Category: Kissing Books

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. 

As I’m writing this, I’m relaxing after a day of being in the car for camp pick up. It was different this year, due to the understandable new practices being implemented for Covid. But it was still a little bittersweet not to have the Parent Celebration.. My kid had a great time and had a lot of fun. Plus, I got to see two people I haven’t seen since graduating college, since two of theirs happened to be at the same camp. It really is a small world after all. 

In romance reading, I started The Heart Principle and am about three chapters in. I am also reading an eARC of The Lights on Knockbridge Lane (since with this heat reading about snow is nice). 

Book Riot Romance

Be sure to listen to this week’s When in Romance where Trisha and Jess give their take on the RWA awards and the review on The Heart Principle.

Carolina did a round-up of some awesome romance novels by Indigenous authors.

Here is the cover reveal and excerpt from the eagerly anticipated Black Love Matters: Real Talk on Romance, Being Seen, and Happily Ever Afters, edited by our own Jess Pryde!

A fun new trend that popped up over on Romance Twitter is the “If romance novels have taught me anything” one. Some of my favorites include Suleikha Snyder’s take on nipples and padded bras and @darlinginway’s take on friends and fake dating because, truth. I also really appreciated this one because safe sex is important. Fellow Rioter Mikkaka did a round-up of some of the best ones here.

Romance News

With everything going on in the world, both Romance related and non, we could also use a good laugh.

This also made me snort, quite loud because it’s the truth.

Speaking of laughing, try this fun quiz about how many rom-coms you’ve seen to see how awesome your taste is.

The Milwaukee Public Library is hosting an author panel celebrating happily ever afters on August 24th.

This was a very interesting read, regarding the new Janet Dailey book that came out in February 2021 and wondering who actually wrote it, since Janet died in 2013. I’m all for ghostwriters carrying on the legacy of an author, but at least be upfront about it instead of trying to make it see like the author is still alive, because that’s not a good take. And, in case you’re wondering why that name seems familiar even if you’ve never read her, yes, this is the same author who plagiarized from Nora Roberts.

Here are a few anticipated romance novels coming this month.

Recommendations

With the end of summer and having picked the kiddo up, camping is on my mind. Now, I’m not a fan of camping by any stretch of the imagination and the closest you’ll get me to doing it is ‘glamping’ But I know it’s a beloved pastime for many people. So, I decided I would highlight some books that are focused on camping or, at the very least, being out in the wild. I’m sure camping might be marginally more tolerable if I had a romantic partner to snuggle up while roasting marshmallows by the fire.

That’s all for today, friends. I’ll be back next week with the latest in the romance world. Give me a follow over on Twitter under @PScribe801. Until then!

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. 

School starts this week and I’m not ready to have an eighth grader. That is all. 

Romance News

Well, as mentioned briefly last time, the RWA has essentially tripled down on their shenanigans from last week by rescinding the award that caused such a kerfluffle. Which is probably a legal issue; so, I feel for their lawyers. And it has caused even more division in Romancelandia with people both for and against it and honestly it’s a big old headache. 

Yes, I know there’s such a thing as ‘dark romance’ with the mafia, kidnappings, and consensual non-consent. The romance genre is not without it’s problematic roots and tropes. The issue is that we know now how terrible it was and that there are many aspects of history that shouldn’t be romanticized at all. No one can make that make sense for me. 

Plus, it won the Christian reward. Miss me with the whole ‘spiritual’ aspect. We all know that’s not the case because there was not nary a romance with another religion in that category. And there’s genocide on the page. I expect certain things in my ‘inspirational’ romances. No bad language, sex off the page, and scriptures. What I don’t expect is murder on the page. And do you know why? Because you’re not suppose to murder! It is literally the Fifth Commandment. You can have it in all other tropes of romance but not that one! It just doesn’t track. 

Oh and according to the scuttlebutt from the RWA Town Hall side chats, somehow this is all (still) Courtney Milan’s fault. 

Needless to say I think the RWA’s days are numbered and, honestly, I think that’s best. At some point, cutting off the harmful limb is the only way to stop the spread of an infection. All that said, it is going to be an interesting implosion to observe. 

Around the Web in Romance:

The harmful depiction of Indigenous people is nothing new to romance and it is something that we all have to work against. I know that I have read books where this was the case an am working to actively avoid books like that again. A good quick history of this type of behavior can be found here.

If you want to hear more about Vivian Stephens, check out her interview on the Black romance Podcast. It is divided up into a part one and a part two and should make for some good listening as well as finding out more about this wonderful woman. You may also want to check out this still relevant interview with her that Texas Monthly did last year.

Speaking of Black Romance, a panel on this topic is scheduled to take place on August 14th. This line-up looks hekka exciting y’all.

The title and synopsis for Emily Henry’s latest dropped. I’m already excited for Book Lovers, especially given the premise. Books about bookish people falling in love is just *chef’s kiss* to me.

Nisha Sharma revealed the cover for her first adult romance, Dating Dr. Dil.

You want some recommendations for upcoming M/M romances? You got ‘em!

The Ripped Bodice is hosting a virtual event with Helen Hoang and Christina Lauren on Wednesday, September 1st. More information can be found here as well as other events the bookstore is hosting.

The Toronto Romance Writers Northern Hearts is also hosting a virtual conference September 17th – 19th with Mrs. Beverly Jenkins as the keynote speak.

The Seattle Library is hosting a panel discussing bisexual romance on September 18th. Yes I know it is a month away and I will probably mention it multiple times before then because this is going to be an amazing conversation.

New Releases & Deals:

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

Shaken or Stirred by Georgia Beers

What We May Be by Layla Reyne

Role Model by Rachel Reid

The Wildest Ride by Marcella Bell

Beside Golden Irish Fields by Ava Miles

And here are some of the deals I was able to find when perusing the interwebs. Please note that these deals were available at the time of the writing of this newsletter.

The Spinster and the Rake by Eva Devon is currently $0.99 

When You Are Mine by Kennedy Ryan can be snagged for the same price. 

You Lucky Dog by Julia London is showing at $1.99.

Prisoner of Love by Beverly Jenkins can be picked up for $2.99.

So Sweet, So Right, and So For Real by Rebekah Weatherspoon can all be snagged for $0.99.

That’s all for today. I’ll be back Thursday (first day of school!) with more romance updates for how and I’ll try to get a few recommendations in there. If you want to follow me on Twitter, my handle is @PScribe801. Until then!

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. 

Romance News:

As promised, I did a bit more research into the discourse surrounding The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang. My take on it is that most people as so upset because it’s not a rom-com. To which I say…did you really expect it to be? I love this author’s work and feel she’s a romance writer. But I would not ever classify her work as rom-com.

The Kiss Quotient was advertised as a gender-swapped Pretty Woman. So, many went in thinking it was a rom-com. Those expectations were shattered within the first forty pages though when Stella pretty much has a panic attack while trying to have sex with Michael for the first time and he rightfully put a stop to it. For me, this showed that this would be a romance that ‘got real’ and dealt with real issues. 

Don’t get me wrong; the cover for this book is very misleading as are the others in the series. But neither one of the other books are rom-coms; so, I really don’t understand why anyone would expect THP to be. We all know by now that most times authors have no say on their covers and they can be deceptive. There’s a reason we say to not judge a book by its cover. 

If you didn’t like this book, please don’t take this as “you’re not a real romance reader.” I could easily name five books that are beloved in the genre that weren’t for me and that’s okay. But I don’t think this book should get the amount of hatred it is getting, to the point where the author apologized for it, simply because it’s not a rom-com. 

Most of us are well past the age of sanitized fairy tales where the Princess never gets her period, the Prince never farts, and woodland creatures clean the house. In real life and relationships, you’re going to see the ugly parts of your partner. You may have to deal with them realizing late in life that they are neurodivergent or they have a mental health issue. Chances are you will have to help them bury one or both of their parents which, speaking as someone who’s been on both sides, is very hard.

Grief and suffering doesn’t always have an overnight fix and I don’t expect it to be that way in any of my novels. In fact, I get insulted when it does. And it seems a bit odd that, in a genre that is always criticized for having unrealistic endings, when one does, it is still criticized harshly. We can’t win for losing. 

The RWAs also happened last weekend and the drama surrounding that is something else. There was only one winning book by an author of color, and a book that opened with a hero committing genocide won for ‘Best Romance with a Religious or Spiritual Element’. That’s a whole lot of ‘nope’ from me. Fellow Rioter Sarah fleshes it out a bit more in her news piece here which pretty much is how much of Romancelandia is feeling right now.

What makes it even more insulting is this was the first year the awards were called the Vivians. I mean, we all suspected it, but this really showed that this change was just a form of performative allyship. They also released a ‘statement’ which again is a whole lot of yikes.

I’m happy to see that one of my new favorites, Reese Ryan, took away an award though. I was rooting for her.

Around the Web in Romance:

And now, in lighter topics…

Fellow Rioter Annika has a round-up of some of the best love scenes in books.

Are you interested in hearing a bunch of awesome writers write about their equally awesome books? Then you may want to sign up for the Summer Date Night. It takes place August 13th and is hosted by Loyalty Books.

Check out this cover reveal for The Bachelor’s Valet.

Recommendation:

Yes there is only one recommendation today and that is going to be Kennedy Ryan’s Reel. If you’re a regular reader you know it took me a bit to finish this book, because I was absolutely savoring it.

This book was rich in its storytelling. I literally had to keep reminding myself that Dessi Blue was not a real person whenever we got the snippets of the script. The realism of what Black entertainers during that time had to deal with was heart wrenching. But it was the realism of the relationship between Neevah and Canon that did it for me. Without going too much into spoilers, they had to deal with a lot when their relationship became physical and known to the rest of the crew. They also had to deal with something that not every couple can work through. And it was hard. It was hard to see and read and imagine how a newly established couple deals with something that can (and has) broken long-standing ones.

This is a great book. Its page count is a beast but it’s worth it. So, if you haven’t picked it up yet, take this as your sign to go ahead and do it soon.

And that’s all for today friends. I’ll be back next Monday with more updates for you. If you want to give me a follow on Twitter, I can be found under @PScribe801. Until then.

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. 

Wow…we’re in August already y’all. That’s just mind-boggling to me. Next week, school starts. This first time in a while where I have felt like I blinked and summer just flew by. I know summer is different when you’re an adult because, you know, you still have to work. But jeez…feels like the kiddos are getting shortchanged. Regardless of when school starts for your children, I hope that they had a great summer. Especially after all the mess last year. 

Cover Reveals:

Sierra Simone fans rejoice, for this cover preview appeared on her website last week for the upcoming Saint.

Stephanie J. Scott revealed the cover for her holiday romance, OMG Christmas Tree.

And the anthology Anonymous Sex also debuted their cover.

Around the Web in Romance:

This tweet is a whole mood and it brought up uncomfortable memories of a romance panel that was held back in February. I did mention this in the newsletter back then but apparently it’s still a thing so it bears repeating that Black Romance DOES NOT EQUAL ‘GHETTO’. And, even if there is a book like that written by a Black author why does that automatically make it less than? Is this standard being held to white romance authors when they write about country romances? Is it called country romance or even redneck romance? And if it is, does that make it bad? The answer in case you’re wondering is no. Stop holding marginalized groups to standards that don’t apply to everyone else. It’s tiresome as all get out. 

There was also a call in Romancelandia for the revoke of the third act break-up. I’ll admit I’m more conflicted about this take, especially given what I previously said about how I feel about the ‘grovel’. On the one hand, it does serve the conflict purpose that naysayers of the romance genre sneer about. On the other hand, sometimes they do seem a bit ridiculous or far-fetched. I think I would prefer more of this at the beginning or the middle of the book. That way, it gives more than enough time to resolve it without it being rushed. Maybe this is one reason that second-chance romances are so intriguing. Because you’ve already had the third-act break up and conflict; so we get to spend a whole book resolving that and watching them fall in love again.

For rom-com fans, Resort to Love is live onNetflix. So, if you need something to do after a hard day of work, that may do the trick.

Long-standing romance author Debbie Macomber had this to say about writing in 2020.

Also, not romance news but it involves bookish fun. Try this test to see how much of a childhood bookworm you were! I got 24/28 and was very pleased with my younger self. It was brought to my attention that the link for the romance novel quiz may not have worked, so apologies if you tried to take it couldn’t, here’s my take two on that one.

I also heard about the discourse regarding the Kirkus review on The Heart Principle, which resulted in Helen Hoang apologizing for it not being a rom-com. I do want to discuss this more but I need more time to delve into it more and give it the consideration it deserves. So, stay tuned for for that in Thursday’s edition.

New Releases

If you’re a gamer, then Sidequest for Love by L.H. Cosway may peak your interest.

If you prefer small town romances, check out Playing With Words by Kelly Elliott.

Christina Dodd’s latest, In Bed with the Duke will also be available if historical is your catnip.

For my sports fan, there’s Winning With Him by Lauren Blakely.

You like fake dating? Check out Fake It by Lily Seabrooke.

In contemporary romance, we have Her Inconvenient Groom by Niomie Roland.

Romance Ebook Deals

Here are some deals you can snag. Deals are active as of the writing of this newsletter.

Come What May by A.M Arthur is $1.99

Off the Ice by Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn for $1.99

Nora Robert’s The Heart of Devin MacKade for $1.99

Waking Up Married by Reese Ryan is a steal for $2.99

To Love Again by Ellie Etienne is also $2.99.

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That’s all for now! I’ll be back Thursday with more romance updates for you. If you can’t wait to hear from me until then, just give me a follow over on Twitter @PScribe801. TTFN (ta-ta for now!)

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. 

It’s camp time for my kiddo next week and he’s looking forward to it. I will admit part of me has some reservations given the recent Covid numbers. But another part of me is also cognitive that this may be his last chance to do something fun before we get put through another lockdown soon. And I’m one of those that I foresee it happening which means that the flip to virtual may be made and it would be outside of my control. I know that I am going stir-crazy and have been for a while; so I can only imagine what his teenage brain is dealing with. I am going to be spending the rest of the week talking to him and we may shoot for getting him his first dose, especially since we got the all clear from his specialist.

But I will be honest in saying that I am looking forward to this chance for him. I really think people didn’t give as much thought or credit to how the children have been affected this last year. Most times, you hear the whines about not being able to go to a bar or similar locations. But no one is realizing that children haven’t been able to do anything, even something as simple as go to the park, for a long time. So, this will be a good opportunity for him especially since I know the precautions that will be taken. Even when school starts, he will be masked up no matter what our elected officials say. 

I’ll also admit that I am looking forward to the quiet and alone time with my partner that it will bring. 

Book Riot Romance

The latest When in Romance episode up. I just love that the title is The Return of The Toaster Oven. In it, Trisha and Jess discuss Wrong Number, Right Woman as well as some of their eagerly anticipated romances for the remainder of 2021.

Rioter Amanda gave us her recommendations for romances that feature radio hosts and podcasters. There is something to be said about the smooth sexy voices that can grace the airwaves.

Vernieda also gave us a crash course in Harlequin Manga.

Around the Web In Romance:

These are, in a word, beautiful. I know I don’t need any more bags but I’ll be honest in admitting I’d have a hard time turning any of these down if I saw them in a local shop.

I think we can all agree that sometimes it’s just as satisfying reading about the friendships in romance novels. If you’re of that mindset, then be sure to try to check out the Love’s Sweet Arrow BFFs in Romance event on August 6th.

Here’s a fun quiz to see how many of these popular romances you’ve read. Somehow I only got 15/60, which was a little surprising to me. If they had gone by author, I would have gotten a much higher result. But since it was specific books, it did change for some of the ones listed. It’s still a fun one though and a good way to add to your TBR.

Kennedy Ryan’s Reel got the billboard treatment! I am over the 50% mark and I am loving this sooooo much. So seeing this is awesome to see especially in a world that still sneers at the romance genre. Get it sis!

I’ve talked about this before, but apparently it needs to be reiterated that YA is intended for Young Adults. It’s okay to be an adult reading YA; it’s not okay to want more ‘adult’ themes in it to satisfy your reading needs and desires. That’s like reading a Western and being mad that the only to get around town is by horse, buggy, or your feet. If you’re ashamed to be seen reading romance that’s on you and something you have to unpack and process. But stop trying to fit a square peg into a round hole and let YA stay YA.

Anticipated Reads:

The discussion about the eagerly anticipated books for the remainder of the year got me to thinking about the ones I’m looking forward to for the remainder of this year. Funnily enough, it not surprising, a lot of mine overlap with what Trisha and Jess mentioned. This includes, but isn’t limited to, A Thorn in the Saddle, The Heart Principle, The Lights on Knockbridge Lane (just go an ARC of that!) and Never Cross a Highlander. However, I’m also looking forward to The Dating Playbook by Farrah Rochon, A Kiss at the Mistletoe Rodeo by Kathy Douglass, and Bombshell by Sarach MacLean. Even though the release date is still TBD, I’m still eagerly awaiting The Bride Bet by Tessa Dare.

No recommendations today since I wanted to take the the to talk about my anticipated reads. I’ve gotten a few requests for recommendations and am still working on coming up with some for those. I should be back on track next week for them but I may also change it up a bit for future newsletters. Don’t worry though! Mondays will always have new releases and deals.

And on that note, I’m off for now. Thanks for reading and if you need more of me you can follow me over on Twitter under @PScribe801. See ya Monday!

Hello again romance readers. I’m PN Hinton, your companion for the world of romance. I hope your spirit is doing well today. 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. 

I forgot to mention last time that I finished Instructions for Dancing last weekend and it wrecked me. While I thoroughly enjoy it and do consider it a romance, it is definitely an HFN and not an HEA. Maybe that is the author’s typical MO though; since it was the first I’ve read by her I couldn’t say. But yeah; keep a tissue handy with this one. 

I am also half-way through Reel but again don’t interpret it taking a long time as a bad sign; I’m just savoring it because it’s so good. That and the issue with Neevah’s sister is hard to deal with since that is one of the levels of utmost betrayal for me and it is hard to take in whenever it comes up. Still a good book though so highly recommended, even if I’m not all the way done with it. 

This right here is a whole mood. I’m getting tired of hearing that a book is good for a romance. Genre doesn’t matter and should only be given if there are specific buttons that may be pushed for that person. I’m honest enough to admit that, up until more recently than I care to admit, I fell into this trap myself. I allowed myself to be ashamed for reading and writing about romance novels. When asked what I was reading, I would hold up the book almost apologetically and deal with the scorn that normally came after it. 

It wasn’t until I found a community of like minded people that I started working on not giving a flying flip what anyone thinks about what I read. Reading is for fun and romance is one of the few things that still and continues to bring me joy. It doesn’t make me any less of a reader or any less intelligent. A good book is still a good book, no matter what genre it is in.

Book Riot Romance

While I personally don’t dig reality shows of any kind, I know that the dating ones are popular. Especially when they have such unique premises like Sexy Beasts. If the show is something that snagged your interest, you may enjoy some of these other unconventional romances.

Also, if you’re needing or wanting a helpful guide on how to break into the of erotic manga, here you go.

Around the World in Romance

Congratulations to writer Jae for winning an eLit award for Wrong Number, Right Woman! This is so exciting especially considering this is the current WIR book club pick.

Since I’ve recently discovered that fake dating is apparently the bee’s knees for me, you know that some of these are going to be on my TBR pile.

Looking to get away from it all, even if it’s just between the pages of the book? Some of the ones listed here may fit that bill.

Here’s a fun little quiz to find out which type of fan-fiction matches your personality. Once you have that, then you can start looking for one to fulfill the 2021 Read Harder Challenge prompt.

Cover Reveals:

I’ve got more cover reveals for y’all today! First there is the one for Eva Leigh’s The Good Girl’s Guide to Rakes.

Then Mia Sosa tweeted out the one for The Wedding Crasher.

And then there was this one for Meka James Mechanics of Love!

I am really enjoying these so they may be a regular feature or as regular as they can be, depending on the announcements that happen with cover reveals.

New Releases & Deals

There are a variety of new releases hitting the physical and digital shelves this week.

Open Your Heart by Cherish Hodge and Lost: A Why Choose novel by Jayne Rylon are being released this week. You can also pick up Sophie Jordan’s The Duke Goes Down and Diana Quincy’s The Viscount Made Me Do It.

I missed it last Monday, but Susannah Nix’s My Cone and Only was released last week. I just love a good punny title, especially when it’s about ice cream.

One of the deals you can pick up this week is Talia Hibbert’s re-covered Guarding Temptation, a bargain at $0.99. This is one of the few I haven’t read so you know I clicked on that with a quickness. The anthology Four Dukes and a Devil is also $0.99 and Kate Claybourn’s Luck of the Draw can be purchased for $3.99.

If you’re looking to mesh up Christmas in July vibes with #JenkinsJuly, you can pick up I’ll Be Home for Christmas by Mrs. Bev for $1.99 as well as Jennifer Crusie’s Welcome to Temptation and Prince of Air and Darkness by M.A. Grant. Cherry Lane by Rochelle Alers is currently $2.99.

That’s all I have for you today fellow romance readers. I hope that the rest of the week until we meet again treats you well. Remember to stay hydrated as that is always important. Give me a follow over on Twitter @PScribe801 and I’ll see you next time.

Hello again romance readers. I’m PN Hinton, your companion for the world of romance. I hope your spirit is doing well today. 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. 

I need another show to watch now that Loki is over. I know that the season finale divided a lot of people but personally I enjoyed how it all came together. I’m looking forward to how it will change future movies. And we are thankfully getting a second season cause that cliffhanger though…

I know a lot of fans were upset because of the Sylvie aspect, which I could take or leave. Maybe it’s the English Major in me but I took it as a metaphor for him learning to love himself. Because if you don’t love yourself then you can’t expect others to. Honestly I didn’t ship him with anyone on the show, not even Mobius. Why, you ask? 

Loki doesn’t need a boyfriend or girlfriend right now. He needs a real friend. Like, a friend that is his friend first and then maybe Thor’s. And all the hugs because sweet niblets, that ending. 

Cover Reveals

I’ve got more cover reveals for y’all today! First there is this one for A Kiss at the Mistletoe Rodeo by Kathy Douglass, yet another holiday romance. I see you romance authors trying to prevent me from being a Grinch this year! And I appreciate it.

Then there was this one for Alexandria Bellefluer’s Count Your Lucky Stars! Guess this means I need to pick up Hang the Moon soon, huh? (looks ashamed in romance book nerd).

Then there’s the one for Becky Michael’s A Rake Like You. ALL THE COVER GOODNESS!!

Recommendations

I’ve noticed recently that one of the biggest selling points for a romance is how well ‘the grovel’ is done. It seems there are people out there who want the hero or the heroine to crawl across broken glass dipped in lemon juice with skinned knees to show the depth of their remorse and it’s like…no. It’s not for me. It’s a power play that brings to me someone feeling they’re beneath someone else and showing it.

Now, this isn’t to say that I don’t believe in apologies. Despite what the movies say, you’re going to say sorry to your loved ones…a lot. That’s just factual. And you have to mean your apology; so, your actions need to speak louder than words. Don’t just talk about it; be about it.

Still, the word grovel indicates a level of imbalance that I just can’t get behind. I know that a lot of that is just how I interpret the word. I prefer the term “make-up.” This is where either one or both parties acknowledge their wrong doing in the situation. It’s a much healthier resolution for me because it shows a level of talking and working it out and actively trying to be better themselves and work on their relationship. Here are some of my recent reads that I personally found had good make-up scenes in the book after the third-act conflict. They may not have been grandiose, but they are satisfying. 

And that is it for today. I will see y’all Monday with another edition but if you want little snippets of me before then give me a follow over a Twitter under @Pscribe801. Have a great weekend and remember to do at least one thing just for yourself. Until next time!

Hello again romance readers. I’m PN Hinton, your companion for the world of romance. I hope your spirit is doing well today. 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. 

I started reading Nicola Yoon’s Instructions for Dancing this last week and it was like a shot of adrenaline to my reading vein. It was like a breath of fresh air to me, and I’m loving it. It’s helping me a bit with my stagnate reading state and I hope it is a catalyst to help pull me out completely.

After listening to to last week’s episode of When in Romance, I actually think I’ve figured out part of what is going on with my reading habits as of late. It has to do with the format of the books I’m reading. I’m getting to the point where I don’t like reading on my phone much since, once I get off of work, I don’t really want to be reading stuff on another screen. If it’s not a physical book, I would much rather read on a tablet or e-reader.

My Kindle Paperwhite is different because it’s e-ink; so, it’s not quite as reminiscent as an actual screen. The drawback, though, is that you can only read Kindle e-books on it. So, I don’t have access to the books that I’ve procured from other places. Since my tablet is essentially now a paper weight, that leaves my phone. But there are other things I’d rather be doing on my phone, such as scrolling through social media and/or TikTok or playing games.

So, when given the chance to read on my phone…I don’t. My next fun purchase is going to be a tablet so I can use other reading apps on, like Google Play, Libby, and Hoopla. I will use my phone for social media, TikTok, texting, and–you know–calling people every now and then. The trick is finding a tablet that supports other reading apps apart from Kindle that isn’t an iPad. Because I personally am not about that Apple life. I don’t have a Samsung, but I’m perfectly peachy with my Pixel. 

Book Riot Romance

If you want to hear about other reading habits, you can still listen to last week’s episode of When in Romance and take part in their survey.

I agree with Rey that paranormal romances have really always been a thing. They experience ebbs and flow like any other genre, but they’re always a constant in the romance world. I’m sure there’s a lot of commentary on the why of that, but that would be a story for another time. In the meantime, here is a list of some that may have flown under your radar. 

Around the Web in Romance

I feel like I’m one of the few people who didn’t like any of the re-issued covers that came out for the Bridgertons, for numerous reasons. One, there was the obvious race-baiting that has happening with The Duke and I, which showed Regé-Jean Page on the cover, even though the Simon in between the pages was super white. And that the ones that came after that were just…generic. I understand that the publishing company was trying to capitalize on the popularity of the series, since this re-cover treatment was also given to The Lady Most Willing and The Lady Most Likely anthologies, due to the Whistledown connection. But yeah, just not for me. Since I came to the series when I first got my very first Kindle, I never saw the original clinch covers. As such, I was super happy to see them all here.

Speaking of covers, Sharon Cooper’s latest cover reveal is giving me strong sexy vibes, and I’m here for all of it. I’m also feeling this same vibe with this debut from Gia de Cadenet that is coming soon. I am really starting to appreciate these cover reveals, since it helps to build the anticipation for upcoming books even more.

Did you hear that not one but two romance novels are in the finalists for the Tonight Show’s Annual #FallonSummerReads book club? Big shout out to People We Meet on Vacation and One Last Stop. I’ve only read the former, and while I wasn’t as big of a fan of it as I was of Beach Read, it was still enjoyable. The latter is, of course, somewhere on my TBR list.

Here is a rundown of some of the more buzz-worthy romance books this summer.

New Releases & Deals

That’s all for today, friends. I’ll be back Thursday, but in the meantime you can give me a follow under my Twitter handle, @Pscribe801. See you next time.

Hello again romance readers. I’m PN Hinton, your companion for the world of romance. I hope your spirit is doing well today. 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. 

Another weekend is looming ahead of us and I’m here for it. Don’t get me wrong; last weekend was a good one. My book club met and it ended catching up since only two of us (not me) had read the book. But there were new kittens that required cuddling so…

Now, I’m perfectly fine with not finishing the book. We’ve never been that type of book club that shames members for not reading. Life happens and gets in the way and sometimes a book just doesn’t resonate with you. Also, I’m no longer forcing myself to finish a book for “insert reason here.” Sometimes it is wanting to keep a finger on the pulse of what’s popular. Sometimes it’s because it was a gift or an ARC. The reasons vary but the feeling of ‘should’ was still real. Which isn’t healthy or how one should approach reading in any situation. So, when I tried for the umpteenth time to get through the book I just couldn’t and I gave up the ghost. Life’s too short.

Romance Tidbits

Don’t forget to listen to this week’s episode of When in Romance where Jess and Trisha discuss the results of the survey. There is still time to take it if you haven’t though since they’re leaving it up for about another week. They will be discussing Wrong Number, Right Woman so you still have time to read that as well.

Jackie Lau has a M/M romance coming soon!

Here is a list of Alyssa Cole’s Summer 2021 reads.

Happy Birthday to Violet Gaze Press! I don’t know about y’all but, given the hullabaloo with them and Amazon a few weeks ago, I’m super happy that this wonderful diverse and inclusive company reached this milestone. Be sure to check out their catalog of books if you haven’t already to snag a few of their wonderful titles.

Recommendations

I made mention last time of the joy I’ve been finding in the Loki TV series and that is something that I know a lot of the world is experiencing as well. Loki is arguably one of the most complex characters all around, even for those who knew about him prior to the MCU movies or even comics. He plays quite a large role in Norse mythology even when one doesn’t include his role in bringing on Ragnarok. 

In his current comic iteration though, he’s not quite a villain; but he sure as hell ain’t a one-hundred percent hero. He would, at best, be an anti-hero because his morals are gray at best. He has some redeeming qualities though and manages to always act smooth even after he’s been thrown around like a rag doll by the Hulk. It doesn’t hurt that Tom Hiddleston has an equally smooth and soothing voice.

That leads to today’s recommendations which are romances with leads that lean more towards antiheroes. This doesn’t mean that they’re as morally gray as Loki or a flat out bad boy either; they’re just not people who could or would be classified as the hero in a story.

And that’s all for now friends! Give me a follow over on Twitter @PScribe801. Have a great and relaxing weekend. I’ll see you Monday.

Hello again romance readers. I’m PN Hinton, your companion for the world of romance. I hope your spirit is doing well today. 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. 

It’s the start of the work week as well as the third week in July. This means we’re halfway through the month and the summer. You would think that with being super close to the level of Mario 3 where the sun is actively trying to kill us in my area, the serotonin would be off the chain. But, it’s not true. In actuality, I’ve been in a bit of a funk lately. Not sure why to be honest so I’m just waiting for it to pass. In the meantime I’ve been searching for things that bring me joy to help boost those levels.

One is the Loki series. I’m loving everything about it, including the title character. No, I don’t want to unpack what it may mean for my overall mental well-being. Also, Let’s Play is back on WebToon. I may or may not have actually squealed out loud when the Season 3 Premiere launched. If you want to play catch up with it, you have two full seasons and over 100 episodes to do so.

Sometimes, it’s the little things that get you through the day, which get you through the week, which gets you through the month, which gets you through the year. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: self-care is important, so make sure that you’re doing something to make yourself happy during these trying times.

In Book Riot Romance

If you fell in love with Emily Henry’s Beach Read last year, Silvana has got some read-a-likes for you that may peak your interest.

Speaking of read-a-likes, if you’re big into Sarah J. Maas fan you can also check out this list of authors who give off similar vibes, courtesy of Neha.

There’s also this ode to ‘Mass Max’ by Jess for your reading consideration.

Around the Web in Romance

Christina Milian is starring in a new rom-com called Resort to Love coming soon to Netflix and it looks amazingly adorable. I agree with everything that this tweet says with regards to Christina’s recent run in rom-com movies. No disrespect to Meg Ryan, but it’s time we had a new rom-com darling and Milian has the chops to fill those proverbial shoes. And that fact that it’s a woman of color just makes it even more *chef’s kiss*. And, no matter what people may say, everyone, on some level, loves a good punny title.

Summer may be almost over but you can still check these books off your reading bucket list.

If you’re big into YA like yours truly, here is another list of highly anticipated novels is this genre coming soon to a shelf near you.

And, as we are over the midway point of there, here is a round up of some of the best romance novels so far this year.

New Releases & Deals

Some of the new books hitting our shelves this week: How Sweet It Is by Dylan Newton (which I loved), While We Were Dating by Jasmine Guillory, It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey, and The Calyx Charm by May Peterson, and Unbridled by D. Jackson Leigh.

As for deals, you can pick these up for $1.99 (deals are active as of the time of writing this newsletter): Next in Line for Love by Harper Bliss, All In with the Duke by Ava March, Forbidden Promises by Synthia Williams, Any Duchess Will Do by Tessa Dare, and Just One Night by Kyra Davis.

And if you’re looking for a new device to read these on, don’t forget to enter our giveaway for a Kindle Oasis!

And on that note, here’s where we end our time together for today. Catch up with me over on Twitter under @PScribe801. See ya Thursday.