Author: Jessica Pryde

Do you know what’s nice about Kissing Books? I can keep track of Mondays and Thursdays, at least! And I have to go to a M-F dayjob. Still don’t know what’s going on unless I’m writing this lovely missive to you fine people.

Oh hey, I know there have been plenty of thinly-veiled #stucky romances out there, but anybody got any recs for a period romance with a snarky genius engineer and the vaguely wholesome smartass superhero he provides tech support for? Because I have recently realized that’s a thing I ship. But only in an alternate reality where the Valkyrie doesn’t go down 😉

(And if you didn’t get any of that…it’s okay, I’m an odd duck.)

(I *might* have Captain America on in the background as I write this.)

News and Useful Links

The author known as Sorcha Rowan “came out” (blech) as a cis male author last week. The writer of lesbian erotica used the “own voices” tag when writing and also admitted to some very bad behavior, including sexting readers using his Sorcha Rowan persona. The author has since taken down his site and deleted his various accounts.

Alexis Daria’s upcoming book You Had Me At Hola has been chosen as Target’s Diverse Book Club Pick for August.

So the conversation has started for Alyssa Cole’s upcoming debut thriller When No One Is Watching (out September 1) and you can read the first chapter on Buzzfeed. For anyone who is unsure—it’s damn good. And there’s still a romantic element—it’s just not at the center, so this leans more thrillery than romantic suspense.

If you don’t listen to any other Fated Mates episodes, listen to this one.

Dimple and Rishi are coming to our screens! (No date that I know of, but it exists!)

Have you felt like you can’t keep up with all of the romance virtual book events? This amazing person has created a Google calendar, which is getting regularly updated.

Have you watched The Old Guard? This person thinks romance fans will love it.

I mentioned it on Thursday, but in case you missed it, Daniel Dae Kim is set to produce and star in the adaptation of Jayci Lee’s A Sweet Mess!

Get your tickets for Avon’s Bookstore Romance Day virtual event!

This is only vaguely romance related, but still.

Deals

Adriana Anders’ Whiteout is on sale at the perfect time. It’s super hot, so why not go on an adventure in Antarctica, right? Hate to love, forced proximity, grumpy/sunshine, folks on the run, and snow. What more could a romantic suspense reader want, amirite? Pick this one up for 1.99, then check out Anders’ very different but similarly compelling Blank Canvas series.

Recs!

I’ve been playing a bit of catch-up with recent releases, and I was happy to curl up with a recent release that I think is the final book in the Beards and Bondage series. The shared universe is still going strong as long as there are single (or looking) people in the extended group of friends and family that we were introduced to several years ago with Fit.

(Also, here’s a great interview with Rebekah from last week)

Harbor: Beards and Bondage
Rebekah Weatherspoon

If you have read any of the Beards and Bondage books, you know they always start with an element of trauma. This is not Rafe or even Xeni levels of joyousness. So yeah: CONTENT WARNINGS UP THE WAZOO.

The first time Brooklyn meets Vaughn, it’s at her fiance’s funeral. Said fiance had been murdered while sleeping with one of Vaughn’s partners. Vaughn and his other partner, Shaw, are coping with her death (and the discovery of her cheating) in different ways, and Vaughn’s included seeking Brooklyn out. When the three meet all together, there’s an instant connection, but it’s too soon. A rash decision several months later brings them together again, but the trauma is still there, and they each have to deal with their own stuff in order to move forward. That doesn’t mean the sex isn’t hot. And they have a lot of it. With ropes. And other things.

CW: offpage violent death of partners; discussion of stalking and murder-suicide; BDSM scenes including D/s elements, rope play, orgasm denial, and paddling; homophobia; polyamphobia? Is that a word?; harassment by law enforcement; discussion of pregnancy and unprotected sex

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!

It’s another Thursday, and people are doing things, I imagine. Hug your folks (or wave from a safe distance if they’re not part of your household), do what you can to fight for justice, and read good books. And of course, wear a mask (or, if you just can’t live without your earrings, try a gaiter, it just pulls up underneath ;D)

Over on Book Riot

Have you listened to these audiobooks?

Look, it was really exciting to read about grown people communicating, alright?

This is fun!

Miss your book club? Welcome them back (or remind them you exist) with some personalized gifts.

Deals

I recently picked up a book that I assumed was a romance, because it was published by a small press that primarily publishes romance. Once I realized that it wouldn’t be a romance, I set it aside, just because I couldn’t put myself in that space without knowing there would be an emotionally satisfying ending. But I still want to read more contemporary romance featuring activists, and I was happy to come across this novella by Nia Forrester. Resistance: A Love Story centers two people trying to make their voices heard in this turbulent time, while also finding something for themselves. And it’s 1.99 right now! In a time where the average feed has gone back to normal, this is a good reminder about what’s happening…while also being an emotionally satisfying read.

New Books!

Me + Somebody’s Son
Christina C. Jones

Y’all. Somebody heard me talking about dropping Kindle Unlimited and decided they would put all the best stuff there. I will obviously willingly buy things a la carte, but I might have to pick it back up sooner than I thought I might. This week’s example: a new Mahogany Heights book from CCJ. This one features a florist and a bookseller (!!!) who hooked up in college and are reunited as functioning adults. Of course now, bookseller Haven is not into relationships. But maybe florist August can change her mind? But only if she wants to. It’s less than 100 pages, but you know how Christina can tell a story in a minute. Or if you don’t know, maybe this is the perfect entry into the Mahogany Heights connected universe.

There are a ton of other books out this week, too!

So Forward by Mina V. Esguerra (Always great to see more Romance Class books!)

One Woman’s Treasure by Jean Copeland

Playing the Midfield by Tracey Carter (oh hey, soccer romance!)

The Sedona Upset by Anastasia Alexander (transparency note: I know this author personally)

Unhallowed by Jordan L. Hawk

When Love Calls by J Chary

Storm Lines by Jessica L. Webb

A Sweet Mess by Jayci Lee (which just announced the involvement of DANIEL DAE KIM for an adaptation)

His Prince by Mary Calmes

Twisted Circles by Clare Contreras

Silver Ravens by Jane Fletcher (there are a dragon and a tower on the cover so I’m involved, okay?)

Entangled by Melissa Brayden (and wow, good timing, huh?)

André by Jayci Ellis

Engagement and Espionage by Penny Reid (this is actually the beginning of a cozy mystery series featuring Cletus and Jen from the Winston Brothers series, but I’m sure you’ll appreciate the reminder that it exists)

The Librarian and the Orc by Finley Fenn (look I know nothing about this book but THE LIBRARIAN. AND THE ORC. THE ORC. I need to know.)

And look at this gorgeous new cover for Jeannie Lin’s The Lotus Palace!

Reading any new releases 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!

It’s a new week, and we’ve got books to talk about. May your Monday be as interesting or boring as you hope it will be, and may you find the book you’re looking for right now.

News and Useful Links

This is quite the feat and I am grateful to this person forever.

Related, this is a great article about Black Love as activism.

I haven’t stepped my foot in the Jane Austen Fan Fiction community in quite some time, but many of the authors connected to Austen Authors are also related to Regency romance, whether or not Jane’s characters appear. So this distressing moment in the JAFF world also hit the romance one (especially since they reference the RWA debacle).

Into romance scholarship?

Read up on two of the summer’s famous fling stories.

Adriana Herrera had a brief but thought-provoking thread on who appears in stories.

I can’t wait to see what happens with the Matched to Perfection family on any size screen!

You can bet your heinie I’ll be reading this immediately. Well, probably not, but a girl can try!

While the book didn’t wow me, I’m glad to see that When Katie Met Cassidy is going to HBO Max! It feels like a book that would work better on screen, and maybe they’ll fix a few of the bits of bi-erasure that pop up…

If you missed seeing Ms. Bev at Date Night with Alyssa Cole last week (or just want more of her brilliant Truth Bombs) you can check out her talk with Kit Rocha at the end of the month.

I won’t link to any of the threads, but we apparently have to discuss the word trashy again. There are certainly those in the romance community who have reclaimed it, so to speak. But there are still those, especially outside of the readership or who are part of the “guilty pleasure” crowd, who can’t be talked out of the concept that books about the lovey dovey stuff are trashy, whatever their definition of the word. And definitely don’t come arguing that a book is trashy because there are glistening pectorals on the cover. Please. That kind of throwaway language is what helps keep the entirety of romance—even the high-profile ones with illustrated covers—widely derided by “real readers”. You know the type.

Deals

Have you read Tracey Livesay’s Sweet Talkin’ Lover? It’s a small-town romance that takes your reader conventions and tosses them out the window. It’s also the first in the Girls Trip series, the second of which (Like Lovers Do) is out next month, so now would be the time to try it out. And at 1.99, it’s definitely a deal.

And since it’s hot, why not start a hockey romance series? Off the Ice by Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn is also 1.99 right now! The second in the series, Goalie Interference, is 4.99 (so not too bad of a deal) and you can also preorder Trade Deadline, which is also out next month. The authors have an interesting take on the hockey romance and the characters they center, and I really enjoyed the first two (and can’t wait to read the third!).

And if you just want to leave this planet (a whole mood) you can get Holley Trent’s Jekh Saga: Collection One (the first three books) for 99 cents right now.

Recs!

I was recently turned onto Candace Harper, who it turns out is also Ceillie Simkiss! I have seen the latter name bouncing around for years, and I might even own one of her books, but I hadn’t actually picked up anything by her in either name until this past weekend, after getting my hands on a copy of Candace Harper’s February release.

Mrs. Mix Up
Candace Harper

Librarians Molly and Sofiya have a problem: they’re wildly attracted to each other. But neither of them know their interest is returned. And in Molly’s case, she has another personal hurdle to starting a relationship. She’s demiromantic, so sex is one thing, but feelings? It takes her a while and some potential partners might not be willing to wait for that to happen. The two have been working together for enough time to have a steady rapport, though, and when there’s a mishap at a conference they attend together, they have the chance to clear some air and grow closer. But there’s a campaign to cut their library system’s budget, and they have plenty of other things to deal with.

If you like slow burns, this is definitely for you; and Candace tells you that in a thorough author’s note at the beginning of the book, alongside a list of content warnings. It actually takes about half the book to get to the titular mix-up, but it’s a delight to read the regular workings of people who work in a library while also interacting with family and friends and each other.

If you read this and are looking for other books on the aro-ace spectrum, here are a few:

That Kind of Guy by Talia Hibbert

How to Be a Normal Person and How to Be a Movie Star by TJ Klune

Play it Again by Aidan Wayne

Their Troublesome Crush by Xan West

Syncopation by Anna Zabo

I’ve come across fewer romances by authors of color featuring characters who are on the aro-ace spectrum, but that doesn’t mean they’re not around. Have you read any? Tell me about them!

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!

It’s Thursday! It’s also your last chance to send me your thoughts about Getting Schooled before Trisha and I record the next episode of When In Romance tonight so if you’ve had the chance to read it, now’s the time.

Over on Book Riot

Book Riot published our best books of the year so far and man, the romance section. It’s stacked. I uh…own every single one of those books and will read them someday…

*I will not sing that song from Grease I will not sing that song from Grease I will not…*

If The Hating Game was your thing, here are some books to read while you wait for the movie.

Do you booktube? I’m bad at it, but always enjoy finding a new person to add to my endless subscription list. This list isn’t romance-specific, but hey, nobody is perfect.

How are you with library trivia?

Deals

If what you need in your life is drama drama drama, might I point you towards Forbidden Promises by Synithia Williams? This book is currently 1.99 (for the next few days, anyway) and features a relationship that will obviously be all about that drama: a young woman comes home on a visit, helps out her brother on a political campaign, and is reunited with the one that got away…who happens to be her sister’s ex-husband and possibly her brother’s best friend??? So yeah, do with that what you will. And enjoy.

New Books!

I love books. Don’t you? As usual, I’m perpetually behind, but I’ve heard nothing but good things.

Sleeping Cutie 
Tanzania Glover

The second book in the Faded Fairytales series (following, that’s right, Thickarella), this book follows Christian, the epitome of anti chivalry, and Amber, who has to deal with narcolepsy on top of everything else frustrating in her life. Chris has to make a lot of changes in his life and mindset for them to arrive anywhere near an HEA, but they can work it out if they’re meant to be together. I have never read a contemporary retelling of Sleeping Beauty, but a woman with narcolepsy seems like the right approach if you’re not going to include an evil queen.

I’ve picked up this author’s previous fairy tale reimagining and I enjoyed what I read; I can’t imagine this one will be any different. Also, I am drooling over the cover and premise for the third one, Trapunzel. Is it December yet?)

And there are plenty others to check out available this week, too:

The Angel’s Fire by Holley Trent (Gimme all the brownskinned magical cowboys…and is that…a sword???)

The Best Man Plan by Jaci Burton

Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall (I am SO ready for this book. Alexis Hall’s books are always so intense; I look forward to cutting some of that intensity that I know will be there anyway with plenty of humor.)

Culinary Confessions by Joanne Lambo (I haven’t read this author before and don’t usually gravitate towards friends to lovers but look at this precious cover!)

Not Like the Movies by Kerry Winfrey

Heal My Heart by Kay Shanee

Mixing it Up by Sawyer Lee Davis

Plan on reading anything fun 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!

It’s the first full week of July and whoo man 2020 is not letting up. I hope you all have some source of joy in this mess, because nobody knows what the summer still has in store for us.

Let’s talk about romance novels.

News and Useful Links

Do you like audiobooks? Beverly Jenkins announced in a recent newsletter that a bunch of her backlist romances would be coming to audio next year. Titles include Deadly Sexy, Bring on the Blessings, and Midnight, among many others. Who’s excited? (Also, you definitely want to check out #JenkinsJuly on Twitter and Instagram.)

Speaking of Ms. Bev, she’ll be making an appearance at the next Date Night on Friday. The lineup is stacked.

And if you like to get a head start on your events, this Romance Buzz Books closer to the end of the month is looking to be a lot of fun as well!

The Jane Eyre retelling we dreamed of.

Holley Trent went and dropped another one. If you’ve been hankering for paranormal westerns, The Angel’s Fire is for you.

This is a great thread of romance-related Patreons to support (and add to, if one you know isn’t there).

EE Ottoman gave a great talk about writing historical romance centering queer and trans characters, and the research behind it.

I am loving all the romance fanart I’ve been coming across! Here’s a great one from Olivia Dade’s 40-Love, and here’s another one from Talia Hibbert’s Take a Hint, Dani Brown. Romance readers, man.

Know what else I love? Romance scholarship. Give me all the essays/book chapters.

Did you get caught up in the 365 Days fervor? Oprah mag made a list of erotic romances for you to check out.

Deals

Have you read Gail Carriger’s contemporary paranormals? The Sumage Solution, the first in the series, is 99 cents right now! It’s got a similar feel to her Parasolverse books, but is set in an alternate modern day in which magic and shifters exist. There is something slightly different about the universe that makes me think it’s not directly related to the Parasolverse; it’s more like one jump over in the multiverse, where some things progressed the same, but others didn’t. But there’s a precious werewolf pack that’s not like the others, and every single wolf is a bebe I want to cuddle and give snacks.

And bonus deal: If you haven’t yet read it (or maybe you have but now you want to own it?) The Bride Test by Helen Hoang is 1.99 right now. Everything says “for a limited time” so I don’t know if it’s for the next few days or maybe for the month of July. Either way, it’s such a great book and I want everyone to read it.

Recs

Do you listen to When in Romance? If you’re like “Jess, what the heck is that awful pun” or you just don’t think about podcasts at all, don’t worry about the action steps at the end of this recommendation. If your answer was a resounding YES or enough curiosity that you might decide to pick it up at the next episode, join us in When In Romance Book Club!

Getting Schooled
Christina C. Jones

We’re reading Getting Schooled, the first book in the Wright Brothers series, and Trisha and I will be talking about it (including your thoughts and questions) when we record on Thursday, July 9. It features a student getting his degree after serving in the military and the grad assistant in his Black Lit class (and also all of their family and friends, who are all completely hilarious). They have quite the contentious relationship, and have a fun way of rudely flirting with each other. Okay, it sounds weird, but it’s done so well. If you decide to join us (or not join us and just read the book because you want to), I recommend getting the complete Wright Collection, because you’re not going to want to stop there. There are three full novels and a Christmas novella, so you’ll have plenty to read. And then, if you haven’t read CCJ before, you will be happy to discover that her backlist is over fifty books long.

So if you’re interested, give Jason and Reese a try, and tell us your thoughts! Catch me on Twitter @jessisreading or Instagram @jess_is_reading, or send me an email at wheninromance@bookriot.com. And feel free to drop a word if you’ve got feedback, bookrecs, or just want to say hi!

Be safe this weekend, y’all. Some of us are in places where large gatherings and firework displays are still happening, for some reason. Use your judgment. I know you’ll take care of you.

BOOOOOKKKSSS!!!

Over on Book Riot

Trisha and I talked about lots of good things on When In Romance.

This list is actually repurposed Kissing Books content, but if you want a reminder of that fluffometer, you’ve got a direct link to it.

Gay werewolves!

Do you have personalized bookends?

These reading aids can be particularly useful for some of us.

And finally, tell us more about yourself and potentially win an ereader! We’re doing a Reader Survey. It’ll only take a few minutes and you can see the questions and giveaway details at bookriot.com/2020survey!

Deals

If you haven’t yet read Be Not Afraid by Alyssa Cole, now is the time to check it out! The novella, which originally appeared in an anthology of American Revolution stories, centers Elijah Sutton, the absent grandfather of That Could Be Enough’s Andromeda Stiel. When he meets Kate, she’s on the opposing side, but they keep meeting, and—eventually—what each says to the other starts to make a difference to each of them. They’re also pretty into each other in other ways, too. So if you want to have a good time for less than a dollar, check out Be Not Afraid.

New Books

Another week, another rundown of some great books. Or at least great-looking books. I haven’t read most of them yet.

Just Like That
Cole McCade

Cole McCade’s first book in the new Albin Academy series from Carina Adores is nothing short of a wonder. I’ve been saving a few of Cole’s self-published books as break-for-emergency reads, but I couldn’t help but pick this one up in time for its release. While it takes place in a secondary(?) school (it might be K-12? But I think it’s just secondary level), the relationship is between a young TA and the teacher whose class he’ll be taking over the following academic year. Summer Hemlock (and yeah, that name is definitely addressed) had a crush on Fox Iseya when he was his student, and that hasn’t gone away now that they’re working together. Their new relationship is a bit fraught, but they somehow manage to make an agreement with each other: Summer will do something to overcome (but not exacerbate) his extensive anxiety each day, and be rewarded with…a kiss. Yeah. What could possibly happen?

And I have not yet read Rebekah Weatherspoon’s Harbor, which is the third and final book in her Beards and Bondage series, but I will be remedying that pretty immediately. Much like the others in the series, there is an element of romantic suspense, so keep an eye out for content warnings (plenty of the goodreads reviews cover a lot of the notable ones). But it sounds pretty amazing: A MMF romance with elements of BDSM, that takes place on Cape Cod (I think?)? Yes, yes, yes, please.

What else is out this week?

Rapper’s Delight by Kenya Goree-Bell
Hate Crush by Angelina M. Lopez (the follow-up to Lush Money)
About a Rogue by Caroline Linden
A Duke, The Lady, and a Baby by Vanessa Riley (the first in a new series)
The Reinvention of the Rose by Christina C Jones (I actually missed this one last week, sorry!)
The Flapper’s Baby Scandal by Lauri Robinson (more flapper romance! I’m excited to discover the secrets of the sisters!)
A Good Duke is Hard to Find by Christina Britton
Insatiable Hunger by Yahrah St. John
Daring and the Duke by Sarah MacLean (oh wow, there are a lot of dukes this week, aren’t there?)
At Your Service by AC Arthur
To Catch an Earl by Kate Bateman
The Devil of Downtown by Joanna Shupe
A Reunion of Rivals by Reese Ryan

What are you reading this weekend? We’ve got a bounty to choose from!

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!

It’s the last Monday in June and honestly I’m looking forward to July. Everything is still horrible, but hey, at least TV studios have finally realized that they shouldn’t cast white voice actors to play characters of color. :shrug emoji:

Let’s talk about romance.

News and Useful Links

Cue the fireworks is right! Check out the lineup at this event from East City Bookshop.

Remember when Dreamspinner Press stopped paying a lot of their authors their royalties until legal action was taken (by a select few)? While Dreamspinner announced that they would be working to pay back royalties until they’ve all been paid out, RWA 2.0 is taking up the advocacy role, which has been an element of RWA’s work since its infancy—or at least, it was supposed to be. This time around, they’re actually planning to put effort into it, so hopefully a lot of authors will be paid their back royalties and I can start recommending Dreamspinner books and authors again.

Danika at The Lesbrary synthesized a heretofore less-known issue with racism in lesfic, particularly at conferences.

This is a long read, but there’s lots of good stuff in it.

Romance Class web series, yes!

Deals

Everyone wants to read a novella featuring a millionaire hair and skincare mogul, right? Especially if she wants to start a family and accepts a family recommendation to hold off on a sperm bank and go to a matchmaker instead. Well, if she matches with an old lover, we are definitely into it. And you can get B. Love’s Last Chance to Love for 99 cents right now, so check it out!

Recs!

I spent a surprising amount of time talking about Disney movies with a newish friend over the weekend, which made me think it was a perfect time to talk about fairy tale reimaginings! I started reading one last week which is HOO DOGGY HAWT if that’s the thing you’re looking for.

Femme Tales: A Modern Day Fairy Tale Trilogy
Anne Shade

This collection features three semi-connected novellas that all tell a contemporary, magic-free version of familiar stories. The first, for example, is about a staid music producer whose nickname is The Beast and the woman who she hires to help her mother-figure after she has a stroke. They have immediate chemistry but it exposes itself in…semi-aggressive behavior. And so the two take a while to warm up to each other, and the pathway to that is…precious. The other two stories are written on the theme of Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella, so if you need to refill your fairy tale bucket, this is a great place to start.

Briarley by Aster Glenn Grey is another queer retelling that I love. It’s a mid-20th century reimagining of Beauty and the Beast, featuring a cleric who ends up in a weirdly enchanted estate in the middle of England. The creature he befriends is some kind of dragon-creature who was cursed long ago and isn’t into this whole twentieth-century thing. It’s quick, but so lovely.

I’ve already mentioned Dithered Hearts by Chace Verity, but I’ll toss it in with this group, because it is quite the story. This Cinderella story features a young person whose fairy godfather is an actual fairy, and who—much like most of our favorite Cinderella stories—mostly wants to look nice at a fancy party. Cin quickly makes friends with the prince, but is about as attracted to him as he is to Cin, so they utilize their friendship with each other to help with other romantic interests. Cin also develops a romantic relationship with their stepsiblings, so heads up if you’re not interested in that. There’s also a lot of verbal and a bit of physical abuse by Cin’s parental figures, so also heads up for that.

I guess Salt Magic, Skin Magic counts as a fairy tale or folk tale retelling, but to tell you which would be a spoiler, lol. But I definitely recommend checking it out, and if you can get the audio, even better. Joel Leslie is a fantastic narrator. And there’s lots of magic and unresolved sexual tension. I promise, it’s great.

There are others that I’d love to check out someday, like Cinder Ella by ST Lynn or Braided by Elora Bishop.

What are your favorite fairy tale romance retellings?

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!

Thursdays are for new books! (I mean, Mondays and Tuesdays are for new books, but Thursday Kissing Books is what it’s all about!)

Over on Book Riot

Last week, we asked. This week, you answered!

This book isn’t out until next year, which makes me sad, but we’ve got a long time to admire this cover!

While it went live a whole week later, there’s no better way to celebrate Loving Day than with some interracial romance novels.

If you’re buying some mainstream, big-five romance anytime soon (or of course, other things, I guess lol), try getting it through one or more of these Black-owned indie bookstores.

These pins are just great.

Deals

Have you checked out Jackie Lau’s Baldwin Village series? Now is a great time to look, because she just put out Baldwin Village: The Complete Series and it’s 3.99 until July 1. Featuring One Bed for Christmas, The Ultimate Pi Day Party, Ice Cream Lover, and Man vs. Durian, it’s a ton of fun and sexytimes for about a dollar a book. (And even if you forget to grab it until after July 1, it’ll still be only 7.99! Either way, if you haven’t read this series, it’s all the good things for someone who wants fun, food, and fluff.

New Books!

Y’all, I’m so behind. This week snuck up on me, and so did a certain Lady of Awesomeness whose book wasn’t supposed to come out until next week.

Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert

It is not even fair how brill Talia Hibbert is. In Take a Hint, we once again visit with the Brown sisters (though you can honestly read this one without having read Get a Life, Chloe Brown) and their friends and family. Dani is a PhD student whose class is in the worst building on campus. That’s okay, though, because she and the thick-thighed guard who barks at students for their IDs at the building’s entrance get along very well. To the point that when he carries her out of the building with an adoring look during a danger drill, they accidentally start a viral hashtag that is full of #couplegoals. Which could help him with getting visibility for his charity, so he asks her to fake date—the only kind of dating Dani would ever be willing to do, because she is very much anti-relationship. And Zafir is a hopeless romantic. So, yeah. What could possibly go wrong?

And I was totally going to read Two Rogues Make a Right by Cat Sebastian by this week but somehow it’s already almost the end of June? The author called it “Only One Bed: The Novel” in an email and everyone I know has been screaming about this book for months. And let’s be honest: It’s Cat Sebastian; even if it’s a childhood-friends-to-lovers book, which I tend not to read, I’m going to love it. When I get there. (Also, I heard that Joel Leslie narrates the audiobook, and if you haven’t heard one of his narrations…oh man, you need to.)

And let’s not leave out Miz Adriana Beyoncé Herrera over there, who decided we needed to…find more joy…right now instead of on June 30, when Finding Joy was initially supposed to drop. Desta Joy Walker, the Dominican-American relief worker living in Addis Ababa, and Ethiopian resident Elias Fikru meet, pine, and explore Ethiopia in each other’s eyes in this newest book from Dreamers dreamer Adriana Herrera.

And of course, there are a few more people are talking about:

Her Lady’s Honor by Renée Dahlia (this cover, amirite?)
This Time Tomorrow by Tessa Bailey (this is the sequel to Reborn Yesterday and I just wanted more about them during that whole book)
Party of Two by Jasmine Guillory (It’s probably great, but I’m kind of avoiding politician romance right now)
Loud Mouth by Avery Flynn
Love Delayed in Dublin by Moni Boyce (this one kind of came out of nowhere and I look forward to checking it out!)
The Bad Boy of Redemption Ranch by Maisey Yates
Return to Magnolia Harbor by Hope Ramsay
When Harry Met Harry by Sydney Smyth (OKAY I’m super curious about this Audible original, okay?)
It’s a Work Thing by Michelle Karise

So 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!

 

I have no idea what to say as an intro. All the usual things apply. Love stories of all kinds are awesome, but HEAs are the best.

Let’s talk about all the things.

News and Useful Links

On Friday, LL McKinley and Saraciea Fennell Netflix-dropped the Juneteenth Book Fest, which included a wildly dynamic conversation between Rebekah Weatherspoon, Farrah Rochon, and Beverly Jenkins, moderated by Alyssa Cole. Yeah. You want to watch it.

I’m definitely bookmarking this guest post on LGBTQ reads by Katrina Jackson to reference a lot.

Have you seen the cover of Rebekah Weatherspoon’s next Beards & Bondage book?

The book Mr. Malcolm’s List? The one coming out at the end of next month? They’ve already started casting the movie. And there’s already a short-film version of the concept starring the absolutely breathtaking Gemma Chan, if you want some reference material.

(Side note: I am all about a historical romance written by an author whose heritage I do not know being super colorful in its adaptation casting—it might even be written that way—but how is it that these books are being picked up before they’re even out and we still don’t have a single Beverly Jenkins adaptation???)

And speaking of adaptations before the book’s out, Dial A For Aunties is coming via Netflix. It’s another Berkley property, described as Crazy Rich Asians meets Weekend at Bernie’s. So, we’ll see?

This thread.

The winners of the Bisexual Book Awards were announced! Have you read any of the romance or erotica entries?

Deals

Speaking of Rebekah Weatherspoon’s Beards & Bondage series, you can get Haven and Sanctuary for 4.99 each. Some of the characters (and locales!) might be familiar if you’ve read Xeni and Rafe, but the B&B books lean a bit farther away from the lighter tone of those two novels. And they both involve women who are escaping violence, either immediate danger or the threat of it (and in the case of Haven, the violent person gets shot on the page, FYI). I’m not selling them very well, but these are good books. You should read them in preparation of the third.

Recs!

I recently joined a book club that I’m not in charge of running, and the person who was in charge dropped a tiny bomb at the end of the meeting: oh hey, since we have Jessica, let’s read a romance next time!

Readers, I panicked. I couldn’t think of a single romance novel or author in the moment. But eventually, I came up with a list of books that I hadn’t gotten around to yet, weren’t in the middle of a series, that I was excited to read, and that non-romance readers might latch onto for various reasons. And then they’ll read all of the authors’ backlist and become romance readers and I will have successfully brought more people into the fold muahahahah.

Ahem.

I mean. Maybe they’ll enjoy the experience.

So these were my choices:

Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall

I have heard nothing but amazing things about Boyfriend Material since the ARCs started going out. Alexis Hall is a master wordsmith who writes amazingly flawed characters, and this would be a great book for someone looking for something with a tropetastic plot and lots of laughs. If your entry into romance is a well-plotted, messy, fake relationship story, you’re gonna be hooked for good.

The Rakess by Scarlett Peckham

I’ve been avoiding this one because people have said it’s a lot, but I sort of also want to give someone the opportunity to experience the right kind of a lot. A Regency romance that goes so far to challenge…well, everything…might be something worth offering someone who isn’t a romance reader. Not because the ones that don’t challenge certain period and contemporary expectations aren’t amazing in themselves, but because everything a certain sect of romance authors is trying to do regarding how to take advantage of historical romance can be seen all together in one book. Or at least, that’s what people tell me.

Whiteout by Adriana Anders

What better read than a super tropetastic romantic suspense to get readers hooked? Antarctica; enemies-to-lovers; grumpy/sunshine; chased by baddies; Antarctica. Also, I thought introduction via romantic suspense might be a good way to pull in people who want a secondary subplot, on top of the relationship development.

Indigo by Beverly Jenkins (don’t judge me, there are a LOT of Beverly Jenkins books okay)

There are so many Beverly Jenkins books to choose from, but I knew I wanted to include one on the list. Honestly, I selected this one in part because it’s one of the few that is currently published in the trade paperback size, leaving some types of people more likely to buy it. Also, it’s Trisha’s favorite Beverly Jenkins, and the one that I have been determined to complete this year, by land or sea. It also feels like it might be one of the hardest of hers, because emotions and pain, so having a reason to be forced into it is definitely good (lolsob).

They select by poll using Bookclubz, so I’m not sure what we’ll do yet, but it’s leaning pretty heavily towards Indigo so far.

What romances have you recommended to your book clubs?

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!

Hey. Hey. Tomorrow’s my birthday. Buy books by Black authors. Read up on the history of Juneteenth at your site of choice. Be well, be safe. For me.

Let’s talk romance.

Over on Book Riot

Trisha and I had some things to say about publishing and anti-Blackness.

What are your favorite stories about forbidden love?

Whoever said romance couldn’t take you places?

Black women in love are a hell of a drug.

Enter to win a summer reading pack from Harlequin.

Or maybe a big gift card to B&N.

Deals

If there’s anything you need to repeat to yourself around now, it’s Release Some Tension, and Nicole Falls’ semi-recent book of the same name is 3.99 right now. This one is particularly about tension between professional fellows, but Nicole’s books are always a fun way to loosen your shoulders and unclench your jaw. And once you’ve read this one, check out more of her books. There are…a lot of them.

New Books

I feel like a broken record when I say it’s a good week for new books, because it’s apparently always a good week for new books. I’m so behind; I’d intended to read two whole books before writing this on Tuesday, but fell behind because Netflix exists.

40-Love
Olivia Dade

This is one of those books that you will start with no expectations and start laughing five pages in. Eventually, you’ll cry, you’ll ponder, you’ll swoon. But damn, this book. Tess is vacationing on a resort island in celebration of her fortieth birthday. When a rogue wave causes a…wardrobe malfunction…she enlists the help of Lucas, a tall, young, attractive man with…shoulders. When it turns out that he’s the once-pro tennis instructor (get it, Forty…Love? It’s a tennis joke) at the resort, and she is suddenly saddled with tennis lessons (just…out of nowhere!) the pair must get through their immediate defense mechanisms to explore this possible fling. Or maybe more?

And of course, there are more that I’m looking forward to checking out

Haunted Serenade by Anna M. Taylor (I am sooooo intrigued by the whole Haunted Harlem thing happening here! Also it looks like a rerelease, but I don’t know if any changes have been made.)

Bottle Rockets by Erin McLellan (Her first two were amaze, so this one should be just as great)

The Last Train to Key West by Chanel Cleeton (more fiction with romantic element, but her love stories are great.)

Midshipman Elizabeth Bennet by DL Carter (Yes, another one. But I’m super curious about the premise.)

Lucky by Kris Bryant (Win the lottery, open a pet daycare? Yes, please.)

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!