Ignore your first impressions of the cover — yes, I’m already frantically googling that dress for the inevitable closing date of my Gothic mansion, but the cover doesn’t exactly scream romance novel. Rest assured, The Widow of Rose House is 100% a historical romance, complete with charming sequel-bait family members, protagonists smelling like sandalwood (it’s the heroine this time!), sex scenes with protection (more of this in historicals, please), and a central love story that … Continue reading The Widow of Rose House by Diana Biller →
We’re getting to close out October and that means it’s time for our second Whatcha Reading of the month! It’s tattoo day for me and I’m bringing a book. Will I be able to concentrate? We’re going to find out. Now let’s talk about what we’ve been reading! Carrie: My current bathroom book is Metazoa by Peter Godfrey-Smith . I also just finished Volume One of Something is Killing the Children which was WHOOOAAAA overwhelming … Continue reading Whatcha Reading? October 2021, Part Two →
In Diana Biller’s The Brightest Star in Paris, love is waiting; you only have to let it in. Amelie St. James, prima ballerina of the Paris Opera Ballet and the people’s saint, has spent seven years pretending. In the devastating aftermath of the Siege of Paris, she made a decision to protect her sister: she became the bland, sweet, pious “St. Amie” the ballet needed to restore its scandalous reputation. But when her first love reappears, … Continue reading The Brightest Star in Paris →
It’s that time again! Our second and last Whatcha Reading of October is where we chat about the books we’ve picked up in the last couple weeks. So far, the general consensus is that it’s been hard to stick with anything. Shana: I’m still reading Comet’s First Christmas by Delilah Night. It’s an intensely Christmassy f/f reindeer shifter romance where all of Santa’s reindeers are queer. It’s low heat, but also low-tension, which I’m enjoying. … Continue reading Whatcha Reading? October 2020 Edition, Part Two →
The Ripped Bodice is back with another round of Summer Romance Bingo. Visit their site for a printable bingo card and rules on how to win prizes! We’ll be playing along in our Goodreads group and helping one another out with recommendations. You can also follow The Ripped Bodice on Twitter for more recs. If you’re not on Goodreads, that’s okay! We’ll be giving some suggestions here and opening it up to the Bitchery for further … Continue reading Recommendations for The Ripped Bodice’s 2020 Summer Romance Bingo →
We’re wrapping up March with our second Whatcha Reading post and I have a feeling people have either read ALL THE THINGS or are in the midst of slump, like myself. If you missed it, I’ll be doing Books on Sale posts every single day for the duration of the pandemic, to keep everyone well-stocked on ebooks. Please keep take care of yourselves! We’re all in this together. Carrie: I just started The Earl Takes … Continue reading Whatcha Reading? March 2020 Edition, Part Two →
Happy Hanukkah, 2019! It’s the third night of Hanukkah 5780, and we’ve got a bookish, fun, and nifty giveaway tonight! Ready? Let’s do this! Today’s prize is: A book prize package with four much-loved 2019 titles, a tote bag, and a set of magnets, all handpicked by Amanda! Look how cute! Amanda went shopping at Belmont Books outside of Cambridge, MA, and you get the benefits! You’ll receive a super cute tote bag, a set … Continue reading Smart Bitches Happy Hanukkah Giveaway 2019 – Night Three! →
We have reached November! Many of us at SBTB HQ have been groaning about reading slumps. Is something in the air? Let’s get into what we’re reading now! Shana: I just started a bunch of novels in a moment of book hangover desperation. The one I’m enjoying the most so far is White Whiskey Bargain by Jodie Slaughter . It’s a marriage of convenience plot between two super sexy moonshine smugglers in contemporary Kentucky. Tara: … Continue reading Whatcha Reading? November 2019 Edition, Part One →
A young widow restores a dilapidated mansion with the assistance of a charming, eccentric genius, only to find the house is full of dangerous secrets in this effervescent Gilded Age debut novel It’s 1875, and Alva Webster has perfected her stiff upper lip after three years of being pilloried in the presses of two continents over fleeing her abusive husband. Now his sudden death allows her to return to New York to make a fresh … Continue reading The Widow of Rose House →
This Rec League comes from Anne. Thanks, Anne! I have an odd request that may be too narrow for a Rec League, but I thought I would ask. I am looking for books that are set or partially set in New York State, outside of NYC/Long Island. I’m originally from Central New York and have family who live or lived throughout “upstate NY” and I enjoy books where I can visit familiar places. I have … Continue reading The Rec League: New York Romances Outside of NYC →
This comes from Sarah J, who suggested this in our Submit Your Rec League post: Horror-romances or horror novels with a satisfying romantic arc please! Paranormal romances abound, but I’m having problems finding ones that are really grounded in the horror genre. I’m thinking of books along the lines of Simone St. James, Jenn Bennett’s Roaring 20s series, or Amanda Stevens’ Graveyard Queen books. I don’t know, I’m finishing my PhD in lockdown and have … Continue reading The Rec League: Horror Romance →
