| Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail by Ashley Herring BlakeYou better get your life! An opportunity to appear on the popular home renovation show Innside America may be just what interior designer Astrid Parker needs to get her life and career back on track.
HBIC? Astrid clashes with lead carpenter Jordan Everwood, the granddaughter of the inn's owner, and soon everyone notices their onscreen chemistry.
Try these next: Readers who enjoy this reality TV-themed, enemies-to-lovers 2nd Bright Falls romance (after Delilah Green Doesn't Care) may want to check out Alison Cochrun's The Charm Offensive or Tessa Bailey's Tools of Engagment. |
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| Ship Wrecked by Olivia DadeUnresolved sexual tension: Gods of the Gates costars Maria Ivarsson and Peter Reedton have spent the last six years filming in a remote corner of Ireland while ruminating on their extraordinary one-night stand. Now it's time for the wrap party.
Don't miss: the group chats of the Gods of the Gates cast members, which includes characters from Spoiler Alert and All the Feels.
Is it for you? Although the overall vibe of this 3rd Spoiler Alert novel is one of body positivity, both Peter and Maria must deal with the fatphobia of the entertainment industry. |
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| Well Traveled by Jen DeLucaStarring: corporate attorney Louisa "Lulu" Malone, who impulsively quits her job and runs away with the Renaissance Faire.
What happens: Lulu meets ladies' man Dex MacLean, guitarist for the Dueling Kilts, and as she gets to know him better, discovers that he has hidden depths.
Why you might like it: Like its predecessors, this 4th Well Met novel, after Well Matched, is a "comforting, low-angst" (Kirkus Reviews) Ren Faire-themed romance. |
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| The Gentleman's Book of Vices by Jess EverleeWhat it's about: Gay soon-to-be ex-bachelor Charlie Price wants an autograph from his favorite erotica author, "Reginald Cox," otherwise known as bookseller Miles Montague. He gets the signature -- and much more as the two embark on a passionate, and probably doomed, affair.
Series alert: Set in Victorian England, The Gentleman's Book of Vices kicks off the Lucky Lovers of London series.
For fans of: K.J. Charles, Cat Sebastian. |
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| A Dash of Salt and Pepper by Kosoko JacksonWhat happens: Reeling from a series of personal and professional setbacks, gay Black culinary student Xavier Reynolds returns to tiny Harpers Cove, Maine, and takes a job as sous chef at local restaurant The Wharf, run by white bisexual single dad Logan O'Hare.
Is it for you? This stand-alone romantic comedy by the author of I'm So (Not) Over You features a boss-employee relationship with a significant age gap between the lovers. |
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| The Reluctant Countess: A Would-Be Wallflowers Novel by Eloisa JamesA bad reputation: No stranger to scandal, Lady Yasmin Régnier offers to help Giles Renwick, Earl of Lilford, prevent his reckless younger sister's ruination.
Something to talk about: Despite the gossip that follows Yasmin, Giles can't resist a closer acquaintance with a woman he desires but cannot wed, due to the skeletons in his own family's closet.
Why you might like it: Opposites attract in this 2nd installment of the Would-Be Wallflowers series, after How to Be a Wallflower. |
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| Two Wrongs Make a Right by Chloe LieseWhat it's about: Weary of their friends' matchmaking attempts, artist Bea Wilmot and pediatrician Jamie Westenberg decide to fake a relationship, followed by an acrimonious breakup...only to discover along the way that they're perfect for each other.
What sets it apart: Bea is autistic, while Jamie has anxiety and OCD, all of which are sensitively depicted in this romantic comedy, which pays homage to Much Ado About Nothing. |
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| Pride and Protest by Nikki PayneWhat it is: a contemporary retelling of Pride and Prejudice, set in a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood in Washington, D.C.
Starring: DJ and activist Liza Bennett, who clashes with real estate CEO Dorsey Fitzgerald over a planned development in her beloved neighborhood.
Reviewers say: "A lively, sexy, and fresh take on a beloved classic" (Kirkus Reviews). |
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| Before I Let Go by Kennedy RyanStarring: Divorced soulmates Yasmen and Josiah, who co-parent their two children while running a restaurant together.
What happens: Both tentatively begin dating other people, only to realize that they've never stopped loving each other.
Is it for you? This emotionally intense second chance romance covers difficult subject matter, including pregnancy loss, the death of a relative, and depression, as it follows one couple's journey back to each other. |
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| Second Chance at Rancho Lindo by Sabrina SolWhat it's about: Returning to Esperanza, California, following a medical discharge, army veteran Gabe Ortega readjusts to civilian life on his family's ranch and is reunited with horticulturist Nora Torres, whom he ghosted years ago.
Read it for: a gentle second chance romance, a charming small-town setting, and Gabe's complicated relationships with the other members of his close-knit Mexican American family.
For fans of: Rebekah Weatherspoon's Cowboys of California series, which places similar emphasis on character growth and family dynamics. |
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