Category: Kissing Books

It’s Thursday, and it’s been a heck of a week, probably for all of us, but hey: books! Romances are awesome when everything else sucks. So let’s talk about some great ones.

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Sponsored by Her Other Secret by HelenKay Dimon

Whitaker Island is more than a getaway. For Tessa Jenkins, the remote strip of land in Washington state is a sanctuary. Fleeing from a shattering scandal, she has a new name, a chance at a new beginning, and a breathtaking new view: Hansen Rye. It’s hard not to crush on Whitaker’s hottest handyman. At six-foot-three and all kinds of fine, he’s also intensely private—and the attraction between them soon simmers dangerously out of control.

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Over on Book Riot

Which duke should be yours? My inner Hot Mess is very satisfied with my results.

We all know that I love a good Pride and Prejudice retelling (and that there are a million out there). But Emma? Yes. Yes, please and thank you.

Looking for tips to find good local authors? This is a great place to start!

Okay, this is very romance adjacent but literary scarves, y’all.

Deals

Want a two-in-one collection with an amazing cover? Check out Road to Forever & A Love of My Own by Sherelle Green and Sheryl Lister. These are both authors I’ve tried before but haven’t read these two specific books. If you’re interested in these, definitely check out other of Kimani’s two-in-ones, because it seems like that’s the majority of the printing they’re doing right now.

And just because it’s been a while since I’ve mentioned her, reminder that you can read some top notch Rebekah Weatherspoon for as little as 2.99! Check out Fit (which is hella steamy) or So Sweet (which is similarly steamy) to see what kind of story you might like, and then you’re welcome.

New Releases!

Do you know what’s great about some of the recent historicals? Ladies (and other folks) sciencing the shit out of stuff. I’ve gotten my hands on a couple new things where that is at their center, and of course this is a day that ends in Y so of course there are lots of other new books I’m looking forward to reading!

The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics
Olivia Waite

This is one of those books that has been talked about a lot over the last week or so, and I can’t help but join in the excitement. Not only did Avon drop this cover all nonchalantly like it wasn’t the first mass market historical (though it did go digital first) with two women on a gorgeous cover, but Olivia Waite is no slouch when it comes to amazing words strung together. So when you’ve got people drooling over the cover and ready to read the book, which I did in a day? Well, you’re going to hear about it, is what happens. In this beautiful, delicious novel (with limited angst, thank goodness), Lucy has gone to Catherine, Lady Moth, with a proposal to work on the translation for an esteemed French astronomy text. Lucy, still reeling from her… girlfriend? …getting married, arrives in London with only one thing on her mind, but can’t help her attraction to her new benefactress. And the feeling, it seems, is mutual. This book really approaches the power dynamic in an interesting and compelling way. There’s also a lot about the nature of science and art, and that alone makes this book magical.

Falling for A Rake
Eve Pendle

I’m not far into this one, but it starts out with a young woman who is on a fern hunt. That’s right, she got a group of people together and decided that fern hunting was a thing. So she and the Rake With The Heart Of Gold(™) who is also part of this expedition fall down a mine shaft and spend the night together, only leaving one option: fake relationship! She doesn’t particularly know he has a HOG, and they both try to suppress their chemistry by being abrasive and aloof. Obviously, it doesn’t work.

Others I can’t wait to get my hands on:

Sweet Heat by Zuri Day
To Resist a Scandalous Rogue by Liana de la Roas
Project Duchess by Sabrina Jeffries
Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes
The Seduction Expert by Saya Lopez Ortega
Say No to the Duke by Eloisa James (I haven’t been rushing to pick these up, but that cover…)
Save The Date by Monica Murphy
I Think I Might (Want You) by Christina C. Jones
Kingdom of Exiles by Maxym M. Martineau (HOW DID THIS SNEAK UP ON ME)

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

Happy Monday, folks! I am wrapping up my time at the American Library Association’s annual conference and I had a blast! I also ended up with way too many books that aren’t even romance for the most part and I’m not sorry. Though my bookshelves will be.

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Sponsored by Read Bliss, presented by Harlequin.

Read Bliss is your video destination for all things romance and reading! Tune in to Read Bliss on YouTube every Tuesday and Friday for videos by romance fans, for romance fans―including book roundups, author interviews, trope spotlights, bookish DIY projects and more from Read Bliss’s team of romance BookTubers. Watch. Read. Love!

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News and Useful Links

If you hadn’t heard, Judith Krantz died. She was a pioneer in the modern romance field writing novels like Princess Daisy that were a lot of people’s introduction to the genre.

Also, you know that Bridgerton series Shonda Rhimes is producing? Damme if the Grand Dame herself, Julie Andrews isn’t voicing Lady Whisteldown.

This isn’t so much news as “how great is this” but Sonali Dev, Uzma Jalaluddin, and Soniah Kamal were all in one place and it was awesome.

This is a great history thread.

Have you been thinking of trying a subscription box? Maybe check out the Bawdy Bookworms’ summer box.

Apparently, too many people asked Gail Carriger why she writes sexy books, besides the obvious “because it’s fun, duh” and she has some good stuff to say here.

June (and therefore Pride month) may be almost over, but it’s never a bad time to check out this amazing collection of queer reads.

And I just…I have to share this thread. It’s a must-read, no matter what your opinion on pool tables.

Deals

Looking for a suspense thriller that is also a romance? Hour of Need by Malinda Leigh is 1.99. The top Amazon reviews talk about how it’s swoony and full of character development and feelings, feelings, feelings, so this is definitely the romantic suspense novel for me. Right? Why wouldn’t you want a crime novel that also involves feelings?

Want to read something thrilling in a much different way? Holley Trent’s Three Strikes, which is part of the Den of Sin series, is 99 cents. Old friends? Who might take it further if one of them can bring them around? Yes, please.

Some Books I Talked About At ALA

As I mentioned before, I went to the American Library Association’s annual conference, which considering its size is pretty lackluster when it comes to romance. The publishers kinda push it, and somebody might propose a panel about it, but really it’s not something we talk about, and there aren’t lines on the exhibits floor like there are for thriller, genfic, and youth authors. Which is fine. Whatever. Publishers know we’re going to buy their books anyway, but we talk about more than purchasing at these events.

So while it wasn’t to the scale of everything else, I did get a chance to get my hands on some recent and upcoming books that are either romance or will appeal to romance readers.

The Key to Happily Ever After
Tif Marcelo

If you follow When in Romance, you know that Trisha absolutely loved this book. You might also know that I haven’t gotten to it yet. But a group of sisters running a business in DC while also dealing with love stuff sounds right up my alley to me. I’ll take it.

The Cottage on Rose Lane
Hope Ramsay

This is the first book in a series and Hope actually talked about the second one, but I am very curious about this book. Hope mentioned that she ensures that her small-town romances aren’t homogeneously white, and also don’t ignore racial tension and conflict in the South. This book, in particular, was interesting, since the hero is working to protect his Gullah heritage and land. So yeah, I know very little about this author, but am glad I came across her work (and her, since she’s a very nice person).

Song of Blood & Stone
L. Penelope

This isn’t a new book, or even a new-to-me book. The copy I got signed by the author is a previous version of the one that has been revamped and extended, soon to be released by St. Martin’s Griffin (who is doing some super awesome work to move up in the playing field of romantic stories published by the Big Five). But I can never walk away from this story of love and magic in an alternate 1920s universe, because damn. Of course I can’t.

First Earl I See Tonight
Anna Bennett

An artist and a grumpy earl do what they can to not fall in love and do it anyway? Sounds like the perfect book for me, seriously!

Welcome to Moonlight Harbor
Sheila Roberts

Once again, this wasn’t the book I got my hands on, but it is the first in Sheila Roberts’ most recent series, and that’s honestly the best I can do. I have no idea what this book or series is about because the author is so hilarious that I couldn’t keep track between her story and the story therein. Just know you’re gonna laugh your face off if her written word is anything like her presentation style.

Evvie Drake Starts Over
Linda Holmes

This book, which comes out this week, sounds like a combination of self-discovery, family relationships, and romantic relationships that we often categorize as “women’s fiction.” But there’s definitely a strong romantic element in this book that keeps showing up in my face and probably will continue to do so for a while. Did I mention it starts with Evvie planning to finally leave her husband, only to get the phone call that he’s been killed? And an athlete (not her husband) with a case of the Yips? So put all that together and see what you get.

Obviously, I have a huge problem with willpower, so I grabbed way more books than this. But you’ll probably hear about them as I read them, or at least pretend to.

What are you reading this week?

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

It’s almost summer, and I can’t figure out if I want summer lovin (have me a blast) or to pretend it’s Christmas and very cold. Good thing we have books and I can do both!

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Sponsored by Lulu’s Café by T. I. Lowe, new in mass-market paperback from Tyndale House Publishers.

When Leah Allen, a damaged young woman, is given a chance to reclaim her life in a small South Carolina town, she must reckon with the dark secrets she left behind. Soon Leah meets Crowley Mason, the most eligible bachelor in town. Crowley is wary of Leah’s mysterious arrival, but despite his reserve, something sparks between them that can’t be denied. Can Leah allow herself to truly love and be loved, especially when her first urge is to run?

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Over on Book Riot

I’m still not over my incapability to say the word Patreon, but Trisha and I talked about books, people who make them, and people who peddle them on When In Romance.

Laura pulled together romantic books for the introverted MBTI types, which included a combination of romances and other romantic stories. She also made one that is mostly romance for the extroverted MBTI types.

Shireen explores what The Chai Factor means to her as a reader and a Muslim.

If you’re new to Kissing Books, you can check out some of my older content, either about books that make you hungry or royals who’ve found themselves in situations.

And between now and July 15, you can enter to win a Kindle Oasis.

Deals

Have you finished Kennedy Ryan’s Hoops series? Do you now find yourself in need of more of her stuff? Check out Flow, the first in her Grip series, for 99 cents. The others aren’t very expensive either.

Or if you’re looking for the newest combination of sexy and funny, Kendall Ryan’s Junk Mail is 3.99. Sexy selfie, wrong number. Do I have to say more?

And if you have not yet had the chance to read one of my favorite books by one of my favorite authors, Let It Shine by Alyssa Cole is 99 cents this week! Enjoy a belated Juneteenth celebration with Sofie and Ivan and their fellow Freedom Riders.

New Releases

This was another good week for books, and I even managed to read a couple of them this time.

Hither, Page
Cat Sebastian

When Cat started hinting that she was working on a personal project away from the norm of her oeuvre, many of us were intrigued. When she started bandying about the tagline “Agatha Christie, But Make It Gay”, we were actively grabbing for it. When she let me see it before release date, there might have been actual squealing.

And when I managed to read the damn thing before its release date? Yeah. That was great.

Leo Page is an intelligence officer for one of the…shadier organizations in His Majesty’s service. While he spent most of his time abroad during the bloodiest war the world had ever seen, he’s now been dispatched to a small village where a charwoman has been murdered. Once there, he encounters the town’s young doctor, who might have pulled a bullet out of him in France. The pair are immediately drawn to each other, even though Leo’s work means he has to equivocate at every turn. Regardless, they each work to their own abilities to figure out what happened, particularly as James works through his own PTSD.

If a (pretty bloodless) murder mystery is less your thing, maybe check out The Love Song of Sawyer Bell by Avon Gale, which was pulled from its previous release and released with Carina Press this week. When Juilliard student Sawyer auditions to play fiddle on Victoria Vincent’s summer tour, she is delighted to discover her passion for music again. She also discovers her passion for Vix, the band’s lead singer and Sawyer’s first crush, or so she supposes. She’s only just admitted to herself that she’s attracted to women very recently, and Vix offers a friends-with-benefits style introduction to the sapphic pleasures of the flesh. But their friendship (and whatever more it may become) can only last the length of summer, after which Sawyer has to figure out where her heart lies. This is the first solo Avon Gale title I’ve read (I’ve read books she’s written with authors like Piper Vaughn and Roan Parrish), and I like her style. I’ll definitely check out more of her solo stuff.

Other new titles I’m looking forward to checking out:

Stay for Awhile by BriAnn Danae

Parental Guidance by Avery Flynn

Undercover Affection by Charlene Namdhari

Some Like It Scandalous by Maya Rodale

Two Nights in Paris by Delaney Diamond

One Monsoon in Mumbai by Anitha Perinchery

But first, I’m gonna finish watching A Discovery of Witches.

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

Happy Monday, folks! It’s almost officially summer, which means lots of three digit days pretending I’ll read outside but really I’ll just open the blinds and sit under the ac.

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Sponsored by Crazy4Fiction

LULU’S CAFÉ: Leah Allen is running from a dark past but might just open herself to love. FIVE DAYS IN SKYE: Your next Scottish book boyfriend: Chef James MacDonald. WHERE DANDELIONS BLOOM: An adventure-filled romance novel set against the backdrop of the American Civil War. THE CROSSING AT CYPRESS CREEK: A young man looking for adventure on the Mississippi frontier meets his match.

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News and Useful Links

Harlequin is moving to TV. So far, it’s Canadian TV, but I look forward to seeing how that trickles into the rest of the world.

I’ll admit I forgot about this list until Adriana Herrera shared it a few days ago. If you’re looking for new authors to check out, or are yourself a queer author or aspiring author, check it out. It’s a great thing to be part of a community.

This isn’t technically romance news because [insert “I don’t know her” GIF] but if you haven’t heard, Nicholas Sparks is Terrible. And the statement he made in response was…very much not great. We’ve known that the “love stories” Sparks write are homogeneously white and straight, and that doesn’t really set him apart from romance, to be honest. But man, to be that outright racist and antagonistic towards queer teenagers who just want to form a community. Man. And you don’t even have to read the story, just the emails. His own words are damning enough.

Deals

If you’ve got a need for another Persuasion adaptation, check out Jenny Holiday’s Undue Influence, which is 99 cents right now. This is the familiar story featuring a vineyard owner and a celebrity chef, and it was also a finalist for the Lambda Literary Awards.

When was the last time you read a World War I romance? Look no further than Girls on the Line by Aimie K. Runyon. The first (two-star) review on Amazon says this book is “perfect for feminist wannabes” and that the “feminist rhetoric comes through loud and clear” and thanks dissenter for selling this book to me! It’s also 1.99 right now (and free to read on Kindle Unlimited, which I will get to in a sec). If you like that one, she’s also got a book about the famed Russian Night Witches, called Daughters of the Night Sky, which is *also* 1.99.

Recs!

My birthday is coming up, as is a long work trip, and I finally decided a few months ago that the next time the Kindle Paperwhite was on sale, I was going to take advantage of it. I’ve been an ereader for nearly a decade, but have been doing that reading on my phone and two different generations of iPad (we’re an Apple house). But even the iPad mini is pretty heavy, and changing the settings to white text on a black background only goes so far with glare and blue light squinting.

I also decided to take advantage of the free three months of Kindle Unlimited that you can add on, and started using it even before I got the Kindle itself. There had been several books that I’d wanted to check out that I hadn’t gone after yet, and look, there they were all, sitting pretty. I’ve made it through two books already (one I enjoyed, the other not so much) and I’ve got an ongoing list of books that I want to check out.

Kitten
Jack Harbon

I’ve followed Jack on Twitter for a while, and have picked up a few of his short stories. Seeing the cover and premise for Kitten drew me from the moment he announced it, and it was kind of the option that tipped the scales for me in getting KU. Kit is just out of college and sleeping on his sister’s couch while he looks for a job. The one he lands is as an assistant to Roman, a demanding ad exec who can be a handful in every way. The attraction between them, though, transcends that.

Kitten could have used another round of editing or two, but it’s got good bones. It had been sitting passively on my list until I saw a tweet from Jack about his personal contemplation of whether it was too black and too millennial—and I almost bought the damn thing on the spot. Instead, I got KU, and devoured this puppy. There’s drama, and melodrama, and there’s so much adorableness all my teeth fell out. And during it all, Kit is one of the most authentically written black gay men I’ve gotten to read in romance, and I can’t wait to read more of Jack Harbon’s work.

Other books I immediately pressed Send on from KU and am excited to read:

Falling for a Knight by Té Russ

IRL by Lucy Lennox and Molly Maddox

A Love So Soft by Chelsea Maria

I Think I Might (Love You?) by Christina C Jones

Single AF by Sherelle Green

And I’m probably downloading more as we speak. What are your favorite Kindle Unlimited reads?

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

This has been a monster week for new books, I’ll tell you that! Let’s talk about what’s been happening this week.

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Sponsored by This Time Will Be Different by Misa Sugiura, from Epic Reads

CJ’s never lived up to her mom’s ambition, and she’s perfectly happy just helping her aunt, Hannah, at their family’s flower shop. She doesn’t buy into Hannah’s ideas about flowers and their hidden meanings, but when it comes to floral arrangement, CJ discovers a skill she can be proud of. Then her mom decides to sell the shop—to the family who swindled CJ’s grandparents when Japanese Americans were sent to internment camps during WWII. Soon a rift threatens to splinter CJ’s family, friends, and their entire community; and for the first time, CJ has found something she wants to fight for.

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Over on Book Riot

For those of us looking to dip into romance manga, (maybe read some for Read Harder?) Silvana did some of the Lord’s work.

As you might have noticed, we’re pretty big fans of Sarah MacLean here on the Riot. I might have had the chance to chat with her for a whole damn podcast episode, but I’m still a *touch* jealous that Angel got to interview her about Brazen and the Beast.

And go check out Book Riot’s Amazon storefront—we’ve put together a selection of our favorite books and bookish stuff for summer!

Deals

Our deals today are actually two new releases! Anthologies that are definitely well worth their prices:

The first volume doesn’t seem to be available anymore, but you should definitely check out Love Is All: Volume II, a collection of eight new stories from authors like Xio Axelrod and Mary Calmes. Proceeds are going to an unnamed LGBTQ+ advocacy group.

If you’re looking for a collection of brand new second-chance romances centered around weddings and marriage, Once Upon A Wedding is 99 cents right now! It features novellas by eleven bestselling authors, including Priscilla Oliveras, KM Jackson, Sonali Dev, and more!

New Releases!

There have been a million books out this week that I have absolutely not read (or at least not finished) but that doesn’t mean I don’t want you to read them because they all sound so freaking great.

The Perfect Date
Evelyn Lozada

A single mother working her way through nursing school and a suspended party-boy baseball player cross paths and sparks fly. But they still have their own stuff to deal with.

The Friend Zone
Abby Jiminez

Kristen and Josh have a meet-awful that involves a fender bender and a stolen t-shirt, only to discover that their best friends are getting married. Also, she is planning a life without children and he wants a big family.

Waiting for Tom Hanks
Kerry Winfrey

Annie is waiting for that 90s kind of love, who met you at the top of the Empire State Building or called you Shopgirl. She might get her chance when she starts working on the set of the next big blockbuster.

Mixed Signals
Mia Heintzelman

Julie and Nico don’t meet in the best of terms, but their every encounter brings them closer together.

Fix Her Up
Tessa Bailey

A party planner and a house flipper pretend to date, and it doesn’t seem like the off-limits BFF’s younger sister thing is a problem?

The Chai Factor (ebook June 11, US print July 9)
Farah Heron

Amira moves back home to work on her grad-school thesis and is very annoyed by the barbershop quartet that has rented out her grandmother’s basement. (But, there’s only one guy that Amira can’t seem to stand.)

Square One
LA Witt

Holden wants a good relationship with his kids, but he’s got to compete for their attention with their hot new nanny. (If you don’t read employer/employee romances, this is a good place to start, because Porter works for Holden’s ex-wife.)

Natalie Tan’s Book of Luck and Fortune
Roselle Lim

Natalie has moved back to San Francisco after the death of her mother, and has to adjust to life in her close-knit community. There’s also a magical element that I don’t know much about.

In Case You Forgot
Frederick Smith & Chaz Lamar

Kenny and Zaire both move to Hollywood to start their lives over.

Fear of Falling
Georgia Beers

Singing superstar Sophie James is ready to take control of her own life and career, much to the chagrin of her new manager.

Take the Edge Off
TA Moore

Joe is in town investigating some menacing emails, and the only person he can really connect with is his driver Cal.

Like I said: a million. Are you reading any of them this weekend?

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

Happy Monday, all! I don’t have anything clever to say, except I hope you have been enjoying the influx of new GIFfable Keanu Reeves content on Twitter as I have. I dunno. Let’s talk about stuff.

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Sponsored by If It Makes You Happy by Claire Kann and Swoon Reads

Winnie is living her best fat girl life at her Granny’s diner, Goldeen’s, in the small town of Misty Haven. She’s poised for one last perfect summer twirling around the diner floor in her 50’s-inspired uniform before starting college in the fall. And then she becomes Misty Haven’s Summer Queen, a highly anticipated matchmaking tradition that she wants absolutely nothing to do with. Newly crowned, Winnie discovers almost immediately that she’s deathly afraid of it all: the spotlight, the obligations, and the way her Merry Haven Summer King, wears his heart, humor, and honesty on his sleeve.

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News and Useful Links

The Pink Heart Society announced the finalists for their Reviewers’ Choice Awards, and I’m excited about all of them, even though I…haven’t read very many.

Jackie Lau did a cover reveal for her next Baldwin Village book Man vs. Durian on Frolic and not only is it a great cover with a very nice looking gentleman on it, but now I know what durian looks like!

If you are currently jonesing for more words from Adriana Herrera while we wait for American Love Story to come out, read these. They are very important words.

Speaking of American Love Story, DID YOU SEE THAT COVER.

Olivia Waite also had good words, this time in the other Kissing Books.

This is a really nice thread of romance recs for all the letters in the full LGBTQ+ acronym.

Randall Park is an amazing human being and so is Keanu Reeves. Obviously I’m still living for Always Be My Maybe.

And as always, a reminder that wocinromance is a thing that exists, that they post new releases every week on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, and that Rebekah Weatherspoon, who runs it, is awesome. Also they have a book club if you join their Patreon, so that’s cool.

Deal

Do you want nine FREE romcoms by authors including Helena Hunting, Talia Hibbert, and more? Check out Hilariously Ever After, a collection of previously released but potentially not-read-by-you books!

If a queer, Hawaii-set retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma is what you didn’t know you were looking for, you definitely want to check out Tamsen Parker’s If I Loved You Less, which is 99 cents right now. We rarely get Emma retellings of any kind, and this one is a particular treat.

Recs!

One thing that happens when I try to read for Thursdays is that I mention a lot of new books, maybe even buy them, and then keep moving forward. I’ll bet this is something that happens to a lot of us, especially if we’re sort of…power readers. So I wanted to share a few books I mentioned in the collection of new books out, or maybe at even longer capacity, and didn’t get around to reading the first time around. I guess we can call them 2019 backlist, because we’re almost halfway through 2019 already! These books are also first-time reads for me with these particular authors, even though I’ve mentioned them multiple times and might have put other books of theirs on my to-read list. I’ve mentioned on When In Romance that one of my goals this year is to read more authors, instead of going to the same favorites, and I haven’t been very good at it but this is a good start for me!

Play It Again
Aidan Wayne

There is only one word for this book, and that word is adorable. Some people whose reviews I’ve read think it suffers from a lack of conflict, but sometimes that’s exactly the kind of book I’m looking for. There is a conflict here: YouTuber Dovid, who does a regular online show with his twin sister in Seattle, basically falls in love with gamer Sam, whose narrative videos he really enjoys. That’s a problem, because Sam lives in Ireland. So boom: conflict. But even with some moments of angst and suffering, there isn’t a Big Misunderstanding or Blowout of any kind. It’s complete fluff, and it was the perfect thing (for me) to break a week-long streak of setting books aside very early on. This book is also a smorgasbord of representation, which I think Wayne does incredibly well and respectfully: Dovid is blind, bisexual, and Jewish, and his twin is sex-repulsed asexual. Sam has some form of low-grade anxiety, and is also somewhere on the ace/gray scale. Aidan Wayne is TGNC (I do not know their exact gender identity) and uses they/them pronouns.

Under His Protection
LaQuette

I don’t read very many books about cops. But there are books with police officers falling in love, and as long as they’re not out looking to shoot some unarmed people of color, they deserve love, right. LaQuette is also an author whose books I’ve been meaning to read for years, and this seemed like the perfect place to dive in. New Lieutenant Elijah thinks he’s about to begin a desk job after being attacked out in the field, but instead he’s greeted with a different kind of assignment: protect the ADA, who is being hunted by a group of Big Baddies. The catch? They’ve met before, many years ago, when they shared a soul-changing date, which ended with ADA Camden leaving without a by your leave. Forced proximity, a touch of fake relationship, amazing family dynamics, a knock-down, drag-out game of Spades, food porn, and excellent sexytimes? I will take the occasional hit of Extreme Sappiness and let it all pour over me, thanks. Also, that cover, hello?

Next up I’m going to try Love To The Rescue by Radclyffe, who I have also never tried before. I don’t actually know how that’s possible; she’s been writing f/f romance since f/f romance has existed. (Okay, not true, but she is the founder of Bold Strokes Books. You’d think I’d have picked up one of her books at some point.) This is one of the books I picked up in my local indie to help contribute to the queer romance numbers (they don’t have a general romance section, but the majority of their “lesbian fiction” section is BSB romances, so I guess that’s something). So I should probably read it.

What are you picking up this week?

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

It may be D-Day, but there are no wars here. Unless we’re talking battle of the sexes. Or angels and demons, if you’re as hooked on Good Omens as I am.

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Sponsored by St. Martin’s Griffin

One of the most anticipated books of the summer. A big-hearted romantic comedy in which Alex Claremont-Diaz, the First Son, falls in love with Henry, the Prince of Wales, after an incident of international proportions forces them to pretend to be best friends. Casey McQuiston’s Red, White & Royal Blue proves: true love isn’t always diplomatic. O, The Oprah Magazine raves, “Let this heartwarmingly romantic tale…be a balm for your political and cultural cynicism.”

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Over on Book Riot

Whether you’re new to romance or a veteran, I definitely support all of these suggestions.

“Ugh. Emotions” is right. Listen to us talk about them.

Take the quiz to figure out what fun queer book you should read.

We asked, and you answered: here are your favorite romances set during war.

And between now and June 30, you can enter to win a Books-A-Million gift card!

Deals

If what you never knew you wanted was gay werewolf romantic suspense, then you definitely want to check out The Wolf at the Door by Charlie Adhara, which is 1.99. I’ve heard a lot about it through various channels, and this is the perfect time to check it out.

If you were intrigued but hadn’t yet pulled the one-click trigger on Back Piece and the books that follow, you can get each one for 1.99 right now as well. That’s a full LA Witt trilogy for less than ten dollars.

If you’re looking for more comedy than angst, look no further than Big Rock, whose cover definitely makes the title look a little different than the title. Lauren Blakely is a hilarious writer, and this story is no different. And right now, this one is free.

New and Upcoming Books

I don’t think June is as bad as May was, but boy, have we still got an amazing list of books coming out this month. I’ve got a couple to share today, but as usual I am far far behind.

Ayesha At Last
Uzma Jalaluddin

If you don’t know by now, I love me a good Pride and Prejudice adaptation. I’ve been drooling after this particular one since I discovered its existence, when it was released in Canada last year. Thanks to Berkley, it got an American release, and here we are, drooling over the gorgeous gold-glittered cover.

Ayesha, a poet turned substitute teacher, is on the shelf. She’s definitely not receiving rishtas (marriage proposals) like her young cousin Hafsa, who aspires to own an event planning business. When Ayesha meets Khalid, a young computer scientist who lives nearby, everything goes wrong. He is a very pious Muslim, and believes she is practicing against the tenets of their shared religion. But when they find themselves working together on a project (all while he is under the impression she is someone she isn’t), they also get to know each other…and maybe they’re not so different as they thought.

This is an addictive, well-written debut that hits all of the right marks for a Pride and Prejudice retelling. I will throw in a few content warnings: the biggest is anti-Islamic bigotry in a prominent character, but there is also mention of rape and forced marriage.

I also started reading Puppy Love, which came out last week. So far, the relationship between firefighter Harrison, puppy trainer Sophie, and service puppy Bubbles is just delightful, and I can’t wait to see how it all boils out. It’s not every day you get to read about a diabetic nature firefighter who ends up with a teeny tiny ball of fluff to tell him when his blood sugar is low. I will mention that Sophie once had leukemia and had a bone marrow transplant. I don’t know if it has any more role in the book than a reason why Sophie is coddled, but just a heads up.

Others I’m looking forward to picking up:

The More The Merrier by Sean Michael
His to Claim by Brenda Jackson
Shadow Warrior by Christine Feehan
I Think I Might Need You by Christina C. Jones
Wolf Rain by Nalini Singh
The Billionaire’s Bargain by Naima Simone
Forever With You by Jennifer Labelle (more tattoos)

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

Happy Pride, y’all! I live in a place where we don’t actually have Pride in June cause it’s too damn hot, but I have been enjoying all the rainbows and book recommendations on the socials.

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Sponsored by The Boy Next Story and PiqueBeyond

The YA series where classic literature comes to life is back with a story inspired by Little Women! Fourteen-year-old Rory Campbell knows there’s no one better than the boy next door. She’s been in love with her neighbor Tobias since their first sandbox kiss. But Tobias is in love with her sister, Merrilee, who is dating one of Tobias’ best friends. When Rory is assigned to read Little Women for extra credit, she discovers more than she expected—both about herself and Toby. Maybe she wasn’t in love with the boy next door. . . but the boy next story.

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News and Useful Links

Romance BINGO is back!

Adriana Herrera was one of the people featured in this article about the lagging nature of featuring marginalized voices in publishing, particularly discussing print romance.

#RomBkLove was absolutely amazing! It was so wonderful to be able to participate, and hoo doggy, the recommendations.

Did you hear? Even though Love’s Sweet Arrow didn’t meet their Kickstarter goal, they’ve set a date to open, and it’s soon! If you’re in the Chicagoland area, definitely drop in when they open.

Nisha Sharma and Sonali Dev talked about arranged marriage in romance novels with Bustle. This was interesting to read as I am in the middle of Ayesha At Last, which heavily features that kind of arrangement.

And here’s your reminder that Always Be My Maybe is now available to watch on Netflix (it’s so freaking delightful) and Pride and Prejudice: Atlanta is available to watch if you have Lifetime.

Deals

Have you read Wicked and the Wallflower yet? As Brazen and the Beast is set to come out at the end of next month, it’s a great time to pick it up—especially since it’s 1.99 right now. It’s the first in the Bareknuckle Bastards series and features a grumpy crimelord and the ambitious lockpick he falls in love with.

Do you like psychological thrillers? Selena Montgomery’s Never Tell is a romantic suspense featuring a criminal psychologist on the hunt for a serial killer and the journalist helping her prove it. It’s 2.99 right now.

Recs!

I’ve read a disproportionate number of books focused around tattoo artists recently, which made me want to do a little retrospective of the ones I’ve enjoyed over the years. I haven’t read a lot, but the ones I have read I’ve enjoyed. I don’t know if it’s because this is an artistic group that I am less familiar with, or just because tattooing is amazing. Maybe a bit of both.

Back Piece
LA Witt

This was probably the first book of any kind featuring a tattoo artist that I had ever read. I already had a tattoo, so I wasn’t completely unfamiliar with the process…in fact, it made me able to empathize with Daniel, the young sailor who is interested in getting the titular back piece from Colin, who is his own kind of quiet. These two young men are both flawed, in different ways, and have their own reasons for keeping secrets and keeping to themselves. It doesn’t help that one is in the military, even with the repeal of DADT. But it’s written with LA Witt’s signature heart-wrenching style, and the art is definitely its own character as the story progresses. This is the first in a series of books about Skin Deep, the tattoo parlor near a military base, so once you get through this one, you can dive into Pounding Skin and Cover Up.

Hate to Want You
Alisha Rai

This is…a very different kind of book. If you’ve been reading Kissing Books for a while, you might remember my squeals about this book. It’s the perfect kind of angsty, longing-filled story about two lovers who broke up but still got together once a year to…uh. Bang it out, shall we say. But when Livvy shows up back in their hometown, where Nicholas still lives and runs the family business—the family business his family underhandedly acquired from her family—Nicholas wants answers. And maybe more, since they both still have unresolved love-related issues with each other. It’s way better than I’m describing, I swear. And since I’m including it here, you can bet your ass there’s some sexy tattoo action. (While the second in the series,Wrong to Need You, doesn’t feature sexy tattoo action, Livvy’s boss/friend Gabe is the lead in Hurts to Love You, and there is a very small amount of talk about tattoos. Mostly his.)

Shadows You Left
Jude Sierra and Taylor Brooke

This is a recent release, and it was an amazing angsty frustration-fest, just what I needed after a long line of (also amazing) romcoms. It’s funny, I had just been talking to someone about how I loved romcoms, but also loved that heartbreaking, angsty kind of romance that made you want to hug people while simultaneously punching them in the face until they got their shit together. And then lo and behold, Erik and River fall into my lap, with their dragons and bad life choices and intense, intense love for each other. Both of these boys have to find themselves as much as they find each other, and on the way, they get some hard life truths. At least they have amazing friends to help them get there.

New Ink On Life
Jennie Davids

This is Jennie Davids’ debut novel, and it does not disappoint at all. Her heroines, MJ and Cassie, are at different stages of their lives as tattoo artists. MJ is a veteran who runs her own shop—an all-female roster catering primarily to women and nonbinary clients—and Cassie is an apprentice looking to complete her training. Having studied under MJ’s former mentor, Cassie wants to finish the job with the next best thing, now that she’s gone. MJ doesn’t really trust new blood easily, having been severely betrayed by her former partner, but she’s willing to take Cassie on. Doesn’t mean she has to like her.

I am curious about other books featuring tattoo artists and the people they tattoo…and love, eventually. What have you read and enjoyed?

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

Happy Thursday, folks. I hope, if you live in the States that you had a meaningful holiday weekend, and also maybe got some reading done. Let’s have a quick rundown of what’s been going on.

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Sponsored by Rebel by Beverly Jenkins

Valinda Lacey’s mission in New Orleans is to help the newly emancipated community survive and flourish. But when thugs destroy the school she has set up and then target her, Valinda runs for her life—and straight into the arms of Captain Drake LeVeq. As an architect from an old New Orleans family, Drake has a personal interest in rebuilding the city. Raised by strong women, he recognizes Valinda’s determination. And he can’t stop admiring—or wanting—her. But when Valinda’s father demands she return home to marry a man she doesn’t love, her daring rebellion draws Drake in closer.

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Links and BR Stuff

Trisha and I recorded Not Live From New Orleans, and you’ll be surprised at how long this episode is.

Cat Sebastian revealed the cover for her upcoming “Agatha Christie, But Gay” mystery, Hither, Page.

Looking to join a new online reading group? Check out the Polyam Book Club!

It’s almost the end of #RomBkLove and ho man. So many great conversations, so many more books to read.

Jackie Lau wrote about being biracial and writing biracial characters for SBTB.

Speaking of Rebel, we’re hosting a giveaway!

Deals

You know how much I love Roan Parrish’s books. The first book I read of hers was Riven, which had actual healing powers when I was home on a sick day, and I won’t let anyone else tell me anything different. It’s on sale for the first time in its existence, so you can devour that one, and its sequel Rend before the third book, Raze, comes out in July. If you like rockstar romances and people figuring out their shit, this one is definitely for you. It also has some of the most amazing writing I’ve experienced in contemporary romance, so get ready for some words.

Have you read the Loyal League series yet? If not, Alyssa Cole’s An Unconditional Freedom is 2.99. This one came out in late February, and is (as far as I know) the wrap of the whole thing. Daniel’s story is hard, and so so good.

New and Upcoming Books

This is a good week for books! I can’t tell you how many I want to read, but yeah, per usual, I have not gotten through as many as I wanted to. Teachers, though, are always attractive protagonists for me, and I love reading about people who want to help people learn, who can also fall in love.

Teach Me
Olivia Dade

This is the first Olivia Dade I’ve read, even though I think I own almost all of her Lovestruck Librarians books. But something about this one—two protagonists in their forties, both divorced, with established careers and healthy sex drives—drew me in from the start. (I dunno, maybe it was this image, because yeah.) Rose is a history teacher who is getting screwed over by the arrival of a new, just as seasoned teacher. Martin is immediately struck stupid by his attractive, cold as ice new colleague, but doesn’t know why she regularly gives him the cold shoulder. But the two of them each have their own issues to get over before they can open up to each other, and the way they go about it is both fun and frustrating. This book is full of well-rounded, amazing people who are so good at their jobs. Competence porn? This is completely it. They have relationships with each other, with their students, with family who want to be part of their lives. Every beat is just right, and I love these (im)perfect people. (Also, not gonna lie: I cackled like a hyena for the last ten percent of the book. It’s perfect.)

I’m also excited about Beverly Jenkins’ Rebel, our sponsor for the day. It also stars a teacher, and while I’m only part of the way through, I love Val already. And Drake LeVeq, of course. I read Through The Storm. I know how those LeVeqs can be.

Others I’m down for soon:

The Rogue of Fifth Avenue by Joanna Shupe
The Rival Bid by Reese Ryan
Puppy Love by Lucy Gilmore
Bridal Boot Camp by Meg Cabot
New Ink On Life by Jennie Davids
The Demigod’s Legacy by Holley Trent (revised and republished)
Our Perfect Fantasy by Sadie Fox (pen name of a fellow Rioter!)
Black Tattoo by Cole McCade (he just like…dropped it on us!)

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

Hi there, readers! It’s Thursday, and I’ll tell you, it’s been a week (if you follow me on Twitter you know what I’m talking about.) But I’m back from a great Book Lovers Con (even though my books aren’t, just yet) and I am happy to be surrounded by my own books once again.

“Kissing Books” is sponsored by Flatiron Books.

From the award-winning author of If I Was Your Girl, Meredith Russo, comes a heart-wrenching and universal story of identity, first love, and fate. Six years of birthdays reveal Eric and Morgan’s destiny as they come together, drift apart, fall in love, and discover who they’re meant to be—and if they’re meant to be together.

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Over on Book Riot

So many single parents and OMG Sil, so much reading I have to do. Darn it!

Any book is a beach book if you’re reading it on the book, but I definitely agree with the recommendations in this list (the one’s I’ve read anyway). Not all of them are romance, but it’s always good to branch out.

I have also read very few of the books on this list, but I definitely recommend trying out some of the historicals set in unusual situations that I’ve read, like The Suffragette Scandal and Agnes Moor’s Wild Knight.

I’ve tried a couple different book subscription boxes, and I’ve realized that they’re just not for me. But if you’re like D.R., you might enjoy this one.

A couple of these are YA, but this is definitely a solid list of enemies-to-lovers romances for you to check out.

I took this quiz and it told me to read a book I legit considered starting two days ago (hint: it was Tamsen Parker’s If I Loved You Less) and I am actually going to take its advice.

Deals

If you haven’t tried Kristen Proby’s Fusion series, I would definitely recommend trying Listen to Me, which is 1.99 right now. Even as late as it came out in my romance-reading career, this was the first book I looked at and realized…hey, I do like low-angst, like-you-from-the-start kind of romances. I’ve fallen behind in the series, but it’s definitely one I’d love to pick back up someday.

I’ll always mention The Duchess Deal when it’s on sale. It’s 1.99 right now, and since The Wallflower Wager comes out later this summer, it’s a great time to start the trilogy.

New and Upcoming Books

American Fairytale
Adriana Herrera

If you’ve read American Dreamer, it should be no surprise to you that I am just ready to gush about this book. It’s the second in the series, and you definitely don’t have to have read the first one (but you should, anyway, because it’s great). As Adriana herself puts it, this is her take on the billionaire romance with the Latinx rep turned to fifteen.

After a Very Hot encounter at a gala (don’t listen to chapter one waiting in the school pick-up line) Milo and Tom encounter each other again in a very unexpected place: the organization for survivors where Milo works. Tom has made an incredibly large endowment (which happened before the two met) that will make amazing changes for the organization. With Milo being the point person for the project, he and Tom will meet regularly…which is totally not necessary but Tom wants to be around him as much as possible. The two have such obvious chemistry that it hurts when they’re not together, but they’re also in such a position that it’s completely understandable why they shouldn’t move forward with their relationship. Until they do, of course.

This is an amazing effing book, y’all. Also, there are great conversations about privilege and passing, among other fun things around the Latinx and LGBTQ+ communities. Read it immediately.

Ice Cream Lover
Jackie Lau

I know I just talked about Ultimate Pi Day Party, but I couldn’t help picking this one up when I was stuck on a plane in Denver. We met Chloe in Pi Day, when she’s establishing her ice cream shop and making friends with Sarah. Now, she’s chugging along, and can’t help but notice Drew, the guy who orders black coffee when he brings his niece in for ice cream. He doesn’t like ice cream and she just can’t change his mind. Drew, who used to love ice cream, hasn’t been able to stomach it since his runaway bride wrote a very silly-sounding book about inner ice cream sandwiches. It left a mark on him, and he’s got a lot to work through. But Drew and Chloe have obvious chemistry, and it’s fun to watch Oscar the Grouch and and Rainbow Sparkle fall in love.

Others I’m excited for:

Kitten by Jack Harbon
End Transmission by Robin Bachar (I have never actually read any of her books before, but someone mentioned the cover model looked like sci-fi-AOC and I can’t unsee it. Also the first words of the blurb are “Firefly meets James Bond” and hello sold.)
Summer by the Tides by Denise Hunter (possibly because I looked at that cover every day in NOLA; it was on the elevator, it was on my keycard, it was definitely subliminal)
To Love a Prince by Nana Malone
Star-Crossed by Minnie Darke
To Tame a Wild Cowboy by Lori Wilde
Starfish by Lisa Becker

Reading anything new this weekend?

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