Category: Kissing Books

Do you like silence? I can hardly stand it. Which is why you often get my contemplations on movies and the like at the start of Kissing Books, because I’ve usually put on an old (or new) favorite to keep me company while I write. This time around it’s the Newsies stage musical. If you’ve only seen the movie with Christian Bale (quality film, don’t @ me), this is very different. And Jack and Katherine’s duet, “Something to Believe In,” is one of my favorite songs by Alan Menken ever. And if you know how much I love Disney, you know that’s a thing to say. (And if you don’t know how much I love Disney, might I recommend trying out BR Insiders to find a special treat featuring me and my love for the House of Mouse.)

Right, this is supposed to be about romance. Let’s talk romance, then!

Over on Book Riot

If you’ve been to any virtual romance event where Alyssa Cole happened to be speaking, you’ve probably heard her talk about Crash Landing On You. Here are some books to read after you’ve watched it.

Speaking of Alyssa Cole, enter a giveaway for an audio copy of her upcoming book, When No One Is Watching. It’s definitely more of a thriller, but does have romantic elements.

How about some plus-size romances (adult and YA).

Win $50 to the independent bookstore of your choice. (And if your local indie doesn’t sell romance, there’s always The Ripped Bodice and Love’s Sweet Arrow!)

Or, a year’s subscription to Kindle Unlimited.

Deals

Looking for a laugh-out-loud comedy of wills? Try Phyllis Bourne’s Feud for 3.99. A woman inherits a house and discovers the sexy neighbor next door is the most recent inheritor of a generational family feud. And there’s something about running him out of the neighborhood in order to get an even bigger inheritance? So yeah, you can guess what’s going to happen there! And then, once you’ve made it through that one, try Jinx, in which one poor woman is pretty certain she’s cursed, but the man who can’t get enough of her is pretty certain curses don’t exist.

New Books

Well, it’s a new week, and once again, more books have dared to come out. And we love them for it, of course!

You Had Me At Hola
Alexis Daria

Did somebody say telenovela? In the style of Jane the Virgin and Queen of the South, there’s going to be a new English version of a famous telenovela on the biggest streaming site soon. And after lead actress Jasmine and her new, much more experienced co-star, the ridiculously handsome Ashton, have a bumpy encounter before their first table read, their relationship only exists while the cameras are rolling. But that becomes a problem when their on-screen chemistry needs a…push? Shall we say?

I started reading this yesterday and almost forgot to go to work! (This is why I usually don’t read in the morning but I was up way too early and figured why the heck not.) The characters are compelling, their family dynamics are super interesting, and the anticipation is killing me. I will probably have finished it by the time you read this 😉

There are also some other super-mentionable books out this week:

Sweetest in the Gale by Olivia Dade
The Enforcer Enigma by GL Carriger (The newest in her m/m contemporary paranormal series)
Marriage by Arrangement by Sophia Singh Sasson
The Immortal City by May Peterson
The Secret of You and Me by Melissa Lenhardt (I haven’t actually confirmed that this has an HEA, so approach with caution)
Only One Bed: A Steamy Romance Anthology 
Always Only You by Chloe Riese
In Deep by Blue Sapphire
Charming Scottish Bastard by Melissa Blue
The Cowboy Says I Do by Dylann Crush
Sin City Seduction by Zuri Day
The Dalmation Dilemma by Cheryl Harper (The only thing on this cover is a dog, so)

Reading anything new 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!

Hey guess what. As of today, August 3rd, there are only 150 days left in this disgrace of a year. So that’s something to look forward to. What else do we look forward to? Romance novels, of course. I mean, they just keep coming and coming, and we try to keep up. And we just continue to accept it, because we can’t help ourselves.

Let’s talk books!

News and Useful Links

Hey look! It’s the Ripped Bodice Awards, back around again! (I’m not judging this year but I’m excited to see the results. This year’s judging panel is spectacular!)

Folklore + romance novels.

So enamored with Boyfriend Material that you want to stare at a few lines while you write? Have I got the pencils for you!

Check out this upcoming “Guys Who Read Romance” panel.

If you missed the Love’s Sweet Arrow event with Kit Rocha and Beverly Jenkins, you can watch it on YouTube now.

Rebekah Weatherspoon shared some photos and thoughts on Mass Market MAX, the new size that Kensington and a couple other publishers will be utilizing in the future.

A reminder about Alexis Daria’s virtual book launch with East City Bookshop on Tuesday.

Deals

If you’re down to read a book about a bunch of people living in the same house who get on each others’ nerves, The Chai Factor by Farah Heron is 1.99 right now! It’s not actually that bad; Amira goes home to get better work done on her graduate paper, but her grandmother has rented out her basement apartment to a whole ass barbershop quartet. She and Duncan, a member of said quartet, clash from the beginning, but there’s plenty of sexual tension. And singing. And a side of fake dating (someone else) to prevent some homophobic encounters with relatives. But overall, tons of fun.

Recs!

Hey guess what?! I finished reading a whole book. And it made me think of other books I enjoyed that have a related premise, and others still that I want to check out. That’s pretty common, I guess. But it was nice to land upon this past weekend.

Things Hoped For
Chencia C. Higgins

I know I just talked about this book last week but now I can for certain say this is a book you want to read. If you’re reading at your normal pace, you’ll make it through in a few hours. If you’ve slowed down as much as I have, you might be picking at it for several days. Either way, the story of Tasha and Xeno will warm your heart and mess you up a little.

Tasha has moved to Houston in order to start over. Her small town in Arkansas might have her friends and her family home, but it didn’t allow her to search for love and experience life in the way she wished—and the words of a psychic gave her just the right nudge. When she sees rapper Xeno in concert, she’s immediately enthralled by the music and the musician. A chance meeting sends the pair sprawling towards big love, but something is holding Tasha back from accepting it as the real thing.

There are lots of different kinds of famous flings, whether they’re with royalty, movie stars, or famous musicians. I love them all, but I think musicians are my favorite. We usually get to see some element of them working on their craft, whether they’re making an album, on tour, or finding themselves again. Here are some I’ve enjoyed historically:

Kristen Callihan’s VIP series (starting with Idol)

I can’t pick the one I love most in this series. There are so many broken and brokenhearted people pulling themselves back together for love, and you just gotta read them all.

Anna Zabo’s Twisted Wishes series (starting with Syncopation)

These all have different appeal, and include people with multiple sexual and gender identities. And they’re just so effing good. Well written, enrapturing, and super heartfelt.

Rend by Roan Parrish

This is the second in the Riven series, but it is definitely my favorite. It was my first marriage-in-trouble romance, and it’s just so good.

Feels Like Summer by Six de los Reyes

This starts at a summer music festival, and it has an almost-fake relationship setup: Jett is asked by one of Adrian’s bandmates to be his five minute girlfriend. But they like each other more than that and start spending more time together. Jett thinks it’s still going to be limited, but, you know how it is…

How to Reprimand Your Rock Star by Mina Vaughn

This one is fun because it is both a rock star romance and a sports romance. The female protagonist is a college basketball player who randomly meets a famous rockstar. He likes being tied up, and she learns to do it well. There’s some kind of oracle involved. It’s just tons of fun with a little light dommeing.

And the next one I hope to pick up is Rapper’s Delight by Kenya Goree-Bell, just for the cover. I mean, the description is great, too. But you gotta see the cover.

What about you? What’s your famous fling story of choice?

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 the last Kissing Books of July, and I hope the rest of the year goes in a nice waterslide-speed downfall. Black Lives still matter, COVID-19 is still real, and billionaires are still ridiculous.

Romance novels are great, though! So let’s talk about them.

Over on Book Riot

Look, I know very little about Enneagram. People have been asking me my number for years, and just from these brief descriptions of romance novels by Enneagram number, I’m guessing I’m a two. And of course, I want to read all about it.

Trisha and I did something a little different this week.

How much do you know about ebook production and monetization? Cause it’s fascinating.

There are apparently different ways to organize your books by color.

Not all of these are romance, but they’re all good stories about pansexual characters.

Do you follow booktubers?

Deals

Word is a few of Beverly Jenkins’ books are marked down on Amazon, including Jewel, which I haven’t recommended before. This one is a friends to fake married to real married story, in which a man who has turned his life around since his appearance in Vivid must be married in order to complete a business venture…and he asks his friend Jewel to pretend just for a night. But then, things happen, and they have to continue the marriage, and you know. Stuff happens. Y’all know how I feel about Beverly Jenkins, fake relationships, and married people who have to fix their marriage (in this case because they hadn’t intended to get married), so this is one I’ll be picking up real soon.

New Books

I’d intended to read at least one of the new releases this week, because there are so many great ones. But in true 2020-Jess fashion, that didn’t happen. But I’m in line to pick up one tonight, and it might be Deal with the Devil, just because I haven’t picked up a spec-fic romance in a long time.

Things Hoped For
Chencia C. Higgins

Look. I went to preorder this book like six times, only to be reminded by Amazon that I had already ordered it so chill out, okay?

This is the fourth book in a series, but like most romance series, you can read this one and then fill in any weird relationship gaps by going back to the beginning later. Here, Trisha relocates to Houston on a whim, only to have a chance encounter with Xenobia, a musician who is getting more and more popular by the minute. Neither has really thought they could have a true relationship, but there’s a light at the end of the tunnel for them, as long as life doesn’t get in the way. I’m excited for this one for multiple reasons: y’all know how much I love music romances, and anything that has a social media element? Definitely. Also, this is the first romance I will have picked up with a stud protagonist. And it’s soft. I love soft. So yeah, saving this for after the near-future crumbling America story that is Kit Rocha’s new book.

And then we’ve got this treasure trove of other books out this week:

Would I Lie to the Duke by Eva Leigh (Eva has been celebrating its release by posting Theo James GIFs so…)
The Scottish Boy by Alex de Campi
The Way You Tempt Me by Elle Wright
The Care and Feeding of Waspish Widows by Olivia Waite (Look, this cover has some weird photoshop stuff happening but I am excited for the bees)
Marry Me Twice by Monica Walters
Hairpin Curves by Elia Winters (More Carina Adores, yay!)
Lotus Flower Bomb by Kenya Goree-Bell
King of Durabia by Naleighna Kai (I have no idea what these books are like but I am hella intrigued)

What are you reading? (Or hoping to eventually read if you could just pick the damn thing up?)

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!

Baseball’s back, which means I have a nice bit of white noise to read and write to in the evenings once again. It *is* weird to occasionally look up and see people in the stands only to remember they’re cutouts lol.

Romance. Right.

News and Useful Links

Look, I haven’t listened to Gaslighter yet (don’t at me) but this is a great “Gaslighter, but romance novels” list even without the context.

Check out this archives of romance-related websites from the University of Michigan.

Did you read about the guys who have an actual Bromance Book Club? COVID-19 won’t keep them from talking about sex and their feelings.

Hallmark is going to be adding LGBTQ+ stories to their holiday lineup this year. Here’s hoping they include someone who isn’t white. Just one. With a name. And a character arc. Who isn’t a villain or mean-person. These aren’t difficult demands. (And if you heard the news about their next CEO, you might be hoping alongside me)

Check out the transcript of Alyssa Cole’s keynote speech from the Spring Fling Writers’ Conference 2020. As usual, she does good words.

My fellow Rioter Carole wrote this great piece for The Grio about reading Black joy in these times.

What are your thoughts on a romance “canon”?

Virtual events coming up:

• Books & Booze from Love’s Sweet Arrow with Angelina M. Lopez and Melonie Johnson
• Meryl Wilsner with Really Reading Romance Book Club at East City Books
• Alexis Daria with Really Reading Romance Book Club at East City Books (and The 4 Chicas!)
• A whole Black romance book fair!
• Romance Awareness Month Celebration with Milwaukee Public Library

Deals

In honor of John Lewis, a man who spent over sixty years of his life fighting for tiers of justice, some of which we’re still battling for today, how about a romance set around the Civil Rights Era? And no, it’s not the one you think I’m going to recommend (though I’ll remind you that Let It Shine is always 2.99). Promise Me A Dream by Wayne Jordan is part of the Decades series, which tells a story of Black love for each of the decades of the 20th century. In the one set during the 1960s, A singer from Barbados who dreams of Broadway meets a lawyer with his own dreams, and they deal with the world of discrimination and inequality together. Read it for 2.99 or get it on Kindle Unlimited.

Recs!

Have you been reading a lot during this period? I have still been able to read, but it feels like I’m not staying with anything. Which is why I was excited to just slam through a book this weekend…until I felt suddenly inclined to make cupcakes. No clue why. Just got up and started pulling things out of the cabinet. So I haven’t finished it yet, but it will soon!

So Forward
Mina V. Esguerra

While this definitely isn’t the first Esguerra book I’ve bought, it’s the first I’ve actually opened, started, and intended to continue. The author is a member of Romance Class, a group of Filipino and Fil-Am authors who write romances at varying levels of angst and heat across a large spectrum of subgenres—though they mostly write contemporary. So Forward is the third book in the Six 32 Central series, and brings us into the lives of a figure skater turned model turned business student and the hockey player turned business professor turned corporate businessperson who helps him figure out the finer points of his final MBA paper and defense. The two have a shaky first meeting, but find that there’s just something about the other that draws them to each other. And then there’s this job that’s offered the both of them, bringing them back to the rink.

This is a delightful book, and is definitely light on the angst (so far). The characters have strong points of view, and they communicate with each other. You all know I love grown-ups communicating. At least with each other. Neither is very good at communicating with their families, but you know. Family. Also! This book offers up one of those rare sightings in M/F romance: a bisexual male protagonist. So check it out.

And apparently, I need to watch The Cutting Edge 3. I didn’t even know there was a Cutting Edge 3. And it looks like there’s also a fourth one. Who knew?

And now it’s time to read some more ice-based romance. What are your favorites?

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!

Since we’re apparently on a superhero intro kick this week, I can tell you I don’t have nearly as much fun playing with obscure ships in the DC film world. Bale’s Batman can only truly be shipped with his pain. Dadfleck…well, I did have a theory in BvS that he and Alfred were partners. But that might have been mostly Jeremy Irons’ fault for playing him so…familiar. Also I only saw it the once.

Okay, so maybe I wouldn’t mind that in book form.

Anyway. Romance novels.

Over On Book Riot

Having trouble reading? Sil pulled together a bunch of shorter romance novels you can probably devour in a sitting or two (or read them a few pages at a time, whatever works for you).

Book cakes!

Also, since we’re all going to be wearing them forever, how about a nice, bookish mask?

Did you know you could gift someone a subscription to TBR? It could come in handy.

If your book club reads *romantic* books but maybe not romance, here is a handy supplement for reading Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine.

This is a great piece about black joy for all ages and types, including a couple of romance titles.

Do you find yourself looking for an app that will read to you?

You’ve still got time to win a Barnes and Noble gift card!

Deals

You know how everybody talks about Kennedy Ryan all the time? Have you read any of her books yet? If you haven’t, I would start with Queen Move, which everyone and their mother has been talking about since even before it released. It’s been touted as a fated mates story, without the supernatural element. And it’s 4.99, so you might as well check it out. But if there’s one thing I can recommend when you’re reading a Kennedy Ryan book, it’s to have something fun lined up after it.

Might I recommend Alyssa Cole’s The AI Who Loved Me? It’s still a little heavier than I expected, but also tons of fun. And it’s available on ebook for 2.99 (or as an audible original featuring narrators Regina Hall, Mindy Kaling and more).

New Books

There are a lot of new books out this week, and while I have a few advanced copies, I have yet to read a one. It looks like a nice crop of books, but I’m still recovering from last week :lolsob:

Seasoned by Delaney Diamond

This summer story follows three different women at different stages of their own romantic stories. One is a woman with multiple divorces under his belt who starts a thing with a hot neighbor. One is thrown into a situation with her ex-husband and remembers the good times. The last has to consider her options when an old lover reappears. Delaney Diamond is a mainstay in romance and lots of people love her stories, especially of romance featuring older women and love interests.

There are tons of other books out this week, too:

A Touch of Stone and Snow by Milla Vane
The Single Mom’s Second Chance by Kathy Douglass (in the vein of its Harlequin siblings, this one is out now in paperback but won’t be available in Kindle until August 1)
Liquor & Laundry by Tasha L. Harrison
Tack & Jibe by Lilah Suzanne
The Jezebel by Dylan Allen
Silver Angel by Susan Warren (as in, like, silver foxy angel)
Misadventures with a Sexpert by Elizabeth Hayley
How to Date a Younger Man by Kendall Ryan
Summer Love by Cassandra B
Beauty and the Bassist by Megan Walker and Janci Patterson

What are you reading 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!

Do you know what’s nice about Kissing Books? I can keep track of Mondays and Thursdays, at least! And I have to go to a M-F dayjob. Still don’t know what’s going on unless I’m writing this lovely missive to you fine people.

Oh hey, I know there have been plenty of thinly-veiled #stucky romances out there, but anybody got any recs for a period romance with a snarky genius engineer and the vaguely wholesome smartass superhero he provides tech support for? Because I have recently realized that’s a thing I ship. But only in an alternate reality where the Valkyrie doesn’t go down 😉

(And if you didn’t get any of that…it’s okay, I’m an odd duck.)

(I *might* have Captain America on in the background as I write this.)

News and Useful Links

The author known as Sorcha Rowan “came out” (blech) as a cis male author last week. The writer of lesbian erotica used the “own voices” tag when writing and also admitted to some very bad behavior, including sexting readers using his Sorcha Rowan persona. The author has since taken down his site and deleted his various accounts.

Alexis Daria’s upcoming book You Had Me At Hola has been chosen as Target’s Diverse Book Club Pick for August.

So the conversation has started for Alyssa Cole’s upcoming debut thriller When No One Is Watching (out September 1) and you can read the first chapter on Buzzfeed. For anyone who is unsure—it’s damn good. And there’s still a romantic element—it’s just not at the center, so this leans more thrillery than romantic suspense.

If you don’t listen to any other Fated Mates episodes, listen to this one.

Dimple and Rishi are coming to our screens! (No date that I know of, but it exists!)

Have you felt like you can’t keep up with all of the romance virtual book events? This amazing person has created a Google calendar, which is getting regularly updated.

Have you watched The Old Guard? This person thinks romance fans will love it.

I mentioned it on Thursday, but in case you missed it, Daniel Dae Kim is set to produce and star in the adaptation of Jayci Lee’s A Sweet Mess!

Get your tickets for Avon’s Bookstore Romance Day virtual event!

This is only vaguely romance related, but still.

Deals

Adriana Anders’ Whiteout is on sale at the perfect time. It’s super hot, so why not go on an adventure in Antarctica, right? Hate to love, forced proximity, grumpy/sunshine, folks on the run, and snow. What more could a romantic suspense reader want, amirite? Pick this one up for 1.99, then check out Anders’ very different but similarly compelling Blank Canvas series.

Recs!

I’ve been playing a bit of catch-up with recent releases, and I was happy to curl up with a recent release that I think is the final book in the Beards and Bondage series. The shared universe is still going strong as long as there are single (or looking) people in the extended group of friends and family that we were introduced to several years ago with Fit.

(Also, here’s a great interview with Rebekah from last week)

Harbor: Beards and Bondage
Rebekah Weatherspoon

If you have read any of the Beards and Bondage books, you know they always start with an element of trauma. This is not Rafe or even Xeni levels of joyousness. So yeah: CONTENT WARNINGS UP THE WAZOO.

The first time Brooklyn meets Vaughn, it’s at her fiance’s funeral. Said fiance had been murdered while sleeping with one of Vaughn’s partners. Vaughn and his other partner, Shaw, are coping with her death (and the discovery of her cheating) in different ways, and Vaughn’s included seeking Brooklyn out. When the three meet all together, there’s an instant connection, but it’s too soon. A rash decision several months later brings them together again, but the trauma is still there, and they each have to deal with their own stuff in order to move forward. That doesn’t mean the sex isn’t hot. And they have a lot of it. With ropes. And other things.

CW: offpage violent death of partners; discussion of stalking and murder-suicide; BDSM scenes including D/s elements, rope play, orgasm denial, and paddling; homophobia; polyamphobia? Is that a word?; harassment by law enforcement; discussion of pregnancy and unprotected sex

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!

It’s another Thursday, and people are doing things, I imagine. Hug your folks (or wave from a safe distance if they’re not part of your household), do what you can to fight for justice, and read good books. And of course, wear a mask (or, if you just can’t live without your earrings, try a gaiter, it just pulls up underneath ;D)

Over on Book Riot

Have you listened to these audiobooks?

Look, it was really exciting to read about grown people communicating, alright?

This is fun!

Miss your book club? Welcome them back (or remind them you exist) with some personalized gifts.

Deals

I recently picked up a book that I assumed was a romance, because it was published by a small press that primarily publishes romance. Once I realized that it wouldn’t be a romance, I set it aside, just because I couldn’t put myself in that space without knowing there would be an emotionally satisfying ending. But I still want to read more contemporary romance featuring activists, and I was happy to come across this novella by Nia Forrester. Resistance: A Love Story centers two people trying to make their voices heard in this turbulent time, while also finding something for themselves. And it’s 1.99 right now! In a time where the average feed has gone back to normal, this is a good reminder about what’s happening…while also being an emotionally satisfying read.

New Books!

Me + Somebody’s Son
Christina C. Jones

Y’all. Somebody heard me talking about dropping Kindle Unlimited and decided they would put all the best stuff there. I will obviously willingly buy things a la carte, but I might have to pick it back up sooner than I thought I might. This week’s example: a new Mahogany Heights book from CCJ. This one features a florist and a bookseller (!!!) who hooked up in college and are reunited as functioning adults. Of course now, bookseller Haven is not into relationships. But maybe florist August can change her mind? But only if she wants to. It’s less than 100 pages, but you know how Christina can tell a story in a minute. Or if you don’t know, maybe this is the perfect entry into the Mahogany Heights connected universe.

There are a ton of other books out this week, too!

So Forward by Mina V. Esguerra (Always great to see more Romance Class books!)

One Woman’s Treasure by Jean Copeland

Playing the Midfield by Tracey Carter (oh hey, soccer romance!)

The Sedona Upset by Anastasia Alexander (transparency note: I know this author personally)

Unhallowed by Jordan L. Hawk

When Love Calls by J Chary

Storm Lines by Jessica L. Webb

A Sweet Mess by Jayci Lee (which just announced the involvement of DANIEL DAE KIM for an adaptation)

His Prince by Mary Calmes

Twisted Circles by Clare Contreras

Silver Ravens by Jane Fletcher (there are a dragon and a tower on the cover so I’m involved, okay?)

Entangled by Melissa Brayden (and wow, good timing, huh?)

André by Jayci Ellis

Engagement and Espionage by Penny Reid (this is actually the beginning of a cozy mystery series featuring Cletus and Jen from the Winston Brothers series, but I’m sure you’ll appreciate the reminder that it exists)

The Librarian and the Orc by Finley Fenn (look I know nothing about this book but THE LIBRARIAN. AND THE ORC. THE ORC. I need to know.)

And look at this gorgeous new cover for Jeannie Lin’s The Lotus Palace!

Reading any new releases 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 a new week, and we’ve got books to talk about. May your Monday be as interesting or boring as you hope it will be, and may you find the book you’re looking for right now.

News and Useful Links

This is quite the feat and I am grateful to this person forever.

Related, this is a great article about Black Love as activism.

I haven’t stepped my foot in the Jane Austen Fan Fiction community in quite some time, but many of the authors connected to Austen Authors are also related to Regency romance, whether or not Jane’s characters appear. So this distressing moment in the JAFF world also hit the romance one (especially since they reference the RWA debacle).

Into romance scholarship?

Read up on two of the summer’s famous fling stories.

Adriana Herrera had a brief but thought-provoking thread on who appears in stories.

I can’t wait to see what happens with the Matched to Perfection family on any size screen!

You can bet your heinie I’ll be reading this immediately. Well, probably not, but a girl can try!

While the book didn’t wow me, I’m glad to see that When Katie Met Cassidy is going to HBO Max! It feels like a book that would work better on screen, and maybe they’ll fix a few of the bits of bi-erasure that pop up…

If you missed seeing Ms. Bev at Date Night with Alyssa Cole last week (or just want more of her brilliant Truth Bombs) you can check out her talk with Kit Rocha at the end of the month.

I won’t link to any of the threads, but we apparently have to discuss the word trashy again. There are certainly those in the romance community who have reclaimed it, so to speak. But there are still those, especially outside of the readership or who are part of the “guilty pleasure” crowd, who can’t be talked out of the concept that books about the lovey dovey stuff are trashy, whatever their definition of the word. And definitely don’t come arguing that a book is trashy because there are glistening pectorals on the cover. Please. That kind of throwaway language is what helps keep the entirety of romance—even the high-profile ones with illustrated covers—widely derided by “real readers”. You know the type.

Deals

Have you read Tracey Livesay’s Sweet Talkin’ Lover? It’s a small-town romance that takes your reader conventions and tosses them out the window. It’s also the first in the Girls Trip series, the second of which (Like Lovers Do) is out next month, so now would be the time to try it out. And at 1.99, it’s definitely a deal.

And since it’s hot, why not start a hockey romance series? Off the Ice by Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn is also 1.99 right now! The second in the series, Goalie Interference, is 4.99 (so not too bad of a deal) and you can also preorder Trade Deadline, which is also out next month. The authors have an interesting take on the hockey romance and the characters they center, and I really enjoyed the first two (and can’t wait to read the third!).

And if you just want to leave this planet (a whole mood) you can get Holley Trent’s Jekh Saga: Collection One (the first three books) for 99 cents right now.

Recs!

I was recently turned onto Candace Harper, who it turns out is also Ceillie Simkiss! I have seen the latter name bouncing around for years, and I might even own one of her books, but I hadn’t actually picked up anything by her in either name until this past weekend, after getting my hands on a copy of Candace Harper’s February release.

Mrs. Mix Up
Candace Harper

Librarians Molly and Sofiya have a problem: they’re wildly attracted to each other. But neither of them know their interest is returned. And in Molly’s case, she has another personal hurdle to starting a relationship. She’s demiromantic, so sex is one thing, but feelings? It takes her a while and some potential partners might not be willing to wait for that to happen. The two have been working together for enough time to have a steady rapport, though, and when there’s a mishap at a conference they attend together, they have the chance to clear some air and grow closer. But there’s a campaign to cut their library system’s budget, and they have plenty of other things to deal with.

If you like slow burns, this is definitely for you; and Candace tells you that in a thorough author’s note at the beginning of the book, alongside a list of content warnings. It actually takes about half the book to get to the titular mix-up, but it’s a delight to read the regular workings of people who work in a library while also interacting with family and friends and each other.

If you read this and are looking for other books on the aro-ace spectrum, here are a few:

That Kind of Guy by Talia Hibbert

How to Be a Normal Person and How to Be a Movie Star by TJ Klune

Play it Again by Aidan Wayne

Their Troublesome Crush by Xan West

Syncopation by Anna Zabo

I’ve come across fewer romances by authors of color featuring characters who are on the aro-ace spectrum, but that doesn’t mean they’re not around. Have you read any? Tell me about them!

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 Thursday! It’s also your last chance to send me your thoughts about Getting Schooled before Trisha and I record the next episode of When In Romance tonight so if you’ve had the chance to read it, now’s the time.

Over on Book Riot

Book Riot published our best books of the year so far and man, the romance section. It’s stacked. I uh…own every single one of those books and will read them someday…

*I will not sing that song from Grease I will not sing that song from Grease I will not…*

If The Hating Game was your thing, here are some books to read while you wait for the movie.

Do you booktube? I’m bad at it, but always enjoy finding a new person to add to my endless subscription list. This list isn’t romance-specific, but hey, nobody is perfect.

How are you with library trivia?

Deals

If what you need in your life is drama drama drama, might I point you towards Forbidden Promises by Synithia Williams? This book is currently 1.99 (for the next few days, anyway) and features a relationship that will obviously be all about that drama: a young woman comes home on a visit, helps out her brother on a political campaign, and is reunited with the one that got away…who happens to be her sister’s ex-husband and possibly her brother’s best friend??? So yeah, do with that what you will. And enjoy.

New Books!

I love books. Don’t you? As usual, I’m perpetually behind, but I’ve heard nothing but good things.

Sleeping Cutie 
Tanzania Glover

The second book in the Faded Fairytales series (following, that’s right, Thickarella), this book follows Christian, the epitome of anti chivalry, and Amber, who has to deal with narcolepsy on top of everything else frustrating in her life. Chris has to make a lot of changes in his life and mindset for them to arrive anywhere near an HEA, but they can work it out if they’re meant to be together. I have never read a contemporary retelling of Sleeping Beauty, but a woman with narcolepsy seems like the right approach if you’re not going to include an evil queen.

I’ve picked up this author’s previous fairy tale reimagining and I enjoyed what I read; I can’t imagine this one will be any different. Also, I am drooling over the cover and premise for the third one, Trapunzel. Is it December yet?)

And there are plenty others to check out available this week, too:

The Angel’s Fire by Holley Trent (Gimme all the brownskinned magical cowboys…and is that…a sword???)

The Best Man Plan by Jaci Burton

Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall (I am SO ready for this book. Alexis Hall’s books are always so intense; I look forward to cutting some of that intensity that I know will be there anyway with plenty of humor.)

Culinary Confessions by Joanne Lambo (I haven’t read this author before and don’t usually gravitate towards friends to lovers but look at this precious cover!)

Not Like the Movies by Kerry Winfrey

Heal My Heart by Kay Shanee

Mixing it Up by Sawyer Lee Davis

Plan on reading anything fun 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 the first full week of July and whoo man 2020 is not letting up. I hope you all have some source of joy in this mess, because nobody knows what the summer still has in store for us.

Let’s talk about romance novels.

News and Useful Links

Do you like audiobooks? Beverly Jenkins announced in a recent newsletter that a bunch of her backlist romances would be coming to audio next year. Titles include Deadly Sexy, Bring on the Blessings, and Midnight, among many others. Who’s excited? (Also, you definitely want to check out #JenkinsJuly on Twitter and Instagram.)

Speaking of Ms. Bev, she’ll be making an appearance at the next Date Night on Friday. The lineup is stacked.

And if you like to get a head start on your events, this Romance Buzz Books closer to the end of the month is looking to be a lot of fun as well!

The Jane Eyre retelling we dreamed of.

Holley Trent went and dropped another one. If you’ve been hankering for paranormal westerns, The Angel’s Fire is for you.

This is a great thread of romance-related Patreons to support (and add to, if one you know isn’t there).

EE Ottoman gave a great talk about writing historical romance centering queer and trans characters, and the research behind it.

I am loving all the romance fanart I’ve been coming across! Here’s a great one from Olivia Dade’s 40-Love, and here’s another one from Talia Hibbert’s Take a Hint, Dani Brown. Romance readers, man.

Know what else I love? Romance scholarship. Give me all the essays/book chapters.

Did you get caught up in the 365 Days fervor? Oprah mag made a list of erotic romances for you to check out.

Deals

Have you read Gail Carriger’s contemporary paranormals? The Sumage Solution, the first in the series, is 99 cents right now! It’s got a similar feel to her Parasolverse books, but is set in an alternate modern day in which magic and shifters exist. There is something slightly different about the universe that makes me think it’s not directly related to the Parasolverse; it’s more like one jump over in the multiverse, where some things progressed the same, but others didn’t. But there’s a precious werewolf pack that’s not like the others, and every single wolf is a bebe I want to cuddle and give snacks.

And bonus deal: If you haven’t yet read it (or maybe you have but now you want to own it?) The Bride Test by Helen Hoang is 1.99 right now. Everything says “for a limited time” so I don’t know if it’s for the next few days or maybe for the month of July. Either way, it’s such a great book and I want everyone to read it.

Recs

Do you listen to When in Romance? If you’re like “Jess, what the heck is that awful pun” or you just don’t think about podcasts at all, don’t worry about the action steps at the end of this recommendation. If your answer was a resounding YES or enough curiosity that you might decide to pick it up at the next episode, join us in When In Romance Book Club!

Getting Schooled
Christina C. Jones

We’re reading Getting Schooled, the first book in the Wright Brothers series, and Trisha and I will be talking about it (including your thoughts and questions) when we record on Thursday, July 9. It features a student getting his degree after serving in the military and the grad assistant in his Black Lit class (and also all of their family and friends, who are all completely hilarious). They have quite the contentious relationship, and have a fun way of rudely flirting with each other. Okay, it sounds weird, but it’s done so well. If you decide to join us (or not join us and just read the book because you want to), I recommend getting the complete Wright Collection, because you’re not going to want to stop there. There are three full novels and a Christmas novella, so you’ll have plenty to read. And then, if you haven’t read CCJ before, you will be happy to discover that her backlist is over fifty books long.

So if you’re interested, give Jason and Reese a try, and tell us your thoughts! Catch me on Twitter @jessisreading or Instagram @jess_is_reading, or send me an email at wheninromance@bookriot.com. And feel free to drop a word if you’ve got feedback, bookrecs, or just want to say hi!