It's like Summer Reading Bingo, Except Winter, and Also Unhinged.
RECOMMENDED: Homemaker by Ruthie Knox and Annie Mare is $2.49 at Amazon! Sarah reviewed this and gave it a B+:
Homemaker is extremely, vibrantly feminist, though Prairie is not so much angry all the time (she is sometimes) as she is fed up and unafraid to point out all of the ways that women’s perceptions, labor, and accomplishments are devalued – unless that women’s work makes the man in her life look good to other people.
Hey Look! It’s a Friday Video! (Shall we bring those back?) This week is Episode 700 of the podcast, and I’ve done both an audio and video version of the show because my guest, Amanda Matta (aka matta_of_fact) and I are examining some old skool romance covers through an art history lens. Amanda has degrees in art history and museum studies, and while she may be more known for her royals commentary, I love her podcast Art … Continue reading Episode 700: The Video!
Happy 700th Episode!! Amanda Matta is a debut author (her book is coming in 2027!), media commentator, royal analyst, and an art historian. I’ve mentioned Amanda, and her podcast Art of History, which I love. In that show, she focuses on one particular piece of art and explains the history, context, symbolism, and even the details of how it was made. I like it. So I thought, why not have Amanda Matta give the Art … Continue reading 700. An Art History Analysis of Romance Covers with Amanda Matta
Consort of Fire by Kit Rocha is $1.99! This is book one in Bound to Fire and Steel fantasy romance series. Book two is also on sale. Have you read either book? What did you think?
Cinder House is such a clever, inventive, re-imaging of Cinderella! This novella stuffs in a lot at the last minute, but other than that, it’s perfect. Here is how the book begins. It’s not a spoiler – I’m literally quoting the first words of the book. Ella’s father died of the poison in their tea. Ella drank less and so might have lived, and not turned ghost at all, if the house hadn’t shrieked for … Continue reading Cinder House by Freya Marske
The transcript for episode 698 is now available, too!
Welcome back and happy new year! My 2026 has started with a Backstreet Boys concert and getting the flu, so you win some, you lose some. The flu has also made it increasingly harder to get back into work mode. How is your year kicking off? … AI has been a big topic on the site lately (and honestly everywhere else). Enjoy this rabbit hole of a viral reddit post from a delivery app whistleblower. … Continue reading Links: Board Games, Daryl Hall, & More
10 Things That Never Happened by Alexis Hall is $1.99 and a KDD! This is book one in the Material World series. Given the similar cover designs, I believe it’s tangentially related to Boyfriend Material and Husband Material. Let us know in the comments!
This guest review comes from Lisa! A longtime romance aficionado and frequent commenter to SBTB, Lisa is a queer Latine critic with a sharp tongue and lots of opinions. She frequently reviews at All About Romance and Women Write About Comics, where she’s on staff, and you can catch her at _@thatbouviergirl on Twitter. There, she shares good reviews, bracing industry opinions and thoughtful commentary when she’s not on her grind looking for the next … Continue reading Love at First Sighting by Mallory Marlowe
This piece of literary mayhem is exclusive to Smart Bitches After Dark, but fret not. If you’d like to join, we’d love to have you! Have a look at our membership options, and come join the fun! If you want to have a little extra fun, be a little more yourself, and be part of keeping the site open for everyone in the future, we can’t wait to see you in our new subscription-based section … Continue reading Join the Smart Bitches Valentine’s Day Card Exchange!
Eliza and the Duke by Harper St. George is $1.99! This is book two in The Doves of New York series and came out last summer.
