Skip to main content

Spring Assortment: Adversaries, Grumps, Optimists, 2nd Chances, STEM...

 



Lots of Layers, Totally Jonesing 
Digging Up Love by Chandra Blumberg 
Contemporary romance 
Montlake, January 2022 

Unearthing relics of the past in actual and metaphorical ways challenges small-town baker Alisha Blake and big-city scientist Quentin Harris to face the traumas of their pasts to claim the full potential of a joyous future. Plus, assorted ornery senior citizens, meddlesome siblings and friends, professional nemeses equal a compelling “Indiana Jones" meets “Love Jones" romp with emotional range and depth. 

Look for Stirring Up Love this summer. 


Fresh Spins on Shakespeare 
Dating Dr. Dil by Nisha Sharma 
Contemporary romance 
Avon, March 2022 

Karena and Prem joust verbally and emotionally while the aunties plot matchmaking genius—a decadent abundance of witty repartee, complex family dynamics, generational shifts, cultural inheritances, tenderness… It's binge-worthy. 


Growing Pains 
Brown Girls by Daphne Palasi Andreades 
Contemporary YA fiction 
Random House, January 2022 

A literary concerto in movements of eight parts, each one layered and swelling in scale and range of place and time, memorable individuals and overlapping connections as it peaks and sustains its multiple tensions until it concludes with “Brown Girls Ascend Beyond the Final Frontier & All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt" chapter as summary refrain. It's worthy of buying in order to savor and to reread. 


Fake It ‘Til You're Mated 
Not the Witch You Wed (Supernatural Singles #1) by April Asher*  
Contemporary supernatural romance 
St. Martin’s Griffin, February 2022 

In this charmingly buoyant comedic second-chance tale of former teen lovers who are now combatants with common interests, Violet and Lincoln smolder as they snark, tease, taunt, and eventually reconcile their way into their HEA. A dynamic cast of characters generates anticipation for future entries in this effervescent, funny, and poignant spin on supernatural beings in love. This series debut includes some notes of Shai August’s grittiness, K.M. Jackson's hilarity, and a less bombastic Shelley Laurenston along with vibes from early MaryJanice Davidson and Kathy Love.   

*aka contemporary romantic suspense author April Hunt 


Turbulence 
Weather Girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon 
Contemporary romance 
Jove, January 2022 

With two bosses who daily turn their newsroom workplace into re-enactments of scenes from a 21st-century War of the Roses (Kathleen Turner v. Michael Douglas movie, not European historical conflict), meteorologist Ari Abrams and sportscaster Russ Barringer join forces to negotiate a ceasefire. Other challenges surface. 


Stories Within Stories 
The Roughest Draft by Emily Wibberly & Austin Siegmund-Broka 
Contemporary romance  
Jove, January 2022 

Katrina and Nathan's emotional roller coaster of a relationship saga uses the meta context of romantically involved writers in real life writing about fictional former lovers as they write a romance. The narrative sweeps and twists between their present and past to move them toward healing as individuals and as a couple. Deftly crafted. Beautifully composed. 


Bright Ideas 
Mother of Invention by Katrine Marcal  
Non-fiction  
Harry N. Abrams, October 2021 

How to Start Your Own Business… And Make It Work 
Non-fiction 
DK, February 2021 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Hot Love in the Kitchen & Travelling Through Time

Redemption of the Heart by Moni Boyce contemporary romance Love Snacks Publishing  8 January 2019 Despite addressing heavy themes of domestic violence, incarceration, and grief, Redemption of the Heart is a charming and sweet spicy read in the tradition of a 21st-century interracial homage to Janet Dailey’s monthly romance era. Gemma’s open-hearted ingénue contrasts starkly with Alex’s jaded workaholic. They struggle with a variety of challenges, but ethnicity isn’t one of them—a spin that feels particularly modern. Once readers commit to their suspension of disbelief regarding the cascading impact of lacks in due diligence by several characters, it’s easy to settle in to enjoy this love story. The recent public debate about the pros and cons of Gillette’s “We believe the best man can be” campaign ties in with the contradictory messages in the story threads about toxic masculinity. There’s a scene in which Alex apologizes to someone who was openly bragging among cowork...
Post a Comment
Read more

123123! Goodbye 2023! Hello 2024!

  A Marquis to Protect the Governess by Parker J. Cole  historical romance fiction  Harlequin Historical, December 26, 2023  Sometimes scrolling through new releases available on Libby (even though there's a stack of physical books within arm's reach), leads to unexpected reading pleasure. That's what happened with me upon starting this gem of a tale. Like opening my first books by Ms. Bev(erly Jenkins), Gay G. Gunn, Vanessa Riley, Alyssa Cole, and Lisa Rayne, Isadora and Andre's rocky love story hooked me from the first page. Using a seamless integration of historical context, character evolution, and high stakes combined with emotional nuances, this author has crafted an engaging tale that organically includes people and places too often erased from historical romance fiction.   Hot Flashes and Hockey Slashes by Marika Ray & Sylvie Stewart, authors & publisher  contemporary romance fiction  October 2023  Who knew that normalizing op...
Post a Comment
Read more

21st Authorversary & 20th IPPY Awardiversary + Thanks!

  [front cover of Seducing the Burks: Five Erotic Tales by Cardyn Brooks with the image of an open hand making a beckoning gesture, a "2004 Independent Publisher IP Award Finalist" medallion sticker; back cover with blurb, "authorHOUSE" logo - formerly 1st Books, barcodes]  Self-publishing 21 years ago was still often considered "vanity publishing" as in ego-driven by writers not talented enough to merit a contract with a traditional  publisher. My decision to self-publish came after years of feedback praising the compelling nature and professional quality of my submission as prefaces to rejections that included phrases like, "Will your target audience of readers relate to the level of privilege your main characters have?"   WT...  It took me awhile to understand that since my Black characters are educated and middle class, agents and editors assumed that most readers wouldn't identify with them since (they also assumed) most Black people wer...
Post a Comment
Read more