Author: Jessica Pryde

Embrace Your Inner Romance Protagonist

Post author By Jessica Pryde
Post date November 4, 2020

Over on Book Riot

I know the spooky season is over, but I am super intrigued by this deep dive into Eve Silver’s books and I am down for some gothic horror romance.

And Trisha decided to quiz me on meet-cutes.

Embrace your inner romance protagonist and check out these cottagecore gifts.

Or cozy up with some bookish socks.

And round it out with some printable art.

Want to start your own book recommendation service online?

Deals

Like Lovers Do by Tracey Livesay

Even though this is the second in the series, you can jump right into Like Lovers Do and swoon your way through it. This friends-to-lovers fake relationship novel includes vistas at Martha’s Vineyard, family tensions, and ex-girlfriends. I haven’t read this one (even though I’ve been meaning to, story of my life!) but there are a bunch of people who share my preferences that have absolutely loved it, even more than the first one.

New Books!

(Note: I’d intended to discuss this book last week but it was our sponsor, so you get to see my thoughts on it this time around!)

If the Boot Fits by Rebekah Weatherspoon

I’ll tell you a secret: I never actually finished reading A Cowboy to Remember. I love Rebekah’s books with all my soul, but the amnesia + second chance romance thing was not for me. But that didn’t mean I wasn’t gonna be all out for If the Boot Fits, her take on the Cinderella story.

After Amanda and Sam have a magical night together, she runs off in the morning, late for work. She also accidentally absconds with his Oscar statuette, but there’s an easy fix for that. What’s less easy is the fact that he doesn’t know her name or how to find her…except they run across each other at Sam’s family ranch in Charming, California, where she’s attending a wedding. Can they figure out if it was meant to be, or will she slip away again?

I haven’t read far enough into the book to establish a full list of content warnings, but I will say that Amanda works for a relatively toxic actress who has her own issues.

(Also, if you like to read with sound, I recommend a running marathon of all your favorite Cinderella stories in the background. It definitely contributes to the ambience.)

There are a bunch of other new releases I’m excited to pick up, too:

Roll Bounce Love by Kay Shanee (do you see that? Rollerskating romance! I’m down!)

His Princess For Christmas by Therese Beharrie

Her Inconvenient Christmas Reunion by Nina Singh

Gurpreet and the Wrong Twin by Sookh Kaur

The Intern by Jack Harbon

Vows in Name Only by Naima Simone

American Christmas by Adriana Herrera

A Heart to Trust by AL Brooks

The Duke Who Didn’t by Courtney Milan (the audiobook is out! If you’ve been doing a lot of reading with your ears, definitely pick this one up)

An Alien Prince for Thanksgiving by Isla Chiu (we don’t get a lot of Thanksgiving books; I’ll take one that also includes aliens!)

Touch Me by Alexandria House (also an audiobook release, this time an Audible original)

The O’Malleys by Katee Robert (new box set!)

Play it Again, Charlie by R. Cooper

Frenemies With Benefits by Kelly Myers (color me curious! That’s quite a setup)

& Then There Was You by Tay Mo’Nae

Restricted by AC Thomas

Claimed By the Hero by Yahrah St. John

Plans for the weekend?

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

Kissing Books

Friends Who…Catch Feelings

Post author By Jessica Pryde
Post date November 2, 2020

Sponsored by Carina Adores and The Secret Ingredient by KD Fisher.

“A perfectly rendered cast of characters, plenty of mouthwatering moments in the kitchen, and a completely charming smalltown setting.” —Booklist on The Secret Ingredient. Two amazing chefs. Two very different restaurants. One recipe for love. Carina Adores is home to highly romantic contemporary love stories where LGBTQ+ characters find their happily-ever-afters.

Another month in the books, and speaking of books: this is a serious self-care week, no matter what. Use the Forest app (or your own willpower, if you happen to have any of that) to keep yourself off your phone. Grab a nice book or the ereader of your choice and hang out with some fictional characters.

So let’s talk about those folks.

News and Useful Links

We got news that authors Adrienne Byrd and Rachel Caine have both passed away.

A little birdie indicated there’s some new Bridgerton appearance happening today. So keep an eye out (and don’t do anything else on social media).

More Boyfriend Material pencils!

Reese Ryan and Beverly Jenkins are chatting on November 4. Might be a good palate cleanser.

And there’s another Date Night coming up.

And speaking of events, do you have this calendar bookmarked?

Rioter Carole had a (print) chat with Olivia Dade and Rebekah Weatherspoon for Bookpage.

Deals

It’s a new month, and that means a bunch of new books are on sale!

The Worst Best Man by Mia Sosa

Are you ready to laugh your butt off? Mia Sosa can help you with that. Carolina got the word that her fiancé didn’t want to get married on the day of the wedding…from his brother. Fast forward to now, and Carolina and Max (the brother) find themselves working together on a project, and Carolina still holds…a bit of a grudge. The relationships in this book are great, almost as much as the immediate relationship. Sometimes the pranks feel a little too much, so take that with whatever you like.

Recs!

Over the past several weeks, I’ve happened across books with a similar enough premise to be noticeable, and I was…intrigued. I will eventually read them all, but you know I have to spread out my friends-to-lovers stories.

I give you…friends-who-make-porn-and-catch-feelings:

Press Play by Ash Dylan

I did read this one, though. When Riley asks her roommate Paul to come to the movie she’s reviewing for the paper, her buddy learns something about her: once upon a time, she won an amateur sex video competition. It comes up in conversation later that evening, and for their own individual reasons, they decide to make one together. Both have had crushes on each other since they met, but neither has been courageous about making a move. They have some seriously hot times together as Riley’s directorial vision comes to life, and they realize it might be now or never.

Fans Only by B. Love

When Only Fans comes up in conversation at a gathering of friends, Aries announces that she would be willing to have a page. When Merrick, a music teacher with dreams of producing, suggests that they go in together to reach their own dreams, they come to an agreement. They use the site to make the money they need, and then they’ll go about their own ways. (Merrick’s own way involves a woman he’s been hoping to date for years, and their relationship is…vaguely offputting, just as a heads up.) This is definitely one of the ones where there is something always there between them, but those Feelings happen over the course of the arrangement. You know how it goes.

A Flick Between Friends by Shae Sanders

This particular pair of friends have worked together for ages, and know each other incredibly well. But when both are downsized, Star needs a way to help pay for some family obligations. So she asks Lennox to film a high-quality film with her…and as usual, Feelings. The friends are bound to get confused, especially when lines blur between what’s happening on film and what’s happening behind the scenes.

These are all indie published, but I wonder if the success of The Roommate will bring in more big-ticket romances around sex work and sex workers…and maybe they’ll be less white. Of course, these are all amateur jobs, but range is good, right?

What are you reading this week?

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

Kissing Books

Your Halloween Is Now Booked

Post author By Jessica Pryde
Post date October 28, 2020

Over on Book Riot

Take this quiz for a cozy YA romance rec!

Tote bags? Did someone say tote bags?

Who would you take a writing seminar with? I’d totally go for Alyssa Cole, what with her being able to write in legit any genre. Give us a horror romance, Alyssa!

Literary experiences, right from your home!

Ashley had Midnight Sun thoughts.

A mood.

And there’s still time to win that sweet B&N gift card.

Deals

Desperate Measures by Katee Robert

If you don’t like characters from Disney movies being heavily sexualized and given angsty, emotional erotic arcs, look away now. I’m serious. You’re not gonna want to see this. Okay, for those of you who are still here…if you have not dipped a toe into Katee Robert’s Wicked Villains series, you can start with Desperate Measures for free ninety-nine as of my writing this. That’s free, if you didn’t figure that out. This is the first in the series of books that would usually be 4.99. It’s…hard to explain this book. But I will tell you there’s Jasmine. And there’s Jafar. And there’s consensual non-consent. There is daddy kink. And there is…Jafar. So take that as you will. It’s very much a YKINMK and YMMV kind of book for some people, but if you’re interested…free ninety-nine.

New Books

This is a pretty good week for books, I gotta tell you. Some of them are books we’ve been waiting on for…what feels like years but is probably just a few months, and some of them are books their authors just decided to graciously provide us with out of nowhere. I have so much to read!

His Grumpy Childhood Friend by Jackie Lau

Deal with the Demon by Chace Verity

Costume Cutty by Chencia C. Higgins

Don’t Let Go by Chelle Ramsay (I haven’t read this author before but I will go for any author who names both the book and the series after En Vogue songs)

Seduced By the Wolf by Terry Spear

The Secret Ingredient by KD Fisher

Claiming His Bollywood Cinderella by Tara Pammi

Crazy Stupid Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams

Holiday Home Run by Priscilla Oliveras

Love Your Life by Sophie Kinsella

Missing Christmas by Kate Clayborn (it’s a novella, sadly)

Love is a Rogue by Lenora Bell

Trick and Treat by Shae Sanders

Northanger Haunting by Jae Wiley (Northanger Abbey AND ghosts? How have I never heard of this book???)

Restored by Joanna Chambers

Black Witch Magic by Mila Nicks

Until the World Stops by LA Witt

Demon King by Elizabeth Briggs (You know how I just caught up with Lucifer? This looks like it’ll help with that itch…)

Feel the Fire by Annabeth Albert

My Last Duchess by Eloisa James

Happily Ever After in Bliss by Lexi Blake

Spells by Kristen Proby

The Christmas Backup Plan by Lori Wilde (there’s one every year, but I can’t seem to quit her lol)

Jane in Love by Rachel Givney

Bane’s Choice by Alyssa Day

The Duke Effect by Sophie Jordan

Brothersong by TJ Klune (if you’ve been waiting for the audiobook)

Tall, Duke, and Dangerous by Megan Frampton

High-Priority Asset by Juno Rushdan

The Tenant by Katrina Jackson (This comes out on Halloween and I will be very busy that day doing nothing but eating chocolate and reading this book)

Bitterburn by Ann Aguirre (And if I have time, this one too)

Oh. Um. Sorry?

I hope you don’t have any plans the rest of this week!

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

Kissing Books

Have You Seen This Cover Yet???

Post author By Jessica Pryde
Post date October 26, 2020

News and Useful Links

I screamed. (Also I recommend clicking through to her newsletter because the story about the cover models is perfect. Okay, not as perfect as the one about the Once Ghosted cover models, but close.)

We’ve been talking a lot about Amazon and indies, and we know that indies and romance have …an interesting history. Sarah MacLean offered an annotated list of bookstores that are particularly romance-friendly (and included recommendations from others in the thread, as well as Jen’s lovingly put together map.)

For the inaugural RWA Vivian award, nobody has to pay for their first entry.

This is a great conversation about fatness and fanfiction and a few other Fs.

Dash and Lily is coming to Netflix!

We’re one step closer to The Worst Best Man making it to the screen!

If you missed it the first time around, you can mask up for love with all kinds of gear!

You can also get ampersand shirts and more for the Penny Reid-verse.

And Lucy Eden opened a new shop with some fun taglines.

Those of us who live on Twitter got to have another one of Those Discussions with people who are not romance readers, and it went to shit. I’m not going to link to the original conversation, but we can all agree that romance as a genre should always have an HEA. If you want a love story with a different kind of ending, it exists in every other genre. Romances exist that do not end in a heteronormative marriage and kids situation, but they are still an HEA/HFN for the couple or group involved. If the protagonists share their love for each other and one rides off on his motorcycle and isn’t sure when he’ll be able to return, they’re in an HEA situation. If the aromantic character does what he can to show that he cares about his alloromantic partner but they never exchange the big ILY, they’re in an HEA situation. And if the characters do end up married, with or without kids, no matter their sexual orientation or gender identity, they’re in an HEA situation. And if someone’s HEA is to not be in a romantic relationship…well, they probably won’t be protagonists in a genre romance novel. (This is also true of film—if a movie is purporting itself as a romcom, I expect it to end in a relationship, even if it’s not a traditional one. Romantic dramas, on the other hand? I watched a trailer for one the other day and within thirty seconds was like…one or both of them is going to die before the end.)

Deals

Booked for Christmas by Lily Menon

I know it’s not quite Halloween yet, but if you’re in the mood for Christmas, you can read Lily (Sandhya) Menon’s first foray into adult fiction before her full length book Make Up, Break Up comes out in February. This one involves a romance writer and her biggest online critic who end up snowed in, alone, in her cabin. Obviously, they get to know each other and discover their misconceptions have no standing when they’re snowed in, alone, and kind of hot for each other…in her cabin. I’m looking forward to seeing how the hilarity she offers in her YA carries over into adult romance.

Recs!

I’ve been picking up books based on internet recommendations recently, and a few of them have actually stuck. And now I’ve moved on to a jonesing for a particular type that I used to seek out on a regular basis…so I might be reading them for a while.

Entreat Me by Grace Draven

Beauty and the Beast is probably the most influential piece of media in my subconscious. I have watched the original cartoon hundreds of time over the past three decades, and enjoyed the other Disney presentations of the story (I prefer the stageplay but “Evermore” amirite). Even before the cartoon, I remember watching the TV show with my mother or aunt or grandmother (or some combination of the three) until it was cancelled. I have read every version of the original tale that I know exists. I acknowledge that each has its setbacks and missteps.

But sometimes, someone writes a version that is just…magnificent.

The last one of those I read was As Old As Time, the Disney Twisted Tale written for a YA audience that takes the story and sets it on its head. And I didn’t think I’d find another Beauty/Beast story that I would enjoy to that same level. (Okay, and Briarley. I’d almost forgotten about Briarley.)

And then, someone mentioned Entreat Me. I had picked up a book by Draven before and decided not to read it based on the plot and my mood, but I hadn’t heard of this one (or if I had, I’d forgotten about it). This particular story involves a father and son cursed by the woman who connects them and a pair of sisters who become involved with them. Ballard and his wife didn’t love each other, but he hadn’t expected her dying breath to be a curse on him that also affects Gavin…who is also not biologically his. Hundreds of years later (the book later explains how they’re all still alive hundreds of years later), Gavin has been traveling the world and has fallen in love with Cinnia. When a local merchant who claims Cinnia and Louvaen’s father owes him extreme debt offers to clear them if Cinnia marries him, Gavin absconds to his ancestral home with her. Louvaen, worried for her sister, follows. And there, she meets Ballard, who has been heavily disfigured by the effects of the curse. The pair exchange plenty of barbs, but come to understand and eventually like each other. And things…go from there. (This is not your traditional, sex-free version of the story. Be prepared.)

While the beginning was slow going (at least for me), I very much enjoyed it once I got moving. There’s a significant difference in a BatB story in which the titular beauty is not a prisoner of the titular beast, even for a brief time. Changing that dynamic automatically makes the situation more palatable, and everything else goes down super smooth.

(CWs: labor-related death; scarring and scars that move (body horror?); violence against women (not by protagonists); near drowning; gun use; centering of virginity; threat of rape (not by protagonists); description of labor and birth; metaphysical torture; unconscious self-harm; discussion of dead bodies and plague death.)

There are some other BatB stories that have been on my list for a long time, so maybe I’ll pick up Nalini Singh’s Lord of the Abyss soon. And apparently Grace Draven has another one called Radiance. I’ve been into the fantastic more than completely contemporary lately, so we’ll see what comes of it.

Do you have any favorites?

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

Kissing Books

Where Do YOU Stand On Pranks?

Post author By Jessica Pryde
Post date October 21, 2020

Over On Book Riot

What are your thoughts on pranks? I’m not a fan (as someone who just this eventide had to deal swiftly with a potential static shock war in the grocery store), but sometimes I enjoy reading about prankster hijinks within the course of a romantic story. So I look forward to trying out some of the books on Sil’s list.

This is a great treatise on why queer characters don’t actually need romance to be queer.

Yuri manga, anyone?

This is a really cool dive into the history of book clubs.

What’s the science behind reading?

You still have time to go for a gift card to Barnes & Noble.

And Trisha and I talked about a bunch of stuff.

Deals

40-Love by Olivia Dade

I hear it’s actually getting cold in some parts of the world, so why not harken to the warmth of a Florida vacation with 40-Love by Olivia Dade? If you’ve already devoured Spoiler Alert, this is an easy jump, featuring another awesome fat protagonist and a sexy love interest who will do anything for her. It’s 4.99 anytime, and a great segue into the other Marysburg and M-burg adjacent books.

New Books!

East End by Nana Malone

If you’ve read Big Ben and the rest of that trilogy, you are definitely ready for East’s story. The London Lords are very different people, but their stories are similarly compelling (and legit frustrating because she’s writing them in three-book installments oh my god, Nana). East isn’t as broody as Ben, but he’s just as determined to complete his mission, which in this case is to keep an Interpol officer off the Lords’ case. There’s bound to be intrigue, and snark, and serious sexytimes…or maybe just a lot of sexual tension.

When We Were Ghosts by EJ Phillips

Gemma is on a quest to get her twin back from the dead, and she’s got a ghost named Eve and some…unlikeable companions to help on her quest. And while she’s got this quest to deal with, she might be falling for Eve…which is complicated, because she’s a ghost. (You can bet your behinds I’m super excited to read this, even if it is technically YA. “Upper YA,” it’s called.)

And there are a bunch more I’m looking forward to checking out:

Sweet on You by Carla de Guzman (Christmas the Filipino way!)

Snapped by Alexa Martin (I haven’t read this one and there has been some…discourse…around the way the activism is approached, so ymmv)

Call Me Maybe by Cara Bastone (Audible Original audiobook)

Karmina: The Black Dragon Princess by Kornelia Blackmore (I know nothing about this book or author, but I’m all about all those words)

Descent by Helen Hardt (this is book 15 in the Steel Brothers Saga)

Return Billionaire to Sender by Annika Martin

Love Song by Kylie Scott

Mean Machine by Aleksandr Voinov

Orange Blossoms-Love Blooms by Dalia Dupris

His Halloween Sweet by Raven de Hart

Give Me You by AC Taylor

In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren (Christmas Groundhog Day is definitely something I’m into. I want all the time loops)

What do you have planned for the weekend?

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

Kissing Books

BRIDGERTON IS COMING

Post author By Jessica Pryde
Post date October 19, 2020

Love All Year: A Holidays Anthology

If you’re looking for a good deal re: stories : dollars, you really can’t go wrong with a good anthology. And while there are plenty of anthologies regularly coming out, I gotta highlight the deal that is Love All Year: seven stories, 2.99. Love All Year is a holiday anthology, but like…a legit holiday anthology. Sukkot, Yule, Juneteenth, and more are celebrated within these pages. Check it out!

Recs!

So you know how I broke up with Kindle Unlimited a while ago? That didn’t last long—the itch was getting to me as I was adding more and more books to my “to read when I get KU again someday” list. I still have all the same problems listed in my post, but there was a deal on a six-month subscription so…:shrug-emoji:

I did take the chance to read a couple seasonally-appropriate books, though!

Sanctuary by Alexandria House

All I knew about this book going in was that the subtitle referenced “noire immortals” and I was all for it.

Temple is a radio DJ who gets a couple of song requests that bring up memories of her youth. She can’t believe it when it turns out the requestor is her first love, the man who loved her, loved on her, and then disappeared without a trace. He’s come back to apologize and maybe even get back together…and with a story to tell. Turns out he’s immortal—one of the First People. Oh, and kind of…royalty? She doesn’t let him off easily, but the book isn’t that long, so you don’t have to yell at both of them for too much time. Also, this book is hella sexy. Like whoa sexy. You definitely want to check it out.

The Ghost and Katie Coyle by Anne Kelleher

You know how I was crying about wanting a book like The Ghost and Mrs. Muir but with a different kind of happy ending? Reader, this is that book. I mean, I’m sure there are others (thanks to those of you who reached out with recommendations, I’m on it!) but this one definitely invoked similar energy, but with a ghost that can become solid in certain situations and—you guessed it—hot ghost sex. It’s dated, both in terms of content and themes of consent; there is not a cell phone to be found (though there’s a throwaway line about cell service not reaching the small town) and also there’s one specific scene with a sort of “it’s okay, I wanted it” moment. But otherwise, it’s a super quick read that only leaves us with a couple questions at the end (lolsob, you’ll understand what I mean).

I’ve also got MINK’s haunted house romance, Under His Spell, on my borrowed list, but that ghost appears to be a specter set to haunt the main couple. I’ve got a few more to check out, though!

Any ghostly plans for the week?

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

Kissing Books

Looking for Fantasy Romance? Look No Further.

Post author By Jessica Pryde
Post date October 14, 2020

Over on Book Riot

How many of these fantasy romances have you read? I’ve got more books to pile up and pretend to read!

I haven’t watched Indian Matchmaker (and I’ve read a few things about the casteism involved in the show and am not sure I want to) but this is still an interesting set of recommendations!

Spooky bookmarks!

Have you been keeping a reading journal?

Bookish costumes by sign. I’ll bite. (Funnily enough, the one that matches mine was also my high school mascot :D)

Deals

Paladin’s Grace by T. Kingfisher

Speaking of fantasy romance: I’ve been hearing T. Kingfisher’s name a lot recently, and this book sounds as good as any place to start. This one is a fantasy romance featuring a paladin who wants to be useful and the fugitive he goes on the run with. There’s magic, there’s worldbuilding, and there are apparently a lot of pages. And if you like this one and want more, Clockwork Boys and Swordheart are both currently 1.99 as well.

New Books

There are a bunch of books out today in the romance sphere—a couple are more like books in their genre with romantic elements, but might be worth checking out anyway.

So many books.

Sanctuary by Alexandria House

Booked for Christmas by Lily Menon (Sandhya Menon’s adult romance pseudonym)

The Last Rule of Makeups by Nina Crespo

Were-Geeks Save Lake Wacka Wacka by Kathy Lyons

The Vicar and the Rake by Annabelle Green

Now Playing by B. Love (That cover, y’all)

Division Bells by Iona Datt Sharma

Miracles and Menorahs by Stacey Agdern

The Midnight Bargain by CL Polk (this is one of those referenced “[insert genre] with romantic elements)

The Boyfriend Effect by Kendall Ryan

Legal Tender by Shae Sanders

Return to Virgin River by Robyn Carr

Simmer Down by Sarah Smith

Brothersong by TJ Klune (now that the last one is out I can finally read the rest!)

A Stitch in Time by Kelley Armstrong

Take You Down by D. Rose

Home by Kris Bryant

Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory (paperback release, the cover is purple now!)

The Lost Love Song by Minnie Darke

Never Too Late by Brenda Jackson

London’s Most Elusive Earl by Anabelle Bryant

After Hours Redemption by Kianna Alexander

The Lure of Love by Iris Bolling

What are you reading this weekend?

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

Kissing Books

Disney Books For Grown-Ups

Post author By Jessica Pryde
Post date October 12, 2020

Sponsored by Nicholas Sparks and his new book, The Return.

Trevor Benson is a young Navy doctor who unexpectedly finds himself back in New Bern, North Carolina after a mortar blast leaves him wounded. His late grandfather’s dilapidated cabin seems like as good a place to regroup as any, and he finds solace tending to his grandfather’s beloved beehives. But unexpected encounters with two local women—the deputy sheriff, and a sullen teenage girl who lives in a nearby trailer park—will lead him on a journey of love and forgiveness. In life, in order to move forward, we must often return to the place where it all began.

Happy Second Monday of October, folks! If you live in the States and have the federal holiday off, check to see if your city/county/region has made a statement about the dude the holiday is named after, and if they’ve gone ahead and declared it to be Indigenous Peoples’ Day (or some iteration thereof). If you don’t have the day off, hi!

Books. Let’s do this.

News and Useful Links

I love this graphic for the surprise cover reveal of Lyssa Kay Adams’ Isn’t It Bromantic.

I cannot contain how excited I am about Disney Publishing starting an adult line for retelling their stories, starting with Julie Murphy’s If The Shoe Fits, which brings Cinderella into contemporary adulthood.

Roan Parrish is set to publish the first ever (first ever?!?) queer romance for a Harlequin series line. They obviously publish quite a bit through Carina and Carina Adores, but this is their first (EVER) category book to be published with a couple that isn’t m/f, that will have the Harlequin swoop of any color (blue, in this case) and will go to print. I am obviously very excited for Roan because I love her so much and adored Better Than People, but I do have to wonder (as others have since the announcement) about the fact that the first person to write a Harlequin with two men (I’m assuming) on the cover is a cis woman, even if she is queer. I hope Harlequin is working on something with a worthy author who is not. A cis woman, I mean. (And if they are, can we get some non m/m representation up in here?)

There are apparently quite a few romance panels coming up at Frankfurt! Check out Romance Sparks Joy’s Sunday thread, which compiles them for us.

I haven’t listened to this episode yet, but I’ve heard it’s great. “Historical women in pants” is definitely one of my problematic faves (though now that I think about it, I haven’t read one in…a while).

Speaking of podcasts? Have you checked out Romance Ever After? Allie Parker hosts other members of Romancelandia to talk about a specific romcom movie every episode, and the next one is out tomorrow! (Transparency note: Allie is a longtime friend of mine.)

Deals

Heartbeat Braves by Pamela Sanderson

If you’re looking for a way to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day (or any day, really), supporting one of the very small number of Native authors in romance is one way to go. Heartbeat Braves by Pamela Sanderson is the first in a series and is only 99 cents. It features two Native protagonists and also touches on social and cultural issues. The other three are all 3.99 or less, so if you like the first one, just keep clicking 😀

Recs

Spoiler Alert dropped me into a bit of a book-reading slump. I made a respectable foray into My Hallowe’en Heartbreak by Melanie Ting, which was totally cute but not as about Halloween as I’d been looking for. I’d thought a cute Halloween book was what I was looking for, but turned out I was after something different. After countless ~~hours~~ minutes of scrolling through my kindle books, I settled in with The Love Study.

Readers, I want to marry it.

The Love Study by Kris Ripper

I did myself a favor by not reading the blurb to this one upon making the decision to read it. I had a vague recollection of what it was about from the initial discovery, but wasn’t certain of the specifics. But Kris has me covered.

Declan hates his friends sometimes. Mostly when the tidbit they use to introduce him include the fact that he left his last boyfriend at the altar. But that was six years ago and they’ve totally become best friends, so it was all better for everyone. He’s most embarrassed by this introduction when he’s introduced to Sidney, a new friend with a YouTube channel. They think it would be interesting to have Declan on the show in a new segment called The Love Study, where they set him up on dates and he reports back. And he’s kind of into the idea. The problem, of course, is that he might have a crush on his new friend instead, who Doesn’t Date.

Y’all know how this one goes.

I think the thing that worked best for me was Declan. He and I share a sense of humor and also have similar anxiety spiral processes, so I was all in for him as a narrator. But as usual, YMMV. I think his interactions with Sidney were precious and lovely and the endgame of their relationship was something you don’t get to see much. Never fear, though! This is still very much a romance novel with all the beats you’re looking for.

CWs: severe anxiety; panic attacks; mention of estranged family of origin (I really like that term, a character uses it to distinguish from their found family); called-out ableist language. I want to note that Kris makes this an amazingly safe space in regards to queerness, sex, and consent (unless you’re uncomfortable with the term “sex monkey”). Just as an FYI.

What are you reading this week?

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

Kissing Books

Ensnared, Enraptured, Enthralled

Post author By Jessica Pryde
Post date October 7, 2020

Sponsored by IN A HOLIDAZE, the sparkling holiday novel from Christina Lauren and Gallery Books.

Maelyn celebrates the holiday as always, with a boisterous mix of family and friends. At week’s end, everyone goes their separate ways, until Mae wakes up on the plane heading to vacation…again. Once she realizes she’s not going nuts, she starts trying things: like tossing out rock-hard brownies before her dad breaks a tooth…and finally acknowledging her feelings for Andrew, her best friend in the entire world. Will that finally stop this endless loop and let Mae start the rest of her life? In a Holidaze is the perfect holiday read for fans of Groundhog Day or Sliding Doors.

One full week into October and it’s the first time I’ve put on something dark and romantic and gothic with good music to enjoy. I suppose I’m not really in the mood for the creepy stuff, since it’s still 100 degrees in Arizona (uy). But hey, it’s the price I must pay for not having to have a whole separate wardrobe for cold weather.

Books! Let’s talk about books!

Over on Book Riot

Trisha went ahead and named the episode after an unfortunate stalling in my brain (lol).

Have you read any Georgette Heyer? This quiz will tell you where you should start.

For some reason my first instinct when I see this post title is to sing “shout hallelujah, come on get happy.”

It was Literary Friendship Day on Tuesday and I wrote about the amazingness that is friend groups in Black, multicultural, and interracial romance.

We collected our favorite books from the last few months. Not all romance, but definitely some worth checking out.

Deals

Block Shot by Kennedy Ryan

Are you ready to sob your heart out? The second and third books in Kennedy Ryan’s Hoops trilogy, Block Shot and Hook Shot, are both 1.99 at the moment. You don’t have to have read Long Shot to read the others, but characters from the first do occasionally appear, at least in passing. These are long, intense, heart-wrenching, angsty books, so if you need some catharsis, these are definitely worth checking out. They also all have content warnings legit up the wazoo (seriously, what is the origin of that? It’s not oisaeu because that makes no sense), so I would check those out on Goodreads or some other trusted review site. (Sadly, they’re not on Kennedy’s website.)

New Books

I finally managed to finish a book this past weekend, and it was glorious. I’m not surprised that it pulled me out of a slump, as I’d thought many times about reading it before its release and just hadn’t been ready. But boy am I glad I picked it up.

Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade

We all know I’m a member of the Olivia Dade fanclub, and her first publication with Avon is no disappointment. From the moment you see the cover, and read the dedication, to the second you read the final line of the acknowledgments, you are ensnared, enraptured, enthralled. April and Marcus are two fascinating characters, both with their own shit to deal with in their personal lives.

Marcus, unhappy with the direction the showrunners of the ongoing historical fantasy series he stars in have taken it, has taken to writing fanfiction and being an admin of a fan server for the show. He writes and betas stories for April, but neither knows who the other is. When a Twitter incident involving April, cosplay, and assholes leads to Marcus asking the young woman on a date, the two meet and she immediately sees past the Golden Retriever persona he’s created to detract people from the fact that he’s dyslexic. The two have true chemistry, but things get in the way. At first, at least.

This book is particularly fun if you’re in any kind of internet fandom, but I think you might still enjoy it if you’re not. I’ve seen some people say that the most off-putting element is the inclusion of interstitials between the alternating POV chapters—segments of fics, conversations on the boards, scripts from Marcus’s most ridiculous movies—but I absolutely loved them. But as with most things, YMMV.

CWs: fatphobia and fat shaming (on the internet and from family members); discussion of fatphobia; toxic parenting and emotional abuse; dyslexia; earthquake talk and simulation; estranged family member; ongoing deception (which is usually a hard limit for me but she made it work); discussion of suicide (by fictional character)

Okay, that’s probably enough about that. There were other books out this week, too!

Claimed On Halloween by Isla Chiu

Football and Ballet by Jason Collins (A m/m romance between a quarterback and a ballet dancer? Sign me up.)

After Hours Redemption by Kianna Alexander

Wicked by Jaci Burton

The Place Between by Kit Oliver

Brass Carriages and Glass Hearts by Nancy Campbell Allen

Knight of Paradise Island by JL Campbell

If the Broom Fits: A Halloween Romance by Sarah Sutton

Teach Me Tonight by Natasha Washington

In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren

The Ippos King by Grace Draven

He Ain’t Your Ordinary Bae by Tay Mo’Nae

Worth It by Chloe B. Young

Type Dirty To Me by Roxanne D. Howard

Her Sweet Temptation by Nina Crespo

Cat’s Got Your Heart by Jem Zero

In Her Arms by Melissa Tereze

The Bookworm’s Guide to Dating by Emma Hart

Her Secret Song by Mary Connealy

The Solstice Kings by Kim Fielding

Homecoming by Rick R. Reed

I only included one, but there are a lot of Christmas books out this week.

What are you reading this weekend?

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

Kissing Books

The Ghosts I’ve Loved

Post author By Jessica Pryde
Post date October 5, 2020