I was sold on this book when I heard it has a donut shop called Amazin’ Glazin’. Yes, sure, new small town romance by one of my favourite authors, whatever. But DONUTS, friends, are important. Unsurprisingly, the donut shop name is just one of the many things I fell in love with when I read Beautiful Dreamer, because I am thoroughly smitten with this book. Everyone in the tiny South Carolina coastal town of Dreamer’s … Continue reading Beautiful Dreamer by Melissa Brayden →
NB: Please welcome Tara Scott with another squee-worthy review! Check out her previous squees of The Liberators of Willow Run and Courting the Countess. Tara reads a lot of lesbian romances. You can catch her regularly reviewing at The Lesbian Review and Curve Magazine and hear her talk about lesbian fiction (including romance) on her podcast Les Do Books. You can also hit her up for recommendations on Twitter (@taramdscott). … If you were to ask me for a … Continue reading Guest Squee: Strawberry Summer by Melissa Brayden →
Welcome to Whatcha Reading! It’s our first one of the month and we want to hear about which books are at the top of your TBR pile. Elyse: I’m reading Where the Dead Wait, which a horror novel about arctic exploration that includes cannibalism, so it feels weird to say it’s just incredibly beautifully written. If you like horror it’s a must read. Lara: I’m reading At First Spite by Olivia Dade. It’s a bit … Continue reading Whatcha Reading? February 2024, Part One →
What do you get when you combine a sweet cinnamon twist and robust Italian wine? Bestselling author Melissa Brayden’s You Had Me at Merlot, the perfect blend of sugar and spice. Bordeauxnuts is New York City magic, and it all belongs to Jamie Tolliver. A charming coffee and doughnut spot by day, Bordeauxnuts transforms with a sprinkle of powdered sugar into a cozy sophisticated wine bar each evening. Jamie’s enjoying a blueberry latte with her quirky band … Continue reading You Had Me At Merlot →
This Rec League comes from Will. Thanks, Will! I’m looking for a recommendation of a queer romance novel (ideally f/f or m/m or trans) with great side characters. I’d love a book with the feeling that the side characters have their own lives and their own stories. Bonus points if they don’t ship the main couple, get bored when the main character talks about their love life or are so occupied with their own problems … Continue reading The Rec League: Queer Communities →
It’s Rec League time! Thank you to Aubrey for sending this one in: Do you have recs for a feel-good contemporary with a bi/pansexual female main character? Bonus points if she discovers her full sexuality as an adult! I’ve seen books with trauma, bisexual men or supporting characters, bisexuality as a one-line mention, or it’s YA. Or the bisexual character is “just confused” or “experimenting.” Do good adult romance books with a bisexual woman exist? … Continue reading The Rec League: Bi/Pan Heroines →
This request comes from Anne. Thanks, Anne! I’m a successful self-made businesswoman. I love fiction with a romantic element about successful businesswomen, like classics by Judith Krantz and Barbara Taylor Bradford. But I have a hard time finding it. Too often businesswomen in romances are not that good at business (anxious, unsure about how to make the business work financially) relieved when a successful here comes to save them – or they are good at … Continue reading The Rec League: Competence Porn + Business Owners →
This is another request from our Submit Your Rec League post and it comes from Anne: Characters who compete in local competitions like the neighborhood garden award or a county fair baking competition. Bonus points for a rivalry with a dastardly neighbor that both main characters love to annoy. This one was a little tricky for us, so any and all recommendations are welcome! Tara: The leads join a weekly cornhole game in Beautiful Dreamer … Continue reading The Rec League: Small Town Competitions →
Whatcha Reading already?! I thought we did one of these just last week. Most of you all know the drill by now. Sound off in the comments about what you’ve been reading lately! Aarya: I recently finished Kit Rocha’s Deal with the Devil (out July 28) and enjoyed it. Sexy, exhilarating sci-fi road trip romance between two sets of found families (aka found family squared. They merge into a bigger found family and it’s so … Continue reading Whatcha Reading? July 2020 Edition, Part Two →
Ready to look at some pretty covers? Book design by Heather Palisi Maya: Here’s something that made me feel better! Aarya: Oh, hot damn How do I buy that jacket? People on covers have the best clothes. And the way the heart “splatters” to the side. Wow. Kudos to the cover designer. Amanda: The first one was good, cover-wise, but I think I like this one better. Maya: Agreed, I love the jacket and the … Continue reading Cover Awe: Latte Art & Functional Clothing →
Our latest Rec League comes from Frini. Thanks for sending it in! I’m looking for book recommendations that have a heroine struggling with something like impostor syndrome. Like, she needs validation about her life/work/looks. It can be a second chance romance, enemies to lovers…it’s all good 🙂 Anything on that front? Susan: Oh no, this is the character trait that most reduces me to gross sobbing. If you’ll excuse the fifteen volume manga: Library Wars: … Continue reading The Rec League: Imposter Syndrome →
