A handful of romance reads that have brought me joy

Y’all, I just… I love romance novels. I love the POWER they have and what they can achieve on the page, I love that they remind me of the importance of empathy and that even the most seemingly imperfect person can be perfect for someone else. I’ve made no secret of the fact that romance is almost exclusively what I’ve been reading these days, and via other readers on Twitter, I’ve discovered so many new-to-me authors and titles that have been a real balm to me and my anxious brain.

One piece of romance-related news that has delighted me this week: the soon-to-be-released historical romance Mr. Malcolm’s List, which debuted as a short film from director/producer Emma Holly Jones early last year, will be expanded into a feature-length movie! I haven’t read the book yet, although it’s on my currently very STACKED TBR, but LOOK AT THIS CAST:

GIVE ME MORE DIVERSE REGENCIES. Honestly, it’s what we both need and deserve in our lives. And if you haven’t watched the full short, do yourself a favor and spend the 10 or so minutes for it, because it is SO CHARMING.

Also, if you can, I would encourage you to participate in the #BlackoutBestsellerList initiative by Amistad Books this week, wherein the aim is for everyone to purchase at least two books in order to flood bestseller lists with Black voices:

A Duke in Disguise by Cat Sebastian

(historical romance; content warning for mentions of familial abuse)

Funnily enough, I’ve never considered myself all that attached to friends-to-lovers as a trope. I’m always willing to read it, but I wouldn’t say it’s ranked that highly on my all-time favorites list. (Those of you who know me already know that spot is taken by Only One Bed or any other kind of delicious forced proximity situation.) But when friends-to-lovers is done well, and I’m talking REALLY WELL, the kind of well that frequently drives you to highlight certain passages because of the utter delightfulness of it all, it can make for an immensely gratifying romance read. Enter Cat Sebastian’s A Duke in Disguise. I was already a huge fan of her Regency Imposters series (of which this is Book 2) after reading Unmasked by the Marquess two years ago, but jumped back in with this title when I saw it available to snatch up from my local library and spent the two days in serious swoon mode. Verity Plum wants to keep her publishing business afloat, but that’s easier said than done when her brother is at risk for being arrested for printing treasonous materials AND she’s navigating an inconvenient attraction to her best friend Ash upon his sudden return to their doorstep. Meanwhile, Ash has just discovered he’s the lost heir of a duke, and the last thing he wants is to tell Verity, who he’s been secretly in love with for years, for fear she’ll look at him differently. When these two finally decide to act on their desires, LET ME TELL YOU, it is deliciously satisfying.

Dragon Unleashed by Grace Draven

(fantasy romance)

First of all: THIS COVER. This is the follow-up to Phoenix Unbound, a book that reminded me of all the best parts of the TV show Spartacus paired with a high fantasy world unlike anything I’ve read in some time. Although the main couple from the first book does briefly pop up in this one, you can technically read it as a standalone, BUT I’d suggest going back and reading from the beginning if you’re so inclined. If Phoenix Unbound was fiery, intense, passionate, then Dragon Unleashed is its grounded, earthy, slow-burn cousin, with lots of tender touches and longing glances to build the tension in a world of growing stakes and the threat of a powerful enemy. Free trader Halani has kept her earth magic a secret within her caravan family for years, but when her uncle buys a strange artifact from a pair of shifty men, her entire world is soon disrupted by the presence of a mysterious warrior. But Malachus is no mere human — he’s a draga, a man with the power to shift into an ancient beast, although he’s kept his identity hidden for years due to his kind being hunted to the point of near-extinction. The artifact Halani possesses is one that ties him to his mystical heritage and he needs to retrieve it — but he’s not the only one who seeks it. Rumors of a draga’s existence have made their way back to the country’s evil empress, and she wants to hunt him down for herself, no matter the cost.

Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert

(contemporary romance)

SO GOOD. SO SWOONY. I’m not even completely finished with Hibbert’s follow-up to Get a Life, Dani Brown (which I also loved), but I already tell this book has wrecked me in the best of ways. Fake relationship! Sex pact! The “we can pretend we’re dating while also ignoring the building feelings we’re having for each other” insistence that you know is always, always going to backfire on them eventually! Plus all of Hibbert’s wonderful charm, humor and ability to write those steamy scenes that will leave you needing to take a big sip of water afterward. Ph.D. student Danika Brown knows she’s not cut out for relationships; they’re just not her speed. But when she gets stuck in an elevator during a fire drill, and security guard (and flirty friend) Zafir Ansari comes to her rescue, literally carrying her out of the building, the video of her in his arms goes viral and leads to the entire internet shipping them IRL. Of course, for various reasons, they decide it’s in their best interest to play along, so why not pretend to date each other for the next few weeks (including all the fun sexy perks that entails) and see what happens? But the more time she spends with Zaf, the more Dani realizes that maybe she can’t just cut and run when the time on their fake relationship runs out. Maybe Zaf’s actually the one who can change her views on what she thought she was capable of having when it comes to love.

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.