Welcome to the Kissing Books newsletter. If you’re a regular reader, I’m glad to see you again. Or, 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!
Allergies are kicking my butt right now, and I hate it. At one point last Saturday, I completely lost my voice, which hasn’t happened since when I was a little girl, and it wasn’t any less frustrating now than it was then. Here’s hoping that it gets better in the coming days, because not being able to speak is just not doing it for me.
Bookish Goods
TBR Street Sign by AnchoredSoulCreate
I know a lot of readers like to separate their books from ones they’ve read to ones they’re intending to read, which, honestly, seems like the best way to go. If you’re of that mind, then this sign is a good way to set those shelves apart from all the other ones. $20
New Releases
Accidental Vows by Tina Martin
Widower Donovan’s heart is broken again when Shayla, the first woman he’s been interested in since his wife’s death, turns him down. In an effort to help her son heal, his mother suggests he take a cruise. There, he meets Kamila, who inspires Donovan to take chances he previously passed over. He’s left trying to determine if he still wants to pursue Shayla or if Kamila is destined to be his new love.
The Diamond and the Duke by Christi Caldwell
Wesley is returning from the Napoleonic Wars with physical and emotional wounds as well as a broken heart. This trifecta of pain has prompted him to take a break from Polite Society and the ton, with the exception of Ellie. While Ellie knows it is risky to befriend Wesley for multiple reasons, she can’t help but be drawn to him, finding that she has a desire to help him heal. But as friendship develops between the two, romance soon follows, which results in both of them realizing that the respective lives that they had planned for themselves may end up going down a completely different path.
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.
Riot Recommendations
Mychal the Librarian recently announced that he would be resigning from his position at the Fairfield Civic Center Library in Solano County. Now, he’s going to be a Resident Librarian for a Social Media on PBS, which isn’t a bad trade. But it is still sad for the patrons of that library, since I’m sure seeing Mychal was something a lot of patrons were looking forward to when they went to the library. I know that if I lived in that area, I would go once a week just to interact with him.
Mychal is a very sunshiny guy, and seeing him on my FYP always brought a smile to my face no matter what my mood was before starting to scroll. So, today’s recommendations are going to be books that also include sunshiny guys who make me smile and swoon.
Wild Rain by Beverly Jenkins
Now y’all know I couldn’t let February pass without recommending at least one from Mrs. Bev, right? Garrett is a reporter who has come to Paradise intending to interview Dr. Colton Lee for an article. But when he first comes across Colton’s sister, Spring, he’s drawn to the strong, independent woman. Due to her difficult past, Spring is a gruff loner and keeps to herself, not willing to take a risk in trusting another man for valid reasons. However, Garrett’s gentle and kind personality helps to prove to her that he is worth taking a risk at love for.
Love Me Forever by Johanna Lindsey
Lachlan is the Laird of the Clan MacGregor and is in search of a wife, which is why he accepts an invitation to a house party at Sherring Cross. There, he encounters Kimberly, who, at her father’s demands, is also there to find a spouse. While their initial encounter is more of a meet disaster, Kimberly finds herself drawn to the charming Scotsman. When he decides to focus said charm on wooing her, it’s only a matter of time before they find their happily ever after.
And that’s all I have for y’all today. I’ll be back in your inboxes on Monday with a fresh newsletter and, if you’re so inclined, you can give me a follow over on Instagram under @pns_bookish_world. Until then, happy reading and stay hydrated.