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Kissing Books

An *Actual* Bromance Book Club

Baseball’s back, which means I have a nice bit of white noise to read and write to in the evenings once again. It *is* weird to occasionally look up and see people in the stands only to remember they’re cutouts lol.

Romance. Right.

News and Useful Links

Look, I haven’t listened to Gaslighter yet (don’t at me) but this is a great “Gaslighter, but romance novels” list even without the context.

Check out this archives of romance-related websites from the University of Michigan.

Did you read about the guys who have an actual Bromance Book Club? COVID-19 won’t keep them from talking about sex and their feelings.

Hallmark is going to be adding LGBTQ+ stories to their holiday lineup this year. Here’s hoping they include someone who isn’t white. Just one. With a name. And a character arc. Who isn’t a villain or mean-person. These aren’t difficult demands. (And if you heard the news about their next CEO, you might be hoping alongside me)

Check out the transcript of Alyssa Cole’s keynote speech from the Spring Fling Writers’ Conference 2020. As usual, she does good words.

My fellow Rioter Carole wrote this great piece for The Grio about reading Black joy in these times.

What are your thoughts on a romance “canon”?

Virtual events coming up:

Deals

In honor of John Lewis, a man who spent over sixty years of his life fighting for tiers of justice, some of which we’re still battling for today, how about a romance set around the Civil Rights Era? And no, it’s not the one you think I’m going to recommend (though I’ll remind you that Let It Shine is always 2.99). Promise Me A Dream by Wayne Jordan is part of the Decades series, which tells a story of Black love for each of the decades of the 20th century. In the one set during the 1960s, A singer from Barbados who dreams of Broadway meets a lawyer with his own dreams, and they deal with the world of discrimination and inequality together. Read it for 2.99 or get it on Kindle Unlimited.

Recs!

Have you been reading a lot during this period? I have still been able to read, but it feels like I’m not staying with anything. Which is why I was excited to just slam through a book this weekend…until I felt suddenly inclined to make cupcakes. No clue why. Just got up and started pulling things out of the cabinet. So I haven’t finished it yet, but it will soon!

So Forward
Mina V. Esguerra

While this definitely isn’t the first Esguerra book I’ve bought, it’s the first I’ve actually opened, started, and intended to continue. The author is a member of Romance Class, a group of Filipino and Fil-Am authors who write romances at varying levels of angst and heat across a large spectrum of subgenres—though they mostly write contemporary. So Forward is the third book in the Six 32 Central series, and brings us into the lives of a figure skater turned model turned business student and the hockey player turned business professor turned corporate businessperson who helps him figure out the finer points of his final MBA paper and defense. The two have a shaky first meeting, but find that there’s just something about the other that draws them to each other. And then there’s this job that’s offered the both of them, bringing them back to the rink.

This is a delightful book, and is definitely light on the angst (so far). The characters have strong points of view, and they communicate with each other. You all know I love grown-ups communicating. At least with each other. Neither is very good at communicating with their families, but you know. Family. Also! This book offers up one of those rare sightings in M/F romance: a bisexual male protagonist. So check it out.

And apparently, I need to watch The Cutting Edge 3. I didn’t even know there was a Cutting Edge 3. And it looks like there’s also a fourth one. Who knew?

And now it’s time to read some more ice-based romance. What are your favorites?

As usual, catch me on Twitter @jessisreading or Instagram @jess_is_reading, or send me an email at wheninromance@bookriot.com if you’ve got feedback, bookrecs, or just want to say hi!