Category: Kissing Books

Well, September is moving like August did, apparently, because it can’t possibly be halfway through the month. I managed to fall into Lucifer after an aborted start when it was first airing. I have no idea where it’s going, and that kind of works for me.

Let’s talk books!

News and Useful Links

First and foremost: this shirt. You want to preorder one.

Check out this podcast interview with Vivian Stephens.

One of those things we missed last Monday was a response from Courtney Milan regarding some Omegaverse nonsense.

Also, somebody had fun with photoshop.

Alyssa Cole was busy for release week, with profiles in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, and more. When No One Is Watching is definitely a suspenseful thriller, but she’s Alyssa, so there’s a romantic element to it.

This is a great essay about reading romance as someone who is demisexual.

Your regular reminder that Dreamspinner is still in deep shit. I won’t tell you not to buy their books, but I won’t be recommending any until they figure out how to pay all of their authors, not just the ones who have lawyers.

Romance adjacent: there’s a new Pride and Prejudice musical available to watch on Prime video. I can’t tell you it’s great, but it’s fun to watch. Once.

Similarly romance adjacent: Have you seen the trailer for the new Rebecca movie on Netflix?

Want a preview of Suleikha Snyder’s next book?

This podcast episode could probably make you cry.

And there’s still time to RSVP for this East City Bookstore event with Rosie Danan and Christina Lauren.

Deals

Looking for some fun historical suspense? Slippery Creatures, the first book in KJ Charles’s Will Darling Chronicles, is 99 cents right now! Set after World War I, there’s some intrigue and spycraft alongside a growing fondness that could be destroyed by betrayal. But it’s KJ Charles, and we know she can always bring a story around.

Or if you want to start feeling the autumness, maybe it’s time to grab Mating The Huntress by Talia Hibbert, which is an adorable novella about a werewolf and his mate…who happens to hunt werewolves. And she is having none of his courtship. It’s precious. And 99 cents.

Recs!

I haven’t picked up a paranormal for a while, but I finally got my hold in for one I had been waiting for, and it didn’t disappoint.

The Enforcer Enigma 
GL Carriger

If you haven’t picked up the San Andreas Shifter books, you’ve got some fun ahead of you. Enforcer is the third in the series, and features two clueless dumbbells who are completely in love with each other and don’t know what to do about it. Judd is an old werewolf, older than Saturation even, and he has been in a lot of packs. He’s completely gaga for Colin, the smallest wolf in the pack who doesn’t think he deserves to be loved, and especially not by Judd. But when a new security job and a friend of Colin’s collide with a shocking revelation, everything else gets tangled—everything but Judd and Colin. Well, they get in a different kind of tangle, but even then, they both are sad to think it’s temporary.

And you all know how those go.

My next read is The Demigod’s Legacy by Holley Trent. I can’t tell you how many Masters of Maria books I’ve bought, but this is the first one, and I feel like I should read these in order…in part because I tried reading a related novella and kind of had no idea what was going on or what the world was like. So yeah, this one is gonna be a readthrough with 9 in the series. So far. I love Holley Trent’s worldbuilding and you know, with the whole Lucifer thing, I’m in the mood for some angels, which I know will eventually appear.

What are you reading this week?

As usual, catch me on Twitter @jessisreading or Instagram @jess_is_reading, or send me an email at wheninromance@bookriot.com if you’ve got feedback, bookrecs, or just want to say hi!

Howdy folks. I hope you had some time to rest if you are in the US and celebrate Labor Day, and if you’re not, hope you had a good weekend. Either way, I hope you managed to get some reading done, if you wanted to. It took me four days to read a book I could have downed in one sitting, but…you know, that was my own fault. Mine and Tim Riggins’. (That was a Friday Night Lights joke. I’m still not done with that cursed show.)

Since we skipped the holiday, I’m saving up the news links for Monday’s newsletter. There wasn’t a whole lot that happened, even though the notable events were definitely doozies. In the meantime, here is Keanu Reeves as romance novels.

Over on Book Riot

Queer. Sports. Romance. You know you want to check out this list. 

And look. Reading t-shirts.

Not all Urban Fantasy has romantic elements in it, but some of the best does. This list covers the gamut of UF, but there are plenty that will draw you in with some swoons. 

And you’ve still got time to enter to win fifty bucks to your favorite indie.  

Deals

Have you read Olivia Waite’s Feminine Pursuits books? You can start with the first, The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics, for 1.99 right now. Lucy needs to get away from her life, and she takes that chance by going to work for a Countess who needs an astronomy text translated. And while she might be her patron and therefore her employer, their dynamic is nicely presented in this story. And there’s a lot of talk of science and writing damning the patriarchy. The second, The Care and Feeding of Waspish Widows, is just 3.99 if you want to read about beekeeping and ladies wearing trousers. 

New Books!

That books I said I finished over the weekend? Well, it’s not a release for this week. It actually comes out on the 22nd, and I’m just gonna recommend you pre-order it now so you can read it immediately. It should be no surprise to anyone who knows me that I loved the mess out of Courtney Milan’s The Duke Who Didn’t and want you to do so, too.   

Okay, new books.

Love on Repeat
D. Rose

I love a story where music brings people together, and I’ve heard good things about this one. It features two people who have really figured out their careers and are ready to move forward with that element of their lives. But then they meet, and the world is sex on its axis. Because being in love makes life even better, on top of having awesome careers. But of course, things and people like to get in the way. 

And then there are others:

Her Big City Neighbor by Jackie Lau

Shadows in Death by JD Robb (I know it’s not technically romance but it’s always of note)

Fuel My Fire by AS Wilson

Older by Pamela Redmond (this is a sequel to Younger, which I never read but enjoyed as a TV show, and it looks like it’s going to be “contemporary fiction with romantic elements” but I felt like I had to let you know it existed)

Trust Fund Fiance by Naima Simone (paperback release)

Don’t Hex and Drive by Juliette Cross

Love Untainted by Mel Dau

The Case of the Sexy Shakespearean by Tara Lain (those are definitely head-turning words)

In Case You Missed It by Lindsey Kelk

Lady of Jeffrey Manor by JS Cole

A Touch of Stone and Snow by Milla Vane (the book came out a while ago, but now you can listen to the audiobook—I listened to the first one, and Nicole Poole is fantastic)

Second Helpings by Brandon Witt

Reading anything good this weekend?

As usual, catch me on Twitter @jessisreading or Instagram @jess_is_reading, or send me an email at wheninromance@bookriot.com if you’ve got feedback, bookrecs, or just want to say hi!

It’s September 3. I can’t think about today’s date without “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” being stuck in my head for days at a time. You’re welcome.

(If you don’t know it… You’re welcome.)

Let’s talk books.

Over on Book Riot

If you’ve been having trouble reading books (or even if you haven’t!), comics are an amazing change of pace. Check out this list of romance comics—same story requirements, just a different medium!

And speaking of comics, this is a tempting list of queer webcomics. Obviously, not all stories are love stories, and not all of these are romance stories, but there are a couple we should all definitely check out.

This is a nice rundown of the difference between New Adult and YA.

And while this covers a wide swath of Jeopardy! history, there is a great perspective here about romance in particular.

A new month means new giveaways! You can enter to win a full year’s subscription of Audible. Or a copy of Sandra Brown’s Thick as Thieves.

Deals

If you haven’t read Jackie Lau’s Holidays with the Wongs novella series, you’re in luck! A Match Made for Thanksgiving is free for the rest of the year, and the other books in the series, set around Christmas, Lunar New Year, and Valentine’s Day, aren’t very expensive. The first book is tons of fun, and you get to know the Wong siblings (and parents, and their completely adorable grandparents) and get to drool over a lot of food descriptions, much like you would in most Jackie Lau books.

New Books

I saw somebody post something on Twitter on Tuesday. The gist was…did every book come out today? Or are the rest coming out next week?

Seriously, y’all. September 1 was a heck of a day for books, including When No One is Watching, Alyssa Cole’s debut thriller. I won’t talk about it much (even though it’s awesome) because it’s technically not a romance, but just remember, Alyssa is just an awesome writer no matter what the subject.

Best Laid Plaids
Ella Stainton

Ainsley can talk to ghosts. Or at least, that’s what he says, and he’s fallen into a life of professional disgrace because of it. Joachim, a vet studying delusional thinking, shows up with a desire to see all of the haunted places that maybe Ainsley can do his thing, and the pair—neither really trusting of the other, both with something to prove—start to grow on each other.

I saw the words Scottish and period and ghost and came running (not really, because I am behind as usual). The key is, this is all kinds of tropetonite and I can’t wait to read it!

And of course, I haven’t read any of these, either:

Secret Crush Seduction by Jayci Lee

The Holiday Detour by Jane Kolven

A Rogue of One’s Own by Evie Dunmore (I will note, I did read a review last week about there being an Evil Gay Villain trope and some questionable colonizer ridiculousness, so keep that in mind)

Wrong Number, Right Woman by Jae

The Angel’s Desire by Holley Trent (yeah, she just keeps randomly dropping new books and then being like oh hey)

Here For You by Pat Simmons

Never Let Me Go by Kianna Alexander

Trust Fund Fiancé by Naima Simone

Trolling Nights by Savannah J. Frierson

A Bond Unbroken by NJ Lysk (I know nothing about this author or their writing, but I am very intrigued by Omegaverse lesbians outside of fanfiction)

The Playboy Alien Prince by Aria Starling (no, but really: why are they always blue?)

Hearts on Lonely Mountain by AM Heath (I’m trying to branch into inspirational/Christian romance that doesn’t beat you over the head with it, and maybe a period novel set in a rural environment could work)

A Winning Season by Rochelle Alers

Crowned For My Royal Baby by Maisey Yates

The Maverick’s Baby Arrangement by Kathy Douglass

Honeytrap by Aster Glenn Gray

M4M by Rick R. Reed

As usual, catch me on Twitter @jessisreading or Instagram @jess_is_reading, or send me an email at wheninromance@bookriot.com if you’ve got feedback, bookrecs, or just want to say hi!

I can’t even.

News and Useful Links

Twitter exploded this weekend. Again. I don’t even know where to start. There was a review of Amalie Howard’s The Duke’s Princess Bride posted on Goodreads and Medium, which I’d seen several days ago, acknowledged the reviewer’s concerns, and moved on, not expecting it to be the impetus for an implosion that might have lasting effects on the online romance community. But the fact that a white reviewer wrote a highly critical review of a book by an author of South Asian descent struck a nerve with some people, and the conversation spiraled into a wildly divided conversation—some speaking about who is allowed to critique authors of color and the high expectations laid upon authors of color compared to white authors, while others worked to maintain the conversation about that specific critique of that particular book, and the fact that the reviewer’s concerns were valid. The conversation got incredibly heated, leading to some reviewers going private or deciding to no longer be reviewers, work many of them have put their time and hearts into for free. Some authors apologized for derailing the conversation or speaking wrong, but as I write this on Sunday night, I’m still not completely certain if this can be fixed. If nothing else, Amalie Howard made a statement about revising the book (which is not yet out) based on the criticism, which by the end of the weekend had been echoed by at least one South Asian reviewer.

In case it needs to be said: yes, AOC are often held to a higher standard than other authors. Yes, there are white people who will nitpick and dogwhistle books by authors of color. Yes, there ought to be more conversation about the wildly white subgenre of historical romance and where all of these dukes get their land and money and the fact that it’s mostly ignored in the text. But in the case of this particular book—which has a male protagonist who is a colonizer and plantation owner and a female protagonist whose inner monologue is colorist and casteist, and in which the male protagonist was a member of the imperialist organization that was responsible for the deaths of members of the female protagonist’s family—from the quotes I’ve seen, the sensitivity displayed by the initial reviewer is basically what we’ve been asking white reviewers to show for years. She noticed things that could be harmful to readers of color—especially South Asian readers—and listed them. I could talk this in circles for days, but that’s already been done.

There were other people in the world this past week, though.

Mainly: WE’RE GETTING A BLESSINGS TELEVISION SERIES!!!!!!

Rioter Carole had a nice conversation about When No One is Watching with debut thriller author Alyssa Cole.

The Romance Writers of America conference was virtual this year (obvi), and while the recordings are currently only available to registrants, scrolling through the hashtag gives some nice insight on some great keynotes and workshops.

Have you listened to this new podcast about Black romance?

Debut author Kelly Farmer wrote about realizing your sexuality when you’re older and her new book, Out on the Ice.

This is tonight, but there’s still time to RSVP.

And these are delightful!

Deals

I don’t know how long it’s going to be, but Rachel Reid’s Heated Rivalry is 1.99 right now. It’s the second in the series, but is definitely the best of the books, and you can probably read it without having read the first one (which I mentioned a few KBs ago). I devoured this whole series this week, and I don’t usually read hockey books and try to limit my m/m by female authors, even if they’re queer (and I don’t know if Reid identifies that way). But this book. Y’all. If you are an enemies to lovers reader, you need this book. Ilya and Shane. I just can’t. You have to experience it for yourselves. And then read the rest of them.

Recs

If you’re looking for something short and sweet, you should dive into Christina C. Jones’s Mahogany Heights books. They’re of varying lengths, actually, but you can always find a new novella when you’re digging through CCJ’s backlist.

Me + Somebody’s Son
Christina C. Jones

I should have finished this in a night, but I got distracted by Friday Night Lights and took an additional sitting. That show is riveting.

Anyway. Haven is a bookseller new to the Heights. Well, she went to school in the next town over, but it’s been a good decade since she’s been back. She has a real problem with guys: she just wants one night stands, but they keep coming back asking for more. When one does so with a lovely bouquet that she feels inclined to rid herself of, she decides it’s too pretty to completely lose and goes to the flower shop they came from to get an arrangement of her own. It’s there that she runs into August, an old friend from college. They’re obviously immediately into each other (and sort of always have been?) but there’s that whole caveat where Haven doesn’t date. So what do they do now?

In true CCJ fashion, this is a brief but delightful dip into the heads of two smart and interesting people with the weirdest family problems (nothing traumatic, I promise). This is a great couple of hours of palate cleanser and fun.

What are you reading this week?

As usual, catch me on Twitter @jessisreading or Instagram @jess_is_reading, or send me an email at wheninromance@bookriot.com if you’ve got feedback, bookrecs, or just want to say hi!

Well, folks. It’s Thursday. I’m more grateful than ever for romance novels, because the world sucks so bad. I hate it here. But we’ve got these lovely little packets of joy and serotonin to stare at for hours at a time, so hooray for that.

Over on Book Riot 

Trisha and I talked about the impact Corey Alexander made on the romance community. And recommended sports romances.

This is a fascinating dive into a book I haven’t read that also isn’t a romance. But. It’s a look into a long distance relationship that looks a lot like what some COVID relationships might look like. I’d be curious to read a romance take on it.

Is this your coffee table?

You’ve still got time to enter the giveaway for a gift card to your favorite indie bookstore…or a year of Kindle Unlimited. I mean, you could end up winning both, you never know.

Deals

Do you want something fun, funny, and sexy…that also addresses the concept of sex work and the change technology has made on culture? You might want to drop a couple bucks on Fans Only by B. Love. This friends-to-lovers story about a pair looking to do online sex work together until they’ve “met their financial goals” is definitely for those of you who like to watch sex complicate things between friends.

New Books

It’s another good week for books and I got so distracted by hockey that I haven’t started a one of them, but I am super duper excited for these to be in the world.

Better Than People
Roan Parrish 

I did actually read this one, a long time ago, for my conversation with Roan and others for Bookstore Romance Day. (I will be honest, I forgot its release date.)

Jack often prefers the company of his menagerie of pets to that of most people. Sure, he likes his brother, and has some friends, but if there’s one thing he knows, people will betray you. But when he falls into a ditch after chasing one of his more skittish dogs, he has to find someone to spend the quality time with his pets that he can’t with his badly-broken leg. But an app for pet lovers introduces him to Simon, who also prefers pets to people.

Mainly because they don’t laugh at or insult people who are just trying their best.

Simon has such severe social anxiety that he has trouble getting his words out, even when he wants to. His quiet intensity is immediately intriguing to Jack, who finds him beautiful, as well as the Pack. The two slowly bring out the best in each other, while also helping each other realize the best parts of themselves.

CW: severe anxiety and panic attacks; selective mutism and other neurodivergent behaviors; frustration and depression related to injury; checked ableist language; discussion of past parental death;

Here to Stay
Adriana Herrera

I’m also pretty excited for this one, in part because of the setup of the relationships—not just between love interests, but a whole found family. I know what it’s like to be a transplant in a new town that has a whole different environment, different weather, different people, and to find your people. So when I saw that the center of this story was about folks like that, I was all in. And of course, it’s Adriana. So I’m ready to pick this one up and live in it for a little while.

But wait! There’s more! (So much more!)

The Sugared Game by KJ Charles

Birthday Shot by Rilzy Adams

The Rose that Got Away by Christina C. Jones

The Wedding Date Disaster by Avery Flynn

Like Lovers Do by Tracey Livesay (and now I’m singing Xscape, thanks Tracey)

Who Wants to Marry a Duke by Sabrina Jeffries

You Lucky Dog by Julia London

Priya’s Ex by Sookh Kaur

Touch Me Gently by JR Loveless

Whoa by Alexandra Warren

Season of the Wolf by Maria Vale

Scandalous Secrets by Synithia Williams (Oh, I read this one, too! Interesting setup—it’s technically a second-chance romance, but only for one of the characters)

A Winning Season by Rochelle Alers

The Flapper’s Scandalous Elopement by Lauri Robinson (More flappers! This is the sister I’m most intrigued by!)

The Tokyo Bicycle Bakery by Su Young Lee

The Siren and the Deep Blue Sea by Kerrelyn Sparks

The Sound of Serendipity by Cynthia A. Rodriguez

Fairy Suited by Rebel Carter

Middle Ageish by Shirley Goldberg

Emerald Blaze by Ilona Andrews (I know it’s not technically a romance but I know a bunch of y’all love this series and might have forgotten it was coming out)

Entangled Pursuits by Brenda Jackson (A NEW BRENDA JACKSON BOOK)

Taunting Callum by Kristen Proby

Firefighter Shifter’s Second Chance by Naomi Sparks (look, that’s a lot of words that mean things, okay?)

Ancient Enemy by Katie Reus

Can’t Help Falling by Cara Bastone

Trade Deadline by Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn (which I mentioned last time but just in case)

The Reason Is You by Nikita Singh (this one isn’t actually new but it came up in my scrolling and is probably not well known, and if I have to sing that blasted song over and over you all have to come with me…jk I love that song but it sticks, huh?)

Okay goodness gracious I’ve stopped shopping when my eyes are bigger than my stomach now. There’s so much stuff, I hope you find something fun to check out for the weekend! And guess what? Next week is September!

As usual, catch me on Twitter @jessisreading or Instagram @jess_is_reading, or send me an email at wheninromance@bookriot.com if you’ve got feedback, bookrecs, or just want to say hi!

I hope everyone is staying safe out there, or has found a situation that will put you in…as safe a place as you can be.

Let’s talk romance novels.

News and Useful Links

How much do you know about Vivian Stephens? She is an amazing woman who paved the way for a lot of people, and then, well. Racism.

Another look at cishet men reading romance.

In case you missed it over the weekend, here’s the cover of Casey McQuiston’s next romcom!

And here’s an excerpt from Emily Henry’s next book.

Did you see? Did you see?

Also, Adriana Herrera historicals coming our way!

Which led to quite the conversation about historical accuracy and the way certain types of people question it from authors of color in ways they don’t for white authors.

And there was also this amazing thread (with learning objects attached!) about anti-Blackness in romance.

We’re getting an anthology of romances about holidays that aren’t “holiday romances”.

This is a great thread on aromantic representation in media.

This is a fantastic essay by Sandra Kitt on the evolution of The Color of Love. 

And the RWA elections are in. See who’s taking RWA 2.0 forward.

Deals

As August draws to a close and we start to enter the time that, in some parts of the country, harkens the whispers of Faire, now might be the time to use Well Met to scratch that itch. And it’s 1.99 right now, so why not? The second in the series, Well Played, comes out at the end of next month, so now would be a good time to dig in to ease the FOMO (Fact Of Missing Out).

And if you’re looking for something farther removed, Destiny’s Captive by Beverly Jenkins is also 1.99 right now! It’s the third in a series and actually, all three are 1.99, but Destiny’s Captive is my favorite—lady pirates, sea journeys, sword fights! It’s tons of fun. But read all three, honestly.

Book Recs

I was feeling unwell over the weekend and had been talking about (among other things) hockey with Trisha when we recorded the most recent episode of When In Romance, so I decided to pick up a book or two that might bring back those Check, Please! feelings. Hockey is the whitest sport, and is therefore the whitest sports subgenre in romance, so I don’t read a whole lot of it, but I have found a few authors that I enjoy, who also try to bring a bit of diversity into the game.

Game Changer
Rachel Reid

I’ve been watching this series build out since the start, and I actually have all four books? I had been hesitant to start the series because of the closeted protagonist, but I figured, might as well dive in, right?

Scott Hunter is the star captain of the New York Admirals, and he hasn’t been playing very well. When he gets a delicious smoothie (made by a very attractive barista) and has the best game in ages, he decides to get it again. And again. And by some stroke of luck, he runs into Kip in a situation where they can both get what they really want. But even as they start to build a wildly intense relationship, Scott isn’t ready to come out as the first openly gay player in the NHL. And Kip isn’t sure he’s okay with being Scott’s dirty secret forever. I wasn’t completely in love with this one, but everyone swears by the rest of the series, so I figured I should get started.

CW: Closeted character; homophobic language; fighting; casual homophobia; sports injury

I wanted to keep the hockey game going, so I picked up Kelly Farmer’s Out On the Ice, which comes out later this week. And while the story was definitely interesting, I wasn’t up to do two “keep personal life private” pro hockey stories in a row, so I set that one aside for later. It’s definitely worth checking out, especially since one of the characters has serious Megan Rapinoe vibes, but I have to balance my closets, you know?

Instead, I picked up Trade Deadline, the third book in the Hat Trick series by Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn.

In Trade Deadline, Daniel has changed teams from the Atlanta Venom to the Miami Thunder. After being on the same team for over a decade, it’s nice to move back to his hometown, where he runs into his childhood BFF. Who was also his first crush and first kiss. Daniel, freshly divorced and unpracticed with men, might be into trying something new with Micah. I don’t often pick up friends-to-lovers or what would technically be a second-chance romance, but this is the kind of both of those that I enjoy. They were friends as kids and sure, had crushes on each other then, but enough time has passed that they’re kind of getting to know each other again, even though they can still joke about kid stuff. I’m almost done and it’s super delightful. And if you haven’t read the series, start with Off the Ice…which has a similar plot to Game Changer, so be prepared for that story. (The second book in the series, Goalie Interference, is an enemies-to-lovers goalie romance between two men of color. Like, when does that happen?)

What are your favorite hockey romances? Bonus if they’re queer!

As usual, catch me on Twitter @jessisreading or Instagram @jess_is_reading, or send me an email at wheninromance@bookriot.com if you’ve got feedback, bookrecs, or just want to say hi!

I’ve decided that TV series frustrate me. You start watching and can tell someone likes someone and you don’t think anything is going to happen and then you start Shipping Hard and then something happens and your ship is pulled apart because television. That’s why I watch 2 hour romcoms. Satisfying without the hair-pulling and the waiting.

At least romance novels, you know where they’re going to end up.

Before I get to our regularly scheduled business, I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the life and untimely death of Corey Alexander, who wrote some amazing novels under the pen name Xan West. They were a strong proponent for diversity in romance of all kinds. Their blog was a place to go for the best perspective on gender and sexuality, disability, tropes, and the best of the best. On Twitter, they were the best at supporting newbies and veteran romancelandia folks. I didn’t know them much at all, but was still struck by the loss.

Over on Book Riot

With the number of fantasy romances coming out recently (and you know, always), do you know the difference between high fantasy and low fantasy?

I have been looking for ways to extend my audiobook time. What do you do when you listen?

Romcom=fantasy?

Are you sending notes and things to people? Here’s some fun stationery.

Deals

If you’re looking for a fantasy series to start up, Kingdom of Exiles by Maxym M. Martineau is 1.99 right now. It’s the first book in the Beast Charmer series, and is basically fantasy Pokemon. I mean, there’s much more to it than that, but that’s what the world is based on. There’s intrigue and people have deadly curses on their heads and there are assassins and questioning of gender roles. It’s dark and doesn’t stand alone, but now’s the best time to start.

New Books

So I did this thing where I actually started reading a book that came out this week, but because of its title, I find myself constantly singing the song that it’s a play on. And my name is in it, so I just bounce around going “It’s Jess!”

Who’s That Earl
Susanna Craig

Thomas Sutherland is a spy for the crown. He’d love to remain married to his country forever, but instead he lands an inheritance. A title and a crumbling Scottish keep are all his for the taking. But his predecessor had a tenant living at the castle, and he’ll have to discuss their future before being able to keep working. When he arrives in Scotland in the dead of winter, he’s surprised to find that instead of Higginbotham, the stodgy secretary to a reclusive writer he was expecting, the woman that got away is staring him in the face.

But Jane Quayle has secrets of her own. The biggest: she’s actually Robin Ratliff, the reclusive author of gothic novels that all of England is abuzz for. And having the new Lord Magnus around isn’t going to help with that.

So far, this book is fun with interesting characters and a premise I love. It gives me much Romancing the Duke vibes.

There are a few more books out this week that I hope to someday reach:

A Compendium of Ever-Increasing Mayhem by Courtney Milan (this is a collection of four previously published novellas, three of which I’ve read and can tell you are more than effing delightful, the last of which I’ve been meaning to read forever!)

Gay All Year by Richard May

The Pleasure Principle by Nicole Falls

The Jackal by JR Ward (this is a spinoff of the BDB books set in a…prison camp?)

For Her Benefit by Nana Malone (this is the third in a trilogy that doesn’t stand alone)

Heart Bones by Colleen Hoover (this one got moved up because CH does that sometimes)

The Legal Affair by Nisha Sharma

Royal by Danielle Steel (which I think is romantic if not exactly romance? She’s been going kind of all over the place.)

Falling for Jun by DD Davis

Reading anything interesting this weekend?

As usual, catch me on Twitter @jessisreading or Instagram @jess_is_reading, or send me an email at wheninromance@bookriot.com if you’ve got feedback, bookrecs, or just want to say hi!

You know, there are some things I might be willing to do, either for money or because somebody says it’s actually going to be fun. One of the things you couldn’t pay me to do is spend 11 days hardly sleeping and crossing various levels of water, rock, and jungle while relying on three other people to get through it as quickly as possible.

But dammit if watching other people do it isn’t fascinating (and stressful, and emotional?!) AF. Now I want all the adventure racing romances. There’s plenty of inspiration on World’s Toughest Race, if anyone needs a plot bunny or twelve.

Right, books.

News and Useful Links

Texas Rodeo author Kari Lynn Dell has passed away.

We had an awesome Bookstore Romance Day this past Saturday. I know there is an official YouTube page, and the official BRD virtual events are there. There were tons of others from bookstores all over the place, though, and a search *might* have presented the majority of them?

Dreamspinner Press has been banned from RWA’s qualifying markets list. What does this mean for readers? Dreamspinner might continue to publish, and authors may choose to continue publishing with them, but they aren’t going to be allowed to participate in RWA 2.0 events or publications, and they have essentially a black mark on their record for failing to pay several of their authors and failing to communicate with those authors in any way that falls under the word professionalism. Until they prove capable of sailing the ship without tossing folks over the side, I will continue not to recommend their books–I want to support the authors, but not if they’re not getting paid for their work.

The Ripped Bodice is hosting Historical Happy Hour on their Instagram and I’m not sure what it’s *supposed* to be but I would like to see a romance version of Drunk History.

I haven’t read One To Watch, but this is an interesting insight.

Rosie Danan’s The Roommate might not be out yet, but it’s been optioned for film and a screenwriter has already been tapped.

Thanks to Romance Sparks Joy for pulling together a bunch of stuff that happened this week, good and…less good.

Join the Harpy and Trollop Mask Squad.

And add the Virtual Romance Events Calendar to your own. It’s pretty magnificent.

Deals

I don’t know who wants to read a story set in the near future in which the power has gone out and society as the characters know it is potentially crumbling, but if you feel like that might be cathartic, Radio Silence is 1.99! I have definitely recommended this Alyssa Cole book and series before, but it’s been long enough that the entire situation of the country has changed, so why not? This is the first in a series of three increasingly involved books about regular folks during the Apocalypse. So, enjoy, I guess?

Recs!

I’ve nicknamed this time “pull it off my shelves” week. I’ve set about finishing at least two books that have been hanging out on my shelves, with some inspiration from other sources.

Indigo
Beverly Jenkins

I’ve had this book for…a while. After the third or fourth time Trisha mentioned it on When In Romance, I ordered a copy. (Sadly, I did not manage to acquire the mass market with this gorgeous cover, though I hope to someday.) I’d initially intended to read it upon arrival, and then I was going to read it for a local book club that got washed out thanks to the pandemic, and now I’m reading it for a book club that I accidentally joined and that is reading their first romance in part thanks to my joining. Since that book club is meeting (virtually) on Saturday, I figured I should probably read it. This is one of Ms. Bev’s books that can essentially stand alone, though I think there might be characters that show up in other books? I dunno. Either way, it does not read as part of a series, and is a particularly interesting setup for a romance novel.

Hester manages a stop on the Road, where enslaved people seeking their way to permanent freedom can stop, rest, and be hidden from fugitive hunters. When she’s asked to harbor a famed conductor codenamed Black Daniel after he’s been injured, she doesn’t hesitate. But the two don’t get on very well. They’re both passionate about their work, and the other is keeping them from doing it in some way…but that passion is what brings them together.

This is a Civil War book, so read with care. CWs include racial violence, discussion of attempted sexual assault, period-familiar sexism, and slavery-related horrors.

Misfits
Garrett Leigh

I picked this one up during a Friends of the Library Book Sale back when we had those, and have been looking for a reason to read it. So when you ask a group of authors what their favorite book series is, and Roan Parrish says this one? Well, you grab the book and see what it’s all about.

Misfits features a couple in an open relationship who find themselves with an interested third. There are emotions and people pushing their partners at other people thinking the other person might be better for them and a lot of feelings. I’ve never read Garrett Leigh before, even though Misfits isn’t the only book of hers that I own.

One thing I did finish was Bloom by Kevin Panetta and Savanna Ganucheau, which is a new adult romance and coming-of-age graphic novel in the loveliest blues. There’s baking, there’s longing, and there’s confusion about the future. (There’s also some grief for loss of a grandparent and later loss of property.)

What are you pulling off the shelf this week?

As usual, catch me on Twitter @jessisreading or Instagram @jess_is_reading, or send me an email at wheninromance@bookriot.com if you’ve got feedback, bookrecs, or just want to say hi!

Almost halfway. We’re almost through the month. Beyond all the romance novels released, at least we got one hopeful highlight. But we’ve still got a few months before we can really say anything. So, yeah. Let’s go wallow in some new books.

Over on Book Riot

Trisha and I talked about some bad behavior and some really good books.

There are very few books that I want to listen to at the speed at which they were produced. I think they do it on purpose. A lot of Regency romances are particularly grievous at a need for speeding up, but there are some narrators like Michael Lesley who, among other things, made me fall in love with How to Be a Movie Star and whose books are almost perfect at 1 or 1.25. Which speed do you prefer?

If your favorite romantic reunion is between Anne Elliot and Frederick Wentworth (or maybe some other Brits, I dunno), you’ll want to dream of visiting Bath someday. You know. When going places is a thing we can do again.

I only like throw pillows if they’re soft and fuzzy (and devoid of words or pictures), but you might want to improve your reading space with some of these.

What makes a beach read?

And you’ve still got time to enter for free money to an indie bookstore. Or a whole year of Kindle Unlimited.

Deals

If you’ve already finished A Duke, the Lady, and a Baby, did you know Vanessa Riley has some other multicultural historicals for you to try? Start with The Bittersweet Bride, which is currently 3.99. And then you can check out the other three books, which are related but stand alone pretty well. She’s also published some serial stories on Amazon that I’m less familiar with, but hey, if that’s your thing, you definitely want to check it out.

New Books!

Touch Me First
Phoenix Ash

I haven’t finished any more new books since You Had Me At Hola, but the next one I sit down with is definitely going to be this one. I remember seeing a retweet of the cover on Twitter before there were any buy links, and I slammed the one-click button immediately upon seeing it shared as live. (I’m not even sure I knew what it was about when I saw the cover; I knew I wanted it.) This story features a budding online relationship between two people who are sort of killing it at life, and I look forward to watching them work.

And then there’s this lovely pile of books that fell this week:

No Offense by Meg Cabot (Librarian protags are always exciting!)

Eighty Days to Elsewhere by KC Dyer

The Hitman by Katrina Jackson

Cry of Metal and Bone by L. Penelope (the third book is finally here and I can now read the whole series…oh wait, no there’s a fourth one coming. Nevermind. But they’re so pretty. Someday, my precious *pets covers*)

Trust Fund Fiancé  by Naima Simone

Kiss My Cupcake by Helena Hunting

Barista and the Bear AND She’s a Luna by Rebel Carter (she wanted to drop two books in a week and she did that)

Hopeless Romantic by Georgia Beers

In Name Only by Sean D. Young (I missed this last time around)

A Reckless Note by Lisa Renee Jones

Moon Fever by Ileandra Young

Gifting Me to His Best Friend by Katee Robert

The Sweet Spot by Tay Mo’Nae

The Jade Temptress by Jeannie Lin (another re-release but THAT COVER)

Reading anything interesting this weekend? Oh! And don’t forget to check out Bookstore Romance Day on Saturday, including a panel moderated by yours truly at 1pm EDT.

As usual, catch me on Twitter @jessisreading or Instagram @jess_is_reading, or send me an email at wheninromance@bookriot.com if you’ve got feedback, bookrecs, or just want to say hi!

It’s Monday again, and we’ve got stuff to talk about. Also, between “WAP” and my regular Sunday night viewing of P-Valley, I am definitely jonesing for some romance featuring Black ladies with moves. Maybe I’ll just read Treasure again. 

News and Useful Links

Jasmine Guillory dropped some special news during an appearance on The Today Show: Reese Witherspoon has optioned her first three books! 

Did you know that CL Polk’s three Witchmark books side by side make the bi pride flag? 

You’ve still got a few days to explore the Summer of Black Love Virtual Book Fair!

The good folks at Thirst Aid Kit did a whole episode about romance!

NPR did a full-length review of You Had Me At Hola. When does that happen? 

And Olivia Waite’s first romance review column in The New York Times is live!

So much happening virtually this week:

• Chat with Katrina Jackson about A Princess in Theory
• Spotlight on Contemporary Romance with Belmont Books
• Bookstore Romance Day at Gathering Volumes
• Romance Awareness Month celebration with Milwaukee Public Library 
• Cocktails and Covers
• Bookstore Romance Day at Love’s Sweet Arrow 

If you want to see the full schedule of official events on Saturday, check out the Bookstore Romance Day website. There are lots of other events, though, so see what your local indie might be doing. Or your favorite one across the country. 

And I’m moderating one of the Harlequin Bookstore Romance Day discussions! I’ll be chatting with Reese Ryan, Synithia Williams, and Roan Parrish. 

Deals

Do you love stories about there being…only! one! bed!? Well you might want to make sure to grab Only One Bed: A Steamy Romance Anthology, featuring stories by Lucy Eden, Rebel Carter, Renee Dahlia, and more! There are countless situations that could lead to two or more people suddenly having to share a bed, and I am always down to see what’s on offer this time around. So get several stories for just 3.99 (or read it free with a Kindle Unlimited subscription).

Recs

When I was in high school, I latched onto what many at the time would have called “women’s fantasy”. Jennifer Roberson, Melaine Rawn, Mercedes Lackey—series fantasy that often had a romantic element to it on top of strong female characters at their center. Then, I went a long time without reading much fantasy—I don’t like sword and sorcery very much, and folks like Robert Jordan and GRRM didn’t hold any appeal to me. And I was reading more urban fantasy and paranormal romance for a while. I’ve only recently begun to explore the new crop of fantasy romance, and I think I might be venturing back into high fantasy again, worldbuilding and all!

A Heart of Blood and Ashes
Milla Vane

When I first learned of this book, I hesitated to pick it up. It was…a chonker. And then I read the first several pages and was plopped right down into a battle scene in which the enemy civilization were referred to as savages. It was probably late May and I just…could not. But a couple of weeks ago I needed a new book to listen to in the car and came across this one, ready and available. I thought, well, I’ve been trying to listen to audiobooks that I wouldn’t always pick up in print. So this is perfect.

Maddek is a warrior who must now be a king. His parents have been murdered, but he is not allowed to take his vengeance upon those who are responsible. When he learns the murderer has a hidden daughter, his plan is to kill her instead. But Yvenne has just as much grievance against her father and brothers, and they forge an agreement: marriage. And as they travel towards a safe location, their antagonism shifts into something else. 

CW: battle violence; dubious consent regarding non-penetrative sexual activity; murder by stabbing; revenants; discussion of pregnancy; discussion of rape—not of or by either protagonist

(Note: I haven’t yet finished this book, so there might be some CWs I haven’t yet reached. There is a full list on the author’s website.)  

I’ve talked about some other fantasy romances in the past, like Lord of the Last Heartbeat by May Peterson and Dithered Hearts by Chace Verity. And I’ve got a bunch of others on my list to read.

And then there’s the fact that I’m not sure I’ve read a fantasy romance by an author of color that isn’t Earth-based. If you know of one that qualifies as high fantasy, I’d love to know about it. And throw any urban fantasy by authors of color my way, too, as long as there’s a romance involved.

As usual, catch me on Twitter @jessisreading or Instagram @jess_is_reading, or send me an email at wheninromance@bookriot.com if you’ve got feedback, bookrecs, or just want to say hi!