Do you love a romance story where it takes time for the main characters to get to their happily ever after? When they go through trials and tribulations, ups and downs, all to finally kiss in the end? Or how about when the author sprinkles small touches, any type of love language, and longing through the story? Well, you might be a fan of the slow-burn trope, then. You’ve come to the perfect place because I’m about to share some amazing slow-burn romance recommendations. But not just any slow-burn romances. Get ready for the slowest slow-burn romances ever written. In romance fiction, you will ..read more

Opal Devlin’s life only got more complicated when she won the lottery. Unable to say no to the flood of people who showed up to ask her for money, she decides to remove herself from the situation. Opal finds her fresh start in the form of a failing flower farm in Asheville, North Carolina, which she buys with the intention of letting nature run its course while she starts a painting business. But there’s a problem: a total knockout named Pepper Boden says she is the farm’s rightful owner, and she doesn’t intend to go anywhere. (Think: there’s only one bed, but make it a cozy cabin on a farm ..read more

This list of some of the strangest romance novels will combat the idea that romance stories are “all the same” or “too formulaic.” Now, I think these common complaints about romance are completely ridiculous. If you think all romance novels are the same, you probably don’t read a lot of romance novels. But also, if you think all romance novels are the same, you probably haven’t heard about the one where the hero is literally a front door. Or about the romance where a spaceship full of abducted human women crashes onto a planet of seven-foot-tall, blue, monogamous aliens. Or any of the romance ..read more

There’s nothing quite like scrolling the Am I the Asshole? (AITA) subreddit when you want a taste of gossip and a reminder that your life could be worse. It’s an eye-catching format, which is why it also makes for a great way to pitch a book. Recently on X/Twitter, romance novelists with books coming out in 2024 have tweeted about their books in the form of an AITA post, and some of them are a quick way to have you slamming the preorder button. Here are a few of my favorites. Do Me a Favor by Cathy Yardley “I (46F) need to ghostwrite a cookbook for one of those short-video ‘sexy chefs’ an ..read more

Minor league baseball leads to major chemistry in this exhilarating, sexy, and triumphant rivals-to-lovers debut romance. Gene Ionescu is the first openly trans player in professional baseball. He has nearly everything he’s ever let himself dream of—that is, until Luis Estrada, Gene’s former teammate and current rival, gets traded to the Beavers. Gene and Luis can’t manage a civil conversation off the field or a competent play on it, but in the close confines of dugout benches and roadie buses, they begrudgingly rediscover a comfortable rhythm. As the two grow closer, the tension between th ..read more

Your favorite reading spot is about to get way more comfy! Cozy and incredibly soft, we custom-made The Bookish Blanket especially for book lovers. Featuring a checkered design with open books and book stacks, this blanket is the perfect accessory for all bookworms. Get yours now in sage, taupe, brown, or rosewood! The warmer weather has officially arrived in the Northern Hemisphere, which means that those of us who like to read seasonally appropriate romances will want to stock up. We’ve been blessed with a lot of amazing romances to enjoy during this spring and summer season, so the ..read more

Set in the Spanish Golden Age, during a time of high‑stakes political intrigue and glittering wealth, The Familiar follows Luzia, a servant in the household of an impoverished Spanish nobleman who reveals a talent for little miracles. Her social‑climbing mistress demands Luzia use her gifts to win over Madrid’s most powerful players but what begins as simple amusement takes a dangerous turn. Luzia will need to use every bit of her wit and will to survive—even the help of Guillén Santángel, an immortal familiar whose own secrets could prove deadly for them both. The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo ..read more

Set in the Spanish Golden Age, during a time of high‑stakes political intrigue and glittering wealth, The Familiar follows Luzia, a servant in the household of an impoverished Spanish nobleman who reveals a talent for little miracles. Her social‑climbing mistress demands Luzia use her gifts to win over Madrid’s most powerful players but what begins as simple amusement takes a dangerous turn. Luzia will need to use every bit of her wit and will to survive—even the help of Guillén Santángel, an immortal familiar whose own secrets could prove deadly for them both. The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo ..read more

It’s finally April, and the Spring seems to have sprung (generally speaking). Now is the time for garden parties and Easter dresses. (Look, Easter might have been in March this year, but Easter dresses feel incredibly April-y to me!) There are flowers blooming and baseball games. In the US, we celebrate National Library Week and scramble to get our taxes done. And for most of us in the northern hemisphere, the warmer weather will finally prevail!  There are so many great-looking books coming out this month; it was almost impossible to narrow it down to just the 15 that are shared here! Yo ..read more

Romance is a polarizing genre. Like much genre fiction, romance is a love-it-or-hate-it kind of deal. Romance lovers will fight to defend the genre until they are out of breath, and for good reason. It is often not taken seriously as literature. People who hate romance trivialize it as predictable (as if a literary fiction novel ending tragically isn’t predictable), dismiss it as unserious (as if celebrating joy, love, and pleasure aren’t worthwhile pursuits), and belittle it as filth (as if sex is something dirty or shameful). The age-old argument of happy endings not being literature rages o ..read more