Happy New Year, y’all! Welcome back to the Kissing Books newsletter. And if this is your first time here, I’m glad that you joined us. I’m PN Hinton, and I’ll be your guide through all things romance-related.
My New Year’s Eve was relatively low-key. I hung out with some close friends during the day, did a party watch for the last episode of The Haunting of Hill House at night, and then watched the ball drop with my family before heading to bed. All in all, a pleasant way to usher in the new year.
2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Sign up today!
Bookish Goods
Romance Reader Heart Necklace by CraftyEliseShop
I’m in a lot of “eras” right now, and one is my necklace era. I am serious in saying that I have to wear a necklace every day if for no other reason than to have something to fidget with. And since I’m a romance reader, this is definitely one I wouldn’t mind adding to my rotation. $13
New Releases
Sunflower by Aricka Alexander
Autumn is a single mother whose sole focus is to make sure that her daughter Sydney is taken care of. So, she is not looking for a relationship when Winter comes into her life. However, the attraction between the two women is instantaneous, and soon Autumn is left wondering if Winter is worth the risk of opening up her heart once again to the possibility of love.
Last Call at the Local by Sarah Grunder Ruiz
When a mistake causes the nomadic Raine to get stuck in Ireland, she has little choice but to settle in her for the near future. One night at the pub aptly named the Local, she runs into the owner, Jack, and ends up insulting him and his business. Rather than taking offense, Jack offers her a short-term job to help him revive it. But when feelings begin to develop between the two, they find themselves wondering what will happen once their business arrangement ends.
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.
Riot Recommendations
For today’s recommendations, I’m going to mention a few of the books that I’m looking forward to this coming year. If 2023 was any indication, we can look forward to a lot of awesome releases this year. And while I am not certain I will get to all of them, these are two of the ones I will definitely be making a priority.
The 7-10 Split by Karmen Lee (5/21/24)
Between friendly rivalries and one passionate kiss, bowlers Ava and Georgia had quite the past before they ended up working at the same school. When the school principal announces that there is money in the budget for a school bowling team, the only catch is they have to coach it together. This leaves both women struggling to stamp out the attraction that still exists while leading their team to victory — and that soon proves to be a futile effort.
A Little Kissing Between Friends by Chencia C. Higgins (5/28/24)
Music producer Cyn and erotic dancer Jucee have been best friends for years. And during that time, they’ve managed to keep their relationship firmly platonic. But the events of one chaotic night result in the women looking at each other with different eyes and, in turn, causes them to wonder what would happen if they added some “benefits” to their friendship.
That’s all I have for y’all today. I’ll be back in your inboxes on Monday with a fresh newsletter. In the meantime, you can still find me over on the bird app under @PScribe801 and on Instagram under @pns_bookish_world. Until then, happy reading and stay hydrated.