Hey y’all! Welcome, or welcome back, to the Kissing Books newsletter. I’m PN Hinton, here to share my love of the romance genre with like-minded readers through a myriad of ways.
Christmas is just nine days away, and while that revelation would normally send me into a mini-panic, this year I’m actually calm. I think a lot of that has to do with me realizing that while gifts in general are nice, they are also not necessary to enjoy the spirit of the season. I’m still going to give gifts, mind you, but I’m being mindful about quality over quantity. After all, it is the thought behind the gift that makes it special. And if that is something that you needed to be reminded of, then I hope that your spirits are a little bit lighter now.
And if you need a little gifting assistance, Tailored Book Recommendations is here to help! Here at TBR, we pair our customers with a professional book nerd (aka bibliologist) who just gets them. They fill out a survey and then sit back and relax as we pick books just for them. We’ve got three levels — recs-only, paperback, and hardcover — and you can gift a full year or one time, so there are options for every budget! Get all the details at mybtro.com/gift.
Bookish Goods
Tarot Card Book Sleeve by NeedlesRiddles
By now I’m sure everyone is well aware of my love of Tarot cards. It’s probably why a majority of my gifts from my book club were Tarot related. If you’re likeminded and like to protect your books and/or e-readers when you carry them around, then this is perfect for you too! $14
New Releases
The Rising Sun by Twyla Turner
Out of all her friends, Kennedy is the hopeless romantic, which is why she questions being the last one left single. This thought leads her to pack her bags for a solo trip to Asia in the hopes of finding some inner peace. To her surprise, she runs into Koji, the boy who broke her heart back in college. Koji has always regretted letting the expectations of his overbearing parents interfere with their relationship. Now that the opportunity has presented itself, he is determined to do whatever it takes to show her that he is worth the second chance.
Playing With Matches by Georgia Beers
Elizabeth has been called back home to help her family’s B&B as they prepare to host her ex’s wedding. Not wanting to be pitied for still being single, she claims that she is dating local woman Cori. While Cori initially has hesitations about the ruse, she eventually agrees to play the part of fake girlfriend for the duration of the wedding celebration. As the days pass, the lines between fake and real blur, and they’re left wondering if this scheme is Fate’s way of bringing them together for real.
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.
Riot Recommendations
The days are getting shorter and the nights are getting longer, but somehow I still feel as busy as ever. If you’re in the same boat, then you may be finding it difficult to take a pause for reading, but it’s still important to take time for yourself, no matter what. And if reading is one of those ways, then I still firmly believe you should keep to it. If novels are harder for you to get into, check out these holiday novellas which will satisfy your reading desire while also being mindful of limited extra time.
Mistlefoe by Kimberly Lemming
When Ruby goes searching for the fox demon that cursed her father, she never expected him to be so attractive. Lucca, said fox demon, agrees to lift the curse — provided she agrees to be his fake mate for the upcoming week-long Winter Festival. Knowing that her family’s livelihood depends on it, she agrees to the week-long ruse. What she didn’t know is that from the moment Lucca clapped eyes on her, he knew she was his Fated Mate and has no intention of letting her go once the celebration is over.
‘Tis the Season by L. Dreamer
After a lifetime of misjudgments and mistakes, Bridgette has settled into a career as the owner and operator of Dirty Hands Farm. The farm makes it a point to employ ex-cons who are looking to make a better life for themselves after serving their sentences. Olivia is a prosecutor who is well on her way to climbing the ladder in the legal world and tying the knot with her long-time boyfriend. When the two women cross paths at the Dirty Hand’s Christmas Tree farm, their lives are forever changed in ways neither could have predicted.
I recently heard about Third State Books, which is a new indie press focused on highlighting Asian American voices. One of their upcoming books is Pride & Preston Lin, which is a modern spin on Pride & Prejudice and I am super excited for it!
As previously mentioned, it’s also that time of the year where people talk about their ‘best of’ lists. Here is one for the best five romance books in 2023.
And that’s all I have for y’all today. I’ll be back on Monday with a fresh new newsletter, and in the meantime, I can still be found flittering around on the bird app under @PScribe801. You can also give me a follow over on my new-ish Instagram @pns_bookish_world. Until we meet again, happy reading and stay hydrated.