Author: P.N. Hinton

Welcome to the Kissing Books newsletter. I hope your spirit is doing well.  I’m P.N. Hinton, your companion through the world of romance. Whether this is your first time or you’re a regular, I’m glad to have y’all here.

I don’t know if I mentioned it in a previous newsletter, but another thing I really dislike about ‘falling back’ an hour is that it gets darker way too early now. This is especially noticeable since I still work remotely because I’ll be sitting in my own little corner (in my own little chair) working and then look up and be like “Why the heck is it so dim in here now? Did my eyesight get worse in the last hour?” Only to realize nope my eyes are still the same level of not great; it’s just the sun starts setting earlier now.

Thanks. I hate it. But such is life. 

I’m currently reading a handful of books in a desperate and likely futile attempt to meet my reading goal for the year; The Love Hypothesis, The Book Boyfriend, and A Second Chance Road Trip for Christmas. This is in addition with a few others I have been working on for weeks. 

Wish me luck. I don’t think I’ll make it but I appreciate the encouragement. 

Romance Reflection

There was a tweet floating around last week, asking why it is embarrassing to tell people that you write romance novels. There were many responses as to how some authors answer that and they ranged from sarcastic, to funny, to honestly blunt. And, while I enjoyed the variety, it did make me more than a bit sad. 

The fact that the original poster felt they had to justify what they do for a living and lie or even hedge around it isn’t cool. I’m not sure if a partner or a friend made her feel that way but it’s something that, again, seems specific to the romance genre. I don’t hear about horror writers or mystery writers skirting around what they do. And honestly no one in any genre should.

I’ve seen the statement that romance keeps the lights on in too many places to feel that the people making said statement are exaggerating. It’s a popular genre. Period. End of discussion. It can be a lucrative career and if anyone gives you guff on it, chances are they’re just jealous because you’re in a position to get paid to do what you love and they may not be. 

Romance authors should be proud of what they do because it still takes quite a bit of skill and craft to write anything, so own it! You are an amazingly creative person and that rocks. And if someone has a problem with it? Tell them they are welcome to take the one way exit out of your life. Because you don’t need that type of negative unsupportive person in your life. At least that’s what I would do because nobody has time for all that judgement from people who claim to care about them. At the end of the day, it’s your job and you’re fortunate enough that it brings you joy. Keep on keepin’ on, my friends. 

Around the Web in Romance

Earlier this year, Julia Quinn’s father and sister were killed in a car crash. She recently announced that their family has established the Steven Cotler ‘60 Fund for the Summer Science Program in his honor. Read more about the fund and donate, if you’re so inclined, to the scholarship. At the time of their deaths she was also working on a graphic version of her novel within a novel featuring Mrs. Butterworth with her sister Violet Charles. She was able to finish the art, thanks to assistance from her other sisters, and that is still planning on being released.

Yet again more proof how much Romancelandia rocks, courtesy of a comment from a Disney Member Services Representative.

While not every book in this list is a romance, enough are that I am comfortable linking it here.

Here is a round-up of December romance reads.

Are you a fan of Beauty and the Beast? Then check out some of the books listed here!

So far we only have Day One but if you TikTok, be sure to check out Chelle Sloan’s 25 Days of Thirstmas!

Take this quiz to find out what role you would be in a rom-com! I’m…the secondary love interest and I HAVE FEELINGS ABOUT THAT!!

You can also take this quiz that attacked me slightly less and pick cookies to find out what underrated holiday movie to watch.

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

New Releases

Since last Monday’s newsletter was the shopping one, I missed out on the chance to highlight the new releases. So, I’m going to include a few of them in today’s edition along with the some of the new ones this week. Prepare your checkbooks!

Read Between the Lines by Rachel Lacey (12/1)

Gloam by Lily Mayne (12/3)

Baking Spirits Bright by Bryce Oakley (12/3) 

Yours Until Midnight by Jailaa West (12/3) 

Beautiful Submission by Ivy Wild by (12/3) 

Lighting Her Flame by Zariah Night (12/7)

Sundae’s Best by Riley Hart (12/8)

Show Up by Renee Dahlia (12/9)

Western Waves by Brittainy Cherry (12/9) 

The Christmas Manny by Sammi Cee (12/10)

A Sensual Seduction by Serenity King (12/10)

It Happened One Winter by Christi Caldwell (12/10)

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And that’s all I have for you today. I’ll be back Thursday with more romance reflections, news, and recommendations for you. Until then you can give me a follow over on Twitter under @PScribe801. Until then!

Welcome to the Kissing Books newsletter. I hope your spirit is doing well.  I’m P.N. Hinton, your companion through the world of romance. Whether this is your first time or you’re a regular, I’m glad to have y’all here. 

It’s officially the last month of 2021 and I have no idea how I feel about it. While part of me is somewhat excited to see what 2022 brings, the other part of me remembers being in this same position at the end of 2020. While I feel 2021 was better than 2020, the margin was pretty frickin’ slim, I gotta tell you, personal and worldwide. Still, I suppose I should try to be cautiously optimistic about it all. 

Romance Reflection

Since we’ve officially reached December, I feel it’s appropriate for this reflection. I’ve always found the fascination with winter holidays and romances interesting. It’s not even just a Christmas thing since other romances which feature holidays like Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Diwali are coming out. And, as I’ve said before, I love it even if I don’t get the correlation. Hear me out. 

I’ll be honest; nowadays, the holidays are stressful for me. They haven’t always been and I honestly can’t pinpoint the moment where they changed from exciting to the feeling of being overwhelmed. It’s a lot to juggle and it’s a lot to worry about and a lot of pressure. In the last few years I’ve had to take the mindset that I am not going to go broke buying a gift for anyone, even my teenager, because at the end of it all, it’s just stuff. You can’t take it with you. And the movies and books seem to gloss over that or have it thrown in for comedic value. 

Then again, maybe that’s the draw. Yes, we all know it’s tragically stressful, but for those few hours you can just fall in love with the magic of the holidays—which I get since I freely admit I use these to help my heart grow three sizes throughout the month. While it doesn’t make me one of those people who have the Hallmark holiday movie on 24/7, it does help me from muttering “Bah, humbug” on the regular. So, mixed bag. 

Book Riot Romance

Speaking of holiday romances, take this quiz to find out the one you should pick up next. I ended up getting The Holiday Swap which also happened to be my BOTM pick this month.

Rioter Namera came up with this list of dystopian romances for us.

Click here to start listening to Part 2 of When in Romance’s recommendation episode.

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

Around the Web in Romance

First, let me just state the obvious. Romancelandia rocks. The Romance for Chencia auction reached 128.5% of its overall goal. That just warmed my heart so much to see that.

There’s still a little bit of time to sign up for this event featuring Hallmark writer Tracy Andreen about her debut YA romance novel So, This is Christmas.

There’s also still a small window of time for Kisscon’s One Night Stand.

I haven’t seen True Story yet but damn, this isn’t a lie. To be fair I’ve always thought Billy Zane was attractive from the first time I saw him in Demon Knight. Yes, I know there’s probably a lot to unpack there, but this isn’t the time so moving on…

Charish Reid revealed the cover of her upcoming paranormal romance, I’ll Come Back for You and yes I already ordered it .You’re welcome Future Me.

I invite you to be attacked with me.

Recommendations

Harkening back to what I said above, I’m going to start off the month with some holiday romances that I think would be good for getting you in the holiday spirit. That way I, and anyone else in my position, can start the month off strong by trying to embrace it. My goal this month is to focus each week’s recommendation on a different winter holiday. I’m not sure how successful I’ll be, but I’m going to try. 

That said, since Hanukkah was being observed this last week, I’m going to start off with romances that celebrate that holiday. 

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And that’s all I have for you today. I’ll be back on Monday with another edition and, if you’re not already following me on Twitter you can under @PScribe801. Have a wonderful weekend!

Welcome to the Kissing Books newsletter. I hope your spirit is doing well today. I’m P.N. Hinton, your companion through the world of romance. Whether this is your first time or you’re a regular I’m glad to have y’all here. 

It’s been a whole week since we last spoke! If you observed Thanksgiving this year, I hope that it was a good time for you and that it was a charge rather than a drain. Mine was fairly uneventful but, all things considered, it was exactly what I needed. It was my one day off from work, so I just stayed at home, read A Match Made for Thanksgiving, and just enjoyed the quiet. As per the norm, I allowed myself to start watching holiday movies last Friday. I will start reading more holiday novels soon as well, although I did get a jump on a few this year already. 

One thing I haven’t really done yet is start shopping. I know I can hear the collective groans from everyone. But hear me out! I’m very much one of those people who, once I buy someone a gift, I want to give it to them right away. I love seeing their reaction when they open it and that is one of the biggest draws for me. So, I tend to wait until the last moment to get it so as to avoid being tempted. 

That said, I know not everyone is like this and some of y’all may already be done. However, if you’re a gift-buying procrastinator like yours truly, then you may just now be getting to your round of shopping. If so, here are just a few recommendations for the romance lovers in our life. Or, if you need to strongly nudge someone in the direction of what to get you, consider these in your list to them. 

What better way to curl up with a romance than with this coffee mug that is an homage to all the genre tropes. And remember that when you’re drinking from a coffee cup, no one can see (or judge) what you’re drinking. $16

Show off your love of romance with one of these enamel pins. And, this price is so nice that you can get one for you and one for your romance reading BFF. $11

Maybe you know someone who would love this keychain. I love the simple but succinct statement that is being made here. $8

Now, personally I look terrible in baseball hats. They just don’t get along with my super curly hair. That said, this is a true statement on a bad-ass baseball hat for those who don’t have the same problem I do. $23

I love stickers! Always have and always will. That said, the trick is, and always has been, finding the perfect spot for them. $15

This sweatshirt is a perfect candidate for snuggling up with the romance novel of your choice. $27

Now you may be like me and not live in a place that has a lot of sweatshirt weather. If so, you might want to check out this T-shirt as an alternative. $20+

Here is a collection of vintage romance novel cover postcards. I’ll agree this is a total vanity item but they’re still pretty. $9

You could also gift this candle. I love burning candles or incense when I’m reading, just to set the mood. Plus, these scents just whisper (not scream) relaxation to me. $15

And finally you can never have too many bookmarks. You can’t change my mind on this, especially when they’re also a way to proclaim your love for the genre. $2+

You can also check out our helpful 2021 Holiday Gift Guide for ideas for other book lovers in your life.

And remember that we’re looking for an Advertising Sales Manager! Do you like books and comics? Does helping advertisers reach an enthusiastic community of book and comics lovers intrigue you? This might be your job. Apply by December 5, 2021.

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 y’all. I’ll be back on Thursday with the latest in romance news. If you’re not already doing so, then you can follow me on Twitter under @PScribe801. Until then!

Welcome to the Kissing Books newsletter. Hope your spirit is doing well.  I’m P.N. Hinton, your companion through the world of romance. Whether or not this is your first time or you’re a regular I’m glad to have y’all here.

It’s hard to believe that it’s already Thanksgiving this week. The end of 2021 is really close which means 2022 is just around the corner. I’m sure I’ll have more of an introspective closer to the end of the year but as I was writing this newsletter it hit me that soon I’ll have to remember to write 2022 on things. There’s nothing much planned for the holiday this year for me apart from not having to work, which in and of itself may be worth its weight in gold because everything is busy this time of the year. Absolutely everything. 

As we go into the holiday week I also wanted to share something that brings me lots of joy, and that is the song Pretty Much You by Rockapella. Yes, that Rockapella. The one that sang the Carmen Sandiego theme song. Listen to it and try to not at least shimmy. I dare you. 

Romance Reflection

Goodreads opened up voting for Best Books of 2021 and, like many others in the community, I was surprised to not hate the nominations in the Romance category. There is also a fair amount of representation there. If anything, it’s going to be tough picking which one I want to vote for since there are more than a handful that I want to win. With the exception of a few, I would be happy with anyone that won.

That said, I would be remiss in not calling out the lack of mass market paperback books or historical romances. All of them are contemporary which is fine. And I wouldn’t want it to go the other way and only have historical romances, because then we might run the risk of having little to no actual representation. 

This isn’t to say that I’m unhappy with what was chosen but I know that there were a lot of historical romances that got boosted a lot this year. You would think looking at that list that there were none released in 2021. And there seem to be almost no indie romances. So, it’s one of those mixed blessing things, at least for me. 

I’m going to be optimistic for once and say that I feel the nominations this year are a step in the right direction. We still have a way to go for sure. And I still feel that books that aren’t published yet by the time the nominations are open should be in the running as it is highly unlikely anyone actually read them. But, there’s hope. 

However, I’m not going to overlook the fact that the Swoon Awards are currently taking nominations. And you can submit as many books as you’d like. So if one of your favorites got overlooked, you can always throw your name in that ring. 

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

Book Riot Romance

Rioter Sil has some romance read-alikes for fans of Ted Lasso. 

If you haven’t had the chance to listen to the first two episodes of Adaptation Nation and are traveling for the holiday, now is the perfect time to do it. The first one is on Dune and the second on Casino Royale.

Not romance related but it’s still in the Book Riot vein: we’re hiring an Advertising Sales Manager! Do you like books and comics? Does helping advertisers reach an enthusiastic community of book and comics lovers intrigue you? If so, then this might be the perfect fit for you!! Apply here by December 5, 2021.

Around the Web in Romance

This gave me all the feels. The first time I remember seeing a romance novel was in the hands of my dear Aunt Judy at one of our many family gatherings. She always had a Harlequin in hand and whenever we visited her she would have them stacked on her coffee table. Romance is something that brings, and sometimes keeps family together. And I will die on that hill every time. 

And, speaking of romances keeping us together, I loved seeing this tweet from Christi Caldwell about Jodi Picoult. It is possible to promote authors in genres other than your own and I love that getting recognition and call outs.

The way my jaw hit the floor when I saw this cover reveal from Jayci Lee.

Here is a list of Bookpage’s Best Romances of 2021.

New Releases

Whether or not you’re out in the thick of it shopping for deals or purchasing from the comfort of your couch, consider treating yourself with some of these new releases.

Ignite by Melanie Harlowe (11/22)

Daddy’s Little Christmas by Della Cain (11/22)

Fury of Destruction by Coreene Callahan (11/23)

Mr. Dale and the Divorcee by Sophie Barnes (11/23)

All the Pastor Wants by Rhonda McKnight (11/24)

Kourt-ing by Tracy Gray (11/24)

Bobsledding with the Billionaire by Rose M. Cooper (11/26)

Meant to Be by Chloe Peterson (11/26)

Silver Bells by Carole Wyatt (11/27)

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Small reminder that this weekend is Small Business Saturday. While I understand the convenience of chain stores and sites, remember that $50 has more of an impact on a small business than a corporation. So, if you can shop locally please try to. I know I will likely be purchasing a few things from one of my local indie bookstores for some gift ideas.

And that’s all for this week. I’ll be back next Monday with a fresh edition. In the meantime you can follow me over on Twitter under @PScribe801. Have a wonderful rest of your week.

Welcome to the Kissing Books newsletter. Hope your spirit is doing well.  I’m P.N. Hinton, your companion through the world of romance. Whether or not this is your first time or you’re a regular I’m glad to have y’all here.

As a quick reminder, there will not be a newsletter next Thursday, as that is Thanksgiving for America. So you’ll only hear from me once that week. I hope that, if you’re celebrating, that next week is full of fun relaxing downtime for you. 

Romance Reflection

This thoughtful tweet from Olivia Dade tugged at all my heart strings. Jayne Ann Krentz’s Trust Me was probably the first outwardly contemporary romance novel I read as a young book dragon. And I remember this because I got this book from a student teacher in middle school who had observed me reading in class one day. She left it with a note that basically came down to, “I love seeing young readers, so keep at it. But also pay attention in class and read later.” Which is fair because I was and still am terrible at math. 

But being a fan of JAK and her historical counterpart Amanda Quick isn’t the only reason this struck all those chords. It’s because the underlying thought, for me, is that kindness goes a long way. Something that in the grand scheme may have just a few hours on a random day to that author stayed with Dade for years. 

This is one thing I love about the romance genre: the willingness to really listen and give back to your fans. Now, that isn’t to say that all romance authors are like that because we know that’s not the case. Nor is it to say that no other genres do this, so please don’t come for me with pitchforks. But I very rarely hear about it happening as often it does here. 

Not only did JAK retain a lifelong fan that day, but she also got a reader who would forever sing her praises and recommend her to others. And that is a gift that keeps on giving. Kindness goes a long way and this recollection helped to show that.

Book Riot Romance:

The latest episode of When in Romance with the first round of reader recommendations.

Jess also wrote this round up of cozy romances.

Rioter Isabelle has a wish list for romance novels destinations.

Don’t forget to give a listen to Adaptation Nation, Book Riot’s latest podcast!

Around the Web in Romance

There is currently an auction going on to help romance writer Chencia C.Higgins, who is currently in a tough spot in her life. If you’re an author who wants to donate you can at this link. And if you want to see what is up for auction you can click here.

Entertainment Weekly came out with their choices for the best romances of 2021.

Here’s more from Olivia Dade on why fat representation is important in romance

How much do you love romance novels? Take this fun quiz and find out. I’m a Swooner!

Here’s a list of romance books that one editor wishes was getting more attention. While I believe that the second and last one is doing just fine, I agree with the rest.

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

Recommendations

Next week is Thanksgiving for us here in America and I am looking forward to it. I’m hoping to see my blood family for the day since it has been almost two years since we’ve all gathered. But, if not, I still plan on a relaxing day watching TV and spending time with my small immediate family. 

The older I get, I really do enjoy Thanksgiving possibly over other holidays. The act of cooking and eating with loved ones is always a welcome respite from the rest of the year as is taking a nap after eating and then waking up for round two or more desserts. There’s nothing that is tradition in our family, like waking up early to watch the Macy’s Day Parade, or turning it to Hallmark to start watching Christmas movies while decorating the tree. But still, being with loved ones, for me anyways, is a tradition in and of itself. 

Which leads me to the recommendations for this week, which are romances that take place around Thanksgiving. While Christmas still gets more than the lion’s share for romance settings, there are quite a few Thanksgiving ones out there, a trend I hope keeps increasing in the next few years. Because it’s nice to be thankful for what we have before moving on to what we want.

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And that’s it for today. I’ll be back Monday with another edition of the newsletter. Until then, you can follow me on Twitter under @PScribe801. I hope that you have a wonderful relaxing weekend. Happy reading!

Welcome to the Kissing Books newsletter. Hope your spirit is doing well.  I’m P.N. Hinton, your companion through the world of romance. Whether or not this is your first time or you’re a regular I’m glad to have y’all here. 

Quick heads up on a few things. As of this newsletter, I will no longer be including deals in Monday’s newsletters. You may have noticed that these now come as their own separate emails! No worries though; that just gives me more room for romance news.

And, since Thanksgiving is being observed in the US Thursday, there will not be a newsletter on Thursday 11/25.  But you will still hear from me that Monday.

Speaking of that holiday, we have just one more week before the teenager has a full week off for it. And I know he’s ready. Heck, I’m ready for the week’s reprieve of fighting to get him to both to sleep and wake up. For someone who’s a teenager he sure fights bedtime. Whereas if I could get paid for napping, I would jump on that. He may be going to visit with some relatives for the week. That way, he can get a break from home, even if he only ends up looking at four new walls or a bit. But if not, he will still enjoy the week of being glued to his tablet screen. 

In personal bookish news, Read Between the Lines and How to Catch A Queen are the two romances that are on my currently reading shelves. 

Romance Reflection

Last week, our dear Mrs. Bev got reported over on Twitter after getting into a back and forth with another writer after re-tweeting something about rejection. And I remember seeing that tweet and feeling a warm fuzzy inside. Because we all know rejection hurts. And sometimes hearing about someone else’s experience, especially an author you admire, can help you get through it. And that was the whole point of the tweet. 

The issue arose when the other party tried to tell Mrs. Bev that it was bad form to acknowledge that she had seen it or something of that nature. That is just what I could surmise. I couldn’t find the specific response, as the other party has since made their tweets private. Which is completely her prerogative. I’m not judging her for that at all. This time of the year especially, I’m a big proponent of doing what you have to do for your mental well being.

That said, I do have feedback regarding a few things that were said. One is the accusation that Mrs. Bev sent her followers after her. Let’s be clear; Mrs. Bev has reached a level where she doesn’t have to ask her fans to do anything. They will defend her if they think she’s being attacked. That is one of the privileges (and sometimes pitfalls) that come from a long and successful career.

The other is that it sounds like she was telling Mrs. Bev how publishing works, which is laughable. She’s been in the game for a while so she has an idea of how it’s played. Most people who have been in any field for a set period of time will get defensive when a newer person comes in and tries to tell them how it works. That’s just human nature.

But Mrs. Bev still stayed courteous throughout this exchange; her fans were the ones that, some would argue rightfully so, told the other person how mistaken she was in all her assumptions about the type of person she was and how she should have reacted to the original tweet.

Yes, it’s important to have young fresh faces and voices in any field. But, it’s equally as important to acknowledge that you’re not entering uncharted territory and there are many other pioneers that came before you.

Book Riot Romance

Rioter Alison put together this handy-dandy Jackie Lau reading pathway.

And if you enjoyed The Heart Principle, Rioter Julia has some read-a-like recs for you.

Don’t forget to check out Adaptation Nation, Book Riot’s latest podcast.

Around the Web in Romance

Fated Mates came out with their Best Books of 2021.

Here’s some more excitement for The Hating Game adaptation.

Cartel has acquired 25 Brenda Jackson books for adaptation.

After seeing this trailer, I can’t not share it because it looks adorable.

Tomorrow you can tune in to The Ripped Bodice’s Facebook Live event where Sonali Dev and Sara Desai will be discussing Desai’s latest release, The Singles Table.

Paul Rudd was named Sexiest Man Alive for 2021 and all I can say is, “Yes.”

So much truth here.

Check out this interview that Goodreads did with Talia Hibbert about her favorite romances of 2021.

New Releases

Here are some of the new releases that are hitting the shelves this week. Due to the supply chain issues, some of these may not be available in physical form or may sell out quickly. But these were the dates that I found as of the writing of this newsletter.

The Chef’s Choice by Susan D. Peters (11/15) 

The Singles Table by Sara Desai (11/16) 

An Heiress’s Guide to Deception and Desire by Manda Collins (11/16)

House on Fire by Jenn Burke (11/16)

Rare Danger by Beverly Jenkins (11/16)

Rosie’s Curl and Weave by Rocheller Alers, Donna Hill, Felicia Mason, and Francis Ray (11/16)

All the Feels by Olivia Dade (11/16) 

Forever Wilde in Aster Valley by Lucy Lennox (11/16)

An Alaskan Wedding by Nance Sparks (11/16)

The Professor’s Dragon by Louisa Masters (11/18)

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And that’s all I have for you today. In case you’re wondering, yes, it was weird to not include deals but I’m confident we’ll all adjust to this! I’ll be back Thursday with some Thanksgiving romance recommendations to get you through the holiday next week. As always, give me a follow over on Twitter @PScribe801. Until then.

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

Welcome to the Kissing Books newsletter. Hope your spirit is doing well.  I’m P.N. Hinton, your companion through the world of romance. Whether or not this is your first time or you’re a regular I’m glad to have y’all here. 

DST really messed me up this year. I fell asleep to YouTube and woke up right when the clocks rolled back, which ended up really discombobulating me Sunday. But I made it through and that’s the important part, right? 

I’m still reading The Ex Hex and Love, Comment, Subscribe and am loving both.

Romance Reflection

I saw this little clip right here and almost wish I hadn’t. In the back of my mind, I feel I’ve heard from this lady before, but I probably blocked it out. And this video will soon follow because it’s a pretty naïve and condescending take. Tessa Dare goes into a really good in-depth take down on why this mentality is bad in her re-tweet, so I recommend giving that a read.

One thing that really stuck out to me about this entire exchange was the unnatural language that she used. The inflection was too ‘after-school special’ and not one one would use when talking about something that they really feel is a serious issue. Frankly, it sounded like a script, fed to her from a third party.

This was really noticeable when she said she read began to read books that weren’t aligned with her values. I call shenanigans on that since all readers, no matter what the genre, have deal breakers that they will not bend on. That part was very much like someone was telling her she should feel wrong for enjoying erotica because she’s an [insert various descriptive noun here].

Now, I could be wrong. She could really feel that way about romance novels now. The dangerous thing about that is that it plays into the patriarchal misconception about romance novels, with an added dash of “romance readers will forget other responsibilities or sleep.” Which, frankly, is dumb. A good book will keep you up, regardless of the genre it is in.

Book Riot Romance

Rioter Nikki wrote this thoughtful piece on consent in romance novels.

Around the Web in Romance

Here is an article that embraces the wonderfulness that is romance novels.

While I wasn’t a huge fan of The Hating Game, this trailer gave me hope for the movie. And who knows? It may be covered in a future episode of Adaptation Nation, Book Riot’s newest podcast.

I have to say the ones I’ve read don’t seem to have this scene (thank goodness) but yes this is a thing that needs to be stopped immediately.

Looking for a way to alleviate the stress of the holidays? Try picking up some of these M/M romances.

Speaking of holidays, find out which holiday rom-com couple you are. I got Sally and Jack, which I am a-okay with.

The Swoon Awards are returning! *Kermit flail*

This is a gentle reminder that men like rom-coms too.

KissCon is hosting the One Night Stand via Crowdcast on December 4th. By just purchasing two books from one of the participating bookstores, you can attend. Sounds like a winner all around to me.

Recommendations

One thing I’m really enjoying about The Ex Hex is Sir Purrcival, the cat. I have a soft spot for black cats and really should get my cat own one day. Don’t get me wrong I love dogs and cats. But, since I currently live in an apartment, I feel a cat would be a somewhat easier pet.

Until then, though I figure I can live vicariously through the cats that my book club buddies have since I’m the only one without one. That and the fictional ones of course. I know that most people may think that cats are mainly for cozy mysteries but they have a good presence in romance novels as well. Which leads to this weeks’ recommendations: romances with cats in them.

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And that is all I have for you today. I’ll be back Monday with more news and updates for you. In the meantime give me a follow on Twitter under @Pscribe801. Have a great weekend and get some good rest and reading done!

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

Welcome to the Kissing Books newsletter. Hope your spirit is doing well.  I’m P.N. Hinton, your companion through the world of romance. Whether or not this is your first time or you’re a regular I’m glad to have y’all here. 

Hopefully the ‘extra hour’ of sleep that y’all got yesterday was a good one. Personally, I think that all states should do away with Daylights Savings Time because it honestly makes no sense. We’re no longer farmers, even if some people think we may be moving back to that soon with how the world is going. Still, as of right now, there’s really no need for it. I think one of the reasons that I have such bitter feelings towards DST is because for two years I was a toddler teacher. And I gotta tell you, when they ‘lose’ that hour in the spring and their internal clock is thrown off? It’s not fun to witness or experience. It, like being stuck in a room with ten toddlers with cabin fever, should really be a layer of hell.  

I started reading The Ex Hex and can attest November is still a great time for a witchy romance. Of course that’s true of any month of the year. Oh, and my partner finished Ice Planet Barbarians and while he thought it was okay isn’t likely to finish the series. He did notice The Book Boyfriend in our Kindle family library and was drawn in by the cover. So, he actually started that one before I did.

Romance Reflection

Despite my best attempt at getting my Nancy Drew on, I couldn’t find out what author or book this was in reference to. However, from the tone of that tweet, I’m guessing it was yet another dismissal of everything in the genre, except of course their own book. Because I don’t think an innocent comment would have caused this level of snark and clapback. 

I want to state upfront that it’s perfectly okay to want a break from your job, which is one way to look at this type of statement. I don’t imagine that professional chefs want to go home after long hours during the holidays and be expected to also cook the holiday familial meals. That’s their job and it makes sense to want a break. When I was at the daycare, it used to annoy me to the highest of heavens that my family and friends would think I was okay watching their kids (for free, no less) on my off time. Because that was a hard pass. 

But, given the mood this evokes, it seems to be a swing in the other direction. One of the consistent misconceptions out there is that it’s easy to write romance. And, it’s really not. Truthfully, it’s not easy to write in any genre; it’s just that romance is the one that people seem to think that any Tom, Dick, and Harriet can do. It’s still a craft that you have to practice and hone because if you don’t and you’re terrible then your books won’t sell. 

And it wouldn’t hurt to read at least one or two before you put your own pen to paper to write on. I mean it’s not like you’re going to develop a lifelong addiction or anything like that.

Book Riot Romance

Here is an awesomely robust list of some of the best genre-blending romances out there, courtesy of Rioter Silvana.

Around the Web in Romance

Speaking of Ice Planet Barbarians, there’s still time to pre-order a signed copy of the new print edition.

Okay, so I promise that I really do respect the Turkey. But this J.Crew ad with Jodie Turner-Smith and Joshua Jackson is giving me strong “I need this holiday movie” vibes. I’m also digging the silver fox that Jackson is becoming. *fans self*

But if you’re one who chooses to start winter holiday celebration earlier, then here’s a nice well-rounded list of romances to help further set the mood.

Sarah Ferguson, aka Fergie, aka The Duchess of York is launching a historical romance book club.

There is also The Unusual Historical Romance Book Club if you’re looking for romances that may be a bit more outside of the box.

The Last Date Night with Alyssa Cole is scheduled for Friday, November 12th. So there’s still time to sign up.

There’s apparently going to be a Reese Ryan Bourbon Brothers Experience book box and I’m here for it.

New Releases & Deals

Here are some of the new releases hitting the shelves this week. Again, with the way supplies have been working I’m unsure if any of these got pushed back or not; but the dates specified were the ones reflected when I was writing today’s edition.

A Winter’s Earl by Annabelle Greene (11/9)

The Geek Who Saved Christmas by Annabeth Albert (11/9)

Never Fall for Your Fiancée by Virginia Heath (11/9)

Just Haven’t Met You Yet by Sophie Cousens (11/9) 

The Donut Trap by Julie Tieu (11/9)

The Alien’s Veterinarian by Skye MacKinnon and Arizona Tape (11/10)

Kiss Me, if You Dare by Alyssa Clarke (11/10)

Unforgettable Nights by Tiye Love (11/12)

And these are some of the deals that I found this week. The prices listed here were the ones that were displayed as of the writing of this newsletter.

Lord of the Last Heartbeat by May Peterson ($1.99)

The Marriage Code by Brooke Burroughs ($1.99)

How to Find a Princess by Alyssa Cole ($2.99)

One Night of Scandal by Teresa Medeiros ($1.99) 

Just Like This by Cole McCade ($1.99)

The Highland Fling by Meghan Quinn ($1.99)

Just Say the Word by Tiffany Patteson ($0.99)

Love by Chance by Blake Allwood ($0.99)

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That’s all I have for y’all today. I’ll be back on Thursday with more updates and recommendations. If you’re not already, give me a follow over on Twitter under @PScribe801. Until then stay warm, hydrated, and well-read.

Welcome to the Kissing Books newsletter. Hope your spirit is doing well.  I’m P.N. Hinton, your companion through the world of romance. Whether or not this is your first time or you’re a regular I’m glad to have y’all here. 

While I did miss trick-or-treating on some level, another part of me was glad to avoid the big crowds especially because the last few years I was going solo with the kiddo. Friends we’d previously trick-or-treated with in the past always had other plans; so, we were kind of left out. Not to sound maudlin; it is what it is. Still, it was nice to not be out there with no other adult friends to speak with and watch the kids get their candy. 

Things making me happy this week is my new haircut and style. I got bangs which I’ve never had before. So, this is an exciting experience for me.

Romance Reflection

Even if you just lurk over on Twitter, you likely saw this tweet floating around. Seems like this man has hurt feelings because his book won in the Bad Sex Reward. He says it’s because he’s a man and women are overly sensitive.

Based on that snippet alone, this book didn’t win that award because a man wrote it. It won because it is, in fact, a terrible sex scene. What gets me is that he seems to blame it all on women readers. While it could be argued that most readers are women, we’re still only half of the world’s population. Which means some men read this and agreed it was terrible.

So, don’t blame it on the fact that you’re a man as the reason your book tanked and got this award. There are plenty of men out there writing novels, romance or otherwise, with sex scenes in them that aren’t getting this award. Get over yourself. You just can’t write sex well.

Book Riot Romance

This last Monday, Book Riot’s latest podcast, Adaptation Nation, went live. If you haven’t already be sure to give it a listen.

Speaking of podcasts, check out the latest When in Romance where Trisha and Jess discuss the future of romance conventions among other things. There’s still time to submit requests for romance recommendations!

I am in love with this list of some of the best Indian Romances out there.

There’s also this Rioter’s recap of her romance scavenger hunt at a local book fair.

Around the Web in Romance

Here’s a round-up of some of the romance novels coming out this month.

If you prefer some suspense with your romance, there are a few for your consideration.

Even more romance covers as rocks!

Be sure to sign up Love’s Sweet Arrow Sapphic Romance virtual event! With this impressive line-up, you know that it’s going to be a great time.

I think most of us can agree that this fanart, is probably where a lot of romance readers got their first dose of a monster romance.

The gif on this tweet combined with Olivia Waite‘s quote calling out romance scorn as formulaic is *chef’s kiss*.

Which leads into the monthly appearance of someone saying that romance novels don’t need to have an HEA. This meme sums it all up here all around. 

Recommendations

As mentioned last week, November is Indigenous People Month, an observation that was established in 2019 here in America. Historically, romance novels haven’t been kind to Native Americans. And there has been a call as of late to stop publishing those older books and focus on positive ones.

There are Indigenous Romances out there to be found, even if they don’t get the spotlight shone on them like others do. This week I’m going to highlight a few romances by Indigenous authors. One thing I will call out is that there isn’t an LGBTQ rec this week. I couldn’t find one I was certain was written by an Indigenous author. And I wanted to be mindful and avoid any type of fetishization since that has been the issue in the past. So, the books listed here are M/F romances.

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And that is all I have for you today. I’ll be back Monday with another newsletter and in the meantime you can catch me on Twitter under @PScribe801. Have a wonderful weekend.

Welcome to the Kissing Books newsletter. Hope your spirit is doing well. I’m P.N. Hinton, your companion through the world of romance. Whether or not this is your first time or you’re a regular, I’m glad to have y’all here. 

We’ve officially entered what I think of as the busy season of the year. There are two major holidays back to back and this year, they’re also exactly one month apart. It can be kind of hectic, even in a non-pandemic world . And I feel the pandemic only served to increase this. As you move along in the hustle and bustle of the next two months, remember to give yourself grace and time to breathe. You’re only human after all and you need air to stay alive. If you can put something off until tomorrow, do it. Whether it’s laundry, dishes, or other things, most times it will keep. So just breathe. 

I recently started Love, Comment, Subscribe and so far, I am loving this frenemy to lovers romance.

We have some podcast news! Be sure to check out Book Riot’s newest podcast, Adaptation Nation and listen to discussions about the adaptations of your favorite books. Whether it is the big or small screen, there is always room for discussion about these. Up first is Dune, which is currently on everybody’s lips. 

Romance Reflection

November is Indigenous People month, an observation that was established back in 2019. I’ve talked before about the problematic history of romance novels and how they portrayed Indigenous people in the past. But it’s still something that we need to be conscious of, all year but especially this month. And a lot of this has to do with the false narrative we’re given about the first Thanksgiving. 

It may feel odd celebrating this holiday now because of those troublesome roots, which is fair. As I’ve gotten older, the holiday hasn’t been about this fairy tale; it’s been about spending time with family. It’s also been about being thankful, something we sometimes forget to be. It doesn’t help that Black Friday is the day after and now even seeps into the evening hours of Thanksgiving, which is a whole other discussion. 

But I love Thanksgiving. I really do. I love spending time with my family and eating good food and just relaxing. Even if it’s back to the grindstone the next day, that one day off to reflect and relax is always good for me. That said, I have noticed that there is not a lot of love paid to that holiday even in the romance genre. While there are Thanksgiving romances out there, there’s not nearly as much as there is for Halloween, Christmas, New Years, or Valentine’s Day. Stores start putting up both Halloween and Christmas decorations in September, completely ignoring the holiday that comes in between. 

Maybe if we start having more romances surrounding Thanksgiving, then it will help it to be given its proper respect. And then we can really reshape and form it for our own, rather than what we were raised with. Either way, I’d be interested to see these types of romance novels displayed between ones that showcase the holidays that surround it. We’re romance readers after all; there’s room for all the holiday love in our hearts. 

Oh and as an aside, there will be recommendations this month for both Indigenous and Thanksgiving romances. So keep an eye out!

Around the Web in Romance

You may have seen this news floating around and the division that it has caused. I don’t want to expand too much on this because it’s all been said. What’s really upsetting here is that there are other books that romance readers have actively been asking to be adapted. Beverly Jenkin is always a front runner there as is Brenda Jackson. But you also have Alyssa Cole, Talia Hibbert, KJ Charles, Cat Sebastian…the list could literally go on. You could practically go into any book store and blindly throw a dart in the romance section and hit a book that most of Romancelandia would prefer to see adapted. So, this is quite the bitter pill to choke down.

Here are some of the best M/M romances that you may have missed last month.

In the latest edition of “Romance Covers as [Blank]” we have them as libraries!

Check out this throwback photo with some of the pioneering Black women of romance. speaking of authors who deserve adaptations.

What would your end result be in this ‘can only keep one trope’ game? For me, it would be enemies to lovers, friends to lovers, fake dating, next-door neighbor, and fated mates.

Curl up with some second-chance romances.

Build a bakery, get a rom-com that mirrors your own potential romance. Because I had options for a few questions I took it twice and ended up with Notting Hill and then Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

New Releases & Deals:

Here are some of the new releases that you can snag this week. Quick call-out! I jumped the gun last week as Tasha L. Harrison’s With Her Own Two Hands comes out this week. Apologies for any disappointment I caused!

Unexpected Goals by Kelly Farmer

Mr. Jingle Bells by Leta Blake

Fall Into You by Georgina Kiersten

New Year’s Kiss by B.K. Wiggins

Off Limits by Riley Hart

How to Marry Keanu Reeves in 90 Days by K.M. Jackson

The Fastest Way to Fall by Denise Williams

A Not So Meet Cute by Meghan Quinn

And here are some of the deals that you can pick up. Remember, these were the prices that were reflected as of the writing of this newsletter.

All Dressed in White by Charis Michaels ($1.99)

High Country Bride by Linda Lael Miller ($1.99)

Awaken the Dragon by A.C. Arthur ($1.99)

Cold Hearted Bastard by Jennifer Dawson ($0.99)

Savannah’s Secrets by Reese Ryan ($1.99)

Dirty Little Midlife Mess by Lilian Monroe ($1.99)

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And that’s all I have for you this Monday. I’ll be back Thursday with another edition. Give me a follow over on Twitter under @PScribe801. Until then.