Category: Kissing Books

Thursday brings all kinds of things. But first, let’s talk about what’s happening over on Book Riot proper.

Over on Book Riot

Kelly has some thoughts about illustrated covers. While I can see where she’s coming from, I think they’re incredibly useful, even if they do indicate a different price point than your average mass market paperback. Think of a cover like Get a Life, Chloe Brown, and how perfectly that depicts the couple, based on what might be available in stock. (Though I now hold all books with “non-traditional” pairings to the Can’t Escape Love standard as far as book covers go.) I don’t think I fully support her thesis of these new covers being essentially born out of sexism and infantilization of women, though. It’s just one of many ways to market to the American puritanicalist society that remains uncomfortable with clinch covers, clothed or not. They did it in the nineties, too, like when they reprinted Jude Deveraux’s The Velvet Promise and the rest of her Montgomerys.

OOOH! Sea creatures!

Do you follow non-romance awards? If you do, you might have seen that the Hugo Awards were this past weekend. If you saw that, you know that Archive of Our Own, the largest and most popular fanfiction site, is now an official Hugo Award winner. So when you’re over there reading your favorite Ben/Maddie/Ryn fics, you’re reading award winning fiction.

Do you use Goodreads? Here are some great hacks to using it better.

Deals

You know how I was all over Christina C. Jones last time? Maybe you want another title to check out. Right Kind of Trouble is older, but still has that same feeling that I Think I Might Love You gave out. Also, it’s 99 cents, which is less than a lot of the other 30 books in her repertoire (30!) so you can drop the dollar on the first and then spend a lot more on the rest (lolsob).

Book Recs

I have to tell you: I haven’t finished a book in ages. And for some reason, all the books are coming out next week.

If you’re looking to offer up some preorder money that will definitely give as it gets, here are a couple of titles to look for ahead of time:

Man vs. Durian by Jackie Lau

The third full novel in her Baldwin Village series, we once again return to the hungry world of Jackie Lau’s Toronto. Jackie is great at food and fake relationships, and this one gives us both. For anyone who isn’t fond of the smell of durian, this one’s for you. And for anyone who will do just about anything to keep their parents off their backs, this one is also for you.

 

Tiny House, Big Love by Olivia Dade

The follow-up to Desire and the Deep Blue Sea takes us from island vacations to choosing a tiny house on the fictional equivalent of HGTV. Lucy needs her BFF to help her pick out a tiny house on a reality show, but the crew is particularly interested in getting them together. Which Sebastián wouldn’t mind, since he’s totally in love with her.

(Here’s a fun fact: this one isn’t out on kindle until the 29th, but you can get it immediately in paperback!)

Flashed by Zoey Castile

In the third of Zoey Castile’s Happy Endings series, Pat Halloran, once a stripper, is now a recluse. The only person allowed into his house is his housekeeper, Lena, who he doesn’t allow to see his face. Yes, you are correct that this is very reminiscent of Beauty and the Beast, down to him frightening her into the forest at some point. I’ve been waiting to read this one, but I might have to just…go ahead and do that now.

Of course, if you haven’t yet tried out Three Part Harmony, it came out earlier this week. I will continue to sing its praises for the time being, until Holley Trent comes out with a next one, of course.

What are your reading plans this weekend?

As usual, catch me on Twitter @jessisreading or Instagram @jess_is_reading, or send me an email at jessica@riotnewmedia.com if you’ve got feedback, bookrecs, or just want to say hi!

It’s Monday again, and whatever, we’ll make it through the week knowing that at some point, we have romance novels to read, right?

News and Useful Links

Come for the book recs, stay to watch the Keanu Reeves GIFs over…and over…and over…

This new app says it’s for the “high volume genre reader” and I’m curious but am bad at forming habits. Has anyone tried it?

RWA finally posted recordings of some of the speeches from the annual conference last month. I’m particularly excited to hear Alyssa Cole’s Librarians’ Day Keynote (are we surprised at all, or just surprised I haven’t listened to it yet?) but there are plenty of good things there.

Did you know that Romance Sparks Joy pulls together a thread of noteworthy tweets/threads by and about authors of color, queer authors, disabled authors, and other marginalized groups in Romancelandia? This week was a doozy (I’m going to pull out a couple of the big moments that they mention here, too):

• Marie Force hired former Borders bookseller Sue Grimshaw to be an editor at her press, Jack’s House. This is particularly noteworthy because Sue has proven herself not to be particularly open to or supportive of authors of color or queer authors in her previous work. After some consideration, Sue was no longer a part of Jack’s House.
• Connected to our conversation on When in Romance last week and the ongoing discussion on Twitter, Melissa Blue wrote about a specific book that did not particularly do a good job of representing a main character whose experience was outside of their own. It comes down to the same thing; if you’re going to do the writing, do the work.
• Speaking of doing the work—this actually sparked some amazing conversation about what quality writing is in romance. We have this thing about accepting something that might not be particularly well written because Feels. I’ve definitely overlooked some writing that made me go “hmm” because the book had an unusual setup or something similar. Of course, good writing gives me the feels, too; have you ever just put your book down and swooned because of an amazingly well-written or gut-wrenching sentence? Either way, craft is important, and I look forward to seeing where these conversations lead.
• Oh, and some publicist doesn’t know that there are already bisexual people in romances. Hoo, man.

Not to mention, there have been some think pieces that have been so bizarre and out of touch that I’m not even going to link to them. We’re all better off just not knowing what some people think.

So yeah. Buttons, anyone?

Romance Adjacent Romcom Alert: Have you seen the trailer for Falling Inn Love? I am utterly and completely unironically excited to watch it many many times before year’s end.

Finally, did you participate in Bookstore Romance Day? I didn’t get to participate in all the activities but the event I attended at my local indie was delightful.

Deals

If you’re like me, you might see the phrase “Small Change by Roan Parrish is FREE” and immediately go to buy it only to realize you’ve owned it for nearly two years. But if you aren’t like me you should definitely take advantage and grab this queer M/F romance that is basically the perfect coffee shop/tattoo shop AU. It’s also the first in a series that includes Invitation to the Blues, which is one of the most beloved Roan Parrish stories (that I have not yet read because I want to relish it someday when I really need it).

If you want something completely different, Eva Leigh’s Temptations of a Wallflower is 2.99. What does a woman do when she needs to hide the fact that she writes some of the most scandalous literature society has ever seen? Marry a vicar, of course…but what if he’s the one tasked with finding out who the author is? (I know, right?)

Recs

I have been putting Christina C. Jones’s books on my to-read list for years, and yet I had never actually picked one up before this weekend. I’ll never be able to answer the question of why, but now the question is how much vacation time do I need to take to read all of her backlist as quickly and as soon as possible?

I Think I Might Love You
Christina C. Jones

I made the decision to start reading this book after reading the first few pages of three or four other books and peacing out for one reason or another. It had been sitting on my Kindle since my first round of Kindle Unlimited picks a couple months ago (I follow CCJ on Facebook and had gone all heart-eyes emoji at each cover release for this trilogy), and after a week of the author’s name popping up all over the place, I knew I needed to come into this decade.

And y’all, it was glorious.

This book somehow pulled together three of my tropetonites and managed to make them all work here: meet-disaster forms an enemies-to-lovers setup turns into we’re-forced-to-be-in-each-other’s-company-for-a-long-amount-of-time leads to some very lightly sprinkled fake-relationship and what the hell how did this work.

Back to the beginning:

Jaclyn Love is having a rough night, rounded out by her finding a naked man in her sister’s apartment, who she proceeds to punch in the face and kick in the balls. Turns out that’s her sister’s tenant (whoops) and he’s also the vet she has to turn to when she finds a wounded cat on her fire escape. Things unroll from that first meeting, and oh man I have not been this excited about two people who are so openly hostile towards each other in their earliest stages learning to care about each other. It’s just so wonderful to watch. I laughed, I cried, I spent a lot of time reading with a smile.

I was joking about the PTO thing (or was I?), but I might still read the next one ASAP.

Speaking of openly hostile turned somehow caring, I also started reading The Unhoneymooners because I am apparently in the mood for Poor Woman Can’t Catch A Break But Look She Has To Spend A Lot Of Time With This Guy She Hates But It’s All A Misunderstanding, Maybe. I’m only about a third of the way in, and I am worried about this whole setup. But it must turn out okay, because it’s a Christina Lauren book and they don’t disappoint us. So while I’m currently cringing at Olive telling her future boss that she and the guy she can’t stand are newlyweds, I look forward to seeing how on earth they’re going to untwist themselves from this whole mess.

What are you reading this week?

As usual, catch me on Twitter @jessisreading or Instagram @jess_is_reading, or send me an email at jessica@riotnewmedia.com if you’ve got feedback, bookrecs, or just want to say hi!

Happy Thursday, folks! Just two more sleeps until the first-ever Bookstore Romance Day!

Over on Book Riot

Do you have a favorite Avenger? Sil matches up a few with a good romance.

You might recall that Stacey Abrams and Selena Montgomery are one and the same. If you haven’t yet tried one of her books, here’s a reading pathway offering places to start.

Animal lover? You’ll love these.

And as usual, Trisha and I talked about stuff, including the RITAs and what romances/universes we want to get the fanfic/extended universe treatment.

Deals

Already read The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics and A Little Light Mischief but still haven’t had that urge met? Check out A Lady’s Desire by Lily Maxton, which is 99 cents right now. Two women are reunited after a youthful friendship fallen apart, and they have to deal with the fact that they’re in each other’s lives. Sounds like a good start to me.

If you’re looking for something completely different, Where Souls Collide by Stefanie Worth is $1.49 at the moment. This is a contemporary romance with elements of magic—the female protagonist, Navena, is psychic and having visions of a murder. Meanwhile her ex now owns the newspaper she writes for. All kinds of fun goodness.

New Releases

It’s been a good week for romance, y’all. Let’s talk about a couple.

Three Part Harmony

Holley Trent

I wanted to wait until next week to read this one, but I have been waiting for this follow-up to Writing Her In since the first time Raleigh appeared on the page and just couldn’t hold off any longer. When said publicist has a chance encounter with reluctant rock star Bruce, neither of them can forget it, even though they left on bad terms. Months later, Bruce is in Raleigh’s orbit again, but this time it’s Raleigh’s work nemesis, Everley, who makes Bruce smile. Raleigh and Everley have their own issues, sparking completely from Raleigh being pretty certain that the nepotism hire is determined to undermine and eventually rule them all.

But we all know what assumptions do, don’t we?

I don’t know if Holley Trent was thinking about Design for Living when she wrote this you and me, now you and him, now me and him, now all of us story, but I couldn’t help but feel the featherlight touch of Noel Coward’s classic story as I read this one. And if there was anyone who could come up with three hot messes bigger than the ones in that play, it’s Holley Trent. But they all come to figure themselves out, at least as far as they relate to the other two, and it’s nice to watch not just the development of their relationships, but their characters. And boy, do they find themselves in some…situations.

I also started reading Playing House by Ruby Lang. I’ve been grabbing snatches of it in moments by the microwave and the elevator, and it’s just delightful. (By the time you read this, I hope I’ll have finished it.) I’ve never read a romance featuring urban planners before, and this one also features—because how could it not—a fake relationship. I’m excited to see where Fay and Oliver go from here, and I look forward to hearing your thoughts as well.

Other books I’m looking forward to grabbing soon (or think you should):

The Wallflower Wager by Tessa Dare

One Day To Fall by Therese Beharrie

Blood Truth by JR Ward

Moti on the Water by Leyla Attar

The Bewildered Bride by Vanessa Riley (did you see my review on Monday?)

Blood of the Pack by Jenny Frame

Unbreak Me by Michelle Hazen

She’s Got Game by Laura Heffernan

What are you reading this weekend?

As usual, catch me on Twitter @jessisreading or Instagram @jess_is_reading, or send me an email at jessica@riotnewmedia.com if you’ve got feedback, bookrecs, or just want to say hi!

New week, new things to talk about!

News and Useful Links

This is a great rundown of the early history of Black romance.

And one about Avon and queer romance.

Speaking of Black romance, want to know more about Kennedy Ryan?

This made me giggle a lot.

If you’ve read The Right Swipe or haven’t but don’t mind a longer deep-dive into related content, this is a great piece from Ana Coqui. And then there’s this one by Amanda Diehl, her first NPR byline!

And here are great words directly from Felicia Grossman, author of Appetites and Vices.

Also, I missed Jen Prokop’s Kirkus article about eight books that should have been on the RITAs docket.  

Book Deals

According to the television that I think was playing in the background the other night, football is back. What better time to pick up Naima Simone’s Scoring With the Wrong Twin, the first in her WAGS series? It’s 2.99 right now, and you can get all three of the books for less than seven dollars.

The other thing that has been playing on my TV while I’ve been reading is Forged in Fire, which has really had me reaching for some romance featuring blacksmiths. While not exactly the same, my first stop was The Preacher’s Promise by Piper Huguley, which is 3.99 right now. Not only is the male protagonist of this book a blacksmith, he’s also the Reconstruction-era town’s mayor and preacher. A man of many talents!

Recs!

On my Clickup list, today was supposed to be about fantasy romance, but I got…easily distracted by a couple surprise historical romances and a few non-surprise ones that I was going to talk about later but couldn’t resist picking up once I was on a roll. So today, we’ll talk about those (including a couple I didn’t make it through before it was time to get moving) and table the fantasy reads for an upcoming Monday chat.

Here they are, in order of length:

A Lifetime For Love
Lydia San Andres

If you haven’t yet read A Summer for Scandal, first off, go read A Summer for Scandal! Then come back. This book (which is very short) will do nothing for you, and it doesn’t stand alone. But if you have already read the other marvelous book, this is a nice look into the hearts and minds of Susana and Luis, the Jane and Bingley of this Pride and Prejudice-esque story.

Unsolicited Duke Pic
Nico Rosso

Yes, you read that right. I don’t remember where it started, but someone on Twitter pondered over the fact that out of all the dukes in Romancelandia, not a single one had commissioned a painting of his penis. Well, Nico Rosso (romance author and spouse to author Zoë Archer/Eva Leigh) took the idea and ran with it, giving us this brief morsel of goodness and ridiculousness. Thomas, the Duke of Lighthorn, has lost a bet. To satisfy that bet, he must have a painting made…of his penis. Not him, naked. His penis. And Thomas is nothing if not honorable, so he would never think of reneging on said bet. So he goes to a painter who has been unfairly maligned by one of his peers and offers her quite the commission for the small painting. Of course, sitting for a painting—even one so limited in size—means long periods of time together. And you have to figure out something to talk about when you’re just sitting in a chair, trou dropped, right? In the words of a fellow Twitterer, come for the laughs, stay for the consent talks.

The Bewildered Bride
Vanessa Riley

Ruth and Adam married young. So young, in fact, that they had to run off to Gretna Green to make sure it happened. But when trouble from Adam’s uncle met them on the road back, they are both under the impression that the other has been killed. Fast forward four years, and Ruth is maligned by family and her community for having made up a husband who doesn’t exist. But when a potential piece of evidence shows its face, Ruth—now nearing blindness after the attack—sets off to find it in the hands of Adam’s father. But the new Baron Wycliff is not Adam’s father. It’s Adam.

This is where it starts to turn. Adam, returned from impressment into the Royal Navy and shocked at his supposedly dead wife’s arrival, is even more shocked when she doesn’t realize it’s him. So in a very Count of Monte Cristo move, he courts his wife as a cousin, the man who will prove that Ruth is the widow she says she is. All the while, he is working to get revenge on those who wronged both of them years ago.

While the fourth book in Vanessa Riley’s Advertisements for Love books, this book stands perfectly fine on its own. Characters from previous books are relatively prominent here, and some things might spoil the plot of the previous books, but this is as fine a starting-off point as any other.

CW: racism, attempted lynching, discussion of rape, ongoing deception

I’m about halfway through One Fine Duke, my second dive into Lenora Bell’s Regency world, and it’s just as much fun as you’d expect it to be. (Also, I keep singing the only part of the song I know, every time I look at the cover.)

I have been reading a lot of contemporary romance, so it’s not surprising that I would go on a histrom bender. There’s still more on my stack, and I’m excited to get to them!

Read any good historical romance lately? (Besides Brazen and the Beast, I mean.)

As usual, catch me on Twitter @jessisreading or Instagram @jess_is_reading, or send me an email at jessica@riotnewmedia.com if you’ve got feedback, bookrecs, or just want to say hi!

What a week, huh? Thankfully, we’ve got romance to think about.

Over on Book Riot

Got some time on your hands (or just a craving for everything you can get your hands on)? Here are some romance series worth marathoning all in one go. Well, not completely, because you’ll need sleep; but you won’t be able to move onto anything different knowing that more books in the series exist.

I overthink a lot of things, like if I can ever read all the books, and how I don’t review books as well as other people. I also know I’ve caused some insecurity in my IRL friends about how much I read. We’ve all got a lot of fears and doubts about our reading. But Kelly is here to tell us how to get out of that cycle.

In a similar vein, Jeffrey talks about owing it to yourself to DNF. I know there are people who absolutely refuse to stop reading a book. But there are so many books. If it ain’t working, there are countless more for you to try. (Especially in Romance!)

And don’t forget, there are always giveaways you can enter on the website! Right now there’s one for an iPad Mini and another one for a Ripped Bodice gift card.

Deals

Second chance love, a lethal bioweapon, and a race-the-clock partnership filled with distrust and a need for redemption? Sounds like my kind of romantic thriller, right? Juno Rushdan’s Every Last Breath is 1.99 right now, and it’s definitely worth checking out! And now’s the time to get it, because it’s a dense puppy, and the next one, Nothing to Fear is out August 27.

And if you’re interested in the “my date is now my professor” kind of story, Penny Reid’s Kissing Tolstoy is 1.99 for the time being. I love Penny Reid’s Winston Brothers stories, but have yet to venture out into her other universes. I might try to get over my “sleeping with the professor” squick to see if I can enjoy this one. It’s definitely bound to be way funnier than Gabriel’s Inferno, right?

New and Upcoming Releases

A Little Light Mischief
Cat Sebastian

All you really need to know about this book is that the author-sanctioned tagline is “Be Gay Do Crimes 1817.” What else do you need?

I don’t know if she did it on purpose, but this title makes me think of A Little Night Music and thus I read the whole thing with a waltz soundtrack in my head. A nice dance, right? I’ll tell you, though: I got to the epilogue and was a little bit in shock, because I hadn’t realized I would reach the end so quickly. Shouldn’t be unexpected in a novella, but it’s really short.

But so delightful.

Back to the beginning, eh? Alice is a young woman, obviously “gently raised,” who is now living as a companion. Molly, the lady of the house’s lady’s maid, is happily living the straight life, no thefts or swindling for years. The women end up spending a lot of time together, as Alice likes to feel useful. But there’s a reason she is no longer in her family’s house, and Molly sees a way for both of them to gain from the perpetrator’s pain. And each of them might get something else out of it, too.

I described it vaguely because it’s so short, every detail feels like it’s spoiling something, but it’s Cat Sebastian’s first f/f romance so you know it’s going to have the same qualities as her previous books, even at a third the length.

One Day to Fall
Therese Beharrie

This book comes out next Tuesday, and you should be prepared to read it immediately upon its arrival. I haven’t read a book that makes so much sense in a questionable situation since The Sun is Also A Star, which has a similar time structure.

Parker and Sophia are both at the hospital, stressed out of their minds due to their family members’ reasons for being in the hospital. When a series of accidents puts them in each others’ paths (the first time, literally), they find companionship in each other—more so as the day progresses. Each has their own reasons for not being in a relationship, but they can’t help their attraction to each other. They also learn more about each other and themselves as the day progresses.

The day. One day. This takes place in one day. And it works.

Other books that are out now:

Off Limits Lovers by Reese Ryan
The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai (If you missed my review on Monday)
One Summer Weekend by Shannon Stacey (There’s only one bed!)
Chasing Sunset by Missouri Vaun
Heart Unbroken by Andrew Grey
Reticence by Gail Carriger

What are you looking forward to reading this weekend?

As usual, catch me on Twitter @jessisreading or Instagram @jess_is_reading, or send me an email at jessica@riotnewmedia.com if you’ve got feedback, bookrecs, or just want to say hi!

Today is one of those days that I am grateful for stories. Romances, in particular, are there for us when we need an ending—a satisfying, sigh-inducing, happy ending. The journey that every pair (or more) must take may be harrowing, but in the end, something works out for them. Something works out.

News and Useful Links

Glamour went to RWA, ultimately pulling together a list of attendees’ favorite romances. It’s a delight to read and there are definitely some books I have yet to try.

I still haven’t read Long Shot but I want a copy with this cover. Or maybe I just want to make it my wallpaper for a while. Or something. I want to look at this all the time. And the images Romance Sparks Joy commissioned for their other book club, too.

I don’t know if you’ve been following the conflict between Macmillan and libraries, but it’s bound to impact the way libraries purchase things. RWA has issued a statement about it, knowing that Macmillan’s choice will likely influence that of other publishers.

In happier news, Romance Sparks Joy has decided to continue with their book club!

I didn’t know #JenkinsJuly was happening until it’s over, but this wonderful essay was a great introduction to it.

For the rest of this month, you can enter to win a $100 gift card to The Ripped Bodice on the Book Riot website! (you have to sign up for KB to enter, and you’ve obviously already signed up, but don’t worry; you can still enter!)

Deals

Hey, it’s August, so there are new Kindle deals!

Have you picked up any of Vanessa Riley’s historicals? The Bashful Bride, the second book in the series, is on sale for 99 cents right now! (It’s a perfect time to check all three Advertisements for Love books, as the fourth, The Bewildered Bride, comes out next week.) I haven’t yet checked this one out (though I’m pretty sure I own it) but check out this part of the summary: “Infatuation and a mutual love for Shakespeare might not be enough to bind a couple looking to outrun the chains and secrets of family and the past.” Like…come on. What else do you need?

If you want something completely different—say, a m/m romance featuring dragon shifters?—Sean Michael’s Branded by Flames (and the second in the series, Seduced by the Tide) is on sale! Grab it for 1.99 this month, because the rest of the books’ prices indicate that these books don’t go on sale very often.

Recs!

This past weekend, I participated in Dewey’s 24-Hour Reverse Readathon, which started at 8pm EDT on Friday night instead of the regular Readathon’s midnight. This way, readers on the other side of the globe would be able to participate without losing all of their nighttime sleeping options. I pulled together three books with a theme (have you noticed I’ve been trying to do that more) and was generally successful! I didn’t make it 24 hours—sleep was too important—but I did manage to complete two books and read some of a third…which I went on to finish that day anyway, just outside of the parameters of Readathon. What theme held them together?

I Didn’t Want To Leave My Career In Professional Sports But I Had No Choice

The first book in this is the one that stands out as far as why the athlete left their career, but you’ll understand when you read it.

The Right Swipe
Alisha Rai

If you have read the Forbidden Hearts series, you’re familiar with Rhiannon Hunter. The moment she appeared in the third FH book, Hurts to Love You, I was desperate for her story. She was a wealthy woman who dressed like a tech bro, and who owned her own company. Her personality was delightful in its prickliness, and I just wanted to get into her head.

Luckily for me, Alisha was already planning to give us what we wanted. So in the first book in the Modern Love series, we get to see what happens when Rhiannon decides to give someone a rare second chance.

Rhi had an amazing night after using her own app to find a hookup in a small town, but when she agreed to meet her date again—something she absolutely never does—he never shows up. Not one to forgive a ghoster, she unmatches him and moves on. But when she runs into Samson again at a conference, and he’s the new face of a competitor dating site that she wants to buy, they have a few hurdles to get over in order to see what they could have been. Starting with her understanding the circumstances of his accidental ghosting. And then? Anything.

CW here for discussions of sexual harassment and emotional abuse, threats of violence, discussion of CTE, and everyday racism.

(Also, if you haven’t read Intercepted and Fumbled—particularly the latter—then now is a good time to read them, especially since the third one is out later this year!)

Fix Her Up
Tessa Bailey

Georgie has been in love with her brother’s best friend since she knew what boys were, but he doesn’t know that. And now that Travis is back in town after an injury lost him his shortstop position in the major leagues, she’s not sure what to do about it. As the only person apparently interested in shaking him out of his drunken stupor, Georgie installs herself as A Person Who Cares, much to Travis’s annoyance. But there is a surprising attraction there, and when a job opportunity is opened to Travis, Georgie is the one who puts Fake Dating For His Wholesome Image on the table. He agrees, but there can’t be any sex; there’s only so many codes a man can break or whatever BS.

But of course, that’s not really a thing they can both make sure doesn’t happen.

(And also, the “best friend’s younger sister” damn the patriarchy type thing is responded to perfectly here.)

Evvie Drake Starts Over
Linda Holmes

This isn’t specifically a romance so much as it’s contemporary fiction with romantic elements, but it’s still really a romance. Does that make sense?

Evvie Drake was leaving her husband when she got a phone call that he’d been in a car accident. By the time she arrived at the hospital, he’d already died. Now, a year later, she’s living alone in their house, grieving the fact that she didn’t feel grief. When her BFF asks her to rent out the attached apartment to a friend of his who needs to get away, she’s willing to give him a try. Drew, suffering from what is apparently called The Yips (fascinating to read about, by the way), has been dealing with antagonism from inside and outside of baseball, and he just wants to be where nobody knows him and maybe have a drink and watch some TV. Look at a beach. Eat some lobster. Definitely not get his hopes up about getting his game back. But when he moves into Evvie’s house, they spark up a friendship…which slowly, ever…so…godforsaken…slowly, becomes more. And they’re both lightly hopeful about their futures as the other helps them see it.

CW for gaslighting and occasionally violent ex husband and the apparent unceasing whiteness of Coastal Maine.

***

Also I have to throw out that the three non-sports love interests in this trio all have really interesting jobs: Rhi owns a dating app, Georgie is a legit clown, and Evvie does transcription for journalists. Cool, right?

What’s your favorite non-sports sports romance?

As usual, catch me on Twitter @jessisreading or Instagram @jess_is_reading, or send me an email at jessica@riotnewmedia.com if you’ve got feedback, bookrecs, or just want to say hi!

Oh hey, what happened to July? How is it August? Where is time and why can’t I grab hold of it for a second?

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Sponsored by Brazen and the Beast by Sarah MacLean

The Year of Hattie is off to a perfect start, until she discovers the most beautiful man she’s ever seen tied up in her carriage, threatening to ruin her plans before they’ve begun. Awakening at her feet, Whit is surprised the woman who frees him is headed for a night of pleasure . . . on his turf. He is more than happy to offer Hattie all she desires…for a price. Soon, Hattie and Whit find themselves rivals in business and pleasure. If they’re not careful, they’ll have no choice but to give up everything . . . including their hearts.

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Over on Book Riot

Trisha and I talked about The Great Big Romance Read and lots of other things on When in Romance this week.

And if you missed it, The Ripped Bodice just announced their new Awards for Excellence in Romantic Fiction.

Deals

Did you see that Talia Hibbert announced a new book, Work For It, coming out September 3? One of the characters has already appeared in her work, so you might want to check out the Just For Him series, which is 4.99 for all three books! (Or you can get them individually, but where’s the fun in that?)

New Books!

Oh man, are there a lot of books out this week! I read Brazen and the Beast, today’s sponsor, until I couldn’t read anymore, but there are definitely others worth picking up this weekend (or right now, if you want).

Spellbound
Allie Therin

In a magical New York, a young socialite brings a magical relic to an appraiser who just might be magical himself. In a time when it’s still illegal to both drink and be caught with someone of the same gender, Rory and Arthur have to work together to keep the world from ending…if only they can get along. Jazz, personal telephones, forgeries, and speakeasies set the mood and the tone for this delightful historical fantasy romance by a new author who is growing greatly on me.

All Hours
Andie J Christopher

If you follow Andie on Twitter, you know she has very strong feelings about Stern Brunch Daddies, and the two protagonists of this book seem to have elements of such men. Agreeing to be set up on a date, the pair have a few hurdles to overcome to reach their happily ever after—including an injury that requires one to step in for the other.

Last Chance Rodeo
Kari Lynn Dell

This is the first book in the Blackfeet Nation series, originally published in 2015 and republished now by Sourcebooks Casablanca. I have no idea if they’ve made any changes beyond probably copyediting, but I hope this new branding and release gets more eyes on a different kind of rodeo story than the ones I’m used to. (To be fair, the majority of rodeo books I’ve read have been Lorelei James, in which there’s often more than one kind of rodeo going on.)

Too Sweet to Be Good
KM Jackson

This is the second book in the Sugar Lake series (following As Good As the First Time) and I’m intrigued thanks to the taste of Alexandrea we got in the first. In this one, she clashes with the grandson of the owner of the vintage theater she is working to fix up, who would rather sell it. Beyond the potential sparks that will emerge in that kind of situation, I imagine the rest of the family is around, and that’s always a joy to experience. If you’re hesitant to pick up a small town romance because they’re so often homogeneously white, this one is worthwhile to pick up.

Others I’m looking forward to:

Feast of Sparks by Sierra Simone

Ship of Fools by Cathy Yardley (more Fandom Hearts, yay!)

Let There Be Light by R. Cooper

Master of Revenge by Sienna Snow

Perky by Julia Kent

The Rogue to Ruin by Vivienne Lorret (which I mentioned on Monday)

How to Hack a Heartbreak by Kristin Rockaway

Nothing But This by Natasha Anders

Cold Heart, Warm Cowboy by Caitlin Crews (I know I know but that story, okay?)

A Highlander Walks Into a Bar by Laura Trentham

Also, I don’t know why, but there are quite a few “Pride and Prejudice Variation” titles out this week.

As usual, catch me on Twitter @jessisreading or Instagram @jess_is_reading, or send me an email at jessica@riotnewmedia.com if you’ve got feedback, bookrecs, or just want to say hi!

Well folks, it’s the end of the month, but it’s a brand new day. I’m still riding on a bit of a contact high from #RWA19, and I’m letting it carry me through the rest of July.

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News and Useful Links

In new, noteworthy information: we now have multiple Black recipients of the RITA award, after 37 years of not a single one. At the ceremony on Friday night, Kennedy Ryan’s Long Shot and M. Malone’s Bad Blood were both recipients of the honor in their categories (contemporary and novella). Nisha Sharma’s My So-Called Bollywood Life also won in the YA category, making her the first South Asian author to win a RITA. I have lots of thoughts on this and will probably write something longer, but I am so incredibly happy for them (and all of the winners in their categories). Watch the ceremony. It’s long AF but the speeches are Worth It.

The entire RWA conference (which I basically attended on Twitter) involved a lot of hugging and selfies but also some really interesting panels that the good people of the interwebs have threaded for us. For instance:

• Research strategies!
• “Whose story is it?”
• “Whose story is it?” from another person
• The One Thing About DEI Everyone Should Know

Some amazing folks started the RWA Trailblazers page (and a related video) for the 2019 RITA Awards Ceremony, and it is pretty magnificent.

Remember when Jen decided to read the entire RITA finalist list? She wrote about the experience.

Oh! Also. While RWA was happening we also had the joy of #NotRWA19 on Twitter, where select experts on certain categories gave Twitter-thread lectures and facilitated conversations about specific topics. It’s a fascinating tagdive if you weren’t following along.

And of course, RWA wasn’t the only thing happening last week! The Ripped Bodice also announced The Ripped Bodice Awards for Excellence in Romantic Fiction! I’m excited to have been asked to be a judge, and am in amazing company. Winners will be announced on Valentine’s Day!

Deals

Speaking of RITA winners, have you read Long Shot? It’s 4.99 right now (or free to read on Kindle Unlimited) and from what I hear, very much worth the effort. I’ve read some of Kennedy Ryan’s other work, and her writing is off the charts magnificent. This one is a difficult read and also has some content warnings so I would definitely check those out before picking it up, but the whole series is definitely Worth It.

M. Malone’s Bad King and the connected Bad Blood (which won the RITA for best novella) are both 2.99. These books both involve weddings: King with one in the future and Blood with one in the past, but they’re interesting takes on familiar tropes.

Recs!

If you’ve listened to the newest episode of When In Romance (or if you know me at all haha), you might be aware of the fact that I love fake relationships. I was excited about The Wedding Date because of it (and the trapped-in-an-elevator bit), and regularly pick up new authors with the possibility of getting yet another one. I’ve been on a bit of a kick with recent ones, and want to throw out a couple favorites, too, just in case you’re looking for some good ones.

Desire and the Deep Blue Sea
Olivia Dade

While I have given her a good amount of my money, Teach Me was the first book I’d actually picked up by Olivia Dade. So when I saw another one of her delightful covers attached to a book coming out so soon after that release, I was already interested. I mean, look at that cover: a guy in glasses and a fat girl in a swimsuit? And something television related? We were already en route to something fun. And then I read the premise: Callie has signed up to go on a reality TV show for some free vacation time, but it’s a couples show and she just broke up with her boyfriend. In a moment of desperation, instead of giving up the show altogether, she tells her producers that she has a new boyfriend! Too bad it’s a man she can’t stand, even though she liked him when they first started working together at the library. Surprisingly, Thomas agrees to pretend to be her boyfriend to spend a week with her. He does what he can to spend time with her already, but this would be uninterrupted. And pretending to be her boyfriend…well, that would be all kinds of nice.

So yeah. Check this out. It’s got Olivia Dade’s already familiar humorous tone, but also approaches things like anxiety and communication, and I was definitely satisfied with some of the conversations that were necessary to make this one an emotionally satisfying ending.

I fell behind this week, as usual, but there were a couple other fake relationship books I have started, but not gotten through yet (in part because I got distracted by Brazen and the Beast and didn’t pick anything up after that happened):

The Perfect Date by Evelyn Lozada

A nursing student and single mom has a few chance encounters with a baseball player who needs to clean up his image, and they start a fake romance that develops into something more.

Tomboy by Avery Flynn

A nurse (another nurse!) does her friend a favor by helping her sick client through the flu (which it turns out not to be) and tabloid buzz puts them in a relationship. When said client wins his first hockey game in ages, he can’t let her go anywhere (not in a skeezy way), and convinces her to be present for every game, even if people might think they’re together.

The Rogue to Ruin by Vivienne Lorret

It’s been a while since I’ve read a historical fake relationship (that’s a lie, I just read Some Like it Scandalous, whoops). I was definitely intrigued by this setup: a woman who runs a matchmaking agency believes she is losing business thanks to the gaming hell across the street. So she challenges the owner to a bit of a war. BUT, when she needs to get away from a former suitor who could do with being dropped down a well, she tells him that Reed, her rival, is her fiancé. What could possibly go wrong?

If you need more, how about checking out some of these:

Under His Protection by LaQuette

That Kind of Guy by Talia Hibbert

Never a Bride by Megan Frampton

A Prince on Paper by Alyssa Cole

Pretending He’s Mine by Mia Sosa

Do You Want to Start a Scandal by Tessa Dare

One True Pairing by Cathy Yardley

Okay I’ll stop now…but seriously fake relationships that *ohnoes* turn into real ones are the best.

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What are you reading this week?

As usual, catch me on Twitter @jessisreading or Instagram @jess_is_reading, or send me an email at jessica@riotnewmedia.com if you’ve got feedback, bookrecs, or just want to say hi!

Y’all, I have the sequel to Ashley Poston’s Heart of Iron in my hands and it’s taking so much to leave it where it is until I finish writing this. (I haven’t been reading much YA, but this is a space opera retelling of Anastasia with an Android Dmitri hello.)

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Timothy Mayfield is ready to marry for love, but, since his personal finances are thinner than he’d like, he knows he’ll also need to find a wife with wealth. After receiving an unexpected inheritance, he is free to pursue his “perfect woman of over twenty characteristics. Maryann Morrington doesn’t match anything on Timothy’s list—except for wealth. An heiress in her own right, she is tired of men pursuing her only for her money. But at nearly twenty-two years old, and not a particularly stunning beauty, she can’t be as picky as her friend Timothy is.

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Over on Book Riot

Do you like stories about heroines who are older than their love interests? Check these out.

I’ll admit, I’d forgotten about the Omegaverse lawsuit. But reading up on it? Hoo, doggie.

Romance readers are great at finding new things to read, but just in case, check out this list of places to find more.

Do you like New Adult? Check out these queer stories.

Deals

I was recently reminded about Jeaniene Frost, and I think other people should be, too. If you haven’t picked up her paranormal/urban fantasy about badass half-vampire Cat Crawford, Halfway to the Grave is 2.99 right now. Or if you’re mostly caught up, the most recent release, Up from the Grave, is 1.99. There are currently seven in total, so you’ve got plenty to read.

New Releases!

This week isn’t quite as…overwhelming…as last week was, but there are still so many books and I don’t know what to do with myself!

Dithered Hearts
Chace Verity

I picked up Chace Verity’s contemporary romance Team Phison a couple months ago, if you might recall. And I was smitten. Of course, once I realized that they also wrote fantasy romance, I couldn’t wait to read the next one. And it did not disappoint.

Cynthia isn’t sure about her gender. She doesn’t mind her pronouns, but she definitely isn’t a woman. But she’s not a man. But she doesn’t have much time to consider her options, because her living situation is basically shit. While she still lives on the farm that was in her family, she lives there as an abused servant—her stepmother remarried and her husband is the worst kind of person. Her stepsisters aren’t awful, but she doesn’t interact with them much beyond meals and chores. Her only respite is in Lord Gafford, who arrives before the prince’s great ball to tell her that he is her Fairy Godfather…and also hi, he’s trans and totally gets her gender stuff. (But with a lot more cursing.) He takes her, as his nonbinary child, to the ball, where she gets a different kind of view of both her stepsisters, and makes a friend. A royal friend, who’s not interested in marrying a woman.

That’s right, folks. This is the F/NB/F + M/M Cinderella Fantasy Romance of your dreams.

(Well, after the content warnings: physical abuse, gaslighting, and manipulation. There are others in the front matter, if you need them.)

When you’re done devouring that one in a matter of hours, you can check out some other new releases:

Bodyguard to the Billionaire by Nana Malone

A Rainbow Above Us by Sharon Sala

One Fine Duke by Lenora Bell

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Honestly, everything is coming out on the 30th. Brace yourselves for next week.

As usual, catch me on Twitter @jessisreading or Instagram @jess_is_reading, or send me an email at jessica@riotnewmedia.com if you’ve got feedback, bookrecs, or just want to say hi!

Happy Monday, folks! I have been living for these Marvel announcements and cosplay photos, but I know some people aren’t as obsessed with basically every outlet of popular geek culture like I am. (Okay, maybe not every outlet; I didn’t know who Gwendoline Christie was until she donned the Phasma mask.) But enough of that, what about books, yeah?

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Because duchesses are made, not born… From New York Times bestselling author Sabrina Jeffries, one of the biggest names in historical romance, comes the first in a sparkling new series filled with wit and adventure about the ducal sons of an oft-widowed mother, who blaze through society in their quest for the truth about their fathers…and in the process find that love just might conquer all…

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News and Useful Links

I don’t usually share “the tea” as it were but there are a lot of people who are curious about the very prolific author duo Alexa Riley getting a deal with Entangled after their content was taken down from Amazon outlets recently. I don’t know all of the details, but I do know there have been conversations for the past year or so around the ways they have produced as much content as they have, and there was that thing with the plagiarism-adjacent behavior. I’ll wait for more as it comes.

One of the big things that happened last week (if you were curious about my comment last week about Mercury Retrograde) was a restructuring at Harlequin. The company has been split into two business groups, and two well-renowned editors were fired. One of them was Angela James, the Carina Press editorial director who made amazing strides with the digital imprint in the past few years. The other was Joanne Grant, editorial director of series—and if you read Harlequin, you know there are a lot of those. None of us are really sure what’s happening there, but I do wonder what editorial experience this Brent Lewis guy has.

In other sad news of the week, Less Than Three Press is closing. They have produced some of the most delightful queer books over the past few years, and I’m sad to see them go.

I had honestly forgotten that The Hating Game had been optioned, let alone remember the lead casting announcement, but this supporting news is worth it.

There is a new romance podcast coming out that I am…very curious about. I don’t listen to many, but I can’t help wonder how this one will go.

I’m sure you’ve seen it by now, but if not, check out this precious cover for The Worst Best Man by Mia Sosa, which is out in February!

Have you read this profile of Helen Hoang?

Any historians out there? This might be a fun venture.

Deals

Jessie Mihalik’s Polaris Rising was a delightful space opera romp across the galaxy, and now we have to wait months for the next one, Aurora Blazing, to come out. But if you’re looking for more of her badass women and space opera-y goodness, check out The Queen’s Gambit, which is 2.99 right now. The second in the series, The Queen’s Advantage, has been out for a couple of weeks and is also 2.99. Time for more space adventures!

I know I just talked about Trashed by Mia Hopkins last week but did I mention that it was 2.99? Like how can you resist a beautifully crafted, super sexy, wildly emotion-driven book like that when you know it’s only 2.99? (I know, I know. I’m sorry.)

Recs!

I’ve been enjoying the concept of reading On Theme, and I’ve decided I’m going to try it out more purposefully in the coming months. Today’s theme is…

We Live Together And It’s Complicated

The Chai Factor
Farah Heron

I had been hearing a lot about this book, but hadn’t been able to hit the button when it came to the 13.99 Kindle price—while it released in Canada a while back, it didn’t come out in print until this month. And I’ll always lean in the direction of print when it comes to trade paperback sized books, even if the ebook isn’t in the double digits.

The Chai Factor is a contemporary romance featuring a woman who just wants to finish her Master’s paper in peace. Since it’s not working out at the dorms, she decides to hop on the train for an early move-in to her Toronto apartment—which shouldn’t be a problem because it’s the basement apartment in her grandmother’s house.

Unfortunately, her grandmother has rented out the other bedrooms in the apartment…to a barbershop quartet. One of the four is a family friend, and they need somewhere to rehearse for a big competition. Since no one was going to be there, her Nanima had expected it to be fine. Too bad there’s the whole deal where Amira and another member of the quartet had a less-than-exciting encounter on the train in, and she doesn’t like him at all.

He’s very attractive, though.

So yeah, there’s that. There’s also a bit of a fake relationship (with a different character) that could have been a little better built out but I’m not picky and the rest was fantastic. I will include a content warning for sexual harrassment, Islamophobia, racism, homophobia, and misogyny. It’s a romance-with-a-message and *some* people weren’t happy being “smacked in the face” with it. (They can stay mad, though.)

The Flatshare
Beth O’Leary

This is a very different kind of story. Tiffy is in a bind and needs a place to stay, and Leon has an unconventional opportunity: he works nights and needs some extra cash, so he’s looking for a flatmate who would get The One Bed on nights and weekends. Tiffy can move in immediately, but ends up meeting Leon’s girlfriend, Kay, instead of Leon himself. The two begin their roommateship easily enough, but begin to leave notes for each other. Reminders and offers of food become more detailed conversation pieces, until the pair run into each other by accident in the bathroom. Things get a touch awkward, but business continues as usual with the notes and the things. It’s lovely to watch the two open up to each other and learn to trust one another.

This one, unfortunately, also requires a content warning. Tiffy is dealing with a gaslighting ex-boyfriend with stalker tendencies, and while no one gets physically hurt, there is some violence. Leon is also Not White (though we don’t get much about that, sadly) and his brother is dealing with some legal issues that are definitely…what’s the phrase? Racially charged? Tiffy is dealing with the results of a long-term emotionally abusive relationship, and Leon has some issues of his own to deal with. But if you can handle that, this book is sweet and every single relationship in it (with the exception of the obvious one) is a joy to experience.

I also started reading See The Light by Kate McMurray, and while I set it aside, it’s definitely worth picking up if you’re a fan of friends-to-lovers stories. Justin has been trying to get his big break on Broadway for years, and it looks like he might get that chance playing a gay teen in the upcoming show See The Light. His biggest supporter is his best friend Max, who has also offered him a couch after Justin’s former boyfriend kicked him out. Of course, Max has also been in love with Justin for a good decade or so, so he doesn’t mind at all. Except he kind of does, because Justin doesn’t feel that way at all. So yeah, YMMV, but you might like it.

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What are you reading this week?