Skip to main content

City Lights to Country Roads

Reading my feelings in addition to eating them. 
 
[3 trade paperback romance books arranged face up from left to right: Story of My Life, Stuck in the Country with You, Unromance] 
[2 books arranged face up, from left to right: Black Woods Blue Sky; Once Smitten, Twice Shy] 

Stuck in the Country with You by Zuri Day 
contemporary romance 
Harlequin/Afterglow Book, December 2024 

When life rains down challenges into Genesis Washington's life, it pours in mayhem that leads to unexpected opportunities. Jaxon King offers support and so many temptations. Their charming second-chance love story is irresistible. 


Unromance by Erin Connor 
contemporary romance 
Forever, January 2025 

A trope-a-licious, emotionally fraught, super funny, clever and sexy homage to all things distinct to the romance genre. Looking forward to reading more from this talented author. 


Once Smitten, Twice Shy by Chloe Liese 
contemporary romance 
Berkeley, January 2025 

Two people who are awkward and unsuccessful when it comes to romance work together to improve their odds of finding love. Hilarity and compelling emotional intimacy ensue - along with scorching sensuality. A compassionate, realistic approach to neurodivergence and chronic illness adds emotional nuance. 


Black Woods Blue Sky by Eowyn Ivey 
literary fiction with magical realism & romantic elements 
Random House, February 2025 

This tender reimagining of a centries-old fable offers readers an engaging poignant study of themes on the individual, family, community and cultural legacies people accept and reject, and why. Melancholy feelings generated echo long after reading the last page. 


Story of My Life by Lucy Score 
contemporary women's fiction & romance 
Bloom Books, March 2025 

Everything that can go wrong personally and professionally for a once bestselling romance author continues going wrong in spectacular fashion until an impulsive decision leads her way out of her comfort zone and into love (eventually). HGTV collides with Green Acres in this madcap romp with lots of heart and incendiary passion.  


More evidence of my BAC (Book Acquisition Compulsion) problems 
[11 books from left to right: face up against an open cardboard mailing box - Down in Flames; binding edge up - Blob, Blood Moon, Unsteady, Collide, The Last Guy on Earth, The Devil's Charm, A Five Letter Word for Love; 3 more face up - Unromance, Story of My Life, Stuck in the Country with You] 

This is only a sample of the books currently in my possession through purchasing and borrowing. There are ebooks loaded on my phone, tablet, and laptop. My insatiable craving for books seems eternal. Public libraries, book swaps, generous author freebies, ARCs, my local and indie bookstores all keep me stocked up with outstanding reads! 

Treat yourself to some moments of pleasure every day.

Happy reading & creating (which sometimes looks like simple survival, especially during these very challenging times)! 

Comments

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 Daileyā€™s monthly romance era. Gemmaā€™s open-hearted ingĆ©nue contrasts starkly with Alexā€™s jaded workaholic. They struggle with a variety of challenges, but ethnicity isnā€™t one of themā€”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, itā€™s easy to settle in to enjoy this love story. The recent public debate about the pros and cons of Gilletteā€™s ā€œWe believe the best man can beā€ campaign ties in with the contradictory messages in the story threads about toxic masculinity. Thereā€™s a scene in which Alex apologizes to someone who was openly bragging among cowork...

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...

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...