SBTB is more independent, and probably 48% more silly
RECOMMENDED: The Midnight Bargain by C.L. Polk is $1.99! Shana gave it an A-:
Readers who like cultural world building with a feminist lens, and don’t mind a quick romantic connection that takes most of the book to resolve, might like The Midnight Bargain.
Kelly Farmer is the author of the Out on the Ice series of hockey romances, and a former improvisational actor. We talk about cover artist magic, her series, and identify a few reason why hockey is such a popular setting for romances. Then we talk about how improvisational theatre exercises and techniques influence and improve writing. So if you’re stuck in your writing, maybe this will help. I also finally learn to say Megan Rapino’s … Continue reading 553. Improv Improving Your Writing with Kelly Farmer
RECOMMENDED: Sofia Khan is Not Obliged by Ayisha Malik is 99c! Carrie reviewed this on and gave it B+:
This book succeeds because Sofia is so delightful. She’s devout but she sneaks cigarettes sometimes (often, actually). She’s smart and funny, but also young and uncertain. She makes a lot of mistakes but she’s always trying to do the right thing. She loves her family and they love her. Her voice is distinctive and endearing.
This Rec League is from Kay. Thanks, Kay! My catnip: books with two plots, relevant to each other, taking place in different time periods. An example would be Sarah Maine’s The House Between Tides or Kate Morton’s The Forgotten Garden. There’s usually a romantic element but they’re not necessarily romances. Sarah: Does Susanna Kearsley fit, I wonder? It’s dual time line but sometimes the characters cross over or between the timelines. But if this person … Continue reading The Rec League: Dual Timelines
Hi all! It’s Wednesday! I am very tired. My partner and I made a lot of expensive, adult purchases over the weekend for the new place. I am, however, very excited to actually have a decor theme for rooms instead of a hodge podge of furniture I’ve had for over a decade. My old cat, Linus, did some crawl space exploring. You can see him here, looking absolutely filthy. All in all, things went smoothly! … Continue reading Links: The Golden Girls, Entertainment News, & More
Fated Blades by Ilona Andrews is $1.99! Lots of Andrews fans here! This is book three in the Kinsmen series, which I’m not familiar with. Do these have to be read in order? Would love to know!
It’s Bachelor night everyone! Pudding is too busy ordering sushi from Door Dash to care. Pudding: Do I want extra tuna on my spicy tuna roll? Yes. Yes, I do. We’re in Budapest now. The first one-on-one goes to Kaity. Both Kat and Kaity are blondes with wavy balayaged hair, and I’m having a hard time telling them apart. They take a funicular to look out over the city. Zach says he still gets butterflies when … Continue reading Elyse Watches The Bachelor–S26 E7: You and I Remember Budapest Very Differently
Back in March 2021, librarian HeatherS emailed us about the Classics of Romance hardcover edition: I purchased this signed hardcover copy of Skye O’Malley by Bertrice Small about 3 years ago in a used bookstore. It was published in 1996. I thought it was an interesting and unusual edition and think it might have been a special order-by-mail book club of some kind. Any help you or the community can give me would be much … Continue reading HaBO Update: Classics of Romance Edition
RECOMMENDED: Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton is $2.99! Carrie gave this one an A-, but warns it’s definitely not a romance. Definitely skim her review to see if this book is right for you:
This book broke my heart but it also made me so happy.
This HaBO is from Becky, who wants to find this historical romance: It’s a Beauty and the Beast/Cinderella type regency romance. (Hopefully I’m not mixing up 2 titles!) The heroine shows up to the hero’s house pretty much destitute in a snowstorm or rainstorm and he has a pretty nasty attitude. He won’t put her back into the weather, at least but he is every bit a beast. She might have had a carriage or … Continue reading HaBO: One of Many Beauty & the Beast Historicals
RECOMMENDED: Miss Lattimore’s Letter by Suzanne Allain is $1.99! Carrie reviewed this one and gave it a B+:
This book is grounded in good detail and good characters who undergo believable and meaningful arcs, but it’s basically the warm fuzzy socks of the book world – super comfortable and comforting, completely non-demanding, and not challenging in any way.
