Have some romance recs with your turkey, 2020 edition
In which your intrepid newsletter writer realizes she's been doing this for a whole year already???
It’s been… kind of a whirlwind over the last month, friends, I’m not gonna lie. These last few weeks were full of plenty of personal ups, but a big-time professional down. Although I am writing this on arguably one of my favorite holidays EVER here in the U.S., it’s a happy day that comes on the heels of yours truly officially joining the ranks of the unemployed. For those of you who don’t know, SYFY FANGRRLS (aka my day job) is no more, having shuttered publications earlier this week, and I am still feeling a lot of mixed-but-mostly-sad feelings about it.
But I can say one of the things I am immensely thankful for is all of the people who reached out to me to offer condolences, kind words, job leads, you name it — it’s a much-needed reminder, especially right now, that even though most of us are trying to stay smartly distanced from each other, there are still ways we can support one another, and y’all have made my heart full, so thank you for that.
ANYWAY, can you believe this newsletter has officially been alive and kicking for a whole entire year? It wouldn’t be what it is without all of you — every time you’ve shared a link on social media, recommended Kissing Books to a friend, smashed that like button, it means more than I can put into words.
A few romance-centric links worth reading this week (ICYMI, Romancelandia is AWESOME):
How Romance Novelists Are Mobilizing Voters in Solidarity With Stacey Abrams, Jezebel.com
Romance authors and readers raised almost $400,000 to help Stacey Abrams turn Georgia blue, EW.com
How Romance Novelists Are Helping Stacey Abrams Turn Georgia Blue, Bustle.com
Ties That Tether by Jane Igharo
(contemporary romance; content warnings for surprise pregnancy, loss of a child, loss of a loved one, and traumatic childbirth)
The mark of a good romance is when it can sell you on tropes that you're not necessarily keen on most of the time, but then the right author comes along and delivers them in a way that's so satisfying. Igharo's prose, on its own, is GORGEOUS and one of the reasons I was as captivated by this book as I was. Although I had some more minor issues with the pacing, Ties That Tether might be in the running for one of my favorite romances of 2020. It's a complex love story about identity, heritage, community, family, and learning to listen to your own voice rather than anyone else's in your head. At the age of twelve, Azere promised her dying father she would marry a Nigerian man in order to preserve her culture — and over the years, her mother has been vigilant about ensuring she stays well within that dating pool. But when another maternal matchmaking attempt goes wrong, Azere winds up at a bar enjoying the company of a man named Rafael Castellano. He’s tall, he’s gorgeous… and he’s white. A one-night stand turns into something more than either of them could have predicted, and Azere finds herself torn between her blossoming romance and the compulsion to honor her family and the promise she made all those years ago.
Deal with the Demon by Chace Verity
(paranormal romance)
OK, but hear me out: Deal with the Demon might be one of the softest PNR novellas I have EVER read. You wouldn’t think summoning a demon via a QR code would lead to one of the most immensely satisfying and fluffiest love stories out there, but that’s exactly what happens here. Single mom Heidi Murphy is working two jobs and constantly feels in over her head on even her best days. When she loses one gig and her kids are getting in trouble at school, Heidi’s officially at the end of her rope — and help arrives in the form of Drystan, a demon from another realm who appears after Heidi scans a strange QR code. He LOOKS terrifying, all horned and tall, but he swears up and down he’s only here to bring her success in her life, and for the next 28 days, he’s hers to command per the terms of their contract. So what’s a girl to do with a demon… other than making him cook, clean, and babysit for her? Four weeks seems like plenty of time for her to get her life back on track, but Heidi’s not anticipating that it might not be enough time for what she thinks she might really want after all: Drystan himself. I’M TELLING YOU, this is unbelievably fun and cutely domestic and I’m still crossing my fingers for a Christmas sequel or something along those lines.
Tall, Duke, and Dangerous by Megan Frampton
(historical romance; content warnings for past child abuse, attempted assault)
There is so much tropey goodness in this book I don’t even know where to start. If you’re a fan of any of the following, chances are you’re going to be firmly invested in this one: best friend’s sister, grunty duke, hero teaching the heroine to fight (and maybe a few slightly more scandalous things, wink wink). Ana Maria has essentially gone from servant to lady after the death of her father and wicked stepmother, so she’s finding her way in society like never before — but she’s also getting plenty of new attention, and that doesn’t sit all that well with Nash, the Duke of Malvern and best friend of her half-brother. Ana Maria’s spent practically her whole life around Nash and vice versa, but they’ve always had to repress anything more than friendship around one another. But when Ana Maria’s independent spirit puts her in a risky situation, the obvious solution is for the lady to learn some self-defense lessons — and who better to teach her than the duke who has a reputation for knowing how to throw a punch?
Kissing Books is a weekly newsletter about, well, exactly what it sounds like, plus other non-romance novels that might have varying levels of smooching in them. Questions? Comments? Reply to this email, or find me on Twitter @carlylane. If you’re reading this on Substack or someone forwarded this email to you, consider clicking that helpful button to become a regular subscriber.