Category: Kissing Books

This is it, the last Kissing Books of the year! It’s been quite the 2018! Here’s hoping 2019 is better, and moves quickly.

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Sponsored by Dirty Little Secret by Jennifer Ryan

John Cordero groomed his step-son Noah to take over his Montana ranch one day, but when John unexpectedly dies, he leaves half the ranch to Roxy, his daughter Noah never knew about. Inheriting a ranch from her estranged father means Roxy now shares a home with infuriating, challenging, and oh-so-tempting Noah. But the secrets don’t end there – John also owned the notorious Wild Rose Ranch, a brothel in Nevada, where Roxy grew up, and made it part of her inheritance. As their strictly business relationship starts to turn to true love, Roxy wonders what will happen when Noah discovers her dirty little secret?

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News and Useful Links

If you’re still picking out some holiday reads, Maya Rodale discusses three in her NPR column.

This sounds like a pretty great podcast. Did you listen to season one?

Got an hour and a half to spare? Check out this panel on romance and sex positivity hosted by The Strand.

If you’ve got more time, check out the trailers for Passionflix’s new adaptations of Mr. 365 and Wrapped Up In You. And if you’re curious, check out the books they’re based on: Ruth Clampett’s Mr. 365 and Wrapped Up in You by Ella Frank and Brooke Blaine.

Do you like to gamify your reading? Under the Covers is hosting Romance-opoly, for your playing pleasure.

Like all the best romance of the year lists? Here’s Amazon’s.

And Jasmine Guillory told Oprah Mag what some of her favorite romances are.

Deals!

Lily Maxton’s A Lady’s Desire is 99 cents. Look at that cover.

If you’ve been waiting to get A Girl Like Her, it’s 99 cents for a very limited time!

Do you like Lorraine Heath? When a Duke Loves a Woman is 1.99.

Over on Book Riot

So many clinch covers. I love them all.

The Spreadsheet Lives! Check out the newly updated, super shiny 2019 book tracking spreadsheet.

What do you know about reverse harems? It’s a horrible name for a category but that’s what they’re calling it and you might as well read about them, and then read a few 😉

Kamrun talks about Christina Lauren’s My Favorite Half-Night Stand and friendship.

Emily interviewed Jennifer Armentrout about all kinds of things.

Sil is going to murder us with her list of upcoming romances.

Anticipated Reads

Speaking of upcoming romances. Since I went through a retrospective of the year last week, I’m excited to share some of the books I want to read come 2019. It won’t surprise you at all that a lot of them are sequels or other related novels to books I’ve loved this year. But others are new series or new-to-me authors that just sound awesome.

Once Ghosted, Twice Shy by Alyssa Cole

A novella interlude from the Reluctant Royals series featuring Likotsi, a favorite from A Princess in Theory.

Unmarriageable by Soniah Kamal

Pride and Prejudice in Pakistan!

I Owe You One by Sophie Kinsella

I love Sophie Kinsella’s humor and her stories about strangers coming together are always delightful.

Crashing into Her by Mia Sosa

I really enjoyed Pretending He’s Mine and damn, have you seen that cover?

An Unconditional Freedom by Alyssa Cole

I have been waiting for this book since I turned the last page of A Hope Divided.

American Dreamer by Adriana Herrera

What’s this? A m/m romance featuring an Afro-Caribbean food truck in Upstate New York?

Meet Cute by Helena Hunting

Y’all know how I feel about meet cutes, and this has the title to draw me in. I don’t even care what it’s about, but there’s a movie star involved.

A Duke in Disguise by Cat Sebastian

More Regency Imposters! Yay!

A Prince on Paper by Alyssa Cole

More Reluctant Royals!

Pride, Prejudice and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev

MORE Pride and Prejudice?

Reverb by Anna Zabo

Syncopation and Counterpoint were both amazing. I can’t wait for this one.

The Bride Test by Helen Hoang

Michael’s cousin Khai made a pretty big splash for me in The Kiss Quotient, and I am looking forward to seeing him live his own story.

Rebel by Beverly Jenkins

I don’t care what it’s about, it’s a new Beverly Jenkins.

Ayesha at Last by Uzma Jalaluddin

There’s already been so much talk about this book, and it’s not even out in the States. There have been movie rights sold and it’s not out in the states.

The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai

Did you read Hurts to Love You? Then you know my girl Rhiannon. She gets her own book!

The Wedding Party by Jasmine Guillory

Jasmine Guillory has mastered the elevator breakdown and public proposal, meet cutes. Let’s see what she does with enemies to lovers.

Brazen and the Beast by Sarah MacLean

Whit. Oh, Whit.

So this is…only through June, and only a portion of the books I want to read next year. I’m overwhelmed, but super excited! Which ones are you destined to read soon?

New and Upcoming Releases

Hoops Holiday by Kennedy Ryan
Verity by Colleen Hoover
Not the Duke’s Darling by Elizabeth Hoyt (new series!)
Nightchaser by Amanda Bouchet (January 1)
The One You Fight For by Roni Loren (January 1)
At The CEO’s Pleasure by Yahrah St. Joun (January 1)

Just as a reminder, no Kissing Books next week! But I’ll be back in January with a big announcement!

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!

Good Thorsday, friends. I hope all is well in the lands where you are, and that you’re either having a nice, stress-free amp-up toward the latter-month holidays, or are just enjoying your December. If not, I’ve got some things to help you out.

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Sponsored by Book Riot’s 10 Best Nonfiction Books of 2018 Giveaway.

We’re giving away ten of our favorite works of nonfiction of the year! Click here to enter.

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News and Useful Links

It’s definitely been a quieter week than last week. A few things have happened here and there, but mostly I’m just excited to delight you with precious photos, release announcements, and more lists.

If you weren’t reading “That Festive Feeling” over on Frolic because you don’t do serials, it’s all done and safe to consume beginning to end.

Did you see that magical cover for The Wedding Party? And you can read an excerpt!

The cover for Brazen and the Beast was released, too. It’s so purty. Is it 2019 yet? (No, but soon!)

Speaking of Frolic, a Fast Company article about the ever-growing romance and pop culture media conglomerate very much buried the lede when it came to sharing news about A Princess in Theory being optioned for film! That’s right, Ledi and Thabiso will be on our screens in the future. Time for a reread.

Goodreads has offered another lovely Year in Books page for each of us, and some authors are sharing theirs! Helen Hoang was one of them, and even though the number is small, the books are mighty! And I have yet even more reading to do! (You’re welcome to have a look at mine, if you’re wondering.)

So we all know the folks at The Ripped Bodice are magic and just too precious for this world. But have you seen their | holiday | photos. You’re gonna need a paper bag to control your breathing after all the giggling. And joy.

Maya Rodale’s newest review collection on NPR’s website is just delightful, and boy do I need to read those. I even have two of them :facepalm:

And finally, don’t forget to watch Deadly Sexy over the weekend! The adaptation of Beverly Jenkins’ super sexy romantic suspense—very unlike the historicals for which she’s known—will be available to watch on Amazon Prime starting Saturday (December 15, for those of you who might be behind on newsletters).

Deals!

If you’ve already enjoyed The Trouble With Mistletoe this holiday season (and watched the PassionFlix adaptation featuring Hot Ghost—I mean…Thomas Beaudoin), another Jill Shalvis Christmas romance, Chasing Christmas Eve, is 1.99.

Okay so here’s a story: In college, after catching up on all the Anita Blake books, slamming my way through the Dark Hunters, and moaning about what the heck had happened to Lestat, my similarly-vampire-loving bestie told me about the Carpathians, and I read about six of them in a row instead of doing problem sets. Apparently, there is a Dark Prince: Author’s Cut, and I might have to start at the beginning again.

If you sometimes wish Labyrinth were set in the 19th Century, you might like Wintersong by S. Jae Jones, which is 2.99 right now. There’s a Goblin King and everything.

Over on Book Riot

Best Books of 2018 is out! You will not be surprised by the romances featured therein.

Kamrun interviewed Anna Todd a bit ago and I missed it.

Rebecca Renner speaks to my heart in her defense of ugly bullet journaling. It wasn’t until I realized it could be ugly that I really embraced using it for All The Things, including keeping track (or trying to keep track) of my reading.

Thinking about getting yourself a Christmas present? You’ll need to consider the differences between the Kindle and the iPad.

My Faves of 2018

I know what you’re going to say: December ain’t over yet! Well, this is my last chance to do it. Next week, we’ll talk about what I’m excited to read next year, and then the week after that we don’t get to hang out together (Book Riot will be on Vacation). So here’s my moment.

In order of date read, from January to now, here are my favorite reads from 2018 (I’ve limited myself to 10 for everyone’s sake):

It Takes Two to Tumble, Unmasked by the Marquess, and A Gentleman Never Keeps Score
Cat Sebastian

I started my year with It Takes Two to Tumble, and I got all the Captain Von Trapp fuzzies reading it. Ben is still my favorite Sebastian hero, and the concept of cinnamon roll will forever have a picture of him. But then there’s Robin. Oh, my darling Robin. And seriously, how to you compare those two to Sam Fox? There’s so much in every Cat Sebastian character, and I will love every story, every hero, heroine, and nonbinary protagonist till the day I die.

The Wedding Date
Jasmine Guillory

What can I say about this book? Competence porn + fake relationship + long distance + calling out white privilege + Alexa Monroe, the cupcake-loving heroine of my heart. It’s all wonderful. I loved her appearance in The Proposal and hope to see much much more of her in The Wedding Party next year. Please.

A Princess in Theory, A Hope Divided, and A Duke By Default
Alyssa Cole

Okay, so A Hope Divided came out in 2017, but I didn’t get to it until this year. I will hold off final judgment until I’ve read An Unconditional Freedom, but I think Marlie and Ewan are my favorite Loyal League couple. Marlie is just so brilliant and Ewan is quietly perfect for her.

I am going to speak plainly: I really liked A Princess in Theory. I loved Ledi as a character, I loved the growth both she and Thabiso experienced, I loved all their friends and family…but I absolutely adored A Duke By Default. Portia is my favorite, and I love that she knows she’s a mess and is trying to do something about it. I love her grumpy Scot and all his rules for sword making. I love the work they do to deserve each other.

Once Upon a Marquess and After The Wedding
Courtney Milan

Did I mention I read Once Upon a Marquess on a plane and scared the person I was sitting next to with my snort-cackle-laughter? I loved getting to know the Worth family, and the easy romance between Judith and her Marquess, in part because I knew After The Wedding was going to be hard. Camilla and Adrian are both such terribly hurt people looking for love, and it was heartwrenching to read their story. But so good in the end.

Hurts to Love You
Alisha Rai

I knew it was going to take a lot to surpass the wonder that was Wrong to Need You, and it didn’t quite get there. But it was still one of the greatest conclusions to an interconnected series, and I loved what Alisha Rai did to get us there—the ideas she put into our head from the beginning, the ways she set them on their heads, the satisfactory ending for all involved. Finishing this book was like taking the first deep breath after a long swim.

The Governess Game
Tessa Dare

On a completely reverse note, this was a refreshing dive into the world of historical comedy. I liked The Duchess Deal, which was complete with a marriage of convenience and a legit Regency Batman, but The Governess Game also includes rounded hellions who put on doll funerals, a hero who knows he’s awesome and doesn’t brood…much…and the most delightful stargazer known to man. Tessa Dare knows how to make someone laugh while also inflicting feels, and this is the best of the lot so far.

Syncopation and Counterpoint
Anna Zabo

These two are here together because I don’t know which one I like more. Syncopation features rep that I had never seen before: an aromantic lead. Anna Zabo did not shy away from making the aro hero a complete person, and his feelings for his lover reflect that. But then there’s Counterpoint. Dom and Adrian are magic to watch—less intense than Ray and Zavier, but no less interesting. Their story is the one I prefer, the one that cut to the quick the most, but Syncopation is very very close, because feels. So many feels.

The Kiss Quotient
Helen Hoang

You all know how I feel about this book. I love th #ownvoices #actuallyautistic rep and Stella and Michael as characters and all the feelings and all the four-alarm sexytimes. Escort-turned-fake-boyfriend stories are the best. I can’t wait for The Bride Test to come out, though, because Michael’s cousin was pretty great.

Riven and Rend
Roan Parrish

Okay, so I have a thing for gay rock stars, sue me. Well, it’s more like I have a thing for authors who twist me around, pull me apart, and pour me back together with their words, and Roan Parrish is definitely one of those. The way she writes about music, about loneliness, about love and tenderness and feelings is something incredibly unique.

Damaged Goods and Wanna Bet?
Talia Hibbert

And you know who else is like that? Talia Hibbert. Damaged Goods is a connector story between the two Kabbah Sister stories, but was definitely a full length novel. The angst is mostly external from the relationship, but the feelings and growth are all there. Wanna Bet? was a total surprise as far as characterization and feels went, because I’d gone in expecting an easy friends-to-lovers story and whoa was it not that.

Wolfsong
TJ Klune

Why did I sleep so long in TJ Klune? After picking this up based on a recommendation from a non-romance-reading friend, I realized I had two other unread TJ Klune books on my ipad. I failed with this one, because TJ Klune is a master of characterization, of pacing, and of building every kind of suspense imaginable. Sure, there are werewolves, and that is an important fact, but that’s not what the story is about. It’s about love, and family, and growing into yourself. The payoff is very late in this story, but you won’t care.

Rafe
Rebekah Weatherspoon

Fluffy McFlufferston should be the subtitle of this book, not Buff Male Nanny. Rafe, our titular nanny, loves his line of work and loves kids. How often do you see that in a romance? Then, you’ve got the amazingness that is Dr. Sloan Copeland. She is a surgeon, a prodigy, and a single mother who had no problem leaving the man making her miserable and pursuing her own goals. And of course, there’s some serious sexytimes.

Oh, you thought I meant ten individual titles? Sorry. Also, I’m going to look at this list in three days and think “oh man, I forgot that” and “how could I leave out that” so just be aware that even I am not sure if these were really my favorites of the year. They’re mostly the ones I’m thinking of right now.

Also…I think there might be eleven. I didn’t major in math, okay?

What were your favorites? I want to share them with everyone!

New and Upcoming Releases

Dance All Night by Alexis Daria
The Earl I Ruined by Scarlett Peckham
Unzipped by Lauren Blakely
Winning Charlotte Back by Kathy Douglass (MMP December 18)

Okay, this has gone on long enough. I’m so, so sorry.

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!

Hanukkah Sameach, folks!

The days leading up to the Festival of Lights were…something else, but this year’s Hanukkah miracle seems to be that romancelandia has been pretty drama free since the first candle was lit. (Let’s cross our fingers it’ll continue to be quiet for awhile.)

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Sponsored by Harlequin DARE

Bad boys are her weakness…Is he too magnetic to resist? Storming into psychologist Holly Scott-Leigh’s life, bad boy billionaire Noah Moore is so hot he leaves Holly breathless with just a glance. He’s her potential client and she’s never crossed that line before. But delicious Noah tempts her to sin… This festive season, from his hip London loft to a luxurious Paris hotel, Noah will show Holly how good it feels to be on the naughty list!

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News and Useful Links

Just hours after I finished writing last week’s Kissing Books, a popular debut YA author tweeted about a wildly famous romance author’s book having a similar name. I follow said debut author, so I saw this, rolled my eyes, and kept scrolling. I have a very thorough “do not engage” contract with myself, and this was not going to be a person I was going to break that for. But apparently while I was pretending that tweet didn’t happen, her followers started going a little wild with the righteous indignation, and then romance Twitter got involved. There were some bad shots fired on both “sides,” but it actually got ridiculous when Beverly Jenkins tweeted a reaction and then was chided about her white privilege blinding her to why it was important to note that the author in question was Nigerian-American and the author she’d challenged was Nora Roberts.

Yes. You read that right.

To be fair, Ms. Bev’s twitter photo was not at the time a picture of her face. But a quick click over to her profile might have told the person something.

Anyway. I thought you all might want to know about that, just to be in the know.

Also, Nora Roberts is not on Twitter, so she didn’t respond, but she wrote a blog post about it, and communicated with the author, who tweeted an apology of sorts. (I will say, while I respect Nora for all of her work in and for romance, I could have done without her whole thesis about social media. It felt…icky.)

Okay, actually moving on. Sorry.

In other news:

Danielle Steel still writes on a typewriter and still feels self-doubt 174 (one-hundred-and-seventy-effing-four) books in.

The Goodreads Choice Awards are done, and I am not surprised at all by the winner of the romance category. An honor well deserved! (Spoiler: it’s The Kiss Quotient.)

Have you seen the lineup for KissCon? That’s a heck of a reason to go to Chicago. I’m actually really sad I’ve already got a couple trips lined up in the first half of the year (one of which is to Book Lovers Con in New Orleans, so at least there’s that), but man. Please go, and then tell me all about it.

Also, now that November is over, now is a good time to wander through the #rombklove hashtag to fluff your TBR for any time off you might be snowed in.

Oh. PS. Talia Hibbert is writing a short holiday story called “That Festive Feeling” over on Frolic. She started on Monday.

Deals!

Looking for “no strings attached oh wait what’s that” romance with beignets? Going Down Easy by Erin Nicholas is 1.99.

If you didn’t get it when I mentioned it last week, Merry Inkmas is still free. F-R-E-E.

Brenda Jackson’s An Honorable Seduction is also 1.99.

Over on Book Riot

Annika is a dork and I adore her and her Hallmark Holiday Romance generator.

Did I mention Trisha and I had done our holiday gift recommendation episode? Listen and stock up! (You might even find something for someone else while you’re at it.)

Have you been reading up during New Ears Resolution week? There have been some great posts about all kinds of listening.

Recs!

It’s Hanukkah, and do you know what? There are Hanukkah romances. A surprising number of them, actually. I promise not to talk about them all. But I did want to talk about a few.

Hearts Alight
Elliot Cooper

Elliot Cooper is a new author to me, but I’m definitely going to look for more of his work. This novella is quick, delightful, and just a touch magical. Dave is a young man who isn’t certain what he wants to do with his life, and he’s okay with that. He’s not been very successful dating people of any gender, but he’s got a bit of a crush on his BFF/Brother-in-Law’s uncle. Big, handsome, silent Amit is a mystery to Dave, but in a moment of vulnerability, reveals that he’s actually a golem. Yes. A golem. I will admit to having expected a little more conflict around that bit, but I was happy with how easy the story was. Yes, there’s a little more D&D gameplay that might generally be necessary, but it’s all fun and will just leave you with the warm fuzzies.

(Also, there is another cover for this book that’s a little more “romance-y” but I really like the lightheartedness of this one.)

I got distracted with reading Hearts Alight, though, and didn’t finish the other two Hanukkah romances I started over the weekend. (Who am I kidding; my weekend actually got eaten by a series of interconnected Trash OT3 Timeless fics and I got a late start to this week’s reading.) Anyway. The two m/m romances I set out to read were both wildly entertaining, but they both had a point to make: bakers apparently love Hanukkah. Okay, not really. But both Ben’s Bakery and the Hanukkah Miracle and The Remaking of Corbin Wale (which is 99 cents right now!) center Jewish bakers and delectable pastries like sufganiyot, the round jelly-centered donuts that are a Hanukkah staple. Those donuts, in particular, play a central role in the love stories of each couple. The books and the romances have very different tones, though. Ben’s Bakery has a light tone, featuring two men not afraid of going for what they want, even if it means there have to be apologies and they have to figure out an international divide. Corbin Wale, on the other hand has a melancholy air, with Roan Parrish’s signature angst right there to rip you apart and put you back together. So whatever kind of baker you’re looking for, one (or both!) of these should satisfy you.

Next on the list is Sarah Wendell’s Lighting the Flames (also 99 cents!), which is a friends-to-lovers romance set during a Hanukkah camp. The protagonists, Jeff and Gen, have known each other since they were seven, and now they’re staff at the camp where they spent their summers. They had a bit of time where they were out of each other’s orbit, and now they have to figure this thing out. I’m not always a friends-to-lovers person, but I’m curious to see how this works between these two kinds of friends, and in this kind of setting.

What’s your favorite Hanukkah romance? These are definitely not the only ones!

New and Upcoming Releases

Their Perfect Melody by Priscilla Oliveras
Reindeer Games: A Holiday Romance Anthology by All The People
Dance All Night by Alexis Daria (available in paperback, December 11 ebook)
New Tricks by Andrew Grey (December 11)
Taking Chances by Erin McKenzie (December 11)
Best Women’s Erotica of the Year, Volume 4 (December 11)(with stories by more people than I can name, including Alyssa Cole, Megan Hart, Suleikha Snyder and Alessandra Torre)

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!

Hi there, friends! If you’re in the US, I hope you had a good holiday. If not, I missed you last week!

But since we skipped a week, we’ve got a lot to catch up on.

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Sponsored by Kensington Publishing Corp.

New York Times bestselling author Betina Krahn is back by popular demand! The second installment of her Sin & Sensibility series is a warm-hearted and witty Victorian-set romance filled with sparkling surprises. When an independent heiress who’s sworn off love and a scoundrel with a past unite to take down a common enemy, revenge isn’t the only thing that sparks between them.

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News and Useful Links

Sarah has spoken, and I have some reading to do.

Lookie who is on the New York Times 100 Notable Books of 2018 list!

Guess who is dipping into traditional publishing? Is it Fall 2019 yet?

Oh wait, what’s that? Ruby Lang has more coming, too?

So. Tor.com screwed up, and they apologized. The conversations that sparked from this little misstep, though, showed us some of the underworkings of Tor in general, including one author saying that she was made to remove any mention of a central romance from the blurb (probably turning potential core readers off).

The Ripped Bodice has opened their holiday shop, which includes all kinds of lovely keepsakes and holiday boxes!

Did you know there was a “Trope Rec Tuesday” on Frolic? Here’s a fun one!

And also, there’s so much movie news!

I’ll admit, I’d been slowly pulling away from PassionFlix (especially when I went to watch Bride and Prejudice and it wasn’t there!) but I am highly intrigued by this still from the holiday movie they’ve been working on. It’s based on the novella Wrapped Up in You by Ella Frank.

Think you’re already out of holiday movies? Think again! Here are a few more, all based on romances! (Also, it’s been recommended, if you actually want to get anything done between now and Epiphany, that you not download the Hallmark Channel App—wink wink.)

The Mary Sue wants us to watch romantic comedies. I’m all for it.

We’ve talked a lot about the progress of the film adaptation of Beverly Jenkins’ Deadly Sexy. Well, here’s news! The movie will be available on Amazon to view starting December 15!

And speaking of Beverly Jenkins. THIS COVER. I DIED.

Deals!

Looking for a m/m Persuasion adaptation? Here you go: Perfect Day by Sally Malcolm is 99 cents.

It’s still too warm here in Arizona, so I can’t wait to read Reindeer Games, an anthology of snowed-in romances. They might be about snow, but the author list is on fire. Also, it’s 99 cents.

Like Janet Evanovich? Visions of Sugar Plums is 2.99.

Over on Book Riot

Have people started asking you what you want for whatever winter holiday you’re celebrating? Just send them this list.

Have you spent time with any of these families yet?

Christmas romances, because it’s time!

Do you need to add to your podcast list? Here are tons of romance podcasts for you to check out.

Speaking of podcasts, Trisha and I recorded a Very Special episode of When in Romance with the esteemed, glorious, hilarious Rebekah Weatherspoon.

Recs!

Well, it’s practically December, which means it’s time for holiday novellas! (And some longer titles, too!) I took advantage of the holiday to try to catch up on the oppressive backlist of books I’d acquired in holiday seasons past. I made it through quite a few, but I’ve still got some reading to do! (It’s like an advent calendar of romances, all for me!)

Merry Inkmas
Talia Hibbert

Bailey has the shock of her life when she finds herself out of a job when she can’t help but stand up for what is right. Fired in front of her friend John, who is dealing with homelessness, and the hot customer who came in every day with no idea what he wanted, Bailey is lost. But Cash saves her with a job, only to run hot and cold when they start spending more time together. Bailey has her own hangups when it comes to love. Will the two of them get it together by Christmas?

Mine for Christmas
AD Lawless

In this quick, darling friends-to-lovers story, buds Matt and Cody both have crushes that they think are unrequited. When Cody tells a little white lie, Matt ends up escorting him to the family Christmas Eve party as his boyfriend. But it’s all pretend, right?

A Family for Christmas
Jay Northcote

So I’ve noticed a theme in my reading and it’s going home. In this heartwarming story, Rudy likes Zac. Zac doesn’t like anyone. Or more, he doesn’t trust them, as a kid out of the system. But when Rudy invites Zac home, Zac surprises both of them by saying yes. Just as friends, though. Even if they do find each other attractive.

Unexpected
DL White

Saidah doesn’t want to go anywhere for Christmas, but she succumbs to a friend’s invitation to dinner with a hint that a college ex would be there. The ex that got away. Well, turns out…it’s probably for the best. But his brother…well, he might be a contender.

And while I didn’t read it this holiday season, I would be remiss in mentioning Rebekah Weatherspoon’s Wrapped, which is adorable and delightfully sexy.

But there are so many more, on my shelves, on my apps, all around! These are the ones still waiting for me (or that I’m still waiting for, in the case of a few that haven’t yet been released):

• Solstice Miracle by Alexis Daria (free short on her website)
• Cowboy, It’s Cold Outside by Lori Wilde
• Ben’s Bakery and the Hanukkah Miracle by Penelope Peters
• Secret Santa Baby by Robin Covington
• A Christmas Gone Perfectly Wrong by Cecilia Grant
• A Cinderella Christmas Carol by Hope Tarr
• The One that I Want by Zuri Day, Donna Hill, and Cheris Hodges
• Holding Holly by Julie Brannagh
• Burning Bright: Four Chanukah Love Stories by Megan Hart, KK Hendin, Stacey Agdern, and Jennifer Gracen
• The Coyote’s Comfort by Holley Trent
• Lighting the Flames by Sarah Wendell
• Dance All Night by Alexis Daria (out December 11)(or is it?)

I was serious about that whole romance Advent calendar thing. So many to read, and these are hardly a fraction of the number released every year. And these are just the ones I own, not the number on my to-read list.

(PS: none of these are on Nikki’s list up in the “Over on Book Riot” section, so there are even MORE books to read!)

New and Upcoming Releases

Cocksure by Shiloh Walker (yep, that’s a thing. And yes that says The Cochrans of Cocker County)
His Cocky Cellist by Cole McCade
Rend by Roan Parrish
Pleasured By You by Elle Wright
His Consort by Mary Calmes (I haven’t read her books but Gail Carriger recently swore by her and I’m totally into it)
Bachelor Unbound by Brenda Jackson (December 1)
My Favorite Half-Night Stand by Christina Lauren (December 4)

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’ve got a lot of fun stuff to talk about this week! I’m excited to make your TBR explode. Heh heh.

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Sponsored by Kensington Publishing Corp.

USA Today bestselling author Vanessa Kelly returns with an enthralling new series about the men of the Kendrick clan—and the women who claim their hearts amid the gorgeous backdrop of the Scottish Highlands. When a baby is born out of wedlock, heiress Lady Ainsley Matthews must choose between marrying her cruel ex-fiancé or leaving her child in the care of the love of her life, never able to see either again.

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News and Useful Links

What are your thoughts on podcasts? If you like them, and you like romance, you might want to check out Fated Mates, in which Sarah MacLean and Jen Prokop talk exclusively about Kresley Cole’s Immortals After Dark series. They’re both awesome people, so I bet this is quite the experience.

Chuck Tingle has released his newest book. It’s called Not Pounded In the Butt By Anything and That’s Okay, and it’s sex free. I have never actually read a Chuck Tingle book, but hey. Also, this would probably be a good time to remind you about the Aro-Ace Database, which you can use to find other romances featuring gray folks of all kinds.

Have you seen the trailer for The Princess Switch? It looks ridiculous and perfect and I will be watching it very, very soon.

Also, non-ebook readers, have you heard? Two more of Talia Hibbert’s books, The Princess Trap and Wanna Bet? are available in paperback now! Between that, her offering the Just For Him trilogy for 99 cents (for a limited time!) and her novella in Rogue Nights, I hope she’s getting all the sales.

Also. Y’all. Entangled has a new imprint! It’s called August, and it centers folks in their thirties and forties. Like, an entire imprint, all about older millennials. I’m excited. Super intrigued by Knocked-Up Cinderella. Like whoa.

Deals!

AM Arthur’s Getting It Right is 1.99 right now.

Have you read Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas? It’s 1.99, too!

Do you like KJ Charles? The Magpie Lord is 99 cents!

Have you read any Cheris Hodges? Love After War is 2.99 right now!

Over on Book Riot

Looking for a place to start with romantic suspense? We’ve got you covered.

Try Radish, it’s delicious!

Are you doing Read Harder? How’s it going?

Is your TBR overwhelming your current shelving? Here are some ways to find more.

Recs

Somehow I found myself reading a pair of four-letter R-word books that couldn’t be more different form each other. They were both incredibly emotionally satisfying, but one was fluff and the other was one of the angstiest books I’ve read since the summer. I’ll start with the latter, because you’re gonna want to follow one with the other.

Rend
Roan Parrish

This follow-up to Riven is a hell of a journey. We start with the first meeting between Matt and Rhys, who are both in Riven—already happily married. I don’t read a lot of romances featuring married couples, so I was intrigued by this one. In Rend, the timeline alternates between their courtship and their current troubles, which mostly involves them being very much in love but apart while Rhys is on tour. Matt grew up in the system and has a lot of abandonment issues, but doesn’t know how to express that—or even recognize it in himself. So we get to experience, alternately, the delight of that first bloom of love, and the internal monologue of a beautiful young man who really really needs therapy.

I was a blubbery mess the whole time I read this, from anguish and joy alike. Roan Parrish is a mage at character development, and I can’t tell you how much I love every person in this novel. There aren’t many, considering so much of it is about Matt’s solitude, even when he’s around others. But the ones who are there are perfect, and I really hope I get to see all of them again. This is totally a character-driven book, which isn’t always my thing, but it’s so perfect.

Rafe: A Buff Male Nanny
Rebekah Weatherspoon

So you’re going to need a bit of a breather after Rend, and Rafe is a balm for almost any ill. Rafe is a childcare professional whose last family has just moved to another continent, and Sloan is a busy surgeon whose nanny just quit midday and left her six-year-old twins alone for half the day. Obviously, she’s a little wary. But when Rafe comes highly recommended, and has a perfect trial run, Sloan takes him on. But there’s one problem: they have the total hots for each other.

No problem, right?

No. Problem, actually. Until it’s not. Because they’re both grown ass consenting adults.

Seriously. This book is a delight. The twins are a delight. Sloan is a delight. Rafe and his family are a delight. Sloan’s friends are a rollicking delight. Just. Read it.

New and Upcoming Releases

Sugar & Ice by Brooklyn Wallace
A Powerful Attraction by Delaney Diamond
Campaign for Her Heart (Decades) by Patricia Sargeant
Tikka Chance on Me by Suleikha Snyder
The Switch by Nia Arthurs
Give Me a Reason by Stephanie Nicole Norris
His Cocky Cellist by Cole McCade (Nov 19)

FYI: Book Riot is off next week for American Thanksgiving, but I’ll be back the last week of November with tons of stuff to share!

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 there folks. I’m writing this on Tuesday night so I have no idea what mood we’re all in as we read, but I’m just going to let us stay in our nice little bubble of happy no matter what.

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Sponsored by Harlequin DARE

From Harlequin, the leader in romance, comes a new line that’s modern, edgy and sexually charged. If you love sexy romances featuring powerful alpha heroes and bold, fearless heroines exploring their deepest fantasies, try Harlequin DARE! Triple Dare: A Sexy Romance Collection features three fan-favorite stories from bestselling authors Anne Marsh, Katee Robert, and Cara Lockwood.

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News and Useful Links

Have you read this Bustle article? It’s more for newcomers to the genre, but it’s still a good read.

Some good news about cockygate.

KM Jackson has an exciting new book announcement! I’m looking forward to this series.

Hey look, there’s another staff writer at The Washington Post who knows how to write about romance and also how to be informed.

My HEART. I CANNOT WAIT UNTIL JANUARY.

AND ANOTHER COVER TO BE EXCITED ABOUT.

(Sorry about the capslock, folks. I am an overexcited golden retriever right now.)

Oh! Have you heard about this Lifetime adaptation of Pride and Prejudice that’s gonna be set in Atlanta? I mean, I sort of wish it wasn’t going to be called Pride and Prejudice: Atlanta, but we take what we can, right?

Have you been keeing up with #RomBkLove? It’s a beautiful month of gushing about romance novels on the socials, and also a fearful time of hoping things are already on your to-read list.

Deals

Not technically a “deal” but Amazon is offering free delivery for “a limited time.” If you have holiday gifts to buy, that’s a nice bit of change to save.

In “ohmygod that is amazing” deals, have you read any of Talia Hibbert’s Just for Him books? Well, you can get ALL THREE of them for 99 cents. Ninety. Nine.

Because I believe in buying books because of their covers—and titles—I feel the need to tell you that Shimmy Bang Sparkle by Nicola Rendell is $1.99.

I’ve been watching a lot of 9-1-1 recently and thus have been looking for firepeople to read about. And I’ve heard a lot of good things about Shannon Stacey’s Boston Fire books. Good thing Heat Exchange is $1.99.

Over on Book Riot

Lights! Camera! Smooching! Everyone loves a good Hollywood romance, right?

So this is about YA, but I’ll bet many readers in my age group are all about the vamps of the early-mid 2000s, right? Would you believe they’re coming back?

Trisha and I talked about Intercepted and some other things, and we want you to join us for The Great Big Romance Read! (It’ll be way more satisfying than the Great American Read, I promise.)

Recs!

I usually try to share a blend of backlist and new releases, but I’ve read a couple brand new books that I would love to share with you!

The Proposal
Jasmine Guillory

It’s probably no surprise that I pretty much loved the crap out of this book. It almost edged The Wedding Date out of first place in Guilloryland. Almost. 99.9 percent there.

So, Jess, what’s it about? Do you remember Carlos from The Wedding Date? We find ourselves hanging out with him and his sister at a baseball game, where Nik is getting a surprise proposal of marriage from someone she has absolutely no marriage feelings for. She’s not even sure why he would think she’d want to get married (and the limited motivation from Fisher is actually one of the things that kept it from five stars). Even though she handles the proposal, there’s some collateral damage that Carlos helps Nik out of, and they become easy friends. They don’t have instant chemistry, which is the other thing that edges it out of first place, but they do figure themselves out pretty quickly. They start a casual relationship while also becoming friends (because friends who have regular sex isn’t a relationship?) and everything is just so easy. So why is it so hard to figure out what they have?

You don’t have to have read The Wedding Date to read this one, but why wouldn’t you? It’s so much fun and the pair together probably make a pretty good long weekend, if you have Monday off.

(Also, did I mention that The Wedding Party was a thing? Is it next year, yet?!)

The Omega Objection
GL Carriger

Okay, I guess today is Second Book In The Series Day. This follow up to The Sumage Solution can also be read as a standalone, but it’s more fun if you’ve read the first book and the connected short, Marine Biology. This volume is about Tank, who we meet in the first book, and Isaac, a new wolf in town. He moved to San Francisco under the impression that it wasn’t under any pack jurisdiction, but in the meantime the San Andreas pack—one very much unlike any that Isaac has met—has moved in. Tank is doing temporary work at the club where Isaac is a bartender who attracts supernatural and human attention alike. People just want to talk to him. Tank does, too, but for a completely different reason. The pair moves into bed pretty quickly, and then pack-related things start happening that you’ll just have to read the book to discover. All you really need to know is that this book is the perfect Carriger blend of smart, funny, and sexy, and I would like it to be time for another one, thanks.

New and Upcoming Releases

Bingo Love Vol 1: Jackpot Edition by all kinds of people (Kindle/Comixology out now, hardcover out Nov 13)
Rabi and Matthew by LA Witt
Love Rekindled at Christmas by Eve Pendle et al
The Bones Beneath My Skin by TJ Klune
Rogue Nights by Talia Hibbert et al
Tikka Chance on Me by Suleikha Snyder (November 13)
Her Second Chance by Bette Ford (November 14)

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 November, folks! (If you live in the US and haven’t voted yet, you know what to do.)

Before we get into the good stuff, I need to note my foul-up from last week. There I was declaring people’s pronouns and went right ahead and misgendered Anna Zabo. Thanks to the amazing Angela James for reaching out to me early enough that I was able to fix it for the folks who receive Kissing Books later in the day. I think. I hope. Biggest apologies to Anna. (And if you want to support them while I grovel for forgiveness, Close Quarter, which is one of Anna’s books I haven’t yet touted, might be worth checking out. (A fae vampire hunter on a Transatlantic cruise? Yes, please.)

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Sponsored by As Good As The First Time by K.M. Jackson.

When Olivia Gale gets fired and dumped all in the same day she jumps at the chance to get out of New York City to help her aunt at the family bakery, Goode n’ Sweet, back down south in Sugar Lake, and a little indulgence in her pie-making hobby is exactly the pick-me-up Olivia needs to get her life back on track. She can’t afford to be distracted, Clayton Morris, firefighter, single dad, and the boy next door who once broke Liv’s heart—but Sugar Lake might be a sweet place for a second chance.

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News and Useful Links

THE KISS QUOTIENT IS GONNA BE A MOVIE! I mean, the rights had already been purchased, but now Lionsgate’s got them, and we could be looking at a hot new film version of The Kiss Quotient in the next couple of years!

There’s a new Rogue anthology coming out soon! Rogue Nights is the sixth one coming out next week, and OMAGAH the author lineup!

Yes, Girl, yes! Tell us about that anger!

And then talk some more about consent, because that’s important, too.

I am not completely certain why best books lists start at this time of year, but Publishers Weekly has put theirs out, and the Goodreads Choice Awards are also open for voting. The romance section for this round is pretty good; let’s see what the next round looks like. I’m actually having a hard time voting between my favorites! But I will of course suck it up and vote because not voting means something I wasn’t as fond of might make it to the next round. You never know!

Read more about a few October romances Maureen at EW dove into!

And of course your regular reminder that WOC in Romance is magic and you should follow.

Deals!

Looking for a f/f romance set in a lovely town? Small Town Secrets by Katrina Jackson is 99 cents! It’s the third book in a series, but they stand alone. Also, if you read the first in the series, From Scratch, and haven’t caught up, boy have you got some fun reading ahead of you!

How about something to really fog up your glasses? Naima Simone’s Only For a Night is 99 cents right now, too! Second chances, aphrodisiac clubs, former Mob grunts? I’ll take all of those for 500, Alex.

Still haven’t satisfied your curiosity about Selena Montgomery, gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams’ romance alter ego? Reckless is $3.99. You know you wanna.

Over on Book Riot

Because you don’t yet have enough on your TBR, Sil pulled together 50—that’s right, fifty, five-zero—romances by Latinx authors for you to check out. I’ve read some of these, but there are tons more I haven’t; there are some authors I’ve never even heard of! I’m so excited to discover them.

Ready for a new quiz? Date, marry, or dump some Shakespeare characters and get a romance rec. The one I ended up with, The Courtesan Duchess, hadn’t been on my radar, so I’m glad I did more dumping than dating 😉

Do you listen to audiobooks? Here are some romance ones coming out this month.

Recs!

With everything that’s going on, I haven’t really felt like dealing with strife and angst. So I’ve been feeling all kinds of friends-to-lovers romances. Y’all know I love some enemies/rivals-to-lovers, but the friends thing just has this certain kind of joy that I can’t resist, especially right now. Let’s talk a couple I’ve really enjoyed recently.

Not Another Family Wedding
Jackie Lau

Natalie is going to her hometown for her younger sister’s wedding and doesn’t want to go alone. There’s always something that happens at family functions, especially if both her white and Chinese grandmothers are there. So she enlists her best friend, Connor, to come with her as a buffer with her family, who would definitely ask her why she wasn’t married and when she was having kids.

Yep.

The two have only had the most friend-like feelings for each other; well, Connor’d had a crush when they first met, but he’d gotten over it. Somehow, though, being in Natalie’s hometown, seeing her with her family, and just spending this kind of time with her has brought on new feelings. And Natalie might be feeling the same.

Y’all. You know how I feel about fake relationships, and I will tell you I favor this one compared to Jackie’s Grumpy Fake Boyfriend, which you know I really enjoyed. Apples and oranges, whatever. I really liked this book and it was a great, happy, lightly-angsted way to spend an afternoon.

Dr. Strange Beard
Penny Reid

Okay, so this is pushing the friends-to-lovers boundary a little bit because these two friends are estranged, but I’ll allow it. Roscoe Winston comes home to visit his family regularly, since he doesn’t live that far away, but has made a skill of avoiding Simone Payton, the girl who broke his heart a long time ago. She usually only comes to visit on the weekends, so he’s surprised to encounter her and his lowlife father at the diner where Simone works—usually when Roscoe isn’t there. The two can’t seem to stop running into each other, and eventually try to be civil, but Simone doesn’t understand why Roscoe ghosted her in high school. There are enough misunderstandings to fill a composition book and secrets galore, but eventually, they find their way. So yeah, this one, much like any other Penny Reid book, is going to have some strong, angsty content, but will also make you cackle with glee. So be prepared do be dropped into the lives of the Winstons again.

I’ve also recently started reading Geek Out, a collection of trans and genderqueer romances. The first one, Defying Convention, by Cecil Wilde, is available as a standalone novella, and is just the most precious thing so far. Two friends who have known each other online for years decide to meet in person for a convention. The rest, as they say, is history. Adorable, hair-braiding history.

Also, I don’t know if it counts, but I’m totally including Intercepted here. She and Gavin might start out having already slept together, but they build a pretty genuine friendship before they slide back into the lovers category. Kind of. I dunno. Read it and tell me what you think.

New and Upcoming Releases

The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory (YAY!!! FINALLY!)
Archangel’s Prophecy by Nalini Singh
Kiss Me at Christmas by Valerie Bowman (One of the other BR Jessicas really loved it, so I’m excited!)
The Omega Objection by GL Carriger (Nov 4) (it’s SO GOOD, y’all!)
Siren in Bloom by Lexi Blake (Nov 6)
Misadventures with a Professor by Sierra Simone (Nov 6)
Rogue Nights by Talia Hibbert et al (Nov 8) (Because I can’t just say it once)

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!

I’ve been trying to figure out different ways to say “what a week, amirite?” But I’m running out of options.

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Sponsored by Harlequin DARE

With a multibillion-dollar deal on the line, billionaire playboy Gideon Mortimer can’t afford another tabloid scandal. He’s committed to a chastity contract, but being on the same yacht as Leonie Branson—temptation personified—is pure, unadulterated torture. Relinquishing control of their thrilling sexual chemistry to tenacious Leonie feels tantalizingly worth the risk—to his reputation and his well-protected heart.

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News and Useful Links

You know how I was whining about wanting something dark and atmospheric to read? Rosanna Leo came through with a list of gothic romances, most of which I haven’t even heard of!

There was a bit of a kerfuffle on Twitter over the weekend when an author decided to double down about cover model selection. The heroine, who is biracial, apparently makes comments about her darker skin and the plight of a black woman, but the cover model reads white at first glance. I like to think that covers make a statement about a book, and if you’re going to call your heroine a black woman, she should probably read as such at first glance. It’s not about the fact that black women come in all shades; it’s about the fact that when representation is a problem across the board, visual cues are key.

Twelfth Night is my favorite Shakespeare comedy, and there’s a MUSICAL SERIES based on it coming to our televisions and streaming devices. This version will have a protagonist who ends up being genderqueer because someone has been digging through my soul’s desires (though according to an Electric Literature article a while ago, I have strong feelings about bi erasure WHICH IS ALSO TRUE and I would love to read a retelling in which good ole Viola gets the Duke AND the Countess).

The Ripped Bodice is hosting a Great Big Romance Read in December, and When In Romance is totally participating, so listen up for more news about that!

Olivia Waite. F/F Regency Romance. Can’t. Wait.

Also. Also! Alexis Daria has a Dance Off Christmas novella coming out! It’s called Dance All Night and it’s available for preorder! (It’s out December 11.)

Deals!

Riven by Roan Parrish is 1.99 right now! Rend comes out in a couple weeks (and the bits of it I’ve been able to snatch are excellent) so now’s the perfect time to grab it!

Kendall Ryan’s The Room Mate is 1.99, if your looking for some raunchy fun.

I know it’s not Halloween yet, but if you’re ready to get into the Christmas spirit, Merry Inkmas by Talia Hibbert is 2.99.

Over on Book Riot

Westerns. Westerns that have protagonists who aren’t white. I know, right?

TBR worth toppling? Here are some “speed reading apps” to help you get through it.

Erotic poetry. Do you have favorites?

And of course, there’s still time to enter for a custom book stamp for your personal library!

Recs!

You know how we’ve been doing a “feature creature” for October? Well, today’s feature creature is The Patriarchy, and it’s time to crush it. Or something.

This has been some kind of week, and instead of our usual thing, how about some trans and enby authors to support?

Anna Zabo (they/them/their) writes primarily m/m romance featuring various kinds of kinky folks. They* write rock stars, like in Syncopation; vampires, like in Close Quarter; and businessmen, like in Takeover. Recently, I read Outside the Lines, which is an adorable installation of the Bluewater Bay series.

Kris Ripper (ze/zem/zir) writes romance featuring all kinds of people. The Queers of La Vista series (starting with Gays of Our Lives) features what’s on its way to an LGBT paradise—with a twist, since there’s a murder mystery involved. The Scientific Method series, on the other hand, is angsty and very much real world and just features people trying to figure their own shit out. Start with Catalysts.

Jay Northcote (he/him/his) writes m/m adult and new adult romances. His college romances like Helping Hand occasionally feature Gay For You type stories (so heads up if that’s not your thing). Looking for a sweet Christmas novella with a bonus fake relationship? A Family For Christmas is probably a good place to start.

Cole McCade/Xen (he/him/his) writes all kinds of things under multiple names, including contemporary erotic romance and urban fantasy. Basically all of his books are sex incarnate and you should check them out. If you’re down for some elf magic, check out Shatterproof. If you’d rather enjoy the hell out of a May/December romance, try Over and Over Again.

This isn’t exhaustive, but I don’t want to make this too long. If you’re curious, check out Austin Chant, EE Ottoman, Chace Verity, Xan West, or Francis Gideon. LA Witt, Vanessa North, and Courtney Milan aren’t #ownvoices writers, but they also write pretty interesting trans characters. Courtney Milan’s Hold Me is one of my favorite contemporary romances.

Who are your favorite trans romance authors? What are your favorite novels?

New and Upcoming Releases

Duchess by Design by Maya Rodale (I love purple. Don’t you love purple?)
The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory (October 30) (FINALLY!!!)
Love in Catalina Cove by Brenda Jackson (October 30)
Archangel’s Prophecy by Nalini Singh (October 30)
Royally Yours by Emma Chase (October 30)

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!

*Corrected

Oh y’all, the things that have happened this week.

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Sponsored by Harlequin DARE

“Want to do more than watch?” Chloe Park only meant to peek at him. Lean, hard and tattooed, Jackson Drake is hotness incarnate—and she can see right into his living room! Her sexy spectating drives them both near insane with lust. And with every wicked line they cross, Chloe falls harder for the bad boy next door…

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New and Useful Links

Maya Rodale has been busy, what with her appearance on The Great American Read and her NPR feature on great reads for October.

Have you read any of these spooky romances?

The number of self-published books made it over one million last year, and the number keeps growing.

If you didn’t already know, these four chicas are awesome.

KJ Charles had feelings about HEAs. Well, more feelings.

Sandhya Menon is writing an adult romcom! Who’s excited?

And also (since I can’t do one of these without mentioning Alyssa Cole) MORE ROYALS!

Deals!

Last I checked, The Wedding Date was 1.99. If you’ve been waiting to read it, we’re close enough to The Proposal to get started, I think!

The Girl With The Make-Believe Husband by Julia Quinn is 2.99 right now! I have been enjoying this Bridgertons prequel series.

Looking to start a new m/m romantic suspense series? Layla Reyne’s Single Malt is 1.99 right now.

Over on Book Riot

In case you missed it, I wrote about queer women in mixed-gender romance for National Coming Out Day.

Marry, Date, Dump, and get a recommendation!

Are you ready to make your TBR explode?

And of course, we’re only halfway through the month; have you entered your name for the giveaway?

Recs!

This week’s feature creature is The Monster! Of course, it’s kind of hard to do the monster in a romance that isn’t a shifter, but this one was done pretty well, even if I could have seriously used more story. Thus is life with novellas, though.

Briarley
Aster Glenn Gray

What’s the biggest issue lots of people have with the Beauty and the Beast story? I mean sure, the one that baffles the most people is “how the hell do people not know about that castle down the road” which is valid and also addressed in this version. But there’s also the whole Stockholm Syndrome thing. Full disclosure: kidnapping is usually one of my hard limits in romance, but I am a total sucker for a Beauty and the Beast story.

Well, this one is for those who are like “no, thanks” when it comes to the original story based on the whole wrongful imprisonment thing. It takes your Stockholm Syndrome and says, what if that was never an issue? What if, say, instead of taking the misbegotten rose to his daughter, a war nurse, her father decides to stick around and help the Beast find love. Surely he could come to love his servants? How about a puppy? Why had the girls they’d invited before not worked for him?

Why, indeed?

As I mentioned before, this book is way too short. Something…something…could have been more developed, but I can’t place my finger on it. Maybe I just wanted a full novel and the novella was just this side of completely satisfying.

What are your favorite non-shifter BatB-themed romances?

New and Upcoming Releases

Band Sinister by KJ Charles
At Long Last by Brenda Jackson
One Day in December by Josie Silver
How the Dukes Stole Christmas by Sarah MacLean et al
Lattes of Love by ML Spann (October 23)

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 the second week of October and it finally feels like fall in Southern Arizona. Well. If a high of 77 really counts as “fall.”

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Sponsored by Epic Reads

It’s 1871, and Emmeline Carter is poised to take Chicago’s high society by storm. Between her father’s sudden rise to wealth and her recent engagement to Chicago’s most eligible bachelor, Emmeline has it all. But she can’t stop thinking about the life she left behind, including her childhood sweetheart, Anders Magnuson. Fiona Byrne, Emmeline’s childhood best friend, is delighted by her friend’s sudden rise to prominence, especially since it means Fiona is free to pursue Anders herself. But when Emmeline risks everything for one final fling with Anders, Fiona feels completely betrayed. As the summer turns to fall, the city is at a tipping point: friendships are tested, hearts are broken, and the tiniest spark might set everything ablaze.

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New and Useful Links

THERE IS A COVER. I am so excited. Look at it. Look at them. Look at those words.

The Bawdy Bookworms have released their second monthly list of diverse romances, and I’m really looking forward to a lot of the books coming out this winter. But that’s not the only thing they do over at Bawdy-central. They also have a seasonal subscription box, and it’s hella fun. Not only do you get a steamy book, but you get some kind of sensual…bonus items, too. Sometimes they’re battery operated, sometimes not. Full disclosure: Kim from BB sent me one to check out, and I can tell you if you’re looking for something like that, or didn’t know you were, it’s worth checking out at least once. Want to know more from someone better with words and more fun than me? Check out Suzanne’s video review.

Every response to this tweet prompt is something I want to watch, including Greg Pak’s. I’ll even read the romance novel inspired by it.

Corey Alexander interviewed Rebekah Weatherspoon about Rafe and I really need to read that book. (I will. Soon. I swear. Ish.)

Kinky is coming out this weekend. Are you gonna see it? I’m curious, but might wait for it to arrive on a streaming network. As far as I know, it’s not book-related, but I’m sure it’s definitely got some appeal for romance readers. Also, basically every single person in this movie is four-alarm hot, so no matter what the script and story turn out to be like, at least it’ll be pretty?

Deals!

There’s a new Fandom Hearts novella called Ms. Behave and it’s 1.99 right now!

Looking for a new romantic suspense series to start? Kendra Elliot’s A Merciful Death is 1.99.

Helen Hardt’s Craving is FREE right now (and if you want the audio as an add on, you can get it for 1.99, too!)

Over on Book Riot

I never watched The Office, but even I ship Jim and Pam. Here are some books to put you in that same mood they inspired.

You all know my feelings about Jessica Avery, but seriously, this person is my person. She’s in my heart and soul, and knows my mind. Her most recent expression of my hopes and dreams is for a horror sugbenre of romance. I spent a brief period of time expressing a strong desire for something dark and atmospheric that also had a central love story. Give me The Others with kissing. The first half of Crimson Peak, before things get…weird. Ok, no, I like the weirdness, but I also like certain characters not dying and leaving with the love of their life and having a HEA. I will take those immediately, thank you.

Are you still doing Riotgrams? I’m trying, I swear.

Trisha and I talked about Butterfly Swords on When in Romance and also employer/employee romances.

And we’re still giving away a custom book stamp! (Psst! If for some reason you don’t want one for yourself—you don’t read print books, you’ve Kondo’d your home, etc—hey, enter and I’ll take it :wink-emoji:)

Recs!

This week’s Feature Creature is one who had to grow on me in romance, after spending a little too much time with Richard Zeeman in my formative paranormal years.

The Wolf Man.

Mating the Huntress
Talia Hibbert

Talia Hibbert writes at the speed of light, so it was both an awesome surprise and no surprise at all when she revealed that she’d written a Halloween-themed paranormal romance—her first paranormal at all. The name says it all, but says nothing. In this novella, Chastity is one of a collection of siblings in a universe where the women are sworn werewolf hunters and the men are the healers. When her sister is wearing her sweatshirt and a werewolf just takes part of it instead of killing her, Chastity is curious. She becomes even more curious when a wolf in human form starts coming to her family’s coffee shop…and then he asks her out. What better way to prove herself to her family and get some, right?

This is the most adorable thing that is also about people who kill monsters. And Luke is preciously supportive of Chastity’s violence. So there’s that. It’s a quick read and a delight to experience.

Wolfsong
TJ Klune

If you want something that is not a quick read, may I present Wolfsong to you. I sort of felt like this book would never end, but I was not sad about that. TJ Klune is something else when it comes to wordmaking and he put a lot together in this story. Ox, the narrator, tells the story of growing up, his dad leaving, finding a family in the guys at the shop where he works, and then meeting another family. The family down the lane, full of beautiful, brilliant, caring people. Ox meets the youngest member, Joe, on the road home, and Joe at the ripe old age of ten can’t help but latch on—because Ox smells like awesome. His words, not mine. Ox and Joe grow together, and learn together, and become better men together. And then stuff happens and they’re not together. And then they’re together again. It’s a thing. A long thing. With lots of other stuff.

I wasn’t sure if I was going to include this one because so much of the earlier part takes place when Ox is a teenager. But he grows up, and so does Joe, and all kinds of things happen for them. Also, every single supporting character is amazing.

Both of these stories are about fated mates (Mating the Huntress more so than Wolfsong), so if that’s not your thing, you probably want to pass on them. But if you’re curious about two authors who do it well, these are good places to start.

New and Upcoming Releases

Thug Love by Zuri Day
Gridiron Heartbreaker by Melissa Blue
Band Sinister by KJ Charles (October 11)
How the Dukes Stole Christmas by Tessa Dare, Sarah MacLean, Sophie Jordan, and Joanna Shupe (October 15)
One Day in December by Josie Silver (October 16)
Night at the Opera by Stacy Henrie (October 16)

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!