Messy 1900s Romance, Reality Show Dating, New Releases, and More!

This YA novel just gives. It’s a historical romance set in the early 1900s centered around the Davenports, a wealthy Black family in Chicago whose fortune was made by William Davenport, a formerly enslaved man who became an entrepreneur. Amongst the lavish parties, servants, lush surroundings, and societal expectations sit the Davenport siblings and their friends — all seeking out love, forbidden and not. Beautiful Olivia is the oldest and prepared to get married for the family, but then meets a charming civil rights leader. Then there’s Helen, who likes fixing cars, and her sister’s suitor. Amy-Rose and Ruby are both friends to the girls, and both have a crush on John Davenport. This is fun, historical mess that’s based on the real Patterson family, and shows a time in Black history that I always want to see more of.

While Kareena would love to have a relationship like her parents’, romance isn’t exactly her strong suit. Despite this, her father strikes a deal with her — she gets her mother’s house if she becomes engaged in four months. Thing is, the only man who’s featured prominently in her life lately is the TV doctor Dr. Verma, whom she had an argument with that went viral. The same argument that has dried up funding for the community center he wants to build. But Kareena’s aunties show up with another deal — if Dr. Verma can convince Kareena to marry him, they’ll pay for the center. Listen, sometimes you just need your aunties to bribe someone to be your fiancé.

Kris and D’Vaughn’s relationship is fake, but they can’t let anyone know. They’re on the reality show Instant I Do, where they have to convince their friends and family that they’re getting married to each other to win $100,000. While each of them has their own reasons for being on the show — Kris is looking for her big TV break, while D’Vaughn wants an extravagant way to come out to her family — they both realize that there may be more to this thing that they initially thought.

Here’s one that’ll put a little dash of magic in your romance. Mika Moon is one of the last remaining witches in Great Britain. To keep this secret — thereby staying safe — she’s lived a life of isolation, even from other witches. But she also posts videos online claiming to be a witch, assuming people won’t take her seriously. Well, someone does, and he invites her to his house to teach three young witches how to better use their power. Mika takes him up on his offer, despite her better judgment, and discovers a place to belong. She also discovers thorny Librarian Jamie, who also lives in the house. New possibilities for existing with others present themselves to Mika, but so does danger…