An Urgent Kiss by Alexa Aston (2026)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 6 of the Captivating Kisses series. Tragic prologue for Hugo, who grew up with a stutter and a cruel and abusive father. He’s all grown up in this story, taken the title of earl, and ushering his younger sister through her debut. He happens to meet his sister’s friend Tia, believes her to be too outspoken and a bad influence, but is also distractedly attracted to her. Lady Tia is the younger sister of a duke, not necessarily looking to marry this season, and happy to make friends. She dislikes the arrogant Hugo, but that’s because he’s stiff and socially awkward, not because he’s actually arrogant. It’s pretty clear that they fall in love here, once she realizes that he’s a really nice guy. Fun family dynamics on Tia’s side, with all her siblings and cousins.
Advance ebook provided by Dragonblade Publishing via NetGalley.
Get Over It, April Evans by Ashley Herring Blake (2026)
Contemporary romance. Book 2 of the Clover Lake series. If you love a messy set-up, this book is for you. April is doing rough financially, so she takes an art teaching job at a local resort. And then it turns out her roommate and co-teacher is Daphne, the woman that he ex-fiancee cheated on her with. Ouch. Daphne is in an equally tough spot, having recently been dumped by said woman, and also did not know about April’s existence. It’s messy and angry and chaotic, plus they’re attracted to each other. Throw in some actual competition between the two in the form of a chance to show at an art gallery, and it’s heartbreak waiting to happen. I loved reading these two defensive and heartbroken people open up to each other and slowly start to let their walls down.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby. Advance audiobook provided by Penguin Random House Audio.
Last First Kiss by Julian Winters (2026)
Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Jordan is assigned the wedding of the year in his event coordinator role, but things are messy because his friend/crush, Jamie, who he’s been avoiding for months is the man of honor and always around. It’s totally awkward because 1. they shared a teenage practice kiss, 2. they’ve been hanging out lately and Jordan was rejected for a kiss by Jamie, and 3. Jordan isn’t exactly sure of his own sexuality. In reading his character, it seems he’s queer and demisexual, and it all comes down to being only attracted to Jamie. It’s a single POV from Jordan’s perspective, so we never quite know what’s going on in Jamie’s mind, but it seems like he has his own insecurities and isn’t sure if Jordan is really interested in him or interested in experimenting. I enjoyed the romance between these two and seeing them learn how to communicate with each other. I will say from an eyeball reading perspective, having two main characters with lookalike names (Jordan and Jamie) made me slow down at times to remember which character was which.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
Reel by Kennedy Ryan (2021)
Contemporary romance. Book 1 of the Hollywood Renaissance series. I’ve heard great things about this book and finally picked it up because my local indie bookstore’s book club picked it for February. We follow Neevah, actress, and Canon, film director, as they meet, work together to make a movie, and fall in love. Throw in some chronic illness and family drama for Neevah, and we’ve got a plot heavy story here. Maybe it was just me, but all the details about movie casting and movie making dragged, and made it hard to get into the book. And when we did finally start the romantic relationship between Neevah and Canon, I felt anxious about the power dynamics of the well-known well-respected director and the newbie actress. Once the relationship starts though, it’s pretty solid and low-drama. We’re dealing more with the external drama and fallout of their relationship being made public and Neevah’s medical condition. There’s a lot going on here, and we’ve got a rich ensemble of characters within this world.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby. Audiobook borrowed from my local library via Hoopla.
The Belle of Belgrave Square by Mimi Matthews (2022)
Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Belles of London series. This one is a marriage of convenience story with Beauty and the Beast vibes. Julia is the daughter of sickly parents and has social anxiety. She thinks that no one wants to marry her because of her awkwardness, but Captain Jasper Blunt is very much interested. He needs a wealthy wife to restore his estate and care for his three illegitimate children. Nevermind that he’s known as a monster and has a huge scar on the side of his face. But Julia sees beyond the rumors and the appearance and notices that he’s actually very kind to her. So when she needs help getting away from her parents, she proposes to him. It’s delightful seeing her being both vulnerable and bold, and I love a protective husband. And Jasper is keeping secrets, which are so much fun to uncover. Another stellar book from Mimi Matthews.
Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
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