The Romance Voice #25
Sharing my love for White Whiskey Bargain, Throwing Stones, What the Bad Wolf Wants.
It’s good to be back. I hope you are well and had a wonderful holiday. I spent it at home with plenty of chocolate. I stayed away from most social media channels and now have a severe case of FOMA (Fear Of Missing Out).
I spent my newfound spare time watching The Houseboat on Netflix, an entertaining documentary about a musician and a YouTuber remodeling a rundown house boat - just what I needed - and of course in reading all the books. Okay, not all of them. But I enjoyed catching up with a couple series by two of my current favorite authors, Rebekah Weatherspoon and Katee Robert. What about you, did you get any reading done?
I hope you enjoy this week’s issue of the newsletter. Stay healthy and keep safe! ❤️
In the Media
From Toronto Star: Diss romance all you like — ‘I choose to write happy, funny stories as a light against the darkness’ by Uzma Jalaluddin VIEW ARTICLE
From The New York Times: How Crying on TikTok Sells Books by Elizabeth A. Harris VIEW ARTICLE
From The Booklist Reader: Short Story Dispensers Add a Fresh Twist to Storytelling by Marci Merola VIEW ARTICLE
From Deadline: MRC Film Expands With Romance Label Led By Producer Elizabeth Cantillon by Anthony D'Alessandro VIEW ARTICLE
From The Mary Sue: How Bridgerton’s Casting “Shake Up” Reminds Us That Romance Is About the Happily Ever After by Princess Weekes VIEW ARTICLE
Debut Release
As much as I like discovering an author with a backlist (instant bingeabilty for the win), there is just something special about coming across an announcement for a debut release.
Vorfreude
Love hearing about new books? So do I. Here are the announcements that caught my eye:
Entangled Publishing bought the rights to Kilby Blades’ romantic comedy featuring a geeky heroine and a hot architect. MORE
Atria Books will publish Martha Waters’ next Regency rom-com. MORE
Headline Eternal bought the rights to Cara Bastone’s series Love Lines. MORE
Audio rights for Charish Reid’s (Trust) Falling For You sold to Tantor Audio. MORE
#TwitterMadeMeReadIt
I read White Whiskey Bargain by Jodie Slaughter. Loved it. Rival moonshiners - joined in a marriage of convenience - sharing a hotel room with only one bed. Sigh. The perfect combination of tropes. The story also features fighting a bad guy, much hotness, wonderful female relationships, and a cinnamon hero.
It’s the book that first put the author on my radar. Mainly because it got recommended by my go-to bloggers and favorite authors. Like Charish Reid.
Newly Added
The latest romance novels I’ve added to my Want to Read list on Goodreads are:
And They Lived Happily Ever After by Therese Beharrie
A contemporary romance with magical elements, featuring a romance novelist and the guy of her dreams. By a new-to-me author that I’ve been wanting to read for a long time. And I’m kind of hoping that the story will be set in South Africa. It’s where the author is from.
First Love, Take Two by Sajni Patel
I looked at the cover, read the book description, and added the book. Second chance romance, roommates, forced proximity. Perfect. See for yourself:
Preeti Patel only has room in her life for family, friends, and her career as a doctor. So when her ex-boyfriend—and man she never forgot—turns up as her new roommate, she's determined to go about her life as if he's not even there. But he's impossible to avoid in the one-bedroom apartment, and the proximity has Preeti remembering all the ways she and Daniel were a perfect fit. But her family doesn't approve of him, and for a woman who's always done what her family has asked, choosing love—again—will be the hardest choice she ever has to make.
First Time
I read Throwing Stones by Avery Cockburn. Yesterday the inaugural International Asexuality Day took place. A good time to pick a book with a hero on the asexual spectrum. I went into the story not knowing anything about curling, but I’m now tempted to look up videos on YouTube. It’s a wonderful read with loveable characters and a supporting cast that I will definitely check out in Must Love Christmas and the connecting series Glasgow Lads.
Favorite Cover
What the Bad Wolf Wants by Dahlia Rose | Cover artist: Erin Dameron-Hill
New Releases
This week’s new releases I can’t wait to read:
The Duke Undone by Joanna Lowell
The Intimacy Experiment by Rosie Danan
Twice Shy by Sarah Hogle
Free Books
Found the following e-book for free (as of today) on Amazon DE:
Legend of the Highland Dragon by Isabel Cooper
My Favorite Tweet
Find me on Twitter, Facebook, and on Instagram. I’d love to hear about your favorite romance novels, authors, and creators.
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