Contemporary romance
Montlake, June 28, 2022
Successful baker Rylee Harris moved to Honey Hill, North Carolina after the death of her soldier husband. Sheriff Canten Barnes was born and raised in the quaint small town, moved away, then returned in the aftermath of his own heartache. Friendship lays the foundation for this funny, poignant, and utterly charming romance about grief, regrets, and second chances, where a 21st-century Mayberry from “The Andy Griffith Show” meets “Girlfriends" and “Insecure" in an irresistible mashup of throw-way-back hijinks that evoke old school sweetness at the heart of this love story.
Love and Latkes (Friendships and Festivals #3) by Stacey Agdern
Contemporary romance
Tule Publishing, October 2021
Batya Averman and Abe Neumann learn that they can run from themselves and their hearts' desires, but they can't hide or escape them forever. Their love story is set during Hanukkah, but its themes of leaps of faith and the essential nature of community resonate year-round.
Be sure to read the Author’s Note.
The Wildest Ride (Closed Circuit #1) by Marcella Bell
Contemporary adult fiction with romance
HQN, August 2021
Rancher Lillian Sorrow Island and city-slicker-turned-cowboy A.J. Garza both need to win the big prize in order to protect the people and the places they love. As they compete against each other and battle various adversarial forces they recognize the overlap in their missions to preserve valuable legacies to propel themselves into a promising future.
This most excellent tale is a good read for historical romance fans (of Beverly Jenkins, Cat Sebastian* and similar authors) who also enjoy contemporary fiction that acknowledges Black diasporic experiences. The Author's Note with details about Creek Freedmen, Mvskoke/Muscogee Nation and more will likely lure readers into deeper cultural research.
*A Gentleman Never Keeps Score
Where the Honeybells Grow by Ruthie Lenor
Contemporary romance
Honeybells Publishing, 2020
In the small town of Bellbush, Texas Gerti Gordon* owns The Shop, the local eatery and community gathering place she inherited from her grandmother. Quinn Garland is a recently laid-off mechanic who returns to his uncle's home for his best friend's wedding and to evaluate his options for moving forward in his life. In the meantime, well-intentioned family and friends conspire to match make while Gerti and Quinn circle each other, face the lingering emotional devastation of childhood traumas, and fool themselves into believing their deep connection and smoldering chemistry are temporary. Their love story is tender and celebrates the continuity of places where generations have poured their hearts and souls into surviving and thriving.
*Gordan on the back cover blurb, but not in the story text.
Snackable Anthologies:
Amor Actually, a Holiday Romance Anthology by Adriana Herrera, et al.
Romance
Indie, December 2021
Cursed by Christina Henry, et al.
Fantasy & horror fiction
Titan Books, 2020
Rogue Affair (Rogue Hearts #2) by Tamsen Parker, et al.
Romance
Indie, 2017
Foodies:
The Donut Trap by Julie Tieu
Contemporary new adult romance
Avon, November 2021
Adulting gets complicated, and scrumptious.
See also, Love and Latkes above.
International Cross-Cultural Angst + Food:
Seoulmates by Jen Frederick
Contemporary new adult romance
Berkley, January 2022
Sizzling chemistry, fraught emotions, and detailed cultural insights offer readers a delightful tale with substantive layers beneath the fluff.
Partners in (Investigating) Crime, Cons & Travel:
Finding Joy by Adriana Herrera
Contemporary fiction with romance
Indie, 2020
Culture, identity, expectations, legacies and African diasporic experiences make Elias and Desta's love story a journey worth taking.
An Impossible Imposter (Veronica Speedwell #7) by Deanna Raybourn
Historical mystery with romantic intrigue
Berkley, February 2022
The Love Con by Seressia Glass
Contemporary romance
Jove, December 2021
A sweet spin on faking it that incorporates spot-on authenticity about inclusion, discrimination and microaggressions while managing to offer laugh aloud humor, tenderness, and sizzling heat. Themes of family by blood and by choice also resonate.
#28DaysofBlackCosplay
Comments
Post a Comment