Category: Kissing Books

Plus Sized Men Need Love Too

Post author By P.N. Hinton
Post date January 28, 2022

Romance Reflection:

When I originally saw this tweet while scrolling through my timeline, I chuckled and then promptly moved on. When I went back later, I found that it had blown up and that the lines had been clearly drawn. Some people took it as a mocking jab at the genre while others took it as food for thought.

I fall into the latter category on this. Regardless of how long he has or hasn’t been reading romance, it doesn’t negate the fact that he has a very valid point. If anything, what people should be up in arms about is that plus-sized women, BIPOC and otherwise, have been saying this for years and it seems to have fallen on deaf ears. But when a newbie, and a male one at that, mentions it, suddenly we’re all up in arms about a thought that, in actuality, has actually been coming from inside the Romance house for a while now.

Look, I’m not discounting how anyone felt about it. You feel how you feel and you’re completely entitled to your opinion. However, that is also true for people who don’t share yours. I personally think that when people are in love, they tend to love all the parts of their partner. I’m reminded of the line from John Legend’s All of Me about ‘perfect imperfections’ and having a variety of body types in romance novels helps to prove this thought.

Furthermore, we all know the ‘big’ he means refers to height, muscles, and other appendages and not necessarily a plus-sized hero. I looked back over the books I read last year and only two had a plus-sized male love interest. And that was Team Phison and Team Phison Forever, which means the same series and same love interest.

The take away for this is that romance is for all body types and there is no ‘perfect’ one type.We want that for our heroines but our heroes need it, too. There are hardly any short pudgy guys as heroes and, if included, they’re almost always the secondary character.

Another thing to ponder on is that while there were a lot of replies, both negative and positive, to this tweet, there was no reply that recommended a book where the hero didn’t fit this archetype. And while I know there may not be many available, they are out there. The one that first comes to mind for me is Marie Lipscomb but I’m sure there are more or there soon will be, especially after all this.

Book Riot Romance:

Check out this round-up of twenty-four Black and Interracial romances headed to shelves in 2022.

Around the Web in Romance:

Here are some romances about love in NYC, for your consideration for a new favorite trope.

I loved this cover reveal for Ruby Bartlett’s upcoming release. And it comes out in June so I’m fairly confident this will be a gift I give myself.

If you’re looking for some snowed in romances to snuggle up with, give some of these a try.

Take this fun quiz to find out what to get your sweetie for Valentine’s Day. As a bonus, you may also get a bomb playlist out of it!

New Releases:

Here are some of the new releases that should be hitting the shelves this week, barring any supply demand delays or anything of that nature.

Ramón and Julieta by Alana Quintana Albertston (2/1)

Season’s Change by Cait Nary (2/1)

Beguiling Betty by Kimberly Smith (2/1)

Queen of Cambridge by Shakir Rashaan (2/1)

Destiny by Cara Malone (2/1)

Count Your Lucky Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur (2/1)

Us Against the World by Shayne Prescott(2/1)

Dating the Chef by Ember Davis (2/2)

Shades of Lust by E.M. Lindsey (2/2)

Stud Like Her by Fiona Zedde (2/5)

And that is all I have for you this Monday. When we speak again it will be February and we will officially be in the 2nd month of 2022. February is also packed with a lot of events including but not limited to Black History Month, Library Lovers Month, and Friendship Month. It is also the month when we can expect a lot of varied takes on the romance genre so you can be sure I’ll have things to say about that. Until then, give me a follow on Twitter (if you’re not already) under @PScribe801. Until then.

Kissing Books

Romance Has Something for Everyone

Post author By P.N. Hinton
Post date January 26, 2022

Romance Reflection

I originally saw this retweeted on the Bad Romance Takes page and it didn’t sit right with me because this isn’t a bad romance take at all. It’s simply an observation from someone who isn’t excited for the string of reality show based romances scheduled for release this year. Which is fair since it’s not their preferred sub-genre.

We all have our preferred tropes and sub-genres. So, logically, we all have the ones that we could do without. There are handfuls of tropes and sub-genres that I don’t enjoy. One example is the modern billionaire/millionaire romances. You can blame that series about the various facets of a monochromatic tone if you’d like; I’m sure that’s a factor. But honestly it’s just never been my bag. I don’t actively go out of my way to pooh-pooh those books; I just don’t seek them out.

I think that sometimes romance readers get so used to being defensive against people who hate the genre that it bleeds into interactions with our fellow readers who prefer different flavors. The popular phrase goes “Let people like what they like” but it should go without saying that the opposite is true. People should also be allowed to dislike what they don’t, both inside and outside the genre.

Book Riot Romance

Don’t forget to listen to this week’s episode of When in Romance, where Trisha and Jess discuss more romance news, give romance recommendations for the Read Harder Challenge, and discuss various sport romances. They also announced the next WIR book club pick, Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur.

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

And speaking of WIR, be sure to sign up for this event for the release of April Asher’s Not the Witch You Wed, hosted by our very own Trisha.

There’s still time to sign up for this event from Love’s Sweet Arrow to celebrate the release of Electric Idol.

Fancy some second chance romances?

Check out some (or all) of these recommendations of science fiction romances hybrids.

Here are thirty-six of 2022’s most anticipated romances, according to Goodreads.

Recommendations

One of my goals this year is to not spend as much money on new books. I know a lot of people are taking on a ‘no-buy’ rule and I commend them for being that disciplined. I am not, so I’m being more realistic about the person that I am. There is so much that has been weighing me down the last couple of years, as with us all, that I take the joy where I can. For me, book buying bans are not joyful.

That said I am still working on keeping the count between books acquired and books read close. It’s possibly a Sisyphean task but I’m still trying. One way I’m doing this is by enlisting some friends to buddy read with me. Sometimes even just thinking someone is reading along with me is enough for me to buckle down and pick up that book that is collecting dust.

So, my recommendations today are books that I purchased last year that I still need to read. There’s no real connection between them but that and hopefully thinking someone out there is reading along with me will help light the proverbial fire under me.

Something to Talk About by Meryl Wilsner

When Hollywood star Jo is caught making her assistant Emma laugh on the red carpet, rumors instantly begin to fly about their relationship. While they continue to maintain they are not romantically linked, a ‘source’ keeps telling the media something different. And, as the two women spend more time together, they begin to wonder if the world saw a spark between the two that they had been ignoring all along?

If the Boot Fits by Rebekah Weatherspoon

Amanda is the personal assistant to a well known diva in Hollywood and when a bout with the flu renders the star inaccessible for Oscar night, she decides to use her ticket and go. This leads to a one-night stand with the handsome actor Sam; but when she leaves the next morning she ends up taking his rewards statue as well. Sam is eager to find her and not just to get his reward back; so when happenstance lands her at his family’s farm, he is determined to show her that they shouldn’t limit themselves to just that one night.

He’s Not My Boyfriend by Jackie Lau

Iris is the last single granddaughter, a title she is determined to keep. Unfortunately for Iris, her family is equally as determined to see her tie the knot. Things begin to pile on her when her latest one night-stand, Alex, turns out to be her new boss, and she moves in with her grandmother who is constantly setting her up on blind dates. To make matters worse, she begins to develop feelings for Alex.

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

And that’s all I have for you today. I hope that your upcoming weekend is full of rest, relaxation, and reading. If you’re already following me on Twitter, I can be found under @Pscribe801, where I post on a semi-regular basis. See y’all Monday with more romance news and some new releases.

Kissing Books

Romance Novels Always Hit Just Right

Post author By P.N. Hinton
Post date January 24, 2022

Romance Reflection

One thought bubble I’ve seen floating around a lot is that romance hits differently in non-romance books. I know that this mindset can cause a lot of ruffled feathers, but I actually agree with it because it covers both sides of that divided line. And here’s why.

If you’re one who claims to not like romance for whatever reason, then it does hit you differently. It allows you to read about a romance without having to read an actual romance novel. Personally, I think that’s a little weird; if you enjoy a romantic element at all, then one could argue you do like the romance genre. You just don’t want to admit it for <insert random reason here>. That’s completely on you and at the end of the day you should read what you like, regardless of how you try to justify it.

But for those that do love romance, it falls flat. It’s a watered down version of the awesome stories that we know are already out there that give us everything we’re wanting. While I read a variety of genres, I very much resent it when I get a book that is classified as romance only to find out that it is a small thread, if that, of the story. And, typically I avoid those authors from that moment on. The main issue with this thought is that it indicates that non-romance books with a smidge of a romantic element are better than actual romances. And that is simply not true.

Again, I’m not a converter of people. I will not try to dissuade anyone from their thought process or beliefs at all. I’m very much a person who says you should do what brings you peace and joy, especially in the current world state. But stop trying to get romance to change what makes it romance or barge into it without respecting the rules. That way only leads to heartbreak for you.

Also remember one crucial detail; “different” does not mean “better”.

Book Riot Romance

Aurora gives her round-up of some of the New Adult Romances headed our way this Spring.

Jess talks about all nuances of interracial romance, including how it was portrayed in Netflix’s Single All the Way.

And Isabelle ruminates on why we shouldn’t forget about the amnesia trope in romances.

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

So this happened last week and just…wow. Seriously, the quote that ran through my head when I saw this shenaniganry was “That’s a bold move, Cotton. Let’s see how it works out for them.” Spoiler alert! It won’t end well. The overlap in the Venn Diagram of “Romance Writers” and “People with a Law Degree” is way larger than most people think.

Also, this is one of the best clap backs I have seen in a bit for people who poo-poo romance novels.

This cover reveal though…

Check out this list of over 150 Black romance novels from 2021 that you should read.

We’re still in January so there’s still time to ring in start of 2022 with some of these M/M New Year romances.

Here’s a list of more LGBTQ+ romances headed our way this year.

Congratulations to Charish Reid on her recent book deal announcement.

Here are some pictures for the upcoming season of Bridgerton. Did I squeal out loud when I saw Newton the Corgi? Yes…yes I did.

And speaking of dogs, this is not romance related, but still too cute to not share.

New Releases

Getting Real by Emma Chase (1/24)

Got Me Looking by Casey Cox (1/24)

The Falcon and the Foe by A.J. Truman (1/24)

Something Fabulous by Alexis Hall (1/25)

Never Tell by Stacey Abrams (1/25)

D’Vaughn and Kris Plan a Wedding by Chencia C. Higgins (1/25)

My Famous Frenemy by Piper Rayne (1/25)

Taming Clint Westmoreland and A Malibu Kind of Romance by Brenda Jackson and Synthia Williams (1/25)

It Started With a List by Tinia Montford (1/25)

His Fresh Start Cowboy by A.M. Arthur (1/25)

The Map to You by Rachel Stockbridge (1/25)

Beautiful Country by Laura Conway (1/26)

She Came From the Swamp by Darva Green (1/27)

Roses Aren’t Red: An African Romance Anthology (1/28)

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

That’s all for today friends! It’s been great and I’ll be back on Thursday with some more romance news and recommendations. If you’re not already, you can give me a follow on Twitter under @PScribe801. Have a wonderful week until then.

Kissing Books

Basic Decency Shouldn’t be a Bar Level

Post author By P.N. Hinton
Post date January 19, 2022

Romance Reflection

I found this tweet the other day and there is a lot that can be unpacked here. One of the go-tos for romance haters is that women should read other genres because romances give them unrealistic expectations of how they should be treated.

And by that I mean, you know, like a human being.

It’s not just a matter of sex either, but just common basic decency. Yes, there are grandiose displays of affection in some romance novels. But ultimately it’s about someone realizing what they’re worth and not accepting less. Which, again, is just to be treated like an equal partner.

One of my near and dears is currently back in the dating world. She was telling me about one of the people she is dating and mentioned how when she went to visit him, he made her coffee every morning for two weeks and it practically moved her to tears. And, as happy as I am that he brought her joy and caffeine, I flat out told her, “Honey…coffee shouldn’t be where the bar is set.”

Meanwhile, the assault and murder of women runs rampant through the thriller genre. Hell, for some they’re considered staples of it. They are little more than stock characters in some fantasy novels or are the ones that need to be rescued. And it happens far more often in that genre than in romances. And yet, women aren’t deterred from reading those as often as they are with romance.

Everyone has their reason for liking the genre they do and that’s fine. Again, I’m not one to convert people to start reading something they don’t want. But let it be as simple as “I don’t like it”. There’s no need to bash it.

Book Riot Romance

Be sure to read over Rioter Sil’s recommendations for some of the best rom-com books.

And you can also read over Jessica’s take on why mass market paperback are still important.

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

Here are even more books that prove that bookstores and romances go hand in hand.

Be sure to submit your choices for the semi-finalist round for the Swoon Awards. I will warn you there will be times you will be sad you can only pick five.

Recommendations

With the current mood I’ve been in, I am feeling the need for books that never fail to make me smile. For me, re-reading books has always been a bit of a comfort thing; something I do when I just need a ‘pick me up’ and want to return to an old familiar favorite. That leads me to my recommendations for this week. These are some of my favorite romances that always put a smile on my face and I can always re-read. Hopefully they will bring you some joy as well.

Vivid by Beverly Jenkins

When Dr. Viveca (Vivid) sees an advertisement for a doctor in the small Black community of Grayson Grove, she is ecstatic to put her skills to use. When she gets there she is met with rebuffs from a majority of the town including Mayor Nate Grayson. Believing that women can’t be doctors, Nate is determined to send her right back home. However, she challenges him to give her a chance to see how she can help the community which he agrees to. As the weeks pass, the two find themselves drawn to each other and Nate begins to wonder if he was mistaken all around about the beautiful Vivid.

Marriage Most Scandalous by Johanna Lindsey

Years ago, Sebastian is banished from his home after the results of a tragic duel. Since then, he has made a name for himself as a mercenary known as The Raven. He is surprised when Margaret seeks him out, demanding he come back home to help solve the mystery of the accidents that have recently started happening to his father. In order to travel without suspicion, they must pose as husband and wife, which proves to be a bit too tempting for them. Will they be able to overcome the scandals of his past to find a happily ever after together?

Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert

When a video of security guard Zaf carrying Professor Dani out after a fire drill goes viral, the entire internet begins to ship them together. This ends up putting a spotlight on Zaf, who wants to use this sudden and possibly fleeting fame to help his sports charity for children. Dani agrees to this, thinking that she will use this as an opportunity to seduce him. As they spend more time with each other though, she finds out that he is a hidden romantic and that she may want more than an affair with him.

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

And that’s it for today y’all. I hope that this upcoming weekend is restful for you and you get a lot of ‘you’ time in. If you’re not following me already, I can be fond on Twitter under @Pscribe801. See y’all Monday!

Kissing Books

Everybody Hurts and Cries

Post author By P.N. Hinton
Post date January 17, 2022

Romance Reflection

This week’s reflection is brought to you by what is, bluntly put, a somewhat misandric point of view. Basically there was this tweet floating around Twitter that said that someone finds men crying to be a turn off. Oh, the toxicity runs deep there and honestly this could be an entire post. But I have a word limit so I’ll try to make it quick.

Bar none, point blank, full stop, however you want to describe it, that’s a garbage take and not a healthy one to have or perpetuate. I think one of the reasons that The Viscount Who Loved Me is my favorite Bridgerton is not just because it was the first one I read but because (SPOILER ALERT) when Anthony thinks he lost Kate, he breaks down. That was proof of his love for her because he was so scared of losing her.

Crying does not make anyone weak; it makes them human. If we weren’t supposed to cry, then our bodies wouldn’t prompt us to do so when we’re feeling any kind of overwhelming emotion. Our tear ducts would just be used for flushing foriegn objects out of our eyes. Your romantic partner should feel comfortable enough to cry around you when they’re feeling any one of those emotions. If they do not, then quite frankly, that’s something you need to unpack about yourself because they should find that safe space with you. Having that type of thought process is not healthy and all it does is continue the cycle of toxic masculinity. Let’s break that chain of thought in 2022, shall we? For the betterment of everyone.

Book Riot Romance:

Check out the books that some Rioters are most looking forward to this year. There are a few romances in there as well!

Here’s Rioter Abby’s take on BookTok’s fascination with, shall we say unique, erotica.

You can also check out this piece that I wrote about the roommate romance trope.

There’s also still time to enter this giveaway for an audiobook copy of Electric Idol!

Around the Web in Romance

Speaking of 2022 releases, check out Nick of The Infinite Limits of Love’s guide to romance books for the first half of the year. Be prepared for a list of awesomeness that may make your wallet cry.

What’s that you say? Romance reading increased how much? It’s almost like it’s a legitimate genre or something…

I missed mentioning it before the official launch, but I didn’t want to overlook mentioning Harlequin Plus. This is a subscription based service from the publisher where you can sign up to receive access to an ebook library, monthly book bundles, and access to romance related movies and games. Check out this fun and informative YouTube video as well for more details.

Check out this interview with historical romance writer Cathy Maxwell.

Please…please…PLEASE…do not feel the need to give into this desire. It won’t end well for you or the audience you’d be trying to cater to. And if you simply must write it don’t try to publish it. Feelings will be hurt and they won’t be Romancelandia’s.

New Releases

Here are some of the new releases that should be hitting the shelves this week, barring any publication or supply delays.

Beefing with the Dad Bod by Shyla Colt (1/17)

The Missing Page by Cat Sebastian (1/18)

Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly (1/18)

The Best Men by Lauren Blakely and Sarina Bowen (1/18)

Heartbeats in a Haunted House by Amy Lane (1/18)

Something So Sweet by Joy Avery (1/18)

Right as Reign by J.B. Vample (1/18)

Pike by Brenda Rothert (1/18)

Made in Manhattan by Lauren Layne (1/18)

Electric Idol by Katee Robert (1/18)

Devoured by the Dad Bod by Autumn Knight (1/19)

Uncovering Her Cravings by Rae Shawn (1/21)

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

And that is all I have for you today. I’ll be back on Thursday with another romance round-up. If you’re not already, give me a follow on Twitter under @PScribe801. Until then!

Kissing Books

Supportive is Sexy

Post author By P.N. Hinton
Post date January 12, 2022

Romance Reflection

This isn’t exactly romance related (I do circle back to it later), but wow this AITA is something else. Essentially what happened is her husband was tired of her reading instead of paying attention to him and gave away all her books, some she had had since she was a teenager. And had the audacity to say it was ‘for her own good and the good of the marriage’. OP is definitely NTA here; her husband is and, honestly, she might want to consider a trial separation already.

I don’t feel like her being a reader is something she hid during their dating and engagement. He had an idea going in what it was all about and got his feelings hurt because she wasn’t constantly at his beck and call. Because I’m confident we all know what he really meant by ‘special time at night’.

Look, when you say all those wedding vows that include richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, it also includes hobbies. Believe me when I saw that if this post was about a woman who was jealous that her newly wedded husband bowled, even though he was part of like two leagues when they were dating, she would be the asshole if she gave away all his bowling stuff.

This is why I partially agree with the joke that readers should be with other readers or gamers. With the former you can share books and increase your library and with the latter y’all can both be on the couch, engaging in parallel play while still taking mini breaks to talk every now and then.

Book Riot Romance

When in Romance is back with their first episode of 2022, where Trisha and Jess discuss their reading goals for this year and talk a bit about their most anticipated reads.

While I usually prefer a slow burn, I can also be persuaded to enjoy books that employ the faster kind. Rioter Isabelle gives her reasons for loving fast burn romances here.

Around the Web in Romance

Quick correction: In the last newsletter, I mentioned that there will soon be another all romance bookstore in the United States. Meet Cute Romance Bookshop & Fizzery is scheduled to open up this April in La Mesa, California in San Diego County, not Mesa. So exciting!

This ‘Bad Romance Take’ is a bit old but it still made me chortle. Hate to break it to you honey but no one cares enough to change your mind.

This tweet warmed my heart a lot. Not necessarily for the idea of a second chance romance since even the poster admits that her brother’s ex-fiancee can do better. But just the fact that, all things considered, an ex still went to these lengths to help take care of someone they use to be with. That kind of kindness is rare and should be rewarded.

As this article shows, Scotland and romance novels seem to go hand in hand. I’m not complaining mind you; just making an observation.

In case you missed it, here’s the cover reveal for the upcoming Therese Beharrie novel.

Recommendations

The reflection above and conversations I’ve had with friends over the last couple of months got me thinking how important it is to have a supportive partner. I know that should go without saying, but it’s true. I know that the dating pool can seem more like a toxic waste dump than anything right now; so, sometimes people put up with things that maybe should be deal breakers.

I think that is why the cinnamon roll is such a popular hero trope. The guy from the AITA above couldn’t even support his wife’s love of reading. And while the bar doesn’t have to be as high as say moving across the country for your significant other, it shouldn’t be so low where picking up their own damn shoes is considered a gesture of love. That leads me to today’s recommendations: cinnamon roll heroes! Because with how 2022 has started, we would all use that extra bit of comfort.

A Prince on Paper by Alyssa Cole

Despite a somewhat inauspicious introduction, Nya and Johan enter into a fake engagement to help protect the future of Johan’s younger sibling. As often happens though, this develops into a a true connection, fueled by the desire they already feel, leading both to wonder if they are worthy of love, despite what the people in their lives have been telling them.

Work for It by Talia Hibbert

After a passionate one-night encounter, Griffin and Keynes find themselves face to face again when the latter walks into the former’s shop. Despite his gruff exterior, Griffin finds himself drawn to the new-to-town stranger and is determined to break down the walls he has built up around the soft caring human being he really is.

Not Like the Movies by Kerry Winfrey

After it’s found out that Chloe’s best friend Annie used her and her boss Nick as the archetypes for her rom-com, their lives are thrown into the media spotlight. As the buzz continues to grow for the movie, Chloe is seeing more reasons why Nick is ‘boyfriend goals’ and begins to wonder if maybe there is a real happily ever after in the cards for them.

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

And that’s all I have for you this week. I hope that this weekend treats you well and you’re able to get a lot of rest and reading in. If you’re not already, give me a follow on Twitter under @PScribe801. Until we meet again.

Kissing Books

You Don’t Always Have to Share

Post author By P.N. Hinton
Post date January 7, 2022

Romance Reflection:

When I read this tweet, I rolled my eyes so hard that I seriously thought they would legitimately get stuck in the back of my head. Really guy? You woke up that day and chose stupidity by reaching out to someone you knew only on a surface level in high school (clearly not a friend) and thought that your infantile, misogynistic, patriarchal way of thinking would matter to someone who’s career this is?

I wonder what it’s like to actually have that level of audacity.

Seriously, though, why? Just why? There was absolutely no need for this. your opinion is neither required or desired. That’s a ‘hot take’ you’re welcome to keep to yourself, especially because I’m sure it’s something she’s heard before from people she chooses to keep close to her, let alone some random guy who was somewhere in her social sphere for just four years sometime ago.

I’ll never understand the need for almost perfect strangers to provide you with their thoughts on how you live your life, especially when it comes to romance writers and their chosen vocation. Some of them don’t even care what their blood family thinks about how they make their money. But you, little random person that they knew oh-so-many years ago and just happened to be in the same graduating class with? It is your dismissal of the genre and the people who write and read them that is going to make them change their career course? Please.

And also remember the old adage that it is better to be quiet and thought to be a fool than to speak and be known as one.

Around the Web in Romance:

The more I look at this image, the more I am on the same wavelength. That grip though…

This is an entire mood. Let’s stop this type of gatekeeping, okay? Just because there was little to no representation in your grandmother’s romances, which by extension may be what you grew up with, doesn’t mean that these authors aren’t doing thorough research. People other than white cis-gendered people did exist in the past and once everybody gets use to that, the better off we’ll be.

A new book series based around brothers who are also ghost investigators? Yes please.

Not sure how I missed this last November, but I’m rectifying it today by boosting this book now.

Soon there will be another all romance bookstore in the United States. Meet Cute is scheduled to open up this April in Mesa, California. I love that there are three now and am crossing all my digits that the next one will be closer to me.

Next month, a Black Romance Master Class focused on Beverly Jenkin’s Indigo will be taking place. This is very exciting especially since this book was mentioned here for being one of the most influential romance novels of the last century. Here is the tweet that announced this event, along with a way to sign up for the event:

Loving this animated cover for Count Your Lucky Stars, one of my most anticipated upcoming reads this year. I can’t wait to read Margot’s story!

Harlequin has also recently come out with their own 2022 Reading Challenge.

Here are some of the exciting romances we have to look forward to this year.

And another round-up of other books that will be headed our way soon. While there is some overlap it is very minimal; I checked.

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

New Releases:

Speaking of new releases, here are some of the new releases that should be hitting the shelves this week. Per the possible new normal though, due to supply issues these were the dates showing as of the writing of this newsletter and may be subject to change.

Weather Girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon (1/11)

The Siren Sussex by Mimi Matthews (1/11)

Face the Fire by Michele Sims (1/11)

His Curvy Craving by Mary E Thompason (1/11)

Obsessed by Natalie Night (1/12)

Roommate Arrangement by Saxon James (1/12)

The Great Charade by Gerri Hill (1/13)

Fire by Hattie Jacks (1/13)

Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score (1/13)

Maximus by Stella Rainbow (1/14)

One Night Only by Elise Marion (1/14)

Strings Attached by Riley Hart (1/14)

And that’s all I have for y’all today. If you’re not already doing so, feel free to give me a follow over on Twitter under @PScribe801. Until then stay safe, drink your water, stay healthy, and remember to make time for you.

Kissing Books

Pirating Isn’t Swoon Worthy

Post author By P.N. Hinton
Post date January 5, 2022

Sponsored by Serendipity: Ten Romantic Tropes, Transformed.

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I hope that, whatever and wherever you were, that your NYE was nice and relaxing. I ended up staying in with my family relaxing and watching Dick Clark’s Rockin’ New Years Eve with Ryan Secrest. So, we saw the ball drop in two other time zones before it was for our turn. This did throw the teenager a bit, but he was happy to enjoy a bit of apple cider at midnight. All around, low-key and what I needed.

My current romance read is How to Marry Keanu Reeves in 90 Days. One thing that is bringing me joy right now is Encanto’s “We Don’t Talk About Bruno”. That song is a lyrically genius bop. If it doesn’t get some kind of movie award, I will be very shocked and upset.

Romance Reflection

Earlier this week, Amazon took down Ruby Dixon’s Ice Planet Barbarians series. The reason was because her books were available on pirating sites which was stupid, because it’s not like she put it up there. This is something that was beyond her control. While it really stinks that they’re not doing their homework or trying to get the pirated sites taken down, we also need to do our part to stop this from happening.

Look, I understand not being able to afford books. But pirating isn’t the answer and is harmful. It sucks that Ruby started the new year off with this fight. If you can’t afford to buy it, get it from the library, borrow from a friend, or ask for it as a gift. I’m a huge proponent of libraries anyways, so that is always my go to. There are other ways to read your favorite authors and still support them at the same time.

Book Riot Romance

Do you love a good pining romance? If so, Isabelle has you covered with this list.

If you’re a big fan of reality TV and romance, then some of the books Jess mentions here will likely make their way to your TBR.

Alison put together a list of the 20 most influential romance reads of the century. Discuss!

Around the Web in Romance

Romance writer Jae came out with a new Sapphic Book Bingo Card for 2022 if you want to play along.

In a change of pace from the norm, here’s a romance positive article all about the lovely Talia Hibbert.

And if fake dating is one of your preferred tropes, like me, check out this round-up to see if you can find any new books to pick up.

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

Recommendations

Before we get to the New Year’s Eve romances I promised last time, I want to give a heads up on a change I’ll be making this year. When I took over the newsletter, my goal was to have new releases and deals happened on Monday and recommendations on Thursday. However, it’s been tricky coming up with a new theme along with three different books each week. And I know multiple books got repeated.

This year, I’m going to change how recommendations work. Don’t worry! I’ll still give them weekly! But, there may not always be a set theme for the group of books being recommended. In addition to themes, I’ll be making recommendations for any challenges I’ve mentioned, such as Jae’s above, as well as Book Riot’s own Read Harder.

Again, I want to reiterate the recommendations will still be a weekly thing. But there will be some changes that go into how they are selected weekly.

This Time Next Year by Sophia Cousens

While both Minnie and Quinn were born at the same time after midnight on New Year’s Eve, the latter is the one who got the honor and cash prize of being the first baby born, as well as Minnie’s intended name. Since then, Minnie’s birthdays have always been cursed. When they run into each other on their thirtieth birthday at a party, it becomes even more apparent to Minnie that Quinn continues to get all the luck and she’s happy to part from him. However, even though they don’t run in the same circles, they keep meeting up randomly, and each time find themselves more drawn to one another.

Year of the Kiss by Giselle Fox

Both Sasha and Noami find themselves connecting at a New Year’s Eve party and starting off 2019 with a magical kiss. Yet, as quickly as Fate threw them together, it tears them apart, leaving both women scrambling across the city to find one another in hopes of keeping the fire that their kiss ignited burning.

The Business of Love by Cherish Hodges

Shortly after leaving a New Year’s Eve party, successful business woman Jill is saved from a fire at her condo by firefighter Darren. There is an immediate attraction between the two but, having been burned by insecure men in the past, Jill doesn’t reveal that she’s a successful CEO. However, the truth always comes to light and when it does, will the couple be able to move past this initial mislead or will their romance fizzle?

And that’s all I have for you today. I’ll be back Monday with more news from the romance world and some new releases. If you’re not already, give me a follow on Twitter under @PScribe801. Until next time, happy reading.

Kissing Books

Hello to You, 2022

Post author By P.N. Hinton
Post date January 3, 2022

Romance Reflection

My reflection today is that of how my love of romance has grown since writing this newsletter. Honestly, I didn’t think I could love it even more; so even I’m a bit surprised at that reflection. Prior to taking over for Jess, I was part of the community, but not as fully integrated as I have become since part of my task is diving into the various social media sites to find out the hot button news.

We are a great community to be in. We pull together and help our fellow members whenever they face a rough patch in life, as evidenced in the multiple fundraisers they helped to kick off and support. Whether it’s for a country in need, as with Haiti, or a romance author who just needed a pick me up, such as with Chencia, we’re there when that flare for help goes up. And that isn’t something that I have seen as much in other genres.

I was also surprised about how hard it was for people outside the community to get that in order to be a romance novel there had to be a happily ever after. Otherwise it’s just a novel with a romantic theme. I’m not exaggerating when I say it felt like this argument got made every other week to the point where I felt it was redundant to bring it up as more than just a passing, “Oh, so this happened again.” The disparagement grated, as did the belittlement.

Do we as a community know that in real life you don’t always get the happily ever after? Certainly; if nothing else the last two years have taught us that. However, it doesn’t mean that we can’t enjoy them in our books. That’s one of the many reasons that I read romance and why this is a hill I will always die on.

I also personally would not have expected to have Monster Romance on my Bingo card but that happened. No judgement clearly! It was still surprising.

Overall, this has been quite the journey for me. But I did enjoy it and look forward to the future and what it will bring me. Thank you for inviting me into your inboxes and sticking with me. There were many times during the last year where when someone would post a screenshot from the newsletter and tag me in their post, it helped to boost my day up just a little bit. I look forward to our journey together over the next year!

Around the Web in Romance

Speaking of romances and HEAs, this tweet made me cheer. I love how all the naysayers of HEAs in romance always throw Sparks’ name into the mix and even he is like “Not a romance writer.” So y’all may want to stop using him in your (futile) arguments against HEAs.

Another year, another round of RWA resignations. By now, this seems to be par for the course for December.

I was glad to see this bit of news regarding backlists of old school romances that demeaned Indigenous People. Hopefully by the time this is posted it will be all of them.

If you’re looking for romance novels with good mental health representation, here is a good place to start from.

While I typically see eye to eye with Tessa Dare, I do not here. I’ve had some good Turkish Delight. I wouldn’t have sold out my siblings, mind you, but I’m honest enough to admit I may have strongly considered it.

And here are some of the eagerly anticipated romances headed our way in the next part of winter.

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

New Releases

Since there was no newsletter last week, I missed the new releases then. That said, since it was in between the holidays, there may have been a small number to begin with. I will include a few below though if I can.

A Scoundrel of Her Own by Stacy Reid (12/28/21)

Proper Scoundrels by Allie Therin (12/28/21)

Digging Up Love by Chandra Blumberg (1/1/22)

The Tiger’s Fake Date by Sophie Stern (1/1/22)

On the Sweet Side by Audrey Carlan (1/4/22)

My Rock Star Assistant by Reba Bale (1/5/22)

One Christmas Wish by Brenda Jackson (1/5/22)

Clueless Romeo by Baylin Crew (1/5/22)

Kiss and Cry by Keira Andrews (1/6//22)

The Right Time by Niomie Roland (1/6/22)

Matchmaking Mischief by A.R Casella and Denise Grover Swank (1/6/22)

Mountain Topped by K.M. Neuhold and Mia Monroe (1/7/22)

And that is all for today. I’ll be back on Thursday with some New Year’s Eve romance recommendations, since I missed out on recommending those last week. Better late than never, right? Until then you can follow me on Twitter under @PScribe801.

Kissing Books

It’s Time for Kwanzaa Romances

Post author By P.N. Hinton
Post date December 22, 2021

Sponsored by Book Riot's Christmas romance prize pack giveaway!

Book Riot is teaming up with Harlequin.com to give away the ultimate Christmas romance prize pack that includes the following titles: Holiday Playbook by Yahrah St. John, Christmas at the Chateau by Rochelle Alers, The Christmas She Married the Playboy by Louise Fuller, A Merry Christmas Date by Syndi Powell, Keep Me Warm at Christmas by Brenda Novak, The Viscount’s Christmas Proposal by Carol Arens.

Welcome to the Kissing Books newsletter. I hope your spirit is doing well. I’m P.N. Hinton, your companion through the world of romance. Whether this is your first time or you’re a regular, I’m glad to have y’all here.

So, last week, I decided to treat myself and get a week-long wine advent calendar. The reason it was only a week was because I didn’t even know about them until eight days into December and, while the idea of playing catch up seemed fun, I also had trouble finding one that could be delivered. Next year, though I’m going to plan ahead for the bigger box.

I finished Hang the Moon this week and also saw Love Hard which, while mostly okay, I didn’t enjoy as much as Single All the Way.

Romance Reflection

Since this is the last Kissing Books newsletter of the year, I’m switching things up with a quick non-romance reflection. Tomorrow is Christmas Eve which can be daunting for many reasons. It’s interesting how the excitement of that day has changed as I’ve gotten older. As a kid, you’re practically shaking with excitement knowing that Santa Claus will be headed your way later that night and that you get to open all the presents that have been teasing you from underneath the tree. You make sure to leave cookies for Santa (and apparently in some areas, carrots for his reindeer) and try to stay awake to hear him on the roof.

Now, as an adult and/or the parent who stays awake until well after midnight putting together gifts, the magic may not feel like it’s there anymore. That can be a bitter pill to swallow, especially due to the events of the few years.

But the magic is still there. The difference is instead of being the magic receiver, you’re the magic giver. You help to contribute to the squeals of joy Christmas morning. I remember the joy on my niece’s face when she saw her Ariel kitchen when she was much younger, and my son a few years ago when he got his first bike. For me, those moments of pure unadulterated joy more than make up for the long nights and stress of holiday shopping.

Book Riot Romance

Here are some New Year’s Eve romance recommendations, courtesy of Rioter Carolina. (Keep eye out for my own recs the first week of January).

I don’t know about y’all, but Jessica’s romance bookstore/coffee shop sure sounds tempting. (insert ‘I want to go to the there’ Tina Fey gif)

Around the Web in Romance

Here’s Buzzfeed’s list for the Best Romances of 2021.

Noted activist and feminist bell hooks, who sadly passed away last week, was a huge fan of romance and read two Harlequin novels a day.

Okay this is sweet. Like this is really, really sweet.

Here are 16 African romance novels that will surely spark joy.

Here we go again with this old chestnut. The thread on it is very groan-inducing so be forewarned. That said, the one thing that did give me pause was the OP going, “My friends who love romance read it and didn’t say anything about it not being romance” to which I say either your friends aren’t true romance readers or you have crappy friends because they didn’t prepare you for this blowback.

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

Recommendations

Sunday is the first day of Kwanzaa, which is a holiday that originated in America and is now observed in many different locations. I wrote this article on books about Kwanzaa earlier this month for Book Riot if you want to give it a read and there are a few recommendations as well.

That said, you’ll notice that romances were not included, which is something I will make up for here. While Kwanzaa romances, like Hanukkah ones, may not be as well-known or widespread as Christmas ones, they are still out there to be had. And here are a few that may spark your interest to read over the course of next week.

Kiss Me at Kwanzaa by L.L. Bucknor

Ish and Adan aren’t just cubicle neighbors; they’re also both harboring a crush on each other. And this year both of them are single, which leads Adan to make his move and invite Ish over for Karamu. When Ish accepts, Adan hopes that he has the courage and follow-through to make the first move and make this a memorable holiday for both men.

A Mistletoe Affair by Farrah Rochon

Shy floral designer Vicki finds herself in an unexpected situation when she falls for her best friend’s divorced brother, Jordan. A successful political strategist, Jordan finds himself in a position he never expected to be in; a divorced single dad to Mason. When it turns out that Vicki has a way of connecting with Mason, the two adults find themselves around each other more often. Will they find love this Kwanzaa season or will a political scandal end it before it has even begun?

Guess Who’s Coming to Karamu by Cy Blanca

This short story is about Grant and Will, two men who have a run in courtesy of a broken down elevator. As the men sit and wait to be rescued, they begin talking which leads to discussion of Grant’s Kwanzaa plans. As their attraction is noticeable, Will decides to take a chance and join Grant and his family for Karamu that night, opening the door to not only celebrating a new holiday but finding a new love.

And that’s all I have for you. Whether you observe Christmas, Kwanzaa, both, or neither, I hope that this weeked is amazing for you. I will be back Monday with your latest romance news and, while I don’t know how much I’ll be tweeting over the holiday weekend, you can always give me a follow under @PScribe801. Until next week!