Category: Kissing Books

Well folks, the world sucks. At least we have romance.

We have things like this bit of amazingness to look forward to. I mean, we have to wait until March, but in the meantime, we get to look at all that sexiness anytime we want.

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And we have romance bookstores! It’s never not the time to remind you that The Ripped Bodice exists, and they have a Patreon! (Also, if you ever have the opportunity to make the pilgrimage to Culver City, take it. They are so nice and the store is wonderful. And yes, you will be overwhelmed with choices and paralized by indecision. It’s a store almost completely comprised of romance. The hard choices will be made and you’ll be wandering back and forth for hours.)

Also, PassionFlix has officially launched! Not only can you watch some old favorites, but their first original, Hollywood Dirt, has launched! And if you’re like me, you might want to read the source material.

Have you seen Danielle Steel’s desk? Oh my wow.

It’s time for a new round of Avon Addicts! It’s a bit of a harrowing process, but you get some serious goodies if you’re selected.

Have you watched the Fifty Shades Freed trailer yet? 

Dudes. Bluewater Bay is ending in December after over 20 books. Twenty. How did I look up fromBurnt Toast B&B and see that there were suddenly a score more books?

PS. What do you collect? I’ll bet it’s not these. (PS, Rebecca Romney is one of my all time crushes and now I need to start some kind of romance collection that will win me this award just so I can meet her.)

Tweet thread of the week: Olivia breaks it down.

Over on Book Riot

Get recommended by awesome authors: we just launched our newest podcast, Recommended! Listen to interesting people talk about books that matter to them. The first episode has authors Samantha Irby and Robin Sloan pitching two all-time favorites. Go find out what they are in Episode 1. Episode 2 is available too!

Google Search will show you ebooks available in your library now. Have you tried it out?

And don’t forget, you can always check out the Romance/Erotica tag on the Book Riot site to go back and read stuff you might have missed, all the way back to the start!

How about some book deals?

Stay Until Dawn by Jamie Pope is 1.99 right now!

Bella and the Beast by Olivia Drake is 2.99.

Loretta Chase’s Dukes Prefer Blondes is 1.99.

The second book in Rachel Van Dyken’s Curious Liaisons series, Cheater’s Regret, is 1.99.

Carla Burgess’s romantic comedy Stuck with You is 1.99 too!

And now, recs!

It’s Bi Visibility Week, but I have trouble making choices, so you get this instead of my regular two or three recs.

Santino Hassell: Illegal Contact, Sunset Park

Whether you’re into football players or foulmouthed potheads, Santino Hassell can write the bi hero of your dreams. I lean quite a bit further towards Raymond Rodriguez, but both heroes claim bisexuality and have some wonderful times falling in love.

Elyse Springer: Thaw and Heat Wave

These two books in the Seasons of Love series are fabulous stories of women in lust and in love, and Thaw gives us some bonus ace rep.

KJ Charles: A Fashionable Indulgence, An Unnatural Vice

KJ Charles does historical romance spectacularly, and takes us into a London world most Regency authors don’t go for. These two are books in different series, but are equally entertaining. An Unnatural Vice is the second in a series, but you can read it on its own; that said, An Unseen Attraction is also great and features an Indo-British hero.

Rebekah Weatherspoon: So Sweet

Take a fat, sex positive heroine, give her a sugar daddy, and watch the flames. It’s the first in a novella trilogy, so get ready for all the sweet sexy fun.

Cat Sebastian: The Lawrence Browne Affair

While also the second in a series (and you should definitely read The Soldier’s Scoundrel), you can definitely enjoy this on its own. Georgie and Radnor are just wonderful.

AM Arthur: Hot Licks

I know, you say. Jess keeps telling me to read books in the middle or at the end of a series. But thing is, this is one of my favorite same-sex OT3s, and features a demisexual hero and a pansexual hero.

Alisha Rai: A Gentleman in the Street

Goddamn, this book. Akira Mori is the shit. She’s confident, rich, talented, and open to pretty much anything in the bedroom. And Jacob Campbell is into all of that.

Megan Mulry: the whole Regency Reimagined series (starting with Bound to Be a Groom)

These books are cotton candy, hot chocolate, and good pho all wrapped in awesome, sexy stories.

New and upcoming releases!

Acting on Impulse by Mia Sosa

Sizzling Desire by Kayla Perrin

The Heat Between Us by Cheris Hodges

Covet by Yolande Kleinn

The Scoundrel and the Lady by Robin DeHart

The Love Song of Sawyer Bell by Avon Gale

His Perfect Partner by Priscilla Oliveras

In Her Court by Tamsen Parker

That’s probably enough for now, huh? In the meantime, 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 September, lovers! Did you get any time off for reading over the long weekend (if you got a long weekend)?

Just a couple days after our last chat, Romance writers clapped back hard when one of their own spoke disparagingly about diversity and “social issues” in romance novels. As I am personally not a member of Romance Writers of America, I have not seen the remarks, but I got the jist from several authors I follow, primarily on Twitter. Ann Aguirre makes a clear statement, as does Olivia Waite, and the #RWAstrong tag will give you a little more. I haven’t read any books by the author, but this isn’t inspiring me to seek any out.

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Sponsored by The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare

Since his return from war, the Duke of Ashbury has continued to seek justice, menacing London ne’er-do-wells by night. But now he is needs an heir – and a wife to produce one. When seamstress Emma Gladstone appears in his library wearing a wedding gown, he decides immediately that she’ll do. His terms are simple: they will be husband and wife by night only, and once she’s pregnant with his heir, they never need share a bed again. But Emma is no pushover, and once she’s seen the man beneath the scars, he can’t stop her from falling in love.

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In happier news, PassionFlix went live this past weekend! Have you tried it out? So far it doesn’t have a whole lot of movies, but looking at romance author Alessandra Torre’s favorites, I think she and I should be BFFs.

Speaking of romantic movies, though: have you watched The Incredible Jessica James on Netflix? No matter what your life looks like, it’s just what you read right now. I promise.

Do you read a lot of British-set historicals? What do you look for to determine whether it’s a Regency or a Victorian? Heroes & Heartbreakers has a nice little primer. Though I’d also add: trains.

Deals!

Close Enough to Touch is one of my favorite Victoria Dahl novels (though when you’re wandering through Jackson, how do you pick a favorite?) and it’s 1.99 right now!

Chetan Bhagat’s Half Girlfriend (which is apparently now also a Bollywood movie) is 1.99!

Twice the Growl by Milly Tayden is 99 cents! And if you come to the end of that wanting more, there are way more in the series (for not a bad price).  

Sabrina Jeffries’ The Pirate Lord is 1.99 right now. It’s a classic!

Signs of Attraction by Laura Brown is 99 cents right now. It’s an #ownvoices contemporary featuring two characters with hearing loss.

Over on Book Riot…

It’s the week after Labor Day! For a lot of folks, it’s back-to-school time (though where I live out in the desert, they’ve already been back in school for a month. A MONTH). So how about some romances to get you in the school zone?

I didn’t mention it in news, but the New York Times books coverage desk is pulling even farther back on romance. Amanda Diehl had words.

But we know what we like, so how about some excellent self-published romance?

Dudes. Casey has come to realize that she just…doesn’t like erotica. Do you? (I don’t read much of it myself, actually; I tend to go for erotic romance. Which I read…a whole lot of.)

Santino Hassell tries to read an hour a day. What else did he have to tell us?

And don’t forget, you can always check out the Romance/Erotica tag on the Book Riot site to go back and read stuff you might have missed, all the way back to the start!

Finally, there’s book recs!

I was in a historical fantasy mood (and someone recommended a really interesting sounding one) so I started my weekend with Highland Dragon Warrior, the first in a very promising prequel series to Isabel Cooper’s Highland Dragon series. Instead of the 19th-century setting of the first series, Highland Dragon Warrior is set in the time of Braveheart, when Scotland is fighting for its own sovereignty. The titular dragon warrior, Cathal, is home from foreign wars, looking over the family keep, when Sophia, a Jewish scholar and alchemist (alchemist!) arrives with one request: a few of his scales. He offers to grant them, if she helps him out with a mystical problem he’s having. His friend is dissolving. Dissolving. Sophia takes up the challenge, and her awesomeness and fortitude are what will keep you turning pages until you reach the very end (at which point you will be grasping for Highland Dragon Rebel, which takes place twenty years later, features a badass dragon warrior, and unfortunately has none of Cathal or Sophia except in passing mention).

Snowspelled is a brief but jam-packed novella set in a very different kind of Alternate England. In Angland, humans and elves have created a pact that allows both worlds to reside in peace. Women control the nation—being the more prudent, level-headed ones—and men deal in all things magical. But Cassandra is a rare being, able to wield magic and one of the best in her class at the Library—but a bad choice made it so she could no longer practice. The pain of losing access to her magic led her to break things off with her fiance, but a snowed-in house party puts them into constant contact. Add to that a really bad agreement with an elf, and all kinds of fun can happen in a week! The compelling plot and the effortlessly diverse world kept me smiling and sighing in this single-sitting read. (Thanks, Stephanie, for sending me a copy!)

I haven’t come across any historical fantasy by an author of color (if you know any, send them my way) but I did recently finish this fabulous self-published historical romance set in the Spanish Caribbean in the 19th century, A Summer for Scandal. It’s got some awesome Pride and Prejudice vibes and features two author protagonists: one wrote a novel and is now publishing and writing for multiple journals—one in his own name, one a gossip rag very much not in his name. The other protagonist would love to publish a novel, but has settled for anonymously publishing a best-selling, scandalous serial. Throw them together and let the sparks ensue. And the scandal, of course. (I will warn you; there are some typos. I am a firm believer in copyediting, but whatever, I don’t care. It’s otherwise fantastic.)

How about some new and upcoming releases?

Sanctuary, Rebekah Weatherspoon

When the Scoundrel Sins, Anna Harrington

My Fair Lover, Nicole Jordan

The Betting Vow, KM Jackson

Her Hometown Girl, Lorelie Brown

Pitch Please, Lani Lynn Vale (9/8)

That’s probably enough for now, huh? In the meantime, 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, the total eclipse of the heart has finally happened, and now we can move on with our lives (and hopefully, with our eyes intact as well).

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Sponsored by The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare

Since his return from war, the Duke of Ashbury has continued to seek justice, menacing London ne’er-do-wells by night. But now he is needs an heir – and a wife to produce one. When seamstress Emma Gladstone appears in his library wearing a wedding gown, he decides immediately that she’ll do. His terms are simple: they will be husband and wife by night only, and once she’s pregnant with his heir, they never need share a bed again. But Emma is no pushover, and once she’s seen the man beneath the scars, he can’t stop her from falling in love.

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Looking for ways to drop your well earned money? Here are a few things you can try:

• The Ripped Bodice now has a Patreon! Support them from afar (and get a few perks) and keep the love alive whether you can get to the brick and mortar shop or not.
• Smart Bitches, Trashy Books has all kinds of new merch, including the awesome Slayer of Words t-shirt, mug, etc., proceeds for which will go to Doctors Without Borders, Beverly Jenkins’ charity of choice
• They also have these excellent “Smash the Patriarchy, Read Romance” mugs.

In other news, there is apparently going to be a romance anthology based on Alexander Hamilton’s battalion coming soon. You will definitely hear from me when there is more to share.

In…less exciting news, there has been some discussion about a forthcoming book announced by Carina Press in which an educator starts a romantic relationship with a student. The publishing company has since announced that they will be reviewing the book for sensitivity, but a lot of people think it shouldn’t even have gotten past the pitch phase, what with the whole high school teacher/student thing, even if the student is not a minor. I’ve been known to pick up taboo, but I am personally not down for that particular one (probably in part because I have worked at a high school and that is not a level of trust I could see any of my teachers breaking). What do you think?

Bustle has been recognizing Romance Awareness Month, and has been posting some pretty awesome articles, including this one in romance authors’ own words.

Speaking of romance authors’ own words, the daily posts on the Read a Romance Month site are great for anyone, whether you’re a romance reader or not. They’re particularly great when you need something heartwarming and pick-me-up-y.

Over on Book Riot:

Erin recommended a few historical romances for people who get tripped up by the language and terminology in historicals.

Danika wrote about how Harry Potter helped guide her on her own queer journey, courtesy of Draco/Harry fanwork.

Rachel pulled together a fantabulous list of things (more things!) you can add to your collection in a special romance edition of Book Fetish. (PS–NSFW!)

And finally, while it’s not directed at romance readers, we could all do more to support our favorite authors. Here’s a quick list of things we can do!

And now, recs!

I’ve been in a sort of “real American heroes” mode, recently, so here are a few recs of books featuring military men across American history!

Be Not Afraid
Alyssa Cole

Named for the words allegedly said by Crispus Attucks, the man of African and Wampanoag descent who shed the first blood for the Revolution, Be Not Afraid tells the story of Elijah and Kate, two people on opposite sides of the American Revolution for very different reasons. Elijah fights for the Patriots, having made a deal with his owner to fight in his stead in exchange for land, livestock, and freedom. Kate, on the other hand, is one of many enslaved people who have taken the Brits up on their offer to manumit them if they join their side. The love story is brief but heartfelt, and my only issue with the story is just that—it’s TOO SHORT. It was written as part of a Revolutionary anthology, For Love & Liberty.

Through the Storm
Beverly Jenkins

When we first meet Raimond Le Veq and Sable Fontaine (if you’ve read Forbidden you might be familiar with the latter), the pair are on separate paths. Raimond is a high ranking officer in the Union Army (confusing white soldiers to no end) and Sable is ready to be free. Fate throws them into each other’s paths as they each serve the Union in their own ways, until they meet again after the war. Their situation in New Orleans is incredibly different from where they found themselves in battle, but Sable takes to the Gens du Colour society—and the Le Veq family in particular—like a pro. If only the pair could get over themselves enough to make their love work.

North To You
Tif Marcelo

This one goes a bit of a different route than the historicals. In San Francisco, Camille Merino runs a food truck that is a culmination of her dreams. While checking out a food-centered event, she literally runs into an old flame, and the heat is still there. Drew Bautista is in town on leave from the Army, ready to help his family rebrand their restaurant. He’s hoping that this month will help restore his relationship with his father, who has never accepted that he joined the Army instead of the family business. Every relationship in this book is magical, from siblings to parents to friends, and there are recipes for Filipino food in the back matter. Just so you know.

Dear Aaron
Mariana Zapata

Do you like the slowest of slow burns? This is the book for you. At nearly five hundred pages, it’s the longest of the book recs this week, though the first half is written correspondence—letters, emails, IMs, etc. Ruby has “adopted” a soldier for letters and care packages, having learned from a sibling that Army life is pretty lonely. Aaron is deployed somewhere—she isn’t sure where. After a rocky start, the pair easily outstrip the assigned one email a week and maybe a care package, and even without prose, their feelings for each other are apparent to the reader (even if they aren’t quite as apparent to Ruby). If you like hopeless characters who just need to talk to each other (and eventually do), this is your story. Zapata also doesn’t shy away from including talk of deployment, military life, and the necessary life decisions that might come up as a soldier.

Currently Reading:

The Unsung Hero
Suzanne Brockmann

Okay, so there are 20 Troubleshooters books, and I’ve had the first one for years. Being still in the mood, I decided to try it out. Navy SEAL Tom Paoletti is on leave after a head injury on the job, and there’s no better place to spend some of it than with his granduncle, Joe. Of course, time with Joe means time with his BFF Since The War (double-yew, double-yew, eye, eye), Charles, who has terminal cancer. Tom can’t help but hope that he might run into Charles’ daughter, Kelly. So far in my reading Brockmann is primarily setting the scene, with Tom having spotted an international terrorist while on recovery leave, but I hear there’s going to be some shenanigans, so here’s looking at you, kid.

Deals!

Are you ready for a new segment of Kissing Books? Here are a few choice books that are currently deal-priced on Amazon!

CD Reiss’s Bombshell is 1.99 right now! I don’t usually go for nanny/single father, but this one was so fricking sweet.

A Bollywood Affair, by Sonali Dev, is 2.99 right now. It’s the perfect blend of angst and “aww” and will set you upon the path of reading everything Sonali has out right now—which at last count is only at three, but there’s another coming out next year.

180 Seconds by Jessica Park is 1.99. (Okay, this is the last famous person/not famous person deal.)

And if Through the Storm wasn’t enough Civil War/awesome women doing awesome things for you, Alyssa Cole’s An Extraordinary Union is 2.99!

How often do you find Gilded Age romance? Joanna Shupe’s Magnate, the first in her Knickerbocker series, is 1.99.

Recent and Upcoming Releases:

And finally, some books that have recently come out or are coming out soon:

Heat Wave, Elyse Springer

Spectred Isle, KJ Charles

The Duchess Deal, Tessa Dare

Mr. Big, Delancey Stewart (8/29)

My Fair Lover, Nicole Jordan (8/29)

Breakfast in Bed, Rochelle Alers (8/29)

Deacon, Kit Rocha (8/29)

Sanctuary, Rebekah Weatherspoon (8/29)

Okay, so that’s a lot. I’ve got to get back to reading, and I’m sure you do, too.

In the meantime, 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 August! How’s your reading life!

Happenings in Romancelandia

So much has happened since our last talk. The RWA conference concluded, the RITAs were announced, and Beverly Jenkins, Slayer of Words, made us all bawl on our computers if we were relegated to watching the live stream of her Lifetime Achievement acceptance speech from home.

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Sponsored by Kissing Max Holden by Katy Upperman

After his father’s stroke, Max Holden isn’t himself. As his longtime friend, Jillian Eldridge only wants to help, but she doesn’t know how. When Max climbs through her window one night, Jill knows she shouldn’t let him kiss her. But she can’t resist, and when they’re caught in the act by her dad, Jill swears it’ll never happen again. Because kissing Max Holden is a terrible idea. . . . But not kissing Max is easier said than done.

Will Jill follow her heart, and allow their friendship to blossom into something more, or will she listen to her head and stop kissing Max Holden once and for all?

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Also, Andrew Grey got the Centennial award for publishing one hundred novels. He’s the first m/m and also the first male author to have received it. How awesome is that! (Have you read his work? I’ll admit I haven’t yet, but man, I’ve got some reading to do!)

One thing we got as RWA-left-behinders was constant access to #notRWA. There were some awesome threads and conversations happening on twitter. These included:

• Suleikhaaaaaa! Dayum girl. Tell it.
• Corey Alexander on presentation of trans characters
• How to write with a day job

For the complete list of #notRWA threads.conversations, check out this blog post by the fabulous Olivia Dade.

And for a little bit of the fun side of Twitter, this exchange leaves us…wanting. Wanting all the things.

Have you seen the cover reveal for Alyssa Cole’s A Princess in Theory? I can’t stop looking at it. Wanna know something else? You can buy that dress. AND IT HAS POCKETS.

Speaking of cover reveals…Sanctuary is coming, and man. Drool. Droooooooool.

Over on Book Riot

Kate included an “ugly cry-o-meter” in her list of favorite friends-to-lovers romance.

Read about Susan Mallery’s thoughts on small town settings and more.

Do you like Jane Austen retellings? Read about a new Persuasion retelling.

How about some book recs?

One True Pairing
Cathy Yardley

You know what kinds of books I love? Books featuring super dorky characters. Books where one of the protagonists is a famous person and the other is not. Books that take place around fan conventions. Books where the connection is fast and intense, but still believable. You know what One True Pairing is? ALL OF THESE. While it’s the second book in Yardley’s Fandom Hearts series, this can still be read as a standalone (and man, I still haven’t read Level Up). Hailey and Jake are one of my favorite couples of recent recollection. Jake is a sweetheart who just loves his stupid Supernatural-reminiscent cable fantasy show and wants to be a part of it, but he needs something to keep him interesting to the public and the producers. Good thing Hailey is there offering to be his pretend-girlfriend, and their chemistry is already off-the-charts hot. Hailey comes equipped with some of the greatest friends and family around, which makes this adorable read even better.

Beyond the Rules
Anna Del Mar
(August 14)

I finally stopped ignoring the call of Opal Carew’s ridiculously punny titles and read Drilled the other day, which was fun in its own way, even though occasionally it felt like it was originally written as a two-person relationship and then Carew decided to split her billionaire into two. After that few hours of fun, I was still in poly mode, and decided to try an author I hadn’t read before.

Enter three ex-Navy SEALs and a hacker. The three military men, Zar, Tanner, and Aiden, live in a gorgeous, secluded home in the wilds of Montana, and Nina has just crashed her plane trying to escape some baddies. She’s pretty banged up, and the three nurse her back to health, all the while agreeing that she might be the one they’ve been waiting for. They made a pact while still in the military, and sharing every aspect of their lives is the central part of that pact. And well, it looks like Nina might be the one they could all fall for. Her commitment issues might have something to say about that. This book is long, but characters are well developed, and relationships are as well. I tend not to connect as well with polyamorous relationships in which everyone involved isn’t one big puppy pile of love, but the three men have a different kind of relationship, and I could appreciate that (and they’re not brothers, if that’s one of your squicks).

(I’d also like to include the fact that as I started reading this, my husband and I started rewatching The Last Ship and the Zar in my head is a yummy combination of Eric Dane and Adam Baldwin. The others I had to create on my own.)

Currently reading:
Illegal Contact
Santino Hassell
(August 15)

I’m not very far into this one, but so far, it’s got pure Hassell quality going for it. So far, it’s got the same feel as the Five Boroughs books as far as set in real life. But gosh, I hope it’s not going to be as real. (Legit: I was sobbing in the middle of Interborough the other day. Sobbing.) Even a book that starts with a star athlete in an ankle bracelet can be fun, right? Or at least a little light?

We’ll see.

And for some recent and upcoming releases:

Within a Captain’s Soul, Lisa A. Olech

Heat Wave, Elyse Springer

The Scandal of it All, Sophie Jordan

Permanent Ink, Avon Gale

Two Dukes and a Lady, Lorna James (8/14)

Unexpected, Jenny Frame (8/15)

King of Code, CD Reiss (8/21)

The Duchess Deal, Tessa Dare (8/22)

Okay, that’s it for me! Happy reading! (I know I’ll be.) In the meantime, 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 Thursday, folks, and all the things are happening.

Before we go any further, I have a huge correction to make: in the last Kissing Books, I attributed the 8 Reasons People Mock Romance post to Sarah Davis. It was actually written by Sarah Nicolas. Sorry Sarah!

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Sponsored by The Cameron Brothers, a binge-worthy series by Angelin Sydney.

The Cameron Brothers Box Set features four explosive, action-packed romances that are binge-worthy.

Return to Cameron Country, Cameron of the Skies and Cameron of the Seas and the series prequel, Lifesaver in a Bikini all share one central theme: “Love makes us throw caution to the wind.”

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Okay, back to happenings:

The annual conference of the Romance Writers of America (aka RWA) is happening RIGHT NOW, and soon we’re gonna get to the RITAs. (And depending on what time of day you’re reading this, they might be happening! They might have happened already?)

Have you found yourself itching to read some werewolf sex?

Definitely read Kay’s twitter thread. There are many others, but Kay gets the essence of the issue. 

On a more positive note, there’s more adaptation news!

The This Man series and The Protector by Jodi Ellen Malpas have been opted by PassionFlix, whose production crew is currently filming Aftershock/Afterburn.

Have you seen the trailer for the film adaptation of Heidi McLaughlin’s second-chance romance Forever My Girl? It’s been out for awhile, but I missed it the first time around. Have I missed any others?

Have you had the chance to check out #RomBkLove on Twitter? It’s a great hashtag to troll when you are in need of a TBR explosion. 

Did you catch the Jane Austen Day celebration on Book Riot last week? There were a lot of good articles, including a great list of retellings by authors of color.

Also, Wallace’s video this week is about two more romances she picked up at The Ripped Bodice.

And now, book recs!

Speaking of werewolf sex, GL Carriger’s The Sumage Solution came out last week and I finally got around to reading it! This book, the first in Gail Carriger’s new m/m romance series (and potentially m/nb in the future?) is about Biff, a werewolf, and Max, a sumage. They live in a modern-day San Francisco Bay Area in which supernatural beings are a part of regular life, down to having to list their supernaturality in a rental application. Biff, the Beta of a newfangled pack who has moved to the North Bay to start afresh, is the one who is sent to the supernatural DMV to register their new pack. Max is the civic official who gives them the go-ahead. Max is wary of a werewolf pack invading the Bay Area, until Biff provides plenty evidence that they are not your stereotypical pack. By flirting with him. Things move on from there, complete with Big Misunderstandings and Daddy Issues galore.

It’s here, it’s here! Hate to Want You is FINALLY out! I have been holding off on reading and reccing this book, mostly because I knew it would be best for people to be able to buy it right away once they saw my exclamations on how good it is. And it’s. So. Good. Nicholas and Livvy were once childhood sweethearts, until a tragedy tore them apart, except for one day a year. Now, Livvy’s back in their hometown, and elements from without and within are set to destroy any relationship they might develop before it has a chance. Including neither of them having the ability to communicate with each other. Get ready to have your heart wrenched out and then lovingly put back together.

Looking for a new series? Start with Suleikha Snyder’s Spice and Smoke, the first in the Bollywood Confidential trilogy. Set in the sprawling, dramatic universe of Bollywood film, a motley crew of beautiful, talented people play bedroom games and mind games until everyone including the reader is a confused mess, in the best way. The first one gives you two stories for the price of one; each could have used a little more, but you won’t feel like you’ve lost anything, promise.

Finally, let’s call this segment…YMMV, or Your Mileage May Vary.

I don’t usually talk about books that I’m not sure I want to recommend, but I need to talk about this trainwreck of a book. Kresley Cole’s The Professional is the first in the Game Makers series, and is about Natalie, a young woman from Nebraska who discovers her biological father is a member of the Russian Bratva. Sevastian, her hot but off-putting bodyguard, has some control issues, and can’t seem to keep himself together around Natalie, even as they fly in the dead of night to Russia under threat of one of her father’s enemies. It all gets wilder from there; when I say trainwreck, I mean it: there is a terrible, terrible thing happening that you cannot turn away from for fear of missing something even worse occurring. Rioter Amanda Diehl told me to “embrace the crazy” when I asked Book Riot folks about it several months ago. And really, that’s the only way to make it through any part of this book that isn’t boning. Which there is a great deal of, in varying levels of fire emoji. Have you read it? Email me or catch me on twitter with your thoughts.

Now, as usual, new and upcoming releases:

Heart of the Steal, Avon Gale and Roan Parrish

Rogue Desire (Anthology)

The Scandal of it All, Sophie Jordan

Wrecked, JB Salsbury

Cutie and the Beast EJ Russell

One True Pairing, Cathy Yardley

Drilled, Opal Carew

The Perfect Game, Elley Arden

Locked in Temptation, Brenda Jackson

By the time we meet again, the RITA awards will have been announced, and maybe Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Beverly Jenkins will have reached her fundraising goal for the Deadly Sexy movie.

In the meantime, 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 your summer going? It’s finally monsoon time in Arizona and the weather has cooled off, and all that rain means more time to hang out inside and read!

Romance has been busy busy this past couple weeks! I don’t even know where to start.

Let’s go with twitter.

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Sponsored by Unraveling, book two in the Unblemished trilogy by Sara Ella

The entire universe is unraveling. Can a young heroine stop the fray? Through her mastery of world-building and mind-bending plots, Sara Ella takes fantasy to a new level in Unraveling, the anxiously awaited continuation of the Unblemished Trilogy. As Eliyana continues her journey towards the throne, she tries to figure out her relationship with Ky and how it might be connected to the Callings. She needs answers before the Callings disappear altogether. Can El find a way to sever her connection to Ky and save the Reflections—and keep herself from falling for him in the process?

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We know that there’s really never a quiet time with Twitter, but somebody decided to upset the wrong people and we romance people know how to respond that: hella positive reinforcement. We got to talk about nuance. We got to talk about love. And joy. Some of the best responses to Ann Aguirre’s call for quote tweets about why we love romance are collected in Sarah Nicolas’s spectacular mic-drop-esque 8 Reasons People Mock Romance. Why? They’re jealous.

On Instagram, Alyssa Cole shared the hardcover of An Extraordinary Union. It’s frickin gorgeous!

https://instagram.com/p/BWQyq7vgF2K/

And now: movies, movies, movies.

Are you following Passionflix’s progress as they work their way towards a working streaming platform? Follow them on Facebook, or if you want to know what’s going on behind the scenes (and get some other perks, too), consider becoming a founding member.

They’ve been busy: last week, they dropped the trailer for their first original feature, Hollywood Dirt (based on Alessandra Torre’s novel of the same name). Almost immediately after, they announced the lead casting for their production of Afterburn/Aftershock, based on Sylvia Day’s novella duology. They’re working quickly, but the first trailer looks like the productions are good quality. They have to be, when you’re up against the other streaming networks.

In other adaptation news, Beverly Jenkins is running a GoFundMe campaign to independently produce a Deadly Sexy movie. The book, which was released in 2007, is a romantic suspense, a very different tone from her historicals and the Blessings series, but damn, do I want to see that brought to life. Also: yes, there are rewards. So hop on over to the page, read the description, watch the videos. And read the sidebar as you consider how much you want to give 😉

And speaking of people to support, are you following WOCinRomance on Twitter? Their site is great for keeping up with new reads, and they have a Patreon if you want to support people doing Good Work.

Want to see your faves in the flesh? If you’re going to be in or around Denver next July, you’re gonna want to check out Book Bonanza. My eyes crossed trying to read all the names of people appearing, but it’s gonna be huge. It looks like tickets will be available on July 31, and they are gonna go fast. (PS—RWA is going to be in Denver THE FOLLOWING WEEKEND so I might have to just…move there for a few weeks.)

If you want something a little smaller and a little sooner, DC area folks ought to check out this awesome panel on August 4. I’ll be here, getting rained on, feeling jealous.

Over on Book Riot:

Wallace went to The Ripped Bodice! Check out what she got!

And speaking of The Ripped Bodice, there’s a giveaway for a digital gift card and an awesome raglan “Smart Girls Read Romance” tee. You know you wanna (and you can enter even if you already subscribe to KB)!

We pulled together the best books of 2017. So far.

Do you like podcasts? Check out Annotated, our newest podcast about books, reading, and language.

Nikki collected 14 of the most swoonworthy smooches in movies based on books. What do you think?

Does your library have OverDrive (or some other ebook lending option)? Do you procrastinate when you read (or just borrow too many things at once)? If your answer to both of these is yes, then Alex has a potential solution for you.

And Trisha got to talk to Ana Coqui, the creator of #RomBkLove.

Okay, this is already hella long, so I will keep my book recs short 😉

Currently reading:

Get Off Easy by Sara Brookes

This book originally came out in 2015, but was revamped and republished by Carina Press (to be released July 17). Grae, a CGI artist, reconnects with her two best friends from college after seeing an incident during a scene at the kink club for which she has a virtual membership. Their fire reignites immediately, bringing memories of the one night the three shared in college, but with more intensity; Saint and Boyce are both switches with Dominant tendencies, and she would love to be their willing sub—if only she can get out of her own way and admit what she wants.

I got two words for you: fire emoji. All the fire emoji.

Next up:

The Sumage Solution by GL Carriger

If that name sounds familiar, it’s because it’s Gail Carriger. She is stepping into the M/M romance ring with a spin-off of her short story Marine Biology, the first book in her new San Andreas Shifters series. We get to start out with a mage in a bad mood and a Beta werewolf named Biff. Also, we’re promised sexytimes and horrible puns, and this is Carriger we’re talking about.

And of course, some recent and upcoming releases:

On the Plus Side, Alison Bliss

Primrose Lane, Debbie Mason

Pounding Skin, LA Witt

Some Kind of Hero, Suzanne Brockmann

Locked in Temptation, Brenda Jackson (July 25)

Hate to Want You, Alisha Rai (July 25)

Drilled, Opal Carew (July 25)

One True Pairing, Cathy Yardley (July 25)

Okay, that’s probably enough for now, eh? Until next time, 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 hey, love lovers!

How has your Pride Month been going? I’m still recovering from last week’s Librarian Con (AKA the ALA Annual Conference), which didn’t help with the whole endless TBR thing. 

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Sponsored by Amazon Publishing

Austin’s dreams of domestic bliss involved watching Netflix and eating hot dogs with the love of her life. But then he cheated on her. And dumped her—as if the whole thing was her fault. To maintain her pride and restore her sanity, she decides to get revenge.
Thatch, a plastic surgeon straight out of residency, knows he ruined the best thing that ever happened to him. But not all cheaters are created equal. He got himself into this messed-up situation—true—but he has his reasons for what happened, and he’d do it all again to protect Austin.

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People all over have been talking about romance over the past couple weeks.

Just recently, The Book Voyagers put out a list of single parents in romance. It’s pretty great, especially if your catnip involves strong women, wild kids, and sudden parenthood. It’s also got handy dandy indicators of books with queer characters or by authors of color. 

Entangled publishing is having a huge sale! Check it out.

Over on Heroes and Heartbreakers, Robin discussed whether romance novels needed trigger warnings. If you read my last issue of Kissing Books, you know I am totally in that camp. Others may decide not to, but I will do my best to point out if something has something that needs a massive content warning, like rape or suicide. What other situations do you like to have prior warning of in your stories?

Ria Cheyne at Public Books wrote about an oldie-but-goodie that really marks the way a romance author can write good disability rep. I haven’t read the book in question, but it definitely went on my list once I read this article.

Not book-related, but it was interesting reading this Mary Sue article about The Big Sick statistically doing better than Transformers this weekend. It probably says more about Transformers, really, but it’s nice to see romantic comedies being well-received yet again. Maybe there’s hope for the world beyond Passionflix yet. Let’s see what happens when it’s out of limited release.

And just this past weekend, Queen Bev was the subject of a piece in Salon about historical fiction and how it really went down.

Over on Book Riot, you told us your favorite steamy romances, and boy were your choices good ones!

And speaking of historical fiction, I have some particularly delightful historical fiction recs for you this week!

The Day of the Duchess, Sarah MacLean

Happy Duchess week, y’all! I’ll bet some of you suddenly came down with a terrible cold on Tuesday or Wednseday of this week, but if you haven’t yet, this book is for you! I have read the previous two books in the series, but I suck at remembering things I’ve read and can honestly say that as long as you’re okay with discovering *gasp* that the couples from previous books end up together, you can totally read this without having read the others. Then you’ll want to read the others because the Soiled S’s are a riot and you’ll definitely want more of them.

Here, Sarah MacLean answers the question all of us who do remember the events of The Rogue Not Taken had upon learning of this book: why on Earth would Sera reconcile with Haven? Serafina, the oldest and most dangerous of the Dangerous Daughters, left her husband and her family several years ago, with no indication of where she was going or whether she was okay. Now she’s back, and her husband, the Duke of Haven, has his first view of her in years. Where does he see her? The House of Lords. Why? They happen to be the only body in Britain capable of granting her a divorce. With an introduction like that, how can it lead to a happy ending? The story that leads up to the answer is well crafted in MacLean’s signature heartbreaking and hilarious way. I’ll admit, I was actually going for a slightly different ending; if you want to know how I’d have liked to see it turn out, send me an email at the address down at the bottom of this email.

The Ruin of a Rake, Cat Sebastian (July 4)

Okay, so apparently this week is for alliterations and possessives.

This, too, is the third in a series, but just like Duchess you don’t need to have read the first two. There is a slightly bigger spoiler for something that happens in The Lawrence Browne Affair but it’s not an explosive one. (Or is it…)

Lord Courtenay, who we meet in The Lawrence Browne Affair is a rake. He’s also an uncle, and has been banned from seeing the boy he practically raised with his recently-deceased sister, who was estranged from her husband, the Earl of Radnor. One way he might be welcomed back into the family, however reluctantly, is to clean up his act. Enter Julian Medlock, brother to one of Radnor’s friends and colleagues, who has Higgens-like capability to get this Eliza ready for the Embassy Ball. Or at least make Courtenay presentable enough to get people of quality to actually speak to him again.

If only there weren’t that damned attraction that neither was really willing to deny—really, for Julian, it’s just getting in the way.

And since I’ve given you two books that are third books, I should probably give those of you who don’t read out of order a series starter to enjoy:

The Duchess War, Courtney Milan

When Minnie Lane’s solitude is interrupted by the Duke of Clermont, she is not interested in furthering their acquaintance. But something about her intrigues him to the point where they come to know each other well in the small Victorian town the pair both currently inhabit, for the time being. She’s clever and smart, and Clermont is torn between knowing her more and keeping his secret—whatever that may be.

This is the first book in the series, but be prepared to down all five novels and the prequel novella once you’ve finished.

And as usual, here are more recent releases and books coming out before we meet again! (Sorry, it’s a short one this week.)

Chasing Waves, Bianca Mori

Lost Without You, Molly O’Keefe

Oversight, Santino Hassell

The Knocked Up Plan, Lauren Blakely

A Most Unlikely Duke, Sophie Barnes

Pounding Skin, LA Witt (7/11)

The Red, Tiffany Reisz (7/11)

Get off Easy, Sarah Brookes (7/11)

Time to get back to reading (not even gonna lie about “getting caught up”). In the meantime, 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, lovers!

Brace yourselves, it’s going to be a long one.

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What would you do if someone offered to fulfill your wildest fantasies?

Seductive.

Charming.

Dominant.

Dean Sova is everything Maya Clery craves. From the first touch, their connection is intense. After leaving her troubled past behind, Maya thought she was happy—she is happy—but meeting Dean forces her to acknowledge dark needs she longs to explore yet has never had the courage to face.

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Riptide Publishing is having weekly Pride sales during the month of June, and this week is all about books featuring bisexuals. Dive in; there are ten pages of goodies to weave through.

And speaking of LGBTQ romance, the Lambda Literary Awards were announced this week! The Scorpion’s Empress by Yoshiyuki Ly won the award for best lesbian romance, and Pene Henson’s Into the Blue for best gay romance. And Rebekah Weatherspoon won the award for best LGBT erotica with her super sexy Soul to Keep, book three in her Vampire Sorority Sisters series.

Have you heard about this new Pride and Prejudice adaptation that takes place in rural Virginia? It’s called Before the Fall, and it’s available to rent or buy on Amazon. Pardon my squeeing as we not only get our first modern-day, Bridgetless adaptation since Pride and Prejudice: A Latter Day Comedy, but our leads are both men. It’s like something right out of an early 2000s fanfiction-reading dream.

Beverly Jenkins has announced her next Old West book, and y’all. Look at this cover.

Tempest

PassionFlix has been making moves, and I am following like a hawk. (Remember way back when, when we talked about The Trouble with Mistletoe being adapted for film but we weren’t sure by what network? It was them, y’all!)

Not to mention, they just optioned Brenda Jackson’s entire Granger Brothers series, which starts with A Brother’s Honor. This is promising for the company’s future in regards to being diverse and inclusive. Next up, Cyclone! (A girl can dream.)

Did you read that great piece about The Ripped Bodice, the nation’s first (and still only) romance-dedicated bookshop? If you live in the greater Los Angeles area, it looks like a great place to hang out. And right now, they’ve got a Summer Bingo read-along for you! It looks like lots of fun.

Over on Book Riot:

Beth O’Brien, that lucky sonovagun, interviewed Colleen Hoover. They talked about Confess, music, writing, and Colleen even threw out a few book recommendations.

Jen Sherman wrote about having reading amnesia, which is probably pretty common for us romance readers, huh? So far, I have managed not to completely reread a book I’d read before. At least, not to my knowledge…

And comment on this week’s Riot Recommendation and tell us your favorite erotic romance!

And now, book recs!

I have a lot of feelings about Dirty Filthy Rich Men, and I’m not sure what they are. Before we go any further, I have to give out two warnings. First warning: this book has trigger warning written all over it (actually, it doesn’t, but it really really needs to). If you end up with the version that has the prequel, Dirty Filthy Rich Boys, you will encounter rape in the first fifteen pages, and rape fantasy is a large part of the story. Second warning: this book does not end in a HEA, because it is not clearly marked as a multi-parter. (Okay, if you go onto Goodreads it does, but I didn’t go on Goodreads before I blindly put this one on hold at the library.)

This was my first Laurelin Page book, and it will obviously not be my last. Even with the terrible, horrible, awful things going on and the terrible, horrible things that people are doing in all walks of life, I couldn’t stop reading. Both Sabrina and Donovan fascinate me, and I needed to slake my curiosity about their dynamic.

Okay, so that reminds me I need to give a third warning: if Sabrina is something you happen to hold dear, maybe skip this one. You’ll never look at Bogie (or Harrison Ford, my preferred Linus) the same way again.

If you’d rather have something not frustrating, aggravating, and that you have confusing and unclear thoughts about, here’s a series starter for you.

Acute Reactions is the first book in Ruby Lang’s Practice Perfect series. Petra Lale, MD, is an allergist struggling with her first practice. When Ian Zamora, a prospering restauranteur, comes to her practice, there are semi-immediate sparks. But there’s a problem: if there’s one thing Petra believes in, it’s maintaining an ethical code in her medical practices, and that very much includes not having the hots for your patients.

Ruby Lang’s books are medium-long reads, so they probably won’t be single-sitting, but won’t run too long. Her writing is snappy and compelling, so you won’t want to stop, but you will probably at least need a snack halfway through.

And as usual, a few new and upcoming books

An Unnatural Vice by KJ Charles

The Masterpiece by Bonnie Dee

Jane of Austin by Hillary Manton Lodge

The Smell of Camellias by Remmy Duchene

Talk British To Me by Robin Bielman (6/19)

Captured Soul by Laydin Michaels (6/20)

Prince Ever After by AC Arthur (6/20)

Dreams Unspoken by RJ Layer (6/20)

The Day of the Duchess by Sarah MacLean (6/27)

I’m gonna go pretend to catch up on both backlist and upcoming releases to squee about. In the meantime, 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!

Until next time, m’loves!

 

Hey, it’s June!

Well, lovers, it’s been a week.

There was a bit of stuff happening on Twitter about kink, and as usual our girls Alyssa Cole and Rebekah Weatherspoon stepped up with some threads of their own. Warning: there are book recs. I hope you weren’t planning to leave your TBR alone this week.

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Sponsored by HQN Books

As the awkward one, Courtney Watson may not be as together as her sisters, but she excels at one thing—keeping secrets, including the white-hot affair she’s having with a sexy music producer. When Sienna’s boyfriend proposes, he takes her by surprise. She already has two broken engagements under her belt. Should she say “I do” even if she’s not sure she does? Rachel thought love would last forever…right up until her divorce. With Mom’s wedding day imminent and her ex begging for a second chance, she’ll have to decide if she’ll let pride stand in the way of her own happily-ever-after.

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Also found on twitter: This blog looking at romance from an academic perspective. Do what you will with the moral study; I’m super interested in the philosophy thesis written as a romance novella.

AJ at Lacy Literacy put together this amazing list of STEM heroines in romance and hoo boy my TBR can’t take it. She also uses a great legend of notators indicating things like authors of color, lead characters of color, and books with interracial romances. I’m crying. (With joy.)

On Tuesday, Avon Romance and The Strand hosted a live panel on Feminists in Romance. I’d have loved to have seen an author of color on the panel of four. But since these were Avon authors, I guess that’s a little difficult. How about it, Avon? Next time.  Here’s the first link and then here’s the second after they had some technical difficulties.

Over on Book Riot:

Right after I hit send last time, Trisha Brown’s reflections about her attendance at RT Convention went up on Book Riot. Revisit the conference a month out and think about whether you want to go to Reno next year.

If you missed my baseball romance, basketball romance, or romance comics lists, you might find something fun to try next.

You might recall that Kay shared the breaking news that Harlequin is phasing out several of their series lines, including Kimani, where the vast majority of the black authors publishing with Harlequin see their books. Besides a statement in Publisher’s Weekly confirming that this is indeed true, there has been nothing. No mention on the website, no further articles, no official announcements by Harlequin. What the deal, yo?

I’m trying a new thing where I do my short reviews of one or two new titles and one or two older ones. If there’s one thing to love about romance it’s that it’s incredibly prolific, so why not point you in the direction of some awesome older books?

Shacking Up, Helena Hunting

This was my first book by Helena Hunting, though I discovered other things by her on my to-read list. Here, we’ve got Ruby and Bancroft, a pair of young socialites at different points in their relationships with their fathers. Ruby is an (aspiring) actress whose father wants her to see the error in her ways and come back and work for his pharmaceutical company. Bane is a former pro rugby player working to find his own place as a hospitality magnate among magnates. Ruby might have just gotten the chance for stable income, if not for Awesome Kisser, who also happened to be Awesome Cougher. (I have never seen someone incubate an illness that quickly in my life, but we’ll accept it for the sake of a story.)  When the pair meet again and realize that Awesome Kisser is a large part of the reason Ruby will probably never work again (at least with that director), Bane offers Ruby the run of his apartment while he’s away on business.

This book manages to be precious, hilarious, and super hot, while still being allowed to not take itself too seriously. I’ve got one word for you: Francesca.

Trade Me, Courtney Milan

“Friendship with Blake is not safe. It’s not even Facebook safe.”

Tina Chen is not interested in becoming friends with Blake Reynolds, the Billionaire of Berkeley. (Okay, so nobody ever calls him that, but I needed to give Blake that title. Blame it on all the historicals I’ve been reading.) When she calls him out on some bullshit in a discussion session, she has no idea it will lead to her living the life of a tech genius. But that’s exactly what he proposes: trade lives with him; she would have his house in the Berkeley Hills and access to super sleek prototypes. He would live in her not-up-to-code “apartment”, get a minimum wage job and survive on her income. Various circumstances would bring them together throughout the period of their arrangement, and the chemistry sizzles. And it is really great to see a book that can be sweet and fun but also tackle mental health and class issues in a not-gross way.

If you’re interested in a campus/new adult read, this is a good place to start. Also, the side characters are some of my favorites. Do yourself a favor when you finish: take Courtney’s offers of more Adam Fucking Reynolds.

I recently started Dating You/Hating You, Christina Lauren’s upcoming standalone release, and so far, it’s pretty great. I mean, it starts with the leads meeting at a costume party. And they’re both Harry Potter characters. So it’s bound to continue being great. Also, it’s about Hollywood industry people and that’s a thing I’m into. Check it out when it’s released.

And as usual, here are some new and upcoming releases for you to check out:

Losing Her, KS Marshall

Merely A Marriage, Jo Beverly’s final novel.

Trust Me, Farrah Rochon

Until You, Denise Grover Swank

Blaze, Donna Grant

Edge of Truth, Brynn Kelly

An Affair With a Notorious Heiress, Lorraine Heath

An Unnatural Vice, KJ Charles (June 6)

Mr. Right-Swipe, Ricki Schultz (June 6)

WTF (Geek Actually Season 1 Episode 1), Cathy Yardley (June 7)

Claim and Protect, Rhenna Morgan (June 12)

One Week to the Wedding, Olivia Miles (June 13)

Silver Silence, Nalini Singh (June 13)

I’m gonna go pretend to catch up on both backlist and upcoming releases to squee about. In the meantime, 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!

Until next time, m’loves!

 

Hey there, lovers. It’s been a crazy couple weeks in Romancelandia. Know how I said they needed a break? Well, they had their fun at the RT Convention, and now it’s time for all the Shitteth to Hitteth the Fan…eth.

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Domino: a runaway with blood on her hands. Cain: a silent boy about to explode. Madam Karina: a woman who demands obedience. Wilson: the one who will destroy them all. Discover the book that #1 NYT bestselling author Lindsay Cummings called “an utterly unique, utterly wicked read!”

 

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Let’s start with the less good news, just to get it out of the way.

Harlequin has informed authors and other relevant publishing professionals that it will be discontinuing five of its lines over the course of the next 18 months. Here’s a quick rundown. This is…distressing. And I will join the chorus that, while sad about all five lines needing to close, is most distressed about them making the decision to close the line that publishes an overwhelming majority of their romance by authors of color—black authors in particular. This makes me hope that they are going to fold their corps of authors into their other lines, making all of them much more diverse; it’ll be nice to see someone darker than a Sheikh on the cover of a Desire book. I hope Harlequin knows we’re all going to be watching its publications and acquisitions like hawks after December 2018.

Meanwhile, moments after I hit publish on the last KB, KFC decided a fun thing to do would be to commission a special romance novel for Mother’s Day called Tender Wings of Desire. I was curious enough that I downloaded it on a whim (y’know, free), but I couldn’t bring myself to open it. This felt like punch-down humor from a place that sells (admittedly delicious) chicken (that I haven’t eaten in years), and I still don’t know how I feel about it. On one hand, it’s kinda funny. A romance starring The Colonel. I chuckled. On the other, it was obviously made with the distinct purpose of making fun, and not in the Chuck Tingle or Velociraptor Sex way. Did you read it? Hit reply and tell me your thoughts.

In happier news, with RT Convention comes the RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards. I haven’t read all of them, but I’ll have to get on that soon. The ones I have read include Marrying Winterborne  and Forbidden, which are definitely deserving.

Have you noticed that even with Netflix, Hulu and Amazon making so much original content, we still aren’t at the level of romcom greatness that we were two decades ago? Some of us have, and an intrepid group of women came together to start PassionFlix, which is not porn, if your friends ask. The future streaming platform will not only feature romantic favorites, but also produce new feature-length films based on our favorite romances. The list of those in production currently includes titles by Alessandra Torre and Jill Shalvis, with tons more on the way. Want to play a part in the endeavor? You can become a Founding Member.

Pardon my squeals, but Gail Carriger has finally de-secrefied her super secret project, nicknamed SAS in communiques over the course of the past several months. If you’ve read her short Marine Biology, you’ll be familiar with Biff, the main character of The Sumage Solution: San Andreas Shifters #1. Carriger’s Parasolverse novels are great, but I’m excited to see what G. L. Carriger’s modern paranormal work looks like!

Over on Book Riot:

Want to make your TBR explode? Check out Amanda Diehl’s list of 100 books by International Romance Authors to check out. Oh man. Lots of good stuff and so many new discoveries to make.

Do you like tinyletters? A couple of the authors Annika mentions in her list of good tinyletters about books and writing to follow are romance writers. Maybe they can help get me off my behind and finish that first draft I’ve been working on forever.

On To Recs!

Bombshell, CD Reiss

Are you ready to fall in love? There are three people to fall for in this book, which was apparently born out of a fan feeling the need for party boy Brad to have a kid. That kid is Nicole, who we meet in quite the situation at the nanny HQ where Cara is waiting to sign a contract. She doesn’t work for Hollywood types, but Nicole doesn’t want anyone but her. The compromise Cara and Brad come up with is all kinds of precious, and the exchanges throughout the book are the same. If there’s a good word to describe this book, it’s sweet—but there is also quite the bit of spicy. Like serious spicy. Sweet, cute, heartbreaking, and sexy. What else do you want in your romance?

Concourse, Santino Hassell

This was my first Santino Hassell book, but I went ahead and got Sutphin Boulevard when I finished; I need to start this series from the beginning. And I need to get more of Santino’s writing in my brain. In Concourse, we meet Val and Ash, an Odd Couple if we ever saw one: Val is an amateur boxer who does odd jobs for his super, while Ash is a glam Kardiashanesque socialite with the Instagram following to show for it. Valdrin’s parents moved to The Bronx from Albania, and his mom was Ashton’s nanny, meaning the two pretty much grew up together. Val will do anything for Ash, as we discover very early on.

It didn’t take long for me to fall in love with these two; almost immediately, you can tell there’s something special about their relationship, even if they both drive you mad with frustration. If you’re looking for a friends-to-lovers story with complex characters who have even complexer issues, this is the book for you. Also, you can hit two Read Harder Challenge categories with this one.

As usual, some books to keep an eye out for:

Haven, Rebekah Weatherspoon (in case you didn’t last time)

Lethal Lies, Rebecca Zanetti

Buns, Alice Clayton (5/23)

Guilty Pleasure, Brenda Jackson (5/29)

In Name Only: 9 Fake-It-To-Make-It Romances (5/29)

Called Out, Jen Doyle (5/29)

Shacking Up, Helena Hunting (5/30)

Until You, Denise Grover Swank (5/30)

Time to get back to reading (catch up? what’s that?). In the meantime, 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!

Until next time, m’loves!