In this warmly funny romance about finding your way, opposites attract when an ex-heiress and a single dad cross paths, only to find that their separate roads may lead them to the same destination.
Rowan Quinn knows fatherhood is a role he doesn’t want to take on—until he unexpectedly finds himself a single dad. He uproots his perfectly constructed life to move to a tight-knit coastal community in South Africa where, with the help of his grandmother, Rowan has a shot at giving his son the family he never had.
Once footloose and fancy-free, former heiress Delilah Huntington is now a waitress in Sugarbush Bay determined to build a better life and a better self. So when she meets introverted Rowan, she makes it her personal mission to induct him into the town’s circle of single dads to give him the support he needs.
The more Delilah lends her help to an out-of-his-depth Rowan, the more Rowan begins to realize that family is what you make it…and, just maybe, Delilah could be part of his.
Review
4 stars
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
Single Dads Club is a heartfelt new contemporary romance from Therese Beharrie, and while I haven’t enjoyed the direction some of her other works have taken of late, this one was pretty great. I always love Therese Beharrie’s depiction of South Africa, and her description of the Cape Town town of Sugarbush Bay was delightful, along with its delightful cast of characters, including the titular single dads club, who I hope get their own books as well.
Both leads have complex histories and meet each other with their respective shares of baggage. Delilah is a former heiress whose mother’s past crimes resulted in her current situation, and she’s currently trying to atone for the pain her mother caused. Her quest for self-improvement and giving back is beautiful, standing out in a genre that occasionally uncritically glorifies selfish wealth and consumerism.
Rowan is equally compelling, being a single dad as the result of a brief fling. I appreciate how everything is explored, from his amicable, if somewhat complex relationship with his ex, to his adventures with single parenthood, to his secret sexual dysfunction which complicates any romantic relationship he has.
These two are wonderful together, and I liked how their relationship built gradually in a sweet slow-burn. There are complications that arise because of their respective pasts, but I appreciate how the two of them ultimately navigate them.
This is a sweet, heartfelt read, and I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys Black romance, especially if it’s set outside the U.S./the West.
Author Bio
Therese Beharrie is a South African romance author of several acclaimed novels, including And They Lived Happily Ever After and her One Day to Forever series. She takes pride in writing diverse characters and settings, and her books are often recommended for their heart and banter. She lives in Cape Town with her husband―her inspiration for every hero―and two adorable baby boys. You can follow her on social media (@ThereseBeharrie) or visit her at www.ThereseBeharrie.com.
From the author of Where the Rhythm Takes You comes a delightful enemies-to-lovers, contemporary romance set during Trinidad’s Carnival celebration.
There are two things Tess Crawford knows for sure:
She’s destined to be a great Trinidadian Carnival costume designer like her renowned uncle, Russel Messina, and will one day inherit leadership of the family’s masquerade band, Grandeur.
Her classmate, the popular social media influencer, Brandon Richards, is the bane of her existence. Everything about him irks her, from his annoying nickname for Tess (“Boop”) to his association with David, her awful ex.
But when the future of Grandeur nears the brink of collapse in the face of band rivalry, Tess finds to her chagrin that she must team up with Brandon in a desperate attempt to revive the company.
As Tess and Brandon spend more time together, Tess begins to wonder if everything she thought she knew might not be so certain after all….
Set in lush, gorgeous Trinidad, this is a novel about finding love in the most unexpected places.
Review
4 stars
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
Sarah Dass does it again with her second YA romance, When the Vibe Is Right. Once again drawing from classic literature (Much Ado About Nothing, which I’m admittedly a bit less familiar with), she injects it with some Trinidadian cultural flavor by setting the story around Carnival, something I’ve heard a bit about, but never experienced. The excitement around the event and everything that goes into it radiates through the pages, and I’d love to experience it in person one day.
Tess is a strong, yet sympathetic protagonist. I loved her relationships with her family, and her shared passion for design with her uncle, as well as her interest in the fate of the family band. It was great to read about someone who knew her own mind, but also loved her family and their heritage and wanted to uphold it.
I also liked getting to know Brandon. He’s different from Tess in a lot of ways, and she has some understandable reasons to dislike him (the nickname thing rubbed me the wrong way), but underneath that he has issues of his own that mean he has more in common with her than she initially realizes.
And as it is Much Ado inspired, there are some side stories that pay homage to certain side character arcs, like Hazel and Chris’ romance. I did feel at times that this took away from the main romance and the plot with the band rivalry, but I can also understand what Dass was trying to do.
In spite of these minor issues, this is another winner from Sarah Dass, and I can’t wait to see what she writes next. I’d recommend it to anyone looking for Black YA romance, especially if you’re looking for stories set outside the US.
Author Bio
Sarah Dass is a young adult fiction author from Tobago that is best known for her debut work of fiction Where the Rhythm Takes You.
While she was born in Trinidad, her family moved to Tobago when she was two years old. Dass has been telling stories since she was a young child. At the age of eight years old, when she ran out of “Nancy Drew” novels to read, she tried to pen her own. She would later go on to attend the University of the West Indies and University College London.
Sarah grew up in a seaside resort in Tobago and her debut novel draws inspiration from her experience living there. She has described Where the Rhythm Takes You as the book she would have wanted to read when she was growing up – a romantic, contemporary YA story set in her home country. She hopes readers like her, who love Trinidad and Tobagonian or Caribbean-set fiction enjoy and connect with her characters.
Sarah’s most recent YA novels When the Vibe is Right will be published by Balzer + Bray / HarperCollins on May 30th, 2023, and It Waits in the Forest will be published by Disney / Rick Riordan Presents in 2024.
A riveting, swoon-worthy teen romance centered on two high achievers fighting for the title of high school valedictorian and falling in love along the way, from debut author Danielle Parker.
Sasha Johnson-Sun might not know everything—like how to fully heal after her dad’s passing or how many more Saturdays her mom can spend cleaning houses. But the one thing Sasha is certain of? She will graduate this year as Skyline High’s class valedictorian.
At least, she was sure before the principal calls Sasha and her cute, effortlessly gifted ex–best friend, Ezra Davis-Goldberg, into his office to deliver earth-shattering news: they’re tied for valedictorian and the scholarship attached…
This outcome can’t be left to chance. So, Sasha and Ezra agree on a best-of-three, winner-take-all academic bet. As they go head-to-head, they are forced not only to reexamine why they drifted apart but also to figure out who they’ve become since. With her future hanging in the balance, Sasha must choose: honor her family’s sacrifices by winning (at all costs) or give her heart a shot at finding happiness?
Review
4 stars
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
The Joy Revolution imprint once again delivers another winner, this time with a YA contemporary from debut author, Danielle Parker. Parker is a delightful new voice in YA romance, putting a fun spin on familiar tropes, like academic rivals-to-lovers and friends-to-rivals-to-lovers.
Sasha and Ezra are such wonderful characters, and I love the dynamic between them. Both are ambitious, and want to be the top of their class, but the tension between them because of their shared history adds an extra layer to the story that I liked. There was a great balance between the ruthlessness of the competition between them and making a believable transition to a stable relationship. Both are flawed, and make mistakes, but are endearing in spite of their flaws.
I also loved the cultural nuances to both characters, influenced by their backgrounds and the social issues that impact them. Both are Black, and the narrative reckons with the impact of gentrification. Both also are from multicultural backgrounds, with Sasha also being part Korean, and Ezra being Jewish.
This is a great book, and I’m looking forward to more from Danielle Parker in the future. If you’re looking for a multicultural Black romance, I recommend checking this one out!
Author Bio
Danielle Parker has over ten years of experience as a high school English teacher, during which her greatest pleasure was helping reluctant readers find a novel they absolutely loved. Danielle now lives in the Pacific Northwest with her family. You Bet Your Heart is her debut novel. When she’s not writing, Danielle can be found looking for a pool to splash in, thinking about dessert, or taking a quick nap.
n utterly charming YA romance perfect for fans of Elise Bryant and Leah Johnson.
“An ode to love in all its beautiful chaos. Leila is funny, irreverent, and next-level charming, and her story is an actual joyride. Sheer delight through and through.”–Becky Albertalli, New York Times bestselling author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
Leila is crushed when Dev, her boyfriend of four years, breaks up with her right before graduation. Just when she’s thinking she wasted her entire high school experience on a dead-end relationship, her best friend Bree reminds her that Last Chance Dance is just around the corner.
A high school tradition, the Last Chance Dance gives all the students one last opportunity to find love before they graduate. All Leila has to do is submit three unrequited crushes to the dance committee and if any of her crushes list her too, they’ll get matched. Presto: new relationship, just like that. To her utter amazement, Leila is matched with all three of her choices—and with someone she never expected, Tre Hillman, her chemistry partner and low-key nemesis.
Though at times skeptical, Leila embarks on her Last Chance Dance mission—trying out her matches and going on dates. If Dev wasn’t her true love—then maybe someone else is. She knows it’s definitely not Tre, even though he seems more and more determined to convince her he’s right for her.
But as graduation and the dance approaches, and each date seems to change her mind (and her heart)—Leila must figure out what—and who—she really wants. It’s her last chance, right?SEE LESS
Review
4 stars
Last Chance Dance is my first book by Lakita Wilson, but I won’t be my last. It’s such a cute book, with such a fun concept. While a character having romantic interest in multiple people at the same time can be a hard sell, I think this one worked because of the strength of both the premise and execution.
Leila is a great protagonist. She’s flawed, but she’s also quite endearing and easy to root for. She’s still figuring things out before she graduates, and I enjoyed following her as she unraveled all of it.
Tre was a solid love interest, and I love how obvious it was he liked her, even pretty early on. The evolution on her part from finding him to be a bit of a nuisance to seeing his good qualities was wonderful.
And then there’s Dev. I actually ended up really liking the trajectory of their breakup, as while he’s a bit flaky, their relationship history plays a key role in Leila’s character development. She doesn’t resent him for what he did in the end, but she has the self-worth to not wait around while he figures his own stuff out.
The supporting cast were great, especially Leila’s mom and best friend, Bree, and I loved how they supported and encouraged Leila after her breakup and in her Last Chance Dance endeavors.
I really enjoyed this book, and would recommend it to anyone looking lighthearted YA contemporaries with Black queer leads.
Author Bio
Lakita Wilson is the author of several novels and nonfiction projects for children and young adults, including What is Black Lives Matter? and Who is Colin Kaepernick? part of the New York Times bestselling Who HQ Now series. She is also the author of the YA novel Last Chance Dance and the upcoming MG novel Sparkle.
Lakita was born in Washington, D.C., and grew up in Prince Goerge’s County, Maryland. A 2017 recipient of SCBWI’s Emerging Voices Award, Lakita received her MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She is currently on faculty at Prince George’s Community College in the education department. Lakita lives in Prince George’s County, Maryland, with her two children. She can be found online at lakitawilson.com.
Unexpected changes are always difficult, but so is ignoring the delicious tension between Anisse and Star. A low-angst, small town, workplace lesbian romance.
Star has spent the past five years making Clover Hill’s Anisse & Clover Diner her home away from home. She’s turned her job there into a fulfilling career and has never felt more content. If her dating life is a little lackluster, well, that’s just how it’ll have to be. But when ownership of the diner changes hands from mother to daughter, Star finds herself scrambling to keep up…and to keep far away from the attractive woman who’s now at the helm.
Anisse moved back home to reconnect with her roots after too many years in the city, and she’s excited to bring the diner her family founded into the current decade. Unfortunately, she might have more to worry about than just reinventing the recipes she grew up with. Star, the gorgeous manager whose cooperation she needs to make the refreshed Anisse & Clover a success, hardly gives her the time of day.
But once Star and Anisse are pushed into sitting down together, their mutual attraction is undeniable. Going from coworkers to dating would be tricky, but neither of them wants to walk away from what might be the relationship they’ve always wanted.
Can these two women navigate their burgeoning connection, or will too many changes too fast leave both of them singed beyond repair?
I received an ARC from the author and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
Changing Spaces is the eighth book in the Clover Hill Romance series. Just as before, it works as a standalone, although I of course recommend reading them all. I especially loved the vibes of this one, with most of the story being set in the town diner where both leads work.
I love how the romance is a great balance between the two being opposites and also a meeting of minds and hearts. Star and Anisse both love the diner, but they aren’t necessarily on the same page at first. However, their initial misunderstandings about each other evolve seamlessly into respect and understanding, and then love for the other. The narrative also addresses the complexities of dating as coworkers/Anisse technically being Star’s boss, and I like how it tackles those hurdles as they navigate their feelings and find their way to professional and personal happiness together.
This is another winner for the series, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys small-town queer romance.
Author Bio
Karmen Lee is an author of diverse adult contemporary and steamy romance. She’s a single mom living it up in Atlanta, Georgia with her kid, her cats, and humidity. When she’s not carpooling or packing lunches, you can probably find her enjoying a glass of wine and dreaming up ways to show her readers a good time.
Now That I’ve Found You is a YA novel about searching for answers, love, and your eccentric grandma in all the wrong places.
Following in the footsteps of her überfamous grandma, eighteen-year-old Evie Jones is poised to be Hollywood’s next big star. That is until a close friend’s betrayal leads to her being blacklisted . . .
Fortunately, Evie knows just the thing to save her floundering career: a public appearance with America’s most beloved actress—her grandma Gigi, aka the Evelyn Conaway. The only problem? Gigi is a recluse who’s been out of the limelight for almost twenty years. Days before Evie plans to present her grandma with an honorary award in front of Hollywood’s elite, Gigi does the unthinkable: she disappears.
With time running out and her comeback on the line, Evie reluctantly enlists the help of the last person to see Gigi before she vanished: Milo Williams, a cute musician Evie isn’t sure she can trust. As Evie and Milo conduct a wild manhunt across New York City, romance and adventure abound while Evie makes some surprising discoveries about her grandma—and herself.
Review
4 stars
Now That I’ve Found You is the last book in Kristina Forest’s backlist that I needed to read to be up-to-date with her work, and as expected, it’s an absolute delight. I love the exploration of the impact and pressure of being from a Hollywood family, both as the kid taking on the legacy and the person who created the legacy in the first place. It is so easy to get lost in that, and forget to put yourself first, and I love how the story reinforces that.
Evie is a complex character, and I appreciate the balance between making her sympathetic, yer flawed. She has her moments of not always being the best person, but she grows throughout the book to understand what she’s done wrong, and becoming more self-aware and compassionate toward others.
With her parents being absent, creating a somewhat typical child-star-gone-wild dynamic, I liked how Evie’s grandmother Gigi’s presence made up for that. It’s fascinating to see the parallels between the two, especially with Evie pressuring Gigi to come out of retirement in order to help save Evie’s career, but Gigi having left the industry. I like how Gigi’s presence (and the quest to find her) help Evie to put things into perspective about what she really wants.
Evie’s romance with Milo is really cute. While it shares the spotlight with other relationships, Forest is able to give their relationship development adequate page time for cute moments, developing from initial animosity to a sweet teenage love.
This is a really sweet book, like all Kristina Forest’s books are, and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a sweet YA romance with Black leads and a strong focus on the entertainment industry.
Author Bio
Kristina Forest is the critically acclaimed author of romance books for both teens and adults. She earned her MFA in Creative Writing at The New School and she lives in New Jersey, where she can often be found rearranging her bookshelf.
A shy bookworm enlists her charming neighbor to help her score a date, not knowing he’s the obscure author she’s been corresponding with, in this sparkling and heart-fluttering romance by Kristina Forest.
Shy, bookish, and admittedly awkward, Lily Greene has always felt inadequate compared to the rest of her accomplished family, who strive for Black excellence. She dreams of becoming a children’s books editor, but she’s been frustratingly stuck in the nonfiction division for years without a promotion in sight. Lily finds escapism in her correspondences with her favorite fantasy author, and what begins as two lonely people connecting over email turns into a tentative friendship and possibly something else Lily won’t let herself entertain—until he ghosts her without a word.
Months later, Lily is still crushed, but she’s determined to get a hold of her life, starting with finding a date to her sister’s wedding. And the perfect person to help her is Nick Brown, her charming, attractive new neighbor, who she feels drawn to for reasons she can’t explain. But little does she know, Nick is an author—her favorite fantasy author.
Nick, who has his reasons for using a pen name and pushing people away, soon realizes that the beautiful, quiet girl from down the hall is the same Lily he fell in love with over email months ago. Unwilling to complicate things even more between them, he agrees to set her up with someone else, though this simple favor between two neighbors is anything but—not when he can’t get her off his mind…
Review
4 stars
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
I read a YA book by Kristina Forest last year, and really enjoyed it. So, I was hyped to hear she was releasing an adult romance, The Neighbor Favor. And while transitioning from YA to adult can be hit-or-miss, Forest managed it with ease, and with a trope that can often be hard to pull off, even for veteran romance writers.
I love how Lily and Nick bond over emails she sent to his mostly defunct author email, and what started as an author/fan interaction quickly turned into something more. It perfectly replicates the vulnerability readers and authors have in being able to share parts of themselves online, even if it is from a different angle than I’ve personally experienced. And the way that translates to their real life encounters, with her being burned both when he ghosts her and later when she finds out the truth, and him struggling when he finds out who his new neighbor is, I truly felt the tension.
Nick has believable reasons for initially wanting to keep his identity private, related to his relationship with his father. And while I did sometimes question how he could let things go on for as long as they did with Lily in the dark, I also understood his own insecurities and fears. The narrative also gave him enough time after his reveal to prove his genuineness to Lily, as well as begin the road to healing, which helped massively.
As for Lily, I really liked how her own struggles to measure up within her family were rendered. She’s an editor for nonfiction, but she desperately wants to break into children’s publishing. She also faces a lot of pressure from her family to compete with her sisters with regards to both her job and her love life.
With both protagonists in the book industry in some capacity, there’s a lot of book talk. It’s mostly fantasy genre oriented, but there are a lot of familiar industry issues, from the more serious, like the struggles publishing professionals deal with, to the more mundane, like why every fantasy by a woman is miscategorized by YA.
This is a charming first adult romance, and if the excerpt at the end is any indication, it’s hopefully the first of many for Forest. If you’re looking for a fun bookish Black romance, I recommend checking this out! out!
Author Bio
Kristina Forest is the critically acclaimed author of romance books for both teens and adults, including I Wanna Be Where You Are, Now That I’ve Found You, and Zyla & Kai. Her adult romance debut, The Neighbor Favor, will publish with Berkley on February 28, 2023. She earned her MFA in Creative Writing at The New School and she lives in New Jersey, where she can often be found rearranging her bookshelf.
So, just like last year, I read an epic ton, and many books were contenders for my “best books” of the year. As such, I have an eclectic list, which I chose to split into romance (and books that aren’t classified as such but fit the general genre requirements), and a somewhat shorter non-romance category.
Since there are so many books, especially in the romance category, I tended to go with the ones that resonated with me, especially on a personal level.
Note: While I’ve seen no consensus on this and others are including them in their faves lists, I’m following the original stipulation from the HarperCollins Union to “hold reviews, nominations, or any other content” until the strike is over. However, it should be pretty obvious what my favorites from their various imprints were (especially in romance), judging by my reviews throughout the year, and nothing I would have included is something I’ve read since the strike began on November 10. I may post an addendum with all HC titles in the event HC agrees to actually bargain in good faith with their workers and resolve the situation (as unlikely as that looks at the moment). In the meantime, please follow @hcpunion on Twitter and/or Instagram or consult the links here to find out how you can get involved!
Romance (& adjacent)
Midnight Duet by Jen Comfort: I love the way Jen Comfort pays homage not just to Phantom, but to musical theater as a whole, with myriad little references throughout the book. It’s also a stunning modern retelling, maintaining the “plottiness” to match the source material (and making it just as bonkers), while also (for the most part) centering Erika and Christof’s romantic arc and their respective personal arcs.
You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi: Akwaeke Emezi brings her signature literary flair to the romance genre, crafting a beautiful story about navigating grief as a queer Black person. She plays with taboo tropes, like age gap and “falling for her boyfriend’s dad” to explore this issue in all its messiness. Feyi has been through a lot, and sees a kindred spirit in Alim, in spite of the fact that his kids think the worst of her.
The One True Me and You by Remi K. England: This is a really fun opposites-attract queer romcom. Kaylee and Teagan are both relatable in their respective passions, as well as in how they each go on their own journeys to articulate their respective queer identities.
Elizabethan Mischief by Elysabeth Grace: I love a Tudor-set historical romance, rare as they are, and the bonus that this also featured Black characters in the central roles was another major plus for me! The political landscape alone is well-depicted, with the backdrop centered around one of the plots that threatened Elizabeth’s reign. And the relationships between characters are wonderful, especially the bond between long-lost sisters impacted by colorism. Kate and Simon’s romance, which is tested due to her change in status, is also incredibly beautiful.
Something Fabulous by Alexis Hall: My absolute favorite of the several books Alexis Hall released this year, it’s just a bucketload of charm. Valentine is a grumpy, demisexual duke, and Bonny is a chaotic sunshine romantic looking out for his sister’s best interests. Hall also sensitively grapples with the issues queer people dealt with during the Regency era, while retaining a fairly optimistic tone and giving the characters a believable HEA.
With Her Own Two Hands by Tasha L. Harrison: This book won me over for its nuanced portrayal of mental health. Aggie’s experiences living with bipolar distorted and hypomania are well rendered, including incorporation of professional therapy and self-care into her daily routine. She’s paired with Julian, who has his own baggage from a past relationship which is also compassionately depicted, and I loved seeing them develop a relationship on their terms,
The Heartbreak Handshake by J.R. Hart: Ace rep in fiction is sadly lacking, and in romance even more so. However, whatever people’s preferences, this book shows that a romance between asexuals without on-page sex, or even kissing (one of the major barriers to inclusion) is possible. Both leads are sex repulsed, but find different ways of exploring their connection to each other and expressing love. And the bonus of depicting the intersection of marginalizations with autistic and ADHD rep also spoke to me as an autistic asexual.
Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert: Talia Hibbert pretty much always delivers, and her YA debut is no different. I love the characters and how Brad and Celine are both so believable, dealing with such realistic challenges. I particularly appreciate the OCD rep on Brad’s part.
Back in the Day by Katrina Jackson: While I didn’t post a review for this book at the time, I did very much love it. It’s not a “conventional” romance in terms of structure, but as someone who reads widely, and likes well-written multi-timeline historical fiction in particular, this really worked for me. And while there is death, there’s something powerful about celebrating the legacy of love: it’s not just about two people, although that’s a factor. It’s about the years they spent together, and how the memories of those years continue to provide the surviving partner with comfort when their spouse is gone. It’s about their child and his coming into his own, finding his own epic love. It’s about the community they built as Black people who came up in the midst of the civil rights movement, and that legacy. And it’s a shame recent-ish Twitter discourse tried to diminish this book and its themes, as while it doesn’t fit the conventional mold, it is absolutely satisfying for open-minded readers looking for something a little different, and not the least bit deceptive in its contents.
The Romantic Agenda by Claire Kann: This is undoubtedly Claire Kann’s best book to date. I love Claire Kann’s depiction of asexuality, and how it’s not always sexlessness. There’s some great sentiments in here about dressing up for yourself, and not society at large, which should really be taken to heart in general, even among allosexuals. There’s also a pretty good depiction of love rivalry and tension that gets messy without it being over the top and having everyone hate each other. Joy develops a solid friendship with Summer, despite the fact that Summer is the current object of her love, Malcolm’s affections. There’s believable reckoning with how Malcolm has taken Joy for granted over the years. And Fox, coming in with baggage of his own with Summer, develops a lovely romance with Joy once she is able to fully get over her unrequited love.
Long Story Short by Serena Kaylor: This book meant a lot to me as a neurodivergent person who loved theatre in high school. Beatrice’s experiences of not really fitting in with what typical teens enjoy really resonated with me, and I love that she stepped out of her comfort zone and found something she loved.
Love and Other Disasters by Anita Kelly: This is a book for all the queer foodies out there! Cooking takes center stage in the novel, including in the culminating romantic gesture, and this definitely is a book that will make you hungry. The characters are also incredibly lovable, from chaotic Dahlia, who hopes to reinvent herself after a divorce to London, who has confidently come out to the public in the wake of their cooking-show appearance, but is still dealing with misunderstandings and judgments within their family.
Shake Things Up by Skye Kilaen: I love how this book really breaks down the barriers of queer and polyamorous relationships. Matt and Allie are in an open relationship, and this is one of the most positive depictions of that dynamic I’ve seen. Allie also meets Noelle in a setup I absolutely adore, with them coming together when they find out that the same guy has been playing and cheating on both of them. Meanwhile, Matt not only is supportive as Allie brings Noelle into their relationship, but is also exploring his own sexuality and queer identity.
Her Unexpected Roommate by Jackie Lau: This is arguably Jackie Lau’s most personal book, given how it deals with a protagonist’s journey with grief at the loss of a parent to suicide, as well as discussion about the depression Rose continues to live with. It’s handled beautifully and in an ultimately affirming way. I also appreciate the way that Caleb is such an open, accepting hero, giving her a sense of stability and accepting her in turn on whatever terms she’s willing to offer.
No Rings Attached by Rachel Lacey: I adored the execution of “this just a fling?”, a trope which can often fall flat for me. But I really felt a sense of emotional investment here, and cared about the “will-they/won’t-they” dynamic. Rosie and Grace also have a lot of personal depth and deal with real-world issues, without the book becoming too dark.
Set on You by Amy Lea: I loved this book, and it really spoke to me as an Asian plus-size person. I loved Crystal’s journey of projecting an image of self-love, even if she had to fake it, to coming to a realization that it’s ok to be vulnerable sometimes and she doesn’t have to do all this on her own was a great message to read. And the romance that develops with Scott does a good job of helping to further inform that.
Two Wrongs Make a Right by Chloe Liese: Chloe Liese masters the balance of steamy and sweet with this one! Bea and Jamie have great chemistry tinged with all the right notes of awkwardness, cuteness, and swooniness. And it’s a masterclass in how to amplify the steamy scenes by building up to them and succeeding them with great little moments of quiet intimacy and vulnerability. Plus, there’s nuanced autism and anxiety rep!
The Harpy and the Dragon by Marie Lipscomb: I love an unlikable, even villainous heroine, but I didn’t realize how much I liked when she met her match until I read this book. Both Annora and Henry have dark pasts and have received punishment for the crimes they’ve committed as the story begins. And while the story sees them grow, it’s not a redemption story for either, but about their hearts growing to include the other. Henry in particular, who was a major villain in prior books, becomes just a touch less self-centered as he lets Annora into his world.
Plowed by Marie Lipscomb writing as M.L. Eliza: Two words: sexy Santa. I adored this little book so much, I broke my own rule about including more than one book per author, justifying it based on them being under different pen names. It’s delightfully sexy, but also explores how Santa and his Holly find ways to live their HEA in the midst of the most intense time of the year.
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna: I’m loving the rising trend of cozy fantasy (especially the romantic kind), and this may be one of the best I’ve read of the subgenre. It’s a perfect blend of magic that pays homage to the past, while being set in the present and interacting with modern technology. Mika is a wonderful heroine with a quirky online persona to center the narrative, and I love how she finds a surrogate family over the course of the story and “governessing” the young girls in her care. And her romance with the librarian Jamie is super cute!
The Belle of Belgrave Square by Mimi Matthews: This is a beautiful story, exploring and unpacking Gothic tropes in an atypical way for the genre. Matthews pays homage to the “sensation novels” of the Victorian era, but also adds humanity to them. Jasper is a hero with a dark past, but it comes through in such a compassionate way for all he experienced. Julia is also personally relatable to me as someone who deals with social anxiety, and I love the commentary of mental health care at the time, and how she navigates a society with which she does not really “fit.”
Self-Made Boys by Anna-Marie McLemore: The Great Gatsby gets a queer reimagining that simultaneously subverts the original narrative, yet tries to ensure the public perception of the original comes into being to begin with. I love the exploration of trans identity in the context of the Great American Dream, and how both Nick and Gatsby try to reinvent themselves within it. Their romance also feels so beautiful, with that additional context. There’s also a much deeper exploration of Nick and Daisy’s relationship, with their shared Latine identity; how he embraces it, while she rebuffs it.
100 Nights with the Duke by Jess Michaels: Jess Michaels celebrated a rare author milestone in fabulous style with this book, and it was worthy of the honor. I love how it deals with the complex class politics and the stakes related to that, examining the complex lingering feelings of a past love affair. Edward is a duke navigating the judgment of society, while also wanting to be with the woman he loves, and Sophia is beautifully broken, trying her best to hold onto her dignity even as she is tempted once again.
Love Somebody by Rachel Roasek: This is a fun modern queer twist on Cyrano de Bergerac, and I love how it presents the perspectives of all three participants, creating a compelling love triangle where all are likable. It strikes the balance between delving into the messiness of the dynamics between Sam, Ros, and Christian, while also resolving things in an amicable way by the end.
Wicked Beauty by Katee Robert: The Dark Olympus series has been nothing but bangers so far (in multiple senses of the word), and this may be the boldest thus far (although the hints for what’s to come suggest that could change). Katee Robert beautifully combines two myths, seeing the irresistible Helen entangled with the Achilles and Patroclus dynamic. Helen is the boldest heroine of the series yet, along with some dark edges and trauma that pay homage to her mythical origins. The fact that she’s willing to challenge for the mantle of Ares against a bunch of men makes her immediately compelling…and she does it without being reduced to a stereotypical “girl boss.” Achilles is her rival for the position, but there’s also this simmering romantic tension, and it’s wonderful to see a realistic growth as a result of love, and see him put that over his pride. And Patroclus is just the sweetest, with ties to both of them in different ways.
Reel by Kennedy Ryan: Kennedy Ryan is one of those immensely hyped authors (previously in the indie space, although she’s now becoming more mainstream), and I finally got around to trying her work this year, and I loved it. She knows how to pack an emotional punch with her writing, and this one is no different, with the romance highlighting a supportive relationship in the wake of an illness. And the way this book highlights the contributions of Black creators in Hollywood in both the past and present is wonderful. While this isn’t a historical romance, I love the homage it pays to Old Hollywood and those classic Black actors and filmmakers. Honorable mention goes to her trad release this year, Before I Let Go, which is also deeply emotionally moving, but this one edged it out just slightly.
In Search of a Prince by Toni Shiloh: I’m a sucker for princess stories, and I love how this book takes the broad framework of The Princess Diaries (American finds out she’s a Princess) and injects so much cultural nuance. Bri spends a lot of the book figuring out her role as Princess and future leader of an African nation, along with getting to know her people and dodging conspiracies from those who wish her ill. However, she also is tasked with finding a husband, and while she initially agrees to approach things diplomatically, the sneaky way the bond with her eventual surprise love interest creeps up on you (and the way she navigates the obstacles in their way) makes you root for them.
The Courtesan and Mr. Hyde by Catherine Stein: A romantic retelling of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde seems a bit unlikely, but Catherine Stein surprised me with a story I didn’t know I needed here. Hal is super sweet and a bit awkward, with a hidden wild side, and I love the way that is explored in a way that makes the central character with the dual identity a romantic hero. And Callie makes for a great counterpart for him, being both incredibly beautiful and intelligent, able to fight for her rights as a woman engaging in sex work and capable of matching wits with Hal where his experiments are concerned.
What Souls Are Made Of by Tasha Suri: Wuthering Heights is not a romance, but this retelling definitely is. Tasha Suri pays tribute to the original, but also gives her versions of the characters the chance to speak for themselves in real time, as opposed to the original, where proxy characters reveal the narrative secondhand. You get a real sense of the stakes against them, and it’s also infused with a greater cultural nuance which the original lacked. And of course, while some events overlap, the sequence they follow and their ultimate outcome differ, in order to provide a much more optimistic outcome for the once-tragic and tragically flawed lovers.
Non-Romance
The Address by Fiona Davis: The best Fiona Davis book in my personal opinion. It perfectly executes the mystery element across the two timelines of the book, with well-paced suspense in the earlier timeline, which informs and is complemented perfectly in the more modern one. This is also a great execution of a red herring, with a narrative you believe is going a certain way, only for the rug to believably be pulled from under you.
My Imaginary Mary by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows: The Lady Janies did it again, this time taking on the anachronistic female friendship between teenage Mary Shelley and Ada Lovelace. It’s anti-Percy Shelley, anti-Byron (and also anti-Annabella Millbanke Byron at the same time), and about celebrating the accomplishments of these women, while breaking them from the historical chains that confined them. And there’s an adorable romance between Mary and an automaton.
The Villa by Rachel Hawkins: I love a clever reimagining of historical figures *glances at had the list*, and this one did that. There are so many little references to the real Mary and Percy Shelley, and Lord Byron, I couldn’t help but chuckle. But it also revises the narrative to give the modern Mary character, Mari, more agency, even if she has to take it retroactively for herself through a revision of her narrative. And the dark story of friendship and sisterhood torn apart by adultery and tragedy is paralleled perfectly in the modern timeline, as Emily and Chess’ story begins to eerily mirror Mari and Laura’s, and they also are faced with the choice to take control of their own story.
House of Hunger by Alexis Henderson: Alexis Henderson delivered the truly bloody Elizabeth Bathory-inspired historical/Gothic horror of my dreams! Tackling the complex intersections of racial and class-based power dynamics, I loved watching this story unfold through Marion’s eyes, seeing her initial naïveté and struggle for survival grow over the course of the story, as she’s initially drawn to, and then, horrified by, the enigmatic, bloodthirsty Lisavet.
The Fervor by Alma Katsu: I love the use of horror to explore traumatic and horrific events of the past through an allegorical lens. This book does that, paralleling the very real terror Japanese Americans felt to be racially profiled and interned in camps during World War II with a supernatural element.
One for All by Lillie Lainoff: Disability rep is still hard to find in fiction, especially the sort that doesn’t center on suffering. However, this book stands out in terms of showing what disabled people are capable of. Tania is an incredible role model for teens who deal with POTS and similar chronic illnesses, and I love that Lainoff got to write from her own experience, including injecting her own passion for fencing. It’s also just a fun, ahistorical twist on a classic that was sorely in need of an inclusive update.
Great or Nothing by Joy McCullough, Caroline Tung Richmond, Tess Sharpe, and Jessica Spotswood: A wonderful collaborative novel retelling Little Women, but transplanting the action to World War II. I love how it pays homage to the spirit of the original and their bonds, while also doing its own thing. The most powerful element is perhaps the choice for Beth’s chapters to be in verse, speaking from beyond the grave, while the other three are navigating their individual pursuits and lives without her. It makes for a powerful read, and shows how the surviving sisters attempt to move forward, even amid terrible loss and grief, with their story arcs mirroring elements of the “Good Wives” portion of the narrative.
I Was Born for This by Alice Oseman: This is a truly unique, heartfelt exploration of the bonds formed within fandom. While it does comment on the more prominent stereotypes of obsessed fans and “love” for their idols, I love that this goes deeper than that. Jimmy is a member of a boy band struggling under the pressure imposed by their record label, and I love how unflinchingly it goes into the various mental health issues and dysfunctional relationships the members and those close to them have. Angel loves her idols selflessly, to the point of being willing to help them without expectations of more, and she also comes to a realization about the true nature of a strong bond she formed through the fandom community. There’s also a positive, affirming portrayal of queerness, with Jimmy being openly trans, and fellow member Lister embodying chaotic bisexual energy, as well as Angel being unlabeled, but learning more about her identity over the course of the book.
The Oleander Sword by Tasha Suri: This series has been more of a grower for me than her previous work, as it does focus on multiple major characters, and feels more in the vein of an epic fantasy with a prominent romantic arc than a fantasy romance (as was the case with her first duology). However, I ended up really loving the developments in the second installment, and Malini and Priya and their complex dynamic and torn loyalties absolutely shine through in this book. And it’s complemented perfectly by well-plotted political intrigue that informs their internal arcs very well.
The Wife Before by Shanora Williams: Yet another thriller that cleverly reimagines a classic, and does so in a way that is satisfying for both those familiar with the source material and those who aren’t. It’s delightfully twisty (and twisted), and left me absolutely breathless waiting for the final reveal.
It’s too late for a Sweet Sixteen, but what if Mahalia had a coming-out party? A love letter to romantic comedies, sweet sixteen blowouts, Black joy, and queer pride.
“A perfect ode to romantic comedies, wrapped in a dazzling rainbow dress.”—Rachael Lippincott, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Five Feet Apart and She Gets the Girl
Mahalia Harris wants.
She wants a big Sweet Sixteen like her best friend, Naomi.
She wants the super-cute new girl Siobhan to like her back.
She wants a break from worrying—about money, snide remarks from white classmates, pitying looks from church ladies . . . all of it.
Then inspiration strikes: It’s too late for a Sweet Sixteen, but what if she had a coming-out party? A singing, dancing, rainbow-cake-eating celebration of queerness on her own terms.
The idea lights a fire beneath her, and soon Mahalia is scrimping and saving, taking on extra hours at her afterschool job, trying on dresses, and awkwardly flirting with Siobhan, all in preparation for the coming out of her dreams. But it’s not long before she’s buried in a mountain of bills, unfinished schoolwork, and enough drama to make her English lit teacher blush. With all the responsibility on her shoulders, will Mahalia’s party be over before it’s even begun?
A novel about finding yourself, falling in love, and celebrating what makes you you.
Review
4 stars
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
After releasing two books which much deeper/more intense themes, I’m so happy Camryn Garrett is releasing Friday I’m in Love, a wonderfully lighthearted story celebrating Black queer joy. It’s not lacking in discussion on serious topics, but I appreciate that it does it without making it an issue book, and maintaining the overall lighthearted tone.
Mahalia is such a wonderful protagonist to follow. I love how she dreams big, imagining a splashy Coming-Out party, in lieu of a Sweet Sixteen, in spite of the challenges her family has been through in the wake of her father walking out on them. And while it doesn’t exactly work out the way she initially plans (the money counter is so real!) I love how she more or less doesn’t give up, and is rewarded for that.
It’s also super cute to see her as she falls in love, and is figuring out how to express that. The playlists she attempts to create are super fun, and I love how that not only gives insight into the way she’s been thinking about Siobhan, but also the friendship bond she has with Naomi. Naomi and Mahalia’s back-and-forth commentary is absolutely hilarious!
Siobhan is a pretty cool love interest. While she’s in a relationship with a racist white guy at the beginning, it becomes clear over the course of the book that, like Mahalia, she’s also queer. They have so many cute moments, especially with the playlist, even though it turns out they don’t share the same taste in music.
This is such a sweet book, and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a story about Black queer joy and love.
Author Bio
Camryn Garrett was born and raised in New York. In 2019, she was named one of Teen Vogue’s 21 Under 21 and a Glamour College Woman of the Year. Her first novel, Full Disclosure, received rave reviews from outlets such as Entertainment Weekly, the Today Show, and The Guardian, which called a “warm, funny and thoughtfully sex-positive, an impressive debut from a writer still in her teens.” Her second novel, Off the Record, received three starred reviews. Her third novel, Friday I’m in Love, will be released in January 2023. Camryn is also interested in film and recently graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. You can find her on Twitter @dancingofpens, tweeting from a laptop named Stevie.
From the New York Times bestselling author of the Brown Sisters trilogy, comes a laugh-out-loud story about a quirky content creator and a clean-cut athlete testing their abilities to survive the great outdoors—and each other.
Bradley Graeme is pretty much perfect. He’s a star football player, manages his OCD well (enough), and comes out on top in all his classes . . . except the ones he shares with his ex-best friend, Celine.
Celine Bangura is conspiracy-theory-obsessed. Social media followers eat up her takes on everything from UFOs to holiday overconsumption—yet, she’s still not cool enough for the popular kids’ table. Which is why Brad abandoned her for the in-crowd years ago. (At least, that’s how Celine sees it.)
These days, there’s nothing between them other than petty insults and academic rivalry. So when Celine signs up for a survival course in the woods, she’s surprised to find Brad right beside her.
Forced to work as a team for the chance to win a grand prize, these two teens must trudge through not just mud and dirt but their messy past. And as this adventure brings them closer together, they begin to remember the good bits of their history. But has too much time passed . . . or just enough to spark a whole new kind of relationship?
Review
5 stars
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
When I first heard Talia Hibbert was writing a YA book, I was unbelievably hyped. And the fact that it’s simultaneously the inaugural book for David and Nicola Yoon’s new imprint, Joy Revolution, made it much more special. I went in with zero expectations, certain it would be fabulous, and I wasn’t wrong: Highly Suspicious and Unbelievably Cute is indeed unbelievably cute!
Hibbert’s writing style and humor are one of the things she’s known for, and it remains intact, even as she transitions to writing for a somewhat younger demographic. I was already bursting out laughing while reading the glossary of British terms she included at the beginning, and the subtly dirty British humor did not let up.
Hibbert’s other strength is in her characterization. She always creates unique characters no other author but her could write, and it’s no different this time around. Brad and Celine are both flawed, yet endearing. I was particularly won over in how Brad’s OCD was depicted, especially learning that Hibbert herself was writing from her own experience. Celine, in turn, is delightfully chaotic, but not without depth and issues of her own to navigate. I like how both of them are facing their futures and dealing with the anxiety in their own ways, setting the stage perfectly for them to reconnect,
With the complex nature of their relationship, Hibbert perfectly captures all the little nuances, like what caused their friendship to fall apart, and then provides the right circumstances for them to come back together again. Their transition from former friends/enemies to friends again to lovers feels believable and fraught with tension, amid all the uncertainty both are dealing with. The way they support each other, especially Celine with Brad’s OCD, is heartwarming.
This book is such a delight, as is pretty much everything I’ve read from Talia Hibbert so far. If you’re a fan of her work, I would enthusiastically recommend picking this up! And even if you aren’t, this is a great book to start with, if you’re looking for a diverse British YA romcom!
CWs: parental abandonment, portrayal of living with obsessive compulsive disorder
Author Bio
Talia Hibbert is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author who lives in a bedroom full of books in the English Midlands. She writes witty, diverse romances, including Get a Life, Chloe Brown; The Princess Trap; and A Girl Like Her, because she believes that people of marginalized identities need honest and positive representation. Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute is herdebut novel for teens. Talia’s interests include beauty, junk food, and unnecessary sarcasm.
Courtney Reads Romance 