Welcome, or welcome back, to the Kissing Books newsletter. I’m PN Hinton, your guide to all things romance-related. Thanks for taking time from your day to give this a read! I hope this newsletter helps to brighten up your day just a little bit more.
Looking to elevate your reading life? Tailored Book Recommendations is here to help with handpicked recommendations. Tell the Bibliologists at Tailored Book Recommendations about what you love and what you don’t. You can get your recommendations via email or receive hardcovers or paperbacks in the mail. And with quarterly or annual plans available, TBR has something for every budget. Plans start at just $18! Subscribe today.
It’s the Monday after Independent Bookstore Day. If you celebrated, I hope you got a good haul that didn’t make your bank account cry too much. Since I’m writing this before I took my mini-bookstore crawl with my sister, I can’t give any updates yet. But come Thursday, I’ll be able to relay what got added to my ever-growing TBR pile.
Bookish Goods
Trope Cola Stickers by fatedmakes
These are just ADORABLE and perfect for the spring and summertime vibes. The price is $4.00 per sticker, or $14.00 if you want the whole set.
New Releases
All Too Reel by Nicole Lam
When Prince Kostas asks Raina to be his fake wife for a year to help him get his inheritance in exchange for a large amount of money and free publicity, the aspiring actress readily agrees. After all, in the hustle and bustle of Hollywood, she’ll take all the help she can get. However, Kostas is more charming than Raina anticipated, and she quickly develops real feelings for the handsome royal.
Truly, Madly, Deeply by Alexandria Bellefleur
When romance writer Truly and divorce lawyer Colin start a podcast on relationship advice, the first attempted recording ends in disaster with Truly walking out. When Colin approaches her later to ask for a second chance, she begrudgingly agrees. Soon, the two find that they have more in common than they initially thought and wonder if their past failed relationships were designed to lead them to this happily ever after.
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.
Riot Recommendations
Today’s recommendations are fake engagement/marriage books. This trope is an elevated version of fake dating. As such, the stakes tend to be higher. But, that also makes for a more interesting read in some cases. With that said, let’s dive into today’s recommendations!
The “I Do” Dilemma by Jayci Lee
Garrett Song needs a wife to remain CEO of his family’s fashion business, and Natalie needs to show the courts she has a stable home to retain custody of her niece. After discovering each other’s situations, they enter into a fake and temporary marriage. What neither expected was that the spark between them would flare to life and blur the lines of their agreement.
D’Vaughn and Kris Plan a Wedding by Chencia C. Higgins
Kris and D’Vaughn have their reasons for signing up for the reality show Instant I Do. Kris is doing it to help boost her social media platforms, and D’Vaughn is using it to come out to her mother. The $100,000 cash prize is just a bonus. Neither expected that they would have intense chemistry on and off cameras, which puts them in the position of having to choose between cash or a chance at true love.
Check out this interview with our own Jessica Pryde with KBIA!
Cleat Cute may soon be coming to the small screen. *squee*
This TikTok from author Elisabeth Wheatley legit made me laugh out loud.
That’s all she wrote for this lovely Monday. Hopefully, this newsletter gave you a burst of serotonin to help prepare you for the upcoming week. I’ll be back in your inboxes on Thursday and in the meantime, you can always catch up on my bookish adventures on Instagram under @pns_bookish_world. Until then, happy reading and stay hydrated!