Category: Kissing Books

Hey y’all, welcome to the Kissing Books newsletter. I hope your spirit is doing well. I’m PN Hinton, your guide through the roller coaster of a ride that the world of romance can be. If it is your first time here, welcome and if you’re a regular reader, welcome back.

Between Love & Leashes being both a Netflix show and a Webtoons comic, I am trying to start actively getting more into K-dramas. I’ve become determined to finish watching Romance is a Bonus Book before I move onto that one, and I just finished the eight episode and y’all…I was NOT prepared for the level of crying I did. I know ‘drama’ is part of the genre title but damn…I was sincerely worried about getting hydrated because I felt my personal water supply got depleted that much. It was a beautiful moment don’t get me wrong, but still I sobbed like I was sitting there drinking with the ladies. 

That said, that is also what’s bringing me joy nowadays since I’m really enjoying the series and can’t wait to start others when it’s over. There have been no changes to what I’m currently reading so it’s still I’m (So) Not Over You and One True Loves, since I do enjoy a good YA romance as well.

Romance Reflection:

As you may already know, the Swoon awards recently recanted two awards from the winners for Novella/Short Story and Holiday Romance. It was the same author and I initially thought it was due to reports of plagiarism and appreciated that they were being accountable for that. Showing appreciation of that type of accountability was originally going to be the focus of this reflection.

Then I saw (TW: s*ex abuse) this tweet and it shed a whole new and ugly light on the situation. 

As per the norm, I won’t list the author here since that information can be found in the links but I was literally disgusted by it. And the fact that there was this type of scene in a ‘romance’ novel that garnered such praise. Honestly, most people should have DNFed the hell out of that when they got to that part and that is any book. I stopped reading a specific vampire hunter series because there was an assault against a child in a book and it wasn’t even that graphic. But still that was the line for me.

The fact that this scene exists in a romance novel that is so highly praised is sickening. Seriously, I felt like I was going to throw up reading that screenshot. There is no excuse for that level of graphicness in a book, especially a romance. And especially since it is taken from someone’s very real traumatic experience.

I’ve often heard it stated that a lot of women don’t like thriller, mysteries, or horrors because of the violence against women and their bodies. Which is completely fair and understandable, given that is a very prevalent theme in those novels and it has been for quite a long time. However, we need to show this same consideration for people, which includes men, in romance novels. The assault, degradation, and dehumanization of a person is NEVER okay. 

I can already hear the cries about “What about old school romance?” to which I say there’s a reason it’s old school. There’s a reason no one writes like that anymore. It’s called evolution and there are some authors who used to write like that who have changed their style and grown. That ish shouldn’t be accepted in romance novels nowadays, even in a historical setting. Keep that mess out of published works because seeing that anywhere will automatically put an author on a do not buy/read/promote list for me. 

And now onto some lighter topics; a mini-romance reflection.

Netflix has released more posters from the upcoming season of Bridgerton. No lie I was beyond stoked to see Newton the Corgi. But I sincerely hope that they don’t fabricate a sisterly rivalry between Kate and Edwina because their close bond was one of the many endearing things about the book.

Some people pushed back saying a love triangle was part of the plot but it wasn’t really. To me, a love triangle is where one person is actively pursuing or being pursued by two different people. In the book, Anthony is pursuing Edwina, who is willing to consider him for marriage to help her family. When he begins having feelings for Kate, especially after they kiss, his inner thoughts show that he is going to move from Edwina as a wife since he admitted he was lusting after Kate. So, it’s not one at all.

We have to wait and see but if they do, well we all know I’ll have opinions on it that I will happily share.

Around the Web in Romance:

Frolic has their new book crush pick and it’s Tessa Bailey’s Hook, Line, and Sinker.

Here are now of the most anticipated romance reads coming in March, according to Goodreads.

And here are of March’s M/M romance releases.

New Releases:

Here are some of the releases scheduled for release this week. Please remember that the dates showing were the ones that were reflected as of the writing of this newsletter.

I Wanna Be Your Lover by Marlon McCaulsky (3/7/22)

Cosplay Worthy by Quiana Glide (3/7/22)

The Ones I Left Behind by Shaii Wright (3/8/22)

A Match Made in Lipa by Carla de Guzman (3/8/22)

Broken King by Bella Matthews (3/8/22)

Taste by Melanie Harlow (3/8/22)

The Suite Spot by Trish Doller (3/8/22)

If You Ask Me by Libby Hubscher (3/8/22)

Wine, Whiskey, & Lipstick by LaShawn Vasser (3/10/22)

Champagne Problems by Addison Clarke (3/10/22)

Bonds of Love by Mickie Sherwood (3/11/22)

Mall Out of Luck by Sarah Robinson (3/11/22) 

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That’s all she wrote for today, friends. I hope that you have a relaxing weekend with plenty of reading. If you’re not already following me on Twitter I can be found posting under @PScribe801. Until Monday!

Hey y’all, welcome to the Kissing Books newsletter. I hope your spirit is doing well. I’m PN Hinton, your guide through the roller coaster of a ride that the world of romance can be. If it is your first time here, welcome and if you’re a regular reader welcome back.

This last weekend I went to see the 1961 version of West Side Story accompanied live by the local symphony and I loved it. I always forget how much I enjoy the symphony, then I always ask myself why I don’t do it more often. In the past money was a factor but that’s not really the case now. People, sure, but the venue had strict mask mandates so that was nice. So, it’s highly likely I will do this more often than I have been, if for no other reason than rewarding myself for being an adult on a regular basis.

Romance Reflection

So I came across this tweet scrolling through my Twitter feed the other day and it somewhat shocked me that some people still think that Fabio is what makes a romance novel cover a ‘real’ one. This is a sort of naïve mindset especially since, as was pointed out in this Book Riot article, he stopped modeling between 1991 and 1998.

Now, I started reading romances when Fabio was essentially the cover model for most and while younger me dealt with the teasing and may have been a bit ashamed, middle-age me has no flips left to give with regards to that. If you want to read romance, read romance, bare-chested Fabio or otherwise. If it brings you joy and happiness, who cares what others think?

And this is in no way meant to disparage the man. He found himself a niche and made it work for him for a very long time. I respect the hustle on that and give all the props to him for making it work as long as he did. But again I couldn’t even tell you the last cover I saw him on. Whatever the reason, he hasn’t sat at this particular table for a very long time so it was really odd that this was even a reference.

Book Riot Romance

As a fan of this book, I thoroughly enjoyed Rioter Megan’s breakdown of The Love Hypothesis.

Around the Web in Romance

For your consideration, here are some more books where roommates fall in love.

Here is a round-up of some of the best romances that came out in February. 

Recommendations

I love watching the symphony perform and it’s really not just about the music. I’ve mentioned before that I played the viola when I was younger and I was fortunate enough to have the same teacher all seven years of middle and high school. Since I had the same teacher, I heard a lot of the same instructions over and over again. One of the things I remember her saying is to make sure that we were careful about our bow movements because, while we couldn’t see it, from the audience it was beautiful. 

And she was right. There were so many moments during the performance where I would be entranced by all the bows in the string section moving in the same way. It was like a wave and it just added to the experience. I loved it. I’m not sure she reads this but I just wanted to say, Mrs. Nero, you were right. I’m sure it comes as no surprise to you. 

Yes, my music teacher’s name was Nero, or it was when I first met her since she later got married. She also played the violin. One of life’s little ironies. 

I’m still on a cloud of classical music, even a week later. As such, my recommendations this week are about people who play instruments, more so in the classical vein. 

Don’t forget you can get three free audiobooks at Audiobooks.com with a free trial!

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And that’s all I have for you today. I hope that this upcoming weekend proves restful and relaxing for y’all and as always full of reading. I’ll be back Monday with more romance round-ups and new releases. If you’re not already following me there, I can be found on Twitter under @PScribe801. Until next week!

Hey y’all, welcome to the Kissing Books newsletter. I hope your spirit is doing well. I’m PN Hinton, your guide through the roller coaster of a ride that the world of romance can be. If it is your first time here, welcome and if you’re a regular reader, welcome back.

I really need the Texas weather to pick a lane and maintain it for longer than a week. The other day, it was what one might call a balmy 83 outside. Then two days later, Alexa informed us we had a Winter Advisory in effect and there was a two-hour school delay. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not necessarily against cold weather, especially since it is winter. I just want to not have to constantly flip my thermostat from “Cold” to “Heat” and back again. 

In “What’s on my Shelves”, I finished Black Love Matters, I’m still reading I’m (So) Not Over You, and I started One True Loves. And on the opposite side of the spectrum, one thing currently bringing me joy are the new additions to the Shudder movie library. As mentioned before, I’m a huge fan of that genre as well and am reliving my younger years by watching some of my favorite movies growing up. 

Romance Reflection:

One thing that seems to constantly come up in Romancelandia are book covers. There is the constant back and forth between real people versus illustrated. As I’ve said before, I don’t have a dog in that race since I genuinely don’t mind one over the other. However, I do not like the combination of the two. 

There has also recently been pushback against men’s bare chests on covers, which again I could take or leave. I will say though that if there can be books out there with scantily clad women, across multiple genres, then people can deal with a few ‘mitties’ every now and then. Also, if I don’t care what my friends and family think about what I’m reading, why would I care about complete and total strangers? 

But there is one trend that really does bother me and that is the obliteration, partial or otherwise, of faces. 

In looking at some cover reveals, I’ve seen more than a few with the faces cut off. Like you only see the faces from the noses down. I noticed this was with the upcoming Beverly Jenkins book, which I side-eyed the heck out of because it seems really intentional and a bad choice for such a prolific Black author. I thought I also saw this same set-up on an upcoming Eva Leigh book, but it appears that the full faces of both MCs may be displayed there. 

Still, I don’t like how it’s cut off and that would be the case even if it wasn’t a novel by Ms. Bev. Admittedly, this could be because I’m a sucker for a beautiful pair of eyes and can’t see them when covers are like that. But it is still unsettling, to say the least… Although, it doesn’t scare me as much as the illustrated covers with absolutely no features because that’s another hard no for me. Again, I watch too much horror to be okay with that. Which isn’t to say I won’t read books like that, but I won’t like the covers. 

To me, cutting off the face, either partially or completely seems wrong. Like, it moves to looking at people like objects rather than people since you can’t focus on their faces. Objectification is something we always argue against, as we should. That’s likely why I have such strong feelings about it. We need to see a face so we see a person and can make that connection. Yes, they’re fictional, but they deserve faces. 

All of this is to say, illustrated or real people, show me their faces.

Book Riot Romance:

Jess compiled a list of some Queer Black Romances that should definitely/probably be on everybody’s TBR list.

Don’t forget to check out our limited edition Wordle-inspired merchandise! I only just recently got into it and am a bit mad at myself for not jumping on it sooner.

Around the Web in Romance:

I enjoyed reading about some of the romance novels that made an impact on author Denise Williams.

If Fantasy Romance is your catnip, be sure to pick up some of the books listed here.

And here’s a list from Audible from some of the best romances from Black authors. Please note that while all the authors are Black, not all the books showcase Black Love.

New Releases:

Here are some of the new releases that were shown to be hitting the shelves this week, as of the writing of this newsletter.

Indiscretion by B. Love (3/1)

Stages by Lamar Neal (3/1)

Sapphire Sunset by C. Travis Rice (3/1) 

The Love List by Naima Simone (3/1)

Lured by the Dusk by Angela J. Ford (3/1)

Wherever Is Your Heart by Anita Kelly (3/1)

A Lady’s Finder by Edie Cay (3/1)

A Brush With Love by Mazey Eddings (3/1) 

Taste You by Lula White (3/2)

A Roadie’s Guide to Boyfriends by Ian M. Keller (3/2)

Always Been You by Q.B. Tyler (3/3)

Sevyn by Keta Kendric (3/3)

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And that’s all I have for you. I’ll see you in March (sorry couldn’t resist that tiny Dad joke) with another round-up of romance reflections, news, and recommendations. If you’re not following me on Twitter already I can be found under @Pscribe801. Stay healthy and hydrated and I’ll see y’all Thursday. Happy reading!

Hey y’all, welcome to the Kissing Books newsletter. I hope your spirit is doing well. I’m PN Hinton, your guide through the roller coaster of a ride that the world of romance can be. If it is your first time here, welcome and if you’re a regular reader welcome back.

I got my hair done last weekend and I love the burst of confidence it has given me. I went with a blue-black color, because I don’t do subtle when I change my hair, and it is a stark difference. My hair is naturally lighter in color, leaning more towards brown and occasionally in the summer red highlights. So, it is noticeable, which is always a plus.

In reading news, I finished Rebel and, naturally, loved it. I also started I’m So (Not) Over You. I am also looking forward to this weekend since I’m going to see my local symphony play along with the 1961 version of West Side Story with my sister and another friend.

Romance Reflection

Today’s reflection was prompted by this tweet I saw the other day. It references screenshots where cis-gender women were saying it was ‘okay-er’ in M/M romances because it wasn’t against a woman. Let’s make one thing clear:

It doesn’t matter if it’s a M/F, M/M, or F/F romance or any other kind of romance; abuse is not okay and it sure as hell is not sexy. There really isn’t an argument here and you can’t change my mind. It is not a preference thing either, like preferring dark romances. Domestic abuse is terrible and has risen substantially in the last few years thanks to COVID-19.

I can’t even begin to fathom what type of person thinks that mindset referenced above makes any lick of sense. It perpetuates the stereotype that men can’t be abused at all. Which is shite; they’re still human which means they can. This also isn’t a matter of preferring one trope over another either. There’s no ‘abuse’ trope.

Stop trying to make domestic abuse sexy. It’s never going happen.

Book Riot Romance

Happy 100th episode to When in Romance! Be sure to listen to this monumental episode and celebrate with Jess and Trisha.

I really appreciated reading this thank you letter from Rioter Laura about her love of queer romances.

Be sure to also take this quiz from Rioter Sarah to find your next romance read.

There’s also still time to check out and buy some of our Wordle-inspired merchandise.

Make sure to get your own Read Harder Book Journal from Book Riot to track your reading for the year!

Around the Web in Romance

You may recall me previously discussing a “Best of Romance Novel” bracket in the works. Well, it’s finally here and you have until next Monday to submit your nominations for it.

Take this quiz to find a queer romance to pick up next.

And if you’ve already read the book that the quiz gave you, then check out this list of 41 Queer Romances for other options.

I am loving this cover.

I have this same question…

And I agree with this sentiment. Of course I would much prefer a rom-com for the HEA.

Recommendations

My recommendations for this last full week of February are books that feature a red cover. It was an intentional choice to hold off on using this color last for a few reasons. One is that I think a lot of people think of red when they think of Valentine’s Day; so, holding off helped to heighten the anticipation. It was also a challenge for me since red is my favorite color so choosing this color right out of the gate felt like it would have been a bit of a cheat for me. 

But the wait is over and here are some of my recommendations for books with predominantly red covers. 

Don’t forget you can get three free audiobooks at Audiobooks.com with a free trial!

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That’s all she wrote for today friends. I hope that this upcoming weekend is full of reading and relaxing for you. I’ll be back Monday with more romance updates and new releases. Until then.

Hey y’all, welcome to the Kissing Books newsletter. I hope your spirit is doing well. I’m PN Hinton, your guide through the roller coaster of a ride that the world of romance can be. If it is your first time here, welcome and if you’re a regular reader, welcome back.

I just got back from picking out courses with my kiddo for next year when he goes to high school. An endeavor that I am not even remotely ready to really accept because it seems impossible. That said, I can’t show this to him since he’s apprehensive about going and no good will come from feeding that fire. So, I have to put on a perky and positive attitude for him. Please send me good vibes for the next few months.

Romance Reflection:

One sentiment that I’ve seen floating around in the last few weeks is that more men should read romance novels because of ‘insert random reason here.’ This is a problem for me for many reasons. 

First, just to state facts, there already are a lot of men who already read romance novels. Some even write them. Continuously saying that they need to start just perpetuates an untruth that absolutely no men read romance. We should probably cease having that admittedly sexist mindset.

In addition to that, it’s just narrow-minded and wrong. You can’t force anyone to like anything; that has been proven time and time again. The old adage “You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink it” comes to mind. I know romance is not for everyone and I get that. I don’t mind if someone doesn’t like romance, PROVIDED they don’t give me any guff for it AND they don’t try to force their preferred genre on me. 

And why is that? Because when you force something on someone, they’re less likely to enjoy it. This has always been the case with anything. It doesn’t matter if it’s vegetables, amusement park rides, or what you read. When someone has something forced on them, they go in with a resistance mindset. Which means that, even if they do like it, sheer stubbornness may prevent them from admitting and/or trying it again. Whereas if you come to something organically and on your own time, you can form a mostly unbiased opinion. 

Now, I can almost get this mindset on some levels. While I’m not the only habitual romance reader in my various groups of friends, I’m one of the few. And honestly I get tired of having to defend it as valid or have to deal with friends deriding the genre. I’ve gone silent and done whatever the Android equivalent of ‘left on read’ is whenever it comes up. So, on some level, there’s the mindset of try it out before you decide you don’t like it. But only if you want to.

All of this is to say that we have got to stop trying to convert staunch non-romance readers. If they ask for a recommendation, by all means give it to them. But telling them they have to read it is a surefire way to keep them from ever wanting to pick one up. 

Book Riot Romance:

Rioter Abigail shared with us how Amish romances were her gateway into the genre. I’ve read a few of these myself over the years and have enjoyed most of them.

There’s still time to check out our limited edition Wordle-inspired merchandise. I only recently got into this game and I am eyeing some of these myself.

Around the Web in Romance:

February 15th was Beverly Jenkins’ birthday! Happy belated birthday Miss Ma’am!! You are and continue to be one of the brightest jewels in the crown of Romancelandia.

This cover is on fire and gorgeous. It’s so beautiful I almost want it as a print.

As is this one. The half-cut off faces are a bit jarring but otherwise…*fans self*

EW rounded up some romances that feature reality shows and identity questions here.

If you like tropes and stories centered around party girls just wanting to have fun, then this article has you covered.

Here’s another round-up of romances by BIPOC authors for your consideration.

If you’re wanting romances that feature more mature characters, check out some of the recommendations here.

Take this fun ‘pick red food’ quiz and see how well it matches up with your love language. Mine wasn’t what the official test said my love language was but for what it is worth, it is the one I always thought it would be.

Check out this list of main character dating profiles that Nick of ‘The Infinite Limits of Love’ blog put together based of some 2022 debut authors and their books.

New Releases:

Here are some of the new releases headed our way this week. Of course, remember that these were the dates that were showing as of the writing of this newsletter and that, due to supply demands and other unknown factors, they may be subject to change. 

Bound by Her Rival’s Baby by Maya Blake (2/22)

The Adoption Surprise by Zoey Marie Jackson (2/22)

Colliding with Fate by A.E. Valdez (2/22)

The Last Bachelor Left by Christian Cashelle (2/22)

The Rebel’s Return by Nadine Gonzalez (2/22)

I’m So (Not) Over You by Kosoko Jackson (2/22) 

Sink or Swim by Annabeth Albert (2/22)

Baby Surprise for the Billionaire by Ruby Basu (2/22)

The Last Laugh by Eva Munoz (2/22)

Bending the Rules by Brigham Vaugh (2/24)

Devil May Care by Amy Cissell (2/24)

In the Shadow of Love by J.E. Leak (2/25)

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And that’s all I have for you today. I’ll be back on Thursday with more romance reflections, round-ups, and recommendations. If you’re not already following me on Twitter, I can be found at @PScribe801. I hope that your weekend is restful and relaxing and as always full of good reading. See y’all next time.

Hey y’all, welcome to the Kissing Books newsletter. I hope your spirit is doing well. I’m PN Hinton, your guide through the roller coaster of a ride that the world of romance can be. If it is your first time here, welcome and if you’re a regular reader welcome back.

It’s hard to believe that we’re halfway through February and March will be here soon. With it comes spring and hopefully warm but not surface-of-the-sun level heat for my area. At the very least, maybe our weather will stay consistent for a full week because this flip-flopping is not for me.

Romance Reflection

I’ve mentioned this in passing in a previous edition but there have still been untruths flying around recently. I feel like this most recent discussion is the direct result of this tweet and by extension other lists of Black romance books making the rounds. However, there are a good number of interracial romances on that list, so to call it an all Black Love list is incorrect.

So again I state that Black love is a romance where all involved partners are Black. Always. If there is one Black person and all other involved parties are a different race, then it’s interracial and/or multicultural. I really don’t understand why this is such a hard concept to get. But it seems to be something that needs to be repeated, specifically when it comes to Black love stories. I haven’t really seen this discourse pop up for other types of love stories. 

Sometimes it’s an honest mistake to classify a book as Black Love when it’s not. This is something that has even happened here at Book Riot, so that I can understand up to a certain point. And again let me state that there is absolutely nothing wrong with interracial and multicultural romances at all; they just aren’t Black Love. 

Other times it’s a deliberate way to try to cash in on that specific cash flow. Romancelandia gets accused of gatekeeping a lot and sometimes it’s valid. Such as when a would-be writer tries to cash in on the romance money without having to, you know, actually write a romance. Those are the ones who claim that they’re ‘rocking the boat’ and it will be a different type of romance novel. Which always equals no HEA which means it is not a romance. 

This happens a lot within the romance genre, and this situation is a prime example of that. While the publisher is sometimes at fault, other times it’s just the author flagging it as Black love and it isn’t until later that the truth comes out. Either way, it’s not a good feeling and it’s an argument that apparently we will still need to keep having until everyone catches up with the rest of the class.

Book Riot Romance

Celebrate Black History Month with some of these romances.

Also check out this introduction to Romance BookTok.

And this list of Eros and Psyche inspired books.

Don’t forget to check out our limited edition Wordle-inspired merchandise!

Around the Web in Romance

I really loved this Dul-Sayin’ bit featuring some awesome Black romance authors from a recent episode of The Daily Show.

Be sure to check out this upcoming Men Romance Roundtable episode of the Romance in Color podcast.

While many would argue diversity has been around longer than non-romance readers may think, this was still an enjoyable read.

Here are some rom-com recommendations to help brighten up your day.

And a few more recommended romance reads.

Romance novel covers on rocks! I can’t sufficiently express how much joy these pieces of art bring me.

The Swoon Awards winners were announced so be sure to click here and view them all.

Make sure to get your own Read Harder Book Journal from Book Riot to track your reading for the year!

Recommendations

Following today’s reflection, this week’s romance recommendations are going to be centered around Black love. This means these are all stories that feature two Black characters falling in love and finding happiness therein.

Don’t forget you can get three free audiobooks at Audiobooks.com with a free trial!

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And that is all I have for you today. I’ll be back next week with another round-up of romance news and new releases. Have a wonderful weekend and happy reading.

Hey y’all, welcome to the Kissing Books newsletter. I hope your spirit is doing well. I’m PN Hinton, your guide through the roller coaster of a ride that the world of romance can be. If it is your first time here, welcome and if you’re a regular reader welcome back.

Happy Valentine’s Day y’all! If you observe it, of course. Personally, I could take it or leave this holiday. I’ve always felt this way. I was the kid who knew the only reason she got Valentine’s Cards was because it was mandated to give one to every child in class. So, by the time I got to high school, I had a clouded view towards the holiday overall. And, with the kiddo being in middle school now, the night before no longer includes an hour of making out cards for a whole class. That was a super stressful endeavor. Still, I know that it is important for some people and if you are a lover of this day, I hope that whatever you do, this is an awesome day and evening for you. 

Or, if you celebrated Galentine’s Day yesterday, I hope it was full of wine and good times as well. In ‘Currently Reading News’, my copy of Black Love Matters came in so I started that. I also am working on my TBR backlist and started Rebel as well and am enjoying both immensely.

Romance Reflection:

Susannah Nix tweeted this the other day and it got me thinking about academia romance overall. I know that, as with most tropes, this is something that divides the romance community. You have those who cringe at any relationship of this nature, even if there is not a direct chain of command connection between the university student and teacher. Others seem to really adore this one, especially if there is a direct connection and, by extension, power imbalance between the two.

As always, I’m not yucking anyone’s yum at all. To each their own and all that. That said, I did have the realization that I am not a huge fan of this trope overall. That’s one reason why I tend to shy away from any type of academia romance; a story has to be really intriguing for me to actively want to read one of those, which was the case for The Love Hypothesis. And that one was a huge outlier to be honest. I will only do office/workplace romances if they are on an equal level. If there is any type of power imbalance I will usually nope out. 

And that’s because I can’t separate from how horrible this type of situation or relationship can be in the real world. I also can’t ignore the actual outcomes they sometimes yield. In the real world a power imbalance can lead resentment from the one not in power at their vulnerability, even if the other person doesn’t lord it over them. It can lead to someone getting fired because a company decided one party was more important, or the student getting forced out of school while the professor gets tenure. 

For me, romance is about escapism and if there is no way of escaping the real world counterpart, I’m not going to enjoy it. These are just examples of some of my ‘approach with caution’ tropes. For another person, it may be something like a sibling or best friend’s ex because they’ve been through something like that and for them it was an actual betrayal of trust. Even in situations where the break-up may have been amicable, it can still be difficult to not equate that to their own.

Again, this isn’t necessarily to say that these are bad books or tropes that need to go. It’s just an explanation of how, given my own personal take on it, I can see why these types of stories would cause such a division amongst romance readers and some would choose to pass them up. 

Book Riot Romance:

Silvana put together a list of more romance manga you should be reading.

Nikki also wrote about exactly what makes a good slow burn romance.

Be sure to check out our new line of bookish Wordle-inspired merchandise! This is a temporary campaign though so be sure to order yours as soon as possible.

There’s also still time to enter this giveaway for a shopping spree at The Ripped Bodice.

Around the Web in Romance:

Check out Harlequin’s interview with Jess about Black Love Matters to get more insight into what went on behind the scenes.

Here are some queer romances that you can you pick up to celebrate Valentine’s Day.

Vox recently published this article on attraction in romance novels.

There’s a lot of awesomeness in this giveaway so be sure to enter for a chance at some new books.

Here is one reader’s rankings of all of Jasmine Guillory’s books in terms of swoonworthy.

This Sarah’s Scribbles comic made me snortle.

Talia Hibbert’s Ravenswood series has been optioned for adaptation!

New Releases:

Let Me Love You by K.L. Gilchrist (2/14)

Show Off by Renee Dahlia (2/14)

Crushing on Cupid by Noami Piper (2/14)

Thirty Days With You by Ruth Miranda (2/14)

Her Heart’s Desire by Anne Shade (2/15)

Plain English by Rachel Spangler (2/15)

A Perfect Equation by Elizabeth Everett (2/15) 

Deadly Secrets by VK Powell (2/15)

Be Kind, Rewind by Melissa Born (2/15)

Sinner’s Game by J. Kenner (2/15)

The Night Thief by Brenna Kahn (2/15)

Nothing Ordinary by E.M. Lindsey (2/16)

Spirited Situation by Louisa Masters (2/17)

Because It’s You by Brooklyn Knight (2/18)

This is just a fraction of some of the exciting releases that are scheduled for publication this week. Just a gentle reminder that these were the dates that were showing as of the writing of this newsletter.

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And that is all I have for you today. I’ll be back Thursday with some more romance round-ups, reflections, and recommendations. In the meantime, give me a follow over on Twitter under @PScribe801. Happy reading!

Hey y’all, welcome to the Kissing Books newsletter. I hope your spirit is doing well. I’m PN Hinton, your guide through the roller coaster of a ride that the world of romance can be. If it is your first time here, welcome and if you’re a regular reader welcome back.

I survived the snowstorm weekend mostly unscathed! I say mostly because I broke a car door handle off. but I stayed warm and didn’t get too much cabin fever. So, it all balances out.

Romance Reflection

Today’s brief romance reflection is something that floated around all the wings of Twitter, including Romancelandia, that stated that adult fiction needed to be at least 80k – 120k to be considered a viable book option and that anything under that was not a good sell. 

Which is crap. Books can be too long and when they are that’s my first complaint about them. A good number of books out there should have been edited better before hitting the printing press. Now, some people may want to point the fingers to other genres for the ones that are really guilty of this but truth hurts. And the truth is romance is just as guilty of this as well over the years.

You can tell an impactful story in less than 80k words. And if you can, you should. Don’t inflate words to get to a fake and arbitrary word count. This isn’t to say that there should never be long books. But if they are long, they need to be worth the journey. 

Book Riot Romance

The latest episode of When in Romance is live, and the 100th episode is up next! *Kermit flail* Click here to listen to the latest episode and to learn how you can be a part of the 100th episode celebration. Be sure to be thinking of some memories to share.

Read more about Ashley’s foray into erotic romance books.

There’s also this history of fashion in romance novels by R. Nassor.

If you’re an audiobook fan, check out some of these titles Kenda rounded up for Valentine’s Day.

You can also prepare your wallet for these new romance novels that Michelle put together.

Make sure to get your own Read Harder Book Journal from Book Riot to track your reading for the year!

Around the Web in Romance

As it’s February, here’s an annual reminder that a Black romance is a romance novel by a Black author where all involved parties are Black.

Speaking of awesomeness in Black Love, check out this interview with Beverly Jenkins Black love and the history of it.

Authors Kosoko Jackson and Ashley Herring Blake will be on a panel to talk about their upcoming releases via an event from Loyalty Bookstores. You can register here.

If you have a friend new to the romance genre, here are some good recommendations to help ease them in.

I’m with Suleikha on this; if I have to know this, so does everybody else.

Looking for a romantic escape? There are some books that can help you out.

Cover reveal for the latest and holiday-related Bromance Book Club book!

If you have a young romance lover in your love, some of these YA Black Love reads may be perfect for a buddy read with them this month.

Recommendations

Another color that is synonymous with Valentine’s Day is purple. I know that a lot of people love this color as well. In fact, two of my good friends both claim this as their favorite color. Whenever I think of the color purple, I automatically think of The Unicorn Club from Sweet Valley Twins. It was the club full of popular girls that Jessica was in and they picked it since they found out it was the color of royalty. As such, they always wore one purple item a day to stand out from others in school. 

Looking back on it as an adult though, I wonder how practical this was. It’s not like they could prevent other people from wearing purple. So, how could you really tell who was part the club unless there was something else to denote them? And I can’t even imagine the arguments this would cause. I can tell you right now that teachers do not get paid enough to deal with a tear-streaked pre-teen yelling, “She can’t wear purple, SHE’S NOT A UNICORN!” on a regular basis. 

I digress. Here are some romance novels that highlight the color purple that may catch your eye if you’re also a fan of that color.

Don’t forget you can get three free audiobooks at Audiobooks.com with a free trial!

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And that’s all I have for y’all this week! I hope that you enjoy your upcoming weekend and that if you’re celebrating Galentine’s or Valentine’s Day that you have a great time. I’ll be back Monday with some more romance updates and new releases.

Hey y’all, welcome to the Kissing Books newsletter. I hope your spirit is doing well. I’m PN Hinton, your guide through the roller coaster of a ride that the world of romance can be. If it is your first time here, welcome and if you’re a regular reader welcome back.

Well, it’s February and once again my city is under a winter storm warning. I just looked outside and confirmed that, while not buried like it was last year, there is a smattering of the white cold stuff on my chair. Understandably, a lot of people freaked out the day before and crowded grocery stores to stock up, just in case it was a repeat of last year. Most of the districts have called off school for the rest of the week just to be safe. Since I’m fortunate enough to be able to work from home, I don’t have to worry about getting out in that. So my plan is going to primarily focus on staying in my apartment and hoping that the water and electricity stay on.

I’m currently not reading anything romance related because I’m waiting for my copy of Black Love Matters to arrive. Once it does, I’m going to start it right away. Of course I’m not not reading and am almost done with The Girl in the Lake and just starting A Song Below Water for book club.

Romance Reflection

I agree with Mrs. Bev’s sentiment here. There are tons of romance-related terms I wish would go the way of the dodo, and ‘bodice ripper’ rates up pretty high on that list. Whenever this term is uttered in reference to a romance novel by a non-fan, it’s always with a disdainful tone. It doesn’t always change even when a fan uses it, since the generally accepted connotation for the word is exceedingly unflattering. It is something that people use when they want to try to shame you for what you like reading. And to that I say nay!

Even when I was younger, I had issues with this term even if in my naïveté, I thought ripping of said bodice was the result of passion. It wasn’t until I was older that I realized that it was the result of the violence that almost always coincided with non-consensual sex. Now, even though I was completely off the mark with the actual intention behind the definition, I still was never comfortable calling it that. It just seems dismissive and serves to perpetuate the falsehood that it is an inferior genre.

Also, this type of mocking, off-hand descriptor is something that only applies to the romance genre. For example, we don’t call mysteries “knife stabbers” or sci-fi “space gun pew-pews”. They get referred to by their actual genre name and this is a courtesy that needs to be extended to us as well.

Now, yes I know that some readers prefer the idea of turning the mockery against the haters and taking the phrase back. That is one of the reasons that The Ripped Bodice bookstore chose that name when they first opened up. And I can respect the people who feel that way since it, as with most everything else, is all a matter of opinion. It’s just never a phrase I personally would use when talking to someone about the types of books I prefer reading. I call them romance novels and leave it at that. If they choose to counter with a snide “You mean a bodice ripper?” I wouldn’t even eviscerate them verbally; but I would likely give an evil side eye.

To end on a bit of humor, there’s also this little nugget of truth; not only are bodices actually quite hard to rip, they’re also obnoxiously expensive. Unless you plan on buying me another one, untie it like a gentleperson please.

Book Riot Romance

Speaking of the history of ‘bodice ripper’ as a term, check out the history of consent in romance novels according to Rioter Nikki.

Rioter Addison also rounded up some of the more popular romance books featured on TikTok.

Click here to enter our giveaway for $200 to spend at The Ripped Bodice.

Or here to win a copy of Anita Kelly’s Love & Other Disasters.

Good luck!

Make sure to get your own Read Harder Book Journal from Book Riot to track your reading for the year!

Around the Web in Romance

Speaking of Anita Kelly, they’re teaming up with Tim Janovsky, and Alison Cochrun for a discussion on all things queer romance and their recent releases in an upcoming panel. Sign up for this event here.

Lovestruck Daily is a new romance-centered podcast, hosted by acclaimed Alisha Rai and Sarah Wendell of Smart Bitches, Trashy Books fame.

Frolic also launched the Monthly Book Crush Club. First up is Weather Girl.

Avon, Berkley Romance, St. Martin Press, Forever, Penguin Books, Sourcebooks and Viking have all teamed up together for this massive giveaway of romance books. There’s a lot of good books to be won there so best of luck to everyone!

New Releases

And here are some of the new releases headed our way this week that I was able to find. This is, of course, barring any delays due to shipping and/or printing issues.

Mister Librarian by B. Love (2/7)

After Dinner Drinks by Ainsley St. Claire (2/7)

Big Slick by Giulia Lagomarsino (2/7)

Love Where You Work by Anna Pulley (2/8) 

A Chance for Us by Corinne Micheals (2/8) 

Abandoned in Death by J.D. Robb (2/8)

Queen B and the Cowboy by A.R. Williams (2/11)

Accidentally Married to Her Billionaire Boss by Rose M.Cooper (2/11) 

Curvy Flirt by Mayra Statham (2/11) 

That’s Why the Lady is a Tramp by Merry Farmer (2/11)

Influenced by Love by Shellee Marie (2/12) 

Where She Belongs by Liz Durano (2/12)

Don’t forget you can get three free audiobooks at Audiobooks.com with a free trial!

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And that’s it for today. I’ll be back Thursday with some more romances for you as well as more recommendations. In the meantime, catch up with me on Twitter under @PScribe801.

Hey y’all, welcome to the Kissing Books newsletter. I hope your spirit is doing well. I’m PN Hinton, your guide through the roller coaster of a ride that the world of romance can be. If it is your first time here, welcome and if you’re a regular reader welcome back.

Romance Reflection

This is the latest tweet that caused a rumble in Romancelandia and boy was the fallout from this a doozy, hence the longer than usual reflection. If you decide to read the entire thread make sure to have your favorite beverage nearby because you’re going to be there for a hot minute. There’s a lot that can be said on this topic, but I’ll try to make it quick.

He asked a very valid question. I remember having this exact conversation with another romance-reading friend and saying that the number of straight white women who write M/M romance was unnerving. At some point, it becomes a form of fetishization.

I’ll be honest here; it’s the heterosexual factor for me. I can more understand when M/M romances are written by women who are part of the LGBTQ community, especially as those writers also tend to write other romance pair-ups as well, like M/F and F/F. They don’t focus exclusively on M/M and aren’t trying to push out queer men who write those match-ups out. And therein lies the whole issue.

A common response I saw was that this was okay because romance is by and for women; so, they should be the ones writing all types of pair-ups. Well, this is no longer the case and has never really been the case. A lot of thinking needs to be realigned around this thought process. Which is okay; you can always change the way you think about anything as that is part of learning and growing.

I’m a lot of things across every single spectrum. One thing I am not is a queer man and I will never be one. We have a queer MOC asking a question that has been mentioned before in the romance world and instead of taking the time to thoughtfully answer, the reaction was to attack. Like what you like and write what you want; but also acknowledge there may be some issues behind being so defensive that may need to unpacked.

Book Riot Romance

If you like workplace romances, then the ones on this list may snag your interest.

Make sure to get your own Read Harder Book Journal from Book Riot to track your reading for the year!

Around the Web in Romance

Click here to sign up for this panel that the Milwaukee Library is hosting celebrating the release of Jess Pryde’s Black Love Matters Panel.

Take this quiz to check and see how many rom-coms you remember.

Or this one where you can plan a fancy dinner and get your soulmate’s first initial.

If monster and/or alien romance is your thing, then this Kickstarter may be up your alley.

Romancing the Vote is back so be sure to keep on eye out for the auction items.

And be sure to vote in the Swoon Award finals!

Recommendations

There always seems to be an extra layer of love in the air come February. Stores explode with shades of red, purple, pink, and other various colors in displays for candy, stuffed animals, and other knick-knacks. Another place where this can happen is bookstores and some may use this as an opportunity to display books that share the same color.

That leads me to my round of recommendations for today, which are books with pink covers. There’s no real reason for this apart from it’s a popular color for covers and February seemed a good month to highlight them in. I almost did red since that is my favorite color but pink just spoke to me, so here we are! On to the books.

Don’t forget you can get three free audiobooks at Audiobooks.com with a free trial!

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And that’s all I have for you today. I’ll be back Monday with another round-up of romance news and some new releases. Give me a follow over on Twitter under @PScribe801. Until we meet once more!