This week, the New York Times published a holiday romance round up I wrote, and I am SO proud of it, y’all. Extreme chuff. Maximum delight. All the things. And the title is cute! Holiday Romance Novels to Make Your December Merry and Bright! (Gift link.) I wanted to focus on 2024 holiday romances – there are, well, quite a few – and include as many cultures, holidays, observances, and perspectives as possible. I’m honestly … Continue reading A NYT Holiday Romance Roundup →
Hey, everyone! Here’s how we’re kicking off our reading this December: Amanda: I’ve started The Rose Code by Kate Quinn, which I picked for our inaugural workplace book club meeting. Sarah: I have a veritable buffet of books that I am reading. Like a sampler. In historical, I’m reading Tall, Dark and December by Tracy Sumner. In contemporary short I’m going to start Riding Nick by Suleikha Snyder. And in fantasy, aim reading The Alpha … Continue reading Whatcha Reading? December 2024, Part One →
RECOMMENDED: A Strange and Stubborn Endurance by Foz Meadows is $2.99! Carrie read this and gave it a B+ (check her review for triggers):
If Game of Thrones was about two brilliant cinnamon roll heroes in a world where a few people are vile and a few people are ruthless, but most people are either flat-out awesome or at the very least pretty OK, it would sort of resemble this book.
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Christmas with the Queen is a cozy historical romance that would be perfect for fans of The Crown or anglophiles in general. The royal family are a backdrop to this romance, but it’s not about them directly. It’s also a blend of historical fiction and romance that I think will work for non-romance readers. The book alternates between VE Day in 1945, and the “present” day in the 1950’s. The book opens in 1952 with … Continue reading Christmas with the Queen by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb →
We’re taking a tour around the US with stops in California, Ohio, Maryland, Texas, and Georgia with Carrie, Jenna, Melissa, Lisa, Josephine, and Cara! We’ve got holiday wishes and a bunch of recommendations. Thank you to everyone who signed up in record numbers to do a holiday recording with me. These are very fun! Music: purple-planet.com
The Briar Club by Kate Quinn is $1.99! Quinn writes some great historical fiction and this one came out over the summer. We featured it on Hide Your Wallet. I can also understand if reading about McCarthyism feels a little too much right now.
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If you’ve ever dreamed of love between a woman and a flamingo, then your wish is granted. The Flamingo’s Fated Mate, the first in a series of novellas about Lawn Ornament shifters, tells of romance between a baker and a millionaire who is also a flamingo shifter. I present the following without judgment, purely for your factual edification: No one has sex in the form of a flamingo (lawn ornament or actual). The sex that … Continue reading The Flamingo’s Fated Mate by Elva Birch →
Hello, everyone and happy Wednesday! This edition of Wednesday Links is very video heavy and while nothing is NSFW, you still may want to use headphone. I have discovered two things that have taken over my life. One is Cabot’s Triple Cream Vanilla Bean Greek Yogurt. It’s so delicious. I like to mix it with some lemon curd or jam and top with granola. The second thing is a new (and free!) game called Infinity Nikki. … Continue reading Links: Paul Rudd, Best Romances, & More →
The Perks of Loving a Wallflower by Erica Ridley is $1.99! This is book two in The Wynchesters historical romance series. This one has been mentioned a couple times on the site, including a Hide Your Wallet post and Get Rec’d with Amanda.
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This piece of literary mayhem is exclusive to Smart Bitches After Dark, but fret not. If you’d like to join, we’d love to have you! Have a look at our membership options, and come join the fun! If you want to have a little extra fun, be a little more yourself, and be part of keeping the site open for everyone in the future, we can’t wait to see you in our new subscription-based section … Continue reading Tarot After Dark With CarrieS →
