I'm a sucker for a good horror story, especially when dolls are involved. So The Doll's House by Lisa Unger immediately captured my attention. This short story follows Jules, recently widowed, and her teenage daughter, Scout. Both are still grieving, but Jules is already with a new man, Kirin, and they're moving into his house.... 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 →
Paranormal romances have been on the rise lately, and I've really been getting into them. One that just came out this month is A Werewolf's Guide to Seducing a Vampire by Sarah Hawley. It's the third in her Glimmer Falls series, but it works as a standalone (I still need to read the first two... Continue Reading →
Silvia Moreno-Garcia is one of my favorite authors, and despite how diversely she writes, she never misses. Her latest novel, The Seventh Veil of Salome, is one of her few works that isn't speculative fiction. Instead, this a historical fiction novel set in 1950s Hollywood, about two women vying for the same leading role in... Continue Reading →
This year is all about haunted house romances for me! As a fan of love stories and of supernatural horror, this combination is the perfect marriage for me. Jen DeLuca's latest book, Haunted Ever After, is the start of a new series set in the haunted Florida town of Boneyard Key. Cassie has just bought... Continue Reading →
A couple years ago I enjoyed Claire Kann's adult debut, The Romantic Agenda, and I was excited to read more from her. Instead of another contemporary romance, her second book is paranormal romance: Looking for Love in All the Haunted Places is about a woman named Lucky who is looking to jump-start her career in... 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 →
Ever since I was a teenager, I've been interested in astrology, and I'm always excited to read books that incorporate it somehow. This is what first drew me to The Astrology House, the debut novel by Carinn Jade. This psychological thriller follows a group of friends in their late 30s as they spend a weekend... 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 →
Taleen Voskuni is an author I've been wanting to read since she released her debut novel, Sorry, Bro, early last year. While that one still awaits me, I was happy to get a chance to read her latest book, Lavash at First Sight. A romance between two Armenian Lebanese women whose families hate each other,... Continue Reading →
Yesterday, Betty Cayouette released her debut novel, One Last Shot. The stunning cover and the fact that it's set in Italy are the first things that made me want to read this. It's a second-chance romance between two former best friends, with a marriage pact bringing them back together for a one-week photo shoot in... Continue Reading →
Nisha Sharma is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. I've read two of her books—Dating Dr. Dil and Tastes Like Shakkar, the first two in her If Shakespeare Was an Auntie trilogy—and have many more on my TBR. Her latest release is her first New Adult romance: The Letters We Keep, about two rival... Continue Reading →
Romance readers, listen up! Etta Easton is a new author to get into, starting with her debut novel, The Kiss Countdown. This fake dating romance puts a risk-averse event planner with a thrill-seeking astronaut, and the result is a love story that will leave you starry eyed. Special thanks to the publicists at Penguin Random... Continue Reading →
Jen Comfort is an author I've been wanting to read for the past year, ever since I got her novel, Midnight Duet. While that is still on my TBR, I was excited to get an advance copy of her newest book, What Is Love?, set in the world of game show trivia. I love learning... Continue Reading →
Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice is one of the most beloved books of all time, and it's no wonder it continues to inspire so many retellings. Just last week, a particularly special retelling came out: Pride and Preston Lin by Christina Hwang Dudley. A contemporary romance set in the San Francisco Bay Area, this adaptation... Continue Reading →
Like Happiness is the debut novel by Ursula Villarreal-Moura, and what an impactful debut it is. Told in dual timelines between the early 2000s in the United States in 2015 in Chile, it examines a Chicana woman's young adulthood with a famous author friend and the complicated relationship they had until it all fell apart.... Continue Reading →
Several months ago, before the cover had even been unveiled, I was intrigued about The Emperor and the Endless Palace by Justinian Huang. Spanning three disparate timelines, spotlighting gay Chinese men, and infusing it all with a theme of rebirth and fate, this is a fantasy debut I knew could not be missed. Special thanks... Continue Reading →
I was perusing NetGalley a few months ago when I came across Manila Takes Manhattan by Carla de Guzman. It combines so many elements that excite me as a reader: a strong theme of music, a romantic plot, and diverse characters, in this case, Filipino celebrities. I was excited to read about two people torn... Continue Reading →
Early last year, I absolutely loved Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan. The first in her Skyland trilogy, I was left eager to continue the series (and to read more from this author in general!). This week, the Skyland series continues with This Could Be Us, offering a hard-earned happily ever after for Soledad.... Continue Reading →
Amanda's Book Corner 