Welcome back to Hide Your Wallet! We’re doing these things weekly now to stay on top of new releases and hopefully provide even more coverage of more books.
This time, we have some a holiday romance, a spicy series continuation, a sapphic foodie romance set on a reality show, and more! This might be the lightest release week for us at SBTB HQ, so get ready for some packed Hide Your Wallets ahead.
Which books are you looking forward to this week? Tell us all about ’em in the comments!
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A Holly Jolly Ever After
Author: Julie Murphy
Released: October 10, 2023 by Avon
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romance
Series: A Christmas Notch #2An actress and a perpetually single former boy-band member are reunited as costars on a steamy holiday film in this all new spicy rom-com by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone, bestselling coauthors of A Merry Little Meet Cute.
Kallum Liebermanis the funny one™. As the arguably lesser of the three former members of the boy band INK, he enjoyed his fifteen minutes of fame and then moved home where he opened a regional pizza chain called Slice, Slice, Baby! He’s living his best dad bod life, hooking up with bridesmaids at all his friends’ weddings. But after an old one-off sex tape is leaked and quickly goes viral, Kallum decides he’s ready to step into the spotlight again, starring in a sexy Santa biopic for the Hope Channel.
Winnie Baker did everything right. She married her childhood sweetheart, avoided the downfalls of adolescent stardom, and transitioned into a stable adult acting career. Hell, she even waited until marriage to have sex. But after her perfect life falls apart, Winnie is ready to redefine herself—and what better way than a steamier-than-a-steaming-hot-mug-of-cider Christmas movie?
With decade old Hollywood history between them, Winnie and Kallum are both feeling hesitant about their new situation as costars…especially Winnie who can’t seem to fake on screen pleasure she’s never experienced in real life. She’s willing to do the pleasure research—for science and artistic authenticity, of course. And there’s no better research partner than her bridesmaid sex tape hall of fame costar, Kallum. But suddenly, Kallum’s teenage crush on Winnie is bubbling to the surface and Winnie might be catching feelings herself.
They say opposites attract, but is this holly jolly ever after really ready for its close-up?
The latest book in the Christmas Notch series!
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Better Hate Than Never
Author: Chloe Liese
Released: October 10, 2023 by Berkley
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romance
Series: The Wilmot Sisters #2Childhood enemies discover the fine line between love and loathing in this heartfelt reimagining of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew.
Katerina Wilmot and Christopher Petruchio shared backyards as kids, but as adults they won’t even share the same hemisphere. That is, until Kate makes a rare visit home, and their fiery animosity rekindles into a raging inferno.
Despite their friends’ and families’ pleas for peace, Christopher is unconvinced Kate would willingly douse the flames of their enmity. But when a drunken Kate confesses she’s only been hostile because she thought he hated her, Christopher vows to make peace with Kate once and for all. Tempting as it is to be swept away by her nemesis-turned-gentleman, Kate isn’t sure she can trust his charming good-guy act.
When Christopher’s persistence and Kate’s curiosity lead to an impassioned kiss, they realize “peace” is the last thing that will ever be possible between them. As desire gives way to deeper feelings, Kate and Christopher must decide if it’s truly better to hate than to never risk their hearts—or if they already gave them away long ago.
Amanda: I enjoyed the first one in the series, so I’m definitely down to keep going!
Sarah: I love Shakespeare retellings, I LOVE The Taming of the Shrew, and I like how thoughtful Liese’s characters are – I’m looking forward to this.
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Love at 350°
Author: Lisa Peers
Released: October 10, 2023 by The Dial Press
Genre: Contemporary Romance, LGBTQIA, RomanceFood is their love language, but can they follow a recipe for romance?
When an unexpected and forbidden attraction starts to simmer between judge and contestant on the set of a TV baking competition, both women must decide what they’re willing to risk for the ultimate prize in this debut rom-com.
Tori Moore, popular high school chemistry teacher, avid home baker, and soon-to-be empty nester, auditions for the American Bake-o-Rama TV competition at the urging of her twin teenagers. If she somehow makes it all the way, the prize money could allow her to finally open her own bakery. But still reeling from her divorce and being naturally risk-averse, it’s not just money that’s standing between Tori and her dreams.
Once on set, Tori catches the eye of Kendra Campbell, the notoriously ruthless celebrity chef and Bake-o-Rama judge. Kendra is desperate to save her restaurant and expand her Chippy Chunk cookie empire, and the show is her ticket to financial security. But she’s been told to soften her approach in order to appease viewers seeking feel-good entertainment. After years spent fighting for space in a male-dominated industry, Kendra finds it challenging—and surprisingly rewarding—to make the shift from harsh critique to encouragement.
Tori, drawn to the uncompromising way Kendra moves through the world, senses a tenderness beneath her tough exterior. She and Kendra find it increasingly hard to keep their distance amid six weeks of cooking challenges and kitchen disasters. For both of them, the best prize of all might just be love.
Sparks fly in this delightful debut lesbian rom-com set in Sonoma wine country that’s as warm and satisfying as a chocolate lava cake.
Dahlia: This one’s heavy on the baking deliciousness and satisfies every craving as a GBBO fan.
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Mistletoe & Mishigas
Author: M.A. Wardell
Released: October 10, 2023 by M.A. Wardell
Genre: Contemporary Romance, LGBTQIA, Romance
Series: Teachers in Love #2Sheldon Soleskin should be having a horrible day. Even though he’s been unexpectedly transferred to a new school right before the holidays, has only one day to set up his new classroom, and just discovered his twin sister’s been hiding an invitation to his ex-boyfriend’s Christmas Eve wedding, he’s still ready to take on the world with a smile on his face and a skip in his step.
Theo Berenson just wants to be left alone to his custodial duties. But when the chipper new first-grade teacher needs help moving furniture the Sunday after Thanksgiving, he’s forced to do something he detests. Help. To make matters worse, Theo’s overbearing parents are coming for Hanukah in a few weeks, and he’s told them he has a boyfriend. Except he doesn’t. Because who would want to date an oaf like Theo?
Working together, these opposites discover they might be able to help each other out. Agreeing to be each other’s dates, they become friends as they practice for their upcoming events. But when all the rehearsing starts feeling a little too real, and both men’s pasts come roaring back to haunt them, will they be able to pull off the ultimate holiday masquerade?
Shana: This author’s debut was one of the best romances I read all year, so I’ve been dying to try this one.
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Madame
Author: Sara Cate
Released: October 12, 2023
Genre: Erotica/Erotic Romance, LGBTQIA, Romance
Series: Salacious Players' Club #6They think they know me, but they have no idea.
As a professional Domme, I see men and women come and go. But no one ever sticks around, and I like it that way.
I have a secret to protect—at all costs.
So when the cocky, handsome, and submissive Clay Bradley weasels his way into my heart, I do the one thing I’ve always excelled at. I push him away—forever. And like a good boy, he listens.
But a few months later, during a chance encounter, he shows up again, but this time he isn’t alone. He has the stunning Jade on his arm. And she has a request of her own.
She wants me to teach her.I should say no. Training a woman who makes my knees weak is bad enough. But this particular woman is dating the man who still has my heart. It’s a recipe for disaster.
Made worse by one simple fact—they know my secret.And they won’t let go.
But how can I protect what’s mine if I’m holding onto them too?
Jade and Clay are the only ones who truly see me and the only ones who know… I’m so much more than Madame.
Elyse: I have enjoyed this series so far and this main character has been teased for awhile.
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Three books on my tbr this week (one already mentioned above):
Sarina Bowen’s I’M YOUR GUY (October 10) is the second in her Hockey Guys series of m/m romances. This one features the relationship between a hockey player and an interior designer.
A HOLLY JOLLY EVER AFTER (October 10) is the third book in the Christmas Notch series of sexy rom-coms from Julie Murphy & Sierra Simone. The MCs are a former child star and a former boy-band member who are starring in a Christmas movie that’s on the “steamy” side. I expect the book to equally steamy.
OBSESSION FALLS (October 12) is the first book in Claire Kingsley’s New Haven Brothers series, set in the same universe as the Bailey Brothers books—although now the two families are no longer feuding, I’m sure Kingsley will find another source for an angsty storyline. OBSESSION FALLS is being marketed as romantic-suspense; I’m interested in what Kingsley (who generally has an overarching mystery threading through her series books) does with the sub-genre.
Cat Sebastian released a novella this week, Luke & Billy Finally Get a Clue. The main characters are baseball players in 1953, in the off-season. According to the author’s note, it’s set in the world of the Cabots but doesn’t feature them.
All on the TBR!
Love at 350 will make you bake a lot of goodies. I was very hungry every time I opened this book.
There is a new Donna Andrews mystery out today – “Let It Crow!”.
@LisaM WHAT a new Cat Sebastian?!! Thanks for the heads up because I was not aware of this at all.