This came in through a discussion with Lauren for their After Dark requests. There are some great convos that happen for After Dark quarterly recs! She’s rejected by the love interest who eventually realizes they want her back and now must grovel. Amanda: This idea came from a read of The Tyrant Alpha’s Rejected Mate by Cate C. Wells, which didn’t fully land with Lauren but they really like the trope. I really loved this … Continue reading The Rec League: Rejected→
This Bookstore Trip Report is from HeatherS! Her current obsessions are buying books at romance bookstores and being a card-carrying member of the Bad Decisions Book Club. A longtime member of the SBTB community, HeatherS currently lives in Texas where currently her brain is at least 90% Heated Rivalry now – hyperfixation say what? We’re doing a double bookstore visit today! Finney’s Books opened in east Austin, Texas in December 2025. Originally open just on … Continue reading Bookstore Trip Report: Finney’s Books and Flutter Romance Bookstore, Austin TX→
…its X-Files/Welcome to Nightvale sensibility and musings on existential vs nihilistic philosophies really hit the spot for me. I even liked the fact that what seems like a potential romance turns out to be something else.
Welcome back! We just got off the waitlist for our local farm share. Honestly, it couldn’t have come at a better time with this diarrhea parasite running around. We pick up our first share today and I’m honestly really excited. We’re doing fruit, veg, eggs, and local cheese. Aside from that, we just started baby shower planning. We’re hoping to make it pretty casual. No games. No sitting in a big circle while people watch me … Continue reading Links: Jimothy, Widow’s Bay, & More→
For the duration of my time with The Cloak and Dagger Club, there was one question which I kept asking myself: Why am I still reading this book? It was the same reason I finish every murder-mystery novel I pick up: I need to know who the killer is. Often this is to my detriment. I have dragged my suffering self through many a terrible novel just to know who killed the victim. It’s okay, … Continue reading The Cloak and Dagger Club by Jackie McMahon→
Lost and Lassoed by Lyla Sage is $1.99! This is the third book in the Rebel Blue Ranch series. We mentioned this on Hide Your Wallet. The hero and heroine have a longstanding dislike for one another.
This HaBO is from Jennifer, who wants to find this Harlequin Romance: Looking for a 1980s Harlequin Romance (not Presents). Brown-toned cover. Contemporary setting. Hero played piano and sang Rod Stewart’s “You’re in My Heart” (“you’ll be my breath should I grow old”). Heroine cared for his niece and nephew while their mother received medical treatment and mother’s name was Marigold. The heroine met the mother and two children on a ship and helped because … Continue reading HaBO: “You’re in My Heart” by Rod Stewart→
Happy Tuesday! There are a handful of books on our radar this week, namely contemporary romances. There’s only one release week left and that is shaping up to be a doozy when it comes to new releases. Which new releases are you excited for this week? Let us know in the comments!
RECOMMENDED: Act Like It by Lucy Parker is $1.99! If you haven’t read this yet, it was one of Sarah’s favorites. She says, “I mean, I could squee at you some MORE beyond my review but I think you’ve heard me already. I loved this book. You should read it. It’s delightful.”
I made a tactical error with this book. While I originally picked this one up because of the cover (a clearly plus size main character? Sold!) I read the acknowledgements before writing the review. In that piece of writing, it became clear just how much of the author’s own life was put on the page. Big things. Life changing things. It made me look at the book differently. I really enjoyed Vera Stein is Fine … Continue reading Vera Stein is Fine by Julie Murphy→