When A Court of Thorns and Roses first came out, I read it, enjoyed it, and didn’t think much else about it. This was back when it was marketed as YA and before social media exploded the Maas-verse. This year, I was adapting to a new chronic illness diagnosis and treatment protocol, and struggling with burnout partially caused by that illness, plus working and helping with care for a loved one with dementia. I took … Continue reading A Court of Splintered Harmony by Sarah J. Maas →
A solid low-spice Regency with a faith-based backing, Pride and Practicality examines the pressure of societal prejudice, the weight of the past, and the hope that goodness will find and protect us. It has a few bumps along the way, but overall it’s an intelligent and beautiful experience. Rector Thomas Bridges is not one for stuffy ballrooms; his heart is more concerned with lofty matters. But his mother wants him to settle down and get … Continue reading Pride and Practicality by Pepper Basham →
“No good day had ever started without breakfast. And no bearable one had ever started without a cup of tea” – Not Quite a Witch. The highest compliment I can pay Not Quite a Witch was that it felt like a wonderful trip into Disney’s Haunted Mansion Ride. It’s giddy, well-written and wonderfully witty. I loved the romance, the worldbuilding and the characters here – it’s one of the best spooky season reads I’ve encountered … Continue reading Not Quite a Witch by Anna Stockings →
What the Smut? ain’t got an ounce of class, sugar. It was like reading a romance novel written by Dee Reynolds from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. I got a lot of enjoyment out of it, but some uneven moments — and a ridiculous saccharine ending – kept me from giving it more than a high C. I had a hell of a lot of fun reading it: it’s delightful for what it is and … Continue reading What the Smut? by C. Hallman →
This guest review comes from Lisa! A longtime romance aficionado and frequent commenter to SBTB, Lisa is a queer Latine critic with a sharp tongue and lots of opinions. She frequently reviewed at All About Romance and Women Write About Comics, where she’s on staff, and you can catch her at @thatbouviergirl on Twitter. There, she shares good reviews, bracing industry opinions and thoughtful commentary when she’s not on her grind looking for the next … Continue reading The Santa Claus Con by Lauren Kung Jessen →
Sometimes, you get a romance that crosses your desk and it’s cute as a button and you want to shout it from the mountaintops. As I write this review, we’re within inches of starting World Series season, so why not take a look at a bat-swinging romance with a very cute central conceit and a whole lot of ballgame-related shenanigans. It did have a couple of weak points, but overall I really enjoyed this little … Continue reading Batter Up! by Kristy Mallory →
This guest review is from Jane! Jane credits romance novels with at long last sorting out the muddle of misconceptions she grew up with about sex and identity. She only wishes she’d learned the word “demisexual” sooner! She and Sarah talked about the prevalence of penetrative sex in romance novels in episode 658 of the podcast. Jane writes cozy romantasy, copyedits science papers, and teaches bread-making classes in North Carolina. You can find her on … Continue reading Thighs Wide Shut by Hayley Fleming →
TW: sexual harassment, use of lab animals (not shown suffering) Highlight to read. Lara: I have a theory that having been raised on rom-coms of the 90s and 2000s, I find it exceptionally difficult for a contemporary rom-com to meet all my expectations. I want wit and charm and swooning and that delicious warm feeling of falling in love. I get this feeling from loads of books, maybe because for me books are more immersive … Continue reading Movie Review: The Love Hypothesis →
Uncharacteristically for me, I picked something up that isn’t explicitly a romance. I’d seen TikToks and Instagram posts about this series from people who loved it. Yes, I confess the hype got me. When a friend sent me a gift voucher, I had the perfect excuse to buy the book and I’m so glad I did. (At only 149 pages and US$10/162.50 ZAR, it was tough to justify with the exchange rate being what it … Continue reading The Unselected Journals of Emma M Lion: Volume 1 by Beth Brower →
I’m incredibly tickled by the fact that A/B/O fanfiction has somehow leaked into the mainstream romance world. I suppose we can thank Mate for that, but I’ve been seeing these tropes – mainly played out between two male characters – in fandoms for years. Alas, when it’s all about a het couple, things can get…regressive. This werewolf shifter A/B/O unfortunately does play into some of those dull old tropes, but it’s also a priceless hoot. … Continue reading UNAwere by Jess McFarlane →
This guest review comes from Lisa! A longtime romance aficionado and frequent commenter to SBTB, Lisa is a queer Latine critic with a sharp tongue and lots of opinions. She frequently reviews at All About Romance and Women Write About Comics, where she’s on staff, and you can catch her at @thatbouviergirl on Twitter. There, she shares good reviews, bracing industry opinions and thoughtful commentary when she’s not on her grind looking for the next … Continue reading The Librarian of a Lyon by Linda Rae Sande →
