A few ways to help and a couple recs

I’ll be honest: I felt conflicted about whether or not to send out a newsletter this week, what with everything that’s going on across the U.S. right now — but then I realized that I have a platform I can use to pass on important resources and amplify other voices, and so that’s what I’m going to do.

If you’re here for the recs, those will be in this newsletter at the bottom, but if you’ve been feeling helpless/angry/sad/a myriad of complex and valid emotions about the recent wave of very visible violence perpetrated against the Black citizens of this country, much of it at the hands of law enforcement, here are some ways you can help:

• Split a donation between 39 community bail funds to help individuals who cannot afford bail, including protestors and those who were irresponsibly detained by police for breaking imposed curfew.
• This comprehensive doc includes places to donate, petitions to sign, and actionable items including how to contact local officials in cities like Minneapolis.
• Read this extensive list of 75 things white people can do for racial justice. There are a lot of helpful tips here for folks to try and enact change on a local level.
• Educate with this helpful resource for white individuals and parents that lists anti-racism resources ranging from books to podcasts to articles to TV shows and movies.
• Research which organizations in your area may still be in need of donations and commit to pledging regularly. In order to actively bring change to systemic oppression experienced by our Black friends and neighbors, we have to make a commitment to support them on a regular basis, not just in a time of crisis — but we can be a part of that change starting NOW.
• Support Black romance authors. These two lists by Bawdy Bookworms and LiterallyBlack.com are great places to start in terms of expanding your bookshelf/TBR pile.

Conventionally Yours by Annabeth Albert

(contemporary romance)

An enemies-to-lovers road trip romance that honestly just reminded me of all the best parts of summer, driving with your friends and all the hijinks that ensue, and what happens when you realize you're crushing on someone in a whole new way — and it’s a really sweet story to kick off Pride Month with if you’re looking for a fun escape. Conrad and Alden have been rivals and consistently snarking enemies on their Odyssey gaming team for as long as either of them can remember, but when they’re ultimately forced to drive cross-country to the biggest Odyssey fan convention out there, their close proximity might just force them to have some revelations about themselves, each other and their potential futures. This book was just nerdy enough for a reader who is only vaguely familiar with tabletop gaming but has definitely been to more than one convention. Ultimately, I felt lighter after having read it given how wonderfully sincere and adorable it is, and Conrad and Alden’s dynamic just has that fun spark that makes the resulting love story and the journey that much more refreshing.

Real Men Knit by Kwana Jackson

(contemporary romance; content warning for loss of parent)

A sweet, funny slow-burn romance that really emphasizes the importance of family and community! Jesse Strong and his brothers are trying to figure out how to honor their adoptive mother (known as Mama Joy)’s legacy — so he takes it upon himself to try and keep her Harlem knitting shop open in spite of the nay-sayers who don’t believe this neighborhood heartbreaker is capable of being responsible. Enter Kerry Fuller, who’s grown up alongside Jesse since they were kids and might be the one person who can help him both breathe new life into the store and get his own life back on track. As someone who lived near Harlem for a good chunk of my five years living in New York, this made me miss the neighborhood so much; there's a terrific sense of place in this book. The romance aspect could have been punched up even more for my liking, but overall I was drawn in by the character dynamics and the potential for future sequels. It was a fun world to lose myself in over the course of the weekend and I’m eagerly awaiting news of any more books in this series involving Jesse’s brothers!

Hello Stranger by Lisa Kleypas

(historical romance)

I’ve been a fan of Lisa Kleypas since I first started reading historical romances, but her newest series about the complicated and somewhat unorthodox Ravenel family has been blowing up the available borrow spots on my Hoopla account. Hello Stranger is the latest title I’ve inhaled in the course of two days, and I’m already crossing my fingers that the next two books in the series will be available soon through my library. Dr. Garrett Gibson is the only female physician in England who fights to be taken seriously, but also literally knows how to fight; she’s been trained by one of the best fencing teachers around and can definitely hold her own. When she’s cornered by a group of drunken soldiers on her way home from her practice, a dashing Irishman and former Scotland Yard detective named Ethan Ransom comes to her rescue and changes the course of her life forever. This book has EVERYTHING, including the heroine kicking ass at major surgery and a sparring scene that’s blast-your-unmentionables-off hot.

Edited to note: The original edition of this book featured a very problematic scene that has since been removed from future versions; the version I procured through my library was the edited copy but if you have an older edition, this is something to be mindful of. A big thanks to subscriber Maya for pointing this out via email!

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.