Author: Jessica Pryde

Y’all, it has been a week. And there’s still some left to go. I just want to curl up and read until Doomsday.

Over on Book Riot

Courtney had the chance to see Casey McQuiston and Jasmine Guillory at the Texas Book Festival last month. What did they talk about?

Do you have a favorite audiobook narrator? Tirzah really likes Emily Woo Zeller, who among other great books, narrated The Bride Test. 

Do you get your ebooks through the library? You might have heard that some of those books are going to be harder to get now. Kelly broke down the new ebook embargo that’s happening with MacMillan and its imprints (who publish, among others, Nora Roberts’ newest series).

Deals

Have you read Suleikha Snyder’s Tikka Chance on Me? Well, I’ve got news for you: you can make up for missing out on what one author called a masterclass in novella writing by getting your own copy, which now comes with a shiny new cover! (Look at it. Just…stare, for a moment.) If you are familiar with the book, you might know that Suleikha was inspired in-part by a photo shoot featuring a particular bearded Avenger, and if you know the shoot, you’ll recognize the t-shirt the male protagonist, Trucker, is wearing. Right now, it’s only available digitally…but that’s okay, because it’s also 99 cents!

New Books!

Happy book release week to Lyssa Kay Adams and The Bromance Book Club! Since we talked about that one last week, I’m excited to discuss some other new and recent releases.

Jinx
Phyllis Bourne

Y’all. Trisha (fellow Rioter and my When in Romance cohost, for those of you who don’t listen) has been talking about Phyllis Bourne for literal years, and it has taken me far too long to pick up one of her books. This one is the second in the series, and while there are some event spoilers for the first, it’s perfectly easy to pick up as a standalone. And I gotta tell you:

She. Is. Funny. AF.

Ned is completely head over heels for his next door neighbor, who runs the paint and sip business next to his sports bar and—just like he does—lives in the apartment above it. She’s beautiful, sincere, and smart. And he’s been afraid to make a move. Waverly is similarly afraid, although her desire for Ned is just as strong as his own. But she has a problem: she’s a jinx. Every boyfriend she’s had since a certain incident involving a curse and some historic witch trials has had terrible things befall them after intimacy with her. One guy even moved to Timbuktu to get away from her. She likes Ned a lot, and doesn’t want anything like that to happen to him. But once they get on the same page, Ned—who never did anything if it wasn’t easy—is willing to risk it.

I’m not lying. Some kind of way Phyllis Bourne has taken this rather frightening premise and made it into a romantic comedy. It’s really adorable and now I’m really annoyed with myself for the whole having to read all of her backlist thing.

Thanks, Trisha.

There are a bunch of other new books I can’t wait to get my hands on either:

Royal Secrets by LR Jackson
Prose Before Bros by Cathy Yardley (I think I mentioned this one last week but that title)
The Art of Possession by Cari Z
Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert (it’s finally here!)
We Met in December by Rosie Curtis (I still haven’t confirmed that this is true romance but I’ll risk it because CUTE)
Counter Culture by JL Merrow
Dirty Letters by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward (I’ll admit I started this one and got distracted, but I still want to know how it ends!)

What are you reading this weekend?

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

Welcome to November! I like November for many things—national holidays, various changes to the word “November” based on causes (including my personal favorite, which I saw this morning, NOvember, in which the person would be working on saying no to whatever they want), and of course, everyone’s favorite: National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo for short). Who’s writing a novel this month? (Answer: not me.)

News and Useful Links

Whether you’ve read Lush Money or not, this is just a delightful story. (And a perfect prompt for a romance novel, if anyone’s still grasping at a topic for NaNo!)

Speaking of Lush Money, Bawdy Bookworms has a new box, focused on diverse titles. Each box will have a book, an erotic toy, and some additional bit of swag. The first box goes out this month, so be sure to sign up for yours!

We’ve gotten a little more news about the Starz adaptation of Alexa Martin’s Intercepted, the project taken on by 50 Cent and Lala Anthony. The slow trickle of information about this show keeps giving me hope that it will start moving pretty quickly (especially now that both big names are now only flashbacks or ghosts on Power…)

Tamsen Parker wrote this incredible guest post on Love in Panels about writing depressed characters, and what it means when you are also depressed.

And Lyssa Kay Adams wrote about toxic masculinity.

Check out this darling cover and read a bit of Priscilla Oliveras’s 2020 release.

This amazing looking project is already way ahead of their original goal, but you can still back this Kickstarter to get first crack at the finished product.

Deals

It’s a new month, which means new deals!

Have you wondered where to start with Brenda Jackson? She has written over 100 novels, after all. My first Brenda Jackson novel was a Forged of Steele novel, and I’ll never forget it. If you want to start at the beginning, Solid Soul is 1.99 right now, and several other Forged of Steele novels are that price or otherwise under five dollars. And there are a lot of them. The first one I read, Irresistible Forces, is 3.99. If you haven’t ventured into one of Brenda Jackson’s connected worlds…well. Have fun and good luck!

Recs!

I have to share a secret: I really like holiday romances. They’re like regular romances turned to eleven: more of the angst, more of the cheer, just more everything. I recently started my holiday reading for 2019 (I don’t want to start too early) and have quite a few lined up to pick up!

Stocking Stuffers
Erin McLellan

I never thought I would use the word “adorable” for a story about a commitment-phobic sex toy marketer and the Christmas-loving man who can’t get enough of her, but that is legit the only word I can use for this short holiday story. Sasha Holiday hates Christmas; her family never had a real connection to it, and her fiancé left her at the altar on their Christmas wedding day. But she will do what she needs to sell her product, even if that means venturing out to a book club’s annual holiday party to peddle her wares. When she gets stuck at the inn where they meet because of a snowstorm, she finds herself unable to keep away from Perry, the younger brother of her host and ultimate Christmas-loving cinnamon roll. But there are two things that she can’t give him: a happy holiday and a real relationship.

Love in the Stacks
Delilah Peters

This is one of Carina’s Dirty Bits novellas, which means it’s not very long at all and also is mostly sex. If you aren’t particularly drawn to novellas or steamy sexytimes, you probably won’t like this book. Which is too bad, because it’s about librarians.

Poppy’s newest coworker, Ben, keeps to his office in the basement. But when she ventures down into his cave to offer him a holiday treat, she can’t help but notice how attractive he is. And he apparently feels the same way about her, which is how they keep ending up in scandalous situations during the staff Christmas party. And then…they get stuck together overnight.

I’m sensing a pattern in my preferred holiday reading. One Bed for Christmas, anyone?

Either way, I am so excited to read more about snow and food and families and love. Here are some of the ones I can’t wait to pick up:

Holiday by Candlelight by Laurel Greer (Harlequin has well over 100 winter holiday romances this year…but most of them are very Christmas focused)
Christmas Kisses by Farrah Rochon
Dukes, Actually by Erica Ridley
Sugar Butter Flour Love by Nicole Falls (and dammit, now I’m going to be singing Waitress forever)
The Earl’s Christmas Pearl by Megan Frampton
Christmas With the Billionaire & A Tiara For Christmas (this is one of the last few Kimani doubles that will ever be published by Harlequin)
The Christmas Dare by Lori Wilde
Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory (It came out way too early, honestly)
A Second Chance Road Trip for Christmas by Jackie Lau (11/12)

Do you like holiday romances? What are you reading this week?

Hey, it’s Halloween! Enjoy the evening in whichever way you prefer—out and about trick or treating or hiding in the dark with your own bowl of candy goodness—and if you’re in a place that has celebrations for All Saints and All Souls, enjoy those the same way.

Over on Book Riot

We at Book Riot love our reading pathways! Check out the Christina Lauren one if you missed it last week, and now we’ve got one for Tessa Dare!

In search of new ways to read and eat at the same time? Here are some tips!

Dana dropped some knowledge about preorders and why they’re important. I know I don’t often mention books that far in advance, if at all, but it’s definitely something worth reading up on.

Do you use Libby to listen to audiobooks through your library? Check out these hacks to up your listening game.

Deals

Today’s the last day of a lot of deals, so I’ll drop a couple that you should definitely check out before the clock strikes twelve.

Have you read any Lucy Parker? If not, you’re in luck, because Act Like It is 1.99. It’s the first in a delightful series, the fifth of which (Headliners) comes out in January. So now is the perfect time to pick it up and see if you want the rest. This one is a delightful enemies-to-fake-relationship-to-lovers story between two actors who are both in hot water. Lainie is the respectable one, though, and if people think she’s taming the ultimate bad boy, it’s good press for both of them and the play they’re in.

If you haven’t yet read Cat Sebastian’s first m/f romance (though it’s no less queer than her others) A Duke In Disguise is 99 cents. Verity runs a bookshop that keeps in the black by publishing some stuff that they probably shouldn’t, especially since her brother is an outspoken radical. Her BFF is an illustrator who’s basically been in love with her since they were kids, and also, it turns out to everyone’s surprise (including his)…the heir to a duke. So that’s always fun.

New Books!

So I jumped the gun a little bit this past weekend and did some reading ahead. You all know how I don’t like doing it. But I finally decided that I wasn’t going to torture myself anymore waiting to read this book, even though it doesn’t come out until next week. Go ahead and preorder it now, and you’ll be happy it’s in your hands on Tuesday.

The Bromance Book Club
Lyssa Kay Adams

If you feel like you’ve been hearing a lot about this book, it’s because you have. It’s been inspiring a lot of excited squeeing since well before summer, and I’ve just been trying to hold off on reading it too far in advance. I just…couldn’t wait any longer.

When we meet Gavin, he’s drunk out of his mind. His wife, Thea, wants a divorce, and he’s living in a hotel room. His friends—and some other guy he’s not even friendly with—decide that they need to help him, and bring him into the fold. The first rule of book club is you don’t talk about book club and all that. Using romance novels, these men have all found their way to the right language and clear understanding of how their lovers want to be treated, both in and out of the bedroom. They invite Gavin to do the same, and give him some assigned reading.

Gavin and Thea are in more trouble than he ever knew, and this is the story of them falling back in love—and doing so to a much deeper level. There’s also a bonus for the reader: we get to see a few chapters of the book Gavin is reading. It’s being touted as a romcom, but it’s definitely more serious leaning, as funny as some parts (and the whole premise) are.

Do you know what this book did? It made me decide that marriage-in-trouble stories are the only kind of second chance romance I’m really drawn to. I don’t mind a story of lost love reuniting a decade later, but there needs to be a huge draw for a story about someone who did something very bad and is trying to redeem themselves. I want the protagonists to have not quite reached that point, and The Bromance Book Club is that kind of story.

CW for discussion of parental neglect, marriage trouble, verbal insults of a person with a speech impediment, and a very heterosexual universe.

I’m also excited to pick up some amazing-looking new books:

Jinx by Phyllis Bourne
The Earl’s Christmas Pearl by Megan Frampton
Someone Seeking Someone Else by Nicole Falls
Learn My Lesson by Katee Robert
The Kingmaker by Kennedy Ryan
Stocking Stuffers by Erin McLellan (You’re going to hear plenty from me about this one!)
Awaken The Dragon by AC Arthur (November 4)
Beard Necessities by Penny Reid (November 4)
Prose Before Bros by Cathy Yardley (November 4)
Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert (November 5)

This next week is just a bombardment of riches. And this isn’t even everything coming out.

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

Y’all. This is the last week of October. I read my first Christmas romance this weekend (hopefully the first of many love stories set around the winter holidays!). And of course, it’s Monday. Again.

News and Useful Links

Let’s start out with the thing that caused a lot of emotional trauma late last week, after which point we can move on and all promise to do better.

There was a discussion thread on a popular romance-dedicated website that discussed historical romance. Several people there seemed to think that the newfangled diversity rules that are taking over the genre are causing historical inaccuracies left and right. So let’s all just remind ourselves and our friends:

• People of color and LGBTQ+ people have always existed
• England during the Regency consisted of more than just the Ton, and reading about people living in poverty is just as compelling (and sometimes way more interesting) than reading about rich people
• Everybody deserves a happy ending (unless they’re Nazis or otherwise unrepentant White Supremacists…like people who actively and willingly participate in the American Institution of Enslavement)

That’s it. That’s all the rules.

It begins: Publishers Weekly is the first to put out a Best Books of 2019 list (at least that I’ve seen). Do you agree with their choices for romance?

Have you seen the cover for the next (and sadly, last) Bareknuckle Bastards book? I feel physical pain every time I think about the fact that Sarah MacLean’s books come out a year apart.

If you’re curious about book cover design, here is an interesting look into how it works.

Cat Sebastian talked about fandom and spreadsheets, and included some fic recs. (Interesting note: I have a “fics” tab on my 2019 reading spreadsheet that was more than likely inspired by Cat. Also, she is the one whose Twitter recs sucked me–willingly–back into Stucky after several years away. So enter at your own risk lolsob.)

This wouldn’t particularly work as a meet cute, but it’s still a wild story and boy do I hope someone gets a plot bunny.

Deals

Holley Trent’s Shrew & Company is available for 2.99 right now! It’s a complete collection—seven total stories in over 1300 pages. Meet all the women of the Shrew & Company private investigation agency, and read the stories of them and the men who love them. There are shifters and acrobats and all kinds of surprising supernatural mysteries. And we all love Holley Trent, right?

Recs!

I realize I’ve been talking about Halloween for the past month, but I can’t resist one last time to talk about an oft-unsung sect of paranormal/supernatural romance: the magicians. And not just any magicians: historical ones. Magicians in historical romance are often presented a little differently than magical creatures, and the worlds they exist in are always fascinating to read about.

Salt Magic, Skin Magic
Lee Welch

I’d seen a few mentions of this book on the interwebs, and had made a note to check it out, but didn’t think about it again until I was looking for something to listen to in the car. (Note: the narrator of this audiobook is delightful; if you have a choice in format and enjoy audio, definitely go with it for this one.)

Lord Thornby lives to be outrageous. Not only is it fun, but it outrages his father. When he’s taken to the family estate after what to his father is the last straw, he spends a year trying to leave. When industrial magician John Blake arrives on a mission from a friend, he starts his investigating with Thornby. Thornby, of course, doesn’t even know magic exists, let alone how to use it. When it turns out the young man is telling the truth, and even worse, is the subject of someone else’s magic, John decides to help him figure out how to leave. And what’s plaguing the very bizarre house he lives in.

Spellbound
Allie Therin

This book runs at a very different pace than Salt Magic, but is built in the same kind of universe. There is a well-structured magical community, and they exist within and beside the nonmagical one. Magicians might work with mundanes, but for the most part, people in general don’t know about the magical world or how it works.

In this delightful 1920s(!) romance, Arthur is in search of supernatural relics that could be world-ending, and he comes to Rory for help to find them. They don’t particularly get along when they meet (catnip alert!), but their chemistry is pretty off the charts. Also, Arthur feels immediately protective of the smaller man. Which gets both of them in a lot of trouble as the world gets closer and closer to potentially ending.

Snowspelled
Stephanie Burgis

If you haven’t read this series, you’re missing out on a delightful world. Instead of existing in the shadows of the nonmagical world, the magicians of this Angland are a social class. And the society they exist in is somewhat matriarchal (the governing party is called The Boudiccate, for goodness sake!), but magic is reserved for men. That means nothing to Cassandra Harwood, who has a gift and wants to use it. Said gift has left her in a position where she’s had to end relationships, including the one with her now ex-fiance. When they’re trapped together at a house party that may or may not have been supernaturally snowbound, all those feelings come back to the surface as the two work together to resolve a conflict with an Elf lord who is hanging out just outside of the country manor where they’re staying.

I’ve also been meaning to read The Magpie Lord for, oh…a million years. I love everything KJ Charles writes, so I doubt I would hate that one. There’s also Jordan L. Hawk’s Widdershins, which I’m sure I’ve owned for just as long.

Who are your favorite magicians in historical romance?

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

Happy Thursday, KB! We’re getting closer and closer to Halloween, and I might be done with my spooky reads by then but I can’t guarantee it.

Over on Book Riot

Trisha and I talked about book clubs and social issues in romance. Maybe the connection the two could have in the future. Also, if you ever wanted some books about the history of romance, have we got the list for you in the shownotes.

Vampire romance manga? Yes, please!

Trisha also made a case for indies to carry romance, with a few recommendations for a starter kit. If you know some indie booksellers who have been…hesitant to sell romance, steer them towards this article.

Do you have any burning questions for Jasmine Guillory? Annika did.

And check out this Reading Pathway for Christina Lauren.

This isn’t romance related, but you’ll be really glad you clicked on it.

Deals

If you haven’t yet picked up your own copy of Intercepted by Alexa Martin, it’s 2.99 right now. This first in a series about football players and the women who love them, even when they’re being just…the worst, is a nice blend of fun and feels. If you start now, you’ll be done with Fumbled by the time Blitzed comes out in December!

New Books!

There are a lot of new books out, but honestly I just want to do what Trisha has been doing for the past several months:

Yell about The Widow of Rose House!

The Widow of Rose House
Diana Biller

Alva Webster is a widow. Not just that: she’s a scandalous widow. Even before the death of her husband, stories had circulated all over the New York Elite about her blasphemous life on the continent. Now that she’s returned to the US, she has bought a decrepit house to the north of the city, planning to refurbish it and use it as the subject of an interior decorating book. And she’s been ignoring the theories that the house is haunted.

Who hasn’t, though, is Professor Samuel Moore. Electrical engineer, inventor, all around absentminded genius. (When I first learned of this book, the publicist gushing about it described Sam as Chris Hemsworth in Ghostbusters, but actually brilliant.) The first time he approaches Alva about investigating her ghost, she blows him off. But he continues, and eventually she finds that she can’t ignore him, for both their sakes. As the two spend more time together, they can’t help their attraction, and there is plenty of steam to go with the spook.

All in all, this book is just delightful. There’s funny, freaky, and feels. I do have to include a CW for past spousal abuse, blackmail, discussion of parental neglect and wrongful incarceration, PTSD, medium level steam, and a bit of ghostly horror.

I’ve also started reading Bear With Me (November 1) by Lucy Eden, which is definitely a different kind of book. Celestine is an influencer who makes her money with sponsored posts and talent appearances. After her boyfriend breaks up with her, only to get engaged shortly after, a meltdown leaves her in serious hot water. With an order from her People to get her shit together, she heads to a cabin resort in the Catskills to reset. And the grumpy gus running the resort isn’t hard on the eyes, even if he’s weirdly exasperating.

I’m a little behind, so I haven’t gotten to all the upcoming releases I’m excited for:

Most Ardently by Susan Mesler-Evans
Hard Chrome by Vanessa North
Autumn Falls by Tiye Love
Dukes, Actually by Erica Ridley
Heartsong by TJ Klune
Fire & Ice by Rachel Spangler

I’m sure I’ve missed some other ones that are on my list, but it happens, right?

What are you reading this weekend?

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

How’s your week going, KB? I know it’s only Monday, and some of you might be reading this even before you’ve headed to work, but you know, gotta start early.

News and Useful Links

If you live in LA and your dream job is to work at The Ripped Bodice, now’s your chance.

Looking for a new online book club to join? This one’s going to be pretty awesome.

Have you seen the cover of Alexis Daria’s forthcoming telenovela-themed romance, You Had Me at Hola? Whoo man. It. Is. Great.

Bawdy Bookworms has a new subscription box! Introducing the Bawdy Quickie Box, each of which will feature a diverse romance and an erotic item.

This is a great article about romance novels being at the forefront of CTE in fiction, and the Twitter thread it’s attached to is also full of really great reads.

This is an excellent list of romances featuring Jewish protagonists. Which ones have you read? And if you can’t think of any, well…you’ve got someplace to start now!

Frolic is now a parent company. They just coordinated with a media company to form the Frolic Podcast Network, which involves a few podcasts I’m pretty familiar with and some I know less about.

I would like a romance novel that starts with this meet cute. I know Jen Deluca is sort of the be-all in renaissance festival romance right now, but there’s obviously a market! Somebody get this going, please.

Deals

It’s been a minute since I’ve talked about Tracey Livesay (who has a new book coming out with Avon in too many months) but Love On My Mind, the first in her Shades of Love series and the cover that will always get me singing Natalie Cole, is 99 cents right now! I really enjoyed this one, even with my misgivings about the nature of the deception at the story’s core. But both characters are really interesting, and the setup for the rest of the series is pretty great 😀

And if you’re looking for a new wolf shifter series to try out, Maria Vale’s The Last Wolf is FREE right now! This series has gotten a lot of chatter, and I’m looking forward to picking it up (someday lolsob).

Recs

It’s Asexual Awareness Week (or Ace Week, according to the website) so I wanted to pull together some recs of books I’ve loved, that have also been appreciated by readers on the gray/ace spectrum for having good rep of various sexual identies.

Thaw by Elyse Springer (asexual protagonist)

Abby is a librarian whose primary goal in life is to make sure her library keeps running. But when she takes time away from working at and advocating for the library to attend a schmancy function, she finds herself in the arms of the beautiful Gabrielle, a supermodel and aspiring actress.

Play It Again by Aidan Wayne (asexual protagonist)

David is a blind accessibility reviewer and all-around influencer. When he discovers Sam, a gamer with a lovely voice whose gameplay videos he can’t help but enjoy, he accidentally sends the other man into a world of popularity he hadn’t been prepared for. The two communicate cross-continentally, forming a strong connection via the interwebs and other modern forms of communication.

How to Be a Normal Person by TJ Klune (asexual protagonist)

When Casey moves from Los Angeles to the small town of Abby, Oregon, the last thing he expects to do is find the love of his life. But Gustavo, the grumpiest of grumpy romance heroes, is basically the best thing he’s ever seen. Casey’s earnestness and Gus’s grumpy matter-of-factness are the perfect juxtaposition as they both figure out how to be normal people.

Note: If you enjoy this one, definitely check out How to Be a Movie Star, which has a demisexual protagonist. His whole journey from “I want to be this guy’s friend” to “this is my favorite person in the world” is the sweetest thing, and perfect on audio.

Note 2: Dreamspinner Press still hasn’t paid TJ Klune and a bunch of other authors royalties. You can make a choice whether you want to support the publisher while TJ is in the process of getting the rights to all of his books reverted.

That Kind of Guy by Talia Hibbert (demisexual protagonist)

Zach really likes Rae. She’s his favorite person to talk to, and he’d probably do anything for her. Which is how he ends up offering to be her pretend boyfriend at a conference that she’s been invited to—that she knows her ex husband will also be attending. He’s recently decided to live for himself and stop being the person everyone’s expected him to be, which means he only does things he wants to do. So how does a trip that’s just supposed to be a platonic weekend of pretend leave him breathless and confused?

Shadows You Left by Taylor Brooke and Jude Sierra (demiromantic protagonist)

If you need some heavy angst in your life, Erik and River are here to provide. Erik, an underground cage fighter, gets a new dragon tattoo for each of his wins. When he gets into tattoo artist River’s chair, there’s an immediate connection, but each of them has plenty of baggage they don’t want the other to have to deal with.

Syncopation by Anna Zabo (aromantic protagonist)

This was actually the first book I ever picked up that had an aromantic character. You’re probably thinking “how can an aromantic person be the progatonist in a romance novel?” I’ll tell you: by being able to love the way they want and need to. Zavier and Ray knew each other in high school, and now Ray’s band needs a new drummer for their upcoming tour. Enter Zavier, who is the perfect fit. Too bad he and Ray don’t particularly get along very well. But boy, do they have some serious chemistry.

If you’re interested in reading more romances featuring ace and aro characters, check out this database, which is maintained by author Claudie Arsenault. The database is for all types of fiction, but you can limit the genre to romance. Have at it!

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

It’s Thursday again, and we’re back on schedule with new books!

Over on Book Riot

Holiday reads! Take this quiz to see which one you should pick up next.

Do you watch way too much HGTV? You definitely want to check out these renovation romances.

We’ve been talking about queer women in mixed-gender romances for a while. Casey’s got some more for us to check out, with links to older lists to really build out your TBR.

If you need someone to tell you that it’s okay not to read, Leah is here to do it. Very eloquently, too.

I’m still not sure how to define horror romance, but I know one when I see it. I really do wish we had more of these, because I hate being scared, but I love stressed out people falling in love.

And if you’re looking for queer women in historical romance, Casey’s got some of those for you, too. I’ve mentioned a few of them here, but it’s always nice to have them all in one place!

Deals

If you find yourself in need of a nice fake relationship, Pretending He’s Mine by Mia Sosa is 99 cents. The second book in her Love on Cue series, this one has those two delightful elements: friends to lovers and a fake relationship. Julian has a thing for his best friend’s younger sister (yes, it’s one of those), and Ashley has a pretty resonant crush on him. She doesn’t do relationships, but she wants Julian to want her. She gets one step closer when circumstances leave her moving in with him, but things really come to a head when she asks him to fake being in a relationship with her.

New Books!

I am apparently on a marriage of convenience kick, because I have to talk about this soapy mess of a book that I devoured this week.

Lush Money
Angelina M. Lopez

How soapy do you like your romances? If your answer is “not at all” then you probably want to stay away from this book. If your answer is “as a bubble bath” then you definitely want to try this book out.

Mateo is a prince. Literally. His father is the king of a principality and has been overspending to the point of the region’s near bankruptcy. So when Roxanne Medina offers him a contract for marriage and three nights a month, in order to produce them both an heir and restore the monetary flow to the Monte, he isn’t sure what to think. While balking at the idea at first, he can’t say no to the money. Or to any amount of sex with the gorgeous billionaire. There are all kinds of twists and turns in the story, as the two discover more about each other and their situations. And Mateo’s father’s spending is only part of the story.

Note: this book has continued conversation about getting pregnant, as well as discussion of child abuse and neglect.

I know it’s not brand new, but I am also looking forward to rounding out the marriage-of-convenience trifecta that began with Xeni: A Marriage of Inconvenience with Jodie Slaughter’s White Whiskey Bargain, which is a modern marriage of convenience set in Appalachia.

Other new books I’m looking forward to picking up soon:

Recipe for Chaos by Jaxon Knight
One Walk in Winter by Georgia Beers
The Matchmaker’s Mistletoe Mission by Jaci Burton
A Lie for a Lie by Helena Hunting
I’ll Be Home For Christmas by Beverly Jenkins (rerelease; first time as a standalone)
I Knead You Tonight by Teagan Hunter (I KNOOOOOOW)
Daddy by Jack Harbon
Christmas With the Billionaire & A Tiara For Christmas by Niobia Bryant and Carolyn Hector
Christmas Kisses by Farrah Rochon

What are you excited to read this weekend?

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

It’s Monday! I’m weirdly excited for it!

Whatever, let’s talk about what’s been going on.

News and Useful Links

While I was squeeing about Farrah Rochon’s cover last week, Kwana (KM) Jackson was revealing her own cover at Frolic. It is pretty effing cute.

Have you heard about Penny Reid’s new venture, Smartypants Romance? She commissioned authors to write stories in the extended universes of her Neanderthal and Winston series, and is publishing them in quick succession. The first one, Baking Me Crazy, came out last week, and the next one is only days away. Have you read one? What do you think?

If you like calendars (or even if you don’t), this is a gorgeous project to back.

Check out this super moving, super interesting look at neurodiversity in romance from three #ownvoices romance authors.

Have you ever wondered what your favorite writers’ writing space looks like? Beverly Jenkins wrote about hers, and it’s nice to know we can have something in common with these paragons of greatness.

How familiar are you with incorrect Twitter? There is probably an “incorrect [insert title here]” for most things that have a strong internet following, and the Incorrect Latinx Lit account totally hit my funny bone with this one.

Deals

With the introduction of the expansion of the Green Valley world, it might be time to dig around with Penny Reid’s Winstons. Good thing Dr. Strange Beard, featuring youngest bearded Winston brother Roscoe and his longtime crush Simone. This is one of my favorite couples, in part because they have such barriers—Roscoe has an eidetic memory, except of course, that doesn’t mean he knows other people’s points of view; Simone is a Fed working undercover, and can’t tell people why she’s in town. The misunderstandings abound, and the whole Winston family is there to witness it.

Recs!

The fall is all about many things, and October is heavily Halloween-based. But there are other holidays in the Fall, including Thanksgiving!

A Match Made for Thanksgiving
Jackie Lau

To be fair, Jackie Lau is Canadian, and her characters are, too, so this particular Thanksgiving is in October. But the sentiment is still there!

Nick is all about the single Toronto life. He picks up women in bars and lives for himself. (He also looks a touch like Henry Golding, but that’s neither here nor there.) After he overhears Lily muttering about picking up a one-night stand, they have the night of their lives, and even though both swear it’s only for a night, neither can stop thinking of the other. Which gets a little complicated when Lily shows up at his family home for Thanksgiving…as his brother’s blind date. (There are some serious Wong family shenanigans happening and they’re literally the best.) But that doesn’t erase the chemistry they still have.

This is the first book in Jackie’s new Holidays with the Wongs series, which promises more delightful shenanigans at Christmas, Lunar New Year, and Valentine’s Day. So keep an eye out!

On the other hand, if you’re looking for another book that sits at the right edge between spooky and precious, there’s Love Spells for the End of the World by Alys Murray. This one comes with a similar amount of family shenanigans, but there is also a completely different kind of relationship between the protagonists.

Bel is a witch. She lives in a town full of supernatural beings, which only opens itself up to humans on one night of the year. Bel is…not a very good witch, which is perfect, because her human neighbor (on the other side of the town’s barrier) is an equally incompetent witch hunter. He’s been failing to kill her for the past ten years, but now, she needs him. Because a hellmouth just opened up in her house.

The key element of this kind of enemies-to-lovers story is the purpose of their enmity. Witches and witch-hunters are natural enemies, but primarily due to ill-conceived theories about each other. Bel and Elijah learn more about each other, and the worlds they inhabit, and that helps them with both their inner and outer conflict. I don’t know if I handle this kind of relationship better because of the supernatural setting, but it’s pretty cute.

What are you reading this week?

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

 

 

I told you to look for something special today, didn’t I?

I’m so excited to share a first look at Farrah Rochon’s The Boyfriend Project! It’s still so far away (June 9, 2020; when even is that?) and I am sad for the wait but I will wait, because THAT COVER. Wait until you see it!

First, a bit about the book:

Farrah Rochon’s The Boyfriend Project is the first in a new series from Forever about three young women who become friends when the live Tweeting of a disastrous date leads them to discover they’ve all been duped by the same man.

Samiah Brooks never thought she would be “that” girl. But a live tweet of a horrific date just revealed the painful truth: she’s been catfished by a three-timing jerk of a boyfriend. Suddenly Samiah—along with his two other “girlfriends,” London and Taylor—have gone viral online. Now the three new besties are making a pact to spend the next six months investing in themselves. No men, no dating, and no worrying about their relationship status…

For once Samiah is putting herself first, and that includes finally developing the app she’s always dreamed of creating. Which is the exact moment she meets the deliciously sexy, honey-eyed Daniel Collins at work. What are the chances? When it comes to love, there’s no such thing as a coincidence. But is Daniel really boyfriend material or is he maybe just a little too good to be true?

If you aren’t screaming just yet, scroll on, because you will freak at this cover, designed by Elizabeth Stokes Turner. It’s so good, y’all.

Just. Just look at it:

I know, right?

It’s so perfect. I can’t.

Anyway, you probably want a taste of the book, don’t you, after all that? Well, you’ll be happy to know that I’ve got a whole chapter for you! Read ahead!

***

“Alexa, play Drake.”

Releasing an intentionally loud, dramatic sigh, Samiah Brooks lolled her head toward the opened bathroom door and called out, “Don’t just tell it to play a certain artist, Denise. Tell it what song you want it to play.”

Muffled footfalls shuffled across the bedroom’s alder hardwood floors. A moment later her sister appeared in the doorway.

“I don’t know any Drake songs. That’s why I asked the damn Alexa thingy.” Denise lumbered into the bathroom, plopped onto the toilet’s closed lid, and palmed her substantial belly. The opening bars of Drake’s “Best I Ever Had” began streaming through the HD speakers discreetly positioned throughout the condo. Denise pointed upward. “Is that him? Is that Drake?”

“Yes.” Samiah sighed again. She capped her Fenty Beauty 410 foundation and traded it for the liquid eyeliner. Tugging her lower lid downward, she muttered as she swiped the thin brush along the rim of her eye. “You know you can’t fake this kind of thing, right? Your students will see right through it.”

“Shows how much you know. I’ve been faking it for years. No one’s caught on yet.”

Samiah glanced over her shoulder and grinned. “Make sure you don’t say that around your husband.”

“Oh please.” Denise batted the air as she adjusted her position on the toilet seat cover. “He knows I sometimes have to fake it with him too.”

“Dammit!” Samiah nearly poked herself in the eye with the eyeliner brush. She swung around and glared at her sister. “You said that shit on purpose.”

“What?” Denise asked with wide, guileless eyes. Her knowing smirk nullified her weak attempt at innocence.

“If I gouge myself in the eye with this thing, I’m telling Mama it was your fault.”

“She’d never believe you.” Her sister gestured to the array of palettes scattered across the leathered granite vanity. “Why didn’t you get all dolled up before you went out with me? You wait until we get back to pull out the heavy artillery?”

“Jealous?”

“As if. I can barely remember to pack lip balm in my purse.”

Samiah tsked as she used the smudger brush to blend the shadow into the crease of her eye. “Master the smokey eye and you can conquer the world.”

…want to read more? Find the full chapter here! And don’t wait to preorder The Boyfriend Project now!

***

Are you ready? Because I’m ready! (For it to be June :sobs-forever:) The Boyfriend Project releases June 9, 2020 from Forever, an imprint of Grand Central Publishing.

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

So hey, this week, I’m switching it up (for something super special on Thursday, so keep an eye out!) and doing New Books on a Monday, what? Read on, there’s some good stuff you gotta check out!

News and Useful Links

Check out the covers for Kennedy Ryan’s upcoming romance duet.

What do you know about the Bowling Green State University’s Pop Culture Library and its romance collection? They do some amazing work over there (and share some awesome gems on Twitter!) and have one of the most impressive collection of romances past and present.

Do you want a six-month romance box subscription? Enter to win here!

And I said I would talk about the conversation that was happening last week around Jasmine Guillory, so here it is: last week, in yet another profile, we got a similar framing to some that have already been called out (including on Book Riot): Jasmine Guillory is doing something new and different by writing about Black people in love, particularly featuring Black professional women. I love Jasmine and think she’s an amazing person. I enjoy her books. But the angle keeps getting used in profiles about her, and it’s continuously both harmful and hurtful to the Black authors who have come before her…for decades. I will never step on Jasmine’s success; she has done well for herself and will continue to do so. But lack of exposure on her part or a journalist’s part doesn’t mean someone can just write that she’s the Queen of Black Romance without doing some research.

If they want to talk reigning monarchs, though, maybe they should check out the adaptation of Brenda Jackson’s A Brother’s Honor, which is now available to watch on Passionflix. Did I mention she published her 100th romance this year?

Deals

If you like a good anonymous encounter, followed by an “oh no you’re my new boss” story, and you also like a good Victorian sex club, Eva Leigh’s Dare to Love a Duke is 1.99 right now! I mean, do I need to tell you anything else about this book?

New Books!

I don’t know if it’s a beginning of the month thing or if it’s just a people want to kill me thing, but damn do we have an amazing week’s worth of new releases. I’ve read one, and it’s just…so good. I can’t wait to check out the others!

Xeni: A Marriage of Inconvenience
Rebekah Weatherspoon

After a bit of a snafu in which Xeni showed up nearly 24 hours later than it was supposed to, the world was exposed to the glory that was Xeni and Mason on Saturday morning. Xeni is in a small town in Upstate New York in the wake of her aunt’s death. She’d had a good relationship with the woman, who had once been a famous singer. But when she arrives at the reading of her aunt’s will, along with an enormous man she’s never seen before, there’s a catch to receiving her unexpected inheritance: she and this Mason have to get married. But it turns out, that’s not really the worst thing that could happen. And it’s not like they have to stay married, right? They can just hang out, get their affairs in order, and see if this chemistry goes anywhere.

If you’ve read Sanctuary, you’ll be familiar with Mason and the McInroy Farm, and if you’ve read Rafe you know Xeni. Together? They’re so great. Their banter is perfect, their sap is gooey, and their love life is fire. Enjoy.

I am also this close to taking a day off this week to read American Love Story, the third book in Adriana Herrera’s Dreamers series. I can’t wait to dive back into that lovely world and hang out with Patrice and Easton. We’ve been getting glimpses of their story since the beginning, and I am very much looking forward to having them front and center in the story. Also, where Patrice goes, the rest of the guys do, and I’m looking forward to all of the conversations he’ll be uncomfortable having both over the phone and in person.

And then there are the other things that just came out or are coming out this week:

Down Too Deep by J. Daniels
Whispers of Shadow and Flame by L. Penelope
Master of Restless Shadows by Ginn Hale
Faker by Sarah Smith
Baking Me Crazy by Karla Sorensen (the first of Penny Reid’s Smartypants books!)
The Widow of Rose House by Diana Biller
The Mogul and the Muscle by Claire Kingsley
A Match Made for Thanksgiving by Jackie Lau (A THANKSGIVING ROMANCE!)

What are you excited for?

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