No Take-Backs, Only Steps Forward

[8 books from left to right: The Love Audit, August Lane, Heated Rivalry, The Long Game, India: 5,000 Years of History on the Subcontinent, Remember That Day, Son of the Morning, The Bodyguard Affair]

Read

August Lane by Regina Black

contemporary romance

Grand Central Publishing, 2025

Fool me once, shame on you.

Fool me twice...

August Lane has legitimate cause for hating Luke Randall. Maybe if she'd never loved him she could forget him, but he's coming back to their home town and she has a plan that includes making him an offer he can't refuse without exposing himself to public ruin. Will it destroy or renew them? Their struggles, failures, and victories lead them back to each other in this achingly lush, layered narrative.

The Love Audit by Lucy Eden

contemporary romance

Forever, 2025

Succession collides with a Hallmark Channel movie in this spicy tale of regrets and redemption. Jasmine and Derek are forced to work together despite their festering wounds from their shared past. A quirky town, adorable dog, and family secrets add charm and depth to their love story.

Reread

Heated Rivalry (Game Changers #2)

The Long Game (Game Changers #6) by Rachel Reid

Since reading most of the Game Changers series 5 or 6 years ago, binge-re/watching the show made me curious about the subtle differences between them. The show amplifies all of the respect, love, joy, and drama of the books, and each show modification enriches every compelling, worthwhile element.

Currently Reading

India: 5,000 Years of History on the Subcontinent by Audrey Truschke

So far it's fascinating, accessible, and really saturated with information. It'll probably take me until this summer to read all of it.

TBR

Son of the Morning by Akwaeke Emezi

Remember That Day by Mary Balogh

Works in Progress

Started another round of revisions on a completed manuscript from 2019 that was submitted and rejected twice in 2020, then revised again in 2023 but not submitted anywhere else.
Still brainstorming my anthology idea that currently has about 20k words.
My speculative project has about 30k words.
My BACissues (Book Acquisition Compulsion) continue.

Always wishing you good health, peace of mind, safety, joy & some pleasure every day

Comments

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?...

A Million Lives Book Festival - An Unfortunate Exception, Not the Event Rule

[2 decorative stickers on lined writing paper from left to right: a round smiley face arranged upside down to look like a frown and a round smiley face arranged right sight up] By now most bookish folk and others have heard about the inaugural A Million Lives Book Festival held at the Baltimore Convention Center last Friday and Saturday. To recap: according to participating authors and attendees many promises were made and almost all of them were broken. As outreach director and co-organizer for The Write Women Book Fest scheduled to host its 6th event Saturday, July 19 & Sunday, July 20 of this year at the Bowie Comfort Inn & Conference Center in Bowie, Maryland, U.S.A., my reaction to the feedback being shared about A Million Lives is nightmarish. Even though we aren't connected to it in any way or familiar with the event organizer or her company, our completely unrelated event has felt some minor residual effects because people are worried. And that's an understanda...

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...

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