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 →
In the past few years, I've been enjoying reading Virginia Heath's historical romances. I finished her Merriwell Sisters trilogy last fall, and so was excited to dive into her new Miss Prentice's Protégées series with its first installment, All's Fair in Love and War. It's off to a fun start, and I already look forward... Continue Reading →
The last couple of years I've been enjoying Jenn McKinlay's contemporary romances. This week, she released her latest: Love at First Book. It's set in the same world as Summer Reading, and even subtly ties in with Paris Is Always a Good Idea. Here, former librarian Emily Allen decides to leave her home in Massachusetts... 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 →
Yesterday, A. H. Cunningham released her latest contemporary romance, Out of Office. Set between Panamá and Florida, it follows an ambitious, work-oriented woman during a months-long business trip to Central America, where she forms an intimate bond with a local man. But what starts off as a brief vacation fling develops into something deeper... if... 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 →
There are two things that initially drew me to Plot Twist by Breea Keenan: Its setting in Ireland and Scotland, and that it's about two writers working on their books. This is the author's debut novel, and while there was sometimes too much going on, there's also a lot I enjoyed about this book. Special... 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 →
Happy publication day to Alexandra Kiley's debut novel, Kilt Trip! This is a book I've been eagerly anticipating for months, and I was so happy to be able to join the ARC team for it. Kilt Trip is a contemporary romance between two workplace rivals, set against a backdrop of scenic Scotland and the tourism... 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 →
For many months, I've been excited for the release of Lindsay Hameroff's debut novel, Till There Was You. I'll admit, that delicious cover is what first caught my attention (who doesn't love blueberry pancakes?), but I was also intrigued by the music industry aspect of it, too. This is a charming and heartwarming contemporary romance... Continue Reading →
Three years ago, I adored The Girl with Stars in Her Eyes by Xio Axelrod. The first in her Lillys series, it introduced an all-girl rock band starting to gain traction before releasing their first album. It was an incredible work of music fiction as well as contemporary romance, and I was eager to continue... Continue Reading →
Twelve years ago, in my last months before graduating with my English degree, I finally read Jane Austen for the first time. Somehow I had never read any of her books in high school nor in my earlier English major classes, but in my penultimate quarter, my introduction to her work was with Persuasion. I... Continue Reading →
Though I don't read many holiday romances, I had to read Amor Actually, a short-story collection centering Latina characters. So many of my favorite authors contributed to this anthology, with all their stories interconnecting by the end. Leading up to one Nochebuena party among friends, nine different partnerships (couples and throuples alike!) will get their... Continue Reading →
Since first reading Bringing Down the Duke in late 2019, Evie Dunmore has been one of my favorite authors. I've been loving her League of Extraordinary Women series, and now the fourth and final book has arrived: The Gentleman's Gambit, starring Catriona Campbell and a new character, Elias Khoury. I got my copy from Book... Continue Reading →
It was thanks to some lovely authors I follow on Instagram that I first heard about Raiders of the Lost Heart, the debut novel by Jo Segura. Set in the Mexican jungle, it follows a team of archaeologists as they search for the long-lost remains of an Aztec warrior. However, the two leading this dig... Continue Reading →
The Fairytale Life of Dorothy Gale by Virginia Kantra wasn’t on my radar, but when I was invited to review it, its synopsis captured my heart. It’s set in Ireland at Trinity College Dublin, where the main character is pursuing a master’s degree. Well, my sister earned her master’s from Trinity and is still living... Continue Reading →
These last couple of years, I've been loving Virginia Heath's Merriwell Sisters series. Following Never Fall for Your Fiancée and Never Rescue a Rogue, the trilogy now ends with the youngest sister in Never Wager with a Wallflower. With just as much wit and heart as the first two, this final installment is equally fun and... Continue Reading →
I’m officially in my paranormal romance era! And my pirates era, too? For months, I’ve been intrigued about Hunt on Dark Waters, the first in Katee Robert’s Crimson Sails series. Equal parts romance and fantasy, it’s set in the magical sea realm of Threshold, connecting many other realms, including one just like our own. It... Continue Reading →
We’ve all heard the Plain White T’s hit “Hey There Delilah” countless times since its release in 2006. I’ve loved the song all these years, and the lyrics have always made it easy for me to envision the story like a movie. Now, that story has been reimagined into a whole novel: What You Do... Continue Reading →
Amanda's Book Corner 