Skip to main content

Celebrate Love 24/7/365 (Not Just V-Day)

 


Unforgettable Valentine by Stella Williams  

Contemporary erotic romance novella 

Serpentine Creative, LLC, February 12, 2021 


Sanai Carlisle sets out on a blustery winter night to surprise her boyfriend. On the way there she collides with Dominic Westmoore and alters the course of both their lives. Unforgettable Valentine is a super sexy romp that uses a clumsy, awkward meet-cute to launch into a mad-cap homage to popular romance tropes. Caught in flagrante delicto, stranded with a stranger, fake relationship, and more combined with surprising moments of profound self-reflection and emotional intimacy make Sanai and Dominic's story a fun, satisfying read. It's a sizzling, sweet bonbon of a tale.  

[note: In the NetGalley ARC the spelling of the lead character's name flip flops between Sanai and Sinai.]  


Winner Takes All by Sandra Kitt  

Contemporary romance  

Sourcebooks Casablanca, April 6, 2021  


Juggling the daily responsibilities and last-minute duties for the mayor of New York City gets complicated for Jean Travis when a missed romantic connection from her past shows up in her life one night. For Patrick Bennett it's more money, more problems after he wins the lottery jackpot. Reviving his friendship with Jean is an unexpected benefit amid a series of escalating conflicts, hassles, and unwanted attention. Their friendly, flirty banter, emotional vulnerabilities, and palpable sexual chemistry anchor the story. Second chance love, secrets from the past and present, and romantic weariness themes swirl within the context of the present-day ravenous news and social media appetites for scandal. The layered elements of multifaceted characters who are feeling tugged between their personal and professional lives, private and public personae make Winner Takes All resonate as authentic to 21st-century quandaries about prioritizing one's obligations and desires. With the exception of one outdated, cringe-worthy (despite an obvious attempt at conveying respect) minor Asian character, Jean and Patrick's love story generates (as expressed by Jean in chapter 12) “… feeling a settled and calm kind of contentment.” As the novel that introduces a new series the storyline isn't a barn burner and doesn't need to be as masterfully crafted storytelling that focuses on the drama of messy emotional entanglements. Sandra Kitt was decades ahead of the representative inclusion #OwnVoices wave in mainstream contemporary romance in 1995's The Color of Love and subsequent novels and anthologies that addressed the lived experiences of privileged Black and Brown and Mixed people in non-stereotypical ways. Winner Takes All rewards the patience of S.K.’s long-time fans awaiting her return and introduces newcomers to a venerable O.G. of contemporary love stories.  

[a comment about writing dialogue for characters who speak English as a second language or in informal ways: To avoid the cringe factor please consider these questions. If the character's ethnicity is specified, are they the only character from that ethnic group? What un/conscious monolithic assumptions are being projected by this character?]    


And a bonus suggestion to satisfy cravings for more serious thoughts on love: 

All About Love: New Visions by bell hooks 

William Morrow, 2018 

https://www.amazon.com/All-About-Love-New-Visions/dp/0060959479/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2O1W2UMHH6B5M&dchild=1&keywords=all+about+love+bell+hooks&qid=1613159156&s=books&sprefix=All+about+%2Caps%2C237&sr=1-1


A fake holiday celebrates real appreciation for our friends. Here are more stories that celebrate love and friendship, from the RomanceDailyNews.com blog. 

https://www.romancedailynews.com/single-post/some-galentine-s-day-suggestions-for-your-besties-and-yourself-as-well  

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Best Man: Unfinished Business by Malcolm D. Lee with Jayne Allen Delivers All the Feels

Black love. Black joy. Black drama. Humanity in its vast melanin array.   [front cover of a paperback ARC for The Best Man: Unfinished Business; silhouette of three adults] The Best Man: Unfinished Business by Malcolm D. Lee with Jayne Allen  adult contemporary fiction with romantic elements  Storehouse Voices, July 2025   First, dedicated fans of The Best Man franchise and its beloved characters need not fear how they’re treated in this first of three novels. In fact. One thread of Harper’s storyline seems to reflect the real-life author/screenwriter/director’s battle to protect and maintain the integrity of The Best Man universe. Mission accomplished.  Second, once readers - fans or not - start this novel they won’t want to stop. The compulsion to re/watch The Best Man movies and limited series and maybe even to reread this book while anticipating the release of book two in 2026 will prove difficult to resist.  Who are you?  Who are your people?...
Post a Comment
Read more

Our Poet Laureate's Memoir + More TWWBF2025 Prep

Educator, poet, short story author, mindfulness guide and now the moniker of memoirist has been added to the long list of creative accomplishments earned by Poet Laureate of The Write Women Book Fest Aressa V. Williams.  She was born and raised in the vibrant community of Washington, D.C.'s Northeast neighborhood of Deanwood. Her Memoir evokes the nostalgia, challenges, victories, heartaches and joys of her life that connect with readers across generations and locations.    [photo credit: H.L. Brooks; image: two paperback ARCs of In Deanwood, A Memoir by Aressa Verdell Williams arranged on a tabletop; cover art of a sepia toned two-story colonial house with four columns - two on each side of the front door]  The ebook is currently available with print copies coming soon! https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/in-deanwood-aressa-verdell-williams/1147594007   Just under 3 weeks before day one of The Write Women Book Fest and we've finished decorating t-shirts for our aw...
Post a Comment
Read more

DIY Marketing TWWBF2025 + the Usual BAC Issues

Six(!) days until day one of the 6th and grand finale year of The Write Women Book Fest!!!  Last week was another hard one for federal workers in the DMV area along with other ongoing challenges, making it tough for a lot of people to prioritize joy. This coming weekend TWWBF2025 intends to celebrate and support talented authors, poets, creatives, and publishing industry professionals and their work, readers and literacy advocates while we also celebrate everything positive that this event has contributed to our community since 2019. [a two-image collage: right side - two posters atop the closed lid of a baby grand piano; both with "The Write Women Book Fest, 100+ authors Golden Angel, Eden Appiah-Kubi, Courtney Duke Foster, Jeaniene Frost, Maria Vale, Erin Wright, EC Poetry & Prose, July 19th QR Code thewritewomenbookfest.org, Use code FESTNEWS25 for 30% off!"; left side - an incomplete poster with "The Write Women Book Fest" and a blank sheet of paper with a g...
Post a Comment
Read more