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Henry strikes the perfect tone for this wonderfully sweet, funny, friendship-based, romantic story that But Henry strikes the perfect tone for this wonderfully sweet, funny, friendship-based, romantic story

school setting reminded me of Naomi Novik's A Deadly Education, although the tone of this book is more romantic A chaste attraction involves lots of romance and a love that must not be (in order to save lives)--and

Silver offers a story with a missed-chances premise in which romance, drama, and an unwavering hope in

The story is heartwarming, funny, with strong friendships, plus it's steamy and romantic at times without But then her daring best friend (who writes sexy romance novels!) data-driven dating program that makes sense to her--and she receives an unheard-of 98 percent compatible romantic I appreciated that the will they/won't they romantic tension hinges on factors somewhat outside of the The story is steamy and romantic at times without being dramatic.

The True Love Experiment is a wonderful, romantic read about forbidden attraction and heartwarming vulnerability Fizzy is a straight talker, a sex-positive woman, and a successful romance writer, but she's never been “Romance isn’t gratuitous bodice ripping. It can be, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but in the end, romance isn’t about the fantasy of being “People think romances are just about sex—and some are, which is fine—but they’re also about social change

I listened to this romantic fantasy about a chosen one, a long-lost family, portals to a magical world It's a romance, in that the brooding young man Keegan who leads the clan and who seems sure to become But if The Dragon Heart Legacy series remains a cozy, convenient, wine- and romance-focused story with

thwart them; and Instructions for Dancing, Nicola Yoon's newest young adult book about heartbreak, romance As she's putting her former favorite romance books in a Little Free Library, a wizened old woman approaches

The Books I'm Reading Now I'm reading Bill Browder's Red Notice, which is nonfiction about the author's uncovering of corruption in Russia and the significant repercussions of doing so; The Guide, a new book by one of my favorite authors, Peter Heller, which picks up after the events of his book The River as main character Jack serves as a fishing guide at an elite but eerie Colorado resort; and The Ex Talk, Rachel Lynn Solomon's debut light fiction, which incorporates a love of public radio, will-they/won't-they tensions, humor, heart, and some steamy scenes. Which books are you reading and enjoying these days, bookworms? 01 Red Notice by Bill Browder The subtitle of Browder's nonfiction book Red Notice is A True Story of High Finance, Murder, and One Man's Fight for Justice, and in it, Browder traces his path from Wall Street to the Soviet Union after its breakup--and the crimes, mysteries, and political machinations that he witnessed and uncovered. As Browder began to expose corruption in Russia, he attracted the dangerous attention of Putin, which put Browder's life in jeopardy. After Browder escaped Russia, he became determined to bring to justice those in the Putin regime who had tortured and put to death his trusted Russian associate and lawyer. His actions drew even more ire from Putin and those in his ranks, and Putin famously retaliated to Browder's attempts to identify those responsible for his friend's death by largely preventing Americans from adopting Russian children. My book club is reading this one. If you like nonfiction books that read like fiction, you might try the books on the Greedy Reading List Six Compelling Nonfiction Books that Read Like Fiction. 02 The Guide by Peter Heller A new Peter Heller book is out! A new Peter Heller book is out! The Guide is a literary thriller by one of my favorite authors, in which Jack (from Heller's book The River) is a guide at an elite fishing lodge in Colorado. After suffering a great loss in The River, he's eager to lose himself in nature and meet the needs of the boutique resort's clients. When he's set up as the guide for a famous musician, he baits her line, carries her gear, and sets her up for a successful fishing trip. But Jack is starting to realize that something dark and dangerous may be at work here, and that things are more complicated than they had seemed. I hope you'll join me in my adoration of Peter Heller's varied books, including his thrilling, character-driven story The River, the meditative yet decisively action-oriented The Painter, and his post-apocalyptic story The Dog Stars, which was a five-star read for me. I received an advance digital copy of this title courtesy of Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group and NetGalley. 03 The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon In Solomon's Ex Talk, Seattle public radio producer Shay Goldstein is in her late twenties, she's put in her time, and she thinks that her ideas deserve respect. So when young hotshot Dominic Yun shows up and, as a male, automatically has the ear of their misogynistic boss, Shay is beyond annoyed. The two find themselves driving everyone around them crazy with their constant bickering. Meanwhile, Shay feels that she's following all of the typical steps of being a grown-up: she has the job, she bought a (currently empty-feeling) house, and she keeps trying to settle down. Her widowed mother and her longtime best friend are each in love with wonderful partners, and Shay's beginning to wonder if she's attempting to leap into commitment with the wrong people because she's still reeling from the loss of her dad. When Dominic and Shay get talked into posing as exes in order to host a promising radio show about relationships, they're forced to get to know each other better in order to fake their past--but actually the door opens for a potential future for them instead.

The Books I'm Reading Now I'm reading a bizarre, dark set of short stories by a former Late Show with Stephen Colbert writer, Jen Spyra; Rachel Griffin's young adult fantasy novel The Nature of Witches, in which witches control the weather and find romaaaance; and I'm listening to Fallen, my first book in Linda Castillo's thirteen-book Kate Burkholder series--each of which is set in Amish country. Which books are you reading and enjoying these days, bookworms? 01 Big Time: Stories by Jen Spyra This book! I'm not sure what to say (or even to think) about this book so far. Spyra is making me verrrry uncomfortable as I read her collection of stories, which are satirical, dark, edgy, bizarre, and often outrageous. This isn't your typical humor book, and I'm curious about what unsuspecting readers may think if they go into this one without an awareness that dark subjects are played up for amusement. Spyra may be aware of the line that separates questionable from likely offensive, but she often leaps over it. 02 The Nature of Witches by Rachel Griffin In the world of Griffin's young adult fantasy novel The Nature of Witches, witches control the weather. And (this part of the storyline may feel familiar) climate change is causing weather patterns to spin out of control. Destructive blizzards, devastating tornadoes, desperate heat, and shockingly bitter cold are threatening the land around them--and endangering the lives of witches and shaders (regular humans) alike. Luckily, Clara is the most powerful witch in a generation. But she doesn't have a clue how to control her power, and she's destroyed some of those closest to her while trying to test it. There are lovely moments of humor interspersed with the action and lots of (literally) flowery language; the characters at times talk extensively about flowers and plants. I received a prepublication digital edition of this book courtesy of Sourcebooks Fire and NetGalley. 03 Fallen: A Novel of Suspense (Kate Burkholder #13) by Linda Castillo I'm listening to the audiobook version of Linda Castillo's mystery-suspense novel Fallen. This is the first book I've read in Castillo's thirteen-book Kate Burkholder series--all set in Amish country--although these have been on my to-read list for a long time. A rebellious young woman who left her Amish culture behind and became estranged from her family has returned to Painters Mill, Ohio. But her homecoming ends almost immediately in tragedy: she is brutally murdered in a motel on the outskirts of town. Chief of police Kate Burkholder, who was once part of the local Amish community herself, is called in and is shocked to identify the victim as Rachael Schwartz, a fun-loving, mischievous free spirit she had babysat years earlier. The crime against Rachael is so vicious as to seem personal, and Kate must try to determine why Rachael returned to town, uncover her buried secrets, and figure out who would have wanted her dead. I received a prepublication audiobook of this title courtesy of Macmillan Audio and NetGalley.

by Emily Henry Henry strikes the perfect tone for this wonderfully sweet, funny, friendship-based, romantic But Henry strikes the perfect tone for this wonderfully sweet, funny, friendship-based, romantic story 05 Instructions for Dancing by Nicola Yoon This light fiction young adult novel offers (reluctant) romance Evie copes with loss and some heavy issues, but Instructions for Dancing was also romantic, sweet, fun

The Books I'm Reading Now I'm reading People We Meet on Vacation, Emily Henry's newest light fiction novel about best friends and polar opposites Poppy and Alex on their annual vacation; Now You Say Yes, Bill Harley's irresistible middle-grade novel about orphans on a cross-country journey as they desperately try to stay together as a family; and Don't Look for Me, Wendy Walker's suspenseful, character-driven novel about a mother coping with the worst grief imaginable while a lurking evil endangers key characters' safety. Which books are you reading and enjoying these days, bookworms? 01 People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry In Emily Henry's newest novel People We Meet on Vacation, best friends and polar opposites Alex and Poppy are on their annual vacation. Poppy is impulsive and fun-loving, and Alex would generally rather stay home and read than seek out adventure. The pair has long been emotionally inseparable despite living in different cities--Poppy in New York and Alex in their small hometown. But two years ago on their vacation, something BIG happened. It threatened their friendship and continues to loom over everything between them. They haven't talked about any of it, but Poppy has convinced Alex to join her again on vacation to try to recapture their effortless times together. Surely, she thinks, they can fix everything in a week. She'll just push down her strange feelings about Alex and pretend that fateful time never even happened. This is already feeling like a will they/won't they story I'll love. Henry's Beach Read was a favorite book of mine last year, and it made it into the Greedy Reading List Six Lighter Fiction Stories for Great Escapism. 02 Now You Say Yes by Bill Harley In Bill Harley's newest work, the middle-grade novel Now You Say Yes, we follow newly orphaned fifteen-year-old Mari and her on-the-spectrum nine-year-old stepbrother, Connor, as they strike out on a cross-country journey in a desperate attempt to avoid foster care. Mari, who finds that she's tough in the face of adversity, is bent on staying with her brother, preserving the only family they each have left. But she's not legally an adult, and she doesn't have many options of who she can rely on to keep them safe. Harley's story about loyalty, loss, and pushing forward is beautiful; it's sometimes heartbreaking and consistently lovely. 03 Don't Look for Me by Wendy Walker Molly Clarke is dealing with bottomless grief. Her youngest daughter died in an unthinkable accident, and for Molly, making her way through each day is like wading through waters threatening to drown her. So she walks away--from her distant husband, her always-furious oldest daughter, her absent middle son, her broken life, and her relentless pain. At least, that's what the clues left behind seem to indicate. But the truth of what has occurred is horrible, terrifying, twisty--and fascinating. Walker's premise is difficult to read and experience on the page, but the character depth, exploration of grief, and self-actualization she offers in Don't Look for Me is pleasantly surprising and continues to build and grow. I'm flying through this tale and can't wait to find out what's what.

I adored the romantic setup and seemingly ill-fated attraction in Saft's young adult fantasy-mystery, I loved the setup of Saft's romantic young adult fantasy novel Down Comes the Night. all in place here: magic, healing, a defiant main protagonist with a conscience, loyalty, drawn-out romance Saft is also the author of another romantic young adult fantasy novel, A Far Wilder Magic. I loved her character-building, her balance with the young romance, her fantastic, detailed setting,

Solomon offers a sweet, romantic young adult story with emotions that feel authentic; the book showcases Today Tonight Tomorrow is a sweet, ultimately romantic story that celebrates many of the essential teenage

The Books I'm Reading Now I'm reading a romantic book about aspiring musicians with intertwined pasts Hadley The title of this book (which is explained as coming from a Doors song) evokes romantic ideas, and so far the story reads to me like a soap opera-esque romance.

Charleston; and Jack, a quiet, gorgeous book from Marilynne Robinson that's focused on a meandering romance by Marilynne Robinson Jack, a quiet, gorgeous book from Marilynne Robinson, focuses on a meandering romance thoughts about faith and meaning in life; and the fraught, heart-wrenching, tender, likely ill-fated romance

In a Holidaze is a romantic holiday time twist with sexy interludes and a reliably happy ending. I read In a Holidaze during Christmas week, and it was a romantic holiday time twist with sexy interludes The author duo also wrote the fun and romantic Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating as well as Love and

I reviewed the fun and romantic Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating on this site, as well as Love and

One to Watch is engrossing escapism into a world of reality TV, romantic possibilities, and luxurious what it might mean for her career, for promoting body positivity, and maybe even for her lackluster romantic She's in--for a fantastic wardrobe, incredibly awkward moments, scripted romance, and a beautiful Malibu Stayman-London allows Bea to sink fully into the romance, fashion, and reality television ups and downs

there is a refreshing lack of violence beyond fistfight-level conflicts; and the forbidden love and romance

head down, work on his dilapidated house, get an occasional beer at the pub, not get forced into a romantic In a Holidaze feels like a romantic holiday read that might be perfect for this pre-Christmas week. The author duo also wrote the fun and romantic Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating as well as Love and

But letting go of expectations about realistic cause and effect in order to buy into a romantic setup difficult for me than suspending my disbelief to buy into the outlandish or supernatural aspects of a romantic steps in their lives, inner voices that feel real, human connections that warm my heart, and a little romantic what it might mean for her career, for promoting body positivity, and maybe even for her lackluster romantic She's in--for a fantastic wardrobe, incredibly awkward moments, scripted romance, and a beautiful Malibu

a wonderfully oddball main protagonist, a strange adventure, a mystery to be solved, and simmering romance Her bodyguard is a surprisingly sympathetic strong, silent type (cue: simmering hints of romance with Romantic undercurrents are wonderful, and there is No Swooning or Ridiculousness.

tour in place of the reticent (the writer is famous in literary circles) author of a new blockbuster romance She's ready to take on the persona of a romance novelist at readings and signings, but she also becomes entranced by the romantic story she's pretending to have authored. Can the romantic story that brought them together help them rethink their recent heartbreak? I didn't really believe in the Charlie-Kate romance; we are told that this relationship and its tensions

I like a forbidden-romance setup, but in this instance I was annoyed that Bridget would set up such a More Romantic Reads Carley Fortune is also the author of Meet Me at the Lake , Every Summer After , and You might also like my Bossy reviews of these romantic novels .

Josie Silver's newest rom-com, in which a divorced actress is hired to play the role of a reclusive romance historical fiction set in Elizabethan London; and I'm reading One Golden Summer , Carley Fortune's newest romance to play the part of a novelist--and tour in place of the extremely shy author of a new blockbuster romance by the romantic story she's pretending to have authored. Can the romantic story that brought them together help them rethink their recent heartbreak?

using the inspiration of her mom's favorite romantic comedies, Better Than the Movies. Now she's working at an animal rescue center and sorting out burgeoning romantic feelings for two different using the inspiration of her mom's favorite romantic comedies. Liz is a hopeless romantic who has been waiting her whole high school career to be swept off her feet in quintessential romantic-comedy fashion--with the perfect soundtrack playing in the background.

I've been rom-comming it up, and you can find lots of my favorite romantic reads on the blog--with a

Emma Wheeler writes romantic comedies, and she longs to be a screenwriter. There's a romantic gesture centering around a script, and it didn't quite sit right with me (regarding

newest book of essays from the oddball, poignant, darkly funny David Sedaris; and I'm reading The Dead Romantics , Ashley Poston's adult debut about a romance ghostwriter who is haunted by ghosts as she copes with Please click here for my review of David Sedaris's The Best of Me. 03 The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston In Ashley Poston's The Dead Romantics, Florence Day is a ghostwriter for a famous reclusive romance

didn't have a plausible connection, and the story's baseball focus gave it a more formulaic sports-romance Than the Movies , but this story is so baseball-focused, Liz is so determined not to be sentimental or romantic But for me, the story didn't support these romantic, sexy fantasies--I remained somewhat irritated by

The Books I'm Reading Now I'm so excited to be reading the newest book by Curtis Sittenfeld, Romantic 01 Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld I am so so SO excited to read this novel. Romantic Comedy will be published April 4. 02 Silver in the Bone by Alexandra Bracken In Alexandra Bracken's

There's a little bit of romantic, funny, steamy light fiction; the next wonderful installments in two , with the inspiration of her mom's favorite romantic comedies. Liz is a hopeless romantic who has been waiting her whole high school career to be swept off her feet in quintessential romantic-comedy fashion--with the perfect soundtrack playing in the background. the banter, the heartbreaking, heartwarming growth, the fun--this is basically a perfect young adult romantic

There is a romantic element, but this is, happily for me, a richly built fantasy and not a romantasy. The romance is lovely, poignant, and just enough.

that I adored, Romantic Comedy (this was my favorite read of the month!) Harper allows for Falk to develop more fully as a character--as a friend, a romantic interest, a father For my full review, check out Exiles. 02 Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld This was my favorite read I love Curtis Sittenfeld's books, and in Romantic Comedy she offers an outstanding premise: Sally Milz Romantic Comedy offers lots of funny, funny dialogue that delighted me.

I know that romantic books sometimes rely upon outlandish setups, and I feel theoretically willing to But sometimes I have difficulty seeing past what feel like unlikely scenarios in romantic novels. And the Bobby-Robin relationship as well as the Gio romance had me swooning.

Her romantic partners often feel manipulative, involve gaslighting, and keep her on edge and unsure of

Ashley Poston's newest romantic fiction is centered around Clementine, a harried book publicist who falls Ashley Poston is also the author of The Dead Romantics.

children, and figuring out where she fits in; I'm listening to The Rom-Commers, Katherine Center's newest romantic Skills to Learn Before You're Grown Up. 02 The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center Emma Wheeler writes romantic

years, and I didn't feel immersed in the novel; I was told that deep feelings (of friendship, loyalty, romantic

listening to The Knight and the Moth , the first in Rachel Gillig's rich fantasy series with a slight romantic So far this is a richly built fantasy world with a minor romance aspect; it's a balance I'm really liking

I would have been in favor of having the romantic element be tied up without the Eve aspect, or having

I couldn't get past the holes in the premise of this lighthearted, romantic, zany rom-com long enough potentially dangerous than playful to me for Sadie to be entering into vulnerable, one-on-one, and sometimes romantic

, with the inspiration of her mom's favorite romantic comedies. Liz is a hopeless romantic who has been waiting her whole high school career to be swept off her feet in quintessential romantic-comedy fashion--with the perfect soundtrack playing in the background. Click here for my full review of The Last Ranger. 11 Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld Sittenfeld's Romantic Comedy offers lots of funny, funny dialogue that delighted me.

I loved the romantic connection between Joan and Sander, Joan's scientific pursuits--particularly the

investigative work involves the somewhat tedious examination of online messages, and the Cormoran-Robin romantic push and pull is epic in its longevity as an inconvenient-attraction, opposites-attract, workplace-romance The women who are of romantic interest in Cormoran's life are, as in prior books in the series, emotionally

The romantic aspect is less essential than the fantasy elements, which I appreciated. I don't love an overly swoony, melodramatic "romantasy" story in which characters' energy is spent on a spare yet satisfying fantasy world with a limited number of characters and an essential engaging romance

01 Meet Me At the Lake by Carley Fortune Thirty-two-year-old Fern Brookbanks has pinned most of her romantic into a glorious connection and a pact to meet up one year later...but while Fern showed up to their romantic

realizations that a septuagenarian achieves around her health, children, past secrets, friendship, romantic

Ashley Poston's newest romantic fiction is centered around Clementine, a harried book publicist who falls Ashley Poston is also the author of The Dead Romantics. I loved this story about relationships, complications, famous/everyday person romance, and a love of Thirty-two-year-old Fern Brookbanks has pinned most of her romantic dreams on Will Baxter--despite the connection and a pact to meet up one year later at her family resort...but while Fern showed up to their romantic

Grace's benefactor, who barely speaks, seeks to control her, and has professed his romantic interest and fixating on her since her childhood (ugh), yet this predatorial scenario is made out to feel more romantic