Category: Kissing Books

Well, folks. It’s been a heck of a week in Romancelandia. We haven’t even made it a quarter of the way through the year, and we’ve topped #cockygate. That’s something, huh?  I don’t even know how to approach it, so I’ll let other people speak for me.

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Swords and Spaceships is our biweekly newsletter about all things sci-fi and fantasy literature, and we’re giving away a $100 gift card to Amazon to one lucky reader! Enter HERE by signing up for the newsletter (if you win, send us a pic of all the SFF books you buy with it!), and enjoy a regular dose of your favorite genre news, recs, and more, in your inbox.

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Over on Book Riot

If you have absolutely no idea what I’m talking about, Carolina puts all the things down in one place. Basically, It’s been discovered that Kindle Unlimited author Cristiane Serruya, aka #copypastecris, pulled whole passages from other romance authors’ works. As of Tuesday night, when I’m writing this, the count had made it to over 25 books. She’s pulled all her books from Amazon, but the Goodreads reviews are delightfully vicious. Apparently it was *ghostwriters* who did it, not her. She entered the RITAs, y’all.  :insert mind-blown emoji:

Since we’ve had to go through this for the past few days, now is a good time to enter to win a waterproof Kindle Paperwhite (now through February 28). Maybe hold off on Kindle Unlimited for a while, though…

I want to watch all of these ballets.

And there’s still time to enter to win a six-month subscription to Fresh Fiction.

Deals!

Looking for a real book with a royal romance? Check out Nana Malone’s Cheeky Royal, which is 99 cents right now. The hero doesn’t want to rule, and hopes to give the crown to his long-lost brother? But he also can’t stop thinking about the girl next door. Or something. This is one of many royals books in her repertoire, so if you like this one, try the others.

Or maybe you’re looking for something by a trans author? Anna Zabo’s Syncopation is 3.99 right now. (And so is Counterpoint…and Reverb, if you want to preorder it…) Syncopation is the blow-you-away start to the series about a band finding its way, member by member. The first one is also of-note, as one of the protagonists is aromantic. He feels sexual attraction, but doesn’t experience love like alloromantic people. Since it’s Aromantic Spectrum Awareness Week, this is definitely a sexy way to learn more about this way-too-underrepresented group in romance.

New Releases

It’s a good week of releases! I’ve started a few, and am looking forward to seeing how they play out. Hopefully, good. With sexy consent and body positivity.

Crashing into Her
Mia Sosa

The third book in Sosa’s Love on Cue series, this one opens where we left off: the aftermath of Tori’s wedding. (If you’re interested in her love story, check out Acting on Impulse). Eva, Tori’s best friend, hooks up with her cousin Anthony, and sparks fly. They’re both happy they don’t live anywhere near each other, because neither of them is into relationships. But when Eva decides to move to LA—much to the chagrin of her father, who thinks a career as “an exercise teacher” is sub-par—she has potential to do stunt work. Except her trainer is the stunt man who stunted her around a hotel room a year ago. What could possibly go wrong?

Love By The Letters: A Regency Novella Trio
Grace Burrowes, Vanessa Riley, and Kelly Bowen

All three of these authors are on my list of Authors To Read This Year (even though I’ve owned at least one book by each author since well before this calendar year began). This trio is all about people whose lives change with the offer of wealth, whether for good or bad. Burrowes’ book involves a bluestocking and an eager school master. Riley’s has a second son learning how to set up a business from an ambitious modiste. And Bowen’s has an architect with a crumbling manor clashing with the steward who took over when her father died. Talk about a trio!

The Scandalous Diary of Lily Layton
Stacy Reid

When Lily Layton loses her diary…which is obviously scandalous from the title of the book…Oliver finds the perfect woman. But only on the pages of a book. He doesn’t know the owner of said thoughts. He might have met her in a secret rendezvous…but he doesn’t know who she is either? Really, Oliver needs to meet some people, but that’s another story for another day. For now, he has to figure out if the woman he wants is a woman he can marry.

Devil’s Daughter
Lisa Kleypas

WALLFLOWERS MEETS RAVENELS?!?!?! This is basically the book we’ve all been waiting for, and I honestly don’t care what it’s actually about. Yes, I have a copy. No, I haven’t read it yet. Yes, I will tell everyone how amazing it was when I finally get there.

Also: that cover!

Misadventures of a Curvy Girl
Sierra Simone

I am going to admit: I almost gave this book a Hard No, because one of the heroes shares a name with my husband’s 21-year-old nephew. But it’s Sierra Simone, and it’s about a curvy girl and two corn-fed Kansas Golden Boys. What is not to want?

Appetites & Vices
Felicia Grossman

A historical romance set in Philadelphia with a Jewish heroine? I think yes. There’s also a fake engagement meant to help her make her way back into society and make him a little money. But we all know how that kind of relationship goes, when there’s chemistry involved. I have heard nothing but good things about this book, and can’t wait to read it!

Also, a note that Once Ghosted, Twice Shy is now available in paperback!

NOTE: After the last note about a book, another reader sent me a message about D.I.L.F, which I also hadn’t read. The hero of that novel exhibited excessive creeper behavior, including masturbating loudly so she would have to listen after she said she wasn’t interested and yeah. Thanks, Melissa, for sharing.

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

It’s Presidents Day! It’s…definitely not as fun as Valentine’s, but there’s probably still some discount chocolate hanging about…unless the stores already have Easter candy out. Strike that, they definitely have Easter bunnies out already; I just saw a Cadbury Egg ad.

It’s so wrong.

Either way, I hope you’re staying warm and dry, since the onslaught won’t stop, no matter where you are (it’s unseasonably cold and rainy here in the A.Z. so not even I can escape it).

I’ve babbled enough. Let’s talk love, huh?

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Sponsored by MIRA Books and HQN, home to women’s fiction and romance series you can fall in love with. Start your #newyearnewreads marathon reading today.

A resolution you can keep past February? Yes please! Harlequin and their blockbuster series authors have got you covered with many ways to start your #newyearnewreads marathon reading.

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News and Useful Links

Pretty sure I mentioned this last week, but they still have a long way to go. Whether you live in Chicagoland or not, we can all agree that Love’s Sweet Arrow is something we want to succeed. Let’s make all the romance bookstores happen!

Last week was Romance Week on Goodreads. Did you see their content? I thought this blog post about the “other” lives of romance novelists was interesting. Some of it I knew; much more I didn’t.

Romance = Necromancy. (Not actually, but Jessica Avery said it and now I can’t think of anything else.)

This thread is delightful. You’ll thank me.

I love things that actually take an academic, researched look at things. This article about romance covers takes some liberties, but is mostly good stuff. If you don’t know much about the history of romance covers, you’ll learn a lot. If you think you’re pretty savvy, you might learn something new.

Romance adjacent, but totally exciting. Meg Ryan + Romantic Comedies = GIMME.

So there was some stuff went down at the end of the week and over the weekend about a cis woman getting a huge deal for a book about Dr. James M. Barry. Said author continued to misgender the good doctor, and wanted to turn the man who was definitely a man into a feminist icon instead. So of course, this author got some pushback from the trans community, especially the trans writing community. And this has led to some other conversation about trans representation in publishing. EE Ottoman had some good thoughts about what this looks like in Romancelandia, and I’m still pondering how I can do better at highlighting trans authors writing trans stories. (If you’re looking for some, here’s a good thread.)

Deals!

How about a doctor romance? It’s Always Been You by Elle Wright is 3.99 right now. If doctors don’t draw you in, how about waking up married? The two are friends, so it’s not a romance between complete strangers. Instead, it’s two people who have probably been in love with each other for quite some time, even if they don’t admit it. But instead of getting it annulled, they pretend they got married for the right reasons. So there: how’s that for you?

Have you read A Duke By Default yet? If you haven’t read the second book in Alyssa Cole’s Reluctant Royals series, now’s a good time. And if you’re looking for a romance to fulfill the Read Harder task about a neurodiverse character, Portia has ADHD. There’s only so much I can say about this whole series, so I’ll just leave it at that. (Oh. Right. It’s 1.99.)

Recs

This has been a good reading week, so I thought I’d share my most recent reads. They were mostly books that were recommended to me in one way or another, so it’s sort of like I’m paying it forward. Or something.

Thirsty
Mia Hopkins

I’ll tell you: Trisha Brown has been talking about this book forever. I bought it the first time she mentioned it, but didn’t get around to it this week. I had good reason: we decided to make it our When In Romance book club pick for February. (PS, there’s still time if you want to read it and share your thoughts!)

But hoo doggy. This book.

In East LA, we meet Sal, sometimes called Ghost, who has been out of prison for six months. He’s been crashing on a friend’s couch, but when said friend shows his whole ass and his wife kicks him out, Sal ends up at a loss. A neighborhood abuela offers him a place to stay, and Sal is grateful. Who’s not happy with this arrangement? The other occupant of the house, Chinita’s granddaughter, Vanessa. She’s not excited to have a convicted felon and known gang member living in the same space as her young daughter. But eventually, she comes around. Sal is a hard worker, and while he knows he can’t escape the gang life, he’ll hold it off and go straight as long as he can. Especially knowing he’s more worthy of Vanessa that way. When they decide to act on their attraction—just for the two months he’s staying with them—neither is safe from their own emotions.

Or the four-fire-emoji-level sex. Hoo doggie. This is not one to read when someone might be looking over your shoulder. I’ll tell you, though: Mia Hopkins is no stranger to playing with emotions. Be prepared for the whiplash.

Be Mine
Savannah J. Frierson

I mentioned this one in the new releases last week, and this is probably the closest to release I’ve read a book in quite some time. It was so satisfying.

Ingrid owns her house. Which is great because it means she can get some extra revenue by renting out the rooms. The three men who live in the house (while she lives in the carriage house) are a trio of hot, delightful friends who have become her friends as well. They go to trivia, have movie nights, and have a great life. But when Ingrid decides to shoot her shot and ask Ade to be her Valentine, things between the four of them spiral out of hand. And it’s all good for Ingrid.

FYI, if you’re not into MFMM, this is not for you. If you are, this is definitely for you. There’s more that SJF could have done with the relationship, but considering how short this is, it packs a serious punch. There are sexytimes, yes, but also lots of good, important conversations.

Overall, a good way to spend an afternoon. Or any other series of connected hours—because you’re not gonna want to stop.

I’m also just over halfway through A Soldier’s Return by RaeAnne Thayne. I don’t read a lot of small town romances, but she’s coming to my book festival and I wanted to at least know what her writing’s like. It’s a romance between a nurse and the son of the doctor whose practice she works for. He’s also a doctor! The older doctor had to get a couple knees replaced, so he’s taking some time off from the Army Medical Corps (I think?) to work at his practice. They knew each other in high school, even though they were a couple years apart. And now that they’re grown and unattached, well. They know they shouldn’t. Really. They shouldn’t. Really.

ALSO. A reader reached out over the weekend to share some concerns about Willful Depravity, a book I listed in the new releases on Thursday. So if you were thinking about reading it, let me share the reader’s content warning regarding severe fat phobia (not just in the characters, but in the actual writing) and at least one scene that includes the hero circumventing the heroine’s non-consent. The reviews were going up as my words were going down, so I apologize for missing them. Thanks to Agata for pointing it out!

That’s plenty for the first half of the week, yes? As usual, catch me on Twitter @jessisreading or Instagram @jess_is_reading, or send me an email at jessica@riotnewmedia.com if you’ve got feedback or just want to say hi!

(And as a member of the pack, I say nerds with love!)

I’m gonna be honest: I almost forgot it was Valentine’s Day! As long as January was, and as cold as it is, it still doesn’t feel like February, so it kind of came out of nowhere. Do you have any plans? I’m sort of hoping I can sneak in some reading while hubs plays video games. Red Dead Redemption: The Perfect Game For Wives Who Just Want To Read, amirite? Then tomorrow, Target. So much chocolate.

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Sponsored by Never Let Go by Elizabeth Goddard and Revell Books, a Division of Baker Publishing Group

The case may be cold, but things are about to heat up Forensic genealogist Willow Anderson is following in her late grandfather’s footsteps in her quest for answers about a baby abducted from a hospital more than twenty years ago. When someone makes an attempt on Willow’s life to keep her from discovering the truth, help will come from an unexpected source. Ex-FBI agent—and Willow’s ex-flame—Austin McKade readily offers to protect the woman he never should have let get away. Together they’ll follow where the clues lead them, even if it means Austin must face the past he’s spent much of his life trying to forget—and put Willow’s tender heart at risk.

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Over on Book Riot

Arranged marriages! I have some reading to do!

What’s the sexiest book you’ve ever read? Not all of these are romance, but you’ll definitely see some familiar titles.

If you’re on Goodreads, you should follow these authors. They are good at the recommendation thing.

This comics list is “for Galentine’s and Valentine’s” so it’s a blend of both romantic stories and other fun kinds. But they’re all good so who cares?

What’s this? Another romance quiz? What bounty we’ve been given on Book Riot.

Another giveaway! This time it’s for a six-month subscription to Fresh Fiction!

And of course, Trisha and I discussed easing people in and more on this week’s When In Romance. (PS – Be sure to find out what our next WIR Book Club pick is!)

Deals!

Look, it’s a fact: romances by AOC and LGBTQ+ authors—and therefore romances about them as well—skew high in Romance Prices. I lurked on a conversation recently about how the cost us romance readers are willing to pay for romances isn’t sustainable to the authors, and my immediate thought was “man, I am so guilty of that.” I love looking for deals and making sure you all know when they’re happening, but a lot of times it’s the same rotation of people. DON’T LET THIS LONG PARAGRAPH WORRY YOU: I am still sharing deals! But sometimes, they’re going to be a little higher than 1 and 2 dollars, which is what I most frequently drop. I’ll remind you that novellas like Once Ghosted, Twice Shy are always 1.99 and I’ll keep you posted on monthly deals and other chances at lower prices. But I also want to help surface some books that are just a touch more—still less than five dollars!—but are by authors that ought to have our attention. Yes? Yes. Let’s continue.

Have you ever read any Yahrah St. John? She’s an amazing Harlequin treasure that we need to keep writing all the things. Check out her book At The CEO’s Pleasure, which is 3.99. This is the first in a new series featuring a second-chance romance after an office affair gone wrong. Might be squicky for some, but catnip for others!

Or, how about a marriage contract signed when our couple were kids? The Marriage Contract by Kim Hartfield is 3.99, and is about a pair of women who agreed to marry each other back when they were best friends—if they both hit thirty and were still unmarried. The two lose touch and meet again, right when it’s time!

New Releases!

I’m super behind on my reading, but here are a few books out this week and that I missed in weeks before (whoops).

Be Mine by Savannah J. Frierson

I came across this Valentine’s Day short because Talia Hibbert was raving about it on Goodreads. That’s right, not only do I follow her books religiously, but I will preorder something if she gives it five stars. Not gonna lie. I have one word for you all: FMMM. (MFMM? MMFM? MMMF? Who knows.)

Crazy On You by Crystal B Bright

You might remember the first book in this series, Crazy in Love, which I recall discussing many moons ago on this very platform. That book, which featured an R&B diva and a country singer, set the scene for the second book, Love Like Crazy, and this one. This time, yet another R&B diva and country star are thrown together on a duets album, which both are hesitant to do. But maybe they can make it work…their chemistry definitely wants them to.

Willful Depravity by Ingrid Hahn

Y’all, when I first picked this book up, I didn’t care what it was about. All I cared about was that cover, with that very-much-not-skinny model sighing in ecstasy. Or. You know. What have you. But then I read the description: a debauched painter who has lost his muse, only to find a new one. She has given up on worrying about her size, and is looking forward to being naughty For Art.

I know, right?

Playing Doctor by Cathy Yardley

Another Fandom Hearts book and I’m so excited! If you don’t recognize the double entendre, this one is about Doctor Who fans 😀 If you’ve read any of these books before (which you don’t have to but you should because they’re effing delightful) you might be familiar with the heroine of this book, Cressida. She’s agoraphobic, and only leaves the building housing both her home and her fandom bookstore when absolutely necessary. When she and a fellow fan both need the money that comes with winning a treasure hunt, they set out together in an RV painted to look like the T.A.R.D.I.S.

The Fearless King by Katee Robert

Did someone say fake relationship? I think someone did. An heiress goes to a family rival for help with keeping her father at bay, and then things become dangerous, in every sense of the word. I’ll admit that I didn’t read The Marriage Contract (not to be confused with the one mentioned above) because a few early scenes made me very uncomfortable, but I’ve heard lots of good things about Katee Robert and look forward to checking this one out!

Say You’re Sorry by Karen Rose

I don’t read a lot of romantic suspense, but something about Karen Rose’s heroines totally draws me in. This book is the first in a new series! The heroine, Daisy, escapes a serial killer and takes some crucial evidence with her. She works with Gideon, a special agent who has been tracking a cold case linked to the evidence, to find the serial killer—except now he’s on a hunt for them as well.

Motion by Penny Reid

NEW PENNY REID! This is the first book in her Laws of Physics series (not to be confused with Elements of Chemistry, if you’re thinking “weren’t those books red?) and she warns there is a cliffhanger in both this and the next book in the series, which come out a month apart. So if you want to wait to read this one until April when the last is released, I won’t blame you. But you probably want to know that there is a young genius who has her act together and a young musician who very much doesn’t. His name is Abram, and that apparently means something to some people. :shrug-emoji:

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

Happy Monday, folks! What a week we’ve had. But as usual, since it’s Monday, we’ve got books to talk about!

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Sponsored by Broken Beautiful Hearts by Kami Garcia and Fierce Reads

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Kami Garcia comes a red-hot romance that will break your heart and put it back together again. When star soccer player Peyton receives an offer from her first-choice college, senior year starts off exactly as planned. But when Peyton uncovers her boyfriend’s dark secret, she confronts him—and finds herself falling down a flight of stairs. Peyton’s knee—and maybe her dream of going pro—is shattered. With her future on the line, dating is the last thing on her mind—until she meets sweet, sexy Owen Law.

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News and Useful Links

I was so distracted by the cover of Can’t Escape Love that I completely forgot the other big news that happened the previous weekend. It had been hinted at that Loveswept, a digital first imprint belonging to Random House, was closing, but no announcement had been made. Rumors started to spread on Twitter, surprising a few authors who wrote for them. I still can’t find an official statement, but it has been confirmed that Random House is closing its digital genre imprints. So we’ll see what happens there. Sometimes, people get shifted around. Other times, they get pushed out or elect to move on their own. I hope the authors who primarily publish through Loveswept are offered a soft place to land.

In completely different news: Looking for a new convention to go to? Check out Coastal Magic Convention, which is happening relatively soon. It’s not strictly dedicated to romance, but they’ve apparently picked up a pretty good following. (And if you’re just looking to check out all the things everywhere, check out Girl Have You Met, happening in April.)

If you don’t follow the other Kissing Books, you should.

You might have heard that The Proposal was the first romance selected for Reese Witherspoon’s book club. Read this interview with Jasmine Guillory!

Have you checked out Blush? It’s a new romance-dedicated digital magazine, and the first issue is really pretty. There are interviews, photo galleries, and much more.

If you’re looking for a new Kickstarter to back, look no further! Love’s Sweet Arrow wants your help.

Deals!

As you all recall, I only recently read my first Naima Simone book, and holy Hera was it hot hot hot. I’ve been hearing a lot about Sin and Ink, from people I follow as readers and authors alike. Now is as good a time to check it out as ever, as it’s 99 cents. The series is called “The Sweetest Taboo,” so forewarning if you have issue with workplace boss/employee romances or spouses of dead siblings. Otherwise, happy reading.

Do you like Victoria Dahl books? Well, I’ll tell you: Jane Doe is definitely not her usual book. It’s not even written under the same pen name (in this case, Victoria Helen Stone). But it has all of the same quality of writing that she’s known for, and has a satisfying ending…just not your typical romance genre HEA. If you’re interested in seeing what a romance author can do with a revenge plot, 1.99 isn’t too much to spend on an author whose chops you already know.  I’m mostly sharing this for people interested in reading non-romance by a romance author, but skip it if you’d rather do happy for now.

Recs

Are you participating in Read Harder this year? If you are, you might know that one of the tasks is to read a historical romance by an author of color. Since you’re reading Kissing Books, you might have read all of the usual suspects: Alyssa Cole’s An Extraordinary Union; Beverly Jenkins’s Old West series (starting with Forbidden); Jeannie Lin’s Tang Dynasty (Butterfly Swords, etc). So I’m hoping to help you find some new authors to read! (And if you listen to When In Romance you know one of my goals this year is to read more authors, so I’m helping myself too :D) (So if you have discovered any new authors of color who write historicals, send them my way, would you?)

Behind These Doors
Jude Lucens

Do you ever watch The Importance of Being Earnest and think “can someone just write the version where Jack and Algy are dating”? Okay, that’s not this book, but Behind These Doors does have an Edwardian setting and all kinds of shenanigans. We start the book with Aubrey, Henrietta, and Rupert, who are all lovers, at a play. There, they meet Lucien, who has found an accessory belonging to Henrietta in the hallway. Things happen, eye-screwing ensues, and Aubrey and Lucien end up going home together. From there, we get to navigate the world of the British upper class when scandalous relationships must be kept secret at all cost. We also see that of the working class, from the perspective of Lucien, who grew up in service and is now a journalist (oh hey, Read Harder bonus!). There are sexy times, and talks of consent, and good conversations about demisexuality. Also, if you’re interested in more representations of polyamory than just the usual puppy pile of people all sharing a bed, this has a good depiction of what metamours might look like. It’s a bit of a slow read, and the characters can get almost saccharine, but it’s definitely worth checking out. It’s not quite the comedy of errors we might attribute to books set in the era of Wilde; instead Lucens takes all of that stuff that’s usually satirized and speaks very plainly. Also, there’s a darling short (maybe too short?) about a pair of secondary characters that you’ll want to devour afterwards.

So as a RH recap, this one works for: Histrom by AOC, About a journalist, self-published. Check, check, and check.

If you’re jonesing for more historical romance after reading that one, you might also want to check out The Craft of Love by EE Ottoman. This is a Victorian romance by a trans author featuring a trans protagonist, so you can also use it for that Read Harder task. It’s also set in New York which is definitely a delight. Both romantic leads are craftspeople—Benjamin is a silversmith, and Remembrance is a quiltmaker—and it’s just a delightful story. It’s brief, but a great introduction to EE Ottoman’s writing.

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 or just want to say hi!

How’s the reading going? My week’s been a little full, but I’ve been delighted to get the snatches of reading that I did.

But it’s Thursday, which means new books!

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Sponsored by Shadow Mountain Publishing.

As the only doctor in the Wyoming Territory, Gideon needs the help of a nurse. And maybe something more. So he sends away for a mail-order bride with nursing experience. But when Miriam arrives in Savage Wells ready to work, she finds herself as the bride at an unexpected wedding. She refuses to marry Gideon, and embarrassed by the misunderstanding, the good doctor offers her a job, and romance begins to blossom. But Miriam has a dark secret, and they must decide if they are willing to risk their hearts for love as buried secrets are brought to light.

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Over on Book Riot

It’s time for #riotgrams again! Since it’s a full month, we’re a little behind, but nobody says you can’t do a bunch to catch up.

Have you ever wondered what romance trope you are? I was actually surprised by mine, mainly because it’s not what I tend to read. But knowing me, I’m not surprised at all. Take the quiz!

You have until February 28 to enter this drawing for a gift card to The Ripped Bodice! Support indie bookstores, support romance, and get one of the best selections of signed books pretty much anywhere? You know what to do.  (PS – obviously, you’ve already signed up for Kissing Books, but just do it again for the entry. You’ll be alright. I swear.)

Bookish Valentines!

Considering Kindle Unlimited for 2019? Here is a list of 50 books you can find there, including some romances I’m very intrigued about.

(PS – did you know that you had access to several books every month with Prime Reading? Every once in a while, I forget, until I land on a book that’s like “Free with Prime!” and I punch myself because I have so many other books to read.)

Deals!

You know what there needs to be more of? Interactive romance novels. No, not that kind. I mean the kind where you decide what’s going to happen to the heroine. Good thing My Lady’s Choosing is a thing you can try and try again, as much as you want (until you’ve used up all the options, of course). And if you want to have the choice regarding who your heroine ends up with, you can pay 2.99 for the pleasure.

How many romances have you read by Native American authors? If you’re like me, your answer is probably an average of…one. (Me? Robin Covington, who I love.) So when I asked around a while ago, the first book a few people recommended to me was Heartbeat Braves by Pamela Sanderson. Not only does it have a wildly compelling love story, but it also exposes readers to the serious impact the US has made on the country’s first residents. The first one is 99 cents, and if you want more, the other two in the series are 2.99 each. Not a bad price for that much reading.

New Books!

I sometimes say I need publishing to just take a minute, stop for one minute, so I can catch up on my reading. But then we wouldn’t be able to celebrate awesome books like the ones out this week.

Polaris Rising by Jessie Mihalik

I discovered Jessie Mihalik’s existence when she signed on to come to my local book festival and wanted to be on a romance panel in addition to her sci-fi/fantasy appearances. I was up for it, but didn’t have much interest in her book until I had one in my hands. The premise—space princess and outlaw killer on the run, imperial intrigue, all the best workings of a space opera—pushed all kinds of buttons. And then some of my most trusted folks on twitter started buzzing about it. I was sad not to be able to get to it immediately, but once I had leave, I sat down to devour it. By the time I looked up, I’d read 65 pages, and had to go do other things. Sadness.

Anyway, you probably want to know what it’s about, eh?

Badass heroine Ada has been on the run from her family for two years, anticipating betrothal to another of the ruling families. When she’s grabbed by bounty hunters, she’s thrown in with Loch, who is apparently a Bad. But when her betrothed arrives ahead of their arrival back on Earth, Ada and Loch work together to escape. And then? Sky’s the limit. As long as they’re not caught.

Effing. Delightful.

So yeah, that one’s out now. Here are some others you might want to check out:

Connections in Death by J. D. Robb

I’ve got a bone to pick with someone, and that person is my Aunt Bernadette. She let me sleep on J. D. Robb for YEARS, knowing full well that a futuristic sci fi romantic procedural was all kinds of me. I thought it was just an ongoing series of regular murder books by Nora Roberts, whose books I enjoyed in high school but of which there are just too many to read now, when there are so many other authors to explore. But come on. I had to fall into this knowledge creeping on someone else’s twitter convo?

So anyway. Do you read the In Death series? If not, you’ve got 48 as of Tuesday. Seriously. Forty. Eight.

The Matchmaker’s List by Sonya Lalli

Raina doesn’t want to deal with her matchmaking grandmother, but she will if it means getting her off her back. But then her ex comes back into her life and doesn’t know what to do. I have heard that there is an element of deception that might turn some people off, but I haven’t checked it out myself.

Throttled by K. Sterling

I don’t know anything about this author, but I will definitely read anything that features a lovesick detective who fakes car issues to talk to the mechanic/vintage car restorer he is pretty much still in love with after a failed relationship.

99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne

So this is another brother’s best friend story. (Maybe I don’t understand how this works because I don’t have any siblings? Why wouldn’t I date my brother’s friend? Is the answer “the patriarchy”? Because I think the answer’s “the patriarchy.”) Anyway. Darcy’s life is a bit of a mess, and she can’t hide that from Tom anymore. Maybe she doesn’t need to. (Also, this isn’t a sequel to The Hating Game, but I would totally recommend checking it out. It has its issues, but it’s still hilarious.)

Cupid Must Be Crazy by Xander Collins

A meet-not-cute involving some roadside splashing plus a later meet-again-not-cute when both heroes are down on their luck are all I know, but I’m looking forward to checking out how the two broken heroes will grow and learn with each other’s help.

Four Novellas by Alyssa Cole

So none of these are new, but they are newly on audio. If you’ve been thinking about picking up Be Not Afraid, That Could Be Enough, Let Us Dream, or Let It Shine, why not pick up the set of four in audio? And if you don’t already have an Audible account, this one would be one of your free books, yes?

I Owe You One by Sophie Kinsella

This isn’t technically romance, but I think there are a lot of us who enjoy a few of Sophie Kinsella’s romcoms. In this one, there are IOUs. First one, then lots more. The description rings a little more like her more serious alter ego, Madeline Wickham, but you know, could still be pretty funny.

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 or just want to say hi!

Happy Black History Month! I mean, it’s February, so I’m going to at least mention it, but since Black History is American History, we obviously talk about it all year. If you’re working on a month of exposure of black authors or black history, I’m not going to stop you, and I’m totally open to sending you some specific recs. Hit me up anytime!

But for now, let’s have a look at what’s been going on.

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Sponsored by Dreamscape Media, LLC.

Stella Lane thinks math is the only thing that unites the universe. She comes up with algorithms to predict customer purchases—a job that has given her barely any experience in the dating department. It doesn’t help that she has Asperger’s. She decides that she needs lots of practice—with a professional—which is why she hires Vietnamese-Swedish escort, Michael Phan. He agrees to help her check off all the boxes on her lesson plan… When feelings begin to develop, can Michael somehow convince Stella that love is the best kind of logic?

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News and Useful Links

HAVE Y’ALL SEEN THIS?!?!?! I AM SO EXCITE. SO. EXCITE.

If you follow the library world, you probably know about the ALA awards offered during their Midwinter Meeting, which happened last weekend. I was there! It was fun. Most of the attention goes to the Youth Media Awards, like the Printz, Newbery, Caldecott, etc. But there are awards given to adult books, too! There are also lots of lists decided upon, like the ALA-GLBT Round Table’s Over The Rainbow Book List, and the Reading List, which is broken down into genre categories. OTR varies by year when it comes to romance representation, but the Reading List—since it has a romance category—always comes through. And this year, they came through.

Frolic Media made a serious misstep last week and were called out for it. They took down the article and posted an apology. Now they’re reviewing their editorial process, making many of us wonder what it might have been before. Did they basically post everything their contributors produced without consideration? Offer feedback on problematic content? Was this just a blind spot for everyone? Hopefully we’ll find out soon.

Did you hear? Reese Witherspoon announced her February book club pick, and it’s none other than The Proposal! How awesome for Jasmine Guillory. Have you read it yet? It’s pretty fun. (Also, how adorable in Reese in that photo?)

And if you haven’t heard, The Ripped Bodice is now running a special Instagram account for rare romances. Rebecca Romney told folks why this is awesome.

Deals!

Have you been putting off Hate to Want You for some reason? If you’ve decided now is the time to experience the heartwrenching story of Livvy and Nicholas (and the discovery that, yes, it is possible to have feelings), it’s 1.99 right now. (And a little birdie told me there might be an excerpt from The Right Swipe in the back matter. FYI.)

If you’ve been meaning to start Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark Hunter series, Night Pleasures is 2.99 right now. There has been a lot happening to Sherrilyn Kenyon recently, so there’s no harm in giving her a little boost. This series is a fun paranormal that can get a little repetitive, but also includes some super interesting worldbuilding and some amazing women, both heroines and supporting characters. I think there are…22 books now? So You’ll have plenty to keep you busy if you fall down the rabbit hole.

Recs!

You might recall I’ve been reading for a non-romance book list for the past several months, which left my time to read new books limited. I filled most of it with imperative reads and novellas. I’m happy to announce that I can now read full length novels again, and my first step was to take some of the recs I’ve gotten from you in the past few months. I’m nowhere near caught up, but I’m excited by the ones I’ve been able to read this week.

Dare to Love a Duke
Eva Leigh

I think I mentioned picking this book up a few weeks ago. I finally finished it, and wow do I understand all of your excitement! Strong female characters coming from all sides, a man with faults who just wants to be a good man, sexcapades, fortune telling, and a few unanswered questions.

Perfection.

Dare to Love a Duke was a book that I knew existed but wasn’t really on my radar to read (because it’s the third in a series). But when Twitter went up in arms to protect the HEA of a sex worker, I was there for it. The heroine, Lucia, is the manager of a sex club for all and once worked in a brothel. The hero, a duke, couldn’t give a rat’s ass. Delightful, right? This book sparked a few discussions about who deserves a happy ending in romance, and I was curious. In part because of the sex worker line–would I, too, have to suspend disbelief? It would be the fault of the author if I couldn’t—and in part because I’d never read Eva Leigh before. If you listen to When In Romance, you know that one of my 2019 goals is to read more authors instead of the same wonderful people I turn around to rec again and again. And boy, does she have a new fan for life. I can’t wait to go back and read her backlist, because her writing is wonderful and her world is a great one.

And no, I didn’t have to suspend disbelief.

Pink Slip
Katrina Jackson

I’ve read Katrina Jackson’s work before, but this is the first in a romantic suspense series and features polyamorous spies, and I legit could not look away. I think I bought all three in the series before I even touched the first one.

And as a bonus to you Read Harder participants, it works for your self-published task!

While this book does fall to a couple of the pitfalls of self-publishing—it could have used one more sweep through by a copyeditor, for instance—that takes nothing away from this sexy, emotional story. Lane and Monica are basically Mr. and Mrs. Smith, but at the end of the movie. They’re super attractive, super good at their jobs, and they work together to get spy stuff done. But they need help keeping their lives together, and Kierra is the perfect PA. It’s not until she gives her notice three years later that the three make any decision to act on their attraction to each other, though…or admit their feelings. So there’s that! Enjoy!

Bonus Rec: I decided to finally check out Gwen Hayes’ Romancing the Beat, which clearly breaks down the elements of romance for writers, from the meet cute to the low moment. Someone recently recommended reading it as a reader, and it really is good for knowing what pieces are usually going to be there. And! It’s not completely heteronormative!

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

January is almost over! How is that possible? By now, I was supposed to be lounging about making bad decisions about rearranging my bookshelves on whatever they give you after they yank out your wisdom teeth. But they moved my appointment so I’m just doing the usual working thing. Ah well. Books are still in my future.

So. Many. Books.

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Sponsored by 99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne, published by William Morrow.

From the author of The Hating Game comes a new romantic comedy about two twins struggling over an inheritance, and the sexy best friend who gets in the middle. Darcy Barrett met her dream man when she was eight years old, and the rest of the male population has been a letdown ever since. No one measures up to Tom Valeska whose only flaw is that her twin brother, Jamie, saw him first, and claimed him forever as his best friend. Tom’s off limits and loyal to Jamie 99%, and for Darcy, one percent of him used to be enough. But this time around, she’s switching things up…

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Over on Book Riot

So on Monday I somehow forgot the big news. I broke the damn thing myself for Book Riot. and I forgot. Well, if you didn’t already know, now you do: E L James is releasing a new book, and it’s not about the Grey family. It’s called The Mister, and at least since it’s set in England, I won’t throw the book at Britishisms like “Laters, Baby.” (Though if that phrase is spoken by Maxim Trevelyan—yes, that is The Mister’s name—I don’t know what I will do.)

And of course, because we can’t leave a new E L James book alone, Trisha has a few burning questions about this book. I’m sure we all do.

Speaking of Trisha, we celebrated When In Romance’s Podiversary this week! It’s officially been a year and what a year to start! It looks like the WTFery that is Romancelandia won’t be waning anytime soon, so we’ll have plenty to talk about in the year to come. This time? More people who don’t understand romance.

Are you doing the Read Harder challenge? There are some romances in this list of recommended books with 100 or fewer goodreads reviews. And I’m ashamed to say, I haven’t read any of them (so I know what I’m doing soon.)

Look, I’m not saying all romance lovers read Harry Potter fanfiction, but I bet there are plenty of us who appreciate Namera’s effort in pulling together this amazing list. (Also, The Green Girl is one of those I still randomly think about years later. FYI.) (Also Number Two, I might have also written one of these a couple years ago that doesn’t have many of the same picks.)

Finally, if you’re ready to KonMari your whole living space and want to move to book subscription services instead, here are a few to try.

Deals!

Twelve stories. Over 500 pages. All inspired by music. Check out stories by Xio Axelrod, Sierra Simone, Nikki Sloane. And nine more, obviously. Regardless of what the cover might indicate, the stories aren’t all about musicians. Actually, there are no musicians in the descriptions at all! But these are totally promising stories, and bound to be good examples of those novellas Trisha and I were talking about on Monday. You probably want the link huh? Well it’s Mixtape and it’s 99 cents!

It’s been three weeks. Have you bought Once Ghosted, Twice Shy yet? It’s still 1.99, and it’s still amazing. Likotsi and Fabiola are wonderful and amazing, and everybody just makes feelings happen. If you haven’t read it, you should.

So uh…did we know Andie J. Christopher had written a hockey romance? It’s wildly cold in some parts of the country so it sounded like a good time to read about some hockey goodness. It’s called Full Contact and it’s got a virgin hero (with a bounty on his virginity WHAT) and a heroine who just wants to get out of town, six-four hunk of Viking-sex or no. It’s 2.99 right now, so you should definitely check it out.

New Releases!

Let’s talk new books! I am excited to read all of these!

Any Old Diamonds
KJ Charles

What does the younger son of a duke do when he can’t stand his father or his wealth? Plans to have the diamonds he’s bought for his duchess stolen, of course. What else? His new compatriot must pretend to be his BFF, though, and that makes things…complicated. KJ Charles does her thing yet again, and it’s just as delightful (and feels-y, because that’s how she works) as everything else she’s put out.

Catastrophe Queen
Emma Hart

Mallory has a new job. This means she has a new boss. Her boss is hot. He knows it; she knows it. They both know they have to deal with their mutual attraction some kind of way, because Mallory needs her job. I’ll tell you—I have been on a trash people kick. Protagonists who are far from together who spend their books not just falling in love but figuring their own thing out are just the best thing. (Note: have you read Intercepted? I think you need to read Intercepted.)

Want more? Check these out, too.

Crazy Cupid Love by Amanda Heger

Three Little Words by Jenny Holiday

See The Light by Kate McMurray

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

We’re almost done with the month. How’s your 2019 going so far? I’m excited for so many more books. I already have favorites from the year, and there’s so much more time to go!

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We’re giving away $100 to the bookstore of your choice! Enter to win by signing up for Unusual Suspects, our mystery/thriller newsletter about new releases, book recommendations, book deals, and more. Enter here.

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News and Useful Links

Looking for a new book club to join in the new year? You’re in luck, cause there are lots. You can always join the When in Romance one (which we’ll be picking up again) and there’s also the Smart Podcast Trashy BookClub, which sounds delightful.

Do you or someone you know have a story to tell? Check out the Harlequin Creator’s Fund, put together to help support creatives across the board.

There was another Historical Romance Kerfuffle this weekend, as a letter to the editor for the RWA publication was shared with the greater romance world. Turns out, there were actually two letters, and they were both Not Good. One was sort of a familiar refrain about telling the stories of all of the people in historical romance, and not telling the stories for others. The phrase “moral high ground” was mentioned, but from such a misguided place. The other letter referenced historical accuracy and compared including happy queer characters to including potatoes before they were introduced to Europe. Sure, dude. Totally. (Also, Jen’s response to both of those letters in the thread linked is just great. Also, read Stamped from the Beginning.)

Here’s a good reaction.

And another one from Heidi Cullinan.

In much better news, OMG ALEXIS DARIA.

Olivia Dade had a lot to say in this thread about novellas. I’ve really come to appreciate them in this past year when I’ve had less time to dedicate to reading romance, and love the way it’s given me a look into the hearts and minds of authors whose longer works I might not have been able to pick up. And I’m excited that they’re becoming even more prominent in the romance world.

Deals!

Speaking of novellas, My Imaginary Ex by Mina V. Esguerra is 99 cents right now, and it’s a great way to dive into the Romance Class, a group of authors writing stories that either take place in the Philippines or that centers Filipino characters in other places. This one is straight out of a movie, featuring a couple who basically went along with the story that they were dating for…well, way too long.

Another novella that reads with all the things you want in a good story (character development and growth, a compelling plot, swoonworthy love story) is Damaged Goods, and it’s 1.99 right now. Sure, I’ll definitely say it’s worth reading A Girl Like Her, which is the first Ravenswood book, before this book, but it’s totally worth it to read it on its own if you just haven’t gotten to that one yet. It features a pregnant heroine and the man who was the Boy Who Got Away, but I have to warn you: both people have had to deal with different kinds of emotional abuse. It’s a lot. But It’s so good. It’s actually one of my favorite and most recommended Talia Hibbert books, and you all know how much I love Talia Hibbert.

And Now For Something Completely Different

I’ve never done an interview for Kissing Books, and I thought 2019 was the year to change that! The fun thing about profiling romance authors is that you can ask them the same questions and get very different answers. So who better to start with than KJ Charles, whose Any Old Diamonds comes out this week (and is just as delightful as every other KJ Charles novel because they’re all amazing and if you haven’t read one you might as well start with this one!)

What was the first romance you ever read?

The first romances I ever read were Georgette Heyer, the first and greatest queen of the Regency. My mum had them all and I devoured them, rereading multiple times. I learned so much about plotting and handling secondary characters. My last book, Band Sinister, was a m/m homage to her wonderful light-hearted books. A reader described it as “Heyer but gayer” and I pretty much died of joy right there.

What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned from a romance novel?

The most surprising thing I’ve learned from a romance is…probably too personal to reveal, honestly. That shock of emotional recognition—the “OMG other people have these feelings”—is an aspect of romance-reading that doesn’t get as much acknowledgement as it deserves. As an author I get quite a few letters from readers saying “I saw myself” or “I didn’t realise before but this is me.”  It’s a big thing to understand yourself more because of reading, and I hear of it happening in romance far more than any other genre.

In less personal terms, the most surprising stuff comes from well-researched historical romances. The best thing I ever learned in my own work was probably that Victorian households used to keep hedgehogs in the kitchen to eat black beetles. I also know how to stuff a sparrow, in theory.

Who has been your favorite character to write?

It changes a lot! Maybe Justin Lazarus, the fraudulent Spiritualist from An Unnatural Vice. It was marvellous fun doing his fake seances and finding out about the tricks Spiritualists used, and he’s also a shameless villain for much of the book, which is gloriously freeing to write. See also Jerry Crozier the jewel thief of Any Old Diamonds, who is never sorry about anything and is basically all my worst impulses come to life (in a good way).

How do you research your time periods?

Research involves a lot of old maps, a lot of reading social history, and a lot of fiction written at the time where possible. Genre fiction is fabulous for giving you a feel of milieu and the obsessions of the day. I’m currently devouring 1920s detective fiction and calling it work.

Do you have a Swiss Army romance recommendation?

The romance that does everything? Hmm. I think the one that comes closest might be A Girl Like Her by Talia Hibbert. It’s sexy, big-hearted, very funny, deeply comforting, and diverse in multiple ways–it’s a book that embraces humanity. I’d recommend it to pretty much anyone.

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Thanks so much to KJ Charles for being my first guinea guest!

So what do you think, are you interested in hearing from more authors? Let me know! As usual, catch me on Twitter @jessisreading or Instagram @jess_is_reading, or send me an email at jessica@riotnewmedia.com if you’ve got feedback or just want to say hi!

Happy Thursday, folks! The world continues to go down the drain, but at least we’ve got romance novels!

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Sponsored by our Unusual Suspects giveaway of $100 to the bookstore of your choice!

We’re giving away $100 to the bookstore of your choice! Enter to win by signing up for Unusual Suspects, our mystery/thriller newsletter about new releases, book recommendations, book deals, and more. Enter here.

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Over on Book Riot

This is literally just a list of words. Very…romance-y…words.

So it was World Fantasy Day on Tuesday, and there was a lot of non-romance-y stuff. But this article about vampire myths from around the world would definitely be of interest to vampire-loving romance readers. (Also, I am kind of excited that vampires are coming back in a big way pretty soon. I know they never left for some people, but I’d like to see how other people want to approach them.)

Look! Personalized bookmarks that look like they fit properly in mass markets! (If you want to fold your pages down, I’m no judge, but I love me a good bookmark.)

Deals!

Did you read Priest? No matter. (If you haven’t and you’re okay with…very sacrilegious sex acts…you should check it out because it’s not that expensive either.) But when I think of my favorite Sierra Simone book, it’s Sinner. It’s set in the same universe as Priest, but if you’re okay with All The Spoilers for how the situation was resolved, you can read it without having read Priest. This one, instead of exploring the very-much-not-celibate life of a Catholic priest when he falls in lust/love, is about a young novice who wants to make sure she’s making the right decision before going full nun. So she goes to her brother’s [former] best friend. For sex. But he offers something more. Whoosh. It’s good, y’all. And it’s 99 cents (as of writing this, on January 22).

Just so you know. You have until April 30 to read the whole London Celebrities series. If you want to start with Act Like It, you can get it now for 1.99. Fake relationship, enemies to lovers, famous people in love, and stagecraft? You know you want it! (And if you pretty much know you’ll love all of the books in the series that are already out, you can grab the whole London Celebrities So Far for 8.99.)

New and Upcoming Releases

There aren’t a whole lot of books out this week; it looks like the heavy guns are all out next week. But we’ve got a few to highlight this week!

Unmarriageable
Soniah Kamal

Did you say “Pride and Prejudice in Pakistan”? I think you did. Or at least, Soniah Kamal did, and it’s like no Pride and Prejudice retelling you’ve seen before. First off, it’s the first published retelling featuring Muslim main characters, and I think the first one actually set in Pakistan. Also, did I mention that Alys, the character based on Elizabeth Bennet, absolutely loves Jane Austen? The book opens with her and her students (because she teaches girls in a secondary school) talking about the opening line. So it’s pretty meta, but still gives good feels. (Also, you’re gonna learn lots of Urdu!)

The DILF
Amy Andrews

So the D? It stands for doctor. Also, instead of a my-best-friend’s-little sister-grew-up-and-got-hot story, this one is a “my-kid-brother’s-geeky-friend-is-hot-now” nurse and doctor story. I have not actually read many medical romances, so I’m looking forward to checking this one out, even with that…vaguely unfortunate but descriptive and evocative title.

Amaryllis
Joyce Proell

Revolutionary-era historical romance! I’m totally intrigued by the perspective of a young British spy. She’s trying to save her father, who’s in prison in the Colonies, and agrees to sneak onto a ship to gather intel about the ship’s captain who…might also be a spy. For the other side. No biggie.

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

Not only is it Monday, but it’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Civil Rights Day (at least that’s the complete name in Arizona. What’s it for you, if you live in the States?). I’m off for the day, but I hope those of you who have to work (especially in retail) are still having a good day!

Let’s have a look at what’s been going on.

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News and Useful Links

Last week, I mentioned that Harlequin was diving deeper into the movie business. There’s some more adaptation news (preliminary, unfortunately):

• This is really cute! Tara Frejas and the other #romanceclass folks are releasing mini movies based on some of their books!
• A+E Studios has made a deal with Swoon Reads, who have published awesome YA-with-crossover-potential titles like The Brightsiders and Let’s Talk About Love. No talk of titles yet, but there are so many that could be made and I can’t wait to hear more!

Also! You can get the Deadly Sexy movie on DVD!

Do you want to have print copies of every book in Alyssa Cole’s Reluctant Royals series in print? (Me, too!) Well you’re in luck, because Once Ghosted, Twice Shy is coming out in print as of February 19!

I don’t know why we keep having the same conversation, but really. Romance doesn’t need to be “shaken up” by taking away the HEA. There are already things that need to happen, and they involve spreading the love, not taking it away.

Farah Rochon’s got a new series coming out (in 2020, sadly) and it looks adorable!

Here’s more about Sherrilyn Kenyon’s current troubles. As Courtney Milan said when she shared it, read with care, and content warnings galore.

Do you like meet cutes? (Is that even a question?) Ready for a TBR explosion? Check out this thread!

Deals!

If you’re interested in starting a new royal romance series, Royal Date by Sariah Wilson is 1.99 right now. I can’t pass up a good royal story, and this one features a meet cute involving downhill skiing and a hero who looks like “Superman’s hotter Italian cousin.” There’s also a “no kissing” deal involved, and we all know what happens when those come up.

Last week I talked about historical series you could dive into. But they had nothing on total page count on Elizabeth Hoyt’s Maiden Lane series. This series is set in the early eighteenth-century, so it’s got a different vibe than our beloved Regencies. And from what I’ve heard, they’re basically all good (I, shamefully, haven’t made it through the full set of twelve main books and several inbetweeners). Want to see what all the fuss is about? Check out Wicked Intentions, which is 1.99!

Recs

Like I said before, it’s MLK day here in the US, and it also just feels like the right time to talk about activism in romance. I love reading about people who want to do what’s right, and doing it while falling in love is just awesome. Here are some of the ones I’ve loved and a couple I can’t wait to read.

Let it Shine
Alyssa Cole

If you haven’t gotten to this book yet, I absolutely recommend reading it wildly soon. Our lovers, Sofie and Ivan, were friends as kids, and are reunited when Sofie is in need of a bit of saving. It’s an adorable story about finding love and finding your voice—with some learning about the Freedom Riders, too! (PS: if you liked this one, you can also check out Let Us Dream, which is another of Alyssa’s novellas. That one takes place during the Suffragette era!)

Loving the Secret Billionaire
Adriana Anders

Originally published as “Grassroots” in Rogue Desire, this is an extended version that digs deeper into the story of Veronica Cruz, a canvasser, and the secretive guy whose door she knocks on. She makes an impression on him, and he wants to promise her more than his vote. Luckily, he has the resources to do something about what they both want.

Rogue Nights
Lots of People

If you haven’t checked out Rogue Desire and the subsequent five volumes, all featuring shorts and novellas about protagonists involved in political activism of some kind, you’re totally missing out. Rogue Nights, the most recent, includes stories by Talia Hibbert, Robin Covington, and Annabeth Albert, among many others. Featured resisters in this volume include journalists, volunteer escorts, legislators, and more!

I’ll throw this in as an honorable mention, because I just talked about this series last week, but The Duchess War by Courtney Milan features a duke interested in the rights of factory workers and one of the other Brothers Sinister novels is literally called The Suffragette Scandal. So you’ll have fun with those.

Also: while there is more sex than sedition happening in this novel (and more feelings than literally anything else), A Seditious Affair by KJ Charles also deserves a mention.

I need to stop now before I throw in another five or six.

Who are your favorite romance activists?

Have a great first half of the 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 or just want to say hi!