Category: Kissing Books

It’s going to be a short one, folks. We can celebrate some book releases, talk about a few articles around the web, and discuss some great books.

(Also, this is the FIFTIETH issue of Kissing Books!? How’d that happen so quickly?)

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Sponsored by Murder Takes the High Road by Josh Lanyon

From award-winning male/male author Josh Lanyon: a librarian finds himself in a plot right out of one of his favorite mystery novels

Librarian Carter is determined to enjoy himself on a Scottish bus tour for fans of mystery author Dame Vanessa Rayburn. His roommate turns out to be John Knight, a figure as mysterious as any character from Vanessa’s books.

When a fellow traveler’s death sparks rumors of foul play, Carter searches for answers, trying to fend off his growing attraction toward John. But as unexplained tragedies continue, the whole tour must face the fact that there may be a murderer in their midst—but who?

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News and Useful Links

I keep forgetting to tell you! Amanda at SBTB decided to fancast Roomies now that it’s been optioned, and I’m all for it!

And speaking of SBTB Amanda, she wrote a very thought-provoking essay about books with guys with guns on the cover, and I have to say I have been having a similar visceral reaction recently. What about you?

Sil wrote about the good, bad, and just plain wrong of Latinx romance on Frolic.

Cat Sebastian’s books are going to be in Barnes & Noble stores soon! I’m excited that more people will be exposed to her books, but I’m also anxious about the precedent it’s setting. We’ve already got Avon publishing non-ownvoices authors (who write amazing books) instead of centering the voices of people who write their own marginalities. Now they’re going to be able to say they put LGBT content in stores so their work is done. When we all know it’s not; let’s get all the rep out there.

Speaking of rep, I don’t know if you follow Corey on Twitter or read their blog, but they just started putting together Friday Fluff recs and my TBR will never be the same.

Need some histrom inspiration? I’ve got all kinds of ideas from these images.

Romancelandia merch!

Deals!

A Hundred Thousand Words by Nyrae Dawn is 3.99. I haven’t read anything by this author, but my body is ready.

Priscilla Oliveras’ Resort to Love is 3.99, too.

Xyla Turner’s Take a Knee is also 3.99.

Bollywood and the Beast by Suleikha Snyder is 2.99. It’s not the first in the series, but you don’t need to read them in order.

So hey, remember those sexy Sidhe in Holley Trent’s Viking books? Prince in Leather is 3.99.

Have you been thinking about trying an Alyssa Cole book but don’t want princesses or historical fiction? Radio Silence, the first in her near-future specfic romance series, is 1.99 right now.

And of course, I can’t let you wander over to Amazon without reminding you that many of Talia Hibbert’s books, including Bad for the Boss, are 2.99 or less.

Over on Book Riot

It’s World Cup time! Here are some soccer romances!

Trisha and I (and SARAH MACLEAN Y’ALL) did some talking about taboo and effing Nazis and some awesome queer books. FYI: it’s marked explicit.

Of romance reader interest: Which Bennet sister are you?

I opened our new (hopefully) series about romance tropetonites. What tropes do you always fall for?

Don’t judge a book by the abs (or lack thereof) on the cover.

Do you watch Poldark? I might have to finally start! (It’s still on Netflix, right?)

Recs!

In following with our previous June practices, let’s look at another very underrepresented area in romance: the aroace spectrum.

Thaw
Elyse Springer

Abigail isn’t a lesbian. She isn’t bisexual. She’s asexual, and she’s a little tired of explaining the difference. But when a beautiful supermodel asks her to dance at a party, she can’t help feeling attraction, of the romantic type. Gabrielle is beautiful, yes, but she’s also intense and fascinating. Abigail, a librarian, doesn’t know what the woman might want with her, but they don’t stop at just one date. Of course, like most people, they have their own stuff to deal with, including figure out the whole not-having-sex thing, but if two people can figure everything out, it’s them.

Syncopation
Anna Zabo

Zavier is a Julliard-trained percussionist who has recently left a symphony job after a kinky relationship with the conductor went awry. Mostly, he didn’t act the romantic when the other man wanted, and there was a problem. Now he’s auditioned and gotten into the band Twisted Wishes, whose frontman and lead guitarist he’s known since high school, when he first turned down an invitation to join. Zavier and Ray have instant chemistry, but how long can they avoid each other using the excuse of the band and their personal history? And how does Zavier explain to Ray that he can never fall in love with him?

If you’re interested in more representation of the gray space in both sexuality and romanticism, here are a few more that I’m either interested in trying (but have not yet read myself) or have read over the past couple years:

A Hundred Thousand Words by Delphine Dryden (f/f, BDSM, demisexuality)

Hot Licks by AM Arthur (m/m/m, demisexuality)

A Gentleman’s Position by KJ Charles (m/m, demisexuality)

Finding Your Feet by Cass Lenox (m/f, asexuality)

How to be a Normal Person by TJ Klune (m/m, asexuality)

There are a lot of holes in coverage, here, and I know it. For one, Anna Zabo’s Zavier Demos is the first aromantic person I’ve ever seen on the page, in a romance or not. (Also, it’s magical representation. Seriously. Read it.) For another, none of these authors are non-white. That’s not to say there aren’t authors of color writing gray romance protagonists, but I don’t know who those people are or what their books are about. So if you know of either of those spaces, let me know! I’d love to read and share.

New and Upcoming Releases

A Thief in the Nude by Olivia Waite

Wicked and the Wallflower by Sarah MacLean (finally!)

When Katie Met Cassidy by Camille Perri

Fail Seven Times by Kris Ripper

Cherish Me by Farrah Rochon (June 25)

It Takes Two by Jenny Holiday (June 26)

The Pursuit Of… by Courtney Milan (June 26) (Originally published in Hamilton’s Battalion, but they’re being sold separately now, at staggered dates)

HAHA I’m now laughing because I said this one was going to be shorter. But you know what to do. As usual, catch me on Twitter @jessisreading or Instagram @jess_is_reading, or send me an email at jessica@riotnewmedia.comif you’ve got feedback or just want to say hi!

 

Just when we thought we were out of it for a while, we got pulled back in.

I’m talking about stupidity, my friends.

News and Useful Links

It’s been quiet in the world of all the various hashtag-name-gate weirdness we’ve been experiencing for the past month or two, but romancelandia couldn’t just live in this lovely void of new releases and bingo cards. No.

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Sponsored by Kensington Publishing Corp.

It’s summer wedding season and love is in the air. The moment for “I do” has arrived, and all eyes are on the bride…until she turns heel, hijacks a motorcycle, and speeds out of town! Get the scoop on the juiciest wedding gossip of the year when you pick up a copy of A WEDDING ON BLUEBIRD WAY, a collection of intertwined wedding romances by New York Times bestselling authors Lori Wilde, Janet Dailey and authors Allyson Charles and Stacey Keith. Love is in the air at this wedding, just clearly not between the bride and groom! To find out the rest, you’ll have to RSVP to A WEDDING ON BLUEBIRD WAY.

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This time, the publishers had to be the ones to step right in it. Again.

Can we not? You might recall the episode of When In Romance where Trisha and I basically came to the conclusion that people can like what they like and write what they write, but that still doesn’t mean I will applaud you when you throw yet another “good-hearted Nazi” novel at me. I could write tracts and tracts on what that makes any marginalized person think you as a writer or reader might be saying about the concept of Just Following Orders but…now is definitely not the time to be releasing that kind of book. We’ve already got plenty of shit to deal with in the reality we were given. Let’s do the right kind of adversity, yeah? (And this conversation on twitter definitely got me thinking.)(And also this one.)

Also, Jen did some interesting work looking into books that are reviewed by professional publications.

In happier news, Amanda Bouchet is writing a serial novel on Frolic (seriously, if you’re not checking out every single thing on Frolic, like Alyssa Cole’s horoscope recommendation lists, you need to set aside several hours to just wander through it). And speaking of that horoscope list, I definitely need to read Cinnamon Blade.

Do you follow Love in Panels? They just did a queer recommendation list of The Ripped Bodice’s Summer Bingo, and it’s pretty damn awesome.

Because I got a kick out of it, I’ll also mention that romance fans LOVE them some Richard Armitage, and nobody is going to insult their beloved John Thornton. There have been so many “Look back at me” GIFs on Twitter the last couple days, and I’m going to have to hunker down with Netflix soon.

(And of course, I will totally recommend Ocean’s 8 as a very much not romance but absolutely delightful film.)

The novellas from Hamilton’s Batallion are being sold separately real soon, and OMG have you seen the cover of The Pursuit Of?!

Also. Also! Donna Hill announced a new book! A historical romance! But it’s not supposed to come out until 2020 🙁

Deals

Tess Bowery’s Treading the Boards trilogy, including the gorgeous That Potent Alchemy, is back in print, and the novels are 3.99 each.

By the Currawong’s Call, an Australian historical romance offering by Welton B. Marsland, is 99 cents.

Talia Hibbert’s Damaged Goods is out today, and was 99 cents last I looked!

Over on Book Riot

Erin shared some romances she’s excited about this summer.

If you really want to revisit the best of #cockygate, Alex pulled together a nice little rundown, including some bits of the hearing transcript and lots of book recs. None of them are by Fallacious Hardware.

College romance, you say? Yes please. (There goes my book-buying budget for the month.)

And there’s still time to enter that giveaway! 500 dollars to the bookstore of your choice? Who doesn’t want that? (The answer? Me. A, because I’m not eligible to win it so I keep telling myself that B, my house cannot handle that many books.)

Recs!

Wicked and the Wallflower (June 19)
Sarah MacLean

I have to interrupt my originally planned recommendation list to just tell you all about this book. I had Feelings and I’m still not sure about all of them, but I want you to read the book and have those Feelings with me (and share them with me if you’re done).

In this series opener (new series, but connected to the previous one), Felicity Faircloth (familiar if you read The Day of the Duchess) has been cast out by her friends and seeks a husband at her mother’s insistence. Her only requirement? A pulse. But a dukedom would be nice, and the handsome, reclusive Duke of Marwick has even more than that. The only thing in Felicity’s way, the handsome man she only knows as Devil, who tells her he can help her acquire and keep her desired duke.

If only he didn’t have an agenda of his own. Or a terrible attraction to the woman he’s trying to use for his own agenda.

I love Felicity and Devil so much. Devil and his brother Witt are particularly precious. They might be the biggest badass villains in Covent Garden, but they still give kids lemon ices. (I know what you’re thinking: Criminal With The Heart Of Gold is totally not your thing and you’ve said that, Jess. But Felicity. She’s so wonderful. And she deserves someone who cares about her as much as Devil does.)

Okay, back to our regularly scheduled programming.

This second week in Pride Month, let’s talk about some romances by and about trans and gender nonconforming folks!

The Queer and the Restless by Kris Ripper – mid-series m/f romance between a trans man and a cis woman. (by a genderqueer author)

Coffee Boy by Austin Chant – m/m romance between a young trans man and his cis, bi colleague. (by a trans author)

Syncopation by Anna Zabo – first in a series m/m romance between two rockers. (by a genderqueer author)

The Doctor’s Discretion by EE Ottoman – historical m/m romance featuring a white trans (intersex?) man and a black cis man. (by a trans author)

Hold Me by Courtney Milan – not #ownvoices but so well done; features a m/f non-white interracial couple!

Roller Girl by Vanessa North – (also not #ownvoices) f/f romance between a trans woman and a cis woman who do roller derby.

Tailor-Made by Yolanda Wallace – (also not #ownvoices) f/f romance between a cis woman and a gender nonconforming androgynous sometimes female identifying person. (by a queer author)

What are your favorite romances by trans and genderqueer authors? Let me know!

Looking for more books than what’s here? Here are a couple resources to find more:

• POC Queer Romance Authors Community Page (click the database to scroll through!)
• Queer In Color
• WOC in Romance LGBTQ page
• LGBTQ Reads
• The Lesbrary

New and Upcoming Releases

A Risqué Engagement by Stephanie Nicole Norris (THAT BEARD, MY HEART)

Playing Fastball by Rachelle Ayala

In Bed with the Beast by Tara Sivec

When in Barcelona by Avery Aston

The Varlet and the Voyeur by LH Cosway and Penny Reid

Sparks Like Ours by Melissa Brayden

Inside Darkness by Hudson Lin

When Katie Met Cassidy by Camille Perri (June 19)

Behind These Doors by Jude Lucens (June 22)

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!

Well lovers. It’s been a week. Things have happened, and outsiders have been confused by romance twitter talking about judges and hearing transcripts.

News and Useful Links

Since we last talked, we were waiting on a hearing in which a judge would hear a request for injunction against authors wishing to use “cocky” in titles moving forward. The injunction wasn’t granted, and the transcript (thanks, Courtney Milan!) is quite the read.

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We’re giving away $500 to spend at the bookstore of your choice! Click here, or on the image below to enter:

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RWA (Romance Writers of America) has put out a comprehensive statement about all the diversity issues they’ve been looking into this year, and I’m looking forward to seeing where they go from here. (They also have a statement on their efforts during the continuing ridiculousness that is cockygate.)

The Lambda Literary Awards were recently announced, and winners included one of my faves of this year, Yolanda Wallace’s Tailor-Made.

There’s been some weirdness going on with Kindle Unlimited that I don’t completely get, but Tessa Dare has a good thread about book stuffing, the biggest thing affecting KU and reviews. Amazon has also put some interesting restrictions on reviews so that you can’t post more than five unverified purchase reviews—meaning people who get ARCs from authors (bloggers and other regular reviewers) AND people who don’t reach a certain point in KU books will be limited in their capabilities to review on Amazon. I don’t do that anyway, but I can see this impacting readers and authors to a pretty good extent.

It may be June now, but can we look back on the magic that was #rombklove and remember it when we need it?

Deals

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne is 1.99. If you haven’t gotten to it yet, now is as good a time as ever.

Sarah Morgan’s Sleepless in Manhattan is 1.99 as well. If you’re looking for a series to try out, that’s got plenty of books to enjoy.

Chinelo Okparanta’s Under the Udala Trees is romance adjacent, but I know a lot of romance lovers who love it too. And it’s 2.99 right now.

Imaginary Men by Anjali Banerjee is 2.99 too!

Over on Book Riot

Need some military romance? Here are 50 for you to try?

We’re down for more choose-your-own-adventure romance.

I prefer experiencing the whole book at once, but if you like reading excerpts, here’s how to find them.

Trisha and I did some talking.

And of course, we’re still having that giveaway! 500 bucks, on us!

Recs!

It’s National Pride Month, and while I read queer romance all the time, I’m making an effort to try to read books by new queer authors (and I’m making a concerted effort to read only queer books this month). Looking for a place to start? Here are a couple I’ve read or am reading so far.

A Seditious Affair
KJ Charles

I started reading this book on my phone while I was in line waiting to pick up a Stocksund chair at Ikea, and perhaps that was why I stopped reading 10 percent in and took months to return to it. It’s got some heft; even as an ebook I could feel the weight of everything happening, all the layers. But once I was done I could see how it might end up on enough people’s favorite list to end up on All About Romance’s top ten of all time list. This book is intense, and emotional, and I wasn’t sure I knew where my heart was when I turned the last page. It wasn’t in my throat, or my stomach, as it had been for the final pages. It had just stopped beating, in need of rest, I guess. But damn, this book.

The second book in the Society of Gentlemen series, this books takes place at the end of the Regency and centers Silas and Dominic, who only know each other as “The Tory” and “The Brute” when they meet on Wednesdays at a clandestine location. They only find out for certain who the other is when Dominic arrives with his Home Office colleagues to raid Silas’s bookshop in search of evidence that Silas is the seditionist writer Jack Cade.

I know.

So there’s a lot to unpack here, including the fact that they have spent the past year using Wednesdays not only to get some kinky loving, but also to talk about life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. So yeah. Feels. On to the next, A Gentleman’s Position, which features two people I did not enjoy hanging out with until pretty much the end.

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It’s a bit early in the month, so I’m still working on it, but here are some I’m currently reading or will be reading:

Love Bi the Way by Bhaavna Arora (that cover, tho!)

Let’s Talk About Love by Claire Kann (published as YA but I would consider it crossover, as the protagonist is in college)

Syncopation by Anna Zabo

Month of Sundays by Yolanda Wallace

Gays of Our Lives by Kris Ripper (and maybe The Butch and the Beautiful, the second Queers of La Vista book)

21 Questions by Mason Dixon (pen name of Yolanda Wallace)

Pansies by Alexis Hall (which I have out from the library, so I had better get on that)

Jordan’s Pryde by Giovanna Reaves (did you hear me talking about this book in the RT episode of When In Romance? It was so weird but I took it as a sign.)

Sated by Rebekah Weatherspoon

We’ll see what happens.

New and Upcoming Releases

Shatterproof by Xen (rerelease/rewrite)

What Happens in Summer by Caridad Pineiro

The One You Can’t Forget by Roni Loren

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Huang

The Bashful Bride by Vanessa Riley

Inside Darkness by Hudson Lin (June 11)

The Varlet and the Voyeur by Penny Reid and LH Cosway (June 11)

Switch and Bait by Ricki Schultz (June 12)

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!

The madness continues, folks, but we’ve got plenty of books to keep us warm. Or cool. Whatever you need right now.

News and Useful Links

Let’s get this out of the way: our favorite “author” has doubled down and is apparently using a personal injury lawyer to help her write documents in her favor for trademark law. Many people have expressed how much this is not a good idea (but I mean, really. She hasn’t had any yet so…) Want to dive all the way down the rabbit hole? Here’s Kevin Kneupper’s complete thread of legal documents.

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Sponsored by Litworld Publishing House

When a witty medical student, Aliya’s life is cut short in a tragic accident, she discovers that she is given another chance at life. She finds herself reborn into the body of a heavy-set Countess named Lilian. Aliya must use her mind and skills in a society where women are oppressed, protect herself from assassination attempts, and build alliances with peasants, sea raiders, members of the Royal Family… and her own errant husband. First Lessons is the first of five volumes in Lina J. Potter’s bestselling Medieval Tale series. Will Aliya forge her own “happy-ever-after?” And if so, at what cost?

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Talia Hibbert got a new cover for A Girl Like Her and it is perfect. Just perfect.

(Also, she went and lowkey announced that she had a Ravenswood novella coming out soon.)

The Deadly Sexy adaptation might be done with filming, but they still need support to get it through post production and out into the world. Curious? Here’s a clip.

Courtney Milan had some really good words on writing (or any kind of creativity, really).

Deals

(Note: Since tomorrow is the beginning of a new month, some of these deals might end tonight. Just FYI.)

Elizabeth Kingston’s A Fallen Lady is FREE right now. (I believe through the end of the week.)

Shame on You by Tara Sivec is 1.99. If you haven’t read her stuff, you’re in for a hilarious treat. (And then you’ll want to check out the books featuring treats, believe me.)

In the mood for a new KJ Charles? The Henchmen of Zenda is 3.99.

And if you’re not yet wedding’d out, Jeevani Charika’s A Royal Wedding is 99 cents. I mean, why not support the people capitalizing on writing the cinderella story of their dreams, right?

Over on Book Riot

Silvana (Sil, if you know her on Twitter) joined us to share some great recs, including awesome romances to read for summer and books to read based on your favorite reality tv.

Casey shared some amusing but unhelpful subject headings.

I talked about some time travel without a Highland rebel in sight.

And of course, we’re still having that giveaway! 500 bucks, on us!

Recs!

I noticed a pattern in my reading this past week, and want to talk about a couple of those books and throw in some recs for books I’ve previously discussed (and some I haven’t) if those are your thing.

Sinner
Sierra Simone

No, the pattern wasn’t hot sex meets theology discussions. In this case, Sean Bell (brother to Tyler, our favorite Hot Priest) meets a beautiful, much younger woman (15 years, but who’s counting?) at a party, and proceeds to tell her all the things he wants to do to and with her. Feels a little sketchy, but she seemed cool with it so we’ll let it slide. It’s only the next day, when he’s got to meet with a young “nun-in-training” (aka a postulant) about a shelter that’s in danger of closing if one of his corporate real estate deals actually goes through. Said postulant turns out to be Zenny, younger sister to his BFF, who he hasn’t seen since she was seven, before their parents’ schism. Zenny is all grown up, and wants to learn a few things about secular life before entering the novitiate, at the recommendation of her mentor. What can Sean say but yes?

Grumpy Fake Boyfriend
Jackie Lau

Will is grumpy. Well, sort of. He just doesn’t like being around people, talking to them, or dealing with them for anything more than brief transactions. Good thing his education (advanced fusion study) and his trade (science fiction where fusion actually works) both allow him to control how much of that he has to do. Until one meeting with his only IRL friend leads him to agree to a long weekend with said friend’s younger sister, pretending to be her boyfriend. Naomi doesn’t want to spend the weekend as the only single person there, expecially with her ex and his new flame. A lot can happen in a few days.

Tempted by the Billionaire Next Door
Therese Beharrie

Jess has been enjoying the view from her window of the beautiful man who has been tending to his yard, but actually meets him when she rushes to his side after what could have been a terrible accident. Turns out he’s fine, and also is the brother of the woman in whose house she is currently living (who also happens to be her best friend). The two didn’t part on good standing, and Dylan has only been back for a week. He’d like to get back into his sister’s good graces, and he’d also like to get to know the beautiful pregnant woman currently residing next door. But that whole best friend of sister thing will probably get in the way. And the whole pregnant thing, if we’re honest.

So, I remember the first time I tried to read a book involving a man and the much younger sister of his best friend. I got a bit squicked out, and I don’t know if it was the narrator or what. But these books are not Rush, and I enjoyed them greatly. So if you’re down for “best friend’s younger sibling” (or in the case of Tempted, “younger sibling’s best friend”), here are a few more you might be interested in:

Pretending He’s Mine by Mia Sosa (you might recall me talking about this before, but it bears repeating)

Her Perfect Affair by Priscilla Oliveras

Because of Miss Bridgerton by Julia Quinn (another younger sibling’s best friend one; in this instance, the younger sibling is a man and the hero expects that his younger brother and the heroine will marry someday)

Clean Breaks by Ruby Lang

Her Halloween Treat by Tiffany Reisz (in which the great Tiffany treats us to a relationship in which the hypermasculine trait of overprotective assholishness does not present itself at all in said older brother)

What are some of your favorite younger sibling style stories? Drop me a line! (Especially if you have any that are queer romances? Like, I am not sure I have seen a “best friend’s younger brother” story in which the brother is gay or straight and I’d like to see that kind of dynamic.)

New and Upcoming Releases

Making Up by Lucy Parker
Cocktales by The Cocky Collective
Riven by Roan Parrish
All Up in the Mix by Donna Hill
I Flipping Love You by Helena Hunting
Too Wilde to Wed by Eloisa James
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang (June 5)
What Happens in Summer by Caridad Pineiro (June 5)

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!

Hey there folks! I’m back in the hot part of the desert after a refreshing few days without seeing the sun (okay, so maybe that wasn’t the best for me). RT was a blast, and I hope those of you who might be going to RWA (the Romance Writers of America National Conference) and the following Book Bonanza enjoy yourselves as much as I did!

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Sponsored by Penguin Teen

Meet Daisy Winters, an offbeat sixteen-year-old Floridian with mermaid-red hair; a part time job at a bootleg Walmart, and a perfect older sister who’s nearly engaged to the Crown Prince of Scotland. Daisy has no desire to live in the spotlight, but relentless tabloid attention forces her to join Ellie at the relative seclusion of the castle across the pond.

The dashing young Miles has been appointed to teach Daisy the ropes of being regal, the prince’s roguish younger brother kicks up scandal wherever he goes, and tries his best to take Daisy along for the ride. The crown–and the intriguing Miles–might be trying to make Daisy into a lady . . . but Daisy may just rewrite the royal rulebook to suit herself.

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News and Useful Links

Do you procrastibake? Mia Hopkins does.

Romantic Times is going away. The digital publication, the awards, the conference. Kathryn Falk announced it on Tuesday, declaring the intent to retire. After 38 years, I’d say she’s earned it. With that announcement came a second, closely related one: while RT Booklovers Convention is no more, the first annual BookLoversCon will be happening in New Orleans next May. So we’ll see what happens there. With the number of blogs, sites, and other folks dedicated to reviewing romance, I’m not sure what hole the loss of the publication will leave, but the awards, you all.

Since it was a reviewers’ choice awards, there wasn’t the whole thing with authors having to self-nominate, and therefore there was less gatekeeping when it came to the finalists and winners. I hope there’s going to be a way that can continue. Somehow.

Yes, #RomBkLove continues. Get lost in that hashtag, folks, and kiss your manageable TBR goodbye.

Sarah MacLean is back with her recent favorites.

Penny Reid and forty of her friends are getting together to produce Cocktales, with proceeds going to anyone who needs help with legal fees thanks to #byefaleena.

Steps are being made to get the trademark terminated.

And if you’re not quite Cocky’d Out, here’s the most recent statement from Sam at Set Sail Studios.

And of course there had to be more trademark drama. Heidi McLaughlin’s people submitted an application to trademark the word “forever” (because that is a hardly-used word that can definitely be limited to just that one author) but that clap-back was strong and quick. The author claims she’d had some trouble with identity theft and had intended the trademark to help, but really. Come on. She has since requested the application be rescinded.

Stacey Abrams won the Georgia Primary! I know very little about her platform, but not only would she be the first black woman governor of Georgia, but seriously, more romance authors need to be in charge.

Deals

Alexis Daria’s Take the Lead and Dance With Me are both on sale right now! It’s for a limited time, though, so if you’ve been holding out, now would be the time.

Enrage by Rachel Van Dyken is 1.49 right now.

Marie Harte’s Dragon’s Demon is 99 cents right now. I’ve been noticing more and more dragon shifter romances, and I’m going to sit down sometime soon and just gorge myself on them.

If you dig the dragon thing, Dahlia Rose’s A Dragon’s Promise is 3.99. And there are a dozen more after that.

Over on Book Riot

Trisha and I got to record When in Romance at RT and it was fabulous to look at her face!

Not yet had your fill of billionaires? There are definitely some I have to try on this list!

“Don’t push anyone down the stairs. Drunkenly falling down them yourself is permissible.” Yes, this is advice for fathers in romance novels.

And of course, we’re giving away $500 to the bookstore of your choice! Enter here!

Recs!

Once Upon a Marquess
Courtney Milan

[CW for suicide and substance abuse/addiction]

With the release of After the Wedding, I realized that I was incredibly behind on Courtney Milan Victorians. When Once Upon a Marquess was on a rare sale, I went ahead and bought it, and picked it out of several books I’d downloaded to my iPad for the flight to RT.

Y’all. It was a good thing my husband was the one sitting next to me. Barely a page in, I was already cackling. Loudly. With snorts. Courtney Milan is masterful at alternating serious family drama (in this case, treason, suicide, transportation, and destitution) with absolutely hilarious scenes involving willful younger sisters and gay avian lovers.

Judith Worth is the oldest of four siblings. Her father, after accused of being a traitor, committed suicide in jail, and her brother was lost at sea after being Transported. Her oldest younger sibling elected to live with a relative, but her two younger ones, both teenagers, are in her care. But Christian Trent, Marquess of Ashford, comes running the moment she writes, and the two embark on a path to solve several mysteries at once—including whether they could ever be what they were.

Now I’m just wondering if I want to devour After the Wedding now or wait until I have more to read afterwards. It’s a hard choice to make.

***

In the meantime, I’m reading His Cocky Valet by Cole McCade, because there was no way I wasn’t going to hop into that river immediately. While there are people who might be squicked by the use of “My Young Master” as practically an endearment, so far I am enraptured with the combined approach to young dude getting shit together, learning to rely on someone, learning to run a business, and learning about power dynamics that aren’t quite D/s.

I’m not sure what’s coming after that. I still have to crawl my way out from under the piles of books from RT and the stacks of library books I had waiting for me when I got back.

New and Upcoming Releases

Grumpy Fake Boyfriend by Jackie Lau
Rogues Rush In by Tessa Dare and Christi Caldwell
The Controversial Princess by Jodi Ellen Malpas
Too Wilde to Wed by Eloisa James (May 29)
Touched by You by Elle Wright (May 29)

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!

I fear writing anything to screw up our less-than-eventful week in Romancelandia. Our favorite friend is still out there, somewhere, but she doesn’t appear to have shown her face since that inadvisable attempt at gaining sympathy. No one else has tried to tear down romance in anything beyond the usual way. And folks are out there taking steps and making bounds.

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Sponsored by Geekerella by Ashley Poston, published by Quirk Books.

Cinderella goes to the con in Geekerella, a fandom-fueled YA twist on the classic fairytale.

Elle lives and breathes Starfield, the classic sci-fi series she grew up watching. When she sees a cosplay contest for the new movie, she has to enter. The prize? An invitation to the cosplay ball and a meet-and-greet with the actor slated to play Prince Carmindor. Teen actor Darien Freeman has dreamed of playing Carmindor, but Starfield fans have already written him off as another dumb heartthrob. As the con approaches, Darien feels more and more like a fake—until he meets Elle. . .

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News and Useful Links

Alyssa Cole and the fab folks at The Ripped Bodice appeared in Marketplace to talk about diversity and romance.

Jackie Lau informed her husband’s family she was a romance author by appearing on national Canadian television (with Sarah MacLean and Jaime Green). How about that.

Robin Lovett wrote a heartwrenching, amazing article for Publisher’s Weekly about picking up romance while coping with PTSD.

#rombklove is still happening.

Deals

Nobody’s Baby But Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips is 1.99 right now. It may not be football time, but physics professor heroines are always in season.

Love Me Deeper by Aja Cole is 2.99. If you finished Wanna Bet and want some more “in love with my best friend” or if you are in the need for more fake marriage romance, this is a good place to start.

A bunch of books by Jackie Collins, including Chances, are 1.99. I have never read her, but I know her lengthy history within and outside of the romance community.

Quarterly reminder that Hamilton’s Battalion, with novellas from Rose Lerner, Courtney Milan, and Alyssa Cole, is 4.99.

Over on Book Riot

Is your emotional book buying changing the world? Nikki’s totally is.

Have you read Far from the Madding Crowd? Do you agree with these choices?

If you’re a stats kind of person, the Bookly App might be fun to try. Me? I’m afraid of them. Or just of falling behind. (We won’t talk about when my last entry for the great spreadsheet takes place.)

Recs!

It’s RT week! (FYI, I’m writing this on Monday in preparation for heading up to Reno, so if something has happened between now and Thursday…we’ll talk about it next week.)

During our last When in Romance conversation, I made the decision to work on filling some gaps in my reading, because dang, there were a lot of books and authors I hadn’t read before, and there were some significant holes I needed to fill in my experience. Instead of going for the individual winning books, however, I decided I would start with a book by each of the Career Achievement Award winners.

Why do you all let me make these decisions?

Too Much Temptation
Lori Foster

I went on a borrowing spree and this was the first one that floated my boat. Noah walks in on his fiancee having sex with another man and breaks off the engagement. His grandmother, who practically arranged the marriage, gets so upset, she disowns him. Grace, his grandmother’s assistant, rushes to Noah’s aid, because she’s loved him forever. It takes Noah getting really drunk and seeing Grace, wet and adorable, before he remembers that he totally has the hots for her and tells her so. But Grace, our sweet Grace, has self-esteem issues that she takes as matter-of-fact knowledge. Noah makes her see his way, which is fine with her; his way means she gets to have lots of sex with him, which is the only thing he wants after his breakup. It’s not like anyone would marry her anyway. (OKAY. So, I really enjoyed this book but I have issues with the way the fat rep was approached. She’s like “I’m fat” or “women my size”, and he’s all like “what did I tell you” and “you’re not overweight, you’re gorgeous” and NO. But I will allow the book to be a product of its time with its answering machines and secrets and lack of black people in a southern town, and let myself enjoy the other parts of the book.)

I’m also making headway with:

Summer Vows by Rochelle Alers

Y’all know how much I like a forced proximity romance, and this one involves the headstrong CEO of a Florida recording company and the man reluctant to be her bodyguard. There is a pretty traumatic shooting early on in the book, but Ana is an awesome heroine and I’m sticking around for her. Also. Did you know Rochelle Alers has written over fifty novels, novellas, and shorts in less than the time that I’ve been alive? This is a well-deserved recognition!

Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh

I KNOW. How have I not read this book? I’ll tell you a secret: I’ve owned it for years. But I was hesitant to pick it up after being less-than-thrilled by Rock Addiction. Nevertheless, it’s been a while since I enjoyed a good paranormal, and since the worldbuilding in Silver Silence is the best of the year, it’s a good a time as ever to dive back in.

Lord of the Fading Lands by CL Wilson

I am not far into this book, but I can tell I’m going to like the worldbuilding here, too. I’m not sure about the romance yet, but we’ll see.

Secrets of Bella Terra by Christina Dodd

Crime and romance don’t usually go together well for me, but the hinted-at quarrel to come in this family vineyard story seemed like a compromise after looking through Dodd’s backlist featuring revenge and deception. If you’ve been following this newsletter long, you’ve probably noticed I’m not super huge on romantic suspense. I dip my toe in here and there, though, so we’ll see how this one works.

Delicious by Shayla Black

I have read Shayla Black, but Delicious looks like the perfect book to remind me of her style. Restauranteur cum exotic dancer heroine plus guest chef hero equals what sounds like fireworks to Jess. If there’s one thing I do remember about Shayla Black’s style, it’s that it’s deliciously sexy. So while I will be on the lookout thanks to some worrisome reviews about Luc’s emotional treatment of Alyssa, I hope this one is just as yummy as it looks.

Wicked Intentions by Elizabeth Hoyt

This is another one I’ve had for a while, and this is a great reason to bring it back out of the woodwork. Not only does it take place prior to the Regency period, but it also features a woman who works—always a good find in historical British-set fiction. This one also starts pretty dark, but I’m prepared for the rest that might come.

I hope this is a successful endeavor; getting at least one title by each of these authors under my belt is important to my goal to know everything there is to know ever.

Or something.

As long as I don’t get distracted by Wanna Bet. What am I saying; I totally will.

New and Upcoming Releases

His Cocky Valet by Cole McCade (YES. This is a thing that was birthed out of a need to be petty, and the reviews are all positive.)
Long Shot by Kennedy Ryan
How to Marry a Werewolf by Gail Carriger
Grumpy Fake Boyfriend by Jackie Lau (May 22)
The Controversial Princess by Jodi Ellen Malpas (May 22)

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! (Also, if you’re going to be at RT, definitely hit me up!)

Oh holy mother.

Can we go back to the last Kissing Books, where we were all happy it was May and nobody needed a stern talking to?

Yeah, I didn’t think so.

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Sponsored by The Luck of the Bride, an exquisite new Regency romance by Janna MacGregor.

March Lawson is an orphan who has struggled to raise her siblings on a meager allowance. Instead of preparing to find a husband like most women her age, she must devote her energies to the coldhearted skinflint who refuses to release her inheritance.

When Michael Cavensham, the Marquess of McCalpin, learns that Miss Lawson has been forging his name to procure funds, he can’t bring himself to have the beautiful embezzler arrested. Instead, he visits her home to assess the situation. Can March manage the handsome trustee who controls her purse strings―when he tugs at her heartstrings as well?

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News and Useful Links

So, if you aren’t active on the social media circuit, you might have missed the…wildness that came to light on Friday morning and continues to develop in giant balls of fire.

Let me explain.

There’s too much.

Let me sum up:

• Author Faleena Hopkins decided sometime in late 2017 to trademark the word Cocky in romance series titles, and renamed her books (all with Cocky+type of person as title) from the Cocker Brothers to the Cocky Series
• She began sending authors cease and desist notices, even if their books predated hers
• While I haven’t seen the names or faces of all the authors she targeted, it seemed that she was disproportionately targeting authors of color
• Courtney Milan gave a great summary on the events up to Saturday
• Some authors began to notice their books disappearing from Amazon
• One shared a letter from Amazon’s ban hammer
• She posted a video responding to the “haters” and Jenny Trout watched it so we wouldn’t have to
• The designer of the script used on the cover got involved
• The Romance Writers of America have gotten involved (read up and down their feed)
• People have discovered there are a lot of lawyers writing romance
• An IP attorney is filing a petition to cancel the trademark
• There’s so much more, and it’s so hard to unpack
• Authors have responded to it in various ways including spite projects and awesome retitlings like The Cockiest Cowboy to have Ever Cocked
• I cannot yet confirm that this might have somehow reached reviews
• #cockygate for more information (this rabbit hole is deep and dark)

We won’t get in too deeply about the irony of some full-of-themselves person who doesn’t know anything about how Romancelandia works trademarking the word Cocky(TM), because really.

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, how about some good news?

Kit Rocha is going to have a new book featuring a trio of mercenary librarians. Yeah, you read that right.

Roomies is gonna be a movie! And Jenna Dewan is involved.

The Thing About Love is getting the television treatment!

#RomBkLove continues in full force!

And Cindy collected some great romances for AAPI heritage month.

Deals

Looking for a new vampire series in which the first book features a scientist single mother? Fated by Rebecca Zanetti is 2.99. (I really had trouble picking the less weird cover for this one. The other one had the series title over the cover model’s junk and I just…couldn’t.)

Delaney Diamond’s Do Over just came out. Passion Rekindled, the first in the series, is 1.99.

Noelle Greene’s The Marriage Paradox is 99 cents.

Have you grabbed Talia Hibbert’s Wanna Bet yet? It’s 2.99. If you like friends-to-lovers stories, this is gonna be your jam.

Over on Book Riot

Deepali likes to read as protagonist. Do you?

Casey considers whether internalized misogyny has affected her past interest in romance. Spoiler alert: it totally had. But Casey has seen the light.

All the side eye.

Have you read any Robyn Carr? Erin made a reading pathway!

And of course, let’s go back to the happy carefree days of last Thursday, when Trisha and I wouldn’t know what would befall Romancelandia just 24 hours later.

Recs

Riven (May 29)
Roan Parrish

I don’t usually rec books before they come out, but I decided to read this on a quiet, lonely sick day at home and I have no regrets at all. (Also, I forgot there are people who aren’t like us when I went to ballet the next day and our introduction prompt was “tell us something good that happened this week” and my response was “I read a really good book yesterday.” The befuddled “the whole book” I got from the instructor, you all. Sometimes, I forget.)

That’s neither here nor there. The fact of the matter is, this was my first Roan Parrish book, and as I told twitter immediately upon finishing it, I am now ride-or-die for her books for life. I haven’t gone back to read the entire RP catalogue yet, but bet it’s on my list. There were so many Feelings. How does she invoke such things?

You probably want to know what it’s about, huh?

Theo is a rock star. A legit, wears stupid disguises in public, Riven World Tour rock star. He loves to write music, and lives to perform, but he hates stardom. Grateful for a rare night to himself, he wanders the streets of New York for hours, until he happens upon a sound he can’t ignore. That sound is the music of Caleb, a beautiful, bearded, linebacker-built blues guitarist whose day has come and gone. The two hit it off immediately, finding comfort in each other in ways they hadn’t with others, and even though Theo is headed off on his European leg the next morning, he and Caleb can’t help how they feel for each other. Jump ahead a few weeks, when Caleb is hiding out as usual on the farm he inherited, taking care of his vegetables and basically living as a hermit. Guess who shows up out of nowhere? What happens next, lovers, is history.

Even after finishing Riven and moving on to my next read, I couldn’t stop thinking about Caleb and Theo. These are two people who have a lot to unpack, about the world and about themselves, and sometimes they have to do that alone and sometimes they have to allow themselves to ask for help. This is the kind of story that can cut you up inside, but heal you with the strength of love and with the strength of music.

O….kay. I had feelings about this book. You should read it.

For some reason, even though I don’t usually like to read similar books back to back, I was kind of on a gay musician kick after this, so I decided to pick up Body Rocks, the first book in AM Arthur’s Off Beat series. I’d actually read the other two, Steady Stroke and Hot Licks, so I knew a bit about what happened in this one, but I hadn’t gotten to this one. The lead characters are…so so young! One is on the verge of 21 and the other is just a bit older. They’re both aspiring superstars, the high points of two bands vying for the same goal: win Unbound, a national competition that ended in a recording contract. These two invoke different kind of feelings, but if you need to soak up a little extra of the rockstar vibe while working your way up to or coming down from Riven, Off Beat is a nice pool to dive into, with a diverse cast of characters and sexualities.

And I kind of want more. Have you read Moonlight Becomes You by M.J. O’Shea and Piper Vaughn? Tell me your thoughts.

New and Upcoming Releases

Pas de Deux by Lynn Turner
A Song of Blood and Stone by L Penelope
How to Marry a Werewolf by Gail Carriger
The Henchmen of Zenda by KJ Charles
Taming the Prince by AC Arthur

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 May, folks! Are you reading spring-y books now that it seems like the weather in most places has decided to jump straight from snow to swimwear?

News and Useful Links

RT Awards have been announced! Congrats to the winner, and yes, I agree wholeheartedly with the Book of the effing Year.

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Sponsored by Kensington Publishing Corp.

Longing for summer and looking for the perfect beach read? Take a visit to the idyllic Gansett Island with Marie Force’sNew York Times bestselling novel MAID FOR LOVE, now available in mass-market print for the first time! Join the 3.5 million readers who have followed the lives and loves of the MacCarthy family on their slice of island heaven. This time prodigal son Mac MacCarthy returns home and unexpectedly falls for hard-working single mom, Maddie, in the most unusual way. Don’t miss the vacation of a lifetime!

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Diana Gabaldon Said Some Stuff and I’m not going to bother linking. She has Thoughts about people calling Outlander romance and she’s allowed to have them. *shrugs*

I’m sorry, have you seen the magnificence that is the new cover for An Unconditional Freedom? This is the third book in the Loyal League series, and I can’t wait for Daniel and Janita’s story!

And speaking of that cover, this is a fantastic story about not just Alyssa, but two of the behind-the-scenes women who were pivotal in the Loyal League’s success.

Last week, I hadn’t even heard of Frolic, and now we’ve had Alisha Rai extolling the virtues of Magic Mike XXL, Bree and Donna (Kit Rocha) pairing romance faves with Avengers, and Alyssa Cole putting together horoscopes and royal romances, and I’m all here for it. Seriously, where did y’all come from and how come I didn’t know about you?

Christina Lauren just announced a new book, too!

Also, let’s all just watch this gorgeous book trailer over and over again.

Finally, who’s ready to fall head first into #rombklove? Ana Coqui kills it again with a month long of prompts for twitter, instagram, and bloggers all over the interwebs.

Deals

Did you pick up Unmasked by the Marquess after I talked about it? If not, it’s 3.99 right now.

Tell Me by Abigail Strom is 1.99. Bookshelves on the cover and a shy bookstore owner. I’m good with that.  

Piper Rayne’s Sexy Beast is 1.49. “Single Dads Club”? Sounds good to me.  

Intercepting the Chef by Rachel Goodman is 1.99. Sports and food romance? Here for it.

Over on Book Riot

Do you have a bookish boyfriend? Take the quiz to see who it is.

Some people might think they’re done with fairy tales and retellings. If not, here are 100 to check out. They’re not all romance, but you know. Fairy tales.

Have you seen our new t-shirt?

Pride and Prejudice retellings will never get old for me.

And we’re in the last week of the mysteries giveaway. 15 books! Enter by May 9!

Recs

Pretending He’s Mine
Mia Sosa

I’m going to tell you a secret: I never finished Acting on Impulse. Tori and Carter never spoke to me, and as you know, there’s a million books I haven’t read. (Just you wait.) Ahem. But the premise of Pretending He’s Mine was total tropetonite, and I didn’t want to miss out just because I hadn’t connected to the first book.

And y’all. Julian and Ashley are adorable. A true friends-to-lovers story, Pretending He’s Mine tells us about two people who don’t hesitate to take up a friend’s suggestion to pretend to date, all to avoid a family member’s frustrating comments. Of course, they’ve already realized their attraction to each other by that point, but they decide not to act on it—Julian is not only Ashley’s brother’s oldest friend, he’s his agent. So there’s all that happening. The two of them also have to figure out their own lives, and have to do a lot of thinking and soul searching together and on their own. I don’t always go for friends to lovers (too much Pride and Prejudice fanfiction as a teen), but I heard the words “fake relationship” and came running.

You know how it is.

Looking for more fake relationships? Here are some I’ve loved in the past and a couple I’m excited for in the future:

If The Dress Fits by Carla de Guzman: Martha’s BFF Max accidentally becomes a fake boyfriend when he shows up at a family gathering. It’s all good; they can both handle it.

His Road Home by Anna Richland: a bit of misinformation leaves people thinking Grace is Rey’s fiancee, and she doesn’t bother disavowing people of that notion, especially because he’s been injured in Afghanistan.

When a Scot Ties the Knot by Tessa Dare: Not just a fake relationship; a fake fiance. As in “Maddie doesn’t want a season so she makes up a fiance.” And then HE SHOWS UP. Madness ensues.  (If you enjoy this one, also check out The Duchess Deal.)

His Convenient Husband by Robin Covington: American football player + Russian ballet dancer denied asylum status = perfect reason to get married. Bonus gender non-conforming kid.

One True Pairing by Cathy Yardley: I love geeky stories. I love fandom. I love stars and the non-stars they fall in love with. So of course I would be drawn to the story of a series regular (secondary lead, if you will) who needs to up his Q-score so invites a local to pretend to be his girlfriend while he’s in town for a convention. That never goes wrong, right?

Act Like It by Lucy Parker: Stage actors fake date in order to give both of them a better rep. Richard is a bad boy and needs a new look. She gets to support her favorite charity. They…do not get along very well.

Others I look forward to reading?

Grumpy Fake Boyfriend by Jackie Lau

The Soldier’s E-Mail Order Bride by Cora Seton (with a title like that, I gotta know, right?)

The Princess Trap by Talia Hibbert

Life of Bliss by Erin McLellan

Do you have a favorite fake relationship? Tell me what it is! If I get enough recommendations, there’s a chance for a nice collection of fake relationships/fake dating/sham marriages on Book Riot Proper. It’s pretty much the only kind of deception I actually enjoy reading.

New and Upcoming Releases

Song of Blood and Stone by L. Penelope

Blend by Georgia Beers

Wanna Bet by Talia Hibbert

A Scandalous Deal by Joanna Shupe

Do Over by Delaney Diamond

An Honorable Seduction by Brenda Jackson (May 8)

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

Can you believe it’s almost May? Prepare yourself for all those ramen-haired Justin Timberlake memes, and let’s talk romance!

News and Useful Links

Four Latina authors on representation. Absorb their words.

And look who they’re talking about in the Times of India.

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Sponsored by Squared Away by Annabeth Albert

In the wake of tragedy, SEAL Mark Whitley rushed stateside to act as guardian to his sister’s three young children. But a conflicting will could give custody to someone else—someone Mark remembers as a too young, too hot, wild party boy.

As the legal details get sorted out, their long-buried attraction resurfaces, leading to intimate evenings after the kids are tucked in. A forever future is within reach for all of them, if only Mark can find the courage he needs to trust Isaiah with his secrets—and his heart.

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Y’all. Have you watched Siren yet? If you’re unfamiliar, it’s a show on Freeform about an adorable pair of marine biologists and the mermaid they help on a mission to find her sister. It’s not obviously a romance, but it’s definitely romance adjacent. Or at least, every romance author I follow on Twitter has been talking about it.

Lucy Parker is writing more books! Next up, London Celebrities number 4!

Naima Simone has been looking at the numbers, and folks, there are things that we need to do to help authors of color succeed.

So, this article was making a good effort. But Olivia Waite (and others) thought the journalist could have benefited from a history lesson or two, especially as far as consent in romance goes.    

I’ve seen writers in residences at libraries before, but never a library specifically looking for a romance one!

Deals

Carla de Guzman’s Chasing Mindy is 2.99! I loved If the Dress Fits.

Have you read anything by Chance Carter? I have very limited experience with men who write het romance, so I’m very interested in Royal Engagement, which is 99 cents.

Melissa Foster’s The Real Thing is 1.99. If you’re into fake relationships, here’s another one for you.

Make Me Stay by Amarie Avant is 2.99 right now. She’s also a new-to-me author, so I look forward to trying out her work.

HelenKay Dimon’s The Fixer is 99 cents right now.

Over on Book Riot

In what seems to be a trend (well, not really), Alison interviewed her mother about reading romance. Romance moms for the win!

Do you like Pride and Prejudice? Check out these sequels.

Trisha pulled together 8 great M/M romances as a good place to start (or continue).

And of course, Trisha and I got to gabbing in this week’s When In Romance. Get ready for white supremacy, Nicholas Sparks, me waxing poetic about Talia Hibbert…and more stuff.

And don’t forget to enter to win 15 of the year’s best mysteries so far!

Recs!

Last week, I shared Laura’s excellent article about what inspires a five-star rating. For her, it’s a physical reaction. I would say something similar. So I thought, what are some of my five-star romances? I’ve left out a few that I might have gushed over on these pages, but some might seem familiar.

Wishes
Jude Deveraux

This is the earliest five-star read in my list. It was the first book I remember having a visceral reaction to (though I did end up having a similar reaction to Velvet Song, but that was mostly for the heroine and the side characters; the hero was trash). Why did I have a visceral reaction to it? The heroine, Nellie, was quiet and overweight, and at that point in my life, I was too—the quiet part at least; I’m still fat. Not only was this book about a quiet, overweight woman (whose kindness was often taken advantage of by her family) finding love, but the man who was destined to fall in love with her liked her just as she was; four words that I wouldn’t hear again until Mark Darcy would say them when I was in high school. On top of it all, Nellie was able to discover herself, figure out how to be the woman she wanted to be, and eventually become an amazing matriarch (as seen in The Invitation).

Take the Lead
Alexis Daria

I was crying when I reached the end of this book. All of the pent-up emotions needed an outlet, and this time, it was tears. Somehow, even when I’m not hearing it, music and the things around it have an effect of me that nothing else really does. Would I have had the same kind of reaction to the story if dancing hadn’t been involved? I have no idea. The character development is amazing, the plot is enrapturing, and the musical numbers are invigorating. So yeah, no question of “if it wasn’t.” It was.

The Heiress Effect
Courtney Milan

I love every Courtney Milan novel I’ve ever read. Actually, Hold Me was going to be on this list, as was In Pursuit Of…, her contribution to Hamilton’s Battalion. But this one is definitely my favorite. If my iPad had been a physical book, I would have hugged it when I was done. Everything about it was perfect: the heroine; the hero; the setup for the romance; the reason they couldn’t be together; the secondary romance; seeing non-alphas in a historical setting; Mrs. Battacharya. And then of course there was the kicker: I read it when I was sick and felt better by the time I was done. Phyiscal, visceral, whatever. This book works miracles.

As Long as You Love Me
Ann Aguirre

This book broke my heart. I literally had to stop to cry towards the end, when Lauren explains why she can’t be with Ben, and then later when she works to overcome that problem. But before all that, there’s a straightforward, open, friends-to-lovers story that is endearing and refreshing. The second book in what is technically called the 2B series, but what I call the BSB series, this one sent me through the emotional wringer far more than the first one. Not even a single father got me as worked up as this one. So you know it was that good.

Wrong to Need You
Alisha Rai

Interestingly enough, I gave Hate to Want You five stars (all that personal self-discovery and “I’m going to try emotions” thing), but this was basically a six-star read. I didn’t talk about it when I read it because it was the second in a series, and I tend not to discuss those, but…it looks like I have a second-book-in-a-series thing, looking at some of my five star reads. Everything great about Hate to Want You—the melodrama, the relationships, the people, the heart—was exacerbated in the second installment. Secondary characters made me cry. Family meetings made my heart swell. Sadia and her open bisexuality gave me heart (especially after my post for coming out day two years ago).

I don’t have a lot of five-star romances, but these—and the ones I left out because I gushed about them in Kissing Books already—are books that I’d recommend to anyone looking for an essential representation of romance. Wishes might need a revisit, because a lot of Jude Deveraux’s books didn’t age well for me, but the elements that made it magical for me (besides the fairy godmother part) are still there.

What are your five-star romances? I apparently want to cry more.

New and Upcoming Releases

Wanna Bet by Talia Hibbert

Co-Ed by Rachel Van Dyken

After the Wedding by Courtney Milan

Cheeky King by Nana Malone (April 30)

Life of Bliss by Erin McLellan (April 30)

Bro Code by Kendall Ryan (May 1)

That’s plenty, 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!

Well, folks. The universal conversation on racism continues, and so it goes in romance. But we do have some exciting new things to talk about!

“Kissing Books” is sponsored by Hot and Badgered by Shelly Laurenston from Kensington Publishing Corp.

In the first of a brand new paranormal romance series about three outrageously snarky sisters, New York Times bestselling author Shelly Laurenston returns to the shape-shifters genre and the animal her readers have been clamoring for since the release of her fan-favorite novel, BITE ME: the fearless honey badger!

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News and Useful Links

There has been quite a bit of social media chatter around this transcribed presentation by Elizabeth Kingston, which was originally given at Researching the Romance, a conference held at Bowling Green last week.

(If you’re interested in other happenings from that conference, check out #bgsuromcon18 on twitter.)

This list on goodreads has some great examples of romances featuring people fighting for various kinds of social justice, actively or interpersonally. Do you know others that could be added?

NEW ALISHA RAI ANNOUNCEMENT! I couldn’t have been the only one who finished Hurts to Love You with a need for more of my girl Rhi, right? Well, she’s kicking off a new Forbidden Hearts spinoff series, and I need it to be then, right now.

Finally, how about a little Q&A with Courtney Milan?

Deals

Jamie Wesley’s Slamdunked By Love is 2.99. It’s always nice to see sports romance featuring black players. In any sport.

A Seditious Affair by KJ Charles is 1.99!

If you haven’t yet acquired it, Talia Hibbert’s The Princess Trap is 2.99! It’s a great intro to this fabulous new author, who apparently just…can’t stop writing.

Rachel Van Dyken’s The Matchmaker’s Playbook is 1.99. Read it, then check out the adaptation on Passionflix!

Rhythm, Chord, and Malykhin by Mariana Zapata is 1.49 right now.

Maybe you’ve been hearing a lot of chatter about Kit Rocha’s Ivan? Start the series with Ashwin, which is 99 cents!

Over on Book Riot

I wrote about my mom’s vacation reading. It was the idyllic romance reader’s vacation (and well deserved)!

Do you go to library book sales? How about a survival guide?

And don’t forget to enter to win 15 of the year’s best mysteries so far!

Recs

Unmasked by the Marquess
Cat Sebastian

Let me start by saying thanks to reader Marianne for pointing out a misstep I made last week: in my zeal to announce Cat Sebastian’s first non-M/M novel, I called this one M/F, which it isn’t. It’s distinctly in the M/NB category. I apologize if anyone was hurt by my inadvertent erasure of this protagonist’s identity.

Okay, on to the story! Unmasked by the Marquess brings us the story of Alastair and Charity, two people trying to get things done and move on with their lives. For Alastair, it’s to get his family’s reputation back in order after his father destroyed it. For Charity, living as Robert Selby, it’s to get her sister married and fade into the woodwork. Unfortunately for their plans, they cross paths. While their first meeting leaves much to be desired, Alastair finds himself drawn to Selby in ways that are very inconvenient. Not to mention, his younger brother is one of those seeking the affection of Selby’s sister.

In what is becoming regular fashion, Cat Sebastian weaves a spectacular tale of real people in a time that can leave a reader oversaturated relatively easily. While Charity is a trailblazing character, the first nonbinary protagonist I have ever crossed in a historical romance, the Marquess of Pembroke himself is a noteworthy romance hero as well: older, staid, bisexual, and bespectacled. Not a duke, though still a peer of the realm. The two of them together are pretty magical. You won’t want to miss them.

The Viking Queen’s Men
Holley Trent

Twitter is funny, sometimes. Sometimes, romance twitter accidentally causes book clubs. In this case, someone exclaimed about this book, and then more people did, and then someone shared that it was a very low price on Amazon, and here we are. I haven’t read a good contemporary fantasy romance in a while, and this one checked off quite a few of my boxes. A matrilineal society right in the middle of the desert. A woman flailing with new and unknown responsibilities. Two men who are right for her, and whose only goals are to make her happy. Yeah, this was a good one for me. It might have been the first on the path to Holley Trent completion I set out for after One in Waiting, but it will definitely not be the last, and the Afótama series is a good place to start.

Next up, Her Perfect Affair by Priscilla Oliveras. This is the pairing I was drooling for at the end of His Perfect Partner, and I’m glad to have gotten it so quickly. If you haven’t read either book, now is definitely a good time. Also, if you prefer books more on the sweet scale than the super smexy books I’ve been discussing recently, His Perfect Partner is one of those books in which you don’t realize there isn’t any sex until you’ve reached the end. Or maybe you do, I don’t know, but I was surprised to realize how much it didn’t matter to me in the course of things. We’ll see if Her Perfect Affair is the same.

New and Upcoming Releases

Stay With Me by Love Journey (I know nothing about this book but I LOVE the cover!)

High Heels and Haystacks by Erin Nicholas

Startup Fiance by Shilpa Mudiganti

Rebel Heir by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward

Misadventures with a Rookie by Toni Aleo

A Match Made in Bed by Cathy Maxwell

My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan (April 24)

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!