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Holiday Gift Guide 2025: White Elephant, Secret Santa, and Yankee Trader Gifts

You know those $10- or $20-or-less gift exchanges? We've got suggestions. So does Elvis.

Podcast

505. Wedding Tales with Jesse Q. Sutanto

Jesse Q. Sutanto joins me today to talk about the release of Four Aunties and a Wedding, and we talk about all the wedding drama we’ve experienced from behind the scenes and as guests. We talk about weddings with thousands of guests, runaway brides, cultural clashes and the weight of wedding expectations. I would love to know: Do you have a wedding drama story? Did you witness some serious nuptial shenanigans? Please tell me all … Continue reading 505. Wedding Tales with Jesse Q. Sutanto

Books On Sale

Chocolate, YA, & More

Books on Sale: This Earl of Mine by Kate Bateman & More

This Earl of Mine by Kate Bateman is $2.99! This is the first book in a rather new historical romance series. I gave this one a B-, because while the leads were great together, there were a lot of other distracting plot threads. Elyse loved the second one and I would definitely recommend the series, despite my quibbles.

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The Rec League: Bi/Pan Heroines

The Rec League - heart shaped chocolate resting on the edge of a very old book

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

Lightning Review

Hither, Page by Cat Sebastian

Hither Page

I started reading Hither, Page, finished it too quickly, immediately hunted down the sequel, The Missing Page, and read that too quickly as well. One tagline I’ve seen reads, “​​cozy mystery like Agatha Christie but make it gay.” It’s not so cozy that the dead have about as much impact as a dissolving dead NPC in a video game; the cozy has sharp edges. For example, there’s the bucolic setting, but around the borders are … Continue reading Hither, Page by Cat Sebastian

Links: Kickstarters, Swaddling, & More

Workspace with computer, journal, books, coffee, and glasses.

Welcome back, y’all! It’s April! Both a great and terrible time for me! April means my birthday, but it also could mean the start of seasonal allergies. Allergies are really a wild card, considering last year we still had a snowfall in mid-April. I also have yet to find any over the counter medicines that consistently work well for me. Today, I’ll be seeing the 25th anniversary showing of Princess Mononoke and I’m pretty excited! Do … Continue reading Links: Kickstarters, Swaddling, & More

Lightning Review

From Hollywood With Love by Scott Meslow

From Hollywood with Love

Fans of the romantic comedy genre will no doubt enjoy the nonfiction book, From Hollywood With Love: The Rise and Fall (And Rise Again) Of The Romantic Comedy. This book is a history of the “modern” rom-com in film starting with When Harry Met Sally (1989) and ending with To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018). Along the way it discusses what a rom-com is and isn’t, why some work and some don’t, the … Continue reading From Hollywood With Love by Scott Meslow

Help A Bitch Out

HaBO: Sexy Glove Removal Scene

This HaBO request is from author Delphine Dryden, who is scouring the earth for this historical romance: Big fan, long time reader, first time HABO applicant. This one has been driving me nuts for years, because the one scene I remember from this book is my second favorite sexy glove-removal scene of all time (the favorite, of course, being Dain’s removal of Jessica’s glove in Lord of Scoundrels). I would love to read the book … Continue reading HaBO: Sexy Glove Removal Scene

Amanda is our Guest on LoveStruck Daily Today!

LoveStruck Daily - with Sarah Wendell and Alisha Rai

Amanda is our guest on LoveStruck Daily today! I know some of y’all love the podcasts with Amanda, and this week, Amanda joins Alisha and me to talk about dating apps and connecting with new people. In the episode today, April 5, Amanda talks about the difference between dating in her 20s as opposed to dating in her 30s. Then, she gets a live makeover of her dating profile with Alisha! It’s very fun – … Continue reading Amanda is our Guest on LoveStruck Daily Today!

Stuff We Like: Eurovision Australia Decides

Eurovision - Australia Decides

Dedicated to Catherine, She of the Billion Cakes, Ever Brilliant in Gold Lame, Mermaid Songstress, etc etc, all 17 of her. And Psycho Kitten. As with all our Eurovision coverage here at SBTB, this post is long, with video embeds that we have carefully triple-checked for global accessibility. Grab some snacks and a drink and prepare to open many tabs, to sample much variety of music, and, if you’re like Sarah, to add a whole … Continue reading Stuff We Like: Eurovision Australia Decides

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