Author: P.N. Hinton

Careful Translations and Halloween Romances

Post author By P.N. Hinton
Post date October 27, 2021

Romance Reflection

I came across this remembrance which was connected to this longer thread and there’s a lot of food for thought here. Most of the problems people have with romance are the ‘unrealistic’ expectation it portrays of relationships and, frankly, how women experience sex.

However, very little is ever said about the unrealistic expectations that a large part of sci-fi gave to its fans. No one had problem with the rampant and, some would argue, weird sex that was displayed there. In reality, it all boils down to the differences in the male and female gaze on sex. It’s very telling how the die-hard fans have no problem with the unhealthy depiction of women and sex in old-school sci-fi, while sneering at the healthy depiction in romance novels. And it’s not a good take to have.

Again, it’s okay to like older media; just be willing to turn that mirror around to it and admit that it has a lot of red flags and problematic tendencies that wouldn’t hold up today.

Book Riot Romance

Here are some interracial romances where both characters are people of color for your reading consideration, courtesy of Neha.

If you love love and murder, well Anne Mai has just the list for you.

If you’re looking for more WLW romances in the vein of One Last Stop, Rachel has you covered.

And Sil’s got some spooky romances just in time for Halloween.

Also, there’s still a little bit of time to get your swag celebrating our 10th anniversary!

Around the Web in Romance

Tessa Dare put out this long post about some of the concerning language selected for the Portuguese translation of Romancing the Duke and it was a bit heart-breaking for multiple reasons. This situation shines a much needed light on the consideration that has to be given to translations in general. While I understand the desire to get as close to the phrasing as possible, either way, sometimes direct translations can lead to more problems in the long run.

In the spirit of Halloween, check out this thread to Build Your own Monster Romance. Apparently, mine involves the Kraken which would be… an interesting pair up.

Romance for Roe went live on October 25th! A group of 36 romance authors got together for a collection of short stories that you can download for a donation to either Planned Parenthood and/or Naral. Because I have always been and will always be ‘Team Their Body, Their Choice’.

Hot Teacher Jason Sudekis is a whole mood….

Speaking of school, a high school romance club would have been the bee’s knees for a young me. I mean, I kind of had an impromptu one with one of my friends since we both loved them but still something like this would have been amazing.

Recommendations

Typically, I am a seasonal reader. I try to focus on specific books at certain times of the year. And while that doesn’t stop me from reading a fall or scary story in Spring, it feels extra special to me when I read books in the season that they’re set in. In honor of Halloween, this week’s recommendations either take place around the holiday or have a strong supernatural spin to them.

Pumpkin Patch by Edie Bryant

Pia loves October and Halloween, largely due to the fact that her family owns a pumpkin patch. What she’s less fond of is children, which is why she almost brushes off her initial attraction to Lila. The child with Lila is her nephew though that she is helping take care of while her brother recovers from an accident. With the added responsibilities of being a caretaker for both people, she doesn’t feel she has time for romance and almost lets Pia get away as well. Will both women be able to ignore the initial misgivings they had of one another to find a Halloween happily ever after?

The Tenant by Katrina Jackson

When he gets a call from his Great-Aunt Sophie’s lawyer telling him she left him a house, down on his luck Noel doesn’t ask any questions. When he gets there though he finds that the house is in serious need of repair. It also comes with Ruby, the ghost of the woman that his family stole the house from and who is determined to get her revenge on the family line, no matter how attractive she may find Noel. This one is heavy on the ghost and light on the romance but since it is a Jackson, you know the sex scenes will absolutely sizzle off the page.

Halloween Dragon by Liv Rider

Cameron loves Halloween and, by extension, Halloween Fest. When the annual celebration is threatened by an ‘evil’ investor, he will stop at nothing to make sure it doesn’t happen. Parker is a dragon shifter who finds his fated mate in horror fan Cameron which is why he allies himself with Cameron’s plan to save Halloween and the festival. However, when the truth comes about, will Cameron be able to look past both those factors and still work together to save not just the farm but their romance?

When I next see you, it will the first of November. We’re almost through the year y’all! I hope that your weekend goes well and I’ll be back Monday. Until then, give me a follow under @PScribe801 on Twitter for more of my bookish ponderings.

Kissing Books

There’s a Trope for Everyone

Post author By P.N. Hinton
Post date October 22, 2021

Sponsored by Penguin Random House Audio.

Book Riot is teaming up with Penguin Random House Audio to give away an audiobook bundle to one lucky winner! This bundle includes the following titles: Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead, The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles, The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki, Monster in the Middle by Tiphanie Yanique, and Oh William! by Elizabeth Strout. To enter, simply fill out the form and subscribe to the Penguin Random House Audio newsletter for a chance to win!

This is the last full week of October and this month seemed to both breeze and drag by. I can’t explain it, really. Maybe it’s because it means we’re one month closer to the end of 2021, which has been a rollercoaster of a year. I mean, don’t get me wrong; I’ll take a rollercoaster over a dumpster fire, which is what last year was. But this year wasn’t as smooth as we were all hoping it would be, and there are still two months left. I don’t know what they will bring but I will endeavor to face them head on with as positive of an attitude that I can.

With that mindset something currently bringing me joy is the Happy Color coloring app. It’s a very relaxing pastime.

Romance Reflection

While scrolling through the Romance wing of Twitter, I came across this tweet from the wonderful Katee Robert. Now, I’m not sure if this was a response to something someone else tweeted because I didn’t dig that far back. But, as always, I have opinions on it.

Let’s be honest and just call attention to the elephant in the room: tropes and genre fiction, as a whole, go hand in hand. It’s not just exclusive to romance although some might argue we’re the loudest about our preferred ones. We also tend to be just as loud with the ones that we don’t like. But that’s all it is, a preference. Just because you’re tired of a specific trope or it’s not your bag doesn’t mean it needs to disappear completely.

There are literally thousands of tropes to choose from. And recently some books have even managed to bundle multiple tropes into one delightful package. So, it’s not like you’re going to be left with nothing to read if a specific genre keeps getting published. You just need to look elsewhere.

In the spirit of being transparent, personally I’m tired of the modern billionaire trope. And I say modern because I’ll read a historical novel about a rich person with a quickness. Give me all the dukes and viscounts. But the modern one isn’t just for me and it’s not just due to Mr. Gray. It’s just not for me. But I’m not calling for it to be retired because there are people who truly love it for ‘insert personal reason here’. Different strokes (sorry for that inadvertent pun…) for different folks ya know?

If it is something that you don’t like, just pass it by. Or give it another try. You never know you may have changed your mind. I learned this year that I like the fake dating trope way more than I thought I did.

Book Riot Romance:

If you love romantic royals, then Sil has you covered with this list.

Or if workplace romances are more your thing, here are some recs from Tirzah.

And don’t forget you can send in recommendations for romances from Trisha and Jess on When in Romance!

It’s your last week to buy merchandise to celebrate Book Riot’s 10th Anniversary!

Around the Web in Romance

You may have briefly seen or heard the phrase “NFT and Realms of Ruin” being thrown around on Twitter. What it ultimately boiled down to was a handful of YA authors wanting to have their fans give them ideas of stories that may be used as cannon. So…stealing fanfiction from the writers. Luckily it was canceled shortly after it was announced but the fact that it was there was concerning. While this is not romance related it is definitely adjacent since a lot of the names in Romancelandia had strong righteous feelings on this. Glad to know we’re always looking out for each other, even if they don’t overlap into our sphere.

More romance covers on rocks! Seriously y’all I’m in utter awe of the talent displayed there.

Book Cover Artist Sarah Waites came up with this romance title generator and believe me when I say it is a lot of addictive fun.

I know this is a year out but this announcement of the upcoming Sarah Hogle book gave me life and joy when I saw it. I know it’s a year away but I’m already looking forward to Fall of 2022.

If you’re looking for more Jewish romance novels check out this thread because there are a lot of good books listed here.

New Releases & Deals

Here are some of the new releases hitting the shelves this week. That said, please note that, due to the supply shortage, some of the physical versions of these books may be delayed. So, these were scheduled for release as of the writing of this newsletter.

With Her Own Two Hands by Tasha L. Harrison

Archangel’s Lightby Nalini Singh

A Thorn in the Saddle by Rebekah Weatherspoon

Donut Fall in Love by Jackie Lau

One Christmas Wish by Brenda Jackson

Strictly Confidential by Donna Hill

The Book Boyfriend by Jenna Louise Skinner

Welcome to Paradise by Lise Gold

The Perks of Loving a Wallflower by Erica Ridley

And here are some of the deals that I found. As usual, these were showing at the listed price as of the writing of this newsletter.

Sips of Her by Karmen Lee ($0.99)

A Blizzard of Passion by Anne Alperstein ($0.99)

All Screwed Up by Beth Bolden & Brittany Cournoyer ($0.99)

Bridal Favors Series Box Set by Jade Lee ($0.99)

If You Deceive by Kresley Cole ($1.99)

The Meeting Point by Olivia Lara ($0.99)

Her First Desire by Cathy Maxwell ($1.99)

And that’s all for today. I’ll be back Thursday with another edition and until then you can catch up with me on Twitter under @PScribe801. Until then!

Kissing Books

Patience, Grace, and Fanfiction

Post author By P.N. Hinton
Post date October 20, 2021

Sponsored by Penguin Random House Audio.

There’s still time to get some awesome swag to celebrate our 10th birthday!

Welcome to the Kissing Books newsletter y’all. I’m P.N. Hinton, your guide to the world of romance novels. I hope your spirit is doing well today. Whether it’s a backlist, new release, or an under the radar delight, I aim to help you find a book or two that you can get lost in. If you’re new to the Kissing Books newsletter, welcome and enjoy your stay. If you’re a long-time reader, welcome back; it’s good to see you again.

We’re a couple of weeks away from Halloween and, honestly, this is the most anti-climactic it has ever been for me. The teenager isn’t interested in trick-or-treating this year. While a change, this is just part of him growing up, I’m sure. So, I’ll be content with just staying at home and watching Toy Story of Terror, the Gravity Falls Summer-ween episode, and It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown—because you’re never too old for Charlie Brown.

Romance Reflection

Between the chatter among Book Riot peers and the tweets flying around, it seems that a few books have gotten their publication dates pushed back. Which can be a huge bummer, especially if you were looking forward to a specific book. But sometimes life happens.

This time around the ‘life happening’ situation is a supply chain issue and printing delays, which are completely and utterly outside of the author’s control. Everyone is feeling the crunch here and that is why everyone and their grandmother is telling you to shop early for the holidays if you’re ordering from out of state or overseas. The books will get to us and I’m sure that none of us have completely empty TBR piles just yet. So, there is still plenty to read in the meantime.

All of this is to say: show patience and grace to the authors and publishers behind this. It’s something they wanted to do, it’s something they had to. And be sure to extend this to everyone else who may be in some sort of crunch.

Book Riot Romance

Catch up with the latest episode of When in Romance where Trisha and Jess discuss how they find book recommendations. You can also send them your recommendation requests. Also, be sure to pick up the next book club pick, Sweet Disorder!

And here is a nice round-up of some of the best enemies-to-lovers in Fantasy Romance.

Do you love horror, romance, and manga? Then you’re in luck!

Around the Web in Romance

Here’s even more hate-to-love romances!

An Asian led holiday romance is happening this year and there is cause for much excitement on this.

Paranormal romances are great any time of year but extra perfect around Halloween.

Recommendations

One of the buzziest romance books around currently is The Love Hypothesis, and as with most buzzy books, there is a division in Romancelandia on it. A lot of it is centered around the fact that it started as Keylo fanfiction.

I won’t go too much into that because it’s a long involved conversation and both sides have very good points. It did get me to thinking that fanfiction, for all the sneers it gets from ‘high-browed literary types’ is still very present across all genres, even literature. So, it is not a new concept by any stretch of the imagination.

And that leads us to today’s recommendations; books that are, at their very core, fanfiction. As a bonus, y’all get four today since two of these are novellas.

Halloween Boo by Sarah Spade

Ever since she moved in a year ago, Dani has felt that her apartment was haunted. Despite that, she and her ghostly roommate have fallen into a routine with each other. She even calls him Casper. Then on Halloween Night, suddenly Casper, who’s really named Zack, appears to her on the one night that the dead can cross the veil and be mortal. Clearly, this is a Hocus Pocus fanfiction novella and, considering the current season, was always going to be on this list. It is quite delightful and naturally has an HEA.

Recipe for Persuasion by Sonali Dev

In this Jane Austen retelling, chef Ashna and soccer star Rico are paired up on the new reality show, Cooking with the Stars. The only snag here is that they’re each others first loves and things did not end well. When their first interaction goes viral though, all eyes are on them and their undeniable chemistry. Will they be able to work through the past and ignore the feelings still present in the future to both win the competition and protect their hearts?

Her Mad Hatter by Marie Hall

This version of Alice is all grown up and runs her own cupcake and tea shop. She’s content with her life there until a very determined fairy godmother pulls her into Wonderland where she meets the Mad Hatter. The Hatter is determined to not fall into his fairy godmother’s trap having been burned by previous Alices before. But this one is different from the others, leaving him to wonder if he finally found his Alice.

Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur

Despite a horrid first date, Darcy and Elle decide to engage in a bit of fake dating to get Darcy’s brother and Elle’s family off their respective backs. Along the way though the two women learn more about each other and that maybe first impressions aren’t always accurate and second chances may be warranted. This one is a nod to both Bridget Jones and Pride & Prejudice.

And that’s all I have for you this week. I’ll be back bright and early Monday, depending on what time the newsletter gets to your inbox. If you want to see me before then, just follow @PScribe801 over on Twitter. Happy weekend!

Kissing Books

All The Holidays in Romance, Please

Post author By P.N. Hinton
Post date October 15, 2021

Sponsored by M. Lee Prescott, author of the 11 book “Morgan’s Run” Series.

A woman is the last thing on Ben Morgan’s mind as he comes home to Morgan’s Run, then he runs into Maggie Williams on Main Street, prompting vivid memories of a magical night. Father of her beloved five-year-old daughter, he is the last person Maggie expects to have crash into her car and back into her life. She has struggled to forget him and to make a life for herself and her daughter, Emma, the mirror image of her father, who is unaware of her existence. Maggie swears Ben Morgan will never break her heart again.

We’re still celebrating our 10th birthday so check out the limited edition merchandise we have on sale to commemorate the celebration!

October seems to be going by at a slower pace than the months before it. I’m not sure if that is just because the day job has gotten a bit bananas or because it’s the calm before the storm of the holiday season. Either way, I’ve just been taking it day by day and trying to roll with the punches. I mean sometimes that is all you can do, right?

Romance Reflection:

Last week I shared a link to this article talking about optimistic endings in romance novels. This was specifically to Jewish romances but I feel it is also applicable to others. Then I saw this tweet when I was Twitter scrolling and it gave me even more to think about.

Growing up, I knew the most about Christmas as that was, and still is, the holiday that is observed in my house. I mean, I had heard of Hanukkah but, outside of the dreidel song, I didn’t know much about it or what it signified. And I didn’t even know about Diwali until I worked in daycare and was told that, as the lead toddler teacher, I had to pay equal attention to every holiday. Don’t get me wrong; I had no problem with that. I just had to some research beforehand. Although, to be fair, with toddlers, a lot of what you end up doing is inventive things with hands, feet, and paint. Or coffee filters.

I am not sure if there has been a lot of pushback on holiday romances outside of Christmas or not. I know that there have been feathers ruffled concerning LGBTQ holiday romances (because intolerance) but haven’t heard anything about this. So I sincerely hope it’s not true.

As I’ve grown older and wise, I’m very well aware that there are other holidays observed during the winter months. Personally, I am loving the titles that I’m noticing this year; A Holly Jolly Diwali, The Matzah Ball, and Love and Latkes to name a few. This is one of the things that shows me that the romance genre is actively trying to be more diverse. And honestly? It can be an educational experience, which I’m always down for. While I primarily read for entertainment, I love being educated along the way, especially when it’s in a genre I love.

Plus, I love love. So I enjoy reading about a romance blossoming between two people; it doesn’t matter if they’re different from me. In fact sometimes those end up being my favorite books.

This is my way of saying bring on all the holiday romances. I’m down with it.

Book Riot Romance:

As mentioned above, I love love and I recognize that romance stories come in all types of formats. So I wanted to also highlight a few articles from Book Riot that are about romances in other formats.

First, there is this love letter to one Rioter’s OTP made up of Lois and Clark.

And then this rundown of some of the best romance light manga. Don’t be fooled by the use of the word light, since the romance in these is very strong.

Around the Web in Romance:

This new holiday anthology was announced this week! This is quite the exciting line-up so if you’re a lover of holiday romance, you can get your pre-order on.

Talia Hibbert, Andi Osho, and Frances Mensah Williams are just a few authors you can expect to hear from at this upcoming event about writing Black British Romance. It’s may be a bit down to the wire now but, as of this writing, there was still time to sign up for this.

You can take this quiz to find out which iconic Halloween couple you and your ‘boo’ are most similar to.

And this one to see which MCU character is your soulmate based off kitten preference. I am over the moon that I did end up with Tom Hiddleston. *heart eyes*

There will always be something inherently sexy about this image to me: I really need to start If the Boot Fits soon to get prepared for the final book in the trilogy.

New Releases & Deals:

Here are some of the new releases that will be hitting the shelves this week.

Sealed with a Kiss by Erin Nicholas

The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance (written by multiple authors)

Trapped: A Paranormal Erotic Romance by Shae Sanders

Red Sin by Aleatha Roming

Ghost of Lies by Alice Winters

Her Wolf in the Wild by Rien Gray

Of Trust and Heart by Charlotte Anne Hamilton

Mistletoe in Juneau by Dahlia Rose

And here are some of the deals that I found when cruising the interwebs. As per the norm, these were the prices that I peeped when I was penning this newsletter.

The Roommate by Rosie Danan ($1.99)

Big Bad Wolf by Suleikha Snyder ($1.99)

Tangled Vows by Anna Stone ($0.99)

White Hot by Ilona Andrews ($2.99)

The Selkie Bride by Melanie Jackson ($2.49)

In Bed With the Earl by Christi Caldwell ($0.99)

Roommaid by Sariah Wilson ($1.99)

Honor’s Splendour by Julie Garwood ($1.99)

That’s all I have for y’all this Monday! I hope the day and the week treats you well. I’ll be back Thursday and in the meantime you can always give me a follow over on Twitter under @PScribe801. Until then!

Kissing Books

Unexpected Love

Post author By P.N. Hinton
Post date October 13, 2021

Romance Reflection:

October 11th was Indigenous People Day. As I was scrolling through Twitter I came across this tweet and it gave me a lot of food for thought. When I first started reading romances, I remember seeing these types of books run rampant. One thing that I think gets overlooked a lot, though, is that this wasn’t just a historical romance thing. There were more than a handful of contemporary romances from the mid-nineties that also included this problematic theme.

And it’s not okay. It wasn’t okay then and it sure isn’t okay now when we all strive to be more aware of the harm we can cause with stereotypes. I agree with this sentiment that it is probably a back list that should be purged from existence. And that is across the board. I honestly can’t read any of these types of novels anymore, even ones by beloved authors because it just leaves an icky feeling in my heart. This includes books by Sandra Brown and Johanna Lindsey who were some of my go-to authors when I was younger.

Do I still like their work as a whole? Yes. Will I read those particular books again? No, I won’t. Because, again, it’s harmful and I know that now. I can’t plead ignorance anymore. And there are better romances out there, some even written by Indigenous people, that can be picked up and read.

Book Riot Romance:

If you’re a lover of teachers in romances here is a roundup of some good picks that don’t cross any inappropriate lines or have an unbalanced power dynamic.

And then there is this deep dive into how much money romance authors actually make.

Around the Web in Romance:

If this isn’t a whole mood…real talk, if I lived through the Romancing the Stone jungle scenes, my hair would look like Chaka Kahn’s circa the 1980’s.

If you like romance novels where the MCs inherit the same thing and have to work it out, then you’re in luck.

A Black holiday romance set abroad? Sign. Me. Up.

Here is a nice little roundup of some of the new romances we can expect throughout this month.

All together now, y’all. No HEA? Not a romance.

With that last thought in mind, I really appreciated this thoughtful piece on optimistic endings, specifically in Jewish romance novels.

Recommendations:

October 11th was also National Coming Out Day! No matter where you are in your journey, know that you’re valued, loved, and you do matter. In addition to the 11th being National Coming Out Day, October 8th was also International Lesbian Day. As such, I wanted to highlight a few more lesbian romances, with the focus being about finding love when and where you may last expect it.

Fearless by Shira Glassman

Lana hasn’t played the violin in years and has mainly focused on being a band mom for her clarinet playing daughter Robin. She has pretty much resigned herself to the fact that her playing days are over. Her daughter’s orchestra director, Melanie, has other ideas and can see the passion for playing that still lingers in Lana, among other things. This is a short, sweet romance and if you’re a former band or orchestra geek, full of musical jokes. A win-win all around.

That Could Be Enough by Alyssa Cole

Mercy is maid to the widowed Eliza Hamilton during her endeavor to help save her husband’s legacy. One of the people interviewed is Andromeda. Both women are drawn to each other, although Mercy tries to deny the attraction, having disavowed the notion of love. Andromeda, however, is determined to teach Mercy to have her light shine through. Eventually their acquaintanceship moves to friendship and finally romance where both women decide that, in matters of the heart, a risk is one that may be worth taking.

Something in the Wine by Jae

Annie has been on the receiving end of her brother Jake’s practical jokes all her life. His latest one may have gone a bit too far, though, when she finds that Drew, a friend he set up a blind date for her with, is a woman. At first the ladies decide to turn the tables on him and pretend to fall in love even though they couldn’t be more different. As often happens in fake dating situations, reality and fiction blur, leaving both wondering if they want to move from fake to real dating.

And that is all I have for you today. I’ll be back next Monday with a fresh edition of the newsletter. Until then you can give me a follow over on Twitter under @PScribe801. Have a wonderful weekend!

Kissing Books

Love Stories Vs. Romances

Post author By P.N. Hinton
Post date October 8, 2021

Sponsored by The Christmas Wedding Guest by Susan Mallery.

Guilted into being bridesmaids at their parents’ vow renewal ceremony, sisters Reggie and Dena Sommerville come together for the holiday wedding, only to find love in the most unexpected of places–in their small hometown.

Did ya know? Book Riot is 10 years old! To celebrate, we’re selling some limited edition merchandise. Be sure to check out the shop and get yours before they sell out.

The teenager is coming off of a four-day weekend, lucky duck. I really feel that children today have more days off than I did. I do not remember having this much time off from school, even around the holidays. Nowadays they get the full week of Thanksgiving off, or at least they do in our district. Now, I could look at it as them giving the children built-in mental health days so things don’t get too overwhelming. And since he’s an early teenager, he is a bit more self-sufficient so that helps too, even with me still working from home. Still, there is a tinge of jealousy watching him sleep in while I’m dutifully typing at my keyboard.

I’m still reading The Ex Talk as well as And They Lived Happily Ever After and The Matzah Ball.

Romance Reflection

One of the things I saw over in the romance wing of Twitter was a seemingly innocent question asking for favorite romances. And, as per the norm, the list was very divisive and caused dissension. As a quick aside, I’m fairly convinced at this point that there is a Chaos Demon out there whose sole focus is to ruffle the feathers of romance lovers on a regular basis. Because it seems to happen like clockwork.

I didn’t peruse the list fully because, frankly I didn’t have the spoons, but, based on some of the books that were mentioned, that may have been for the best. Because I did not agree on the few names and titles I saw. I’m not sorry I’m not sorry for thinking that Nicholas Sparks is not a romance writer. This is by his own condescending and dismissive response when asked about it. I have strong opinions about that, but I also have a word maximum so let’s forge on.

However, I also saw this tweet and it gave me a lot of food for thought. Notwithstanding the aforementioned snooty male author’s work, I do think there’s a difference between a love story and a romance novel. While there are certain things that may overlap in the intersection of those Venn diagrams, there is still a lot of solo space that separates the two. Mainly the ending; I would argue that if one or both dies then, while it could be a love story, and even then there are a few you really have to convince me of, it absolutely cannot be a romance.

And I really appreciate this thought crossing my path, because it is so true. I think this could diffuse a lot of future arguments or discussions that I have with my friends about this. Now I know that some people listing Anna Karenina and Gone With the Wind pushed a lot of buttons. But, garbage people characters aside, there is a thread of some sort of love story in there. And, while some may consider those tragedies or just literary fiction, I don’t begrudge the people who want to call it a love story. Because I really think that overlooking that thought process is part of what causes this division in the literary world between what some would classify as a romance or not.

But seriously if any part of the couple dies, then it’s not a romance. That really needs to be understood and accepted.

Around the Web in Romance

I really enjoyed this insight into the writing process that Jean Meltzer had for her debut novel.

Between all the holiday books coming out, this Lifetime line-up, and then Netflix announcing its first M/M holiday romance, it seems the universe is determined to not let me be a Grinch this year. Plus props for that diversity, Lifetime. Good for you.

If you’re one who likes heat no matter what, you’re in luck with these fall romances.

New Releases & Deals

Here are some of the new releases hitting the shelves this week.

The Trouble With Magic by Patricia Rice

Protecting the Lady by Amanda Radley

Deadly Kiss by Ariel Marie

The Underdog by Briar Prescott

No Words by Meg Cabot

You Make It Feel Like Christmas by Francis Ray

Elliot, Song of the Soulmate by Anyta Sunday

His Interim Sweetheart by Aliyah Burke

Here are some of the deals that you can snag. As always, these were the prices that I was saw when I originally wrote this newsletter.

Their Nerd by Allyson Lindt ($1.99)

The Mixtape by Brittainy Cherry ($1.99)

Dare to be a Duchess by Sapna Bhog ($0.99)

Claiming the Doctor’s Heart by Sean D. Young ($0.99)

The Care and Feeding of Stray Vampires by Molly Harper ($1.99)

If the Boot Fits by Rebekah Weatherspoon ($0.99)

Until We Break by Cynthia Dane & Hildred Billings ($0.99)

And that’s all I have for you today. I hope that your Monday started off on a great foot and I’ll see you Thursday. You can catch up me during the in-betweens on Twitter under @PScribe01. Until we meet again.

Kissing Books

“Sweet” Romances

Post author By P.N. Hinton
Post date October 6, 2021

Romance Reflection

I recently came across this discussion about one person’s decision to not ready The Lights on Knockbridge Lane and why. There’s no way to make a statement like this and not sound homophobic. I’m not sorry that I’m not sorry for feeling that way. As always I didn’t link to the actual person because traffic is still traffic but rather someone who screenshotted the nonsense.

Bluntly put, this is a garbage take. I don’t ‘see’ myself in romances where the heroine is a scientist because that’s not how my brain works. I don’t ‘see’ myself as a ballerina since, at best, I’m a less graceful version of the hippos of Fantasia. But I’ll still read books with those types of characters in it. Why? Because I read to open up my mind and broaden my horizons. Reading just about people who look like me would get tedious rather quickly.

Also, why do people feel the need to broadcast stuff like this? Because when you do, especially on such a broad platform, then you’re opening up yourself for criticism and pushback. There’s no need to say every little thing that comes to your brain; some things that you can keep to yourself.

Book Riot Romance

The latest episode of When in Romance is up where Trisha and Jessica discuss their feelings on Katrina Jackson’s Office Hours. They also give some romance recommendations for the fall season.

I totally agree with everything that Jessica said here.

Keeping in line with the October theme, here is an opinion piece on the appeal of monster romances.

There’s also this well thought defense of instalove.

Around the Web in Romance

Here are some other romances that we have to look forward to this month.

Romance book covers on rocks!!

Come for the sweet, stay for the steamy.

In today’s episode of “Just Pay Your Authors, Dammit”…seriously this is fast becoming a song that I’m so very tired of hearing.

Recommendations

I mentioned previously that October starts the gauntlet of holidays for most people since there is at least one holiday per month for the rest of the year. Which got me to thinking of another thing that goes hand in hand with the holidays and that’s food.

I love food. I mean, I know most of us do, but I really do. I eagerly await the rush of holiday food goodness and am prepared to indulge myself. Especially on sweets. Which leads me to my the topic this week; romance novels that feature sweet treats.

Delectable Desire by Farrah Rochon

Carter is an artisan baker at his family’s bakery, Lillian’s, who despite his obvious talent has to deal with his family thinking too little of him. Some of this has to do with his reputation as a ladies man, something he’s not necessarily ashamed of. Still, he finds himself unexpectedly overwhelmed when Lorraine walks into his place of employment. Lorraine is an heiress and used to men falling in love with her bank account and feels he is looking at her with dollar signs in his eyes rather than hearts. This was a sweet romance that I read a couple of years ago and adored because I found it blended humor, romance, and sweets perfectly.

Buns by Alice Clayton

Former foster child Clara is fascinated with familial ritual and generations, which is one of the things that draws her to Bryant Mountain House and its current owner Archie. He is determined to save his family business the good old-fashioned way; through hard work and not an ‘upgrade’ like Clara and his grandfather seem to want. He knows that tradition and his family’s special hot cross buns recipe will do the trick. But he can’t deny that some of Clara’s ideas do increase traffic…or his attraction to her.

For the Love of Cake by Erin Dutton

At age 42, Shannon is on the edge of achieving her dreams when she lands on a baking competition show. Her competitors are half her age and have more experience which just seems to stack the deck against her. Her attraction to Maya, one of the show’s judges and someone who is fourteen years her junior doesn’t help to make matters easier and neither does the fact that Maya doesn’t seem to have a concern with either one of those issues.

That’s all for this week, friends. I’ll be back next Monday with a fresh edition of the newsletter. In the meantime, you can give me a follow over on Twitter under @Pscribe801. Until we meet again, happy reading.

Kissing Books

Hello October!

Post author By P.N. Hinton
Post date September 30, 2021

Sponsored by Ring by André Alexis (Coach House Books).

From their first meeting, it was clear that Gwen and Tancred were meant to be together. But, as we know, the course of true love never did run smooth. Gwen’s mother, intuiting that her daughter is in love, gives her a magic ring that has been passed down through endless generations of mothers and daughters. This ring grants its wearer the opportunity to change three things about her beloved. Like all blessings, this may also be a curse.

We are firmly into fall and the last fourth of the year. While I’m excited for this, it also comes with a bit of self-preparation since we are moving into the busy time of the year. I never really realized until I got older that starting in October there is a holiday every month for the rest of the year (yes Halloween is a holiday, I will accept no arguments on this). Which means that it can get super busy. Even with all that, make sure you’re taking time to take care of yourself and make time for yourself. It’s the airplane rule y’all; you can’t help others if you yourself can’t breathe.

One thing bringing me joy this week is getting back into the K-drama Romance is a Bonus Book.

Romance Reflection

I know there has been an ongoing division in Romancelandia about the preference for illustrated covers versus ones with real people. Regardless of which side of that division a person is in, it seems they are firmly in that camp. Now, personally, I don’t have a preference either way, although I have stated I don’t like a mixture of the two. Whichever one you’re on, commit to it.

That said, I have discovered a cover trend I don’t like; the partially hidden face. This is specific towards the covers with real models, since I found the illustrated one for Something to Talk About delightful. I like seeing people’s faces. I don’t like seeing just the chin, or the hard profile, or even the lack of features in animated ones. Nine times out of ten, I imagine that person in my own mind anyways so the cover model doesn’t factor in at all. But, I still want to see a full face. If you’re going to put a face there, go all the way.

Another, more minor annoyance, is when the cover model doesn’t match up with the description. There were multiple instances in Beverly Jenkins’s Night Song where it talks about Chase’s impressive mustache; but on the cover for the book version I have, he is noticeably mustache-less. Very disappointing.

Around the Web in Romance

If you like romance and have been wanting to dip your toe into manga, then check out some of these recommendations.

According to various hashtags floating around Twitter, ‘tis the season…FOR MONSTER ROMANCE!! I know that the scandal involving this previously planned anthology put things on pause for these romances. But the “Play” button has been pressed and there are more of these coming out. A few that I have seen floating around on my sphere of Twitter are No Getting Ogre You by M.L. Eliza, Turning On by Ali Williams, and Flesh and Stone by Emily Hemenway. If I’ve learned one thing…it’s that there are a lot more monsters out there than I knew.

On a serious note, if any of these strike your fancy, be sure to purchase and support the authors. A lot of established and potential authors got screwed in that nonsense and (most) stayed cordial about it. So, if you can help support those who stayed graceful, please do.

I know that I’m late to the game but I started following Girl, Have You Read and I’m here for all the Black romance recs and announcements. Because I will always boost that type of romance.

Speaking of Black romance, The Ripped Bodice has quite the impressive line up planned for the release of Rebekah Weatherspoon’s A Thorn in the Saddle. Be sure to sign up if you can!

I’m doing my part to help boost the signal for this anthology because, again, I feel there is a huge dearth in Sapphic romances.

I’m in this Tweet and I feel both seen and attacked.

And while not strictly romance related, that video of non-crazy Florida man catching an alligator not only warmed my heart but gave me a bit of the vapors.

New Releases & Deals

Here are some of the new releases we have to look forward to this week!

Knot My Type by Evie Mitchell

Moon Spell by Christina Lee*

A Curse of Nightshade by Amber Lynn Natusch

A Holly Jolly Diwali by Sonya Lalli

With Every Breath by Natasha D. Frazier

Admissible Affair by Adrian J. Smith

*note: this is book two in a series so you may want to pick up the first one as well, Moon Flower

And here are some deals I found while perusing the interwebs. As always, these are the prices that were showing as of the writing of the newsletter.

Love at the Fall Festival by Belle Bailey ($0.99)

Follow Your Heart by Brenda Jackson ($1.99)

Twice Baked by Andrew Grey ($0.99)

The Dixon Brother Trilogy by Anna Durand ($0.99)

Night Hawk by Beverly Jenkins ($1.99)

Worth the Wait by Jae ($0.99)

That’s it for today. I hope that your Monday treats you well and that you take the rest of this week by storm. I’ll see y’all Thursday and until then you can give me a follow over on Twitter under @PScribe801. Until then!

Kissing Books

The Joy of Re-Reading

Post author By P.N. Hinton
Post date September 29, 2021

Romance Reflection

I really wanted to not talk about this; but it is still being discussed in the Romance wing of Twitter, so I feel I have to. The latest Sally Rooney novel is getting a lot praise from ‘high literature’ over its depiction of sex positivity.

*head desk*

Because, you know, there’s not a genre out there that already does that.

Look, nothing against Rooney herself since I know a lot of people enjoy her work. Honestly, I’ll probably never read her since that type of fiction is just not in my wheelhouse. But I don’t begrudge her success. That said, I am so very tired of someone who previously had no space in the romance genre suddenly getting accolades that authors in that field have been working hard at for years. Putting a sex scene in a novel doesn’t make it a romance; it makes it a fiction novel with sex.

Now, to her credit, I have also heard that Rooney is not comfortable with this type of praise since she seems to identify as a General Fiction writer. There’s nothing wrong with that just like there’s nothing wrong with romance. Just please stop with the accolades on what a revelation this book is. There are already tons of books with sex positive scenes in them in Romance. They’ve been there the whole time.

Around the Web in Romance

Here’s a handy-dandy guide to help find the romance book you’re thinking of based on the description alone, because I’m sure we’ve all been here.

I played this twice. The first go it was with what I would like to see in a romance story. The second was more closely aligned to my love story with my spouse. The first time I didn’t get his initial, but the second time I did, which I found kind of sweet.

As someone who is an aspiring romance writer as well, I loved these truthful words of encouragement.

Yay for grumpy/sunshine romances!!

Netflix released a snippet from the next season of Bridgerton and it only makes me want to reread The Viscount Who Loved Me even more.

Recommendations

I love re-reading books, although I’ll admit I haven’t done a lot of it recently. As a kid, I re-read a lot because I didn’t have many obligations besides school. Even with the various extracurricular activities I was in and the TV shows I just had to watch every week (Buffy, Dawson’s Creek, and Charmed to name a few) I re-read quite a bit.

There’s a certain level of comfortability in re-reading books. It’s like visiting an old friend. Which leads me to the theme of this week’s recommendations: books I can’t wait to re-read again.

A Prince on Paper by Alyssa Cole

Johan has a reputation for being a royal bad boy, something he does primarily to deflect the paparazzi from his younger brother. When something threatens his brother’s future, he enters into a fake engagement with Nya, a woman who is in the midst of coming into her own after a lifetime of being under her father’s thumb. I’m sure I’ve talked about this before but Johan is one of the best cinnamon rolls I’ve ever read about. Plus it has fake dating, sort-of enemies to lovers, and thoroughly steamy scenes. What more could you ask for?

The Governess Game by Tessa Dare

Due to circumstances beyond her control that knock her off her career path, Alexandra becomes governess to Chase’s nieces and endeavors to show them how to be proper ladies. When part of this task includes ensuring they have a loving home with their uncle, who has kept them at arm’s length for the duration of their wardship with him, he becomes determined to educate her in pleasure instead. Of course, neither get what they anticipated when they begin to fall in love.

Work For It by Talia Hibbert

Griffin and Keynes are complete opposites in all ways, but their chemistry is undeniable. What was supposed to be a one-time and chance encounter in a dark alleyway becomes more when they find out that they are also going to be working together. Despite all the reasons they should stay away from each other, the men find themselves continuing to be drawn together and Griffin becomes determined to break down Keynes’s walls once and for all.

That’s all I have for you today. I’ll be back Monday and until then you can catch up with me over on Twitter under @PScribe801. Have a great weekend and see you next time!

Kissing Books

Romance Naysayers Doth Protest Too Much

Post author By P.N. Hinton
Post date September 24, 2021

Romance Reflection

Meg Cabot retweeted this defense of romance and again, you’ll find no disagreement from me. However it did get me thinking about a few things, mainly why is this still a topic that comes up? I’m not joking when I say it seems like I see some variation of this declaration from the romance lovers on Twitter every other week. And it is usually rooted in someone else making an equally declarative and negative statements toward the genre.

So my question now is….who exactly are the negative naysayers trying to convince at this point?

Look, we get it. You don’t like romance. Say it once and be done. That would be enough for me. That should be enough for me. I’m not someone who tries to convince or convert someone to anything. Especially if their mind seems to be set on that way of thinking. And this is in anything.

However, this continued poking at it makes me think that most do like romance. It’s just, for whatever reason, they just don’t want to admit it. And so they keep on shouting it from the mountain top in the hopes of making it true. Which sure; there is a sort of power in manifesting something vocally. And if you don’t want your friends to make fun of you for what you like, you may be tempted to be loud about it. But then, that’s more on you and the company you keep. And, if you do like it, that’s on you to make that definitive line in the sand to let them know you will not take their guff on it, if it gets to the point of being mean.

I’ve mentioned before how, for the most part, I don’t like science fiction and or fantasy much. Sure, there are a few outliers, but overall, it’s just not for me. I have a whole branch of friends that are hardcore D&D players, and I have to consistently remind them that genre is not for me whenever they try to make recommendations. Do they press me? Sometimes. But it always ends up with, “I like what I like” with a tone and a face that indicates that I’m not going to discuss this any further and the nice is about to be turned off.

Alternatively, these negative naysayers could really not like the genre, which again is fine. But you don’t have to make a point of saying it all the freaking time. Leave it at, “I don’t like that genre” and don’t speak on it again unless someone asks you. Then, take a slight page from the genre and K.I.S.S; meaning, keep it simple, sweetie. Hardcore fans of any genre don’t care why people don’t like it enough for you to go on an hour-long tirade about what you feel is wrong with it, much like you probably wouldn’t like to hear that from a non-fan of your favorite genre.

Just a little food for thought.

Book Riot Romance:

Coffee shops and romance? Those are a few of my favorite things! No apologies if that song is now stuck in your head.

Have you ever wondered how romance novels are made? I know I have a time or two so I was happy to see that brief history on it.

Bi Visibility Day has since passed but, as with anything else, you can read bisexual positive books any time!

Around the Web in Romance

Not that we need another reason to not romance novels, but here’s a reminder that you can also learn new things from them. It’s just not for smoochy times.

As a general rule, I don’t like camping. I’m a glamping girl all the way. That said, I don’t mind the trope.

Odd couples are also a good trope! Because we all know opposites attract, amirite? I am also not sorry for that ear worm.

If you were a fan of Duke I’d Like to F… from last year, here is some fan art capturing the couples in the collection.

Looking for historical romances outside of Regency England? Here ya go! Please note that while some of these books do take place in England, it is outside the Regency period, hence the title.

New Releases & Deals

Here are some of the new releases hitting our shelves this week!

The Lights on Knockbridge Lane by Roan Parrish (I read and loved this sweet M/M holiday romance)

Bewitched Alpha by Susi Hawke

Just a Little Married by Reese Ryan

Kiss of Karma by Louise Lennox

Wicked Daddy by Bianco Cole

Stern and Playing with Desire by Brenda Jackson (with a bonus story from Reese Ryan!)

And here are some of the deals. Please note that these prices were active as of the writing of this newsletter.

If I Never Met You by Mharir McFarlane ($1.99)

Coming Up for Air by Amanda Meuwissen ($0.99)

The Checklist by Addie Woolridge ($1.99)

Stick a Cork in It by Rich Amooi ($1.99)

Southern Comfort by Sandra Kitt ($0.99)

The Promise of a Kiss by Synthia Williams ($1.99)

The Heir by Johanna Lindsey ($1.99)

That’s all I have for you this week. The next time we meet, we’ll be saying good-bye to September. I hope that this month treated you well. If you want to have more of me between the editions, give me a follow over on Twitter under @Pscribe801. See y’all Thursday!