Smart Bitches, Trashy BooksSmart Bitches, Trashy Books ([syndicated profile] smartbitches_feed) wrote2025-07-10 08:00 am

I’ll Have What He’s Having by Adib Khorram

Posted by Carrie S

B-

I’ll Have What He’s Having

by Adib Khorram
August 27, 2024 · Forever
Contemporary RomanceLGBTQIA

I’ll Have What He’s Having is a sweet m/m romance that is cosy and chill but marred by an excess of mopiness towards the end. The worst thing I can say about this book is that it made me super hungry and that the minute I finished it I forgot all about it. It was pleasant and solidly written (barring too much repetition) but not especially memorable.

Farzan is a great cook, a skill he learned from growing up in his Iranian-American parents’ restaurant in Kansas City. However, he’s had several careers and several relationships and he feels adrift. David is an African-American sommelier in a different restaurant. He is pouring (LOL I crack myself up) all of his energy into studying for his master sommelier exam. After a brief Big Misunderstanding, they sort things out and become Friends With Benefits which we all know is not going to last because anyone who happily watches the Muppet Movie together on a date is bound to be together.

Incidentally, my Sacramento Public Library Romance Book Club, which you are all invited to join, felt strongly that we were robbed by not getting a list of Muppet Movies and their recommended wine pairings.

This book has several things that I liked, starting with characters who are just slightly older than the norm. Both protagonists are thirty-seven, which means that they are starting to think about middle age and about making some life-changing decisions with no backsies. They are young enough to be still figuring things out but old enough to feel pressure about settling into a path. It gives their career decisions a heft that wouldn’t exist if they were in their twenties.

I loved the themes of food, culture, and family, as well as the humor. I love it when people don’t take things too seriously during sex. I enjoyed Farzan bringing David soup when David gets sick and running into David’s mom who is also bringing soup. The dynamic of mutual care and support between Farzan and David was lovely. The book starts with a Big Misunderstanding but they resolve it very quickly and are able to laugh about it. As much as I loathe the Big Mis trope, I thought that the characters handled this situation with humor and maturity and that warmed me to them considerably.

One of the biggest problems I had with this book was repetition. For instance, in one of my favorite scenes, Farzan farts the first time they have sex, and they laugh about it, but not in a mean way, and then carry on. It’s a very human moment and I loved it. But then the farting or burping at awkward times became a running joke and it stopped being funny. Farzan’s parents supported his coming out! That’s great to hear – once! Hearing it over and over again was just irritating. In another structural gaffe, there are odd side details about people who never reappear or who, in the case of one side character’s dog, never appear at all. The narrative could have used some tightening over all.

Furthermore, anything the reader is told in this book will be told many, many times. For example, I also felt that Farzan spent too long whining and feeling sorry for himself. Farzan and David begin their relationship with the understanding that if and when David passes his test he will be leaving, probably for Los Angeles (the story is set in Kansas City). It’s understandable that as he becomes more and more involved with David, Farzan feels increasingly determined not to hold David back and increasingly sad about it.

Spoilers for the ending

However, this ends up with Farzan wallowing in self-pity for an annoyingly long time without communicating with David, to the point where he tries the “break up with him for his own good” approach, an approach which I absolutely despise.

I wanted him to communicate more clearly with David and stop having unrealistic expectations for himself at work.

This was a lovely read that didn’t ask too much of my emotions. It was comforting but forgettable. I could read a chapter, wander off, and not think of it again for a month…but when I did get around to picking it up, I instantly remembered how warm and fuzzy it was. One more run through the editing process might have cleaned this book up considerably. Hopefully the coming sequel will level up.

Smart Bitches, Trashy BooksSmart Bitches, Trashy Books ([syndicated profile] smartbitches_feed) wrote2025-07-10 06:00 am

Book Store Trip Report: Spicy Librarian – Denver, CO

Posted by Guest Reviewer

This guest post comes from Jen! Jen is an over-educated wonk who likes reading and writing both cool real-life stories and cool made-up stories. To her surprise, she currently lives in Denver, but will always be a Californian at heart.

If SBTB was a physical place, it might look a lot like the Spicy Librarian in Denver. It’s a store designed by people who adore the genre, have a dollop of humor, and believe in the power of romance to empower people to give up shame and organize. Also, there’s a secret door leading to a room of sex toys.

The sign on the sidewalk said, “Come Find your Fictional Boyfriend” and “Follow the Roses to the Entrance.” A trail of rose petal sidewalk decals leads you to an entrance that would be somewhat hidden except for the fact that the owners have installed a profusion of fake flowers and greenery around the door to make it an entrance.

Alt text: a sandwich sign on the sidewalk that says Come Find your Fictional Boyfriend.

Alt text: A brick building with a door that says The Spicy Librarian. Around the door is an archway of fake flowers and greenery.

The front table has another flower archway, which gives me strong Netflix Bridgerton vibes. Nestled inside of a collection of books I have definitely seen on SBTB is a sign that says “I buy my books from bookshops not billionaires.”

Alt: A display of books with a flower archway with a rainbow sign that says I buy my books form bookshops not billionaires.

Alt: A cozy bookshop with half a dozen people, a big sunny window, and fake greenery draping from the ceiling
First level of the bookshop from above

It was crowded on a Sunday morning, and taking photos without photographing other patrons was a challenge. There were mostly women, although a few uncomfortable-looking men followed partners around or hung out in one of the many cozy chairs. Some women were alone, strolling through the shelves. Others were with friends, chatting with each other about how much they loved this one book or how you could totally skip this one. One woman was sifting through the stand of “blind date with a book” packages while chatting on the phone. “Do you think Cathy would like this one?”

Each “blind date” is a wrapped mystery book with a label telling you the tropes. Included are stickers (like “this ghoul reads smut” with a ghost on it) and a tea bag.

Alt text: A book wrapped in shiny pink wrapping paper with a sticker with blind date with a book on it, a chili pepper rating system (4/5), and a description: grumpy x sunshine, friends-to-lovers, fake dating, grief and healing, Ireland setting.

Sections include an adorable kid’s section; Contemporary; Local; Historical; LGBTQ+; Dark; and Fantasy. Each section has been cheekily decorated. Above the Contemporary section is a flower-festooned bedspring; above the Historical section is a trunk spilling over with lacy old-timey underwear. The Fantasy section has a wallpaper of an enchanted-looking forest; the Dark section has a mirror with “Good Girls Read Dirty Books” scrawled on it in “lipstick.” Throughout the bookstore are lots of cozy corners with comfy armchairs and couches; the owner really took advantage of the oddly-shaped loft space. On a pink couch, a group of women were filling in a penis in a coloring book.

A room corner with red velvet chairs, empty ornate gold frames, and a wallpaper of a forest
The section of the store where the Fantasy Romance books are, awkwardly framed to avoid the cluster of patrons.
Alt: A book display against black and merlot-colored walls with a black and gold gilt chair. A mirror reads in lipstick-looking paint Good Girls Read Dirty Books.
The Dark Romance section

The owner is a former kindergarten teacher, and the bookstore site states that one of its missions is to “Empower women to feel less shame about their pleasure and their love for romance books.” As if that wasn’t cool enough, 5% of the proceeds go to the Purple Leash Project, an organization that is “dedicated to providing pet-friendly shelters and resources for survivors of domestic abuse.” The bulletin board in the store advertised book clubs (general, fantasy, and queer), a book swap and picnic, local author events, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, and reproductive healthcare access.

And of course, there is The Vault.

The door looks like a bookshelf with definitely-not-suggestive cherry and mushroom knickknacks and an “18+” sign. You pull the doorknob and ta-da! You’re in a secret sex toy section, with a small but curated collection. A sign on the wall assures you that you can ask for help from the staff without shame.

Alt: A bookshelf with a sign that says The Vault that is full of books and knickknacks.

The bookshelf has swung open to reveal a white room with giant red glittery lips on the wall and the words, Lick me, I’m delicious.

And “without shame” is what the Spicy Librarian is all about: it’s about loving this genre and yourself without shame and to build a community around it. So if you’re ever in Denver, be sure to follow the rose petals to this bookstore.

Thank you for the trip report, Jen! If you’d like to write a trip report about your visit to a romance-focused bookstore, I would LOVE to hear from you.

austin_dern: Inspired by Krazy Kat, of kourse. (Default)
austin_dern ([personal profile] austin_dern) wrote2025-07-10 12:10 am

We Could've Grown if I Held You Close

I mentioned not riding the log flume despite its dinosaurs. There were some other things we didn't ride or didn't get to do. The roller coaster miss was Draconis, formerly named Draak. Unfortunately, hanging across the ride's entrance sign was a plaque with this note:

Deze attractie is even in onderhound maar zal snel weer blinken als goud.

The message is repeated in French so as to not sound so much like someone making fun of Dutch. But you get the gist: the ride is closed for maintenance but will soon be back, shining good as gold. (We only got that precisely translated with machine help.)

The change of name from something meaning ``dragon'' to something else meaning ``dragon'' may seem unmotivated. Its motivation: this year they re-themed the ride to the series Nachtwacht. There were statues of what we surmised (correctly) to be the main characters: a vampire, a werewolf, and a girl. (She's an elf.) According to Wikipedia and the Internet Movie Database they're a trio of supernatural teens who protect the city from monsters of the week. I believe the dragon appears in one episode. I don't know if the extended downtime of the ride is part of the retheming or if the ride is just having issues.

Also missed: Nachtwacht-Flyer, an elevated swings ride. There was no chance [personal profile] bunnyhugger would ride it, but I was up for it. Unfortunately, by the time we felt ourselves free to mess around with optional attractions like that, the ride was closed for weather. High winds, you know, which only reinforced my nicknaming of it as a WindSeeker. We thought to get back to it later, but never found the time.

And the big thing we missed? Shows. We had seen some characters doing happy dances at the park entrance when the day started. But they had events along the way. The most important of those --- a parade --- we caught. But there was some kind of show at the stage up front, a couple of times during the day, and we managed to miss it every time. While stumbling from one attraction to another we saw a bit of it from afar, across the field of water sprays from the concrete, and maybe it might have given us some idea what the intellectual properties we were watching were about. Maybe not. We don't know. We'll only ever know any of these characters and shows from YouTube or people making comments here.

There were other things we didn't get to at the park --- it has way more attractions than we could have got to in one day --- but those were the ones we were most interested in.


Putting aside now Plopsaland De Panne, let's enjoy pictures of Michigan's Adventure from last Labor Day.

SAM_1318.jpeg

The Dock, est 2024, is what they ended up doing with that weird wooden structure they were building at the end of 2023. It's more of a boardwalk than a dock, leading from where the bumper boats used to be to the beer garden. It's no kind of shortcut to anything and it doesn't support any water features we know so it seems like that thing where you have a little spare money in Roller Coaster Tycoon but no idea of anything to do with it.


SAM_1319.jpeg

But here's what The Dock looks like, with a tiny bit of cute bunting where it changes direction.


SAM_1323.jpeg

It's a nice spot to pause and look at the water, at least.


SAM_1327.jpeg

There's this spot where the boardwalk Dock changes direction and that has some space but it's hard to imagine setting up an event here, at least not anything supposed to keep a crowd.


SAM_1330.jpeg

Oh hey, this is nice, they're trying to help prop up a tree using the corpses of other trees!


SAM_1332.jpeg

And here's Corkscrew, the ride that started the deer-petting-zoo's transformation into a modest but respectable amusement park. Note the train is mid-cork.


Trivia: In February 1946 mob boss Charles ``Lucky'' Luciano was released from state prison, given a reprieve in exchange for his support of the war effort (from inside jail) through his Italian contacts and ensuring of no New York City dockworker strikes, on condition that he remain in Italy the rest of his life. He arrived in Cuba the 29th of October, 1946, to reside in Havana. Source: Cuba: An American History, Ada Ferrer. (Cuba would expel him in 1947, under United States government pressure.)

Currently Reading: Empire of the Sum: The Rise and Reign of the Pocket Calculator, Keith Houston.

loganberrybunny: Drawing of my lapine character's face by Eliki (Default)
loganberrybunny ([personal profile] loganberrybunny) wrote2025-07-10 12:27 am
Entry tags:

A little piece of Ukraine in... Kidderminster?

Public

Ukrainian APC, Kidderminster, 10th July 2025
159/365: Armoured personnel carrier on back of lorry, Kidderminster
Click for a larger, sharper image

Another very warm day. I saw this armoured personnel carrier on the back of a lorry in Kidderminster today. If you look carefully, you can see a Ukrainian flag near the front (left) of the vehicle. I'm afraid I know very little about military vehicles, so I can't tell you what model it is or anything. I have absolutely no idea what this thing was doing in Kidderminster at all, let alone this particular road; this area is a boring stretch of offices, commercial warehouses and the like with no obvious military relevance. I suppose it could be being repaired, but why here? You can't see the number plate in the photo, but I did check something: the lorry carrying it has an ordinary UK civilian number plate.
conuly: (Default)
conuly ([personal profile] conuly) wrote2025-07-11 11:20 am

Points for honesty in this job description....

"Why work here?"

"Weekly pay!"

Yup, that's why I would like to apply for any and all jobs!

(On a side note, A has been sending me a lot of job links today. I'm a bit inundated, but I somehow don't think that "Great, please don't send them to me, just fill them out with my resume for me" is going to go over very well.)

***************


Read more... )
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james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-07-09 03:46 pm
Entry tags:

Bundle of Holding: Pyramid 2



The latter half of Pyramid's ten-year run, the issues published from November 2013 to December 2018, sixty-two issues in all.

Bundle of Holding: Pyramid 2
Smart Bitches, Trashy BooksSmart Bitches, Trashy Books ([syndicated profile] smartbitches_feed) wrote2025-07-09 06:00 pm

Links: Fundraisers, K-Pop Demon Hunters, & More

Posted by Amanda

Workspace with computer, journal, books, coffee, and glasses.Hello, everyone! How is your Wednesday doing?

I want to thank everyone who shared their positive thoughts and advice in the comments last week and those who sent notes to my inbox. It was all much appreciated and really helped my partner and I make arrangements. Linus is doing as well as can be and so far, has responded well to steroids. But it’s a day by day thing.

Since finding out about Linus’s diagnosis, I have been reading a lot. I powered through five books in a week. Unfortunately, I’d make the bad call of starting a new book at 10pm and finishing it by 1am. Not that any of the books were particularly amazing. I’m just a fast reader and it felt silly to stop when I could crush it in a couple hours. And LEST I BE ALONE WITH MY THOUGHTS!

If you’re looking for ways to help communities impacted by the Texas floods, the local KSAT station has some suggestions.

Agatha of the She Wore Black podcast shared suggestions with her Patreon, and we’re passing them along as much as we can:

I’ll specifically link here to Kerr County Flood Relief, Austin Pets Alive and the Williamson County Animal Shelter. Though Austin and the surrounding towns (like mine) were also victims of major flooding, our animal shelters took in animals from Kerrville and Hunt that suffered the most losses. They are desperate for help.

Libro.fm has a ton of audiobooks on sale at a great price!

Dying at this post from Bookshop. If you want an alternative to buying books from Amazon, Bookshop is a great option. We have a “storefront” with reading suggestions taken from the site.

Have you heard that BookExpo is returning next year?! While I may miss conventions, I do not miss the Javits center.

If you’re still riding the glorious wave of K-Pop Demon Hunters, it looks like there is going to be a physical soundtrack release. We also have a guest review coming up!

Don’t forget to share what cool or interesting things you’ve seen, read, or listened to this week! And if you have anything you think we’d like to post on a future Wednesday Links, send it my way!

conuly: (Default)
conuly ([personal profile] conuly) wrote2025-07-09 11:57 am

Got a callback

Asked where I lived, was concerned that the answer is "Staten Island". FFS, it's not Siberia!

I need to start telling people I'm moving in with a friend in Tribeca. Just straight up lie.
Smart Bitches, Trashy BooksSmart Bitches, Trashy Books ([syndicated profile] smartbitches_feed) wrote2025-07-09 03:30 pm

Non-Fiction, Cover Awe, & More

Posted by Amanda

Not in Love

Not in Love by Ali Hazelwood is $1.99! Hazelwood’s books don’t go on sale super often. This one released last summer and is the first book in a series of the same name.

A forbidden, secret affair proves that all’s fair in love and science.

Rue Siebert might not have it all, but she has enough: a few friends she can always count on, the financial stability she yearned for as a kid, and a successful career as a biotech engineer at Kline, one of the most promising start-ups in the field of food science. Her world is stable, pleasant, and hard-fought. Until a hostile takeover and its offensively attractive front man threatens to bring it all crumbling down.

Eli Killgore and his business partners want Kline, period. Eli has his own reasons for pushing this deal through—and he’s a man who gets what he wants. With one burning exception: Rue. The woman he can’t stop thinking about. The woman who’s off-limits to him.

Torn between loyalty and an undeniable attraction, Rue and Eli throw caution out the lab and the boardroom windows. Their affair is secret, no-strings-attached, and has a built-in deadline: the day one of their companies will prevail. But the heart is risky business—one that plays for keeps.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

The Teller of Small Fortunes

The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong is $3.99! We featured this in Cover Awe on Monday and it came out last November. For those who have read this, are there any romantic elements?

A wandering fortune teller finds an unexpected family in this warm and wonderful debut fantasy, perfect for readers of Travis Baldree and Sangu Mandanna.

Tao is an immigrant fortune teller, traveling between villages with just her trusty mule for company. She only tells “small” fortunes: whether it will hail next week; which boy the barmaid will kiss; when the cow will calve. She knows from bitter experience that big fortunes come with big consequences…

Even if it’s a lonely life, it’s better than the one she left behind. But a small fortune unexpectedly becomes something more when a (semi) reformed thief and an ex-mercenary recruit her into their desperate search for a lost child. Soon, they’re joined by a baker with a knead for adventure, and—of course—a slightly magical cat.

Tao sets down a new path with companions as big-hearted as her fortunes are small. But as she lowers her walls, the shadows of her past are closing in—and she’ll have to decide whether to risk everything to preserve the family she never thought she could have.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Nine Month Contract

Nine Month Contract by Amy Daws is $2.99 and a Kindle Daily Deal! This is a grumpy/sunshine romance with a hero wanting to be a dad. I haven’t read this one, but I feel like not involving a surrogacy agency can lead to a lot of trouble. Last time this was on sale, commenters mention this one requires some suspension of disbelief.

Help Wanted: Grumpy mountain man seeks baby momma. Job is an incubator position only. Surrogate must be impervious to grunting as the form of communication and nosy brotherly neighbors. Rustic mountain range housing available upon request.

I wanted to pummel my irritating brothers when they posted their own version of a wanted ad to help me with my life.

But I can’t fault the results once the right woman lands in my lap.

Becoming a single father is not a decision I made lightly. In fact, it’s the biggest decision of my entire life.

Which is why when I interview Trista, I know she’s perfect.

She’s wild, she’s opinionated, she wears cowboy boots. Even my pet goat loves her…

She’s the exact type of person I was holding out for.

And to my great horror, I realize on our first night of attempting this baby-making dance—when the lights are low, the cheap wine is flowing and the home-insemination supplies are laid out on the kitchen counter—I want to do a lot more than just make her my surrogate.

I want to make her mine.

Perfect for fans of:
Grumpy/Sunshine
Small Town Romance
Age Gap
Curvy FMC
Meghan Quinn and Tessa Bailey

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

The Impostor Heiress

The Imposter Heiress by Annie Reed is $2.99! I mentioned this on Get Rec’d for people who like true crime but could do without the murder.

Before there was Anna Delvey or Elizabeth Holmes, there was Cassie Chadwick. The first woman–using criminal cunning, some confidence, and a bit of charm—to bring down a federal agent, a bank, and a city’s worth of men. Paroled felon. Rich doctor’s wife. Famous clairvoyant. The best con artists know how to reinvent themselves, time and time again. Cassie Chadwick, one of history’s most successful con artists, was a master of the trade. Over the course of fifteen years, she swept from town to town, assuming new identities and running new swindles at each railroad stop. In the dusk of the Gilded Age, years after the robber barons had amassed their fortunes, she was amassing her own.

Then came the Carnegie con. Using her wits and a series of forged documents, Cassie convinced prominent men from Cleveland to New York City that she was Andrew Carnegie’s illegitimate daughter. Blinded by the name of the most powerful man in the world, businessmen lined up to loan her hundreds of thousands of dollars at a time. The con made her impossibly rich. The crash shattered banks and bankers alike. Her sensational trial drew the eyes of a nation that couldn’t get enough of the woman, who newspapers called the Queen of Swindlers, the Duchess of Diamonds, the High Priestess of Fraudulent Finance. Indeed, when Charles Ponzi’s infamous scheme collapsed in 1920, reporters scoffed that “Ponzi is a piker compared to Cassie.”

Interspersing Cassie’s crimes with stories of an unsuspecting Andrew Carnegie, author Annie Reed spins an enthralling, page turning tale of true crime. Could the rumors be true? Can Cassie’s money last? Will she escape the electric chair?

Told with a gossip columnists’ charm and wit, THE IMPOSTER HEIRESS, is a rollicky trickster’s tale that will appeal to history buffs and true crime aficionados alike to bring one of the greatest swindlers of all time back into the public eye.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Cake Wrecks ([syndicated profile] cakewrecks_feed) wrote2025-07-09 01:00 pm

Meanwhile, at the Unintentionally Erotic Bakery... (Part 2)

Posted by Jen

"Deb, everyone keeps laughing at our new spiral donuts. Any idea why?"

"Really? Still? Drat. I even added a sign - I thought that would help."

"Yeah, about that....I'm not sure we should be telling customers to not get their "panties" in a twist. Could you change that?"

"Oh, sure."

"And make sure the new sign mentions we can heat the donuts up, too."

"You got it!"

 _____________________________________________________

Attention, customers: THEY'RE JUST DONUTS. 

Don't get your p***s in a twist. 

 P.S. Available Hot...


or Cold!

 

 Thanks for the dough nuts, Sophie F.!

*****

Good news, there's a Volume 2!

Exceptionally Bad Dad Jokes, Vol II

This one has the word "spiffing" in the title AND comes with a lovely green-and-gold cover, so folks will recognize your sophisticated taste while begging you to stop telling these terrible, TERRIBLE jokes.

*****
And from my other blog, Epbot:

james_davis_nicoll: (Default)
james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-07-09 10:01 am
Entry tags:
Smart Bitches, Trashy BooksSmart Bitches, Trashy Books ([syndicated profile] smartbitches_feed) wrote2025-07-09 01:16 pm

Tarot After Dark: Mermaids!

Posted by Carrie S

This piece of literary mayhem is exclusive to Smart Bitches After Dark, but fret not. If you'd like to join, we'd love to have you!

Have a look at our membership options, and come join the fun!

If you want to have a little extra fun, be a little more yourself, and be part of keeping the site open for everyone in the future, we can’t wait to see you in our new subscription-based section with exclusive content and events.

Everything you’re used to seeing at the Hot Pink Palace that is Smart Bitches Trashy Books will remain free as always, because we remain committed to fostering community among brilliant readers who love romance.

summerofhorrorexchange: silhouette of killer (Default)
summerofhorrorexchange ([personal profile] summerofhorrorexchange) wrote in [community profile] yuletide2025-07-09 06:10 am

Post-deadline pinch hit for Summer of Horror

Summer of Horror could use your help! We have one pinch hit left, due July 11 at 11:59 PM EDT or negotiable. Minimums are 500 words or a piece of original art (no manips), either digital or on unlined paper. For claiming and more details, go here.

PH 3 - FIC, ART - Psychonauts (Video Games), Higurashi no Naku Koro ni | Higurashi When They Cry, Umineko no Naku Koro ni | When the Seagulls Cry, Mortal Kombat (Video Games 1992-2020)

Thank you!
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james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-07-09 08:55 am

Kowloon Generic Romance, volume 1 by Jun Mayuzuki (Translated by Amanda Haley)



In a city with over a million people per square kilometre, real estate firms will never lack for clients. Good news for the employees of the Wong Loi Realty Company!


Kowloon Generic Romance, volume 1 by Jun Mayuzuki (Translated by Amanda Haley)
Smart Bitches, Trashy BooksSmart Bitches, Trashy Books ([syndicated profile] smartbitches_feed) wrote2025-07-09 06:00 am

Welcome to Murder Week by Karen Dukess

Posted by Lara

C+

Welcome to Murder Week

by Karen Dukess
June 10, 2025 · Gallery/Scout Press
Contemporary RomanceLGBTQIARomance

CW/TW

CW: One instance of homophobia, one discussion of racism, some tragic events around accidental death, challenging relationship with a parent

I don’t enjoy reading women’s fiction and this book is women’s fiction, so please keep that in mind when you read this review. I shall do my best to correct for my preferences, but it’s best to be upfront about these things.

So why on earth did I pick it up? Well, it was the premise you see. It totally sucked me in. I was so curious how this set up would unfold because this novel has a very good blurb – it accurately sums up what you’re about to read.

When thirty-four-year-old Cath loses her mostly absentee mother, she is ambivalent. With days of quiet, unassuming routine in Buffalo, New York, Cath consciously avoids the impulsive, thrill-seeking lifestyle that her mother once led. But when she’s forced to go through her mother’s things one afternoon, Cath is perplexed to find tickets for an upcoming “murder week” in England’s Peak. A whole town has come together to stage a fake murder mystery to attract tourism to their quaint hamlet. Baffled but helplessly intrigued by her mother’s secret purchase, Cath decides to go on the trip herself—and begins a journey she never could have anticipated.

Teaming up with her two cottage-mates, both ardent mystery lovers—Wyatt Green, forty, who works unhappily in his husband’s birding store, and Amity Clark, fifty, a divorced romance writer struggling with her novels—Cath sets about solving the “crime” and begins to unravel shocking truths about her mother along the way. Amidst a fling—or something more—with the handsome local maker of artisanal gin, Cath and her irresistibly charming fellow sleuths will find this week of fake murder may help them face up to a very real crossroads in their own lives.

Witty, wise, and deliciously escapist, Welcome to Murder Week is a fresh, inventive twist on the murder mystery and a touching portrayal of one daughter’s reckoning with her grief, her past—and her own budding sense of adventure.

I’ve never read a story that features a ‘murder week’ like this one does and I really enjoyed it. The mystery elements are really well-plotted and I found it very satisfying to read. One potential downside is that because the murder was fake, the mystery plot presented only an interesting puzzle to solve and not a source of tension. There were hints of competition with other teams, but as Cath and her housemates work on the mystery, the competition doesn’t really feature much at all.

The source of tension comes from elsewhere and that is, as alluded to in the blurb, unravelling ‘shocking truths’ about Cath’s mother. I won’t discuss them here as when the truth is revealed it is genuinely shocking. However, this particular plotline only emerges later, so for the first stretch, there is no tension to speak of.

The romantic subplot is kind of flat. I had an echo of butterflies in my tummy, but ultimately the romance did not deliver for me. Now is this a feature of the lower importance placed on romance in women’s fiction? Is my struggle with this particular book or with the genre? I can’t say for sure. But do not read this if you need a deep, abiding romantic connection at the end and a tension-filled journey to that HEA.

As this is women’s fiction, I feel it is only right that I indicate whether there is a HEA. Click for the reveal.

Show Spoiler

There is a happy ending, but there are no big declarations of love or intentions to be together forever. I’d say it’s a HFN with a positive outlook on their future.

I can’t help but feel that there would have been much richer, more nuanced emotions if it were a romance. Alas, it is not. But again, that’s not the book’s fault. Lara, let it go!

Just one more point on the emotional side of things: the shocking truths, when they are revealed, are very shocking and because we don’t have that rich emotional depth in the build up to that reveal, Cath’s coping with the shock is kind of flat emotionally. There are tears, yes, but in a few paragraphs it’s all neatly tidied away and sorted. But could this be a feature and not a bug? It’s hard to say for sure. I was surprised at the heaviness of the reveal. It’s a tragic series of events (historical) but at the start of the story,

Show Spoiler

Cath is, at best, ambivalent about her mom’s passing. So perhaps a tragic tale related to her mother wouldn’t undo her all that much.

With the mystery element being pretty wholesome, the romance being a bit one-note, and the ‘shocking truths’ coming late in the story, much of this novel could be categorised as ‘low stakes’ with the entirety of it being described as ‘cosy’. It does not strain the nerves. This week, I wanted that intense tension; at other times, this cosy story would be exactly what I’m looking for.

Just a note on the comparisons drawn between the States and the UK. It comes up relatively often as Cath and her housemates are American and the action takes place mostly in a small English village. I can honestly not say either way if the stereotypes/characteristics discussed are true, annoying, false, offensive or just silly. I’m a Zimbabwean living in South Africa so I’m a hopeless judge of it.

Back to the grade though. At another time, this would have been great for me. I would advise picking this up only when it meets your current needs around tension and intrigue – also as long as you don’t mind the romance playing third fiddle. As a cosy bit of women’s fiction, it’s great.

austin_dern: Inspired by Krazy Kat, of kourse. (Default)
austin_dern ([personal profile] austin_dern) wrote2025-07-09 12:10 am

Because Up Here, You're at Home

After taking The Ride To Happiness we were feeling pretty happy indeed, and looked for more of the park's attractions. It's a fun park, with a bunch of whimsy to its decorations even if it is sort of the West Europe Nickelodeon Studios chain of parks. Like, anyone can have a flat-ride boat, with boats that go in a circle in a little water trough, but make the boats into ducks? That's different and fun to see.

We went next to Heidi The Ride, the wooden coaster that I had penciled in to be my 300th unique coaster before the Nigloland disappointment. Looking at the track suggested to us who made the ride, and going on it --- with its heavily banked turns and hills --- confirmed. It's a 2017 Great Coasters International ride; their personality is just that strong. It's fun, albeit short, but should do a lot to teach kids how fun wooden roller coasters are.

Really though the theming of the ride is the attraction. Not the signs and the monitors showing what I guess are clips of the specific Heidi adaptation they're promoting. That looks like an adequate, low-budget computer animated thing. It's the decor of the station that looks so good, done in a style that evokes the Alps Or Wherever setting that I assume the Heidi story or stories take place in, with furniture that looks hand-made and wooden sleighs and cedar chests and iron implements. The train is even done up to look like a wooden sleigh. It's all very charming.

And nearby was Plopsaland's other carousel. It's not an antique (I assume it dates to about the same time as the roller coaster) and it's not wood, but it works hard to look like wood. Specifically the animals and seats on it --- including sleds rather than chariots --- are made to look like wood sculptures, rustic and imperfect, though if you look at multiple models of the same animal you notice they have identical flaws. But it has the look of the kind of merry-go-round someone might make by hand in the Alps Or Wherever. It commits hard enough to this that it doesn't even have a center pole and axles from which the animals dangle. They're mounted on the rotating disc of the ride, and fixed in place, without any kind of rocking or jumping mechanism, just like the oldest of carousels. The only downside is it isn't run like the oldest of carousels, with the ride rocketing up to maybe two rotations per minute. In the old days you could get five or six.

Also a strange feature? Dinosaurs. Lining what looked like the path of a log flume were bunches of dinosaurs, pterodactyls and stegosauruses and triceratopses and all that. Why? We don't know. We considered riding the log flume to see but it takes a lot to get us to ride a log flume, usually an intensely hot sunny day with nevertheless short lines for the ride. It wasn't intensely hot so we kept bumping the log flume down to ``maybe later'' and we ran out of time to consider it.


But enough of that exotic park we'll probably only ever see the once; how about photos of Michigan's Adventure, which we might easily see twice this season?

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Park flags outside the Shivering Timbers ride.


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There's not much of a line for Shivering Timbers; here we're already at the station and you can see the blue train circling the helix at the end of the ride.


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The purple tent here is set up for the Halloween Tricks-and-Treats event.


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Wolverine Wildcat's queue and in the distance, lift hill, and one of the monitors that's not working.


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They've been replacing the wood on Shivering Timbers, including some retracking, and it has done wonders at making the ride smoother and faster. For some reason they've got it replaced here on the lift hill, where the ride doesn't need to be fast or smooth.


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Here's a close-up showing the Gravity Group logo for the new wooden track.


Trivia: A dill cucumber pickle is about 93 percent water. A fresh (such as bread-and-butter) pickle, 79 percent. A sour pickle is about 95 percent water. Source: The New York Public Library Desk Reference, Editorial Directors Paul Fargis, Sheree Bykofsky.

Currently Reading: Empire of the Sum: The Rise and Reign of the Pocket Calculator, Keith Houston.

PS: What’s Going On In Judge Parker? Why is April Parker in Norway? April – July 2025 in my latest comic strip plot recap adventure!

loganberrybunny: Drawing of my lapine character's face by Eliki (Default)
loganberrybunny ([personal profile] loganberrybunny) wrote2025-07-08 11:34 pm
Entry tags:

Walking in the forest

Public

Eastern edge of Wyre Forest, 8 Jul 25
158/365: Eastern edge of Wyre Forest
Click for a larger, sharper image

Well, on the outskirts of it, at least. The Wyre Forest is a pleasant place on a warm day, given the shade it provides. Here's a photo from near the eastern edge of it at Coppice Gate. As you can see, this afternoon was pretty much cloudless, and although the air itself wasn't uncomfortably hot, we're at the peak of sun strength with UV up to 8 (as high as it can get here) so I was careful to keep to the shade as much as I could. This particular location has no facilities bar a small car park and a simple map board, so it isn't usually very busy. That was the case today -- I only saw one person walking her dogs all the time I was there. The lack of rain is starting to tell, though, as you can see from the yellowing of the grass here.

Also, have a meme question I noticed somewhere:

What is an unusual form of transport you have used?

(The original says "transportation", but I ain't American! :P )

To many people, I suppose "steam train" would count, and I've been on those masses of times -- but it's not unusual to me. That being so, the obvious answer is "hovercraft". Back in 2007, I flew (you don't sail a hovercraft) from Portsmouth to Ryde on the Isle of Wight (and back) with Hovertravel. That route remains operational and is the only regularly scheduled year-round passenger hovercraft service in Europe.

Smart Bitches, Trashy BooksSmart Bitches, Trashy Books ([syndicated profile] smartbitches_feed) wrote2025-07-08 03:30 pm

Today Only – Jumbo Books on Sale!

Posted by Amanda

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries

RECOMMENDED: Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett is $2.99! We had a guest squee review of this one:

Chilling, packed with lore, and a slow burn, Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett is the type of book I’ve been looking for. Their adventure from faerie field research to two professors running like hell from a faerie nightmare kept me on the edge of my seat.

A curmudgeonly professor journeys to a small town in the far north to study faerie folklore and discovers dark fae magic, friendship, and love in the start of a heartwarming and enchanting new fantasy series.

Cambridge professor Emily Wilde is good at many things: She is the foremost expert on the study of faeries. She is a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher who is writing the world’s first encyclopaedia of faerie lore. But Emily Wilde is not good at people. She could never make small talk at a party–or even get invited to one. And she prefers the company of her books, her dog, Shadow, and the Fair Folk to other people.

So when she arrives in the hardscrabble village of Hrafnsvik, Emily has no intention of befriending the gruff townsfolk. Nor does she care to spend time with another new arrival: her dashing and insufferably handsome academic rival Wendell Bambleby, who manages to charm the townsfolk, get in the middle of Emily’s research, and utterly confound and frustrate her.

But as Emily gets closer and closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones–the most elusive of all faeries–lurking in the shadowy forest outside the town, she also finds herself on the trail of another mystery: Who is Wendell Bambleby, and what does he really want? To find the answer, she’ll have to unlock the greatest mystery of all–her own heart.

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The Paradise Problem

The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren is $4.99! I don’t know if we’ve featured this one on sale before. It has an “oops, we’re still married” plot and an opposites attract, class differences romance.

Christina Lauren, returns with a delicious new romance between the buttoned-up heir of a grocery chain and his free-spirited artist ex as they fake their relationship in order to receive a massive inheritance.

Anna Green thought she was marrying Liam “West” Weston for access to subsidized family housing while at UCLA. She also thought she’d signed divorce papers when the graduation caps were tossed, and they both went on their merry ways.

Three years later, Anna is a starving artist living paycheck to paycheck while West is a Stanford professor. He may be one of four heirs to the Weston Foods conglomerate, but he has little interest in working for the heartless corporation his family built from the ground up. He is interested, however, in his one-hundred-million-dollar inheritance. There’s just one catch.

Due to an antiquated clause in his grandfather’s will, Liam won’t see a penny until he’s been happily married for five years. Just when Liam thinks he’s in the home stretch, pressure mounts from his family to see this mysterious spouse, and he has no choice but to turn to the one person he’s afraid to introduce to his one-percenter parents—his unpolished, not-so-ex-wife.

But in the presence of his family, Liam’s fears quickly shift from whether the feisty, foul-mouthed, paint-splattered Anna can play the part to whether the toxic world of wealth will corrupt someone as pure of heart as his surprisingly grounded and loyal wife. Liam will have to ask himself if the price tag on his flimsy cover story is worth losing true love that sprouted from a lie.

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That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon

RECOMMENDED: That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming is $2.99! I love the new covers! Carrie reviewed this one and gave it a B:

This book was perfect entertainment for my stressed out brain, and I was definitely rooting for those two wacky kids to have their HEA.

Spice trader Cinnamon’s quiet life is turned upside down when she ends up on a quest with a fiery demon, in this irreverently quirky rom-com fantasy that is sweet, steamy, and funny as hell.

All she wanted to do was live her life in peace—maybe get a cat, expand the family spice farm. Really, anything that didn’t involve going on an adventure where an orc might rip her face off. But they say the goddess has favorites, and if so, Cin is clearly not one of them.

After Cin saves the demon Fallon in a wine-drunk stupor, Fallon reveals that all he really wants to do is kill an evil witch enslaving his people. And who can blame him? But now he’s dragging Cinnamon along for the ride whether she likes it or not. On the bright side, at least he keeps burning off his shirt.…

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Change of Heart

Change of Heart by Kate Canterbary is 99c! I believe this is a standalone contemporary romance. It was mentioned in Hide Your Wallet when it came out last summer.

Grey’s Anatomy meets a gender-swapped Wedding Crashers in this spicy rom-com about a one-night stand with The One, walking the tightrope of love and workplace ethics, and knowing which rules are worth breaking.

Every summer, superstar surgeon Whitney Aldritch crashes weddings with her best friend. The first one was an accident though after a decade of dropping in uninvited, they’re masters of their craft. They keep the rules simple and they never go to bed alone.

Then there’s Henry Hazlette, best man and the best one-night stand of Whit’s summer. She never imagined she’d see him again but now he’s one of her new surgical residents—and completely off-limits.

Whitney has staked her reputation on leading the hospital’s new ethics initiative. While Henry is under her supervision, they have to keep it professional. But it doesn’t help that she can’t turn around without running face-first into his offensively broad chest or rubbing up against him in crammed elevators. Also not the way he smiles at her like he can hear her every not-safe-for-work thought.

All they have to do is survive this residency—and the accidental tarot card readings that hit too close to home, a few uninvited houseguests, and the hospital’s hyperactive rumor mill—but only if they’re prepared to bend some rules as the feelings go from just for tonight to get it out of our systems to mine.

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Hell for Hire

Hell for Hire by Rachel Aaron is 99c! This is book one in the Tear Down Heaven urban fantasy series. I really like this cover.

The Crew
A hulked-out wrath demon who eats gamer rage and loves cats, a shapeshifting lust demon who enjoys their food a bit too much, and a void demon who doesn’t see the point of any of this. They’re not the sort of mercenaries you’d hire on purpose, but Bex wouldn’t trust her life to anyone else.

Ever since the ancient Mesopotamian king Gilgamesh decided death wasn’t for him, killed the gods, and conquered the afterlife, times have been rough for a free demon. But the denizens of the Nine Hells aren’t the quitting sort, and Bex and her team have been choking a living out of the Eternal King’s lackeys for years. It’s not honest work, but when Heaven itself declares you a non-person, you smash-and-grab what you can get.

This next gig looks like more of the same…until Bex meets the client.

The Job
Adrian Blackwood is a witch with a problem. His family has skirted the edges of King Gilgamesh’s ire for centuries, but thanks to a decision he made as a child, Adrian is personally responsible for putting his entire coven in Heaven’s crosshairs.

Determined to set things right, Adrian drags his broom, caldron, and talking cat thousands of miles across the country to Seattle where he can fight the Eternal King’s warlocks without bringing the rest of his family into the fray. But witchcraft–like all crafts–takes time, and if the warlocks catch him before his spells are ready, he’s dead. So Adrian does what any professional witch would do and hires a team of mercenaries to keep the warlocks off his back. He didn’t expect to get demons, but when you’re already on the killing-edge of Heaven’s bad side, what’s a bit more fuel on the fire?

Sometimes you get more than you paid for.
Neither Adrian nor Bex knew what to expect when they signed their contract, but witch-plus-demon turns out to be a match made in the Hells. With this much chaos at their fingertips, even impossible dreams can come back into reach, because Bex wasn’t always a mercenary. She used to be the Eternal King’s biggest nightmare, and now that she’s got a witch in her corner, it’s time to put the old magics back on the field and show Adrian Blackwood just how much Hell he’s hired.

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A Rivalry of Hearts

A Rivalry of Hearts by Tessonja Odette is 99c! This is book one in a series and I picked this one and book two up in hardcover. The covers are really adorable, but I hope they deliver on their promise of spiciness.

Two rival writers.
One prestigious publishing contract.
A bargain of hearts and desire.

They say never bargain with the fae. They also say don’t get drunk on fae wine. Yet romance author Edwina Danforth has managed a blunder with both on her first visit to the infamous faelands. Now she’s trapped in a magic-fueled bet she barely remembers with a man she’d be happier to forget. The terms? Whoever can bed the most lovers during their month-long dueling book tour wins a coveted publishing contract.

The win should be easy for Edwina. She’s known for penning scintillating tales of whirlwind romance. There’s just one problem: her imagination vastly exceeds her bedroom experience. But when failure means plummeting her career back into obscurity, losing isn’t an option.

Her handsome fae rival, William Haywood, poses an even greater challenge. Not only are his looks as aggravatingly perfect as his track record behind closed doors, but he has his own reasons for playing to win, and he won’t go down without a fight. Unless, of course, it’s a different kind of going down. In that case, he’s fair game.

Edwina and William clash in a rivalry of romance. But what happens when their objects of desire…turn out to be each other?

A Rivalry of Hearts is a spicy standalone adult fantasy romcom in the Fae Flings and Corset Strings series. Every book in this interconnected series is a complete story and ends with a HEA. If you like academic rivals, enemies to lovers, and quirky heroines, then you’ll love this sizzling tale.

The Fae Flings and Corset Strings series is set in the same world as The Fair Isle Trilogy and Entangled with Fae. Journey back to this beloved fae world or fall in love for the first time.

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The Switch

RECOMMENDED: The Switch by Beth O’Leary is $2.99! Catherine read this one and gave it an A:

It’s a very gentle, wholesome sort of book. I read it last week when I was sick, and it was really the perfect book to curl up with if one is under the weather.

Eileen is sick of being 79.
Leena’s tired of life in her twenties.
Maybe it’s time they swapped places…

When overachiever Leena Cotton is ordered to take a two-month sabbatical after blowing a big presentation at work, she escapes to her grandmother Eileen’s house for some overdue rest. Eileen is newly single and about to turn eighty. She’d like a second chance at love, but her tiny Yorkshire village doesn’t offer many eligible gentlemen.

Once Leena learns of Eileen’s romantic predicament, she proposes a solution: a two-month swap. Eileen can live in London and look for love. Meanwhile Leena will look after everything in rural Yorkshire. But with gossiping neighbours and difficult family dynamics to navigate up north, and trendy London flatmates and online dating to contend with in the city, stepping into one another’s shoes proves more difficult than either of them expected.

Leena learns that a long-distance relationship isn’t as romantic as she hoped it would be, and then there is the annoyingly perfect – and distractingly handsome – school teacher, who keeps showing up to outdo her efforts to impress the local villagers. Back in London, Eileen is a huge hit with her new neighbours, but is her perfect match nearer home than she first thought?

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The Ministry of Time

The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley is $4.99! This was mentioned in Hide Your Wallet and I’ve seen it namedropped in the comments, though readers caution that it isn’t really a romance. What are your thoughts?

A time travel romance, a speculative spy thriller, a workplace comedy, and an ingeniously constructed exploration of the nature of truth and power and the potential for love to change it Welcome to The Ministry of Time, the exhilarating debut novel by Kaliane Bradley.

In the near future, a civil servant is offered the salary of her dreams and is, shortly afterward, told what project she’ll be working on. A recently established government ministry is gathering “expats” from across history to establish whether time travel is feasible—for the body, but also for the fabric of space-time.

She is tasked with working as a “bridge”: living with, assisting, and monitoring the expat known as “1847” or Commander Graham Gore. As far as history is concerned, Commander Gore died on Sir John Franklin’s doomed 1845 expedition to the Arctic, so he’s a little disoriented to be living with an unmarried woman who regularly shows her calves, surrounded by outlandish concepts such as “washing machine,” “Spotify,” and “the collapse of the British Empire.” But he adjusts quickly; he is, after all, an explorer by trade. Soon, what the bridge initially thought would be, at best, a seriously uncomfortable housemate dynamic, evolves into something much more. Over the course of an unprecedented year, Gore and the bridge fall haphazardly, fervently in love, with consequences they never could have imagined.

Supported by a chaotic and charming cast of characters—including a 17th-century cinephile who can’t get enough of Tinder, a painfully shy World War I captain, and a former spy with an ever-changing series of cosmetic surgery alterations and a belligerent attitude to HR—the bridge will be forced to confront the past that shaped her choices, and the choices that will shape the future.

An exquisitely original and feverishly fun fusion of genres and ideas, The Ministry of Time asks the universal What happens if you put a disaffected millennial and a Victorian polar explorer in a house together?

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Take a Hint, Dani Brown

RECOMMENDED: Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert is still $1.99! Maya squeed about this one and I agree with her assessment:

So I loved Take a Hint, Dani Brown. How much? I joined the Bad Decisions Book Club on the reread. Which started right after I had finished it the first time. Yes. I knew exactly where the book was going to go and I could not put it down. Honestly, I’m reading it a third time.

Talia Hibbert returns with another charming romantic comedy about a young woman who agrees to fake date her friend after a video of him “rescuing” her from their office building goes viral…

Danika Brown knows what she wants: professional success, academic renown, and an occasional roll in the hay to relieve all that career-driven tension. But romance? Been there, done that, burned the T-shirt. Romantic partners, whatever their gender, are a distraction at best and a drain at worst. So Dani asks the universe for the perfect friend-with-benefits—someone who knows the score and knows their way around the bedroom.

When brooding security guard Zafir Ansari rescues Dani from a workplace fire drill gone wrong, it’s an obvious sign: PhD student Dani and ex-rugby player Zaf are destined to sleep together. But before she can explain that fact, a video of the heroic rescue goes viral. Now half the internet is shipping #DrRugbae—and Zaf is begging Dani to play along. Turns out, his sports charity for kids could really use the publicity. Lying to help children? Who on earth would refuse?

Dani’s plan is simple: fake a relationship in public, seduce Zaf behind the scenes. The trouble is, grumpy Zaf’s secretly a hopeless romantic—and he’s determined to corrupt Dani’s stone-cold realism. Before long, he’s tackling her fears into the dirt. But the former sports star has issues of his own, and the walls around his heart are as thick as his… um, thighs.

Suddenly, the easy lay Dani dreamed of is more complex than her thesis. Has her wish backfired? Is her focus being tested? Or is the universe just waiting for her to take a hint?

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Seducing a Stranger

Seducing a Stranger by Kerrigan Byrne is 99c at Amazon! This is book one in a series and tropes include opposites attract and a fake identity.

This Knight of the Crown is driven by a painful past and a patient fury… and his entire life is a lie.

Sir Carlton Morley is famously possessed of extraordinary will, singular focus, and a merciless sense of justice. As a man, he secured his fortune and his preeminence as Scotland Yard’s ruthless Chief Inspector. As a decorated soldier, he was legend for his unflinching trigger finger, his precision in battle, and his imperturbable strength. But as a boy, he was someone else. A twin, a thief, and a murderer, until tragedy reshaped him.

Now he stalks the night, in search of redemption and retribution, vowing to never give into temptation, as it’s just another form of weakness.

Until temptation lands—quite literally—in his lap, taking the form of Prudence Goode.

Prim and proper Pru is expected to live a life of drudgery, but before she succumbs to her fate, she craves just one night of desire. On the night she searches for it, she stumbles upon a man made of shadows, muscle and wrath… And decides he is the one.

When their firestorm of passion burns out of control, Morley discovers, too late, that he was right. The tempting woman has become his weakness.

A weakness his enemies can use against him.

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Twice Shy

Twice Shy by Sarah Hogle is $1.99! This was mentioned in a previous Hide Your Wallet. Aarya said it’s a “a fluffy, gentle hug of a book.” Sounds like that might appeal right now.

Can you find real love when you’ve always got your head in the clouds?

Maybell Parish has always been a dreamer and a hopeless romantic. But living in her own world has long been preferable to dealing with the disappointments of real life. So when Maybell inherits a charming house in the Smokies from her Great-Aunt Violet, she seizes the opportunity to make a fresh start.

Yet when she arrives, it seems her troubles have only just begun. Not only is the house falling apart around her, but she isn’t the only inheritor: she has to share everything with Wesley Koehler, the groundskeeper who’s as grouchy as he is gorgeous–and it turns out he has a very different vision for the property’s future.

Convincing the taciturn Wesley to stop avoiding her and compromise is a task more formidable than the other dying wishes Great-Aunt Violet left behind. But when Maybell uncovers something unexpectedly sweet beneath Wesley’s scowls, and as the two slowly begin to let their guard down, they might learn that sometimes the smallest steps outside one’s comfort zone can lead to the greatest rewards.

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Portrait of a Thief

Portrait of a Thief by Grace D. Li is $1.99! This was mentioned previously on Get Rec’d. I’d describe this one as more fiction with some heisty, Ocean’s Eleven undertones.

Ocean’s Eleven meets The Farewell in Portrait of a Thief, a lush, lyrical heist novel inspired by the true story of Chinese art vanishing from Western museums; about diaspora, the colonization of art, and the complexity of the Chinese American identity.

History is told by the conquerors. Across the Western world, museums display the spoils of war, of conquest, of colonialism: priceless pieces of art looted from other countries, kept even now.

Will Chen plans to steal them back.

A senior at Harvard, Will fits comfortably in his carefully curated roles: a perfect student, an art history major and sometimes artist, the eldest son who has always been his parents’ American Dream. But when a mysterious Chinese benefactor reaches out with an impossible—and illegal—job offer, Will finds himself something else as well: the leader of a heist to steal back five priceless Chinese sculptures, looted from Beijing centuries ago.

His crew is every heist archetype one can imag­ine—or at least, the closest he can get. A con artist: Irene Chen, a public policy major at Duke who can talk her way out of anything. A thief: Daniel Liang, a premed student with steady hands just as capable of lockpicking as suturing. A getaway driver: Lily Wu, an engineering major who races cars in her free time. A hacker: Alex Huang, an MIT dropout turned Silicon Valley software engineer. Each member of his crew has their own complicated relationship with China and the identity they’ve cultivated as Chinese Americans, but when Will asks, none of them can turn him down.

Because if they succeed? They earn fifty million dollars—and a chance to make history. But if they fail, it will mean not just the loss of everything they’ve dreamed for themselves but yet another thwarted at­tempt to take back what colonialism has stolen.

Equal parts beautiful, thoughtful, and thrilling, Portrait of a Thief is a cultural heist and an examination of Chinese American identity, as well as a necessary cri­tique of the lingering effects of colonialism.

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When Women Were Dragons

RECOMMENDED: When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill is $2.99! Carrie read this one and gave it an A:

I adored this book. This was an astonishing, gripping, and inspiring read that I will return to again and again.

Learn about the Mass Dragoning of 1955 in which 300,000 women spontaneously transform into dragons…and change the world.

Alex Green is a young girl in a world much like ours. But this version of 1950’s America is characterized by a significant event: The Mass Dragoning of 1955, when hundreds of thousands of ordinary wives and mothers sprouted wings, scales and talons, left a trail of fiery destruction in their path, and took to the skies. Seemingly for good. Was it their choice? What will become of those left behind? Why did Alex’s beloved Aunt Marla transform but her mother did not? Alex doesn’t know. It’s taboo to speak of, even more so than her crush on Sonja, her schoolmate.

Forced into silence, Alex nevertheless must face the consequences of dragons: a mother more protective than ever; a father growing increasingly distant; the upsetting insistence that her aunt never even existed; and a new “sister” obsessed with dragons far beyond propriety. Through loss, rage, and self-discovery, this story follows Alex’s journey as she deals with the events leading up to and beyond the Mass Dragoning, and her connection with the phenomenon itself.

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How to Fake It in Hollywood

How to Fake It in Hollywood by Ava Wilder is $1.99! I picked this one up on a recommendation from a romance loving friend, Estelle! Estelle works in romance publishing and has been a guest on the podcast. Last time we featured this one on sale, the comments echoed how this was a great and harrowing depiction of grief and recovery.

A talented Hollywood starlet and a reclusive A-lister enter into a fake relationship . . . and discover that their feelings might be more than a PR stunt in this sexy debut for fans of Beach Read and The Unhoneymooners.

Grey Brooks is on a mission to keep her career afloat now that the end of her long-running teen soap has her (unsuccessfully) pounding the pavement again. With a life-changing role on the line, she’s finally desperate enough to agree to her publicist’s scheme . . . faking a love affair with a disgraced Hollywood heartthrob who needs the publicity, but for very different reasons.

Ethan Atkins just wants to be left alone. Between his high-profile divorce, his struggles with drinking, and his grief over the death of his longtime creative partner and best friend, he’s slowly let himself fade into the background. But if he ever wants to produce the last movie he and his partner wrote together, Ethan needs to clean up his reputation and step back into the spotlight. A gossip-inducing affair with a gorgeous actress might be just the ticket, even if it’s the last thing he wants to do.

Though their juicy public relationship is less than perfect behind the scenes, it doesn’t take long before Grey and Ethan’s sizzling chemistry starts to feel like more than just an act. But after decades in a ruthless industry that requires bulletproof emotional armor to survive, are they too used to faking it to open themselves up to the real thing?

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Rivers of London

Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch is 99c! This was originally titled Midnight Riot and is the first book in an urban fantasy series set in London. Sarah did a review of the first three books in the series that she was reading along with her husband:

As a reader who loves immersive deep dives into different aspects of various cultures, and who loves puzzles and language, this is a lot of my catnip. 

Constable Peter Grant dreams of being a detective in London’s Metropolitan Police. Too bad his superior plans to assign him to the Case Progression Unit, where the biggest threat he’ll face is a paper cut. But Peter’s prospects change in the aftermath of a puzzling murder, when he gains exclusive information from an eyewitness who happens to be a ghost. Peter’s ability to speak with the lingering dead brings him to the attention of Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale, who investigates crimes involving magic and other manifestations of the uncanny. Now, as a wave of brutal and bizarre murders engulfs the city, Peter is plunged into a world where gods and goddesses mingle with mortals and a long-dead evil is making a comeback on a rising tide of magic.

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Funny You Should Ask

Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman is $1.99! This one has been recommended on several podcasts we’ve done with other romance authors. Some readers think this one straddles the line between women’s fiction and contemporary romance. Any thoughts?

Then. Twenty-something writer Chani Horowitz is stuck. While her former MFA classmates are nabbing high-profile book deals, all she does is churn out puff pieces. Then she’s hired to write a profile of movie star Gabe Parker: her number one celebrity crush and the latest James Bond. All Chani wants to do is keep her cool and nail the piece. But what comes next proves to be life changing in ways she never saw coming, as the interview turns into a whirlwind weekend that has the tabloids buzzing—and Chani getting closer to Gabe than she had planned.

Now. Ten years later, after a brutal divorce and a healthy dose of therapy, Chani is back in Los Angeles as a successful writer with the career of her dreams. Except that no matter what new essay collection or online editorial she’s promoting, someone always asks about The Profile. It always comes back to Gabe. So when his PR team requests that they reunite for a second interview, she wants to say no. She wants to pretend that she’s forgotten about the time they spent together. But the truth is that Chani wants to know if those seventy-two hours were as memorable to Gabe as they were to her. And so . . . she says yes.

Alternating between their first meeting and their reunion a decade later, this deliciously irresistible novel will have you hanging on until the last word.

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Throne of the Fallen

RECOMMENDED: Throne of the Fallen by Kerri Maniscalco is $4.99! I enjoyed this one and it reminded me a lot of sexy, early 2000s paranormal romances (which may or may not be your thing). I gave it a B+:

Throne of the Fallen is a “yes, and…” sort of book that you just have to lean into, which I happily did. It’s extremely cliched and tropey, and I’d eat this nonsense for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

The adult debut of #1 New York Times bestselling author Kerri Maniscalco, Throne of the Fallen is a seductive new standalone novel set within her fan-favorite Kingdom of the Wicked world, perfect for readers of fantasy, romance, and mystery alike.

Sinner. Villain. Ruthless.

These are wicked names the Prince of Envy welcomes. They remind him what he isn’t: a saint. And when a cryptic note arrives, signaling the beginning of a deadly game, he knows he’ll be called much worse before it ends. Riddles, hexed objects, anonymous players, nothing will stand in his way. With a powerful artifact and his own future at stake, Envy is determined to win, though none of his meticulous plans prepare him for her, the frustrating artist who ignites his sin—and passion—like no other…

Talented. Darling. Liar.

The trouble with scoundrels and blackguards is that they haven’t a modicum of honor, a fact Miss Camilla Antonius learns after one desperate mistake allows notorious rake—and satire sheet legend—Lord Phillip Vexley to blackmail her. And now it seems Vexley isn’t the only scoundrel interested in securing her unique talents as a painter. To avoid Vexley’s clutches and a ruinous scandal, Camilla is forced to enter a devil’s bargain with Waverly Green’s newest arrival, enigmatic Lord Ashford ‘Syn’ Synton, little expecting his game will awaken her true nature . . .

Together, Envy and Camilla must embark on a perilous journey through the Shifting Isles—from glittering demon courts to the sultry vampire realm, and encounters with exiled Fae—while trying to avoid the most dangerous trap of all: falling in love.

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American Queen

American Queen by Sierra Simone is 99c! This is the first book in the New Camelot Trilogy. This is a menage romance with BDSM, some darker elements, and a cliffhanger. Whenever this is featured on sale, there’s always some great discussion in the comments.

Warned as a girl to keep her kisses to herself, Greer Galloway disobeys twice–once on her sixteenth birthday as she’s kneeling in a pool of broken glass, and another time after a charming stranger named Embry Moore whisks her into the dazzling Chicago night. Both times she falls in love, and both times her heart is broken beyond repair. And so as an adult, she vows never to kiss–or to love again.

That’s until the Vice President of the United States shows up at the university where she teaches, and asks for one thing: for her to meet with the hero-turned-President Maxen Colchester. Maxen, the soldier who was her first kiss in that pool of broken glass.

And the other complication? The Vice President is none other than charming Embry Moore himself.

Soon, Greer finds herself caught between past and present, pleasure and pain–and two men who long for each other as much as they long for her. And as war and betrayal press ever closer, they tumble headlong into a passionate love affair that will change the world…

From the USA Today bestselling author of Priest comes a contemporary reimagining of the legend of King Arthur, Guinevere, and Lancelot–elegant, carnal, and unforgettable.

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Fix Her Up

Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey is $1.99! I used to be a huge Bailey fan, but this one didn’t do it for me, mainly because it had some tropes that aren’t my bag. If you enjoyed this one, feel free to leave a comment below!

New York Times bestseller Tessa Bailey launches a super sexy new series featuring the blue collar men who work for a HGTV-esque house flipping business.

After an injury ends Travis Ford’s major league baseball career, he returns home to start over. He just wants to hammer out his frustrations at his new construction gig and forget all about his glory days. But he can’t even walk through town without someone recapping his greatest hits. Or making a joke about his… bat. And then there’s Georgie, his buddy’s little sister, who is definitely not a kid anymore.

Georgette Castle has crushed on her older brother’s best friend for years. The grumpy, bear of a man working for her family’s house flipping business is a far cry from the charming sports star she used to know. But a moody scowl doesn’t scare her and Georgie’s determined to show Travis he’s more than a pretty face and a batting average, even if it means putting her feelings aside to be “just friends.”

Travis wants to brood in peace. But the girl he used to tease is now a funny, full-of-life woman who makes him feel whole again. And he wants her. So damn bad. Except Georgie’s off limits and he knows he can’t give her what she deserves. But she’s becoming the air he breathes and Travis can’t stay away, no matter how hard he tries…

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The Honey Witch

The Honey Witch by Sydney J. Shields is $2.99! I remember a few of us being really excited for this one. The cover also looks beautiful, cozy, and perhaps slightly creepy. Did any of you read this one?

The Honey Witch of Innisfree can never find true love. That is her curse to bear. But when a young woman who doesn’t believe in magic arrives on her island, sparks fly in this deliciously sweet debut novel of magic, hope, and love overcoming all.

Twenty-one-year-old Marigold Claude has always preferred the company of the spirits of the meadow to any of the suitors who’ve tried to woo her. So when her grandmother whisks her away to the family cottage on the tiny Isle of Innisfree with an offer to train her as the next Honey Witch, she accepts immediately. But her newfound magic and independence come with a price: No one can fall in love with the Honey Witch.

When Lottie Burke, a notoriously grumpy skeptic who doesn’t believe in magic, shows up on her doorstep, Marigold can’t resist the challenge to prove to her that magic is real. But soon, Marigold begins to care for Lottie in ways she never expected. And when darker magic awakens and threatens to destroy her home, she must fight for much more than her new home—at the risk of losing her magic and her heart.

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The Assassin and the Libertine

The Assassin and the Libertine by Lily Riley is 99c! This is an enemies to lovers romance. I remember picking this one up on a whim because of the setting and the main characters (an assassin and a vampire).

The fate of France itself is at stake if these sworn enemies cannot change their ways—and their hearts.

Daphne de Duras is a proper French duchess by day and fledgling assassin by night. Her latest mission is to dispatch justice and protect the French aristocracy by executing Étienne de Noailles, disgraced former noble, legendary rake, and vampire emissary to the court of King Louis XV.

But Étienne’s alleged crime—the gruesome murder of Madame de Pompadour, the King’s mistress and Daphne’s friend—doesn’t quite fit the dashing vampire’s nature. With his immortal days suddenly numbered, Étienne needs to convince his would-be executioner not only of his innocence, but that they should hunt the real killer together—a challenge almost as difficult as convincing himself that he isn’t falling for her.

Daphne reluctantly agrees to a temporary partnership when Étienne persuades her that something more sinister is afoot. He can, after all, help her find answers in places she’s unable to go alone. And despite her deep loathing for any and all vampires, she can’t help but start thinking of a few other places she’d like to go with him.

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One Last Stop

RECOMMENDED: One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston is $2.99! Carrie and Tara did a joint review of this one and gave it a Squee grade:

Tara: I cannot recommend One Last Stop enough. It’s funny, it’s sexy, and it gives me all the feels.

Carrie: So much this! The book is fun, sexy, serious and comical, and deeply intersectional. 

From the New York Times bestselling author of Red, White & Royal Blue comes a new romantic comedy that will stop readers in their tracks…

Cynical twenty-three-year old August doesn’t believe in much. She doesn’t believe in psychics, or easily forged friendships, or finding the kind of love they make movies about. And she certainly doesn’t believe her ragtag band of new roommates, her night shifts at a 24-hour pancake diner, or her daily subway commute full of electrical outages are going to change that.

But then, there’s Jane. Beautiful, impossible Jane.

All hard edges with a soft smile and swoopy hair and saving August’s day when she needed it most. The person August looks forward to seeing on the train every day. The one who makes her forget about the cities she lived in that never seemed to fit, and her fear of what happens when she finally graduates, and even her cold-case obsessed mother who won’t quite let her go. And when August realizes her subway crush is impossible in more ways than one—namely, displaced in time from the 1970s—she thinks maybe it’s time to start believing.

Casey McQuiston’s One Last Stop is a sexy, big-hearted romance where the impossible becomes possible as August does everything in her power to save the girl lost in time.

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A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic

A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic by J. Penner is 99c! This is book one in the Adenashire series, which is described as a cozy fantasy romance. I do wonder if this is a “no plot, just vibes” sort of book. Have you read this one?

A human, a dwarf and an elf walk into a bake-off…

In the heart of Adenashire, where elfish enchantments and dwarven delights rule, Arleta Starstone, a human confectionist works twice as hard perfecting her unique blend of baking and apothecary herbs.

So when an orc neighbor secretly enters her creations into the prestigious Elven Baking Battle, Arleta faces a dilemma.

Being magicless, her participation in the competition could draw more scowls than smiles. And if Arleta wants to prove her talent and establish her culinary reputation, this human will need more than just her pastry craft to sweeten the odds.

While competing, she’ll set off on a journey of mouthwatering pastries, self-discovery, heartwarming friendships and romance, while questioning whether winning the Baking Battle is the true prize.

Escape to for a delightful cozy fantasy where every twist is a treat and every turn a step closer to home.

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