Strange Journeys & Unexpected Destinations

Creatures of Passage by Morowa Yejide

20th-c. contemporary speculative literary fiction

Akashic Books, March 2021 (paperback, July 2022)

Blurred lines between the living and the dead, reality and fantasy, slumber and consciousness make Nephthys Kinwell's winding routes through Washington, D.C. multifaceted renderings of people who are haunted by their pasts while they seek and decipher clues on how to move forward through grief and disappointment into their purpose. Creatures of Passage slides across and between genres and weaves together heavy themes into a buoyant narrative with the exquisite language and imagery of accessible poetic sensibilities that lifts readers' spirits.

Free Will or Destiny?

The Mutual Friend by Carter Bays

contemporary fiction with romantic elements

Dutton, June 2022

Six Degrees of Separation in the age of screen fixation and addiction

The Arc by Tory Henwood Hoen

contemporary fiction with romantic elements

St. Martin's Press, February 2022

Calculating more than chemistry

City of Lights (& Intrigue)

Almost Perfect (Cordoba Agency #4) by Delaney Diamond, author & publisher

contemporary romance, May 2022

Fresh thematic mix of To Catch a Thief + The A Team + Undercovers = unlikely allies-to-lovers + family-by-choice

Comments

Everyday Magic & Genre Mashups

Three outstanding reads by authors who've crafted irresistible tales that defy the confines of the narrow expectations of a single genre. [three books arranged face up, from left to right: Chocolate Chip City, He's To Die For, The Baby Dragon Cafe] Chocolate Chip City by Be Steadwell contemporary speculative fiction with romance Bywater Books, June 2025 In this lyrical, lush composition three sisters, Jasmine, Ella and Layla, embody riffs on power: of the individual, family, community, culture; attraction, repulsion, collaboration. It's anchored in harsh realities while using magical realism and sharp humor to explore the often awkward and discouraging search for purpose, acceptance, and love in the context of life and the socio-economic pyramid scheme of capitalism. Its recurring variations on themes of erasure and reclaiming legacies echo a present-day continuum of The Monsters We Defy by Leslye Penelope and an emotional texture reminiscent of Like ...

Heartthrobs, Zombie Mobs & Hollywood Divas

Laughs, gore and drama galore! [3 trade paperback books from left to right: One Death at a Time, He Falls First, Zom RomCom] One Death at a Time by Abbi Waxman contemporary mystery Berkley, April 2025 Sobriety challenges, meetings, an uneasy alliance, a road trip, an assortment of unusual and unlikely allies, betrayals, lots of laugh and profound sentiment make Julia and Natasha's journey an enjoyable ride even as it addresses ageism sexism with organic candor. He Falls First by Jill Shalvis contemporary romance Sourcebooks Casablanca, August 2025 This love story focuses on the joy of support offered by biological and found family even as it references the evolution of recovery from past experiences of domestic violence. Zom RomCom by Olivia Dade contemporary speculative adventure romance Berkley Romance, August 2025 A laugh-aloud spoof of manmade horrors with its own unique quirkiness that delivers so ...

Deja Vu, Recalibrating, Pyramid Schemes & Narcissists

More satisfying romances from an array of talented authors who love love to help offset the real-life ethical and moral horrors shared in a riveting memoir. [3 trade paperback books arranged face-up atop a closed piano, from left to right: Pugs & Kisses, When Javi Dumped Mari, All's Fair in Love and Pickleball] Pugs & Kisses by Farrah Rochon contemporary adult romance Hachette Book Group, July 2025 Evie's juggling a lot personally and professionally. Can the man who ghosted her years ago earn her forgiveness and regain her trust enough to work with her to achieve her personal and professional goals? Revealing those answers offers readers a charming tale of wooing. When Javi Dumped Mari by Mia Sosa contemporary adult romance G.P. Putnam's Sons, June 2025 In the decade since they became college besties, Mari and Javi have decisions to make. WIll they jeopardize the shaky stability of the status quo or risk their hearts and the futur...

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