Jess and Trisha belatedly share listener emails and talk (again) about what makes a romance a romance. Plus! Romances to get you ready for the summer.

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Looking for a thoughtful Mother's Day gift? Go beyond the tried and true flowers and chocolate and give the gift of reading with Tailored Book Recommendations! Our bibliologists are standing by to help your mom find her next favorite read, delivered right to her inbox or doorstep. And with gifts starting at just $18, there’s something for any budget! Head to mytbr.co/gift to send the gift of reading to the book nerd in your life!

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News

WIR Book Club is back! Read Consort of Fire by Kit Rocha with us and send us your thoughts for our June 24 show. 

And our next film adaptation discussion is The Idea of You. Our conversation will be mostly focused on the film, but you can also check out the book, also called The Idea of You, by Robinne Lee. (Yes, we know about the book HEA questions - we want to talk about them!)

Plus, many thanks to Michelle, who suggested that Calibre could help to address our book cover and re-purchasing book situations (and Trisha's are many).

Books Discussed

That Summer Feeling by Bridget Morrissey

Along for the Ride by Mimi Grace

The Key to Happily Ever After by Tif Marcelo

The Language of Seabirds by Will Taylor

The Prospects by KT Hoffman

The Worst Best Man by Mia Sosa

Compromised into a Scandalous Marriage by Lydia San Andres

Out of Office by AH Cunningham

The Matchmaker Bay series (starting with Mermaid Inn) by Jenny Holiday

Let us know what you’re reading, what you’re thinking, and what you’re thinking about what you’re reading! As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address ([email protected]). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown), and Jess is even on TikTok (@jess_isreading).

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Jess and Trisha talk about author identities and pen names, bookish events gone wrong, and road trip romances.

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Looking to elevate your reading life? Tailored Book Recommendations is here to help with handpicked recommendations. Tell the Bibliologists at Tailored Book Recommendations about what you love and what you don't. You can get your recommendations via email or receive hardcovers or paperbacks in the mail. And with quarterly or annual plans available, TBR has something for every budget. Plans start at just $18! Subscribe today.

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News

Check out this first person account of Readers Take Denver 2024 by Jessica Mack at Latest Book Crush.

Books Discussed

You Should Be So Lucky by Cat Sebastian

Dating Dr. Dil by Nisha Sharma

In Which Margo Halifax Earns Her Shocking Reputation by Alexandra Vasti

A Shore Thing by Joanna Lowell (June 18)

Signal Boost by Alyssa Cole

Never Cross a Highlander by Lisa Rayne

Let us know what you’re reading, what you’re thinking, and what you’re thinking about what you’re reading! As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address ([email protected]). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown), and Jess is even on TikTok (@jess_isreading).

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Trisha is joined by special guest Vanessa Diaz, Managing Editor for Book Riot, and they talk about reading habits, books they love, and why third person present narration is so weird.

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Looking to elevate your reading life? Tailored Book Recommendations is here to help with handpicked recommendations. Tell the Bibliologists at Tailored Book Recommendations about what you love and what you don't. You can get your recommendations via email or receive hardcovers or paperbacks in the mail. And with quarterly or annual plans available, TBR has something for every budget. Plans start at just $18! Subscribe today.

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Books Discussed

The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo

Aphrodite and the Duke by J.J. McAvoy

The Kiss Countdown by Etta Easton

The Widow of Rose House by Diana Biller

Boyfriend Material and 10 Things That Never Happened by Alexis Hall

The Switch and The Road Trip by Beth O’Leary

The Sitcom Star and The Reluctant Heartthrob by Jackie Lau

The Primas of Power series, including A Lot Like Adiós, You Had Me at Hola, and Along Came Amor by Alexis Daria

Vanessa also mentioned Alyssa Cole - there’s no wrong place to start with Alyssa Cole, but if you’re looking for ideas, check out Let It Shine and/or A Princess in Theory!

Let us know what you’re reading, what you’re thinking, and what you’re thinking about what you’re reading! As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address ([email protected]), and Vanessa is on the socials @BuenosDiazSD.

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Jess and Trisha cover a few potpourri topics and updates before talking about romances that are worth the hype.

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Want to make your book club the best club? Sign up for our In the Club newsletter. In the Club will deliver recommendations for the best books to discuss in your book clubs. From buzzy new releases to brilliant throwbacks, the books highlighted in this newsletter will drive your book club discussions. We’ll also share some book club-friendly recipes and interesting bookish updates from all over. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features. In other words, we’ll keep you well-met, well-read, and well-fed. Sign up today!

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News

Check out the Lammy award nominees and let us know which books you liked and which books are missing. 

As recommended by Jess, a fantastic conversation with some of our faves.

Books Discussed

This Could Be Us by Kennedy Ryan

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

Bride by Ali Hazelwood

The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston

Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan

You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Amezi

Pucking Around by Emily Rath

Morning Glory Milking Farm by C.M. Nascosta

Let us know what you’re reading, what you’re thinking, and what you’re thinking about what you’re reading! As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address ([email protected]). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown), and Jess is even on TikTok (@jess_isreading).

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Jess and Trisha talk about the impact of AI and machine learning on books and then take a virtual visit to the Tucson Festival of Books.

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To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter!

Want to make your book club the best club? Sign up for our In the Club newsletter. In the Club will deliver recommendations for the best books to discuss in your book clubs. From buzzy new releases to brilliant throwbacks, the books highlighted in this newsletter will drive your book club discussions. We’ll also share some book club-friendly recipes and interesting bookish updates from all over. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features. In other words, we’ll keep you well-met, well-read, and well-fed. Sign up today!

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News

Check out a couple of Book Riot posts on books and AI here and here.

And the Washington Post has a great piece on AI bias by Nitasha Tiku, Kevin Schual, and Szu Yu Chen.

Books Discussed

That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Human by Kimberly Lemming

Do Me a Favor by Cathy Yardley

How You Get The Girl by Anita Kelly

White Whiskey Bargain and Play to Win by Jodie Slaughter

For Never & Always by Helena Greer

Thank You For Sharing by Rachel Runya Katz

Let us know what you’re reading, what you’re thinking, and what you’re thinking about what you’re reading! As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address ([email protected]). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown), and Jess is even on TikTok (@jess_isreading).

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To celebrate February 29, Jess and Trisha go all in on books they love that were published in Leap Years.

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To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter!

Want to make your book club the best club? Sign up for our In the Club newsletter. In the Club will deliver recommendations for the best books to discuss in your book clubs. From buzzy new releases to brilliant throwbacks, the books highlighted in this newsletter will drive your book club discussions. We’ll also share some book club-friendly recipes and interesting bookish updates from all over. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features. In other words, we’ll keep you well-met, well-read, and well-fed. Sign up today!

This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Books Discussed

The Boyfriend Subscription by Steven Salvatore

Meegan by Rebekah Weatherspoon

Forbidden and Indigo by Beverly Jenkins

A Rogue by Any Other Name by Sarah MacLean

The Soldier’s Scoundrel by Cat Sebastian

Hold Me by Courtney Milan

Looking for Group by Alexis Hall

Magnate and Tycoon by Joanna Shupe

Harbor by Rebekah Weatherspoon

Queen Move by Kennedy Ryan

Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade

Let us know what you’re reading, what you’re thinking, and what you’re thinking about what you’re reading! As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address ([email protected]). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown), and Jess is even on TikTok (@jess_isreading).

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Jess and Trisha reflect on the major theme of Valentine’s romance coverage and then recommend some romance short stories and novellas.

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2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Visit bookriot.com/readharder to sign up.

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News

Jess and Trisha had a great chat with Jeff on the Book Riot podcast.

As mentioned, The Washington Post (Sarah Wendell) and Entertainment Weekly (Maureen Lee Lenker) were among the many outlets covering romantasy this Valentine’s Day.

And look how many romance book stores there are! [Forbes]

Books Discussed

Play to Win by Jodie Slaughter

Olivia and the Masked Duke by Grace Callaway

All or Nothing by Rose Lerner

Moonlight by Jasmine Nicole

Rosie and the Dreamboat by Sally Thorne 

Prisoner of Love by Beverly Jenkins

Love in Color by Bolu Babalola

The Companion by EE Ottoman

Let us know what you’re reading, what you’re thinking, and what you’re thinking about what you’re reading! As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address ([email protected]). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown), and Jess is even on TikTok (@jess_isreading).

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Jess and Trisha talk about romance covers, genre data (or lack thereof), and romance books that fit the 2024 Read Harder Challenge.

Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter!

2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Visit bookriot.com/readharder to sign up.

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News

Check out the Shelf Love Substack, and specifically the post “The Data Does Not Exist to Support ‘Romance is a Billion Dollar Industry.’”

Read Harder in 2024! (Just like maybe you did in 2023!)

Books Discussed

Night Song by Beverly Jenkins

The Sitcom Star and The Reluctant Heartthrob by Jackie Lau

A Love Song for Ricki Wilde by Tia Williams

Luke and Billy Finally Get a Clue by Cat Sebastian

The One Month Boyfriend by Roxie Noir

Always Only You by Chloe Liese

Love Flushed by Evie Mitchell

That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming

Let us know what you’re reading, what you’re thinking, and what you’re thinking about what you’re reading! As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address ([email protected]). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown), and Jess is even on TikTok (@jess_isreading).

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Jess and Trisha kick off 2024 WIR Book Club by discussing The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich and then discuss other books with mistaken identities or disguises.

Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter!

2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Visit bookriot.com/readharder to sign up.

This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Books Discussed

The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Deya Muniz

Fly With Me by Andie Burke

Role Playing by Cathy Yardley

Girls with Bad Reputations by Xio Axelrod

Meegan by Rebekah Weatherspoon

The Wolf and the Wildflower by Stacy Reid

A Princess in Theory by Alyssa Cole

One Night in Hartswood by Emma Denny

The Neighbor Favor by Kristina Forest

Kiss the Girl by Zoraida Córdova   

The Marquess Makes His Move by Diana Quincy

Let us know what you’re reading, what you’re thinking, and what you’re thinking about what you’re reading! As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address ([email protected]). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown), and Jess is even on TikTok (@jess_isreading).

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Jess and Trisha talk about 2023 books they still want to get to and the books they’re most excited about coming out in 2024.

Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter!

2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Visit bookriot.com/readharder to sign up.

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News

Book club is coming back in our next episode! Read The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Deya Muniz along with us! Send us your thoughts by January 18 for our January 22 episode.

Books Discussed

The Wildest Ride by Marcella Bell

Change of Plans by Dylan Newton

Forever Your Rogue by Erin Langston

Outfield Assist by Cat Giraldo

Ruined by Sarah Vaughn, illustrated by Sarah Winifred Searle and Niki Smith

Technically Yours by Denise Williams

Fly With Me by Andie Burke

Something Wild & Wonderful by Anita Kelly

A Little Kissing Between Friends by Chencia C. Higgins

Night for Day by Roselle Lim

Birding With Benefits by Sarah T. Dubb

The Spy and I by Tiana Smith

The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava

Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend by Emma R. Alban

Let us know what you’re reading, what you’re thinking, and what you’re thinking about what you’re reading! As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address ([email protected]). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown), and Jess is even on TikTok (@jess_isreading).

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Jess and Trisha talk about their favorite romance reads of 2023. Prepare your TBR for many, many books — front list AND back list.

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It's happening, readers — we're bringing paperbacks! Whether you (or a reader you know and love) hate carrying around bulky hardcovers, you're on a budget, you want a wider range of recommendations, or all of the above, you can now get a paperback subscription from TBR, curated just for you by one of our Bibliologists. The holidays are here, and we've got three different levels for gifting to suit every budget. Get all the details at mytbr.co.

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News

Book club is coming back in early 2024! Read The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Deya Muniz along with us! Send us your thoughts by January 18 for our January 22 episode.

Books Discussed

Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura

A Necessary Chaos by Brent Lambert

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

Molly Molloy and the Angel of Death by Maria Vale

Before I Let Go and Reel by Kennedy Ryan

So This is Christmas by Jenny Holiday

Something Like Love and Captured by Beverly Jenkins

Second Chance at Rancho Lindo by Sabrina Sol

The Romantic Agenda by Claire Kann

Wild Pitch by Cat Giraldo

The Scoundrel Falls Hard by Sophie Jordan

Switch Hitter by E.M. Lindsey

Something Wild & Wonderful by Anita Kelly 

Stars in Your Eyes by Kacen Callender

We Could Be So Good by Cat Sebastian

Role Playing by Cathy Yardley

The Neighbor Favor by Kristina Forest

All The Right Notes by Dominic Lim

Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez

Time to Shine by Rachel Reid

A Spinster’s Guide to Danger and Dukes by Manda Collins

Let us know what you’re reading, what you’re thinking, and what you’re thinking about what you’re reading! As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address ([email protected]). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown), and Jess is even on TikTok (@jess_isreading).

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