Author: P.N. Hinton

Hey y’all, welcome to the Kissing Books newsletter. I hope your spirit is doing well. I’m PN Hinton, your guide through the roller coaster of a ride that the world of romance can be. If it is your first time here, welcome and if you’re a regular reader welcome back.

It’s hard to believe that we’re halfway through February and March will be here soon. With it comes spring and hopefully warm but not surface-of-the-sun level heat for my area. At the very least, maybe our weather will stay consistent for a full week because this flip-flopping is not for me.

Romance Reflection

I’ve mentioned this in passing in a previous edition but there have still been untruths flying around recently. I feel like this most recent discussion is the direct result of this tweet and by extension other lists of Black romance books making the rounds. However, there are a good number of interracial romances on that list, so to call it an all Black Love list is incorrect.

So again I state that Black love is a romance where all involved partners are Black. Always. If there is one Black person and all other involved parties are a different race, then it’s interracial and/or multicultural. I really don’t understand why this is such a hard concept to get. But it seems to be something that needs to be repeated, specifically when it comes to Black love stories. I haven’t really seen this discourse pop up for other types of love stories. 

Sometimes it’s an honest mistake to classify a book as Black Love when it’s not. This is something that has even happened here at Book Riot, so that I can understand up to a certain point. And again let me state that there is absolutely nothing wrong with interracial and multicultural romances at all; they just aren’t Black Love. 

Other times it’s a deliberate way to try to cash in on that specific cash flow. Romancelandia gets accused of gatekeeping a lot and sometimes it’s valid. Such as when a would-be writer tries to cash in on the romance money without having to, you know, actually write a romance. Those are the ones who claim that they’re ‘rocking the boat’ and it will be a different type of romance novel. Which always equals no HEA which means it is not a romance. 

This happens a lot within the romance genre, and this situation is a prime example of that. While the publisher is sometimes at fault, other times it’s just the author flagging it as Black love and it isn’t until later that the truth comes out. Either way, it’s not a good feeling and it’s an argument that apparently we will still need to keep having until everyone catches up with the rest of the class.

Book Riot Romance

Celebrate Black History Month with some of these romances.

Also check out this introduction to Romance BookTok.

And this list of Eros and Psyche inspired books.

Don’t forget to check out our limited edition Wordle-inspired merchandise!

Around the Web in Romance

I really loved this Dul-Sayin’ bit featuring some awesome Black romance authors from a recent episode of The Daily Show.

Be sure to check out this upcoming Men Romance Roundtable episode of the Romance in Color podcast.

While many would argue diversity has been around longer than non-romance readers may think, this was still an enjoyable read.

Here are some rom-com recommendations to help brighten up your day.

And a few more recommended romance reads.

Romance novel covers on rocks! I can’t sufficiently express how much joy these pieces of art bring me.

The Swoon Awards winners were announced so be sure to click here and view them all.

Make sure to get your own Read Harder Book Journal from Book Riot to track your reading for the year!

Recommendations

Following today’s reflection, this week’s romance recommendations are going to be centered around Black love. This means these are all stories that feature two Black characters falling in love and finding happiness therein.

Don’t forget you can get three free audiobooks at Audiobooks.com with a free trial!

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And that is all I have for you today. I’ll be back next week with another round-up of romance news and new releases. Have a wonderful weekend and happy reading.

Hey y’all, welcome to the Kissing Books newsletter. I hope your spirit is doing well. I’m PN Hinton, your guide through the roller coaster of a ride that the world of romance can be. If it is your first time here, welcome and if you’re a regular reader welcome back.

Happy Valentine’s Day y’all! If you observe it, of course. Personally, I could take it or leave this holiday. I’ve always felt this way. I was the kid who knew the only reason she got Valentine’s Cards was because it was mandated to give one to every child in class. So, by the time I got to high school, I had a clouded view towards the holiday overall. And, with the kiddo being in middle school now, the night before no longer includes an hour of making out cards for a whole class. That was a super stressful endeavor. Still, I know that it is important for some people and if you are a lover of this day, I hope that whatever you do, this is an awesome day and evening for you. 

Or, if you celebrated Galentine’s Day yesterday, I hope it was full of wine and good times as well. In ‘Currently Reading News’, my copy of Black Love Matters came in so I started that. I also am working on my TBR backlist and started Rebel as well and am enjoying both immensely.

Romance Reflection:

Susannah Nix tweeted this the other day and it got me thinking about academia romance overall. I know that, as with most tropes, this is something that divides the romance community. You have those who cringe at any relationship of this nature, even if there is not a direct chain of command connection between the university student and teacher. Others seem to really adore this one, especially if there is a direct connection and, by extension, power imbalance between the two.

As always, I’m not yucking anyone’s yum at all. To each their own and all that. That said, I did have the realization that I am not a huge fan of this trope overall. That’s one reason why I tend to shy away from any type of academia romance; a story has to be really intriguing for me to actively want to read one of those, which was the case for The Love Hypothesis. And that one was a huge outlier to be honest. I will only do office/workplace romances if they are on an equal level. If there is any type of power imbalance I will usually nope out. 

And that’s because I can’t separate from how horrible this type of situation or relationship can be in the real world. I also can’t ignore the actual outcomes they sometimes yield. In the real world a power imbalance can lead resentment from the one not in power at their vulnerability, even if the other person doesn’t lord it over them. It can lead to someone getting fired because a company decided one party was more important, or the student getting forced out of school while the professor gets tenure. 

For me, romance is about escapism and if there is no way of escaping the real world counterpart, I’m not going to enjoy it. These are just examples of some of my ‘approach with caution’ tropes. For another person, it may be something like a sibling or best friend’s ex because they’ve been through something like that and for them it was an actual betrayal of trust. Even in situations where the break-up may have been amicable, it can still be difficult to not equate that to their own.

Again, this isn’t necessarily to say that these are bad books or tropes that need to go. It’s just an explanation of how, given my own personal take on it, I can see why these types of stories would cause such a division amongst romance readers and some would choose to pass them up. 

Book Riot Romance:

Silvana put together a list of more romance manga you should be reading.

Nikki also wrote about exactly what makes a good slow burn romance.

Be sure to check out our new line of bookish Wordle-inspired merchandise! This is a temporary campaign though so be sure to order yours as soon as possible.

There’s also still time to enter this giveaway for a shopping spree at The Ripped Bodice.

Around the Web in Romance:

Check out Harlequin’s interview with Jess about Black Love Matters to get more insight into what went on behind the scenes.

Here are some queer romances that you can you pick up to celebrate Valentine’s Day.

Vox recently published this article on attraction in romance novels.

There’s a lot of awesomeness in this giveaway so be sure to enter for a chance at some new books.

Here is one reader’s rankings of all of Jasmine Guillory’s books in terms of swoonworthy.

This Sarah’s Scribbles comic made me snortle.

Talia Hibbert’s Ravenswood series has been optioned for adaptation!

New Releases:

Let Me Love You by K.L. Gilchrist (2/14)

Show Off by Renee Dahlia (2/14)

Crushing on Cupid by Noami Piper (2/14)

Thirty Days With You by Ruth Miranda (2/14)

Her Heart’s Desire by Anne Shade (2/15)

Plain English by Rachel Spangler (2/15)

A Perfect Equation by Elizabeth Everett (2/15) 

Deadly Secrets by VK Powell (2/15)

Be Kind, Rewind by Melissa Born (2/15)

Sinner’s Game by J. Kenner (2/15)

The Night Thief by Brenna Kahn (2/15)

Nothing Ordinary by E.M. Lindsey (2/16)

Spirited Situation by Louisa Masters (2/17)

Because It’s You by Brooklyn Knight (2/18)

This is just a fraction of some of the exciting releases that are scheduled for publication this week. Just a gentle reminder that these were the dates that were showing as of the writing of this newsletter.

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And that is all I have for you today. I’ll be back Thursday with some more romance round-ups, reflections, and recommendations. In the meantime, give me a follow over on Twitter under @PScribe801. Happy reading!

Hey y’all, welcome to the Kissing Books newsletter. I hope your spirit is doing well. I’m PN Hinton, your guide through the roller coaster of a ride that the world of romance can be. If it is your first time here, welcome and if you’re a regular reader welcome back.

I survived the snowstorm weekend mostly unscathed! I say mostly because I broke a car door handle off. but I stayed warm and didn’t get too much cabin fever. So, it all balances out.

Romance Reflection

Today’s brief romance reflection is something that floated around all the wings of Twitter, including Romancelandia, that stated that adult fiction needed to be at least 80k – 120k to be considered a viable book option and that anything under that was not a good sell. 

Which is crap. Books can be too long and when they are that’s my first complaint about them. A good number of books out there should have been edited better before hitting the printing press. Now, some people may want to point the fingers to other genres for the ones that are really guilty of this but truth hurts. And the truth is romance is just as guilty of this as well over the years.

You can tell an impactful story in less than 80k words. And if you can, you should. Don’t inflate words to get to a fake and arbitrary word count. This isn’t to say that there should never be long books. But if they are long, they need to be worth the journey. 

Book Riot Romance

The latest episode of When in Romance is live, and the 100th episode is up next! *Kermit flail* Click here to listen to the latest episode and to learn how you can be a part of the 100th episode celebration. Be sure to be thinking of some memories to share.

Read more about Ashley’s foray into erotic romance books.

There’s also this history of fashion in romance novels by R. Nassor.

If you’re an audiobook fan, check out some of these titles Kenda rounded up for Valentine’s Day.

You can also prepare your wallet for these new romance novels that Michelle put together.

Make sure to get your own Read Harder Book Journal from Book Riot to track your reading for the year!

Around the Web in Romance

As it’s February, here’s an annual reminder that a Black romance is a romance novel by a Black author where all involved parties are Black.

Speaking of awesomeness in Black Love, check out this interview with Beverly Jenkins Black love and the history of it.

Authors Kosoko Jackson and Ashley Herring Blake will be on a panel to talk about their upcoming releases via an event from Loyalty Bookstores. You can register here.

If you have a friend new to the romance genre, here are some good recommendations to help ease them in.

I’m with Suleikha on this; if I have to know this, so does everybody else.

Looking for a romantic escape? There are some books that can help you out.

Cover reveal for the latest and holiday-related Bromance Book Club book!

If you have a young romance lover in your love, some of these YA Black Love reads may be perfect for a buddy read with them this month.

Recommendations

Another color that is synonymous with Valentine’s Day is purple. I know that a lot of people love this color as well. In fact, two of my good friends both claim this as their favorite color. Whenever I think of the color purple, I automatically think of The Unicorn Club from Sweet Valley Twins. It was the club full of popular girls that Jessica was in and they picked it since they found out it was the color of royalty. As such, they always wore one purple item a day to stand out from others in school. 

Looking back on it as an adult though, I wonder how practical this was. It’s not like they could prevent other people from wearing purple. So, how could you really tell who was part the club unless there was something else to denote them? And I can’t even imagine the arguments this would cause. I can tell you right now that teachers do not get paid enough to deal with a tear-streaked pre-teen yelling, “She can’t wear purple, SHE’S NOT A UNICORN!” on a regular basis. 

I digress. Here are some romance novels that highlight the color purple that may catch your eye if you’re also a fan of that color.

Don’t forget you can get three free audiobooks at Audiobooks.com with a free trial!

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And that’s all I have for y’all this week! I hope that you enjoy your upcoming weekend and that if you’re celebrating Galentine’s or Valentine’s Day that you have a great time. I’ll be back Monday with some more romance updates and new releases.

Hey y’all, welcome to the Kissing Books newsletter. I hope your spirit is doing well. I’m PN Hinton, your guide through the roller coaster of a ride that the world of romance can be. If it is your first time here, welcome and if you’re a regular reader welcome back.

Well, it’s February and once again my city is under a winter storm warning. I just looked outside and confirmed that, while not buried like it was last year, there is a smattering of the white cold stuff on my chair. Understandably, a lot of people freaked out the day before and crowded grocery stores to stock up, just in case it was a repeat of last year. Most of the districts have called off school for the rest of the week just to be safe. Since I’m fortunate enough to be able to work from home, I don’t have to worry about getting out in that. So my plan is going to primarily focus on staying in my apartment and hoping that the water and electricity stay on.

I’m currently not reading anything romance related because I’m waiting for my copy of Black Love Matters to arrive. Once it does, I’m going to start it right away. Of course I’m not not reading and am almost done with The Girl in the Lake and just starting A Song Below Water for book club.

Romance Reflection

I agree with Mrs. Bev’s sentiment here. There are tons of romance-related terms I wish would go the way of the dodo, and ‘bodice ripper’ rates up pretty high on that list. Whenever this term is uttered in reference to a romance novel by a non-fan, it’s always with a disdainful tone. It doesn’t always change even when a fan uses it, since the generally accepted connotation for the word is exceedingly unflattering. It is something that people use when they want to try to shame you for what you like reading. And to that I say nay!

Even when I was younger, I had issues with this term even if in my naïveté, I thought ripping of said bodice was the result of passion. It wasn’t until I was older that I realized that it was the result of the violence that almost always coincided with non-consensual sex. Now, even though I was completely off the mark with the actual intention behind the definition, I still was never comfortable calling it that. It just seems dismissive and serves to perpetuate the falsehood that it is an inferior genre.

Also, this type of mocking, off-hand descriptor is something that only applies to the romance genre. For example, we don’t call mysteries “knife stabbers” or sci-fi “space gun pew-pews”. They get referred to by their actual genre name and this is a courtesy that needs to be extended to us as well.

Now, yes I know that some readers prefer the idea of turning the mockery against the haters and taking the phrase back. That is one of the reasons that The Ripped Bodice bookstore chose that name when they first opened up. And I can respect the people who feel that way since it, as with most everything else, is all a matter of opinion. It’s just never a phrase I personally would use when talking to someone about the types of books I prefer reading. I call them romance novels and leave it at that. If they choose to counter with a snide “You mean a bodice ripper?” I wouldn’t even eviscerate them verbally; but I would likely give an evil side eye.

To end on a bit of humor, there’s also this little nugget of truth; not only are bodices actually quite hard to rip, they’re also obnoxiously expensive. Unless you plan on buying me another one, untie it like a gentleperson please.

Book Riot Romance

Speaking of the history of ‘bodice ripper’ as a term, check out the history of consent in romance novels according to Rioter Nikki.

Rioter Addison also rounded up some of the more popular romance books featured on TikTok.

Click here to enter our giveaway for $200 to spend at The Ripped Bodice.

Or here to win a copy of Anita Kelly’s Love & Other Disasters.

Good luck!

Make sure to get your own Read Harder Book Journal from Book Riot to track your reading for the year!

Around the Web in Romance

Speaking of Anita Kelly, they’re teaming up with Tim Janovsky, and Alison Cochrun for a discussion on all things queer romance and their recent releases in an upcoming panel. Sign up for this event here.

Lovestruck Daily is a new romance-centered podcast, hosted by acclaimed Alisha Rai and Sarah Wendell of Smart Bitches, Trashy Books fame.

Frolic also launched the Monthly Book Crush Club. First up is Weather Girl.

Avon, Berkley Romance, St. Martin Press, Forever, Penguin Books, Sourcebooks and Viking have all teamed up together for this massive giveaway of romance books. There’s a lot of good books to be won there so best of luck to everyone!

New Releases

And here are some of the new releases headed our way this week that I was able to find. This is, of course, barring any delays due to shipping and/or printing issues.

Mister Librarian by B. Love (2/7)

After Dinner Drinks by Ainsley St. Claire (2/7)

Big Slick by Giulia Lagomarsino (2/7)

Love Where You Work by Anna Pulley (2/8) 

A Chance for Us by Corinne Micheals (2/8) 

Abandoned in Death by J.D. Robb (2/8)

Queen B and the Cowboy by A.R. Williams (2/11)

Accidentally Married to Her Billionaire Boss by Rose M.Cooper (2/11) 

Curvy Flirt by Mayra Statham (2/11) 

That’s Why the Lady is a Tramp by Merry Farmer (2/11)

Influenced by Love by Shellee Marie (2/12) 

Where She Belongs by Liz Durano (2/12)

Don’t forget you can get three free audiobooks at Audiobooks.com with a free trial!

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And that’s it for today. I’ll be back Thursday with some more romances for you as well as more recommendations. In the meantime, catch up with me on Twitter under @PScribe801.

Hey y’all, welcome to the Kissing Books newsletter. I hope your spirit is doing well. I’m PN Hinton, your guide through the roller coaster of a ride that the world of romance can be. If it is your first time here, welcome and if you’re a regular reader welcome back.

Romance Reflection

This is the latest tweet that caused a rumble in Romancelandia and boy was the fallout from this a doozy, hence the longer than usual reflection. If you decide to read the entire thread make sure to have your favorite beverage nearby because you’re going to be there for a hot minute. There’s a lot that can be said on this topic, but I’ll try to make it quick.

He asked a very valid question. I remember having this exact conversation with another romance-reading friend and saying that the number of straight white women who write M/M romance was unnerving. At some point, it becomes a form of fetishization.

I’ll be honest here; it’s the heterosexual factor for me. I can more understand when M/M romances are written by women who are part of the LGBTQ community, especially as those writers also tend to write other romance pair-ups as well, like M/F and F/F. They don’t focus exclusively on M/M and aren’t trying to push out queer men who write those match-ups out. And therein lies the whole issue.

A common response I saw was that this was okay because romance is by and for women; so, they should be the ones writing all types of pair-ups. Well, this is no longer the case and has never really been the case. A lot of thinking needs to be realigned around this thought process. Which is okay; you can always change the way you think about anything as that is part of learning and growing.

I’m a lot of things across every single spectrum. One thing I am not is a queer man and I will never be one. We have a queer MOC asking a question that has been mentioned before in the romance world and instead of taking the time to thoughtfully answer, the reaction was to attack. Like what you like and write what you want; but also acknowledge there may be some issues behind being so defensive that may need to unpacked.

Book Riot Romance

If you like workplace romances, then the ones on this list may snag your interest.

Make sure to get your own Read Harder Book Journal from Book Riot to track your reading for the year!

Around the Web in Romance

Click here to sign up for this panel that the Milwaukee Library is hosting celebrating the release of Jess Pryde’s Black Love Matters Panel.

Take this quiz to check and see how many rom-coms you remember.

Or this one where you can plan a fancy dinner and get your soulmate’s first initial.

If monster and/or alien romance is your thing, then this Kickstarter may be up your alley.

Romancing the Vote is back so be sure to keep on eye out for the auction items.

And be sure to vote in the Swoon Award finals!

Recommendations

There always seems to be an extra layer of love in the air come February. Stores explode with shades of red, purple, pink, and other various colors in displays for candy, stuffed animals, and other knick-knacks. Another place where this can happen is bookstores and some may use this as an opportunity to display books that share the same color.

That leads me to my round of recommendations for today, which are books with pink covers. There’s no real reason for this apart from it’s a popular color for covers and February seemed a good month to highlight them in. I almost did red since that is my favorite color but pink just spoke to me, so here we are! On to the books.

Don’t forget you can get three free audiobooks at Audiobooks.com with a free trial!

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And that’s all I have for you today. I’ll be back Monday with another round-up of romance news and some new releases. Give me a follow over on Twitter under @PScribe801. Until we meet once more!

Hey y’all, welcome to the Kissing Books newsletter. I hope your spirit is doing well. I’m PN Hinton, your guide through the roller coaster of a ride that the world of romance can be. If it is your first time here, welcome and if you’re a regular reader, welcome back. 

Come tomorrow I will officially have a 14-year-old. I’m not ready. Honestly, that’s one of the biggest things that has been on my mind as of late and how to deal with it. Also, how to properly celebrate said birthday in this time of “We’re still in a freaking pandemic”. Likely, it will be a small dinner with his friends, which he won’t mind. He’s pretty laid back and easy going but I wish we could safely do more. 

I’m still working my way through A Song of Secrets and the music nerd in me is squealing. Part of that is for the musical aspect of it as well as knowing that since it is a trilogy, there will eventually be a story about the sister who plays the viola. And I always love a good story about a viola player. All the love for viola players.

Romance Reflection:

When I originally saw this tweet while scrolling through my timeline, I chuckled and then promptly moved on. When I went back later, I found that it had blown up and that the lines had been clearly drawn. Some people took it as a mocking jab at the genre while others took it as food for thought. 

I fall into the latter category on this. Regardless of how long he has or hasn’t been reading romance, it doesn’t negate the fact that he has a very valid point. If anything, what people should be up in arms about is that plus-sized women, BIPOC and otherwise, have been saying this for years and it seems to have fallen on deaf ears. But when a newbie, and a male one at that, mentions it, suddenly we’re all up in arms about a thought that, in actuality, has actually been coming from inside the Romance house for a while now. 

Look, I’m not discounting how anyone felt about it. You feel how you feel and you’re completely entitled to your opinion. However, that is also true for people who don’t share yours. I personally think that when people are in love, they tend to love all the parts of their partner. I’m reminded of the line from John Legend’s All of Me about ‘perfect imperfections’ and having a variety of body types in romance novels helps to prove this thought. 

Furthermore, we all know the ‘big’ he means refers to height, muscles, and other appendages and not necessarily a plus-sized hero. I looked back over the books I read last year and only two had a plus-sized male love interest. And that was Team Phison and Team Phison Forever, which means the same series and same love interest. 

The take away for this is that romance is for all body types and there is no ‘perfect’ one type.We want that for our heroines but our heroes need it, too. There are hardly any short pudgy guys as heroes and, if included, they’re almost always the secondary character.  

Another thing to ponder on is that while there were a lot of replies, both negative and positive, to this tweet, there was no reply that recommended a book where the hero didn’t fit this archetype. And while I know there may not be many available, they are out there. The one that first comes to mind for me is Marie Lipscomb but I’m sure there are more or there soon will be, especially after all this.

Book Riot Romance:

Check out this round-up of twenty-four Black and Interracial romances headed to shelves in 2022.

Around the Web in Romance:

Here are some romances about love in NYC, for your consideration for a new favorite trope.

I loved this cover reveal for Ruby Bartlett’s upcoming release. And it comes out in June so I’m fairly confident this will be a gift I give myself.

If you’re looking for some snowed in romances to snuggle up with, give some of these a try.

Take this fun quiz to find out what to get your sweetie for Valentine’s Day. As a bonus, you may also get a bomb playlist out of it!

New Releases:

Here are some of the new releases that should be hitting the shelves this week, barring any supply demand delays or anything of that nature.

Ramón and Julieta by Alana Quintana Albertston (2/1)

Season’s Change by Cait Nary (2/1)

Beguiling Betty by Kimberly Smith (2/1) 

Queen of Cambridge by Shakir Rashaan (2/1) 

Destiny by Cara Malone (2/1)

Count Your Lucky Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur (2/1) 

Us Against the World by Shayne Prescott(2/1) 

Dating the Chef by Ember Davis (2/2) 

Shades of Lust by E.M. Lindsey (2/2) 

Stud Like Her by Fiona Zedde (2/5) 

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And that is all I have for you this Monday. When we speak again it will be February and we will officially be in the 2nd month of 2022. February is also packed with a lot of events including but not limited to Black History Month, Library Lovers Month, and Friendship Month. It is also the month when we can expect a lot of varied takes on the romance genre so you can be sure I’ll have things to say about that. Until then, give me a follow on Twitter (if you’re not already) under @PScribe801. Until then.

Hey y’all, welcome to the Kissing Books newsletter. I hope your spirit is doing well. I’m PN Hinton, your guide through the roller coast of a ride the world of romance can be. If it is your first time here, welcome and if you’re a regular reader welcome back. 

I finished my first big read of 2022! It was a fantasy novel Mother of Learning, a Christmas gift from a friend. And while I did enjoy it overall (I know, it shocked me too) it was a beast, page-count wise (almost 650 pages). If it isn’t my longest book read this year, I will be shocked. In romance related reads, I started the recently released A Song of Secrets by Jayci Lee.

Romance Reflection

I originally saw this retweeted on the Bad Romance Takes page and it didn’t sit right with me because this isn’t a bad romance take at all. It’s simply an observation from someone who isn’t excited for the string of reality show based romances scheduled for release this year. Which is fair since it’s not their preferred sub-genre. 

We all have our preferred tropes and sub-genres. So, logically, we all have the ones that we could do without. There are handfuls of tropes and sub-genres that I don’t enjoy. One example is the modern billionaire/millionaire romances. You can blame that series about the various facets of a monochromatic tone if you’d like; I’m sure that’s a factor. But honestly it’s just never been my bag. I don’t actively go out of my way to pooh-pooh those books; I just don’t seek them out.

I think that sometimes romance readers get so used to being defensive against people who hate the genre that it bleeds into interactions with our fellow readers who prefer different flavors. The popular phrase goes “Let people like what they like” but it should go without saying that the opposite is true. People should also be allowed to dislike what they don’t, both inside and outside the genre. 

Book Riot Romance

Don’t forget to listen to this week’s episode of When in Romance, where Trisha and Jess discuss more romance news, give romance recommendations for the Read Harder Challenge, and discuss various sport romances. They also announced the next WIR book club pick, Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur.

Make sure to get your own Read Harder Book Journal from Book Riot to track your reading for the year!

Around the Web in Romance

And speaking of WIR, be sure to sign up for this event for the release of April Asher’s Not the Witch You Wed, hosted by our very own Trisha.

There’s still time to sign up for this event from Love’s Sweet Arrow to celebrate the release of Electric Idol.

Fancy some second chance romances?

Check out some (or all) of these recommendations of science fiction romances hybrids.

Here are thirty-six of 2022’s most anticipated romances, according to Goodreads.

Recommendations

One of my goals this year is to not spend as much money on new books. I know a lot of people are taking on a ‘no-buy’ rule and I commend them for being that disciplined. I am not, so I’m being more realistic about the person that I am. There is so much that has been weighing me down the last couple of years, as with us all, that I take the joy where I can. For me, book buying bans are not joyful.

That said I am still working on keeping the count between books acquired and books read close. It’s possibly a Sisyphean task but I’m still trying. One way I’m doing this is by enlisting some friends to buddy read with me. Sometimes even just thinking someone is reading along with me is enough for me to buckle down and pick up that book that is collecting dust. 

So, my recommendations today are books that I purchased last year that I still need to read. There’s no real connection between them but that and hopefully thinking someone out there is reading along with me will help light the proverbial fire under me.

Don’t forget you can get three free audiobooks at Audiobooks.com with a free trial!

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And that’s all I have for you today. I hope that your upcoming weekend is full of rest, relaxation, and reading. If you’re already following me on Twitter, I can be found under @Pscribe801, where I post on a semi-regular basis. See y’all Monday with more romance news and some new releases.

Hey y’all, welcome to the Kissing Books newsletter. I hope your spirit is doing well. I’m PN Hinton, your guide through the world of romance and the roller coaster ride that it can be. If it is your first time here, welcome and if you’re a regular reader welcome back. 

I mentioned last week that I was reading Not Quite a Husband for my romance read in mass market paperback format. As silly as it sounds, I forgot how much I like this format. It could be a nostalgic factor; when I first started reading romance, those were what were in. Now, every time I read any book in that format, I’m reminded of how awesome they are. They’re easy to hold with one hand. They’re easier to carry around. And they also hurt the least if you drop them on your face when you fall asleep reading. 

And in ways TikTok attacked me this week, I present you with this gem. Seriously though, this account is awesome. If you’re on TikTok and not following her, you should be.

Romance Reflection

One thought bubble I’ve seen floating around a lot is that romance hits differently in non-romance books. I know that this mindset can cause a lot of ruffled feathers, but I actually agree with it because it covers both sides of that divided line. And here’s why. 

If you’re one who claims to not like romance for whatever reason, then it does hit you differently. It allows you to read about a romance without having to read an actual romance novel. Personally, I think that’s a little weird; if you enjoy a romantic element at all, then one could argue you do like the romance genre. You just don’t want to admit it for <insert random reason here>. That’s completely on you and at the end of the day you should read what you like, regardless of how you try to justify it. 

But for those that do love romance, it falls flat. It’s a watered down version of the awesome stories that we know are already out there that give us everything we’re wanting. While I read a variety of genres, I very much resent it when I get a book that is classified as romance only to find out that it is a small thread, if that, of the story. And, typically I avoid those authors from that moment on. The main issue with this thought is that it indicates that non-romance books with a smidge of a romantic element are better than actual romances. And that is simply not true. 

Again, I’m not a converter of people. I will not try to dissuade anyone from their thought process or beliefs at all. I’m very much a person who says you should do what brings you peace and joy, especially in the current world state. But stop trying to get romance to change what makes it romance or barge into it without respecting the rules. That way only leads to heartbreak for you.

Also remember one crucial detail; “different” does not mean “better”.

Book Riot Romance

Aurora gives her round-up of some of the New Adult Romances headed our way this Spring.

Jess talks about all nuances of interracial romance, including how it was portrayed in Netflix’s Single All the Way.

And Isabelle ruminates on why we shouldn’t forget about the amnesia trope in romances. 

Make sure to get your own Read Harder Book Journal from Book Riot to track your reading for the year!

Around the Web in Romance

So this happened last week and just…wow. Seriously, the quote that ran through my head when I saw this shenaniganry was “That’s a bold move, Cotton. Let’s see how it works out for them.” Spoiler alert! It won’t end well. The overlap in the Venn Diagram of “Romance Writers” and “People with a Law Degree” is way larger than most people think.

Also, this is one of the best clap backs I have seen in a bit for people who poo-poo romance novels.

This cover reveal though…

Check out this list of over 150 Black romance novels from 2021 that you should read.

We’re still in January so there’s still time to ring in start of 2022 with some of these M/M New Year romances.

Here’s a list of more LGBTQ+ romances headed our way this year.

Congratulations to Charish Reid on her recent book deal announcement.

Here are some pictures for the upcoming season of Bridgerton. Did I squeal out loud when I saw Newton the Corgi? Yes…yes I did.

And speaking of dogs, this is not romance related, but still too cute to not share.

New Releases

Getting Real by Emma Chase (1/24) 

Got Me Looking by Casey Cox (1/24)

The Falcon and the Foe by A.J. Truman (1/24) 

Something Fabulous by Alexis Hall (1/25)

Never Tell by Stacey Abrams (1/25)

D’Vaughn and Kris Plan a Wedding by Chencia C. Higgins (1/25)

My Famous Frenemy by Piper Rayne (1/25) 

Taming Clint Westmoreland and A Malibu Kind of Romance by Brenda Jackson and Synthia Williams (1/25) 

It Started With a List by Tinia Montford (1/25)

His Fresh Start Cowboy by A.M. Arthur (1/25)

The Map to You by Rachel Stockbridge (1/25)

Beautiful Country by Laura Conway (1/26)

She Came From the Swamp by Darva Green (1/27)

Roses Aren’t Red: An African Romance Anthology (1/28)

Don’t forget you can get three free audiobooks at Audiobooks.com with a free trial!

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That’s all for today friends! It’s been great and I’ll be back on Thursday with some more romance news and recommendations. If you’re not already, you can give me a follow on Twitter under @PScribe801. Have a wonderful week until then.

Hey y’all, welcome to the Kissing Books newsletter. I hope your spirit is doing well. I’m PN Hinton, your guide through the world of romance and the roller coaster ride that it can be. If it is your first time here, welcome and if you’re a regular reader welcome back. 

I can’t believe we’re almost through the first month of 2022. But then again, I can. I don’t know about anyone else but this month has been both the tortoise and the hare. Maybe it’s just being inside for the most part that is finally catching up to me too. I’ll admit that I haven’t hunkered down and been as much of a hermit as I was originally in 2020. But I’m sure not as social as I was in 2019. 

I finished Love & Other Disasters which I loved and can’t recommend enough. I realized though that I haven’t read a historical romance in a while so I started Not Quite a Husband by Sherry Thomas. 

Romance Reflection

I found this tweet the other day and there is a lot that can be unpacked here. One of the go-tos for romance haters is that women should read other genres because romances give them unrealistic expectations of how they should be treated. 

And by that I mean, you know, like a human being. 

It’s not just a matter of sex either, but just common basic decency. Yes, there are grandiose displays of affection in some romance novels. But ultimately it’s about someone realizing what they’re worth and not accepting less. Which, again, is just to be treated like an equal partner.

One of my near and dears is currently back in the dating world. She was telling me about one of the people she is dating and mentioned how when she went to visit him, he made her coffee every morning for two weeks and it practically moved her to tears. And, as happy as I am that he brought her joy and caffeine, I flat out told her, “Honey…coffee shouldn’t be where the bar is set.” 

Meanwhile, the assault and murder of women runs rampant through the thriller genre. Hell, for some they’re considered staples of it. They are little more than stock characters in some fantasy novels or are the ones that need to be rescued. And it happens far more often in that genre than in romances. And yet, women aren’t deterred from reading those as often as they are with romance. 

Everyone has their reason for liking the genre they do and that’s fine. Again, I’m not one to convert people to start reading something they don’t want. But let it be as simple as “I don’t like it”. There’s no need to bash it.

Book Riot Romance

Be sure to read over Rioter Sil’s recommendations for some of the best rom-com books.

And you can also read over Jessica’s take on why mass market paperback are still important.

Make sure to get your own Read Harder Book Journal from Book Riot to track your reading for the year!

Around the Web in Romance

Here are even more books that prove that bookstores and romances go hand in hand.

Be sure to submit your choices for the semi-finalist round for the Swoon Awards. I will warn you there will be times you will be sad you can only pick five.

Recommendations

With the current mood I’ve been in, I am feeling the need for books that never fail to make me smile. For me, re-reading books has always been a bit of a comfort thing; something I do when I just need a ‘pick me up’ and want to return to an old familiar favorite. That leads me to my recommendations for this week. These are some of my favorite romances that always put a smile on my face and I can always re-read. Hopefully they will bring you some joy as well.

Don’t forget you can get three free audiobooks at Audiobooks.com with a free trial!

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And that’s it for today y’all. I hope that this upcoming weekend is restful for you and you get a lot of ‘you’ time in. If you’re not following me already, I can be fond on Twitter under @Pscribe801. See y’all Monday!

Hey y’all, welcome to the Kissing Books newsletter. I hope your spirit is doing well. I’m PN Hinton, your guide through the world of romance and the roller coaster ride that it can be. If it is your first time here, welcome and if you’re a regular reader welcome back. 

I got my booster shot and, due to the fact that Pfizer is only available to kiddos, had to get the Moderna version. They’ve changed their minds on mixing the vaccines, having determined that getting a different booster helps with immunity which is great. But as soon as I got it, I already could tell that I would likely have an effect from it. I bled with the injection and then thirty minutes after, my arm started to smart, which didn’t happen with the last one. 

It’s okay though since I ended up taking the next day off to give myself time to recover, something my day job has been really flexible with. That’s really nice, especially compared with the horror stories I’ve been hearing about other companies. I’m going to hunker down on my couch with my fluffy blanket and continue reading Love & Other Disasters with that time as well as rest, relax, and hydrate. Maybe even see if I can tune into The Price is Right, if it’s still on, and do a callback to sick days as a kid. 

Romance Reflection

This week’s reflection is brought to you by what is, bluntly put, a somewhat misandric point of view. Basically there was this tweet floating around Twitter that said that someone finds men crying to be a turn off. Oh, the toxicity runs deep there and honestly this could be an entire post. But I have a word limit so I’ll try to make it quick. 

Bar none, point blank, full stop, however you want to describe it, that’s a garbage take and not a healthy one to have or perpetuate. I think one of the reasons that The Viscount Who Loved Me is my favorite Bridgerton is not just because it was the first one I read but because (SPOILER ALERT) when Anthony thinks he lost Kate, he breaks down. That was proof of his love for her because he was so scared of losing her. 

Crying does not make anyone weak; it makes them human. If we weren’t supposed to cry, then our bodies wouldn’t prompt us to do so when we’re feeling any kind of overwhelming emotion. Our tear ducts would just be used for flushing foriegn objects out of our eyes. Your romantic partner should feel comfortable enough to cry around you when they’re feeling any one of those emotions. If they do not, then quite frankly, that’s something you need to unpack about yourself because they should find that safe space with you. Having that type of thought process is not healthy and all it does is continue the cycle of toxic masculinity. Let’s break that chain of thought in 2022, shall we? For the betterment of everyone.

Book Riot Romance:

Check out the books that some Rioters are most looking forward to this year. There are a few romances in there as well!

Here’s Rioter Abby’s take on BookTok’s fascination with, shall we say unique, erotica.

You can also check out this piece that I wrote about the roommate romance trope.

There’s also still time to enter this giveaway for an audiobook copy of Electric Idol!

Around the Web in Romance

Speaking of 2022 releases, check out Nick of The Infinite Limits of Love’s guide to romance books for the first half of the year. Be prepared for a list of awesomeness that may make your wallet cry.

What’s that you say? Romance reading increased how much? It’s almost like it’s a legitimate genre or something…

I missed mentioning it before the official launch, but I didn’t want to overlook mentioning Harlequin Plus. This is a subscription based service from the publisher where you can sign up to receive access to an ebook library, monthly book bundles, and access to romance related movies and games. Check out this fun and informative YouTube video as well for more details.

Check out this interview with historical romance writer Cathy Maxwell.

Please…please…PLEASE…do not feel the need to give into this desire. It won’t end well for you or the audience you’d be trying to cater to. And if you simply must write it don’t try to publish it. Feelings will be hurt and they won’t be Romancelandia’s.

New Releases

Here are some of the new releases that should be hitting the shelves this week, barring any publication or supply delays. 

Beefing with the Dad Bod by Shyla Colt (1/17)

The Missing Page by Cat Sebastian (1/18)

Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly (1/18) 

The Best Men by Lauren Blakely and Sarina Bowen (1/18)

Heartbeats in a Haunted House by Amy Lane (1/18)

Something So Sweet by Joy Avery (1/18)

Right as Reign by J.B. Vample (1/18) 

Pike by Brenda Rothert (1/18)

Made in Manhattan by Lauren Layne (1/18)

Electric Idol by Katee Robert (1/18)

Devoured by the Dad Bod by Autumn Knight (1/19)

Uncovering Her Cravings by Rae Shawn (1/21)

Don’t forget you can get three free audiobooks at Audiobooks.com with a free trial!

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And that is all I have for you today. I’ll be back on Thursday with another romance round-up. If you’re not already, give me a follow on Twitter under @PScribe801. Until then!