Welcome, or welcome back, to the Kissing Books. I’m PN Hinton, here to share my love of the romance genre with like-minded readers through a myriad of ways.
Y’all, this is the last newsletter of 2023! I know I sound like a broken record, but I can’t believe that 2024 is only three days away. Overall, this year was rough for me for multiple reasons, although December was mostly good, something for which I’m grateful for. So, it is with the most cautious of optimisms that I am looking forward to 2024. I am manifesting all the positivity and needed changes, even if there will be growing pains. Such is life, though, and my hope is that at the end of it all, I’ll be closer to the person I’m supposed to be and the life I’m supposed to have.
It’s happening, readers — we’re bringing paperbacks! Whether you (or a reader you know and love) hate carrying around bulky hardcovers, you’re on a budget, you want a wider range of recommendations, or all of the above, you can now get a paperback subscription from TBR, curated just for you by one of our Bibliologists. The holidays are here, and we’ve got three different levels for gifting (to yourself or others) to suit every budget. Get all the details at mytbr.co.
As a reminder, there will not be a send on Monday, so you won’t hear from me again until the 4th of January.
Bookish Goods
Mini Reading Journal by thepeachypolkadot
With New Year’s around the corner, a lot of us are likely thinking of bookish goals for 2024. If you’re one who prefers a physical record, this travel-friendly journal is a good way to keep up with what you’re reading next year, including your thoughts and feedback on it. $16
New Releases
Before we dive into today’s new releases, I messed up last week, and the new releases I sent for last Thursday actually came out this week. Oof. I got a bit turned around in the calendar. However, I made sure that today’s mentions are ones that are releasing this week. (Triple-checked the dates, I did!)
Paternity Payback by Sophia Singh Sasson
Willa has the opportunity to interview Jack, which would help with her journalism career. However, he is also the man who broke her heart years prior, so she has more than a few reservations about it. Still, she uses her charm to try to get him to reveal some of his secrets. But soon, desires and other secrets come to the light, including the daughter that came from their affair and Willa never told Jack about.
Second Duke’s the Charm by Kate Bateman
Dowager Duchess Tess’s husband died on their wedding night, and while that left the young woman well off financially, it also left her a virgin. She wants to experience that type of pleasure, but she is not interested in giving up her independence for it. Justin didn’t want to be a Duke, but since he inherited the title, he will fulfill the task. He sees Tess as the perfect candidate for a marriage of convenience. When Tess’s secret career as a spy for Queen Charlotte starts to affect their marriage, Jack finds himself feeling he can’t trust his wife even as desire and love begin to blossom between them.
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.
Riot Recommendations
For the last recommendation of this year, I’m going to recommend two books that surprised me with how much I liked them. I know how that sounds; since I’m not in the habit of reading books, I won’t enjoy it. I always expect to enjoy the books I pick up. But whenever I enjoy a book more than I expected to, it makes them stick out in my mind just a little bit more.
Rather than give a synopsis of said titles, I’m going to elaborate a bit on why I enjoyed them to the extent that I did.
Role Playing by Cathy Yardley
Have I recommended this book before? Yes. Am I doing it again? Absolutely, because this book was amazing, and I was blown away with how much I enjoyed it. Not only is it a later-in-life romance, but there is so much diverse representation here that it really stands out. If you haven’t read it yet, be sure to rectify that soon: you won’t regret it.
Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood
While overall I have enjoyed everything by Ali, I will admit that I was a bit underwhelmed by her second novel. So, I went into this with tempered expectations and was surprised with how much it resonated with me. I identified with Elsie on multiple levels, and Jack to me, is the best hero in any of her books so far.
And that’s all I have for y’all today. Another reminder that there will not be a send on Monday due to the holiday, so it will be a week before we meet again. In the meantime, you can find me over on the bird app under @PScribe801 and Instagram under @pns_bookish_world. Until then, happy reading and stay hydrated. I’ll see you in 2024.