one to keep a reader happy and invested in the story…though the sexytimes are probably still the main reason this book exists (:laugh-cry emoji:). This whole series is just delightful, and is definitely a nice departure from the average Regency romance.
Love By the Books by Té Russ
This one is a touch more angsty, just because of the personalities involved, but the story itself is just so delightful, and all of the supporting characters and every single outing that happens. There is some facepalming, of course, because there can’t be a book without something, but this is just. *chef kiss*
What are your go-to fluff recommendations?
Before I go, here are some other recommended hockey romances! (Thanks Krystal S and Katie!)
Him by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy
Game Misconduct by Bianca Sommerland
Pucked by Helena Hunting
Body Check by Deirdre Martin
(Also, check out LA Witt’s Rebound, which is available to preorder.)
As usual, catch me on Twitter @jessisreading or Instagram @jess_is_reading, or send me an email at jessica@riotnewmedia.com if you’ve got feedback, book recs, or just want to say hi!