Welcome to the Kissing Books newsletter. If you’re a regular reader, I’m glad to see you again. Or, 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.
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!
I recently had the realization that the last full work week I did was the first full week in December. This means it’s been over a month since I didn’t at least have one half day, and that this is my first full working week of the new year. Honestly, I’m not sure how I’ll survive it because I got used to those short weeks very quickly. Call me dramatic if you must because I own it, but yeah…adulting amirite?
Bookish Goods
If It Involves Books and Pajamas… by BlueOceanApparel
As mentioned earlier, I’m still struggling to get use to being at work five days a week, and so I’m definitely living for these vibes. In fact, I may try to plan some kind of bookish slumber party this year to wear this at, and of course, I will be matching with my friends. That’s what the different color options are for! $14.
New Releases
The Lily of Ludgate Hill by Mimi Matthews
After watching her mother struggle after her father’s death, Anne has decided to forgo love altogether. This decision has earned her a reputation for being a bit of an ice queen, which she is fine with. But when she needs a favor from her longtime friend Hart, he agrees only on the condition that she attend a holiday party with him at his grandfather’s. There he is sure he can convince her to let down her guard and give their love another chance to flourish.
Frosted Kisses and Christmas Wishes by Madelyn Fischer
When Joel and Maya both show an interest in the same book at the Solstice bookstore, it ignites a conversation between the two. Once they start talking, they realize they were childhood neighbors with feelings that couldn’t be fully explored before Joel moved away. Now that life is giving them a second chance to explore these feelings, will they give into temptation, or will the associated hurt of their life experiences cause them to let it pass them by?
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.
Riot Recommendations
One of the best bookish events I attended last year was the one for Mazey Eddings’s YA debut, Tilly in Technicolor. While I haven’t read it yet, I do know that color palettes play a large role in the story, which got me thinking about how important the idea of having a favorite color is.
Let’s be honest; we all know at least one Purple Girl, and if you don’t, then chances are you’re her.
From clothes, to household appliances, and any and all types of accoutrements, color plays an important part in our day-to-day lives. This idea is so true that Pantone even picks a color of the year annually.
Which leads us to this week’s recommendations. Today, we’re going to honor 2023’s color, which was Viva Magenta, and on Thursday, we will focus on 2024’s Peach Fuzz. Please note for both, I tried to get as close to the shade as I could, but some liberties may have been made. Enjoy!
Sophie Go’s Lonely Hearts Club by Roselle Lim
Shortly after Sophie returns home to Toronto, it is revealed that she never graduated from matchmaking school. As such, no one wants to hire her. Desperate for clients, Sophie stumbles across a club known as the Old Ducks, seven septuagenarians who have given up on love. She takes it upon herself to help them all find love, all the while battling her overbearing and belittling mother, learning to love herself, and finding a love of her own.
The Dating Dilemma by Mariah Ankenman
After Lexi mistakes firefighter Dyson for a strip-o-gram, she is beyond mortified. To her surprise, rather than run screaming for the hills, Dyson instead asks her to be his fake girlfriend to help him win a bet, something she agrees to. Despite them only pretending to date, the chemistry between them is undeniable, which leads to real feelings developing between the two of them.
And that’s all I have for y’all today. I’ll be back in your inboxes Thursday and in the meantime you can find me over on Instagram under @pns_bookish_world and Twitter under @PScribe801. Until then happy reading and stay hydrated.