Category: Kissing Books

Happy Black History Month! I mean, it’s February, so I’m going to at least mention it, but since Black History is American History, we obviously talk about it all year. If you’re working on a month of exposure of black authors or black history, I’m not going to stop you, and I’m totally open to sending you some specific recs. Hit me up anytime!

But for now, let’s have a look at what’s been going on.

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Sponsored by Dreamscape Media, LLC.

Stella Lane thinks math is the only thing that unites the universe. She comes up with algorithms to predict customer purchases—a job that has given her barely any experience in the dating department. It doesn’t help that she has Asperger’s. She decides that she needs lots of practice—with a professional—which is why she hires Vietnamese-Swedish escort, Michael Phan. He agrees to help her check off all the boxes on her lesson plan… When feelings begin to develop, can Michael somehow convince Stella that love is the best kind of logic?

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News and Useful Links

HAVE Y’ALL SEEN THIS?!?!?! I AM SO EXCITE. SO. EXCITE.

If you follow the library world, you probably know about the ALA awards offered during their Midwinter Meeting, which happened last weekend. I was there! It was fun. Most of the attention goes to the Youth Media Awards, like the Printz, Newbery, Caldecott, etc. But there are awards given to adult books, too! There are also lots of lists decided upon, like the ALA-GLBT Round Table’s Over The Rainbow Book List, and the Reading List, which is broken down into genre categories. OTR varies by year when it comes to romance representation, but the Reading List—since it has a romance category—always comes through. And this year, they came through.

Frolic Media made a serious misstep last week and were called out for it. They took down the article and posted an apology. Now they’re reviewing their editorial process, making many of us wonder what it might have been before. Did they basically post everything their contributors produced without consideration? Offer feedback on problematic content? Was this just a blind spot for everyone? Hopefully we’ll find out soon.

Did you hear? Reese Witherspoon announced her February book club pick, and it’s none other than The Proposal! How awesome for Jasmine Guillory. Have you read it yet? It’s pretty fun. (Also, how adorable in Reese in that photo?)

And if you haven’t heard, The Ripped Bodice is now running a special Instagram account for rare romances. Rebecca Romney told folks why this is awesome.

Deals!

Have you been putting off Hate to Want You for some reason? If you’ve decided now is the time to experience the heartwrenching story of Livvy and Nicholas (and the discovery that, yes, it is possible to have feelings), it’s 1.99 right now. (And a little birdie told me there might be an excerpt from The Right Swipe in the back matter. FYI.)

If you’ve been meaning to start Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark Hunter series, Night Pleasures is 2.99 right now. There has been a lot happening to Sherrilyn Kenyon recently, so there’s no harm in giving her a little boost. This series is a fun paranormal that can get a little repetitive, but also includes some super interesting worldbuilding and some amazing women, both heroines and supporting characters. I think there are…22 books now? So You’ll have plenty to keep you busy if you fall down the rabbit hole.

Recs!

You might recall I’ve been reading for a non-romance book list for the past several months, which left my time to read new books limited. I filled most of it with imperative reads and novellas. I’m happy to announce that I can now read full length novels again, and my first step was to take some of the recs I’ve gotten from you in the past few months. I’m nowhere near caught up, but I’m excited by the ones I’ve been able to read this week.

Dare to Love a Duke
Eva Leigh

I think I mentioned picking this book up a few weeks ago. I finally finished it, and wow do I understand all of your excitement! Strong female characters coming from all sides, a man with faults who just wants to be a good man, sexcapades, fortune telling, and a few unanswered questions.

Perfection.

Dare to Love a Duke was a book that I knew existed but wasn’t really on my radar to read (because it’s the third in a series). But when Twitter went up in arms to protect the HEA of a sex worker, I was there for it. The heroine, Lucia, is the manager of a sex club for all and once worked in a brothel. The hero, a duke, couldn’t give a rat’s ass. Delightful, right? This book sparked a few discussions about who deserves a happy ending in romance, and I was curious. In part because of the sex worker line–would I, too, have to suspend disbelief? It would be the fault of the author if I couldn’t—and in part because I’d never read Eva Leigh before. If you listen to When In Romance, you know that one of my 2019 goals is to read more authors instead of the same wonderful people I turn around to rec again and again. And boy, does she have a new fan for life. I can’t wait to go back and read her backlist, because her writing is wonderful and her world is a great one.

And no, I didn’t have to suspend disbelief.

Pink Slip
Katrina Jackson

I’ve read Katrina Jackson’s work before, but this is the first in a romantic suspense series and features polyamorous spies, and I legit could not look away. I think I bought all three in the series before I even touched the first one.

And as a bonus to you Read Harder participants, it works for your self-published task!

While this book does fall to a couple of the pitfalls of self-publishing—it could have used one more sweep through by a copyeditor, for instance—that takes nothing away from this sexy, emotional story. Lane and Monica are basically Mr. and Mrs. Smith, but at the end of the movie. They’re super attractive, super good at their jobs, and they work together to get spy stuff done. But they need help keeping their lives together, and Kierra is the perfect PA. It’s not until she gives her notice three years later that the three make any decision to act on their attraction to each other, though…or admit their feelings. So there’s that! Enjoy!

Bonus Rec: I decided to finally check out Gwen Hayes’ Romancing the Beat, which clearly breaks down the elements of romance for writers, from the meet cute to the low moment. Someone recently recommended reading it as a reader, and it really is good for knowing what pieces are usually going to be there. And! It’s not completely heteronormative!

That’s it til Thursday! 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!

January is almost over! How is that possible? By now, I was supposed to be lounging about making bad decisions about rearranging my bookshelves on whatever they give you after they yank out your wisdom teeth. But they moved my appointment so I’m just doing the usual working thing. Ah well. Books are still in my future.

So. Many. Books.

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Sponsored by 99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne, published by William Morrow.

From the author of The Hating Game comes a new romantic comedy about two twins struggling over an inheritance, and the sexy best friend who gets in the middle. Darcy Barrett met her dream man when she was eight years old, and the rest of the male population has been a letdown ever since. No one measures up to Tom Valeska whose only flaw is that her twin brother, Jamie, saw him first, and claimed him forever as his best friend. Tom’s off limits and loyal to Jamie 99%, and for Darcy, one percent of him used to be enough. But this time around, she’s switching things up…

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Over on Book Riot

So on Monday I somehow forgot the big news. I broke the damn thing myself for Book Riot. and I forgot. Well, if you didn’t already know, now you do: E L James is releasing a new book, and it’s not about the Grey family. It’s called The Mister, and at least since it’s set in England, I won’t throw the book at Britishisms like “Laters, Baby.” (Though if that phrase is spoken by Maxim Trevelyan—yes, that is The Mister’s name—I don’t know what I will do.)

And of course, because we can’t leave a new E L James book alone, Trisha has a few burning questions about this book. I’m sure we all do.

Speaking of Trisha, we celebrated When In Romance’s Podiversary this week! It’s officially been a year and what a year to start! It looks like the WTFery that is Romancelandia won’t be waning anytime soon, so we’ll have plenty to talk about in the year to come. This time? More people who don’t understand romance.

Are you doing the Read Harder challenge? There are some romances in this list of recommended books with 100 or fewer goodreads reviews. And I’m ashamed to say, I haven’t read any of them (so I know what I’m doing soon.)

Look, I’m not saying all romance lovers read Harry Potter fanfiction, but I bet there are plenty of us who appreciate Namera’s effort in pulling together this amazing list. (Also, The Green Girl is one of those I still randomly think about years later. FYI.) (Also Number Two, I might have also written one of these a couple years ago that doesn’t have many of the same picks.)

Finally, if you’re ready to KonMari your whole living space and want to move to book subscription services instead, here are a few to try.

Deals!

Twelve stories. Over 500 pages. All inspired by music. Check out stories by Xio Axelrod, Sierra Simone, Nikki Sloane. And nine more, obviously. Regardless of what the cover might indicate, the stories aren’t all about musicians. Actually, there are no musicians in the descriptions at all! But these are totally promising stories, and bound to be good examples of those novellas Trisha and I were talking about on Monday. You probably want the link huh? Well it’s Mixtape and it’s 99 cents!

It’s been three weeks. Have you bought Once Ghosted, Twice Shy yet? It’s still 1.99, and it’s still amazing. Likotsi and Fabiola are wonderful and amazing, and everybody just makes feelings happen. If you haven’t read it, you should.

So uh…did we know Andie J. Christopher had written a hockey romance? It’s wildly cold in some parts of the country so it sounded like a good time to read about some hockey goodness. It’s called Full Contact and it’s got a virgin hero (with a bounty on his virginity WHAT) and a heroine who just wants to get out of town, six-four hunk of Viking-sex or no. It’s 2.99 right now, so you should definitely check it out.

New Releases!

Let’s talk new books! I am excited to read all of these!

Any Old Diamonds
KJ Charles

What does the younger son of a duke do when he can’t stand his father or his wealth? Plans to have the diamonds he’s bought for his duchess stolen, of course. What else? His new compatriot must pretend to be his BFF, though, and that makes things…complicated. KJ Charles does her thing yet again, and it’s just as delightful (and feels-y, because that’s how she works) as everything else she’s put out.

Catastrophe Queen
Emma Hart

Mallory has a new job. This means she has a new boss. Her boss is hot. He knows it; she knows it. They both know they have to deal with their mutual attraction some kind of way, because Mallory needs her job. I’ll tell you—I have been on a trash people kick. Protagonists who are far from together who spend their books not just falling in love but figuring their own thing out are just the best thing. (Note: have you read Intercepted? I think you need to read Intercepted.)

Want more? Check these out, too.

Crazy Cupid Love by Amanda Heger

Three Little Words by Jenny Holiday

See The Light by Kate McMurray

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!

We’re almost done with the month. How’s your 2019 going so far? I’m excited for so many more books. I already have favorites from the year, and there’s so much more time to go!

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Sponsored by our Unusual Suspects giveaway of $100 to the bookstore of your choice!

We’re giving away $100 to the bookstore of your choice! Enter to win by signing up for Unusual Suspects, our mystery/thriller newsletter about new releases, book recommendations, book deals, and more. Enter here.

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News and Useful Links

Looking for a new book club to join in the new year? You’re in luck, cause there are lots. You can always join the When in Romance one (which we’ll be picking up again) and there’s also the Smart Podcast Trashy BookClub, which sounds delightful.

Do you or someone you know have a story to tell? Check out the Harlequin Creator’s Fund, put together to help support creatives across the board.

There was another Historical Romance Kerfuffle this weekend, as a letter to the editor for the RWA publication was shared with the greater romance world. Turns out, there were actually two letters, and they were both Not Good. One was sort of a familiar refrain about telling the stories of all of the people in historical romance, and not telling the stories for others. The phrase “moral high ground” was mentioned, but from such a misguided place. The other letter referenced historical accuracy and compared including happy queer characters to including potatoes before they were introduced to Europe. Sure, dude. Totally. (Also, Jen’s response to both of those letters in the thread linked is just great. Also, read Stamped from the Beginning.)

Here’s a good reaction.

And another one from Heidi Cullinan.

In much better news, OMG ALEXIS DARIA.

Olivia Dade had a lot to say in this thread about novellas. I’ve really come to appreciate them in this past year when I’ve had less time to dedicate to reading romance, and love the way it’s given me a look into the hearts and minds of authors whose longer works I might not have been able to pick up. And I’m excited that they’re becoming even more prominent in the romance world.

Deals!

Speaking of novellas, My Imaginary Ex by Mina V. Esguerra is 99 cents right now, and it’s a great way to dive into the Romance Class, a group of authors writing stories that either take place in the Philippines or that centers Filipino characters in other places. This one is straight out of a movie, featuring a couple who basically went along with the story that they were dating for…well, way too long.

Another novella that reads with all the things you want in a good story (character development and growth, a compelling plot, swoonworthy love story) is Damaged Goods, and it’s 1.99 right now. Sure, I’ll definitely say it’s worth reading A Girl Like Her, which is the first Ravenswood book, before this book, but it’s totally worth it to read it on its own if you just haven’t gotten to that one yet. It features a pregnant heroine and the man who was the Boy Who Got Away, but I have to warn you: both people have had to deal with different kinds of emotional abuse. It’s a lot. But It’s so good. It’s actually one of my favorite and most recommended Talia Hibbert books, and you all know how much I love Talia Hibbert.

And Now For Something Completely Different

I’ve never done an interview for Kissing Books, and I thought 2019 was the year to change that! The fun thing about profiling romance authors is that you can ask them the same questions and get very different answers. So who better to start with than KJ Charles, whose Any Old Diamonds comes out this week (and is just as delightful as every other KJ Charles novel because they’re all amazing and if you haven’t read one you might as well start with this one!)

What was the first romance you ever read?

The first romances I ever read were Georgette Heyer, the first and greatest queen of the Regency. My mum had them all and I devoured them, rereading multiple times. I learned so much about plotting and handling secondary characters. My last book, Band Sinister, was a m/m homage to her wonderful light-hearted books. A reader described it as “Heyer but gayer” and I pretty much died of joy right there.

What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned from a romance novel?

The most surprising thing I’ve learned from a romance is…probably too personal to reveal, honestly. That shock of emotional recognition—the “OMG other people have these feelings”—is an aspect of romance-reading that doesn’t get as much acknowledgement as it deserves. As an author I get quite a few letters from readers saying “I saw myself” or “I didn’t realise before but this is me.”  It’s a big thing to understand yourself more because of reading, and I hear of it happening in romance far more than any other genre.

In less personal terms, the most surprising stuff comes from well-researched historical romances. The best thing I ever learned in my own work was probably that Victorian households used to keep hedgehogs in the kitchen to eat black beetles. I also know how to stuff a sparrow, in theory.

Who has been your favorite character to write?

It changes a lot! Maybe Justin Lazarus, the fraudulent Spiritualist from An Unnatural Vice. It was marvellous fun doing his fake seances and finding out about the tricks Spiritualists used, and he’s also a shameless villain for much of the book, which is gloriously freeing to write. See also Jerry Crozier the jewel thief of Any Old Diamonds, who is never sorry about anything and is basically all my worst impulses come to life (in a good way).

How do you research your time periods?

Research involves a lot of old maps, a lot of reading social history, and a lot of fiction written at the time where possible. Genre fiction is fabulous for giving you a feel of milieu and the obsessions of the day. I’m currently devouring 1920s detective fiction and calling it work.

Do you have a Swiss Army romance recommendation?

The romance that does everything? Hmm. I think the one that comes closest might be A Girl Like Her by Talia Hibbert. It’s sexy, big-hearted, very funny, deeply comforting, and diverse in multiple ways–it’s a book that embraces humanity. I’d recommend it to pretty much anyone.

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Thanks so much to KJ Charles for being my first guinea guest!

So what do you think, are you interested in hearing from more authors? Let me know! 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 Thursday, folks! The world continues to go down the drain, but at least we’ve got romance novels!

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Sponsored by our Unusual Suspects giveaway of $100 to the bookstore of your choice!

We’re giving away $100 to the bookstore of your choice! Enter to win by signing up for Unusual Suspects, our mystery/thriller newsletter about new releases, book recommendations, book deals, and more. Enter here.

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Over on Book Riot

This is literally just a list of words. Very…romance-y…words.

So it was World Fantasy Day on Tuesday, and there was a lot of non-romance-y stuff. But this article about vampire myths from around the world would definitely be of interest to vampire-loving romance readers. (Also, I am kind of excited that vampires are coming back in a big way pretty soon. I know they never left for some people, but I’d like to see how other people want to approach them.)

Look! Personalized bookmarks that look like they fit properly in mass markets! (If you want to fold your pages down, I’m no judge, but I love me a good bookmark.)

Deals!

Did you read Priest? No matter. (If you haven’t and you’re okay with…very sacrilegious sex acts…you should check it out because it’s not that expensive either.) But when I think of my favorite Sierra Simone book, it’s Sinner. It’s set in the same universe as Priest, but if you’re okay with All The Spoilers for how the situation was resolved, you can read it without having read Priest. This one, instead of exploring the very-much-not-celibate life of a Catholic priest when he falls in lust/love, is about a young novice who wants to make sure she’s making the right decision before going full nun. So she goes to her brother’s [former] best friend. For sex. But he offers something more. Whoosh. It’s good, y’all. And it’s 99 cents (as of writing this, on January 22).

Just so you know. You have until April 30 to read the whole London Celebrities series. If you want to start with Act Like It, you can get it now for 1.99. Fake relationship, enemies to lovers, famous people in love, and stagecraft? You know you want it! (And if you pretty much know you’ll love all of the books in the series that are already out, you can grab the whole London Celebrities So Far for 8.99.)

New and Upcoming Releases

There aren’t a whole lot of books out this week; it looks like the heavy guns are all out next week. But we’ve got a few to highlight this week!

Unmarriageable
Soniah Kamal

Did you say “Pride and Prejudice in Pakistan”? I think you did. Or at least, Soniah Kamal did, and it’s like no Pride and Prejudice retelling you’ve seen before. First off, it’s the first published retelling featuring Muslim main characters, and I think the first one actually set in Pakistan. Also, did I mention that Alys, the character based on Elizabeth Bennet, absolutely loves Jane Austen? The book opens with her and her students (because she teaches girls in a secondary school) talking about the opening line. So it’s pretty meta, but still gives good feels. (Also, you’re gonna learn lots of Urdu!)

The DILF
Amy Andrews

So the D? It stands for doctor. Also, instead of a my-best-friend’s-little sister-grew-up-and-got-hot story, this one is a “my-kid-brother’s-geeky-friend-is-hot-now” nurse and doctor story. I have not actually read many medical romances, so I’m looking forward to checking this one out, even with that…vaguely unfortunate but descriptive and evocative title.

Amaryllis
Joyce Proell

Revolutionary-era historical romance! I’m totally intrigued by the perspective of a young British spy. She’s trying to save her father, who’s in prison in the Colonies, and agrees to sneak onto a ship to gather intel about the ship’s captain who…might also be a spy. For the other side. No biggie.

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!

Not only is it Monday, but it’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Civil Rights Day (at least that’s the complete name in Arizona. What’s it for you, if you live in the States?). I’m off for the day, but I hope those of you who have to work (especially in retail) are still having a good day!

Let’s have a look at what’s been going on.

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Sponsored by our Unusual Suspects giveaway of $100 to the bookstore of your choice!

We’re giving away $100 to the bookstore of your choice! Enter to win by signing up for Unusual Suspects, our mystery/thriller newsletter about new releases, book recommendations, book deals, and more. Enter here.

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News and Useful Links

Last week, I mentioned that Harlequin was diving deeper into the movie business. There’s some more adaptation news (preliminary, unfortunately):

• This is really cute! Tara Frejas and the other #romanceclass folks are releasing mini movies based on some of their books!
• A+E Studios has made a deal with Swoon Reads, who have published awesome YA-with-crossover-potential titles like The Brightsiders and Let’s Talk About Love. No talk of titles yet, but there are so many that could be made and I can’t wait to hear more!

Also! You can get the Deadly Sexy movie on DVD!

Do you want to have print copies of every book in Alyssa Cole’s Reluctant Royals series in print? (Me, too!) Well you’re in luck, because Once Ghosted, Twice Shy is coming out in print as of February 19!

I don’t know why we keep having the same conversation, but really. Romance doesn’t need to be “shaken up” by taking away the HEA. There are already things that need to happen, and they involve spreading the love, not taking it away.

Farah Rochon’s got a new series coming out (in 2020, sadly) and it looks adorable!

Here’s more about Sherrilyn Kenyon’s current troubles. As Courtney Milan said when she shared it, read with care, and content warnings galore.

Do you like meet cutes? (Is that even a question?) Ready for a TBR explosion? Check out this thread!

Deals!

If you’re interested in starting a new royal romance series, Royal Date by Sariah Wilson is 1.99 right now. I can’t pass up a good royal story, and this one features a meet cute involving downhill skiing and a hero who looks like “Superman’s hotter Italian cousin.” There’s also a “no kissing” deal involved, and we all know what happens when those come up.

Last week I talked about historical series you could dive into. But they had nothing on total page count on Elizabeth Hoyt’s Maiden Lane series. This series is set in the early eighteenth-century, so it’s got a different vibe than our beloved Regencies. And from what I’ve heard, they’re basically all good (I, shamefully, haven’t made it through the full set of twelve main books and several inbetweeners). Want to see what all the fuss is about? Check out Wicked Intentions, which is 1.99!

Recs

Like I said before, it’s MLK day here in the US, and it also just feels like the right time to talk about activism in romance. I love reading about people who want to do what’s right, and doing it while falling in love is just awesome. Here are some of the ones I’ve loved and a couple I can’t wait to read.

Let it Shine
Alyssa Cole

If you haven’t gotten to this book yet, I absolutely recommend reading it wildly soon. Our lovers, Sofie and Ivan, were friends as kids, and are reunited when Sofie is in need of a bit of saving. It’s an adorable story about finding love and finding your voice—with some learning about the Freedom Riders, too! (PS: if you liked this one, you can also check out Let Us Dream, which is another of Alyssa’s novellas. That one takes place during the Suffragette era!)

Loving the Secret Billionaire
Adriana Anders

Originally published as “Grassroots” in Rogue Desire, this is an extended version that digs deeper into the story of Veronica Cruz, a canvasser, and the secretive guy whose door she knocks on. She makes an impression on him, and he wants to promise her more than his vote. Luckily, he has the resources to do something about what they both want.

Rogue Nights
Lots of People

If you haven’t checked out Rogue Desire and the subsequent five volumes, all featuring shorts and novellas about protagonists involved in political activism of some kind, you’re totally missing out. Rogue Nights, the most recent, includes stories by Talia Hibbert, Robin Covington, and Annabeth Albert, among many others. Featured resisters in this volume include journalists, volunteer escorts, legislators, and more!

I’ll throw this in as an honorable mention, because I just talked about this series last week, but The Duchess War by Courtney Milan features a duke interested in the rights of factory workers and one of the other Brothers Sinister novels is literally called The Suffragette Scandal. So you’ll have fun with those.

Also: while there is more sex than sedition happening in this novel (and more feelings than literally anything else), A Seditious Affair by KJ Charles also deserves a mention.

I need to stop now before I throw in another five or six.

Who are your favorite romance activists?

Have a great first half of the 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 or just want to say hi!

It’s Thursday, so let’s talk new books! It was a light week, but there are definitely a few things to highlight.

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Sponsored by Nightchaser by Amanda Bouchet

Captain Tess Bailey and her ragtag band of thieves are wanted criminals. They steal from the “haves” to give to the “have nots.” Even though her heart is in the right place, her actions still get her into trouble – and there’s no trouble greater than the dreaded Galactic Overseer Novalight. After stealing a top-secret military laboratory and inciting Novalight’s rage, Tess and her crew manage to escape—and miraculously survive. Docked on their new planet, Tess encounters the tall, dark, and haughty bounty hunter Shade Ganavan, who has to decide if he wants to turn them over to the Galactic Overseer and be set for life, or if the real payoff is winning Tess’s heart.

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Over on Book Riot

We’re back! Trisha and I got down to business again, but sadly no Huns were defeated. We’re back on schedule for the year, so be ready for us to talk about romance and trying not to go over time, every other week!

This isn’t particularly romance-related, but I know there are lots of us who read Kindle books (because that’s the only way to get some of the greats) and we have to go through a lot of steps on our Apple products. You all probably know the shortcuts, but if you need some tips, here’s a rundown.

New year, new reading nook? I thought I was going to try reading in a different, book-dedicated location in my house this year, but I find myself back in the corner of my sectional while my husband watches back-episodes of Guitar of the Day. Ah well. At least I’ve got my blanket.

Seriously. She doesn’t.

Want to win a copy of 99 Percent Mine? Enter this giveaway! It’s over pretty soon, so I’d get on that.

This. Is amazing.

Deals!

This is probably the 85th time I’ve talked about this book, but Truth or Beard is free right now! The first book in Penny Reid’s Winston Brothers series (which—hint hint—is all completely self-published) sets the tone for the whole series. We get to know not only the whole Winston clan, but also their town. And, also, Penny Reid’s spectacular combination of hilarity and feels, which is good to have about now. Just a heads up: the Winston Brothers are like Pringles. Once you pop, the fun don’t stop. Or maybe they’re more like Lay’s?

Did you read The Apprentice Sorceress after I talked about it last week? Another book in the series, The Beauty’s Beast is 99 cents right now! This one, which is set in the same universe, is about a noblewoman put in charge of a wolf, who turns out to be a cursed knight.

Did you like Tikka Chance on Me? Check out one of Suleikha Snyder’s older titles, Spice and Smoke! It’s 99 cents, and features multiple couples. They’re across the sexuality spectrum and include relationships within established couples and new and burgeoning ones, too. And if you like this one, check out Spice and Secrets and Bollywood and the Beast, which are both 2.99. (Actually, a lot of Suleikha’s novels are 2.99 right now, so you should just buy them all. You won’t regret it!)

New and Upcoming Releases

I know it’s after the holidays, but you have to check out Miss Dominguez’s Christmas Kiss and Other Stories by Lydia San Andres. The collection is part of her fin de siecle historicals set in the Caribbean, and her writing is super delightful. Also, it’s 99 cents.

I still want to burn the term “reverse harem” forever but A Star Pilot’s Heart looks utterly delightful. The description calls it a mix between Firefly, Star Wars, and The Princess Bride so I’m definitely in.

I saw the cover of LARPED and immediately had A Mighty Need. A TV star mistaken for a LARPer by his future lady love? Sign me up. There’s a whole issue with deception that I’m worried will turn me off of the story, but I’m totally down to start!

And speaking of LARPers (not really) The Ex-Princess by Fiona West also looks delightful. It’s a “modern fantasy adventure” featuring a princess who doesn’t want to get married and a prince who needs her to. I’m super intrigued by the worldbuilding in this novel, which talks about horses as modes of transportation and people calling each other back.

I haven’t read the earlier books in these series, but there are TWO hockey romances out this week. The one in Victoria Denault’s San Francisco Thunder series, Now or Never, has her usual soft boys with bodies of steel. Holden wants to prove he isn’t the kid he was in high school to his high school crush, and there is also home restoration involved.

Game On, by Kelly Jamieson, is kind of the reverse of this in every way. From the whole not knowing each other thing to not planning on a relationship to go anywhere. But if you like contemporaries with bets, business heiresses, and smartasses abound, this one is for you!

Alright! I think that’s probably good for the next few days. 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!

Monday edition, take two! You all didn’t burn the place down about the double inbox, and thanks to the folks who reached out! I hope you continue to be as excited as I am.

We’ve got a lot to cover, but at least for the most part it’s good stuff!

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Sponsored by Harlequin DARE

She’s been a very good girl…Now she’s learning to be bad! Ditched at the altar for being boring in bed, prim lawyer Maya Martin goes on a solo Amalfi Coast honeymoon with one goal in mind: proving her ex wrong! And when she meets tattooed, hard-bodied Charlie Teller, he seems just the man for the job—he’s so hot it’s criminal! This Christmas, Charlie will help Maya unleash her wild side…over and over again!

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News and Useful Links

For enough of us of a certain age, the phrase “kissing book” harkens memories of a baby Savage sick in bed, making lengthy commentary on the story his Grandpa is reading him. So it’s no surprise that this newsletter is not the only regular feature with the title. If you don’t regularly read Olivia Waite’s rendition in the Seattle Review of Books, you should check it out. This column in particular is a prime example of how deeply she digs in to examine not just romance novels themselves, but romance as a genre.

This. Is. WILD. I’m so glad she’s better, but wow.

You all know how much (or you’re going to learn) I love Talia Hibbert. Have you seen her inspo for her first Avon romance, Get A Life, Chloe Brown?

While I had some qualms with this article (mostly her thoughts on contemporary romance—has she read more than one?), Tessa Dare’s delight is contagious.

So like, Kate Clayborn wrote about scents and smells. And then Jen (who declared she wouldn’t stir anything up) went ahead and grabbed a spoon. :lolsob-emoji:

Did you follow #rwchat? It was a great way to understand how writers might think and follow the trends. Sadly, they’re retiring. They’ve been awesome, and we wish the organizers well.

There was a lot of extra cash left over after the Cocky Collective finished their fundraising efforts, so they donated it to RWA!

Harlequin is going above and beyond with the whole film thing. I hope they start digging into a different element of their own publishing collective. I love Hallmark movies (and their equivalents on Lifetime and Netflix) but they’re…kind of all the same. Harlequin is massive. They could do to make a romantic suspense action flick or (heaven forbid) something from the Kimani line.

“To be clear, he has never appeared on any of my covers. That would be yucky.” Giggles for days.

Deals

How many Cat Sebastian novels have you read? If your answer is none, might I suggest starting out with A Gentleman Never Keeps Score, which is currently 1.99? It’s not her first or even first in a series, but it’s a perfect standalone and both heroes are delightful squeezable human beings.

Or if you’re looking for a different kind of untold historic story, The Bittersweet Bride, the first in Vanessa Riley’s Advertisements for Love series is 3.99. The whole series centers women of color in late Regency England.

Recs!

Since we talked about contemporary series starters last week, let’s do some historical ones this week! These are historical series you can read all the way through. Some are older, so they might be familiar, but I wanted to include a couple that have come to recent conclusions, too!

Destiny’s Embrace
Destiny
Beverly Jenkins

A lot of people I know, whether they frequent historical romance or not, have read Beverly Jenkins’ Old West trilogy, which concludes with Tempest—the one where the wealthy mail-order bride shoots her doctor husband before actually meeting him. If you haven’t read any of those, definitely check them out. But the first Beverly Jenkins series I read was Destiny—Destiny’s Embrace, Destiny’s Surrender, and Destiny’s Captive. They are centered around three brothers (and their mother!) as they grow, learn, and love in Reconstruction-era California…and in international waters. Destiny’s Embrace introduces us to the oldest brother, Logan, who needs a maid. When Mariah hops off a train from the East with a determined eye and a no-nonsense attitude, Logan isn’t sure either of them will survive. But they have to live with each other, so…

This trilogy is pretty darn sexy, and you can learn some stuff about Reconstruction, too!

The Soldier’s Scoundrel
The Turners
Cat Sebastian

I was sent an advanced reader copy of this book and I just knew I had a new favorite author. Six books later, and I am still just as in love. This series is the first of three established ones, and it centers cinnamon roll characters and the morally-questionable folks they fall in love with. The Soldier’s Scoundrel sets the tone with an aristocrat who had been injured in the war, who reluctantly falls in love with…well, a scoundrel. Don’t listen to me rambling, just check them out.

The Duchess War
The Brothers Sinister
Courtney Milan

Do you know what the first thing that delighted me about this book? Trains! I hadn’t really thought about the fact that The Brothers Sinister was a Victorian book, and then there was some mention of a train. And I realized that changes in travel made everything different. But you know what else is great about The Duchess War? Everything else. The hero and heroine meet each other while they’re both hiding out from a party. How can you not love that?

The Lotus Palace
The Pingkang Li Mysteries
Jeannie Lin

You’ve all heard me crow about the Tang Dynasty books (Butterfly Swords and My Fair Concubine in particular) but this is another historical series by Jeannie Lin that you can read all the way through. This series has all the same worldbuilding and compelling dialogue, but also mysteries!

Have you read these series? What did you think?

More new titles on Thursday! 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!

Hey, it’s Thursday! More Kissing Books are on the horizon!

First, how about some of the awesomeness on the Riot this week?

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Sponsored by The One You Fight For by Roni Loren.

Taryn Landry has never fully recovered from losing her sister in a school shooting ten years ago – but she’s determined to complete her research that should help prevent future school shootings. Unfortunately, the only way to complete her project is to interview the brother of the boy who killed her sister. After spending over a decade dealing with the media and the fallout from his brother’s rampage, Shaw Miller is trying to start a new life. So when Taryn wants to interview him, he refuses. But Taryn won’t take no for an answer…and soon, they both realize that if they let their guards down, they could find love, peace, and forgiveness.

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Over on Book Riot

Do you like quizzes? Here’s a new one that will tell you what romantic adventure book to read next! I’d tell you what I got, but then you’d know what one of the answers were 😉

And oh hey, do you like spies? Here are a few romances with spies at the center, including one of my faves An Extraordinary Union and a couple that I bought immediately upon reading Sil’s post. Legit right there.

Also! We talked about our most anticipated books (that we even know about) for 2019. The romance section is a nice combination of usual faves and potential new loves.

Deals

Are you plotting out your reading for the Read Harder challenge? How about HE Trent’s Jekh Saga, which starts with Erstwhile. I haven’t read these yet (though both the first book and the first bundle sit happily waiting in my kindle app, facepalm), but they’ll definitely be a sexy option for a book set in space by an author of color. You can get the first book for 3.99 or check out the first half of the series for 8.99. There are six in total!

I’ll be the first to admit it: I have been totally obsessed with Lottery Ticket Stories since It Could Happen To You, that gloriously ridiculous romantic comedy starring Police Officer Nick Cage and down-on-her-luck waitress Bridget Fonda. So when I discovered Kate Clayborn’s Chance of a Lifetime series, I knew I was in for something special. The first one, Beginner’s Luck, features a scientist heroine with a corporate recruiter love interest, and I am here for it. Take a risk; it’s 99 cents right now. (And if you want to go all in, the entire Chance of a Lifetime bundle is 8.97!)

And since we’re apparently discussing irresistible 90s romcoms, It’s my duty to tell you that Sophie Jordan’s While the Duke Was Sleeping is 1.99. And if you’re wondering “is that really…” then yes, you’re right. Much like Sandra Bullock in her second-greatest romantic role of the 1990s (her best being Speed, don’t @ me), the heroine of this novel saves a duke from a carriage accident, and then is mistaken for his fiancee in the melee while His Grace is in a coma. For 1.99, you totally want it.

New and Upcoming Releases!

I’ll still do a quick rundown of new books out this week, but I also wanted to highlight a couple new releases—namely lovely queer novellas!

Once Ghosted, Twice Shy
Alyssa Cole

I’m sure you’ve heard plenty about this novella by now, but it really was worth the wait! Told in a now-and-then format, we get to know Likotsi, the most competent person in the Reluctant Royals universe, and the woman she was so thrilled about in the later parts of A Princess in Theory. As someone who is super picky about second-chance romances, I was worried I wouldn’t find it in my heart to be forgiving, but leave it to The Great Alyssa to pull at my empathy bones perfectly.

Going Down
Barbara Bell

Hi, did you say “trapped in an elevator?” I think you said “trapped in an elevator.” This is a short, super sexy read about a woman and her boss, who had…an encounter, shall we say…and then didn’t do anything about it for months. But now they’re trapped in an elevator and the air can be cleared. Huh, now that I’m thinking about it, this is—in a way—yet another second-chance romance, this time with a Big Misunderstanding in the mix, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

The Apprentice Sorceress
ED Walker

This is the second in a series, but all of the books can be read on their own. In this one, Violette, lady in waiting to the princess who got her happy for now in the first book, Enchanting the King, pretends to be sweethearts with Ned, a squire for said king. When Violette discovers she possesses magic that she can’t control, Ned offers to help her control it. I need more fantasy romance in my life, and this one was a good way to start my year.

Other new releases I’m looking forward to picking up include:

Nine of Swords, Reversed by Xan West
Slender Bridge by Katrina Clemons
At His Lady’s Command by Nicola Davidson
Too Cocky by Jamila Jasper (yes. Oh yes.)
Untouchable by Jayne Ann Krentz
Teasing the Princess by Nana Malone
Is it Over Yet? by LA Witt
Unfamiliar Waters by Andrew Grey
Redemption of the Heart by Moni Boyce
The Likelihood of Lucy by Jenny Holiday

That’s it for now! 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 Monday, folks!

That’s right, it’s our first Monday edition of Kissing Books, and I’m excited to get started!

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Sponsored by our Unusual Suspects giveaway of $100 to the bookstore of your choice!

We’re giving away $100 to the bookstore of your choice! Enter to win by signing up for Unusual Suspects, our mystery/thriller newsletter about new releases, book recommendations, book deals, and more. Enter here.

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News and Useful Links

Well, we had an interesting weekend in romancelandia:

• Someone with whom I am not familiar posted a medium article about Jennifer L. Armentrout and Jenny Trout, which sparked a lot of conversation about coincidence and the way people treat each other. Camps were formed, arguments were made, and eventually Jenny Trout stepped out of the conversation and deleted the tweets that started it. There were enough threads that I lost track of the conversation, unfortunately. (Just as a note: a lot of what was happening was gossip, conjecture, and hearsay, so I am mostly sharing it as an FYI.)
• This also led to a conversation about the difference between plagiarism and common tropes, which we all know is a thing that won’t stay dead in romance. Tessa Dare had a good thread about that.
• On top of all that, Jimmy Thomas, who has been on countless romance covers, showed his whole ass over the weekend. But lots of cover artists and other awesome people have offered to make free covers pro-bono for authors who don’t want his face turning people off from his books. Don’t forget—a lot of these authors are just picking a face from stock photos, and have no idea what might be going on in the head behind said face. Well, now we know.
• In much more delightful news, Jen (@JenReadsRomance) organized a group-watch of the Deadly Sexy movie and if you’re okay with some mild spoilers you should definitely enjoy yourself on the #DeadlySexyWatch hashtag.
• Speaking of Jen, have you checked out her map of romance-friendly indie and used bookstores?
• This was a really interesting thread about lesbian romance. Do you know the history, and why there’s so much less of it than m/m romance?

Also, romance-adjacent (though most of you know how I feel about Nicholas Sparks): Ingrid Michaelson is in line to work on a future musical based on The Notebook. Honestly, if Ryan Gosling and Amy Adams aren’t involved, I don’t particularly care.

Deals

Start Here, an anthology by #romanceclass authors (who, if you haven’t heard of them, are either from the Philippines or have Filipino heritage) is 99 cents right now. Its subtitle is “short stories of first encounters” but there are promised HEAs for everyone. If you want to get a taste of Romance Class, start here. (I’m sorry. I couldn’t help it.)

Looking for a laugh? Tara Sivec’s Shame on You (as well as the other two in the series, actually) is 1.99. While an ex-military woman turned bounty hunter might not immediately read as a barrel of laughs, Tara Sivec just has a way of turning the most ridiculous situations into comedy.

Recs!

Now that we’ve got twice the KB, look for some backlist recs on Mondays, and we’ll talk about new books on Thursdays (after each week’s batch of Tuesday releases). Today, I thought I’d start us off with some contemporary series starters, all that are either finished or will be soon. They’re not quite the Play By Play series as far as length, but they’re great for a few days’ reading. Sit down with these openers, and decide if you want to gorge yourself on the rest.

One and Only
Bridesmaids Behaving Badly
Jenny Holiday

Why should brides get all the fun? This series (three full-length novels and a novella) features a few bridesmaids who are just trying to do their best for the brides in their lives, and they find themselves getting waylaid (hah. hah.) by…well, other men in their brides’ lives. Jenny Holiday is great at telling a story that is both heartfelt and fun, and these books are easy to read over a weekend. The last in the series hasn’t yet come out (it’s out January 29) so if you spread it out just enough, you can pick it up just in time.

Stroke of Midnight
One Night in South Beach
Andie J. Christopher

This book starts on New Year’s Eve, and features a sexy encounter between a woman who works too much to keep the family business afloat and a former Navy SEAL. Each story is a standalone, like you do, but they’re about people who know each other, whether they’re related or connected in other ways. Andie J. Christopher’s stories are delightful and fun, and a pretty sexy. And of course, they feature Latinx protagonists.

In the Middle of Somewhere
Middle of Somewhere
Roan Parrish

You all know my feelings on Roan Parrish and her writing. In the Middle of Somewhere was her debut novel in 2015, and is a beautiful story featuring a furniture builder in Upper Michigan and the prickly man he comes to love. Roan Parrish’s stories are more quiet, with less going on than the others, so if you’re looking for something fast-paced, this series isn’t the way to go. But they’re a great place to start if your goal, like mine, is to make your way through her repertoire.

So if you’re looking for a contemporary series to start, have at this one, and we’ll see you on Thursday with some new titles!

That’s it for now! 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 2019, lovers!

I’ve missed you this last couple weeks, and man, do we have some things to talk about!

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Sponsored by Waterhouse Press.

After being left at the altar, Jade Roberts seeks solace at her best friend’s ranch on the Colorado western slope. Her humiliation still ripe, she doesn’t expect to be attracted to her friend’s reticent brother, but when the gorgeous cowboy kisses her, all bets are off. Talon Steel is broken. Having never fully healed from a horrific childhood trauma, he simply exists, taking from women what is offered and giving nothing in return…until Jade Roberts catapults into his life. She is beautiful, sweet, and giving, and his desire for her becomes a craving he fears he’ll never be able to satisfy. Passion sizzles between the two lovers…but long-buried secrets haunt them both and may eventually tear them apart.

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News and Useful Links

So the first thing is actually Kissing Books news: I’ve been bouncing in my boots to tell you! As of next week, you get Twice The Jess in your inbox every week! Catch me on Mondays as well as Thursdays. I have to warn you: we probably won’t be doing double 1000-word newsletters a week, but all the familiar content (and maybe more!) will be there. Bear with me as I figure out how not to spit a million words at you every week, and keep an eye out for Monday’s edition!

Okay, now, let’s talk the five-month-long end of 2018, also known as the last week and a half.

The adaptation of Deadly Sexy that Beverly Jenkins and Iris Bolling crowdsourced is now available on Amazon! There was a bit of trouble early on, but now watch away! (I’m not sure why, but it’s not available on Amazon Prime even though the earliest excitement included that. But hey, spend 2.99 or 9.99 and support this bit of beauty.)

Also, if you like podcasts, check out the SBTB interview with Ms. Bev herself. (And there’s a transcript if you don’t.)

Alyssa Cole just had to release her list of best romances right after I hit send on the last KB, so even though we thought we were done with Best Of lists, this one is an absolute must share. What do you think?

Do you follow #readRchat? The results are in for their Best Of 2018, voted by twitter!

So there was some tea drunk and served on Twitter over the holidays, as various people shared some hot takes and end-of-year thoughts (and lots of people were off work and basically on twitter for ten days straight). A “hot takes” request inspired a confusing thread about romance without HEAs deserving to be part of the genre (spoiler alert: no they don’t, cause then they’re not romance). A “nice takes” request inspired a lovely tweet about romance being wonderful and life changing, which led to some Well, Actuallys that we definitely didn’t need. Tess Sharpe wrote a detailed thread about craftsmanship, which led to Patton Oswalt thinking “hey, I’d like to read some romance.” Which led to Sarah MacLean being her usual awesome self and leading him to try a couple, including Alyssa Cole’s Let Us Dream (a 2018 favorite for me) and Mia Hopkins’ Thirsty—which I have not yet read but every person I trust who has absolutely adored. (So guess what, it’s going on the read soon list.)

And when we thought the wild ride that was Romancelandia 2018 was over, we had to have another conversation about Who Deserves A HEA. This time, it wasn’t Nazis, thank goodness. But there was a Historical Accuracy Conversation because a woman who started out as a sex worker ended up a Duchess (the book in question was Dare to Love a Duke). Besides the fact that there is a history of this kind of coupling, this type of Historical Accuracy Conversation can often be led by someone who thinks certain kind of people (read: not white cishet perfect morally upstanding pollyanna) don’t deserve HEAs or somehow didn’t have them before 2000. The hashtag #HEA4SW is a pretty great response.

And honestly, there was probably more going on. Twitter can be so insular.

On a brighter note, the BookLoversCon agenda is up. It’s kind of difficult to follow the different tracks because of the colors, but you can at least see who’ll be there and what they’ll be talking about. (PS – are you going to New Orleans this year? Let me know!)

Okay, this is getting long, let’s move to some books, shall we?

Deals

Looking to start a complete series? Lisa Kleypas’ Mine Till Midnight is $2.99 right now.

If you’d rather read a contemporary one, Act Like It by Lucy Parker is $1.99.

EE Ottoman’s The Craft of Love is $1.99 if you’re looking for a lovely queer novella.

I know football season’s almost over (right? I think.) but if you have a hankering for starting a football series from the beginning, Huddle With Me Tonight by Farrah Rochon is FREE.

Over on Book Riot

R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Give it.

Fantasy and Paranormal romances by their Hogwarts houses. Brilliant. I have so much reading to do.

The Tropetonite Lives! Jessica Avery picked up the slack (I know, I’m going to try to do more of them in 2019. First resolution!) and talked about Forced Proximity. I love those, do you?

Recs!

Who wants to start the year with a couple of novellas? Both of these were books I bought and let hang out on my kindle for a while, and then I was very upset with myself for waiting. But that’s been happening more, so you’re probably going to see a lot more backlist recs from me this year (but don’t worry, I’ll still be reading and reccing frontlist, too!). Helps I get to babble twice a week, huh?

Only for a Night
Naima Simone

This book popped up in a couple places this year, including Erin McCoy’s list of erotic short stories, and I’d gotten a sample to see if it was as wild as people had said. Needless to say, I started it, and the sample. Was. Not. Enough. Harper is a young widow who has come to Rion to let loose. Rion owns an aphrodisiac club, where people can pursue their wildest desires, and she wouldn’t trust anyone else to help her explore her own desires—the kind that were pent up for years. Rion, who started the club with friends after finally getting out of the Irish Mob, has never thought he was good enough for her, even though they were friends as kids. But he can’t let her go anywhere else, so he offers her one night. No more. She accepts, and boy do they have a night. There’s a lot packed into a brief package, but it’s the perfect combination of emotions, sexytimes, and total satisfaction. And it’s the first in a series (and the introduction to the other two heroes is pretty seamless).

Tikka Chance on Me
Suleikha Snyder

First off: if you are on Twitter and don’t follow Suleikha, you should. She has great things to say and also she shares photos of Bearded Chris Evans, who was also (in part) inspiration for Trucker, the hero of this novella. Pinky, our strong-willed, delightful heroine, works in her family’s Indian restaurant, which Trucker and his biker buds frequent surprisingly often. The two have a mild attraction but don’t act on it—until they do. It’s a short fireburst that Melissa Blue (whose books are also good, go read them) called a Master Class in romance. So yeah. I devoured it.

(Oh! I remembered the other thing that went down on twitter and it was about a problematic reviewer’s coverage of this book. I won’t give her links, but the trail is easy to find.)

I am so excited to read this year! It’ll be a bit easier after this month, when I’ve finished with a non-romance book commitment that has been quite an experience but also quite time consuming. What was your first read of 2019? (Mine was Bygone Badass Broads and man do I want romance novels based pretty much on every single one of their lives—even Mary Bowser, who was already the inspiration for Elle in An Extraordinary Union!)

New and Upcoming Releases

Nightchaser by Amanda Bouchet (I’m excited for this one!)
The One You Fight For by Roni Loren
Tigers On the Way by Sean Kennedy
Finding Alexei by Kendall Ryan (January 7)
Once Ghosted, Twice Shy by Alyssa Cole (January 8) (MORE RELUCTANT ROYALS YAY)

That’s it for now! 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!