#adult contemporary romance

[roses7184]

Guest Post: Willful Parties by Liz Ellyn

Click the tour banner for more stops! Hello friends, and welcome to my stop on the Willful Parties blog tour! Author Liz Ellyn is making the rounds, and sharing all about her newest romance novel. Check out the synopsis below, and then read on for a special guest post from the author! Seth is the vibrant bisexual marathoner who sparked the relationship with Kat and Dylan. He remains undeterred…

[brittanybwrites]

This was actually a really good book! Letter exchanges, grumpy, house fixing and meddling seniors in the background? Sold. (I read it this morning, really enjoyed it)

[jessread-s]

What's your favorite book you've read so far?

Thank you so much for your ask! 🫶📖✨ Picking just one is impossible, so here are some of my favorites of all time (in no particular order - with my reviews linked):

Love Redesigned by Lauren Asher

It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey

The Six of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo

Out on a Limb by Hannah Bonam-Young

The Selection series by Kiera Cass

The Legendborn Cycle quartet by Tracy Deonn

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

The Once Upon a Broken Heart trilogy by Stephanie Garber

The Secret Shanghai series by Chloe Gong

Daydream by Hannah Grace

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

The Ex Vows by Jessica Joyce

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey

The Legend quartet by Marie Lu

House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J Maas

The Assistant to the Villain series by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

The Dance of Thieves duology by Mary E. Pearson

The Letters of Enchantment duology by Rebecca Ross

Not Another Love Song by Julie Soto

The An Ember in the Ashes quartet by Sabaa Tahir

Pestilence by Laura Thalassa

You can find my complete list of favorites here.

[nalit-source]

Wild Love (Rose Hill Series) by Elsie Silver

"Because Rosie might think she knows what our secret is, but mine is that I loved sitting on that dock with her even back then."

[jnledford]

Update!

A fun update I was so excited to share - I have finally found a cover artist for the book!

I don't want to mention who until/unless they give the okay. If they do then there will be a follow-up, but for right now I am just excited to announce this.

Once the deposit is put down then it will be officially secured, but this artist has already looked over the content provided and we have been discussing it a bit. The piece would be completed later in 2025, likely begun around July/August due to their workload, so it will be some time before there is anything more of it. But I am more than happy to share this update with everyone!

[qu33n-0f-asgard]

“No need to hold back, Mal. He’s a big boy. Whatever you’ll dish out, Nolan can take it.” Her smile is faint. “He probably wants it.”

Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood

[franticvampirereads]

I think I might have found another contender for my top favorite book of the year! This was amazing and I just didn’t want to put it down. I had a stupidly happy smile on my face the whole time I was reading. And I might have been giggling to myself as well, because the characters in this are just so sweet and anxious and relatable. I’m also pretty sure that this is the fastest I’ve devoured a 400+ page physical book in a while. I genuinely don’t know what I’m going to do with myself while I wait for my copies of book two and three to get here.

I loved that this book has its roots in fanfic! And yes, in some of the broader strokes of the story telling you can tell which fandom gave this story its basic structure. But I don’t think that’s a bad thing. In fact, I really loved that about this book, it felt like home even though these are completely new characters and a whole new story. Eli and Alex are both so sweet and anxious and I could read about them endlessly. I also absolutely adored the cast of side characters! I honestly can’t wait to dive into the next book. Like Real People Do is getting a solid five stars!

Reading Challenge Prompt Fills:

Alphabet Challenge: L

[ashereadsstuff]

The Sadenverse, reading order

Green: Written by Eden Finley Red: Written by Both Authors Yellow: Written by Saxon James

purple is not significant, it just means the arrows are layered so its just to separate them.

✫━✫━✫━✫━✫━✫━✫━✫━✫━✫━✫━✫━✫━✫━✫━✫━✫━✫━✫━✫━✫━✫━✫━✫

First off, the Sadenverse is a universe created across multiple series that Saxon James and Eden Finley have either written separately or co-written together. There’s no one “right way” to read these books, so you might come across minor spoilers depending on where you start. Personally, I didn’t read them in any particular order. I began with the Puckboys series, moved on to the CU Hockey series, and then jumped into the Mike Bravo Ops series without worrying too much about the reading order. That’s when I realized what the Sadenverse really was.

While reading the Mike Bravo Ops series, I discovered two things: first, there is a suggested reading order that doesn’t follow the chronological publication dates, and second, there are over 25 books in this universe, with more on the way from both authors. People on TikTok and Reddit have been discussing the best order to read them in. I found a map that was both helpful and a bit confusing—if that makes sense. I recommend checking out ‘Steph Sometimes Reads’ on TikTok for guidance on the reading order or this map I found on figma. The authors also have a reading order on their website, though I haven’t been able to find it myself, but others have mentioned it’s there.

Honestly, I don’t think the reading order is as crucial as some people make it out to be. If you want to dive into the entire universe, go for it! But if you’re a moody or picky reader, just read what you feel like and check the synopses and warnings for each book. I plan to read the whole universe, but I’ll drop a book if the characters start acting too stupid—I’m not about to subject myself to that, I have things to do.

✫━✫━✫━✫━✫━✫━✫━✫━✫━✫━✫━✫━✫━✫━✫━✫━✫━✫━✫━✫━✫━✫━✫━✫

Fake Boyfriend Series

Famous Series

Mike Bravo

CU Hockey

Frat Wars

Puckboys Series (VOL 1-3)

The Husband Hoax (Accidental Love 1)

Puckboys Series (4-6)

Up In Flames

Bastard and the Heir

Headstrong

Divorced Men’s (Prequel + VOL 1-4)

Not Dating Material (Accidental Love 2)

System Overload (Divorced Men’s 5)

The Revenge Agenda (Accidental Love 3)

The Dating Disaster (Franklin U 2)

Football Royalty (Franklin U 8)

Can’t Say Goodbye

[docholligay]

This is why I will never use Goodreads for recommendations. I wanted it to be old Netflix, but with books, but Netflix isn't even Netflix anymore and Goodreads is recommending me this:

Based on WHAT fucking reading preferences? You tell me, chapter and verse, what about the books I have read in the last year made you think I would want to read this.

My recent top rated books are Watership Down, The Goldfinch, The Night Watch, Drood, and Piranesi. PLEASE tell me how those are related to Love Requires Chocolate, I am desperate to know.

I really am struggling to remember when in Watership Down Fiver foresees some guy going HON HON HON BAGUETTE at a college girl. It must have been when he was foreseeing the destruction of the warren and it was just a new, exciting horror that got stuffed to the side.

I would not read this if it were gay, Goodreads. This could read, Whitney Curry is tutored by a grumpy soccer star who is THE HOTTEST BUTCH WOMAN YOU HAVE EVER SEEN IN YOUR LIFE, an I would still go, 'I do not think this book is for me" On the worst day, I cannot see anyone who knows me even TANGENTIALLY recommending this book.

I am borderline insulted (okay we are pushing my love over the borderline) by the idea that this was-- actually let's go look at other recommendations

I????? Yo???? Who asks continually why every third book published in the US has to be YA fantasy?

The only good recommendation I got was Master and Commander, which I have in fact thought about reading before. Not even any shitty pulp horror? Of which I read PLENTY? I know this is less 'recommendations" and more "ads" but jesus fucking christ PRETEND BETTER.

[roses7184]

Book Review: The Pumpkin Spice Café by Laurie Gilmore

The Details Media Type: AudiobookTitle: The Pumpkin Spice CaféAuthor(s): Laurie GilmorePublisher: St. Martin’s PressPages/Length: 9 hours and 44 minutesRelease Date: August 30, 2023Source: Library Borrow Add it on: Goodreads | Amazon | Bookshop A spicy small-town romance and TikTok phenomenon, perfect for fans of Hannah Grace and Stephanie Archer. When Jeanie’s aunt gifts her the beloved…

[richincolor]

With spring on its way out, I thought it would be fun to do a quick roundup of some contemporary romances. Here are three that are out this month--which ones are on your reading list?

Bite Me, Royce Taslim by Lauren Ho Disney Hyperion

Agnes Chan never expected to be the punchline of her own life . . .

But how else do you explain getting accidentally run over and seeing a lifetime of careful preparation, endless training, and all your hopes of a track scholarship to college destroyed in a split second? Not to mention the only witness to your humiliation being your #1 archnemesis, Royce Taslim.

So, when Agnes finds a new answer to her scholarship predicament in the form of an international stand-up comedy contest for teens, the last person she expects to be up against is also the last person she wants to Royce. Because for years Royce has represented everything Agnes extreme privilege, popularity, and physical perfection (ok maybe she doesn’t hate that part so much).

Behind the scenes, though, Royce’s flawless façade fades away, revealing someone Agnes never expected—someone who shows her that perhaps the best parts of life are the ones you aren’t prepared for—and as the competition heats up, so do things between these two rivals. But will the pressure to win be too much for them to handle—or will Agnes (and Royce) get the last laugh?

Queerceañera by Alex Crespo HarperTeen

Joaquin Zoido is out and proud of it. And while he knew his dad and sister, Carmen, would be super supportive, he wasn’t quite ready for them to surprise him with a queerceañera, a coming out party to celebrate him. Between all the talks of tastings and venues, and the chirping of his family’s RSVP texts, the question of who will be his chambelán is on everyone’s minds.

What Joaquin is decidedly trying to not think about is whether his mom is going attend or if she’s finally replaced him with her favorite godson, Felix—the boy who made Joaquin realize he was gay and who was his first kiss. But when an impromptu lie snowballs into a full-fledged family-group-chat rumor, every Zoido from Texas to Mexico starts believing that Felix is not only Joaquin’s chambelán but also his brand-new boyfriend.

To avoid the pity and sympathies of an ill-timed breakup, Joaquin and Felix strike a deal—they’ll stay fake boyfriends until the party. Yet, as the day draws nearer and old feelings spark anew, Joaquin will have to decide whether a picture-perfect queerceañera with a fake boyfriend is worth giving up the chance of something real.

True Love and Other Impossible Odds by Christina Li Quill Tree Books

College freshman Grace Tang never meant to rewrite the rules of love. She came to college to move on from a grief-stricken senior year and to start anew. So she follows a predictable Attend class, study, go home and visit her dad every weekend. She doesn’t leave any room in her life for outliers or anomalies.

Then, Grace comes up with an algorithm for her statistics class to pair students with their perfect romantic partners. Though some people are skeptical, like Julia, Grace’s prickly coworker, Grace is confident that her program will take all the drama out of relationships. That’s why she keeps trying to make things work with her match, a guy named Jamie. But as the semester goes on and she grows closer to Julia, Grace starts to question who she’s really attracted to.

In award-winning author Christina Li’s YA debut, Grace will have to make a choice between the tidy equations she knows will protect her from heartbreak or the possibility that true love doesn’t follow any formula.

[purplebass]

2023 books - from lukov with love by mariana zapata

I believe in you. In us. Regardless of what happens, you will always be the best partner I’ve ever had. You’ll always be the hardest working person I’ve ever known. There will only ever be you.

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

🦇 Jazelle's Top 25 for 2025 🌙

🌙 Good morning, bookish bats! One of my bookish "outs" for this year is pressure; pressure to read a certain number of books, to read over-hyped books, to change my account to suit an algorithm. We get enough pressure from external sources; we don't need it from ourselves. That's why making this list was so hard. Here are a few books I hope to read in 2025.

❓ What books are at the top of your list to read this year?

💙 You Exist Too Much - Zaina Arafat 🦇 The River Has Roots - Amal El-Mohtar 💙 A Fate Inked in Blood - Danielle L. Jensen 🦇 This Woven Kingdom - Tahereh Mafi 💙 All My Rage - Sabaa Tahir 🦇 She Who Became the Sun - Shelley Parker-Chan 💙 Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil - VE Schwab 🦇 Realm Breaker - Victoria Aveyard 💙 A Gentleman's Gentleman - TJ Alexander

🩷 Well, Actually - Mazey Eddings 🦇 The Perfect Rom-Com - Melissa Ferguson 🩷 Book Boyfriend - Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka 🦇 Bonesmith - Nicki Pau Preto 🩷 Immortal Longings - Chloe Gong 🦇 Honey Witch - Sydney J. Shields 🩷 To Have and to Heist - Sara Desai 🦇 Come As You Are - Dahlia Adler 🩷 The Prospects - KT Hoffman

💜 A Simple Twist of Fate - April Asher 🦇 When the Moon Hatched - Sarah A. Parker 💜 Quicksilver - Callie Hart 🦇 A Shadow in the Ember - Jennifer L Armentrout 💜 A River Enchanted - Rebecca Ross 🦇 Do I Know You? - Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka 💜 The Wedding of the Year - Jill Mansell

[ladytrist]

Pleeeaaase give me BOOK recs like Whisper of the Heart 😭

And yesss preferably BOOKS please. I don’t have the commitment to follow through a manga or anime these days.

Also I’m sorry to annoy you but I am a romance reader but more of a romantic subplot romance reader.

I LOOOVED HOW YOUNG LOVE WAS PORTRAYED AND SHIZUKU’S AMBITION AND SORT OF CRISIS IN WHAT SHE REALLY WANTS TO DO IN LIFE. So yeah this is specifically what I’m looking for.

[jnledford]

I have permission to share who the cover artist is for the Lykos book, and I am excited to announce it will be handled by the wonderful @norapotwora! Who has done so much amazing work on other projects before, as I have seen in the years I have been following this account, so I know that this project is going to come out fantastically.

It won't be for about half a year before the project is started, but I am so excited to announce it now, and when it gets closer to time, to be able to share it with everyone as well!

[Photo is the background being used is by my mom - so please check out her photography on Instagram at AJLedford_com]

[lexxwithbooks]

📚: 𝑲𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒇 𝑾𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒉 (𝐾𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑆𝑖𝑛𝑠 #1)🐉💄💍

✍🏽: 𝐀𝐧𝐚 𝐇𝐮𝐚𝐧𝐠