Jen DeLuca was born and raised near Richmond, Virginia, but now lives in Central Florida with her husband and a houseful of rescue pets. She loves latte-flavored lattes, Hokies football, and the Oxford comma. Well Met is her first novel, inspired by her time volunteering as a pub wench with her local Renaissance Faire.
Dishonestly Yours (2024) (Webs We Weave, book 1) Krista and Becca Ritchie "A rollercoaster of a read, with twists and turns galore. Krista & Becca Ritchie give us a cast of characters to root for as they fall in and out of their lives of crime. Dishonestly Yours shows us that love can be both messy and sweet--like the perfect strawberry."
Birding with Benefits (2024) Sarah T Dubb "Birding with Benefits is a joy from start to finish! Sarah T. Dubb is a fresh, fun new voice in contemporary romance, and I can't wait to see what she does next!"
This Spells Love (2023) Kate Robb "This Spells Love is a delightful debut! Kate Robb's writing is as smooth as an oat milk latte and sweet as a donut, giving us characters to love and to root for, no matter which timeline they're in. While Gemma gets to explore life if she had made different choices, love in all its forms - family, sisterly, romantic - remains a constant. We should all be so lucky if we get the chance for a do-over!"
Faking Christmas (2023) Kerry Winfrey "Kerry Winfrey was made to write a Christmas romance, and Faking Christmas fills the bill perfectly! A cozy Hallmark Christmas movie in book form, it's warm and sweet, quirky and just a little silly. The kind of Christmas story I'd want to re-read every December."
Codename Charming (2023) Lucy Parker "Battle Royal is Lucy Parker at her best! This book is the coziness of your favorite baking competition show with the snipe and spark of a great enemies to lovers romance. Try and have a snack handy while you're reading this one ... you will get hungry from all the delicious descriptions while Dominic and Sylvie bake, banter, and fall in love."
Mrs. Nash's Ashes (2023) Sarah Adler "A delightful debut from Sarah Adler! This is a road-trip romance at its best, with all the forced proximity, unexpected intimacies, and questionable music playlists that come with it. Warm and witty, charming and romantic, Adler took Mrs. Nash's Ashes - and me - on a journey I didn't want to end."
Marrying Off Morgan McBride (2023) (McBrides of Montana, book 2) Amy Barry "An unstoppable force meets an immovable object in Marrying Off Morgan McBride. I absolutely loved spending time in Buck's Creek with the boisterous McBride family. There's nothing better than watching a couple crack each other's hardened exteriors to discover the softness underneath. This is a book to savor like a fresh batch of cornbread."
The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway (2023) Ashley Schumacher "Ashley Schumacher's latest novel is a delightful read, with diverse characters and an irresistible setting. The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway proves that there's no better place to find yourself than at a Renaissance Faire."
Mr. and Mrs. Witch (2023) Gwenda Bond "This 'lovers to enemies and back again' story is a charming romantic comedy with a witchy twist. A highly enjoyable read that's as much fun as a broomstick ride, it may make you wonder if your cat has a secret life!"
Best Served Hot (2023) Amanda Elliot "Best Served Hot is a sweet, spicy, absolutely delicious romance! Julie and Bennett's love story will leave you smiling, while the food scenes will leave you hungry. I recommend reading with takeout menus within reach."
Season of Love (2022) (Carrigan's Christmasland, book 1) Helena Greer "If you need the cozy feel of a Hallmark holiday movie in book form, visit Carrigan's! SEASON OF LOVE has all of the warm, queer, Jewish holiday vibes you could possibly want. It's a cup of cocoa with the perfect amount of marshmallows, it's a sweet kiss under the mistletoe. Helena Greer creates characters and settings that I never want to leave behind."
Just Like Magic (2022) Sarah Hogle "If I have a new Sarah Hogle book to read, I drop everything else immediately to dive in, and I'm never disappointed. Just Like Magic gives us the most unlikeable heroine and the most unlikely hero, and by the end you want nothing more than for them to find happiness together. It's both the holiday romance we need and the holiday romance we deserve."
The Make-Up Test (2022) Jenny L Howe "Charmingly nerdtastic...a delightfully sweet second chance, rivals-to-lovers story wrapped up in a cardigan, sprinkled liberally with Beowulf and Chaucer references, and garnished with cat socks."
The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy (2022) (Hart and Mercy, book 1) Megan Bannen "The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy broke my heart, put it back together, then tucked me into bed with a forehead kiss. Packed with earnest characters, wit, action, and reluctant yearning, this is easily my favourite fantasy romance of the year."
For the Love of the Bard (2022) (Bard's Rest Romance, book 1) Jessica Martin "If you wished your romcoms had more Shakespeare puns, have I got the book for you! For the Love of the Bard is a delightful ode to complicated family relationships, growing up in the theatre, and opening your heart to a second chance with your first love. The quirky small-town setting is charming, and I wish I could move to Bard's Rest immediately!"
I'm So (Not) Over You (2022) Kosoko Jackson "Such a fun read! I'm So (Not) Over You gives us witty, complex characters that you want to have a (Rivers & Valleys) beer with, just to keep them talking. Kosoko Jackson is a sassy, fresh new voice in romance, and I can't wait to read more from him!"
The Roughest Draft (2022) Austin Siegemund-Broka and Emily Wibberley "Together, Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka produce a seamless voice that is compulsively readable. Their characters spark to life immediately on the page, and are so real and relatable that I'm still thinking about them days later."
The Rehearsals (2021) Annette Christie "A truly absorbing read, told with wit and heart, and impossible to put down. Annette Christie is a master of creating characters that feel like friends, where you hate to turn that last page and say goodbye."
The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels (2021) (Dangerous Damsels, book 1) India Holton "The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels is easily the most delightfully bonkers historical fantasy romance of 2021! Featuring lady pirates in flying houses and gentleman assassins with far too many names, I enjoyed every absorbing moment. I will never look at a cup of tea (with tea before milk, under pain of death) the same way again!"
Love Scenes (2021) Bridget Morrissey "Love Scenes is an enemies to lovers story set against a Hollywood backdrop, but it's so much more than that. It's the messy love of a complicated blended family. It's the ugly parts of Hollywood, not just the glitz and glamor. It's a heroine fighting to be her own person despite what the gossip sites and a songwriting ex-boyfriend says. It's an earnest, swoonworthy hero doing his best to be a good man, despite his past. Bridget Morrissey has a voice that leaps off the page and invites you to join her for a page-turning good time. Good luck putting this one down!"
Heart on a Leash (2021) (Hearts of Alaska, book 1) Alanna Martin "An effortlessly charming debut! Heart on a Leash gives us great comedy in the form of feuding-family shenanigans, along with swoony romance ... and huskies. What more could you want? This is an engrossing read that will take you on a trip to small-town Alaska and make you fall in love."
Meet Me in Paradise (2021) Libby Hubscher "Meet Me in Paradise is such a compelling read! By turns heartwarming and heartbreaking, Libby Hubscher truly takes us on a journey as Marin learns to find happiness on her own terms. Her adventures are brought so vividly to life that I want to start a #ProjectParadise of my own!"
The Ex Talk (2021) Rachel Lynn Solomon "Forget fake dating ... fake exes is where it's at! The Ex Talk has all the public radio nerdiness that you didn't know was missing from your life. Shay and Dominic bicker and banter their way into each other's hearts the way only former enemies turned pretend exes can, helped along the way by what may be the world's naughtiest dog. An absolute delight of a read!"
How to Fail at Flirting (2020) Denise Williams "How to Fail at Flirting is a charming and compelling debut from Denise Williams that's as moving as it romantic. Williams brings the banter, heat, and swoons, while also giving us a character who learns that standing up for herself is as important--and terrifying--as allowing herself to fall in love. Put Read How to Fail at Flirting at the top of your to-do list!"
Spoiler Alert (2020) (Spoiler Alert, book 1) Olivia Dade "As funny as it is sexy (and boy is it sexy), Spoiler Alert is a love letter to fandom in all its many forms, and was an absolute joy from the first page to the last. Reading it felt like a hug to the heart from someone who wants you to know that you are perfect and deserve to be loved exactly as you are."
The Roommate (2020) (Shameless , book 1) Rosie Danan "What an incredible debut! Danan gives us strangers to annoyed-roommates to kinda-friends to angsty-pining to finally-lovers with humor, wit, and just a hint of pathos. Josh and Clara are easily my favorite ‘smash the patriarchy’ couple, and The Roommate is easily one of my top romance reads of 2020!"
Something to Talk About (2020) Meryl Wilsner "A fresh and fun romance, featuring two witty, intelligent women coming to terms with both their careers and their growing attraction to each other in a glittering Hollywood setting. Meryl Wilsner is a great new voice, whose perspective is both extremely welcome and desperately needed."
To Have and to Hoax (2020) (Regency Vows, book 1) Martha Waters "To Have and to Hoax is a delightful battle of wits that's funny and touching all at once. James and Violet are perfectly matched, and you'll love watching the sparks fly as they both infuriate each other and fall in love all over again."
Don't Go Stealing My Heart (2020) (Showmen, book 2) Kelly Siskind "This book sparkles and sizzles with Siskind’s trademark humor and heat. Don't go missing this one!"
