It’s May, folks! Are you reading spring-y books now that it seems like the weather in most places has decided to jump straight from snow to swimwear?
News and Useful Links
RT Awards have been announced! Congrats to the winner, and yes, I agree wholeheartedly with the Book of the effing Year.
Sponsored by Kensington Publishing Corp.
Longing for summer and looking for the perfect beach read? Take a visit to the idyllic Gansett Island with Marie Force’sNew York Times bestselling novel MAID FOR LOVE, now available in mass-market print for the first time! Join the 3.5 million readers who have followed the lives and loves of the MacCarthy family on their slice of island heaven. This time prodigal son Mac MacCarthy returns home and unexpectedly falls for hard-working single mom, Maddie, in the most unusual way. Don’t miss the vacation of a lifetime!
Diana Gabaldon Said Some Stuff and I’m not going to bother linking. She has Thoughts about people calling Outlander romance and she’s allowed to have them. *shrugs*
I’m sorry, have you seen the magnificence that is the new cover for An Unconditional Freedom? This is the third book in the Loyal League series, and I can’t wait for Daniel and Janita’s story!
And speaking of that cover, this is a fantastic story about not just Alyssa, but two of the behind-the-scenes women who were pivotal in the Loyal League’s success.
Last week, I hadn’t even heard of Frolic, and now we’ve had Alisha Rai extolling the virtues of Magic Mike XXL, Bree and Donna (Kit Rocha) pairing romance faves with Avengers, and Alyssa Cole putting together horoscopes and royal romances, and I’m all here for it. Seriously, where did y’all come from and how come I didn’t know about you?
Christina Lauren just announced a new book, too!
Also, let’s all just watch this gorgeous book trailer over and over again.
Finally, who’s ready to fall head first into #rombklove? Ana Coqui kills it again with a month long of prompts for twitter, instagram, and bloggers all over the interwebs.
Deals
Did you pick up Unmasked by the Marquess after I talked about it? If not, it’s 3.99 right now.
Tell Me by Abigail Strom is 1.99. Bookshelves on the cover and a shy bookstore owner. I’m good with that.
Piper Rayne’s Sexy Beast is 1.49. “Single Dads Club”? Sounds good to me.
Intercepting the Chef by Rachel Goodman is 1.99. Sports and food romance? Here for it.
Over on Book Riot
Do you have a bookish boyfriend? Take the quiz to see who it is.
Some people might think they’re done with fairy tales and retellings. If not, here are 100 to check out. They’re not all romance, but you know. Fairy tales.
Have you seen our new t-shirt?
Pride and Prejudice retellings will never get old for me.
And we’re in the last week of the mysteries giveaway. 15 books! Enter by May 9!
Recs
Pretending He’s Mine
Mia Sosa
I’m going to tell you a secret: I never finished Acting on Impulse. Tori and Carter never spoke to me, and as you know, there’s a million books I haven’t read. (Just you wait.) Ahem. But the premise of Pretending He’s Mine was total tropetonite, and I didn’t want to miss out just because I hadn’t connected to the first book.
And y’all. Julian and Ashley are adorable. A true friends-to-lovers story, Pretending He’s Mine tells us about two people who don’t hesitate to take up a friend’s suggestion to pretend to date, all to avoid a family member’s frustrating comments. Of course, they’ve already realized their attraction to each other by that point, but they decide not to act on it—Julian is not only Ashley’s brother’s oldest friend, he’s his agent. So there’s all that happening. The two of them also have to figure out their own lives, and have to do a lot of thinking and soul searching together and on their own. I don’t always go for friends to lovers (too much Pride and Prejudice fanfiction as a teen), but I heard the words “fake relationship” and came running.
You know how it is.
Looking for more fake relationships? Here are some I’ve loved in the past and a couple I’m excited for in the future:
If The Dress Fits by Carla de Guzman: Martha’s BFF Max accidentally becomes a fake boyfriend when he shows up at a family gathering. It’s all good; they can both handle it.
His Road Home by Anna Richland: a bit of misinformation leaves people thinking Grace is Rey’s fiancee, and she doesn’t bother disavowing people of that notion, especially because he’s been injured in Afghanistan.
When a Scot Ties the Knot by Tessa Dare: Not just a fake relationship; a fake fiance. As in “Maddie doesn’t want a season so she makes up a fiance.” And then HE SHOWS UP. Madness ensues. (If you enjoy this one, also check out The Duchess Deal.)
His Convenient Husband by Robin Covington: American football player + Russian ballet dancer denied asylum status = perfect reason to get married. Bonus gender non-conforming kid.
One True Pairing by Cathy Yardley: I love geeky stories. I love fandom. I love stars and the non-stars they fall in love with. So of course I would be drawn to the story of a series regular (secondary lead, if you will) who needs to up his Q-score so invites a local to pretend to be his girlfriend while he’s in town for a convention. That never goes wrong, right?
Act Like It by Lucy Parker: Stage actors fake date in order to give both of them a better rep. Richard is a bad boy and needs a new look. She gets to support her favorite charity. They…do not get along very well.
Others I look forward to reading?
Grumpy Fake Boyfriend by Jackie Lau
The Soldier’s E-Mail Order Bride by Cora Seton (with a title like that, I gotta know, right?)
The Princess Trap by Talia Hibbert
Life of Bliss by Erin McLellan
Do you have a favorite fake relationship? Tell me what it is! If I get enough recommendations, there’s a chance for a nice collection of fake relationships/fake dating/sham marriages on Book Riot Proper. It’s pretty much the only kind of deception I actually enjoy reading.
New and Upcoming Releases
Song of Blood and Stone by L. Penelope
Blend by Georgia Beers
Wanna Bet by Talia Hibbert
A Scandalous Deal by Joanna Shupe
Do Over by Delaney Diamond
An Honorable Seduction by Brenda Jackson (May 8)
As usual, 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!