Welcome to the Kissing Books newsletter. If you’re a regular reader, I’m glad to see you again. If this is your first time here, I’m glad that you joined us. I’m PN Hinton, and I’ll be your guide through all things romance-related.
2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Sign up today!
It’s the last week of January 2024, y’all, and to say it’s been a doozy of a month would be a massive understatement. But hey, we’re still here, right? And sometimes (not always), that can be worth the price of admission. I’m dealing with quite an upheaval myself, but I keep telling myself this, too, shall pass. If you’re going through a similar storm, here’s hoping that it passes quickly. If it has been smooth sailing for you, I sincerely hope it stays that course because man…these storms can be brutal.
Bookish Goods
“Sucker For” Trope Sticker by CanlasDesignCo
These stickers immediately made me think of the candy that came with Valentine’s boxes. I’m sure we all had more than a few of these growing up, courtesy of elementary classmates. And with the variety of options here, there is bound to be at least one trope that you want to let the world know you’re a sucker for. $3.
New Releases
Mother Pucker by Swati M. H.
Physical therapist Shayla is a widowed single mom whose primary focus is being there for her son Kai. Her latest client, Rowan, is taking a lot more patience than she expected, though, especially since he seems determined to charm her panties off. She decides to give in just once so that they can get it out of their systems. But as everyone knows, when the attraction level is this high, once is never enough.
Work It Out by Eva Siedler
Jake has only three months to get the body he wants so he can be in the running for the starring role in an upcoming action flick. Rayah is the owner of the resort he goes to for this endeavor, and had her hands full before her superstar super secret client checked in. Soon, it becomes an all-around balancing act for both of them to do what is necessary to be successful while also trying to manage the attraction that is growing between them.
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.
Riot Recommendations
Pretending With the Playboy by Tracey Livesay
Carter is a bachelor by design and aims to keep it that way. That is, until he finds out that his beloved aunt is in dire health and fakes an engagement with Lauren, her protegée. Even though Lauren has been burned by Carter before, she goes along with the fake engagement for his aunt’s sake. But when it goes public, and there is a larger audience to fake it for, she is torn between calling it quits altogether or risking her heart getting broken once again.
Pretending He’s Mine by Mia Sosa
Julian is a Hollywood agent who has his hands full with managing his best friend and superstar Carter, and trying to ignore his attraction to his younger sister Ashley. But when she turns up on his doorstep needing a place to stay, he can’t turn her down. He also has a hard time not agreeing to act as her fake boyfriend for Carter’s upcoming wedding and soon finds it difficult to continue to say no to the temptation that the younger woman presents.
Take this quiz and find out what kind of lover you are.
Here are some of the awesome romances headed our way in 2024.
And that’s all I have for y’all today. I’ll be back in your inboxes on Thursday with another round of recommendations. In the meantime, you can find me over on Instagram under @pns_bookish_world. Until then, happy reading, and stay hydrated!