[syndicated profile] smartbitches_feed

Posted by Amanda

The latest bestseller list is brought to you by nostalgia, Girl Scout Cookies, and our affiliate sales data.

  1. Give Me a Reason by Jayci Lee Amazon | B&N | Kobo
  2. New Zealand Ever After by Rosalind James Amazon
  3. The Bone Raiders by Jackson Ford Amazon | B&N | Kobo
  4. Sounds Like Love by Ashley Poston Amazon | B&N | Kobo
  5. The Second Death of Locke by V.L. Bovalino Amazon | B&N | Kobo
  6. How Not to Hex a Gentleman by Valia Lind Amazon
  7. How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire by Kerrelyn Sparks Amazon | B&N | Kobo
  8. Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite Amazon | B&N | Kobo
  9. Someone to Honor by Mary Balogh Amazon | B&N | Kobo | GooglePlay
  10. How to Sell a Romance by Alexa Martin Amazon | B&N | Kobo

I hope your weekend reading was fabulous!

Sunday Sale Digest!

Feb. 22nd, 2026 09:00 am
[syndicated profile] smartbitches_feed

Posted by Amanda

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.

[syndicated profile] smartbitches_feed

Posted by Amanda

Book Beat aims to highlight other books that we may hear about through friends, social media, or other sources. We could see a gorgeous ad! Or find a new-to-us author on a list of underrated romances! Think of Book Beat as Teen Beat or Tiger Beat, but for books. And no staples to open to get the fold-out poster.

House of Monstrous Women

House of Monstrous Women by Daphne Fama

Author: Daphne Fama
Released: August 12, 2025 by Berkley
Genre: , ,

A young woman is drawn into a dangerous game after being invited to the mazelike home of her childhood friend, a rumored witch, in this gothic horror set in 1986 Philippines.

In this game, there’s one rule: survive.

Orphaned after her father’s political campaign ended in tragedy, Josephine is alone taking care of the family home while her older brother is off in Manila, where revolution brews. But an unexpected invitation from her childhood friend Hiraya to her house offers an escape….

Why don’t you come visit, and we can play games like we used to?

If Josephine wins, she’ll get whatever her heart desires. Her brother is invited, too, and it’s time they had a talk. Josephine’s heard the dark whispers: Hiraya is a witch and her family spits curses. But still, she’s just desperate enough to seize this chance to change her destiny.

Except Ranoco house is strange—labyrinthine and dangerously close to a treacherous sea. A sickly-sweet smell clings to the dimly lit walls, and veiled eyes follow Josephine through endless connecting rooms. The air is tense with secrets and as the game continues it’s clear Josephine doesn’t have the whole truth.

To save herself, she will have to play to win. But in this house, victory is earned with blood.

A lush new voice in horror arises in this riveting gothic set against the upheaval of 1986 Philippines and the People Power Revolution.

Gothic horror with Filipino folklore!

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

Married to the Alien Cowboy

Married to the Alien Cowboy by Ursa Dax

Author: Ursa Dax
Released: July 9, 2024 by Peace Weaver Press Inc.
Genre: , ,
Series: Cowboy Colony Mail-Order Brides #1

A quiet alien cowboy, a human woman on the run, and one very messy marriage of convenience. What could possibly go wrong?

In debt and on the run from a crime lord whose nose I may or may not have broken, I take the first ticket off-world that comes my way. It’s an all-expenses-paid, one-way trip to an isolated ranching outpost.

The only catch?
I have to marry an alien cowboy.

My plan is simple enough. Shack up with my groom Silar and convince him to keep me during the first month of our marriage. As long as he doesn’t decide to send me packing after the thirty-day trial period, I’ll be safe.

But maybe my plan isn’t so great after all. Silar talks more to his animals than he does to me, seems perplexed by every wifely duty I try to perform for him, and goes to offensively great lengths to avoid touching me.

Other than his eyes glowing bright white every time he looks at me, I have no idea what’s going on in my new husband’s head. Meanwhile, he shows me in subtle, wordless ways just how good a man he can be when he thinks that no one’s watching.

Yup. My plan officially sucks. Because now, it’s not just my life at risk if Silar sends me away after thirty days…

It’s my stupid human heart.

Welcome to the cowboy colony planet, where men outnumber women ten to one and cattle outnumber them all…

I’m getting Ice Planet Barbarians but make it Western.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

The Mars House

The Mars House by Natasha Pulley

Author: Natasha Pulley
Released: March 19, 2024 by Bloomsbury Publishing
Genre: , ,

A compulsively readable queer sci-fi novel about a marriage of convenience between a Mars politician and an Earth refugee.

Named a Best Book of 2024 by The Washington Post * Amazon * Book Riot * LitHub * Paste Magazine * HuffPost

In the wake of an environmental catastrophe, January, once a principal in London’s Royal Ballet, has become a refugee in Tharsis, the terraformed colony on Mars. There, January’s life is dictated by his status as an Earthstronger-a person whose body is not adjusted to lower gravity and so poses a danger to those born on, or naturalized to, Mars. January’s job choices, housing, and even transportation are dictated by this second-class status, and now a xenophobic politician named Aubrey Gale is running on a platform that would make it all worse: Gale wants all Earthstrongers to naturalize, a process that is always disabling and sometimes deadly.

When Gale chooses January for an on-the-spot press junket interview that goes horribly awry, January’s life is thrown into chaos, but Gale’s political fortunes are damaged, too. Gale proposes a solution to both their problems: a five year made-for-the-press marriage that would secure January’s future without naturalization and ensure Gale’s political success. But when January accepts the offer, he discovers that Gale is not at all like they appear in the press. They’re kind, compassionate, and much more difficult to hate than January would prefer. As their romantic relationship develops, the political situation worsens, and January discovers Gale has an enemy, someone willing to destroy all of Tharsis to make them pay-and January may be the only person standing in the way.

Un-put-downably immersive and utterly timely, Natasha Pulley’s new novel is a gripping story about privilege, strength, and life across class divisions, perfect for readers of Sarah Gailey and Tamsyn Muir.

Elyse posted about this one in our slack with just the words “Queer fake marriage ballet sci fi.” What a lovely combo of words. 

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

Silvercloak

Silvercloak by L.K. Steven

Author: L.K. Steven
Released: July 29, 2025 by Del Rey
Genre: ,
Series: Silvercloak Saga #1

In this addictive new fantasy series set in a world where magic is fueled by pleasure and pain, an obsessive detective infiltrates a brutal gang of dark mages—knowing that one wrong move will get her killed. . . .

“A dazzling (and frequently sizzling) new fantasy.” —Kiersten White, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Lucy Undying

Two decades ago, the Bloodmoons ruthlessly murdered Saffron Killoran’s parents, destroying her idyllic childhood. Hell-bent on revenge, she lies her way into Silvercloak Academy—the training ground for her city’s elite order of detectives—with a single goal: to bring the Bloodmoons to justice.

But when Saff’s deception is exposed, rather than being cast out, she’s given a rare opportunity: to go undercover and tear the Bloodmoons down from the inside.

Descending into a world where pleasure and pain are the most powerful currencies, Saff must commit some truly heinous deeds to keep her cover—and her life. Not only are there rival gangs and sinister smuggling rings to contend with, but there’s also her growing feelings for the kingpin’s tortured son, with his vicious pet fallowwolf, his dark past, and the curious prophecy foretelling his death at Saffron’s hand.

With each day testing her loyalties further, Saff finds her web of lies becoming harder to spin. And when one false step could destroy everything and everyone she’s ever loved . . . the detective who’s dedicated her life to vengeance just might die for it.

Book One of the Silvercloak Saga

“Magic is fueled by pleasure and pain” gives me slight Kushiel’s Dart vibes, and I see that as a good thing.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

$5.99 Hardcovers at Book Outlet!

Feb. 20th, 2026 05:27 pm
[syndicated profile] smartbitches_feed

Posted by Amanda

I’ve posted about my love of Book Outlet before. They’re a great option if you don’t mind waiting to get a physical book when it’s on sale; you’re kind of at the mercy of their stock.

Right now, they’re running a big fiction sale with paperbacks and hardcovers available for $5.99. There are some new releases and special hardcover editions!

I also have a referral coupon, which is $5 off a $25 order. I think I’ve posted it before, so some of you may have already snagged it.

If you see any great books as part of the sale, please drop your recommendations in the comments!

Dukes, Contemporary Romance, & More

Feb. 20th, 2026 04:30 pm
[syndicated profile] smartbitches_feed

Posted by Amanda

Six Wild Crowns

Six Wild Crowns by Holly Race is $2.99! This is book one in a series. Elyse reviewed this and gave it a B:

This book is a wonderful reading experience. The setting, clothes and manners are all from a familiar enough place in time that it didn’t require a ton of world building, but Elben was still unique as a fantasy world. The action and the conflict were paced very well so the book grows in momentum. There’s also the “Earl has to die” plotline that I always appreciate.

NO KING CAN RULE THEM ALL.

In a Tudor England infused with deadly magic, a very different history will unfold for the wives of Henry VIII. Perfect for fans of The Priory of the Orange TreeSix Wild Crowns is an epic fantasy filled with legendary dragons, vicious courtly intrigue, and sapphic yearning. 

As tradition has it, the king of Elben must marry six queens and magically bind each of them to one of the island’s palaces or the kingdom will fall.

Clever, ambitious Boleyn is determined to be her beloved Henry’s favorite queen. She relishes the games at court and the political rivalries with his other wives. Seymour is the opposite – originally sent to Boleyn’s court as a reluctant spy and assassin, she ends up catching Henry’s eye and is forced into a loveless marriage with the king.

But when the two queens become the unlikeliest of things – friends and allies – the balance of power begins to shift. Together, they uncover a dark and deadly truth at the heart of the island’s magic. Boleyn and Seymour’s only hope of survival rests on uniting all six of the rival queens – but Henry will never let that happen.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

The Jasad Heir

The Jasad Heir by Sara Hashem is $2.99 and a KDD! This is book one in The Scorched Throne series. I heard about this one through a reading newsletter one of my friends sends out. She isn’t a big romance reader, but had great things to say about this fantasy romance.

Ten years ago, the kingdom of Jasad burned. Its magic outlawed; its royal family murdered down to the last child. At least, that’s what Sylvia wants people to believe.

The lost Heir of Jasad, Sylvia never wants to be found. She can’t think about how Nizahl’s armies laid waste to her kingdom and continue to hunt its people—not if she wants to stay alive. But when Arin, the Nizahl Heir, tracks a group of Jasadi rebels to her village, staying one step ahead of death gets trickier.

In a moment of anger Sylvia’s magic is exposed, capturing Arin’s attention. Now, to save her life, Sylvia will have to make a deal with her greatest enemy. If she helps him lure the rebels, she’ll escape persecution.

A deadly game begins. Sylvia can’t let Arin discover her identity even as hatred shifts into something more. Soon, Sylvia will have to choose between the life she wants and the one she left behind. The scorched kingdom is rising, and it needs a queen.

In this Egyptian-inspired debut fantasy, a fugitive queen strikes a deadly bargain with her greatest enemy and finds herself embroiled in a complex game that could resurrect her scorched kingdom or leave it in ashes forever.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

The Truth About Dukes

The Truth About Dukes by Grace Burrowes is $1.99! This is a historical romance and the fifth book in the Rogues to Riches series. The hero and heroine have previously known each other during some hard times and now need each other once more. Lots of catnip!

A new duke and a woman with a secret in her past get a second chance at love in this delightful and charming Regency romance from the New York Times bestselling author of the Windham series.

Robert Rothmere is hiding a past no duke should have endured, but he’s not hiding it well enough. Sooner or later, his enemies will learn that he spent years locked away at a private asylum. To get their hands on his wealth, they’ll try to send him right back to his worst nightmares. If Robert is to foil their schemes, he needs to marry a perfectly proper, blessedly boring, deadly dull duchess, immediately—and he knows exactly which quietly delightful lady he’d love to entrust with that role.

Lady Constance Wentworth has cultivated a reputation for utter forgettability. She never speaks out of turn (in public), never has a daring thought (that she admits aloud), and never comes close to courting scandal… as far as anybody knows. Her path crossed Robert’s years ago, though, and she’s never forgotten the extraordinary lengths he traveled to keep her safe when she hadn’t a friend in the world. She longs to be his demure duchess…but little does he know that to marry her would be utter madness.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Love in Focus

Love in Focus by Lyla Lee is $2.99! This came out in May and was mentioned on Dahlia’s monthly queer romance roundup. I also believe this is Lee’s adult romance debut.

When her seven-year long relationship suddenly falls apart, relationship advice columnist Gemma Cho is convinced that real love doesn’t exist. As a bisexual woman who’s had zero luck with both men and women, she’s ready to give up on her own romantic prospects when she gets paired up with Celeste Min, a world-renowned photographer, on a highly visual, potentially career-saving piece on modern love.

Celeste is extremely talented, sexy, and gay, and would be the perfect collaborator and rebound for Gemma if it weren’t for one major fact: she’s Gemma’s ex, the one that broke her heart in college and moved to a whole another country before Gemma could even make sense of what went wrong between them. Despite working on a project together about what constitutes love and romance in the modern age, when it comes to their own affairs, both Gemma and Celeste are tripping over each other’s feet…and into each other’s arms.

Heightened by their shared love for love and the unmistakable sparks that still fly between them, Gemma and Celeste struggle to keep their relationship strictly professional. For the sake of her career, Gemma needs this piece to do well. And for the sake of what’s left of her beaten up hopeless romantic heart, she wants to fall head over heels for Celeste again. But can she trust Celeste to feel the same this time around?

LOVE IN FOCUS is a second chance sapphic rom com that will appeal to fans of THE BOLD TYPE and DELILAH GREEN DOESN’T CARE.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

[syndicated profile] smartbitches_feed

Posted by SB Sarah

The Astral Library
A | BN | K | AB
Kate Quinn’s new book, The Astral Library, is out this week and I was so excited to not only get an advanced copy but an opportunity to interview Kate Quinn.

We talk about the inspiration for this very magical book, and about books that are sanctuaries. We also talk about library advocacy, book banning, and the deadly threat of bureaucracy.

My favorite thing that Kate says: “When you love a book, it also loves you.”

Listen to the podcast →
Read the transcript →

Here are the books we discuss in this podcast:

You can find Kate Quinn at her website, KateQuinnAuthor.com. She’s on Instagram @KateQuinn5975.

We also mentioned:

If you like the podcast, you can subscribe to our feed, or find us at iTunes. You can also find us on Stitcher, and Spotify, too. We also have a cool page for the podcast on iTunes.

More ways to sponsor:

Sponsor us through Patreon! (What is Patreon?)

What did you think of today's episode? Got ideas? Suggestions? You can talk to us on the blog entries for the podcast or talk to us on Facebook if that's where you hang out online. You can email us at sbjpodcast@gmail.com or you can call and leave us a message at our Google voice number: 201-371-3272. Please don't forget to give us a name and where you're calling from so we can work your message into an upcoming podcast.

Thanks for listening!

Remember to subscribe to our podcast feed, find us on iTunes or on Stitcher.
[syndicated profile] smartbitches_feed

Posted by Amanda

The Earl That Got Away

The Earl That Got Away by Diana Quincy is $1.99! This is book two in the Sirens in Silk historical romance series. It’s also a second chance romance!

In the second installment of Diana Quincy’s steamy Victorian historical romance series, a Persuasion retelling, an Arab-American young woman is reunited with the lost love of her youth and forced to reckon with their past and undying tension.

American Naila Darwish always regretted calling off her engagement to the man she loved because he wasn’t successful enough for her family. Eight years later, she travels to England for her sister’s wedding and gets the shock of her life when she runs into Basil again. Overjoyed, she wonders if the fates have given her a second chance at love.

But Basil Trevelyn is not the same carefree young man Naila rejected all those years ago. Having unexpectedly inherited a noble title, he is now the Earl of Hawksworth, one of England’s most sought-after bachelors. Still bitter after Naila’s heart-wrenching rejection all those years ago, Hawk is cold and distant, suspecting Naila is after his money and position.

When the two lost lovers are repeatedly thrown together, they discover that the chemistry between them burns brighter than ever and that some feelings are too strong to deny. Will they allow pride and lingering resentment to keep them from seizing their last chance at happiness?

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Not Another Love Song

Not Another Love Song by Julie Soto is $2.99! Dahlia mentioned this one in a previous Hide Your Wallet. This one is pretty Reylo-coded if that is or isn’t your thing. (It’s my thing and I was just meh on it as a whole.) Do with that what you will!

Two string players fight their attraction for each other as they compete for center stage in this spicy and emotional romance.

Gwen Jackson and Xander Thorne are both musical prodigies, but each has had very different paths to success. Xander was born into classical music royalty, while Gwen had a natural ear for music that was nurtured by a kind shop owner.

After Gwen performs at his friend’s wedding, she’s mortified when she realizes Xander has no clue who she is—despite having worked together for a year at the Pops Orchestra. But she’s more furious that he arrogantly critiques her performance.

When Gwen is offered the role of First Chair of the orchestra, something Xander had secretly coveted for years, their existing hostility goes up a notch. But their respect for each other’s music is undeniable, and their onstage chemistry off the scale. As they begin to explore their feelings for one another, suddenly they’re box office dynamite and the fragile romance that’s growing between them is in danger of being crushed beneath a publicity stunt…

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Must Love Moss and Moonshine

Must Love Moss and Moonshine by Maisy Magill is $2.49 at Amazon! This is a prequel to Magill’s Moonshine Hollow cozy fantasy romance series. There’s a grumpy/sunshine pairing and some amnesia!

A forest-bound dryad longing for connection.
A traveling artisan who’s lost her way—and her memory.
An ancient forest determined to mend two lonely hearts.

Desperate to quit the vagabond life, traveling enchanted jewelry artisan Tansy Foxglove is determined to get to the autumn market in the village of Moonshine Hollow. Nothing will stand in her way… except an ancient forest that has its own plans.

When Tansy sets off for the village, she definitely doesn’t mean to get lost in an enchanted wood. She certainly does not intend to lose her memory. And she wasn’t planning to be irresistibly drawn to the ancient glade’s dryad caretaker.

Kellen’s life is one of solitude. He has no interest in interacting with the outside world. He’s perfectly happy with his solitary life. Right? When a beautiful Sylvan elf who has lost her memory appears in his forest, he has no choice but to take care of her. But when taking care turns to simmering attraction, will this loner change his ways? What happens when her memories return? Will their magical connection survive?

Must Love Moss & Moonshine is the prequel to the enchanting cozy fantasy Moonshine Hollow series, introducing us to the magical town of Moonshine Hollow and its residents.

Each novel in the series can be read as a stand-alone.

Perfect for lovers of steamy fantasy rom-com, romantasy, and cozy fantasy romance with a dash of spice! Fans of Kimberly Lemming, Heather Fawcett, and Cora Crane will devour this super cozy but very passionate tale of magic, romance, and redemption.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Greenteeth

Greenteeth by Molly O’Neill is $2.99! Carrie reviewed this one in April and gave it a C:

The descriptive aspects of this book are great. I just wish that the character development was stronger on the part of everyone not named Jenny, and that the plot had more focus.

From an outstanding new voice in cozy fantasy comes Greenteeth, a  tale of fae, folklore, and found family, narrated by a charismatic lake-dwelling monster with a voice unlike any other, perfect for fans of T. Kingfisher.

Beneath the still surface of a lake lurks a monster with needle sharp teeth. Hungry and ready to pounce.

Jenny Greenteeth has never spoken to a human before, but when a witch is thrown into her lake, something makes Jenny decide she’s worth saving. Temperance doesn’t know why her village has suddenly turned against her, only that it has something to do with the malevolent new pastor.

Though they have nothing in common, these two must band together on a magical quest to defeat the evil that threatens Jenny’s lake and Temperance’s family, as well as the very soul of Britain.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

[syndicated profile] smartbitches_feed

Posted by Amanda

The Rec League - heart shaped chocolate resting on the edge of a very old bookThis fun Rec League was suggested by Geoffroy in the podcast Patreon discord:

A bit niche, but anyone would suggest a series of poly (or adjacent) smutty Paranormal-ish romance that has an insurrectionists vibe? As long as it’s open-door or found family with 4+ bi- polycule who believe ACAB, with enough distance for escapism.

Susan: Did Kit Rocha do any polyamory? It’s genuinely been so long that I don’t remember.

Sneezy: Ya, they did. Now that you mention it, I think their poly books ticks most of the boxes?

Amanda: I can’t remember if the Kit Rocha Beyond series had bi heroes. Maybe in the later books? I only read book one and it was ages ago.

Elyse: I believe Consort of Fire ( A | BN ) would qualify as well as Daughter of Tides. ( A | BN )

Amanda: Oooh, good call!

Kiki: Okay I don’t know if it has all of those things but the closest I have is Fleeing Fate by Sabrina Day—bi polycule, paranormal shifters. Can’t remember if it’s got an ACAB vibe though. Also a heads up that a second book was supposed to come out but hasn’t yet!

What books would you recommend? Let us know in the comments!

[syndicated profile] smartbitches_feed

Posted by Amanda

Workspace with computer, journal, books, coffee, and glasses.Welcome back, everyone!

Can you believe February is almost over? This month has been so busy for me and I would like a break so I can sleep for a week straight. Please and thank you. Would anyone else like to join me in this hibernation?

Some of my friends have taken up collaging and their collages are so fun and creative. I’m tempted, but I also feel like I’d be too in my head about it “looking good” to enjoy the craft. Such is the life of a perfectionist.

Right up top! I Heart Sapphic Fic is reporting on some concerning changes to affiliate revenue for erotica.

The New York Public Library has a list of Best New Romances of 2026. I’m a little confused as some of the titles on the list aren’t 2026 titles, but perhaps they meant romances you should read in 2026.

Jfhobbit in the podcast Patreon discord let us know about this cozy Pokemon game. I’m curious!

Naomi Novik’s Temeraire series might be getting at tabletop roleplaying game. A Kickstarter is set to launch soon.

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!

[syndicated profile] smartbitches_feed

Posted by Amanda

Sounds Like Love

Sounds Like Love by Ashley Poston is $1.99! This came out last summer. Poston’s romances often have a mix of fantastical elements or magical realism. Have you read this one?

A hitmaking songwriter and a bitter musician share a startling and inexplicable connection that they’ll do anything to shake, in the next sparkling, magical book from Ashley Poston.

Joni Lark is living the dream. She’s one of the most coveted songwriters in LA…and she can’t seem to write. There’s an emptiness inside her, and nothing seems to fill it.

When she returns to her hometown of Vienna Shores, North Carolina, she hopes that the sand, the surf, and the concerts at The Revelry, her family’s music venue, will spark her inspiration. But when she gets there, nothing is how she left it. Her best friend is avoiding her, her mother’s memories are fading fast, and The Revelry is closing.

How can she think about writing her next song when everything is changing without her?

Until she hears it. A melody in her head, lyric-less and half-formed, and an alluring and addictive voice to go with it—belonging, apparently, to a wry musician with hangups of his own.

Surely, he’s a figment of her overworked imagination.

But then the very real man attached to the voice shows up in Vienna Shores. He’s aggravating and gruff on the outside—nothing like the sweet, funny voice in Joni’s head—and he has a plan:

They’ll finish the song haunting them both, break their connection, and hope they don’t risk their hearts in the process.

Because that song stuck in their heads? Maybe it’s there for a reason.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Love at First Sighting

RECOMMENDED: Love at First Sighting by Mallory Marlowe is $1.99! We ran a guest review by Lisa and she gave it an A-:

Cheerfully fun but also warmly heartfelt, Love at First Sighting is a supernatural delight that’s awash with that most alien of pursuits — finding romance. Loaded with absolutely delightful characters and a fun premise, my X-Files-loving heart sang as I read my way through it.

A chance at love might not be out of this world in this astronomically charming romantic comedy from the USA Today bestselling author of Love and Other Conspiracies.

Los Angeles social media influencer El Martin seems to have a picture-perfect life. But what El wants more than anything is to find something real to make her heart race in a way it hasn’t in years. She doesn’t expect that feeling to come from capturing footage of an unidentified flying . . . thing, much less from the charming Man in Black who keeps following her around.

Agent Carter Brody is trying his best to keep the Private Intelligence Sector afloat by dragging their hopelessly out-of-date office into this century, even though what he really wants to do is follow in his father’s footsteps by identifying and hiding extraterrestrial sightings. He gets his chance after being assigned to El’s case and is stopped in his tracks not only by her ingenuity and confidence but also by an unnerving coincidence—her sighting looks eerily like what Carter himself saw right before a family tragedy.

The deeper El and Carter fall into the mystery, the harder it is for them to ignore their growing chemistry as their own alien feelings become dangerously terrestrial.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

How to Sell a Romance

How to Sell a Romance by Alexa Martin is $1.99! This contemporary romance was a summer 2025 release. I feel like this one flew a little under the radar. Did any of you pick this one up?

Romance is the biggest scheme of them all in this laugh-out-loud romantic comedy from beloved author Alexa Martin.

Emerson Pierce loves everything about being a kindergarten teacher except the painfully low salary. It isn’t until she hears about Petunia Lemon—an opportunity to sell makeup products, make some extra money, and meet a group of skin-care aficionados—that she begins to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Sure, it sounds a little too good to be true, but what’s the worst that could happen?

Investigative reporter Lucas Miller didn’t always have a chip on his shoulder…until his wife joined Petunia Lemon, drained their savings, and filed for divorce. Now he’s a little bitter, a lot single, and determined to expose the company. After infiltrating their largest convention yet, the last thing he expects is to lose sight of his mission for one night with the gorgeous woman at the bar.

When Emerson and Lucas learn that she’s his daughter’s teacher, they decide to ignore their scorching chemistry. Until things with Petunia Lemon turn downright diabolical and Emerson turns to Lucas for help. They work together to bring the company down but can the two come out on top in this pyramid scheme of love?

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

The Duke Gets Even

The Duke Gets Even by Joanna Shupe is $1.99! This is book four in the Fifth Avenue Rebels series. I loved the intimacy in the last couple covers of this series. Shupe was also the guest on episode 650 of the podcast! Highly recommend giving it a listen.

By beloved USA Today bestselling author Joanna Shupe, the fourth installment in the Fifth Avenue Rebels series about a secret affair between a free-spirited heiress and an uptight duke which turns more passionate than either could have imagined.

A rebellious heiress.

A duke in dire straits.

An anonymous midnight tryst.

To escape the shackles of marriage, Nellie Young purposely ruined her reputation a long time ago. Now she dedicates herself to hedonistic pleasures only, like kissing a handsome stranger in the ocean under the moonlight…

To save his estate, the proper Duke of Lockwood must marry the perfect bride–wealthy, with an unblemished reputation. While in New York he’s the perfect gentleman, and no one knows he’s suppressing his darkest desires. The last thing he needs is another scandal.

Except Nellie sees through Lockwood’s charade, straight to the real man underneath. This uptight duke is far more than he lets on, and she can’t resist him. Their secret affair turns scorching, far more than either expected. And when his beautiful rebel finds an unconventional cause, Lockwood has to decide if he’s willing to sacrifice everything to keep her.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

[syndicated profile] smartbitches_feed

Posted by SB Sarah

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.

The Shots You Take by Rachel Reid

Feb. 18th, 2026 07:00 am
[syndicated profile] smartbitches_feed

Posted by Lara

A

The Shots You Take

by Rachel Reid
March 4, 2025 · Carina Adores
Contemporary Romance

I’m not even going to pretend that I picked this book up by chance. I had meant to read it last year when it came out, but didn’t. I don’t know why. I don’t have a good reason. Post-Heated Rivalry TV show obsession, I remembered I had this novel waiting for me on my Kindle. I started it last night when I got in bed. I read it while I was pumping milk in the middle of the night. I read it when I woke up at 4am because it was hot already. I read it through my work day, ignoring the furious pings from my work computer. I just finished it now. It’s 11:35 and I’ve sent one work-related email today. Otherwise I have been reading. Such is the power of it.

Adam and Riley both played professional hockey for a Toronto team. They were best friends with benefits, but Adam always shied away from them being more. Adam married a woman and had kids. Riley moved to another hockey team and went decidedly off the rails thanks to a problem with alcohol and an undiagnosed mental illness. Riley left professional hockey behind and moved home to his small town in Nova Scotia. Adam carried on playing for Toronto. When the book opens they haven’t spoken to each other in 12 years. But have they been in love with each other the whole time? YOU BETCHA!

Second chance romance is tough to get right because the reason that it didn’t work out needs to balance with the love that pushes them back together. For the first 50% Riley is mad at Adam and he needs to be. Through his cowardice (not saying “I love you” back even though he felt it, etc.), Adam really let Riley down, but it was Riley who ultimately severed ties with Adam (to save his sanity). So both have some blame but it is Adam that has to do the grovelling. And he grovels beautifully.

The character development for both is great! In the intervening years, Riley has worked hard to reach stability, but growth rockets for both of them when they’re in each other’s lives again. Adam has to learn to be an out gay man and Riley has to learn to trust again.

A slightly spoilery note about sexuality

Incidentally, while Adam spends a decade married to a woman and has two children with her, when he does decide to speak freely about his sexuality, he describes himself as gay.

These are giant emotions and as a reader, those emotions put me through a workout, in a good way.

Everything about their history and their past and present is a mess. The particular nature of the mess is revealed in bits and pieces as you read and you only have the full picture of the breakdown in their relationship after the halfway point, so I won’t go into specifics here.

Given how badly messed up things were between them at the end and how much ground they have to cover, is there a third act break up?

Show Spoiler

No! Instead there is a steady, inexorable, exhilarating build of emotion until they confess their endless love for each other. It’s glorious!

The sex is hot and in keeping with the kind of breathless besottedness they both feel. The way they love and explore each other’s bodies, bodies that have changed and not changed over the twenty-odd years since they first had sex, well, it’s mesmerizing.

There is so much emotion packed into this book. Big ones (the size of their love is extraordinary), overwhelming ones (predominantly around Adam getting to grips with his sexuality), messy ones (“you hurt me and I still love you and I want you to go away but I also want you to stay”). All of them!

And all of them were handled with such care. As a reader I felt safe letting my own emotions run with the story, knowing that they would be managed capably and my heart would glow by the end of it. And it did!

If you’re looking for a book that packs an emotional punch but is going to have you beaming with your whole body by the end, then this is the one for you. I heartily recommend it to the Bitchery.

JQ Editions Kickstarter Has Launched

Feb. 17th, 2026 06:18 pm
[syndicated profile] smartbitches_feed

Posted by SB Sarah

JQ Editions logo a deep pink curly J and Q next to the word editions in grey serif, against a light pink backgroundEarlier (I have to look up when because time is a mystery to me) in December 2025 I covered the announcement of JQ Editions and the upcoming Kickstarter. 

Well, the Kickstarter has launched and if you were envisioning rocket fuel powering the pledge total, you were right. Currently the pledge total stands at $251,216, which more than covers a pledge goal of $10,000.

That will change by the time I hit publish on this post, I bet.

As reported earlier, the 2026 subscription box will include The Last Lady B by Eloisa James, An Extraordinary Union by Alyssa Cole, and Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase in July, September, and November respectively.

A pink box open with the writing Prepare to Fall in Love in white in front are three books. The last Lady B has a green cover with a gold screen motif surrounding a cameo of an illustrated blonde character, a house and some roses. An extraordinary union has a side profile illustration of a woman with blue forget-me-not flowers cascading down the front Lord of Scoundrels has a black cover with red roses and grey swirls and small icons that are clues to the story

In my podcast interview with Julia Quinn, she shared that two of the 2027 titles included The Perils of Pleasure by Julie Anne Long and Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas.

Later JQ Editions announced three additional titles:

A Tessa Dare novel is also part of the 2027 collection, and I figured the title would be announced with the Kickstarter. Oh, ho, ho – nope!

The tiers are currently discounted for 48 hours, so the prices will go up on the 19th of February:

  • The Countess: $110
  • The Countess and Her Keepsakes: $190
  • The Duchess Tier: $320, discounted to $310
  • The Duchess and Her Keepsakes Tier: $445, discounted to $430
  • The Diamond Club: $735, discounted to $695. This tier includes early access, a welcome pin, and the opportunity to vote on which Tessa Dare title will be part of the 2027 collection:

There is also a Crown Jewels tier ($1450) limited to 30 that includes everything in the Diamond Club along with a Zoom party with Julia Quinn.

The tiers have different sorts of swag attached, with journals, stickers, magnets, and a hand fan, and those backing the three highest tiers will also receive a Kickstarter-exclusive special edition of What Happens in London by Julia Quinn, along with behind the scenes updates.

Elyse pledged at the Diamond level and is extremely excited:

I first entered the romance genre in the mid nineties through historical romance, and what I love about this subscription is that these books already feel like old friends. These books have are sentimental to me so of course I want a beautiful copy I can treasure. I can remember exactly where I was when I read some of these titles, which makes it meaningful to me as a reader.

The price point for 10 special editions plus 2 signed by Quinn made sense to me. It was like a present to Future Elyse.

She also mentioned that she’ll “be the one with the comprehensive power point about why we need a Mary Balogh.”

[syndicated profile] smartbitches_feed

Posted by Amanda

Island Queen

Island Queen by Vanessa Riley is $3.99! This is Riley’s first work of historical fiction as opposed to historical romance. It’s about Dorothy Kirwan Thomas, a free Black woman who achieved great wealth. Have you read it?

A remarkable, sweeping historical novel based on the incredible true life story of Dorothy Kirwan Thomas, a free woman of color who rose from slavery to become one of the wealthiest and most powerful landowners in the colonial West Indies.

Born into slavery on the tiny Caribbean island of Montserrat, Doll bought her freedom—and that of her sister and her mother—from her Irish planter father and built a legacy of wealth and power as an entrepreneur, merchant, hotelier, and planter that extended from the marketplaces and sugar plantations of Dominica and Barbados to a glittering luxury hotel in Demerara on the South American continent.

Vanessa Riley’s novel brings Doll to vivid life as she rises above the harsh realities of slavery and colonialism by working the system and leveraging the competing attentions of the men in her life: a restless shipping merchant, Joseph Thomas; a wealthy planter hiding a secret, John Coseveldt Cells; and a roguish naval captain who will later become King William IV of England.

From the bustling port cities of the West Indies to the forbidding drawing rooms of London’s elite, Island Queen is a sweeping epic of an adventurer and a survivor who answered to no one but herself as she rose to power and autonomy against all odds, defying rigid eighteenth-century morality and the oppression of women as well as people of color. It is an unforgettable portrait of a true larger-than-life woman who made her mark on history.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

How to Survive a Scandal

How to Survive a Scandal by Samara Parish is $2.99! This is book one in the Rebels with a Cause historical romance series. It sounds like the hero saves the heroine and the two wind up in a compromising position. Of course, the only way to fix these things is through a marriage of convenience.

In this whirlwind Regency romance, a near-death experience leads to a marriage of convenience for two unsuspecting strangers, but will their unusual meeting lead them to true love?

Lady Amelia was raised to be the perfect duchess, accomplished in embroidery, floral arrangement, and managing a massive household. But when an innocent mistake forces her and the uncouth, untitled Benedict Asterly into a marriage of convenience, all her training appears to be for naught. Even worse, she finds herself inexplicably drawn to this man no finishing school could have prepared her for.

Benedict Asterly never dreamed saving Amelia’s life would lead to him being shackled to the hoity Society miss. Benedict was taught to distrust the aristocracy at a young age, so when news of his marriage endangers a business deal, Benedict is wary of Amelia’s offer to help. But his quick-witted, elegant bride defies all his expectations… and if he’s not careful, she’ll break down the walls around his guarded heart.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Guilty Pleasures

Guilty Pleasures by Laura Lee Guhrke is $1.99! This is book one in the Guilty series. I have a bit of a soft spot for this book. Not sure how well it holds up!

One of Daphne Wade’s guilty pleasures is to watch the Duke of Tremore as he works, shirtless, on the excavation site of his ducal estate. Anthony Courtland is by far the most exciting and handsome man she has ever known, and she dreams of one day being able to speak with him without getting tongue tied.

Anthony, meanwhile, only sees Daphne as a hard worker on his excavation team. He considers her a plain young lady and says so in a careless remark to a friend, unaware that Daphne is outside the library door, her heart shattering to pieces. So Daphne decides she will not be so silly any longer. She begins to be tutored in the social graces, forcing Anthony to see the beauty who has been right in front of his eyes.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

My Darling Duke

My Darling Duke by Stacy Reid is 99c! This is book one in the Sinful Wallflowers series. Shana wrote a Lightning Review for this one and gave it C-. If you’ve read this one, how did you like it (or not)?

Miss Katherine Danvers has always been a wallflower. But now, with her family on the brink of financial ruin, she finds herself a desperate wallflower. To save her family, she’ll do anything. Luckily, she has the perfect plan…

She’ll impress the ton by simply announcing she is engaged to the reclusive and mysterious Duke of Thornton, Alexander Masters, and secure strong matches for her sisters. No one has heard from the duke in years. Surely he’ll never find out before her sisters’ weddings, and she can go back to her own quiet life.

Soon, though, everything is out of control. At first, it’s just a few new ball gowns on the duke’s accounts. Then, it’s interviews with reporters eager for gossip. Before she knows it, Katherine has transformed herself into Kitty Danvers, charming and clever belle of the ton—with everyone eager to meet her thankfully absent fiancé.

But when the enigmatic Alexander Masters suddenly arrives in the city, dashing and oh so angry, he demands retribution. Except not in the way Katherine expected…

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

[syndicated profile] smartbitches_feed

Posted by Amanda

This HaBO was sent in by Gayle, who wants to find this romance:

I’m looking for a slightly spicy, contemporary fae series that I read 10 or 15 years ago probably on Kindle Unlimited. It was not the best written, but I really enjoyed it.

The heroine is human and maybe a little dorky and the hero is fae and works with her in a business in maybe Savannah. The business is having a Halloween Party and she is amazed at how good his fae costume is. He knows she is his mate even though she knows nothing about his world. Something happens and he basically kidnaps her to keep her safe and takes her to his family home, which is a farm in Nebraska or Kansas. They might be Irish fae and there is a character named Jack who has his own book later in the series.

I know the bitchery can solve this!

Definitely curious about this one!

[syndicated profile] smartbitches_feed

Posted by Amanda

Happy Tuesday!

There’s only one more release week in February. Can you believe it? This week has some big titles like a new Kate Quinn and a new Heather Fawcett.

Which books are you excited for this week? Let us know in the comments!

A Little Buzzed

A Little Buzzed by Alys Murray

Author: Alys Murray
Released: February 17, 2026 by Berkley
Genre: ,

A sex toy engineer with one big secret finally meets her match, and together they’ll put their own products to the test in this steamy romantic comedy.

Scout Porter is screwed. Not literally, of course. Literally, she’s a twenty-six-year-old virgin, thanks to a relationship so disastrous she swore off love and sex for good. Metaphorically, she’s screwed because the entire office of BuzzCorp, the sex toy start-up where she’s head engineer, just found out. Scout needs her team to stay focused on their upcoming launch, not her lack of a sex life, so she finds the simplest solution: lose her V-card—and fast—then get back to business as usual.

Enter Hudson Bailey, the nerdy and charming software developer hired to build the app for Scout’s latest creation. The only problem is, he’s as inexperienced with sex toys as she is with sex. Fortunately, he’s all too eager to learn, and they agree that one very educational, totally professional hook-up will solve both of their problems. All for research, obviously.

But their little experiment yields unexpected results—chemistry so off the charts Scout starts to think she might actually want more than just a one-time fling. When their budding relationship is threatened by the return of Scout’s notorious ex, both Scout and Hudson will have to decide if they’ve reached their climax as a couple, or if they’re willing to risk everything for a chance at true love.

Amanda: We love a woman in STEM.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter

Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett

Author: Heather Fawcett
Released: February 17, 2026 by Del Rey
Genre: , , ,

Agnes Aubert leads a meticulously organized life, and she likes it that way. As the proudly type-A manager of a cat rescue charity, she has devoted her life to finding forever homes for stray cats.

Now it’s the shelter that needs a new home. And the only landlord who will rent a space to a cat rescue is a mysterious man called Havelock—who also happens to be the world’s most infamous magician, running an illegal magic shop out of his basement. Havelock is cantankerous and eccentric, but not not handsome, and no, Agnes absolutely does not feel anything but disdain for him. After all, rumors swirl about his shadowy past—including whispers that his dark magic once almost brought about the apocalypse.

Then one day a glamorous magician comes looking for Havelock, putting the magic shop—and the cat shelter—in jeopardy. To save the shelter, Agnes will have to team up with the magician who nearly ended the world . . . and may now be trying to steal her heart.

Havelock is everything Agnes thinks she doesn’t need in her life: chaos, mischief, and a little too much adventure. But as she gets to know him, she discovers that he’s more than the dark magician of legend, and that she may be ready for a little intrigue—and romance—in her life. After all, second chances aren’t just for rescue cats. . . .

Amanda: Does Fawcett ever sleep? She’s long overdue for a vacation!

Sarah: The cover, the description, the fact that it’s Heather Fawcett. Could have been made in a lab for me.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

The Astral Library

The Astral Library by Kate Quinn

Author: Kate Quinn
Released: February 17, 2026 by William Morrow
Genre: ,

From New York Times bestselling author Kate Quinn comes a gorgeously written fantastical adventure which poses the question: Have you ever wished you could live inside a book? Welcome to the Astral Library, where books are not just objects, but doors to new worlds, new lives, and new futures.

Alexandria “Alix” Watson has learned one lesson from her barren childhood in the foster-care system: unlike people, books will never let you down. Working three dead-end jobs to make ends meet and knowing college is a pipe dream, Alix takes nightly refuge in the high-vaulted reading room at the Boston Public Library, escaping into her favorite fantasy novels and dreaming of far-off lands. Until the day she stumbles through a hidden door and meets the Librarian: the ageless, acerbic guardian of a hidden library where the desperate and the lost escape to new lives…inside their favorite books.

The Librarian takes a dazzled Alix under her wing, but before she can escape into the pages of her new life, a shadowy enemy emerges to threaten everyone the Astral Library has ever helped protect. Aided by a dashing costume-shop owner, Alix and the Librarian flee through the Regency drawing rooms of Jane Austen to the back alleys of Sherlock Holmes and the champagne-soaked parties of The Great Gatsby as danger draws inexorably closer. But who does their enemy really wish to destroy—Alix, the Librarian, or the Library itself?

Amanda: I’ve been a fan of Quinn’s historical fiction for awhile, so I’m eager to see what she does with a dash of magical realism thrown in.

Sarah: Spoiler: I’ve already read this to prep for the interview I did with Kate Quinn, and it’s delightful

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

Half City

Half City by Kate Golden

Author: Kate Golden
Released: February 17, 2026 by Ace
Genre: , , ,
Series: Harker Academy #1

Welcome to Harker Academy for Deviant Defense. Keep your daggers sharp, and your wits even sharper.

Viv Abbot is an average twenty-one-year-old girl. She lives in an expensive city where the rent is too high, works long hours at a thankless job, and is dating a guy she doesn’t even like in the hopes of winning her prickly mother’s approval.

She also happens to be a demon hunter.

Ever since her father’s murder, she’s been forced to hunt deviants alone, meaning everyone, including her family, sees her as an outsider . . . until the day she crosses paths with a dangerously alluring demon, Reid Graveheart. The reformed deviant tells her of a school for people just like Harker Academy for Deviant Defense. If she enrolls, she’ll learn to hone her craft, work with other hunters, and never be alone again.

But Viv has a deadly secret. One that not even her new friends at Harker can know about, not if the school might hold the answers to untangling the mystery surrounding Viv’s father’s death. When strange occurrences begin to plague the students, Viv will have to figure out who she can trust, fast, all while trying to ace her classes, avoid falling for a demon, and make it through her first year at Harker in one piece. How hard could that be?

Amanda: This reminds me of early 2000s urban fantasy and I mean that in the best way.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

I’m Not the Only Murderer in My Retirement Home

I’m Not the Only Murderer in My Retirement Home by Fergus Craig

Author: Fergus Craig
Released: February 17, 2026 by Berkley
Genre:

After a decades-long stint in prison, former serial killer Carol is looking to kick back and relax in her new retirement home…until a fellow resident drops dead and Carol has to prove she actually didn’t do it this time….

Carol is delighted to be leaving her tiny prison cell behind to take her place in a luxury retirement home. She’s hoping her past as a serial killer won’t come to light so she can make a few friends and find some murder-free hobbies. But it’s not long before a fellow resident—who happens to be a former police commissioner—drops dead, and Carol’s true identity is leaked—making catching up over daily activities of bingo and baking rather awkward.

Just her luck, Carol soon realizes that the victim wasn’t the only former law enforcement officer at Sheldon Oaks—it’s filled to the brim with former cops, barristers, and government representatives, her newfound friends included. And everyone thinks Carol’s guilt is a no-brainer, but she is ready to prove them dead wrong…without killing anyone, for once.

A new cozy mystery with a older woman main character. 

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

[syndicated profile] smartbitches_feed

Posted by Amanda

Not the Duke’s Darling

Not the Duke’s Darling by Elizabeth Hoyt is $2.99! We ran a guest review from Ellen before they became a regular reviewer. Ellen gave it a B-:

Overall, I think if you are sufficiently intrigued by the premise of a secret order of Wise Women, you’ll enjoy the book. And if you don’t typically crave a lot of angst and emotional torment in your romance you might enjoy it more than I did!

New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Hoyt brings us the first book in her sexy and sensual Greycourt Series!

Freya de Moray is many things: a member of the secret order of Wise Women, the daughter of disgraced nobility, and a chaperone living under an assumed name. What she is not is forgiving. So when the Duke of Harlowe–the man who destroyed her brother and led to the downfall of her family–appears at the country house party she’s attending, she does what any Wise Woman would do: she starts planning her revenge.

Christopher Renshaw, the Duke of Harlowe, is being blackmailed. Intent on keeping his secrets safe, he agrees to attend a house party where he will put an end to this coercion once and for all. Until he recognizes Freya, masquerading amongst the party revelers, and realizes his troubles have just begun. Freya knows all about his sins. Sins he’d much rather forget. But she’s also fiery, bold, and sensuous-a temptation he can’t resist. When it becomes clear Freya is in grave danger, he’ll risk everything to keep her safe. But first, Harlowe will have to earn Freya’s trust-by whatever means necessary.

Features a bonus novella from New York Times bestselling author Grace Burrowes!

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

The Hookup Plan

The Hookup Plan by Farrah Rochon is $1.99! This is part of  Rochon’s The Boyfriend Project series, and was also mentioned on a previous Hide Your Wallet. Sarah previously mentioned that she loves this illustrated cover because of her shoes. Have you read this one?

Strong female friendships and a snappy enemies-to-lovers theme take center stage in this highly anticipated romantic comedy from the USA Today bestselling author of The Dating Playbook.

Successful pediatric surgeon London Kelley just needs to find some balance and de-stress. According to her friends Samiah and Taylor, what London really needs is a casual hookup. A night of fun with no strings. But no one—least of all London—expected it to go down at her high school reunion with Drew Sullivan, millionaire, owner of delicious abs, and oh yes, her archnemesis.

Now London is certain the road to hell is paved with good sex. Because she’s found out the real reason Drew’s back in Austin: to decide whether her beloved hospital remains open. Worse, Drew is doing everything he can to show her that he’s a decent guy who actually cares. But London’s not falling for it. Because while sleeping with the enemy is one thing, falling for him is definitely not part of the plan.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

For the Wolf

For the Wolf by Hannah Whitten is $2.99 and a Kindle Daily Deal! This is a dark romantic fantasy that was featured in Hide Your Wallet and was highly anticipated by me and Aarya. I remember starting it but finding it a little slow.

The first daughter is for the Throne.
The second daughter is for the Wolf.

For fans of Uprooted and The Bear and the Nightingale comes a dark fantasy novel about a young woman who must be sacrificed to the legendary Wolf of the Wood to save her kingdom. But not all legends are true, and the Wolf isn’t the only danger lurking in the Wilderwood.

As the only Second Daughter born in centuries, Red has one purpose-to be sacrificed to the Wolf in the Wood in the hope he’ll return the world’s captured gods.

Red is almost relieved to go. Plagued by a dangerous power she can’t control, at least she knows that in the Wilderwood, she can’t hurt those she loves. Again.

But the legends lie. The Wolf is a man, not a monster. Her magic is a calling, not a curse. And if she doesn’t learn how to use it, the monsters the gods have become will swallow the Wilderwood-and her world-whole.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

A Rare Interest in Corpses

A Rare Interest in Corpses by Ann Granger is $1.99 at a KDD! This is book one in a historical mystery series and it appears others in the series are also on sale. This is book on in the Inspector Ben Ross series.

A classic mystery from “an accomplished veteran . . . [ who] knows her history and relates it with charm in this peek at Victorian morals and foibles” (Kirkus Reviews).

It is 1864 when Lizzie Martin takes up the post of lady’s companion to a wealthy widow who is also a slum landlord. Lizzie is intrigued to learn that her predecessor as companion had disappeared, supposedly having run off with an unknown man. But when the girl’s body is found in the rubble of one of the recently demolished slums around the prestigious new railway station at St Pancras, Lizzie begins to wonder exactly what has been going on. With the help of her childhood friend, Inspector Benjamin Ross, Lizzie begins to investigate, risking her life to unearth the truth about the death of a girl whose fate seems interlinked with her own.

“Historical mystery fans will appreciate the great attention Granger pays to period detail as she evokes a suitably gritty nineteenth-century London.” —Booklist

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Profile

opensummer: Image of Kara Zor-El in supergirl costume from the show Supergirl (Default)
opensummer

March 2019

S M T W T F S
     12
345 6789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
31      

Tags

Style Credit

Page generated Feb. 22nd, 2026 05:55 pm
Powered by Dreamwidth Studios