It’s a happy week for romance! It’s a nice change, right?
Let’s start with a link rundown of all the awesomeness you can read and see:
Queen Bev appeared on Shondaland last week. Like, could it get any better? (Also, she shared that there is now a Slayer of Words notebook. I feel like this is the perfect thing for NaNo. Right?)
Sponsored by All The Wind In The World By Samantha Mabry
Sarah Jac Crow and James Holt have fallen in love working in the endless fields that span a bone-dry Southwest. To protect themselves, they’ve learned to keep their love hidden from the people who might use it against them. When a horrible accident forces them to start over on a new, possibly cursed ranch, the delicate balance of their lives begins to give way. April Genevieve Tucholke, author of Wink Poppy Midnight, says, “Mabry’s lyrical writing sizzles with the same heat as the relentless desert sun.” Longlisted for the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature, All the Wind in the World is a breathtaking tale.
She is also still promoting the GoFundMe for the production of her first film adaptation, Deadly Sexy.
I’ve already raved about a couple of these folks, so go ahead and let your heart asplode with an interview.
Entertainment Weekly published their first romance column, and a lot of us noticed that it was pretty…white. But Maureen heard us and has made a great effort to do better.
I have been feeling this shirt recently.
Passionflix released their Afterburn/Aftershock trailer. Excited?
And speaking of excited, how do you feel about the announcement of the sequel to Grey, Darker? I’m kind of tired of Christian and Anastasia, if we’re being honest, but I know some people are pretty excited. (You do you, am I right?)
Also, Professor Marston and the Wonder Women is finally out in theaters! It’s not playing everywhere, but you might be surprised to find it near you. It’s a darling, multi-pronged story that includes a beautiful display of a true love story.
Do you like bookstores? Don’t forget, you could win $500 to the bookstore of your choice.
Know what else is awesome? Deals!
Tawna Fenske’s At The Heart of It is 1.99
Hold Your Breath by Katie Ruggle is 1.25 right now.
You can get a whole Shelly Laurenston bundle for 2.99. That’s four books.
Not a deal, but just a reminder that Take The Lead is 3.99. All the time. You want it.
Over on Book Riot:
We’ve got the rundown on The Ripped Bodice’s study of diversity in romance publishing. I gotta tell you. It’s pretty bleak. We need to do better.
Trisha calls your escapism, and raises it with badass heroines. I totally feel her. There are some awesome women in this pool.
The day after the last KB went out, Trisha Brown wrote about the bigger picture with that anathema article and the stuff that happened after. Her article is great, as it the slug 😀
On National Coming Out Day, Amanda pulled together some great bisexual characters in romance. Way to represent!
She also has some frustrations with first-person jacket copy (yeah, y’all, she’s been busy this week!).
Harry Potter Erotica? We got that.
Carolina responded to the response. Damn right.
And Laura gave us the drop on why romance’s predictability is the best.
His Perfect Partner
Priscilla Oliveras
After finishing Take the Lead a couple weeks ago, I was on a total dance high. This one was right next to it in my kindle app, and I pretty much moved on to it immediately. While it’s not focused on the dance like Take the Lead, our lead, Yazmine, is a dance teacher in a Chicago suburb who has a run-in with Tomas, the workaholic father of the darling Maria, one of Yazmine’s students. When he finally shows up for a father-daughter dance rehearsal (after missing several), Tomas and Yazmine can’t deny their chemistry, but neither is in a place for a relationship. As the pair get closer, against both of their wills, Tomas reveals what Yazmine nicknames his “Perfect Partner Plan”, which she doesn’t see herself anywhere near.
This novel is sweet and super sensual, but is surprisingly low on sexytimes. But when you’re reading it, you don’t particularly care; you’re stuck between devouring the story and wanting to slap both Yazmine and Tomas for being so stupid. Basically, the perfect romance.
I just finished the first novella in Hamilton’s Battalion, Rose Lerner’s Promised Land. She has set a seriously high standard for the other two and I can’t wait to dive in and finish it. In Promised Land, Rachel has made a life for herself as the soldier Ezra. Now, years into her service, she is at Yorktown with Colonel Hamilton, and they’re looking to the end of the war. This could all be destroyed, however, by a man she sees walking through their camp, who she is sure is a Loyalist spy: her husband, Nathan. Her husband, who thinks she is dead.
Oh dear.
Y’all. Just read it.
That’s all I’ve got for you, but how about some upcoming and new releases!
Crazy in Love, Crystal B. Bright
One Summer Night, Caridad Piniero
Hooked, Cathy Yardley
Sightlines, Santino Hassell
Duke of Desire, Elizabeth Hoyt
Til Death Do Us Part, Eliza Daly
Eyes Like Those, Melissa Brayden
Tangled in Time, Barbara Longley (10/24)
Changing Colors, Elyse Springer (10/23)
Pulled Under, Lisa Renee Jones (10/24)
The Sea King, CL Wilson (10/31)
Wilde in Love, Eloisa James (10/31)
That’s probably enough for now, huh? In the meantime, 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!