An American in London pairs with a seemingly respectable lady with a licentious secret in the captivating first Belvoir’s Library Regency from Vasti (the Halifax Hellions series). New Orleans native Peter Kent never expected to inherit a British dukedom, but now that he has, he’s determined to use the position to care for his recently discovered young half siblings. Kent faces some hurdles to becoming their guardian, however, due to his foreign status and outspoken views on abolition. Kent turns to his only ally, the esteemed Lady Selina Ravenscroft, to improve his standing in British society and find a suitable wife. Selina quickly realizes that she herself is the best candidate for the marriage of convenience—but she has a secret: she is the purveyor of a clandestine library of pornographic literature to enlighten and titillate her fellow society women. If the truth comes out, it could destroy both her and Kent’s reputations and snuff out their burgeoning mutual attraction. The plot feels fresh and exciting with tension and tenderness stemming from Selina’s dual identity and Kent’s dedication to his tween siblings. As hot as it is heartfelt, this will have historical romance fans hooked. Agent Jessica Alvarez, Bookends Literary. (July)

Reviewed on 05/03/2024 | Details & Permalink

La Rosa (Plot Twist) plays a supernatural game of “what-if” in this cute contemporary set off the coast of Georgia. Samantha Leto left Tybee Island after high school, determined to see the world and not wind up trapped in the kind of small-town life her mother lived. Her one regret is never acting on her attraction to her high school best friend, band geek Damon, before she left. After 10 years away, Sam, now a commercial pilot, returns to Tybee to help her grandmother pack up her childhood home—and Damon, now a local brewery owner and more attractive than ever, proves unavoidable. Seeing him again makes Sam wonder: did she make the right choice, pursuing her career dreams over what might have been? Fortunately, she has some otherworldly help in answering this question. While cleaning out her bedroom, she finds an old CD player that “transport[s] her to an alternate version of the past” for the duration of any song she plays, allowing her a glimpse of what a relationship with Damon would have looked like. This magical element is clever, but La Rosa builds enough non-supernatural backstory between Sam and Damon that it almost feels superfluous. Still, there’s no denying the chemistry between these would-be high school sweethearts. This goes down easy. (July)

Reviewed on 05/03/2024 | Details & Permalink

Durst (The Lies Among Us) celebrates the power of community in this whimsical cottagecore romantasy. Introverted librarian Kiela Orobidan and her sentient spider plant assistant, Caz, escape a populist revolution–fueled fire in the the Great Library of Alyssium by sailing to Kiela’s abandoned family cottage on the small island of Caltrey with only a few crates of irreplaceable spell books in tow. Imperial law restricts the use of magic to scholars, but when she sees the island’s residents struggling with harsh environmental conditions and poverty without assistance from the empire’s sorcerers, Kiela quietly uses her spell books to help the locals, claiming the charms she sells in her new jam shop are “family remedies”. Meanwhile, her handsome new neighbor Larran Maver helps restore her cottage and becomes a friend—with a spark of something more. Durst packs her cozy and colorful tale full of sweet magical creatures, including unicorns, winged cats, and friendly tree sprits that manifest as bears, and her diverse supporting cast exudes a near-uniform air of kindness. The political plot is largely background noise after serving its purpose of getting Kiela home and on a path to using magic, which may frustrate readers looking for more comprehensive worldbuilding. Those who come for the cheery aesthetic and celebration of everyday successes, however, will find this utterly delightful. (July)

Reviewed on 05/03/2024 | Details & Permalink

In this insubstantial contemporary rom-com, Lee (the Hana Trio series) introduces Korean royal court cuisine instructor Emma Yoon, who dreams of opening a culinary school to honor the food that has brought her culture together for centuries. She’s also looking for marriage—but not for romance. She believes the best marriages are practical arrangements, and she uses her matchmaker godmother’s fail-proofed Madame Ddu Method to find a partner. However, when Emma meets her best match in person, she’s distracted throughout their date by her attraction to a kind and handsome stranger. The man introduces himself as Michel Chevalier, a visiting foreign professor, but he’s actually the prince of the fictional European nation Rouleme. He’s in disguise and looking to find his future queen on his terms. Emma decides to give in to her attraction to the visiting professor before settling down. As the pair embark on an affair, Michel falls for Emma, and with his return to royal duties looming, he must find a way to tell her the truth. Lee attempts to liven up well-worn romance tropes with a detailed account of Korean royal court culture, but the predictable plot and flat characters keep things disappointingly surface-level. It’s light and fluffy, but there’s not much else here. Agent: Sarah Younger, Nancy Yost Literary. (July)

Reviewed on 05/03/2024 | Details & Permalink

Love and mental health intertwine in this heartfelt romance from Obuobi (On Rotation). Dr. Josephine Boateng captivates her Instagram followers with approachable medical advice. Offline, she grapples with career uncertainty, exhausted by the medical industry’s bureaucracy and the absence of mental health support. Josephine’s life is complicated further when she confesses her feelings for her celebrity best friend, actor Ezra Adelman, at his 30th birthday party, and he doesn’t reciprocate. Seeking a quiet corner of the party to collect herself, Josephine stumbles upon awkward writer Malcolm Waters, who was invited by Ezra’s mother to discuss Ezra adapting his bestselling debut novel into a movie. Attraction sparks, and Josephine hopes for an easy one-night stand to get her crush on Ezra out of her system. But Malcolm doesn’t do casual and convinces Josephine to try dating. Their chemistry is undeniable, but the growing intimacy between them comes to a screeching halt when Josephine disappears after getting a distressing call from her estranged mother. Obuobi tactfully addresses Josephine’s mental health struggles and conjures the ideal supportive partner in swoony Malcolm. The narrative’s depth enhances rather than overshadows the protagonists’ believable bond. This layered romance is sure to win fans. Agent: Jessica Regel, Helm Literary. (July)

Reviewed on 05/03/2024 | Details & Permalink

Married writing duo Kelly and Tana Fireside tantalize in their third Owen Station queer romance (after Whiskey & Wine). Ambitious assistant fire chief Allison “Al” Jones is driven to succeed as a queer woman of color by her desire to inspire a younger generation to become firefighters. She’s job- and location-hopped repeatedly as she worked her way up the ladder, making it easy to avoid long-term romantic commitment. Now in tiny Owen Station, Ariz., where everyone knows everyone else’s business and conspiracy theories about local supernatural phenomena abound, she responds to a sinkhole in a residential area and meets Elena Murphy, a photographer, part-time mortuary worker, and occasional ghost whisperer, at the scene. An Owen Station native returning from a stint in Los Angeles, Elena initially butts heads with Al, who doesn’t buy into the supernatural. But when the women band together to solve a decades-old mystery, sparks fly. Readers will warm to Al, Elena, and the solid supporting cast, especially Elena’s feisty grandmother, who seems to know more about the mystery than she should. This quirky and tolerant small town remains a joy to visit. (May)

Reviewed on 05/03/2024 | Details & Permalink

A woman unexpectedly inherits her father’s restaurant in Dent’s delicious latest (after The Summer Job). London food critic Olive blames her parents’ divorce on her father, who prioritized his business over his family, and hasn’t seen the man in 15 years. So she’s shocked when he suddenly dies, leaving her his restaurant—with the condition that she must collaborate with his annoyingly hot sous chef Leo Ricci to finish the cookbook he was writing when he died. Olive is less than thrilled to spend time with Leo, whom she resents for his close relationship with her father, and Leo’s upset to learn Olive intends to sell the restaurant. It makes for an awkward start to their trip through Sicily, Tuscany, and Liguria collecting recipes for the book. The gorgeous sights and tasty bites enhance the romance as Leo and Olive slowly go from enemies to lovers—until a shocking revelation about her parents’ relationship leaves Olive newly afraid of commitment. In vivid prose, Dent brings the Italian countryside to life while building a simmering attraction between her leads. Hopeless romantics looking for an armchair vacation will want to check this out. Agent: Hattie Grunewald, Blair Partnership. (July)

Reviewed on 05/03/2024 | Details & Permalink

Greenwood (He Will Be Mine) brings larger-than-life characters to a boisterous death-defying rom-com. Delphie wasn’t supposed to die at 27, unfulfilled and lonely, but at least when she wakes up in the afterlife, she immediately runs smack into Jonah, the man of her dreams. Unfortunately, it turns out he’s only visiting on a dental-anaesthetic trip, so Delphie makes an impulsive deal with her romance-obsessed Afterlife Therapist, Merritt: Delphie gets 10 days to return to life and find Jonah, who may be one of her five soulmates. If she fails, she’ll spend eternity as the guinea pig for Merritt’s afterlife dating agency. With a chance at true love on the line, Delphie is ready to try anything, including talking to her grouchy neighbor Cooper, who agrees to help locate Jonah if Delphie will pretend to be his girlfriend at a family dinner. Soon she’s seeing a whole new side to Cooper and her increasingly wild schemes to find Jonah bring her completely out of her shell, showing her for the first time what it is to live to the fullest. Greenwood is working at a large scale: the emotions are sweeping, the humor feels straight out of a network sitcom, and the characters are bold, if sometimes broad. Fans of The Good Place should snap this up. Agent: Hannah Todd, Madeleine Milburn Literary. (July)

Reviewed on 05/03/2024 | Details & Permalink

YA author Neilson (Deep in Providence) makes the leap into adult fiction with this sweet tale of best friends with a soulmate connection. Laniah and Isaac bonded in their youth over their mutual losses. Laniah’s father died when she was a teen and she has since become a self-proclaimed “hermit” to protect her heart. Meanwhile, Isaac was orphaned at 12 and neglected in foster care, but he’s now finding success as an internet-famous model and artist. When Isaac learns that Wildly Green, the natural beauty company Laniah and her mother have poured their hearts and souls into, may be forced to shutter, he first tries to offer the women money. They’re too proud to accept, however, so he comes up with a more radical scheme to save the company: he and Laniah will pretend to date for the summer, using Isaac’s rising fame to generate publicity. Laniah agrees, but she’s unprepared for the spotlight. As the pair navigate paparazzi and press releases together, the line between real and pretend blurs. The couple has serious chemistry, but some flashbacks to their past, exploring the history of their relationship, feel redundant and unnecessary. A moving subplot about Laniah trying to get a diagnosis for a mystery illness adds depth, though it sometimes jars with the frivolous fake dating scheme. Still, the pining and sexual tension throughout this slow-burn romance will keep readers hooked. Agent: Jess Regel, Helm Literary. (June)

Reviewed on 04/26/2024 | Details & Permalink

Trauma gets more airtime than romance in Cherry’s dark and depressing second Elements contemporary (after The Air He Breathes). Best friends Logan and Alyssa weathered tough childhoods in True Falls, Wis., side by side. Alyssa wants to share her music with the world, but her verbally abusive and controlling mother is determined to crush her dreams. Meanwhile, Logan’s physically abusive, criminal father gets both Logan and his mother hooked on drugs. The pair find peace only in each other, and their adolescent friendship blossoms into deep love. But after a misunderstanding and a car crash tear them apart, Logan leaves town—and leaves a heartbroken Alyssa behind. Five years later, a sober Logan returns to True Falls to be with his ailing half brother and is forced to face his past demons. The abuse faced by both protagonists is very graphic and verges on trauma porn. It’s hard to root for these characters to end up together when they frequently mistreat each other and both have much bigger problems to address. Even readers looking for high-angst romance will struggle with this. Agent: Flavia Viotti, Bookcase Literary. (June)

Reviewed on 04/26/2024 | Details & Permalink