For months I've been anticipating Clarence A. Haynes's adult debut, The Ghosts of Gwendolyn Montgomery. This is one of those books that plays like a movie, with high action and plenty of other-worldly intrigue to hold your interest from start to finish. Set in present-day New York City, it follows Gwendolyn, an overworked but effective... Continue Reading →
Two years ago, I enjoyed Jodie Slaughter's romance, Play to Win, so I was excited to read more from her. Her newest book is Ready to Score, a rivals-to-lovers romance between two women aiming for the same head coach position at the high school where they work. Though both books (and Bet on It) are... Continue Reading →
Who doesn't love a pop punk cruise? This is what caught my attention with Alicia Thompson's Never Been Shipped. I've already been wanting to read her books since With Love, from Cold World came out; the Paramore reference was like a siren call. That one is still on my TBR, but today, one of its... Continue Reading →
I haven't read nearly enough romantic mysteries, and the ones I have read are usually historical. But there have been some exciting contemporary romantic mysteries lately, including He's to Die For by Erin Dunn. It just came out earlier this week and I loved it! What I Liked: Music-industry mystery. If you've read many of... Continue Reading →
I'm a person who's obsessed with time and reality and the butterfly effect of everyday life decisions. This is what drew me to Paige Harbison's adult debut, The Other Side of Now. Over a decade after losing her best friend, Meg Bryan is a successful actress, but she's not happy. Nothing in her life is... Continue Reading →
A new thriller I've been looking forward to for months is out today: The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark. This dual-timeline story explores how a horrific trauma can haunt a family for decades. Vincent Taylor was one of three teenaged siblings growing up in 1970s Ojai, California. But both his older brother and younger sister were... Continue Reading →
Next week, V. E. Schwab will release her highly anticipated new novel, Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil. Divided between three timelines—1520s and 1530s in Spain; 1827 in London; 2019 in Boston—it follows three young women craving something more in life. But there's a price to pay when seeking freedom and answers. Though I've... Continue Reading →
At long lost, Along Came Amor by Alexis Daria is finally here. The third book in her Primas of Power trilogy, this one follows Ava after her divorce is finalized. In the midst of trying to make some changes in her life, she meets Roman at a bar and begins a months-long occasional relationship that... Continue Reading →
Following Brendan Slocumb's first two books, he's become one of my favorite authors, especially for his unique blend of music, discussions of race, and crime fiction. His newest book, The Dark Maestro, came out earlier this week. While it has his trademarks—here, a Black cellist from a low class background—this one focuses more on the... Continue Reading →
The past few years I have been loving Kennedy Ryan's Skyland series. Now the trilogy ends with Can't Get Enough, Hendrix's story. Career-focused and confident, Hendrix isn't willing to sacrifice her goals for a man. But when she meets Maverick, a tech mogul, she needs to consider whether being with him is worth risking a... Continue Reading →
Asexual representation, Mexican American women falling in love, a viral TikTok scavenger hunt—all of this can be found in Gabriella Gamez's new novel, Kiss Me, Maybe. This is the second in her Librarians in Love series, and even if you haven't read the first book yet (I haven't), it works well as a standalone romance.... Continue Reading →
Tomorrow is the release of Natalie Jenner's fourth novel, Austen at Sea. While this book continues her theme of Austeneque historical fiction, it goes back farther in time, to 1865, and features people who knew Jane Austen in her lifetime. It follows two sisters who begin corresponding with Sir Francis Austen, brother of the famous... Continue Reading →
It may not be summer yet, but the weather is getting nice and it's the perfect time to get a preview of more to come with Ms. V's Hot Girl Summer by A.H. Cunningham. Single mom Trinidad Velasquez is looking to finally settle down with a man years after her divorce. She tries to ignore... Continue Reading →
This week saw the release of Meryl Wilsner's fourth novel, My Best Friend's Honeymoon. When Elsie ends her engagement to Derrick, he encourages her to go on the the non-refundable honeymoon to Santa Lupita that he'd booked. Elsie takes her best friend, Ginny, who makes her promise to speak up for what she wants the... Continue Reading →
One of the best books out this month is When the Harvest Comes by Denne Michele Norris. Unfolding like a tapestry, this novel starts with two men on their wedding day, a day that also ends with the death of one of their fathers. Weaving in themes of grief, gender identity, family, and the importance... Continue Reading →
Two months ago, J. Ann Thomas released her adult debut, The Spirit Collection of Thorne Hall. This modern gothic follows Elegy Thorne, a young woman whose family has managed a haunted estate for over a century. Fifteen spirits are trapped in Thorne Hall, and once Elegy's father passes, it will be up to her to... Continue Reading →
Ever since having my first child last year, I've been more interested in books about motherhood and young children. This made The Guilt Pill by Saumya Dave one of my most anticipated books this spring. When Maya Patel has her son, she finds herself struggling to balance parenting with her job as the founder and... Continue Reading →
One of my most anticipated books out today is Bailey Seybolt's debut, Coram House. Inspired by true events, this novel follows an investigative journalist as she delves into a decades-old crime at a Vermont orphanage. Back in 1968, a boy named Tommy drowned under suspicious circumstances. In 2016, Alex Kelley is working on a book... Continue Reading →
We're only three weeks away from the release of Natalie Jenner's fourth novel, Austen at Sea. While this book continues her theme of Austeneque historical fiction, this one goes back farther in time, to 1865, and features people who knew Jane Austen in her lifetime. It follows two sisters who begin corresponding with Sir Francis... Continue Reading →
Happy release week to The Gods Time Forgot, the debut novel by Kelsie Sheridan Gonzalez. Set in New York during the Gilded Age, this novel opens with Rua awakening with amnesia. The people around her claim she's Emma Harrington, daughter of a local wealthy family, but she's certain she's not. As Rua navigates the season... Continue Reading →
This week saw the release of Lissette Decos's second novel, Takes One to Know One. Set primarily in Puerto Rico, this enemies-to-lovers romance follows up-and-coming reggaetonero Rene ‘El Rico’ Rodriguez... and Daniela, the reggaeton-hating record label executive working with him while he records his debut album. Why I Chose This Book: I never pass up... Continue Reading →
This week, Myah Ariel released her second novel, No Ordinary Love. It follows her previous book, When I Think of You, this time diving into the music industry, a woman going through a brutal divorce, and the new chance at love she finds along the way. Why I Chose This Book: I wanted to read... Continue Reading →
Following the reprint of My Funny Demon Valentine in January, Aurora Ascher's second Hell Bent novel, My Demon Hunter, is out today. Here, instead of focusing on one of the four "brother" demons escaped from Hell, it follows the hunter sent to find them and his decision to find a human pet—ahem, girlfriend. Mist ends... Continue Reading →
Happy book birthday to Just Our Luck by Denise Williams! Donuts, a winning lottery ticket, and fake dating make for a sweet and escapist romance between two total opposites. Although I picked up her first book, How to Fail at Flirting, a couple years ago, this is my first time reading Denise Williams, but not... Continue Reading →
Amanda's Book Corner 