Happy book birthday to The Love Lyric by Kristina Forest! This is the final book in her Greene Sisters trilogy, in which eldest sister and single mom Iris finds an unlikely connection with a popular R&B singer, Angel. But with her past and carefully constructed life, can she pursue a future with a celebrity like... Continue Reading →
Lauren Kung Jessen is back with her third romance, Yin Yang Love Song. When a celebrity bad boy teams up with a woman who works at a family business, their complementary missions seem like the perfect duet: They'll fake date to play up his heartbreaker image and promote her heartbreak-healing retreat. But what happens when... Continue Reading →
This week, Julian Winters makes his adult debut with I Think They Love You. A second chance romance, fake dating, career ambitions, complex family connections—this book offers a lot and is so richly drawn. This is my first time reading this author and I already look forward to more. Why I Chose This Book: I... Continue Reading →
Sonora Reyes has been known for their YA novels, but The Broposal marks their first adult novel. Alejandro and Kenny have been best friends since they were in elementary school and roommates for several years. But Alejandro (Han) is undocumented and limited in what he can do in the United States. Kenny decides to marry... Continue Reading →
This week, Jo Segura released her second novel, Temple of Swoon. Following in the footsteps of her first book's characters, this one stars an up-and-coming archaeologist on a make-it-or-break-it assignment in Brazil. Too bad the photojournalist joining this dig is super cute... and secretly trying to sabotage the whole expedition. Why I Chose This Book:... Continue Reading →
Happy book birthday to For One Night Only, the debut novel by Jessica James! 2025 looks like it will be the year of music-related romances, and kicking things off is this wonderful book about a pop punk band getting back together for a one-off concert... and two of those bandmates reigniting that old spark between... Continue Reading →
When I first learned about Katie Holt's debut, Not in My Book, I was instantly intrigued. Not only do I love books about books, I'm also drawn to anything with Peruvian culture. (My husband is Peruvian and I lived in Lima for a year!) With an enemies-to-lovers romance arc and plenty of discussions around writing,... Continue Reading →
I loved Martha Waters's entire Regency Vows series, and though I knew I'd read anything she put out, I was surprised when she announced her next book: a contemporary holiday romance called Christmas Is All Around. It's such a different style of novel, starting with it not being set 200 years in the past. And... Continue Reading →
When Jamie Wesley released Fake It Till You Bake It, I was excited to read it. Now, the series continues with A Legend in the Baking, starring Sugar Blitz co-owner August and Donovan's younger sister, Sloane. Sloane has just been passed over for a promotion she deserved, so she quits and decides to pursue a... Continue Reading →
I always love a book that weaves in music somehow, and that's what first drew me to Showmance by Chad Beguelin. Noah Adams has just had his Broadway debut... but his musical, Stage of Fools, is an immediate flop. He goes back to his small hometown in Illinois to be with his parents after his... Continue Reading →
Last year I loved Dominic Lim's debut novel, All the Right Notes, so I was excited to get an early copy of his new book, Karaoke Queen. As before, the romance here is between Filipino men and involves a ton of music. This time, though, instead of Broadway musicals and high school choirs, these characters... Continue Reading →
It's back-to-school season, fall is almost here, and that makes it the perfect time to read Kristyn J. Miller's new novel, Given Our History. This dual-timeline, second chance romance is about two history professors (and former best friends) who haven't spoken in several years but are now back in each other's orbit. Clara and Teddy... Continue Reading →
Karina Halle is an author I enjoyed several years ago (she wrote some of the first adult romances I'd ever read, including Love, in English, its sequel Love, in Spanish, and The Pact). I've been wanting to read more from her for a while, and at long last, I'm back with her newest release, The... Continue Reading →
Matchmaking, fake dating, a grumpy/sunshine dynamic, and Desi culture: All that and more is in Sunshine and Spice, the debut novel by Aurora Palit. I was first drawn to this book for its cute cover and the title, but the joy only grew as I began reading it. Set in Kelowna, British Columbia, it's about... Continue Reading →
I have been loving Nisha Sharma's If Shakespeare Was an Auntie series and was so excited to read the final installment, Marriage & Masti. This Twelfth Night retelling is about Deepak and Veera, two career-focused friends who fell out of touch when he got engaged to another woman... then accidentally got married after that engagement... Continue Reading →
Prior to their newest release, I had read two of Casey McQuiston's books and loved both. I was excited to read their third adult novel, The Pairing, out this week. This one is a second chance romance between two childhood best friends, Kit and Theo, who had dated before a bad breakup four years ago.... Continue Reading →
In the past several years, I've been reading a ton of romances, but something I've never gotten to read yet? A romance starring Native American characters. Mysteries, thrillers, and literary fiction, sure, but no romances. So I was excited to learn of not one, but two new romances out this year by Indigenous authors and... Continue Reading →
In the last few years, there have been a number of books by Sajni Patel that I've wanted to read. Her new novel, The Design of Us, is out today, and it seemed like a great place to start. Set in Hawaii, it follows two bickering co-workers who start fake dating for the sake of... Continue Reading →
Tomorrow, one of my most anticipated July romances comes out: Not Another Love Song by Julie Soto. It's set in the world of music, but instead of the pop and rock that I usually read about, this takes us into the contemporary classical realm. Violinists and cellists, a New York City orchestra, and rivals who... Continue Reading →
Last year I adored Tehlor Kay Mejia's adult debut, Sammy Espinoza's Last Review, and I knew I wanted to read more from them. So I was excited to read their new romance, Cash Delgado Is Living the Dream. Set in the same world as the previous book, this one introduces us Cash, a single mom,... Continue Reading →
I've been loving the Meant to Be series, in which beloved Disney movies are reimagined into contemporary romances. The latest installment is Tangled Up in You by Christina Lauren, taking the 2010 film Tangled (one of my favorite Disney movies!) and giving it an exemplary new spin. Special thanks to Hyperion Avenue and NetGalley for providing me... Continue Reading →
Like so many, I've been hooked on Ali Hazelwood's romances ever since The Love Hypothesis first came out in 2021. But as much as I enjoyed that hilarious and awkward book, she's only gotten better with time. Her latest novel, Not in Love, may be her strongest yet. Special thanks to the publicists at Penguin,... Continue Reading →
For many months, I've been looking forward to Barely Even Friends, the debut novel by Mae Bennett. A contemporary romance that reimagines Beauty and the Beast and combines it with restoring an old mansion, I thought this would be a book I'd immediately love. Special thanks to Alcove Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC... Continue Reading →
A new romance I've been excited for this week is The Irish Goodbye by Amy Ewing. Set in Ireland and highlighting two characters who have gone through some difficult times lately, this is a heartfelt romance with wonderful side characters. The author has previously published YA novels; this is her first foray into adult romance.... Continue Reading →
Amanda's Book Corner 