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Posted by SB Sarah

Smart Podcast Trashy Books Romantic Times RewindIt’s July 2016, and we’re back in the time machine to check out the ads & features from this issue of Romantic Times Magazine!

We spot an SBTB friend in the letters to the editor, and we talk about romances translated into English, the appeal of the wounded hero, and we spot an ad that’s very clearly some Tay-fic, as I’m calling it. We also discuss an article about Kickstarter in romance – and this is 2016. Look how far we’ve come – and how much RT had its finger on the pulse of new trends.

The July 2016 issue also has several scrapbook-style pages of the RT Convention in Vegas. We recorded a separate episode about those pages, with some conference memories, analysis, and memorabilia, and that will be the bonus episode for this month, dropping on August 26, 2025, for Patreon subscribers, with pictures galore.

Listen to the podcast →
Read the transcript →

Here are the books we discuss in this podcast:

We also discussed:

And the PDF of “Broken Heroes, Healed Hearts” by Sophie Barnes. (Please comment if the link doesn’t work – I am 92% sure I did this correctly!)

Visual aids? YES VISUAL AIDS!

I read this as, “The man who shattered her back.”

A picture of the sky with a white guy that kinda looks like Ryan Reynolds in a dark blue tshirt. The text reads The man who shattered her trust is back to protect her. I thought it meant The Man who shattered her back

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the ad for RECTOR, prompting us to say, “I hardly knew her!” Also: one of these books is not like the others.

 

A full page ad for five books In the center is RECTOR, a close up of a pastor collar with blood on the edge

Hey, we know Heather S, too! (Hi Heather!)

LOVE KNOWS NO BOUNDS Just wanted to say how pleased I am by the increased coverage of M/M romance in your mag. I see several reviews in an average issue now. I have also enjoyed the occasional article/special feature on GLBTOIA romance in RT. Please continue the good work! Heather S via email We appreciate the kind words, Heather. Romance is romance, and we aim to cover it all!

2016 TayFic anyone?

SING, an illustration of a blonde person with bangs and red lipstick no eyes or mouth, with the word SING written in script where the eyes would be SING Young Adult, HarperTeen ISBN: 978-0-06-245983-1 America's biggest pop star flees the spotlight to recover from her latest break-up in Maine, only to fall head-over-heels for the boy next door. But Noel isn't interested in the limelight. And when the summer ends, she may be forced to make an impossible decision: her new guy or her music.

If you like the podcast, you can subscribe to our feed, or find us at iTunes. You can also find us on Stitcher, and Spotify, too. We also have a cool page for the podcast on iTunes.

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What did you think of today's episode? Got ideas? Suggestions? You can talk to us on the blog entries for the podcast or talk to us on Facebook if that's where you hang out online. You can email us at sbjpodcast@gmail.com or you can call and leave us a message at our Google voice number: 201-371-3272. Please don't forget to give us a name and where you're calling from so we can work your message into an upcoming podcast.

Thanks for listening!

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Witches, Holiday Romance, & More

Aug. 21st, 2025 03:30 pm
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Posted by Amanda

A Duke by Default

RECOMMENDED: A Duke by Default by Alyssa Cole is $1.99! We read this for my book club and we all agreed there wasn’t enough blacksmithing and sword-making. Carrie enjoyed this one and gave it an A-:

This is such a solid book – it’s tear-jerking, it’s inspiring, it’s sexy and romantic, it’s interesting (sword history!) and it’s funny. I can’t wait for the next book in the series.

New York City socialite and perpetual hot mess Portia Hobbs is tired of disappointing her family, friends, and—most importantly—herself. An apprenticeship with a struggling swordmaker in Scotland is a chance to use her expertise and discover what she’s capable of. Turns out she excels at aggravating her gruff silver fox boss…when she’s not having inappropriate fantasies about his sexy Scottish burr.

Tavish McKenzie doesn’t need a rich, spoiled American telling him how to run his armory…even if she is infuriatingly good at it. Tav tries to rebuff his apprentice—and his attraction to her—but when Portia accidentally discovers that he’s the secret son of a duke, rough-around-the-edges Tav becomes her newest makeover project.

Forging metal into weapons and armor is one thing, but when desire burns out of control and the media spotlight gets too hot to bear, can a commoner turned duke and his posh apprentice find lasting love?

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

A Holly Jolly Ever After

A Holly Jolly Ever by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone is $1.99! This is book two in the Christmas Notch series. I don’t love holiday romances, but I’ve been tempted by the promise of spiciness. Though I’ve also heard the books aren’t as spicy as they let on. What are your thoughts?

An actress and a perpetually single former boy-band member are reunited as costars on a steamy holiday film in this all new spicy rom-com by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone, bestselling coauthors of A Merry Little Meet Cute.

Kallum Liebermanis the funny one™. As the arguably lesser of the three former members of the boy band INK, he enjoyed his fifteen minutes of fame and then moved home where he opened a regional pizza chain called Slice, Slice, Baby! He’s living his best dad bod life, hooking up with bridesmaids at all his friends’ weddings. But after an old one-off sex tape is leaked and quickly goes viral, Kallum decides he’s ready to step into the spotlight again, starring in a sexy Santa biopic for the Hope Channel.

Winnie Baker did everything right. She married her childhood sweetheart, avoided the downfalls of adolescent stardom, and transitioned into a stable adult acting career. Hell, she even waited until marriage to have sex. But after her perfect life falls apart, Winnie is ready to redefine herself—and what better way than a steamier-than-a-steaming-hot-mug-of-cider Christmas movie?

With decade old Hollywood history between them, Winnie and Kallum are both feeling hesitant about their new situation as costars…especially Winnie who can’t seem to fake on screen pleasure she’s never experienced in real life. She’s willing to do the pleasure research—for science and artistic authenticity, of course. And there’s no better research partner than her bridesmaid sex tape hall of fame costar, Kallum. But suddenly, Kallum’s teenage crush on Winnie is bubbling to the surface and Winnie might be catching feelings herself.

They say opposites attract, but is this holly jolly ever after really ready for its close-up?

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Trouble the Saints

Trouble the Saints by Alaya Dawn Johnson is $2.99! Both Maya and Ellen mentioned this in a Hide Your Wallet post in 2020. Wow, time flies. It has a slightly updated cover, though I think I prefer the black background over the yellow.

“Juju assassins, alternate history, a gritty New York crime story… in a word: Awesome” —N.K. Jemisin, New York Times bestselling author of The Fifth Season.

The dangerous magic of The Night Circus meets the powerful historical exploration of The Underground Railroad in this timely and unsettling novel, set against the darkly glamorous backdrop of New York City, where an assassin falls in love and tries to fight her fate at the dawn of World War II.

Amid the whir of city life, a young woman from Harlem is drawn into the glittering underworld of Manhattan, where she’s hired to use her knives to strike fear among its most dangerous denizens.

Ten years later, Phyllis LeBlanc has given up everything—not just her own past, and Dev, the man she loved, but even her own dreams.

Still, the ghosts from her past are always by her side—and history has appeared on her doorstep to threaten the people she keeps in her heart. And so Phyllis will have to make a harrowing choice, before it’s too late—is there ever enough blood in the world to wash clean generations of injustice?

Trouble the Saints is a dazzling, daring novel—a magical love story, a compelling exposure of racial fault lines—and an altogether brilliant and deeply American saga.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Witches Get Stuff Done

Witches Get Stuff Done by Molly Harper is $1.99! This is a small town paranormal romance between a witch and a librarian. Sounds a little too twee for me, but it could be right up your alley.

Juggling newfound witchy powers, a house full of ghosts, and verbal battles with the handsome local librarian is almost too much for a new witch to manage. A new witch with a coven, however, can get so much more done…

From the moment Riley Everett set foot in Starfall Point, magic bubbled inside of her. But with only her late aunt’s journals and a cantankerous live-in ghost butler to instruct her on all things witchy—including her newly inherited Victorian haunted house—Riley seeks out a coven for sisterhood and support. The last person she expects to be drawn to is the town’s frustrating, yet ridiculously attractive head librarian.

Edison Held knows almost everything there is to know about Starfall Point, but Shaddow House was always off-limits, thanks to its elusive owner. If he can convince the new owner, Riley, to let him take a peek inside, there’s so much he could learn. But as he gets closer to Riley, he’s fascinated by her dazzling wit and fiery spirit. Edison will do whatever he can to help Riley keep her family legacy alive, especially if it means spending more time with the captivating new witch in town.

Bestselling author Molly Harper wields a magical pen in this hilarious, delightful witchy romcom perfect for readers of The Ex Hex and Payback’s a Witch.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

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Posted by Amanda

The Rec League - heart shaped chocolate resting on the edge of a very old bookThis request came from Varian in our SBTB podcast discord (another perk of joining the community!):

Okay I’ve got a rather niche request. I don’t even know if this exists in romance novels. BDSM romances with no or very little sex, or where orgasms aren’t the main goal. I miss reading BDSM stories/books, but when I get to a sex scene in audio, the “skip 30 seconds” button gets a workout. Smut sounds very different in audio than it reads on paper. I’m okay with any level of kink, up to and including heavy pain play, role play, or Master/slave dynamics. I don’t care about genders or time periods, I just want to be able to listen to the entire book.

Shana: Xan West’s Their Troublesome Crush ( A | K ) has very little sex. It’s about two metamours exploring a kink relationship and has a very wholesome vibe. I can’t actually remember if there’s any sex at all, honestly.

Tara: I haven’t read them in many years, but I remember Anastasia Vitsky’s books having little to no sex and many involved kink.

Susan: Just this once, the AroAce Database has failed me.

Xan West does the most detailed content warnings I’ve ever seen, and Their Troublesome Crush doesn’t have a warning for sex, so I think you’re right, Shana.

Shana: Awesome, thanks for checking!

What books would you recommend? Drop them in the comments!

Pickleball, Fantasy Romance, & More

Aug. 20th, 2025 03:30 pm
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Posted by Amanda

Roommating

Roommating by Meredith Schorr is $2.99! This is a relatively new release, coming out in June. It was mentioned on Hide Your Wallet and I’m loving the cute dog on the cover.

Sizzling chemistry and tender friendship develops between two accidental roommates in this hilarious rom-com from the author of As Seen on TV.

Sabrina is too busy with grad school and her job as a library page to think about dating. Until her elderly roommate Marcia invites her estranged grandson Adam to move into their two-bedroom apartment in Manhattan temporarily to “find himself.” Sabrina doesn’t mind sharing the small space with Adam if it helps Marcia repair her relationship with her grandson. But she’s not expecting to fall for him herself. Adam is not only gorgeous, he’s kind, funny, shares her love of reading, and clearly adores Marcia. After one too many accidental midnight rendezvous in the bathroom (him shirtless), the tension between them is hotter than ever. But they’re not the only ones feeling the heat. After Marcia has a health scare, her doctors advise that one of her younger roommates must go.

In a comical and sexy battle to prove who deserves to stay, the two pull out all the stops. All’s fair in love and real estate, but in the end victory is not so sweet when winning the apartment could mean losing each other.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

All’s Fair in Love and Pickleball

All’s Fair in Love and Pickleball by Kate Spencer is $3.99! This released earlier this year and is capitalizing on the pickleball trend. Would make an interesting options for our sports romance square for SBTB Bingo.

Pickleball rivalry? Sure. Falling for your fake boyfriend? Now that’s a surprise.

Bex Martin’s racquet club is her entire world. But the business she inherited from her mother has started to feel more like a sinking ship. That is, until Nikolaus Karras—a former tennis bad-boy with an ego as big as his serve—makes himself at home on her courts.

Niko has something to prove, and a high-stakes pickleball tournament is just what he needs to get back in the game after a career-ending injury. When he is finally able to set his ego aside to ask for Bex’s help, everyone assumes that they are a couple—on and off the court.

But she needs the prize money to save the club, and he needs a win to restore his reputation. So now they have a fake relationship as well as a doubles partner that they can’t seem to resist. Game on!

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

A Fate Inked in Blood

A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle L. Jensen is $1.99! This is book one in Saga of the Unfated series and it came out last year. From my fellow readers, I feel like Jensen’s books are hit or miss. Are you a fan?

A shield maiden blessed by the gods battles to unite a nation under a power-hungry king—while also fighting her growing desire for his fiery son—in this Norse-inspired fantasy romance from the bestselling author of The Bridge Kingdom series.

Bound in an unwanted marriage, Freya spends her days gutting fish, but dreams of becoming a warrior. And of putting an axe in her boorish husband’s back.

Freya’s dreams abruptly become reality when her husband betrays her to the region’s jarl, landing her in a fight to the death against his son, Bjorn. To survive, Freya is forced to reveal her deepest She possesses a drop of a goddess’s blood, which makes her a shield maiden with magic capable of repelling any attack. It was foretold such a magic would unite the fractured nation of Skaland beneath the one who controls the shield maiden’s fate.

Believing he’s destined to rule Skaland as king, the fanatical jarl binds Freya with a blood oath and orders Bjorn to protect her from their enemies. Desperate to prove her strength, Freya must train to fight and learn to control her magic, all while facing perilous tests set by the gods. The greatest test of all, however, may be resisting her forbidden attraction to Bjorn. If Freya succumbs to her lust for the charming and fierce warrior, she risks not only her own destiny but the fate of all the people she swore to protect.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

It’s Hard Out Here for a Duke

It’s Hard Out Here for a Duke by Maya Rodale is $1.99! This is book four in the Keeping Up with the Cavendishes historical romance series. Previous books in the series have been featured on sale.

In the fourth novel of Maya Rodale’s tantalizing series, a newly minted duke spends one night with his perfect woman…but can he win her for a lifetime

Some Mistakes…

When American-born James Cavendish arrives in London tomorrow, he’ll become the Duke of Durham. Some might be ecstatic at the opportunity. Not James. He’s a simple man, fond of simple pleasures. And right now, nothing could be more pleasurable than spending his last night of freedom with a beautiful stranger.

Are Far Too Good…

One wild night, Meredith Green, companion to the dowager Duchess of Durham, said yes to a man she thought she’d never see again. Suddenly, they’re living under the same roof, where Meredith is expected to teach James how to be a duke—while trying not to surrender to temptation a second time.

To Be Forgotten

For a duke and a commoner, marriage would be pure scandal. Yet nothing has ever felt as right as having Meredith in his arms…and in his bed. Soon he must choose—between a duty he never desired, and a woman he longs for, body and soul…

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Links: Widows, Queen Victoria, & More

Aug. 20th, 2025 08:00 am
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Posted by Amanda

Workspace with computer, journal, books, coffee, and glasses.Welcome back! I hope you’ll enjoy the special treat of a morning edition of Wednesday Links.

I feel like the heat has finally broken in New England and we can feel the start of cooler temps. Yay! In other news, I shared appetizers and margs with a friend last week, which led to her including me on the plan to secure Backstreet Boys at the Sphere tickets.

Well, we got ’em! I’m so unbelievably excited for the experience.

Also there’s nothing better than bonding and venting over warm tortilla chips and fresh salsa.

Kelly Faircloth is killing it over at National Geographic. Her latest is a dive into a new book that discusses the real possibility that Queen Victoria had a secret marriage. This one might be paywalled, but the book in question is Victoria’s Secret by Dr. Fern Riddell.

I’d like to mention a podcast! I follow historian Katie Charlwood, who has a lovely voice and even lovelier fashion sense, on social media. She has a history podcast called Who Did What Now? I’m linking to Spotify, but check your podcast apps of choice.

Thanks to EC Spurlock for sharing this list of sci-fi and fantasy romances with forced proximity. (And not to be nitpicky, but the actual list is all fantasy, with the exception of the sponsoring book.)

Love PBS and want a good cry? Watch this short doc on Camp Widow.

Don’t forget to share what cool or interesting things you’ve seen, read, or listened to this week! And if you have anything you think we’d like to post on a future Wednesday Links, send it my way!

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Posted by SB Sarah

This piece of literary mayhem is exclusive to Smart Bitches After Dark, but fret not. If you'd like to join, we'd love to have you!

Have a look at our membership options, and come join the fun!

If you want to have a little extra fun, be a little more yourself, and be part of keeping the site open for everyone in the future, we can’t wait to see you in our new subscription-based section with exclusive content and events.

Everything you’re used to seeing at the Hot Pink Palace that is Smart Bitches Trashy Books will remain free as always, because we remain committed to fostering community among brilliant readers who love romance.

KJ Charles, Non-Fiction, & More

Aug. 19th, 2025 03:30 pm
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Posted by Amanda

Murder by Memory

Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite is $2.99! This is book one in the Dorothy Gentleman series, which I know was highly anticipated. Did any of you pick this one up?

A Memory Called Empire meets Miss Marple in this cozy, spaceborne mystery, helmed by a no-nonsense formidable auntie of a detective.

Welcome to the HMS Fairweather, Her Majesty’s most luxurious interstellar passenger liner! Room and board are included, new bodies are graciously provided upon request, and should you desire a rest between lifetimes, your mind shall be most carefully preserved in glass in the Library, shielded from every danger.

Near the topmost deck of an interstellar generation ship, Dorothy Gentleman wakes up in a body that isn’t hers—just as someone else is found murdered. As one of the ship’s detectives, Dorothy usually delights in unraveling the schemes on board the Fairweather, but when she finds that someone is not only killing bodies but purposefully deleting minds from the Library, she realizes something even more sinister is afoot.

Dorothy suspects her misfortune is partly the fault of her feckless nephew Ruthie who, despite his brilliance as a programmer, leaves chaos in his cheerful wake. Or perhaps the sultry yarn store proprietor—and ex-girlfriend of the body Dorothy is currently inhabiting—knows more than she’s letting on. Whatever it is, Dorothy intends to solve this case. Because someone has done the impossible and found a way to make murder on the Fairweather a very permanent state indeed. A mastermind may be at work—and if so, they’ve had three hundred years to perfect their schemes…

Told through Dorothy’s delightfully shrewd POV, Murder by Memory is an ode to the cozy mystery taken to the stars with a fresh new sci-fi take. Perfect for fans of the plot-twisty narratives of Dorothy Sayers and Ann Leckie, this well-paced story will leave readers captivated and hungry for the series’ next installment.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting

The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting by KJ Charles is 99c! Take note that it has a new cover and a new ISBN from its initial release, so double check if you have this already. This book was almost recommend in two Rec Leagues: Papa Bears and No Bleak Moment.

Robin Loxleigh and his sister Marianne are the hit of the Season, so attractive and delightful that nobody looks behind their pretty faces.

Until Robin sets his sights on Sir John Hartlebury’s heiress niece. The notoriously graceless baronet isn’t impressed by good looks, or fooled by false charm. He’s sure Robin is a liar—a fortune hunter, a card sharp, and a heartless, greedy fraud—and he’ll protect his niece, whatever it takes.

Then, just when Hart thinks he has Robin at his mercy, things take a sharp left turn. And as the grumpy baronet and the glib fortune hunter start to understand each other, they also find themselves starting to care—more than either of them thought possible.

But Robin’s cheated and lied and let people down for money. Can a professional rogue earn an honest happy ever after?

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

The Jasmine Throne

The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri is $2.99! Many of us were big fans of her debut fantasy romance Empire of Sand. This is the first book in her second trilogy, which has been concluded. Are you a fan?

Author of Empire of Sand and Realm of Ash Tasha Suri’s The Jasmine Throne, beginning a new trilogy set in a world inspired by the history and epics of India, in which a captive princess and a maidservant in possession of forbidden magic become unlikely allies on a dark journey to save their empire from the princess’s traitor brother.

Imprisoned by her dictator brother, Malini spends her days in isolation in the Hirana: an ancient temple that was once the source of the powerful, magical deathless waters — but is now little more than a decaying ruin.

Priya is a maidservant, one among several who make the treacherous journey to the top of the Hirana every night to clean Malini’s chambers. She is happy to be an anonymous drudge, so long as it keeps anyone from guessing the dangerous secret she hides.

But when Malini accidentally bears witness to Priya’s true nature, their destinies become irrevocably tangled. One is a vengeful princess seeking to depose her brother from his throne. The other is a priestess seeking to find her family. Together, they will change the fate of an empire.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

The Very Secret Sex Lives of Medieval Women

The Very Secret Sex Lives of Medieval Women by Rosalie Gilbert is $1.99! I mentioned this non-fiction in a previous Get Rec’d. I love a niche history deep dive.

A “wickedly entertaining, informative and thought-provoking” look at romance, courtship, and other intimacies behind closed Medieval doors (Dr. Markus Kerr, PhD, MDR).

Were medieval women slaves to their husband’s desires, jealously secured in a chastity belt in his absence? Was sex a duty or could it be a pleasure? Did a woman have a say about her own female sexuality, body, and who did or didn’t get up close and personal with it? No. And yes. It’s complicated.

The intimate lives of medieval women were as complex as for modern women. They loved and lost, hoped and schemed, were lifted up and cast down. They were hopeful and lovelorn. Some had it forced upon them, others made aphrodisiacs and dressed for success. Some were chaste and some were lusty. Having sex was complicated. Not having sex, was even more so.

Inside The Very Secret Sex Lives of Medieval Women, a fascinating book about life during medieval times, you will discover tantalizing true stories about medieval women and a myriad of historical facts. Learn about:

  • The true experiences of women from all classes, including women who made history
  • The dos and don’ts in the bedroom
  • Sexy foods and how to have them
  • All you need to know for your wedding night, and well as insider medical advice
  • How to get pregnant (and how not to), and more

“Quite compelling and hilariously funny. I have been chuckling out loud and my husband says he thinks he ought to read it if it’s such a tonic. God forbid!” —Susanna Newstead, author of the Savernake Novels

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

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Posted by Amanda

This HaBO is from Dina, who wants to find this romance. CW for cancer:

I have been searching for this book for weeks.

I tried everything: Reddit, Facebook groups, Google, Goodreads, all my kindle, Amazon history.

I don’t know how, but I read it twice and can’t remember the name.

Only the plot.

I think I read it the first time maybe 3 years ago and it was written around that time, something from the last 10 years maybe.

It was a beautiful, emotional love story, medium spice. Between a young girl that survived cancer, she always wears a beanie to hide her hair loss, she goes to live with her step brother, he runs a skydiving business and she develops a relationship with his friend/partner.

I have a feeling maybe the girl had a unisex name, not sure.

I don’t think it was part of a series, but maybe it was suggested that the brother will have his own story.

The girl had a very hovering mother. When she healed, she wanted to move away and that’s how she got to work as a receptionist at the skydiving place with the brother. I feel like they were half siblings and shared a father.

Towards the end, she feels sick and the mother picks her up, takes her back home. I think that’s when her love interest realizes he loves her and wants them to really be together.

A lot of the story centers around the beanie and the insecurity with her hair.

There is a scene with all of them going to a bar and this another girl is making fun of her.

She was afraid of skydiving, but ended up doing the first one with him.

I think she was an artist.

Does this ring any bells?

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Posted by Amanda

Happy Tuesday!

Damn, where has August gone? Soon, we’ll be knee-deep in witchy books and holiday romances. We already have some horror and dark romances popping up this week.

What new releases are on your list this week? Tell us in the comments!

Endless Anger

Endless Anger by Sav Miller

Author: Sav Miller
Released: August 19, 2025
Genre: , , ,
Series: Monsters Within #1

Sometimes the pomegranate doesn’t fall far from the tree…

Asher Anderson is angry―at the world, at himself, at the way his best friend Lucy Wolfe seems determined to tune out this buzzing connection between them. He doesn’t mean to solve all his problems with violence, but maybe he has too much of his father in him. That’s why the faculty at Avernia College hates him, right? Because of the “evil” blood in his veins?

He should know better than to darken the old, ivy-covered university’s door, but it’s practically a law of the universe: wherever Lucy goes, Asher follows. Even if that means entering a twisting labyrinth of secret societies, human sacrifices, and a very personal history soaked in blood.

Lucy is used to being an outcast. She’s even used to Asher being her dark, brooding shadow. What she isn’t used to is him shattering her resolve by taking her up against library bookshelves as she desperately pretends her heart hasn’t always been his. She should know better than to play with fire, but with unexplained deaths and pointed threats ripping apart the university’s fabric, Asher and Lucy soon find themselves at the center of the turmoil…where they’ll have to confront their feelings or die trying.

From USA Today bestselling author Sav R. Miller comes the first in a dazzling spin-off trilogy focusing on the children of the original Monsters & Muses: a dark and twisted contemporary romance inspired by the Greek Furies, set at an exclusive (and dangerous) university.

Amanda: A dark academia setting with mythology elements. I heard about this yesterday and preordered it.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

Hemlock & Silver

Hemlock & Silver by T. Kingfisher

Author: T. Kingfisher
Released: August 19, 2025 by Tor Books
Genre: , , ,

From New York Times bestselling and Hugo Award-winning author T. Kingfisher comes Hemlock & Silver, a dark reimagining of “Snow White” steeped in poison, intrigue, and treason of the most magical kind.

Healer Anja regularly drinks poison.

Not to die, but to save— seeking cures for those everyone else has given up on.

But a summons from the King interrupts her quiet, herb-obsessed life. His daughter, Snow, is dying, and he hopes Anja’s unorthodox methods can save her.

Aided by a taciturn guard, a narcissistic cat, and a passion for the scientific method, Anja rushes to treat Snow, but nothing seems to work. That is, until she finds a secret world, hidden inside a magic mirror. This dark realm may hold the key to what is making Snow sick.

Or it might be the thing that kills them all.

Amanda: New T. Kingfisher!

Elyse’s pick!

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

The Possession of Alba Díaz

The Possession of Alba Díaz by Isabel Cañas

Author: Isabel Cañas
Released: August 19, 2025 by Berkley
Genre: , ,

When a demonic presence awakens deep in a Mexican silver mine, the young woman it seizes must turn to the one man she shouldn’t trust… from bestselling author Isabel Cañas.

In 1765, plague sweeps through Zacatecas. Alba flees with her wealthy merchant parents and fiancé, Carlos, to his family’s isolated mine for refuge. But safety proves fleeting as other dangers soon bare their teeth: Alba begins suffering from strange hallucinations, sleepwalking, and violent convulsions. She senses something cold lurking beneath her skin. Something angry. Something wrong.

Elías, haunted by a troubled past, came to the New World to make his fortune and escape his family’s legacy of greed. Alba, as his cousin’s betrothed, is none of his business. Which is of course why he can’t help but notice her every time she enters a room or the growing tension between them… and why he notices her deteriorate when the demon’s thirst for blood grows stronger.

The latest Isabel Cañas, right in time for the approach to Spooky Season.

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The Seven Miracles of Beatrix Holland

The Seven Miracles of Beatrix Holland by Rachael Herron

Author: Rachael Herron
Released: August 19, 2025 by Grand Central Publishing
Genre: ,

Most visitors to Skerry Island see only its lush greenery, picturesque cemetery, and quaint downtown. Yet generations of local women know that on Skerry, their benevolent witchcraft is at its most powerful.

Beatrice Barnard doesn’t believe in magic. She definitely doesn’t believe the predictions of the celebrity psychic who claims that she will experience seven miracles and soon after she will die. When she discovers her husband is cheating on her, Bea flees to Skerry Island, off the Pacific Northwest coast, in desperate need of solitude—taking her husband’s birthday vacation by herself. Immediately upon arrival, she finds her life on the line as a rogue woodchopper blade almost kills her. Her survival feels like a miracle.

And then things get more miraculous when she discovers her twin sister, Cordelia, whom she never knew about, and her mother Astrid, who supposedly died when Beatrice was two years old. Astrid and Cordelia reveal that Beatrice (given name Beatrix) is an immensely powerful witch who can commune with the dead, like all the local Holland family witches. When their twin magic is joined, it shines like a beacon to the Velamen family, whose malevolent spirits are locked in an age-old struggle for magical dominance over the Hollands.

Beatrice doesn’t know what to believe, but she begins to fear that the seven predicted miracles may occur, and that her imminent death will rip her away from her rediscovered family. Beatrice resolves to learn everything she can about her own power, in the hope of saving herself. But when her niece, Minna, goes missing, Bea’s own life suddenly seems much less important. Beatrice must join her mother and her sister to save Minna even if she dies in the process.

This may be of interest to the community!

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Voidwalker

Voidwalker by S.A. MacLean

Author: S.A. MacLean
Released: August 19, 2025 by Orbit
Genre: , ,
Series: Beasts of the Void #1

From the author of The Phoenix Keeper comes an era-defining new fantasy universe where spicy romantasy meets the Cosmere, unmissable for fans of the world-building scale of Sarah J. Maas and the world-shifting stakes of Rebecca Yarros. Voidwalker will be your next romantasy obsession, a deliciously feral story that starts with just two “bite me.”

Fionamara is a smuggler. Antal is the reason her people fear the dark. Fi ferries contraband between worlds, stockpiling funds and stolen magic to keep her village self-sufficient – free from the blood sacrifices humans have paid to Antal’s immortal species for centuries.

Only legends whispered through the pine forests recall a time when things were different, before one world shattered into many, and the flesh-devouring beasts crept from the cracks between realities, with their sable antlers and slender tails, lethal claws and gleaming fangs. Now, mortal lives are food to pacify their carnivorous overlords, exchanged for feudal protection, and the precious silver energy that fuels everything from transport to weaponry.

When Fi gets planted with a stash of smuggled energy, a long-lost flame recruits her for a reckless heist that escalates into a terrorist bombing – and a coup against the reigning immortals, with Fi’s home caught in the crossfire.

She’s always known the dangers of her trade – and of the power she’s wielded since childhood, allowing her to see the secret doors between dimensions, to walk the Void itself. But nothing could have prepared her for crossing paths with Antal. For the deal she’ll have to make with him, a forced partnership to reclaim his city that begins as a desperate bid for survival, only to grow into something far more dangerous.

A revolution. And a temptation – for how sweet the monster’s fangs might feel.

Amanda: I’ve seen promises of chaotic, disaster bisexuals and I’m ready for it.

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Sinners & Stardust & Sexual Assault

Aug. 19th, 2025 12:36 am
[syndicated profile] smartbitches_feed

Posted by SB Sarah

A yellow diamond road sign says WTF? The following post contains discussion of alleged sexual assault, stalking, and predatory behavior. Most links are to conversations on Threads, some of which contain victim blaming and defense of assault.

Please exercise caution and look after yourself before clicking links. 

The con drama has been nonstop this year, as people try to launch weekend events and one, two, or nineteen things go wrong. The latest: Sinners & Stardust.

Sinners & Stardust is a weekend event that hosts an author signing and a Dark Romance Ball to celebrate the readers and authors of dark romance. At the ball, apparently many, many things went very, very wrong.

It was the top few trending topics on Threads, in fact.

A screengrab of trending now on Threads: Trending now Sinners and Stardust event plagued by harassment and assault reports 101K posts Jaayreadsss allegedly harasses and assaults event attendees. 1K posts Animus allegedly victim of harassment at Sinners and Stardust event. Amanda Seales praised for debate performance on Jubilee.

Look at that! More posts on this topic than on Taylor Swift’s album and Jillian Michaels being a racist.

So, What Happened?

HD Carlton reported on Instagram that cosplayer Animus, who was in attendance, was allegedly groped to the point that their body paint was smeared with handprints. They were allegedly sexually assaulted, and had an Airtag placed somewhere near or on their person.

A screengrab of a post on IG stories from author HD Carlton Alright y'all, it appears I have to make a post that I'm, frankly, pretty gd upset I have to make. This post is for the readers who don't understand consent and boundaries only. A lot of you may know a good friend of mine, Animus, who is also @etherealtreason. He has attended a signing of mine in the past, and obviously is a music artist. This past weekend, he attended Sinners & Stardust and probably had one of the most heartbreaking experiences. So, listen, he's a man, right? But do we think that means it's okay to put your hands all over him without consent? Or to put your hands in his waistband, or down his pants, or touch his dick? (HELLO???) Do we think it's okay to quite literally back him into a corner and touch all over him to the point that he literally cannot tell how many hands are on him and whose are whose? Do we think it's okay to send him into an actual panic attack because of this? Furthermore, do we think it's okay to interrogate him and insist he detail how he'd kidnap a woman, despite him repeatedly saying he wouldn't and that ya know, this shit is FICTION, trash talk my books to him and try to get him to join in (??), and then attempt to follow him when he tries to get tf away. He had sweat-resistent black paint airbrushed on his chest and was told the only thing that will move it is body oils. Why did this man end the night with almost all of it rubbed off and a handprint smeared across his chest? I want y'all to seriously sit with yourselves and your actions and ask yourself if you would be okay with a strange man doing that to you.

And if that wasn't bad enough, during the time of this mob, him and another author received a notification that an air tag was tracking him, which showed it on his person all the way to his hotel room. (He knows how air tags work and that close by ones can trigger notifications, this was not the case. Also, he got the notification way later because he had no signal at the event and it didn't come through until he got signal again). That is literally sickening, and I am ill that someone might have planted a tracking device on him. You guys do know that these books are fiction... right? We enjoy these books BECAUSE they're fiction. We do NOT condone these actions in real life, and while it's okay to act out your fantasies consensually with a trusted adult, it is NOT okay to ask a complete stranger to do so, or take it upon yourselves to sexually assault him. Like???? I'm so incredibly disappointed that he was treated this way. I brought him into this space because I trusted that he would be safe with y'all, and the fact that he wasn't is quite eye-opening, and boy, does this affect my decisions for my own future attendances. Especially because he was not the only one disrespected at this event by a long shot. So many authors are coming out about people crossing boundaries in a multitude of wavs. I've had to have this conversation before with asking my husband gross, personal questions, so why are we taking it a step further and assaulting people now? I'm genuinely shocked that as women or women-presenting, some of Y'all thought it was okay to act this way. And as someone who brought him into this space, I feel responsible for him, and I'm so fucking sad that some of my own readers were apart of this behavior. If this was you, please learn basie respect, boundaries, and how to ask for consent. Treat others the way you would want to be treated by a strange man. And for the love of God, please do not ever come near me in public

Animus has also posted their own statement about what happened, explaining that they are not pressing charges:

First and foremost, I want to thank the community for the overwhelming support since these incidences have been exposed. I also want to commend Sinners and Stardust for implementing a new guideline and rules to make events like these safer for everyone attending. Aside from the ball, I had an amazing time at the signing and I'm so grateful that I got to meet all of you. I would like to make it known that I'm not comfortable pressing charges, partly because there were a lot of people involved, and because of my mask, I couldn't see very well. It's impossible to remember every one of them, and truthfully, I don't want to force myself to anyway. When I was cornered at the ball, I panicked and blacked out, so a lot of that night is a blur, and I'm still trying to process it. If I'm being honest, I felt their hands better tha could see their faces. I'm new to this world and this was my first (big) event, so I'm not familiar with anyone in the community outside of my friends yet. But with that said, I do not want to put myself through any more of this by dealing with authorities and trying to remember names and faces and who did what. I just want to make music, read awesome books, and continue to help support the amazing authors in this community. As for the AirTag, we were unable to find out who planted it. After the ball, I undressed for bed, and by the time I was notified the next day, we had already left the hotel. We did confirm the AirTag was no longer on me or in my bag, and was likely left somewhere in the room from undressing that night. All we know is based on the notification, it started tracking me when I was at the ball and surrounded by people, and it tracked me all the way to my hotel room, which was a different hotel in Boston, and not the same one as the event. While this was extremely unnerving to find out, I'm glad I didn't see it until later, and glad nothing further happened that night.

I'm sorry if my decision is disappointing to everyone. I know you all have asked that I press charges, and I really don't want to upset any of you by not doing so. I just wanted awareness so precautions can be put in place to protect others in the future. Situations like these are far too common and even though I am upset it happened to me, I'm just glad to know the event is taking steps to help prevent it from happening again in the future. I hope other book events can do the same so all people feel safe. For those who say that I should have set better boundaries: In the moment when things happened, it brought back past trauma which ultimately made me shutdown and blackout. also didn't want anyone to feel unsafe or disrespected, and wanted to make sure everyone had a good time, even if it resulted in me being the one to take the hit. I am sorry you feel that I should have done more, and I truly wish I Thank you H. D. Carlton for being the voice when mine fell short and supporting me through this, as well as Enez, Santana, Hawk, and everyone else behind closed doors that continue to be my support when I need it the most. And I want to thank the book community again for showing up to defend me, and for the incredible amount of support. I truly was not expecting it to this level, and every one of you helped restore what those at the ball stripped from me, I am taking some time to process and heal, and I will continue to pour my heart and soul into my music. I hope, more than anything, this incident is not what everyone chooses to remember me by, and that one day, my music will speak louder. Thank you, Animus

DanaLeeAnnAuthor posted, “I’d like to remind people that kissing an author is super uncomfortable.”

Other attendees have mentioned audiobook narrators and voiceover artists were also subjected to lewd and inappropriate comments.

One attendee, whose Threads name changed between Jilleeyreadss and jaayreadsss before they deleted their account, was allegedly a conference volunteer, and as part of their ball attire wore a strap on dildo and flashed people with it (NB: That link contains a picture of this person and their dildo). Reports from other attendees have included that they were asked “Do you want to see something,” or that this person was whipping it out on an elevator with no comment.

Jilleey/Jaay posted an apology on Threads before disappearing:

Here to hold myself accountable, I am deeply deeply sorry from the bottom of my heart to anyone who I made uncomfortable or hurt at the ball. I really truly was not thinking (clearly) and I was ignorant to the fact that it would hurt some. Something I thought was just harmless fun where a lot of others did as well, would not be viewed the same way as everyone else. It will never happen again. Being human we make mistakes and we learn from them. I promise this was a teaching moment. It was in no way me trying to be malicious but I see that it was. I did not mean to be that person in anyway shape or form and I hate that I did that to anyone attending the dance. Please forgive me. I cannot say how sorry I am enough.

Stick a pin in the “teaching moment” idea because, boy, oh boy, you can bet we’re coming back to that.

What has the response been?

Mostly, horror and condemnation, which is reassuring. But also, as I noted in my initial warning, plenty of victim blaming.

There’s some “you normalized this in your dark romance books” rebuttal, which, please have many seats, and, no, you don’t get a snack while you wait.

We have been battling that same bullshit accusation under many different banners.

“Normalizing assault” is a cousin to “gives women unrealistic expectations.” No one, as Elliot Harlow says, runs up to George R.R. Martin and threatens him with a sword while folks shrug and go, “Well, he was asking for it.” We don’t say this crap much about men or about other genres.

But, whoo damn, do we say it about romance and romance readers. It happens to me, too, when I tell people that I write about romance fiction. I was asked about my sex life on live television. Outsiders are easily comfortable crossing boundaries of conversation to enquire about sex merely because I’ve mentioned romance novels.

And the crossing of boundaries continues. I do not want to accept the idea that some readers are too fucking stupid to reliably know the difference between reality and fiction, or are so deluded as to use their fiction to excuse their unacceptable behavior, but holy crap, look where we are.

“You normalized this” is a feeble attempt to deflect or defend terrible behavior choices, to blame the victims and to silence them because they ‘asked for it’ by writing dark romances or doing the performance they were paid to do.

As author Marie McKay said, “you’re not supposed to act like the MMCs in a dark romance. That’s why it’s in the dark romance section.”

Also, one more side note: dark romance isn’t the problem. Dark romance and its contents are in part a reflection of current reality, about how women feel right now: powerless, stalked, victimized, and subject to horrifying conduct.

Furthermore this behavior is already normalized, judging by the number of people who are sexually assaulted. (Per RAINN, that’s one person every 68 seconds according to current data.)

If someone wishes to read about those experiences within a fictional world in a genre where the ending is promised to be happy, please, for the love of all that is holy, leave them alone.

Sinners & Stardust released a statement on Instagramand while I haven’t seen it on their website, I hope it is shared there, too.

It outlined some changes for the 2026 gathering, including:

Safety for our guests: Authors, narrators, vendors, their assistants, our influencers, and special guests will now have a secure, dedicated area during the ball, with their own security. They may move freely between areas, but attendees are not permitted in their area under any circumstances. If an attendee is caught trying to go into their secured space they will be immediately removed and banned from future events.

Smaller, safer events. We are decreasing the number of tickets available to ensure a more comfortable, safe, and respectful experience for everyone.

These rules are not suggestions. They are expectations. Violations, including harassment, non consensual touching, photos taken without permission, invasive questions, or any behavior that makes others feel unsafe WILL result in immediate removal and a permanent ban from ALL future Sinners & Stardust hosted events.

(NB: I’ve been to events that have private breakfast and meeting spaces for the speakers, and, wow, is it lovely.)

Sinners & Stardust’s statement is a good first step, but I think there clearly needs to be a lot more communication and oversight.

More specifically, attendees at events that feature sexually explicit events and potential performances will need explicit, specific instructions as to what boundaries are and how they will be enforced.

The kink community already knows how to host events like these, and I’m reminded of past events and discussions when romance was heavy into BDSM portrayals, but light on the full nuanced education thereof.

As the_prologue99 pointed out:

Unfortunately what happened at sinners and stardust, is the consequences of people entering kink spaces without being properly educated. These “dark” romances feature themes that seem non-consensual but in the real world scenes played out would require enthusiastic consent from all parties as well as check ins before and after a scene took place. This isn’t a playground made for people to commit actual sexual crimes. This was a FANTASY ball, not a dungeon/club….

And if you acted like that in a dungeon/club they would kick you out and ban you. My heart is with all the victims, I’m sorry for what happened you at the hands of others who you believed you were safe with.

The_prolouge99 is right: these are people engaging in explicit spaces without being properly educated on how to do so.

Regardless, this shouldn’t keep happening. It’s happened before. It’ll probably happen again. It’s fucking abhorrent and it needs to stop.

In the late 2000s/early 2010s, anime conventions had to explain clearly and explicitly that “Cosplay isn’t Consent.” Someone dressed as a sexually provocative character isn’t giving unspoken permission to be groped or assaulted. And that reminder still happens because assault still happens.

We’ve had obsessive-level parasocial relationships in romance before, too – Twilight fans were downright creepy to the actors in the movies, and to the author. I know you can think of other examples.

HD Carlton also echoed a statement made by Katee Robert, that they’ve scaled back their husband’s involvement in their social media and appearances due to extremely invasive and inappropriate conduct from readers. I also remember the number of people taking sneak pictures of Sarah J. Maas’s husband calling him a “real life Rhysand.”

And there’s the whole debacle last year with hockey romance, and readers sexually harassing players. Kayleigh Donaldson and I discussed this at length one year ago today in a podcast episode that covered the TikTok hockey romance trend, and the larger issue of parasocial relationships leading to deeply disturbing behavior. As Kayleigh said,

“I think you certainly notice the way that a lot of women thought that acting like a man was somehow like an empowering move on this front. I think that’s definitely like a very lazy, pseudo-feminist idea….”

Yup.

But the first thing I thought of when reading reports from Sinners & Stardust: the cover models at RT.

The Romantic Times BookLovers Convention used to have the Mr. Romance Pageant, which many of us called the “mangeant.” (I found pictures of the 2008 Mr. Romance Pageant, if you’d like a peek.) The cover models and the Mr. Romance pageant contestants endured a lot of the same treatment, and it was not as vocally condemned as it has been today.

Mr. Romance pageant contestants used to have to basically schmooze the attendees for their votes. Early descriptions of the event in the magazine call them “romance heroes come to life,” and they’d be expected to behave courteously and with great solicitation to the attendees. You can imagine how well that went. There are some very fortunate people who didn’t have their assaulting behavior filmed and shared on social media, because, wow, did it happen.

This environment was further complicated by publishers like Ellora’s Cave bringing their own “Ellora’s Cavemen” to RT (and BEA one time, omg) and the directives for their attendee interaction were very different. And because Ellora’s Cave published explicit material and was one of the earlier small presses to specialize in it, the presence of the Cavemen and their performances led to a mixed, often unfortunate, result in attendee behavior.

Again, we’ve been here before. It would be fucking fantastic if we could make different choices.

Why do we have to discuss boundaries over and over again? Because this is a problem with cis women, specifically cis women who, as Kayleigh said, think that adopting toxic “masculine” behaviors and inflicting them on others is somehow empowerment. It’s not.

Several people have expressed similar sentiments, including Georgina Kiersten (emphasis mine):

I just got caught up in the Sinners and Stardust convention, and I am horrified, but not surprised. I am a stealth trans man, and I have seen 1st hand in both Romancelandia and the fandom how cis women objectify men and think it’s okay.

There is big portion of women in the world who think liberation is having the privilege to get away with committing the same wrongs as men do without impunity. This is what it all boils down to.

Charlotte Stein pointed out that the larger issue isn’t just about fiction and reality, or parasocial relationships, or the material inside a book:

I’ve said this many times before and people refuse to accept it or they just strawman it. It’s not the books or the enjoyment of the books. It’s the trends.

It’s suppression of critical thinking about them, the vilification of anyone who does, and the culture that fosters.

It’s making the books your whole identity. It’s refusing to understand or accept how fiction and reality interact….

The reason this has happened in the past is not because the present is innocent and fine. It’s because the behaviour never really gets addressed. The culture around it never gets addressed. It gets shut down with “one bad apple” or “well it’s just the way things are”.

This particular line really grabbed me: “It’s suppression of critical thinking…the vilification of anyone who does, and the culture that fosters.”

On a larger scale, we’re surrounded by people admired, praised and enabled for being the absolute worst versions of humanity. We’re surrounded by people who are eager to mimic that behavior because that’s, according to them, what power and leadership look like.

And we’re part of a culture within romance that places authors and performers in a situation where to reject a “fan” could likely cause intense scrutiny and incur a high social cost should video or photos reach social media. People conducting business are forced to override their own discomfort for fear of being reported publicly as rude. Because you know right now that rumor would be all the way to Mars before the truth could unlock its phone.

Events like Sinners & Stardust are, despite the costumes and the revelry, the performances and the glitter, WORK EVENTS. This is a professional event for these people.

So, to recap:

Reading choices are not a cause nor a defense for assault.

This is not a “teaching moment.” We already know this is unacceptable. And yet it still happens.

This should be a revolutionary moment: we as a community need to be calling out other women the way we ask men to hold other men accountable. This is our community acting this way. And we need to hold our community accountable.

We now have to ensure that it is an unacceptable choice to engage in assault and objectification. That means more education, clear explicit rules of conduct, and consequences for violations thereof. It means more security – which will mean higher prices for cons that are often already expensive. It means being uncomfortable while telling someone that what they’re doing is not okay.

When I first went to Romantic Times in 2008, I definitely saw some of the same behavior. And I thought, “Well, I guess that’s how things are.” The difference was, it was 18 years ago, and I was the new person. I was the new blogger whose acceptance wasn’t guaranteed in the community (blogs were an outrage, if you can believe it, and I know that you can) and I was also 18 years younger.

I am now about the same age as the people I saw behaving this way. And I am here now as an elder member of the community to tell the younger, newer readers: This is not acceptable. I will speak up, and I will tell you you are out of line.

This has happened before. This is going to keep happening unless we as a community stop and address those who do it while it happens and afterward and before the next time occurs. 

One more thing: a number of the people at the Sinners & Stardust Ball were aspiring and current book influencers of various platforms. And funny enough, my Chani horoscope today had something to say about influencers that I think folks should read:

SARAH, YOUR DAY ... Success doesn't have to burn you out for it to "count." Right now, you're being asked to lead from a vulnerable place. So make care and sincerity your brand, whether you're showing up for your family, your community, or your life goals. Be present where you can make the most meaningful impact. And remember: True influence isn't about recognition. It's about integrity and the people who feel safer because of you

Every now and again, my horoscope is rather precise, but this is next level ridiculous. But it is 100% true:

True influence isn’t about recognition. It’s about integrity and the people who feel safer because of you. 

Be the safe person.

 

M/M Romances and Historicals

Aug. 18th, 2025 03:30 pm
[syndicated profile] smartbitches_feed

Posted by Amanda

I’ll Have What He’s Having

I’ll Have What He’s Having by Adib Khorram is $4.99! Dahlia mentioned this one in her Queer Romance Roundup. Carrie also gave it a B-:

This was a lovely read that didn’t ask too much of my emotions. It was comforting but forgettable. I could read a chapter, wander off, and not think of it again for a month…but when I did get around to picking it up, I instantly remembered how warm and fuzzy it was.

A smart, tender, vivacious romantic comedy about mistaken identities, the line between love and sex, and the way one night—and one person—can change your life forever.

When it comes to love, Farzan Alavi is a disaster. After his most recent heartbreak, he’s drowning his sorrows at Kansas City’s newest wine bar. Only instead of being crowded between strangers, he’s escorted to a VIP table for one. There, the hot sommelier does more than treat him to the meal of his life. The way he flirts with Farzan ignites instant sparks.

There’s just one problem: David Curtis thinks Farzan is Frank Allen, Kansas City’s most influential food critic. The truth only comes out after the two spend an unforgettably hot night together. Good news—both think the mix-up is hilarious. Bad news—David is studying to become a master sommelier and has no interest in a relationship.

Neither expects their paths to cross again . . . until Farzan inherits his family’s bistro and needs David’s restaurant knowledge. The two agree to an exchange: David will answer Farzan’s questions, and Farzan will help David study for his test. Only business turns to pleasure when neither can ignore the attraction still sizzling between them. But with David set on moving after his test, and Farzan committed to his family’s restaurant, how can their relationship last past the expiration date?

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

The Duke Heist

The Duke Heist by Erica Ridley is $1.99! This is book one in a new series and was mentioned on a previous Hide Your Wallet. Elyse was super excited about the heist element and I feel like the other books in the series have been talked about positively here. However, some felt the it was bit anachronistic for the time period.

NYT bestselling author kicks off a new Regency series of “irresistible romance and a family of delightful scoundrels” as a woman looking to recover a stolen painting accidentally kidnaps a duke instead. (Eloisa James)

Chloe Wynchester is completely forgettable—a curse that gives her the ability to blend into any crowd. When the only father she’s ever known makes a dying wish for his adopted family of orphans to recover a missing painting, she’s the first one her siblings turn to for stealing it back. No one expects that in doing so, she’ll also abduct a handsome duke.

Lawrence Gosling, the Duke of Faircliffe, is tortured by his father’s mistakes. To repair his estate’s ruined reputation, he must wed a highborn heiress. Yet when he finds himself in a carriage being driven hell-for-leather down the cobblestone streets of London by a beautiful woman who refuses to heed his commands, he fears his heart is hers. But how can he sacrifice his family’s legacy to follow true love?

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Conventionally Yours

Conventionally Yours by Annabeth Albert is $1.99! This is a gay and geeky romance set at a convention (I miss those!). It was also a summer release that Elyse picked for Hide Your Wallet. Have you read this one?

When two “big name fans” go head-to-head at a convention, love isn’t the only thing at stake.

Charming, charismatic, and effortlessly popular, Conrad Stewart seems to have it all…but in reality, he’s scrambling to keep his life from tumbling out of control.

Brilliant, guarded, and endlessly driven, Alden Roth may as well be the poster boy for perfection…but even he can’t help but feel a little broken inside.

When these mortal enemies are stuck together on a cross-country road trip to the biggest fan convention of their lives, their infamous rivalry takes a backseat as an unexpected connection is forged. Yet each has a reason why they have to win the upcoming Odyssey gaming tournament and neither is willing to let emotion get in the way—even if it means giving up their one chance at something truly magical.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

This Scot of Mine

This Scot of Mine by Sophie Jordan is $1.99! This is part of the Rogue Files historical romance series. The description mentions a marriage of convenience, but also sounds hella angsty. Readers enjoyed the chemistry between the main characters, though felt the plot was paper thin.

A daring deception…

Desperate to escape her vile fiancé, Lady Clara devises a bold lie—that she’s pregnant with another man’s child. With her reputation in tatters, Clara flees to Scotland to live out her days in disgrace, resigned to her fate as a spinster…until she claps eyes on the powerful and wickedly handsome Laird Hunt MacLarin.

She’s the answer to his curse…

Laird of an ancient clan, Hunt needs an heir, but he comes from a long line of men cursed to die before the birth of their firstborn. When the Duke of Autenberry approaches him with a proposition—marry my ruined sister—it seems the perfect solution. Even better, the defiant lass stirs him to his very soul.

No escaping the truth…

Except marriage cannot set them free. No matter how much Hunt desires her. No matter how much Clara burns for him. Soon she is falling for her husband, but is love enough to end the curse? Or is the tragic history of the MacLarin Clan doomed to repeat itself?

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

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Posted by Elyse

A

The Less People Know About Us

by Axton Betz-Hamilton
October 15, 2019 · Grand Central Publishing
Nonfiction

The Less People Know About Us is a really compelling true crime story without any violence or murder. I read it in one sitting and I think people who are potentially interested in true crime but are leery of the violent content will really enjoy this.

When the author was a child, her parents’ identities were stolen, resulting in non-stop collections calls and financial despair. This all happened before the internet, so her parents assumed the thief had to be someone they knew in order to get access to their information. They became paranoid and isolated, instructing the author to always leave the curtains drawn and to never let a stranger in.

While I didn’t have the same childhood issues the author did, I related to her in a lot of ways. She grew up in a rural community where your reputation meant as much to your financial prospects as your credit score. In one episode her dad has their gas turned back on just because he knows the gasman and isn’t the type of person to have unpaid bills.

I also understand the isolation that comes with having parents who are working through difficulties and not being able to have friends over or enjoy the normal social life of a preteen. In my case it was related to my parents being addicts, but I remember the fear and shame that someone would come over and I couldn’t let them in. Like the author I also spent a lot of isolated time reading and bonding with my cat.

Mild spoiler

The twist in this book is truly bananas. I think I said “holy shit” out loud and woke my husband up. I won’t say anything beyond that for fear of ruining it.

Even though there’s no violent crime, the author and her family are victims of something terrible, and her adulthood quest to find out who did this to them is incredibly compelling. This book is paced like a true-crime thriller on the hunt for a murderer, and as a reader I rooted for her to get some kind of vindication after a lifetime of suffering in childhood poverty.

If you want a quick, thrilling read without violence but with high stakes, I really recommend picking this up.

Sunday Sale Digest!

Aug. 17th, 2025 08:00 am
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Posted by Amanda

This piece of literary mayhem is exclusive to Smart Bitches After Dark, but fret not. If you'd like to join, we'd love to have you!

Have a look at our membership options, and come join the fun!

If you want to have a little extra fun, be a little more yourself, and be part of keeping the site open for everyone in the future, we can’t wait to see you in our new subscription-based section with exclusive content and events.

Everything you’re used to seeing at the Hot Pink Palace that is Smart Bitches Trashy Books will remain free as always, because we remain committed to fostering community among brilliant readers who love romance.

Get Rec’d with Amanda – Volume 96

Aug. 17th, 2025 06:00 am
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Posted by Amanda

Welcome back to Get Rec’d, as we creep every closer to 100 of these things!

This time, there’s a mystery and a romance for fiction options. For non-fiction, we have some kinky niche history and an essay collection by trans and gender-nonconforming writers.

Get any good recommendations lately? Let us know in the comments!

Both/And

With trans and queer people and spaces under attack, this anthology focuses on celebrating joy and self-acceptance.

From Denne Michele Norris and Electric Literature, a vital anthology of essays by trans and gender-nonconforming writers of color, sharing stories of joy, heartbreak, rage, and self-discovery.

Featuring seventeen essays by trans people of color—spanning writers, scientists, actors, activists, and drag queens—Both/And explores what it means to live as a trans or gender nonconforming person of color today.

Acclaimed authors Akwaeke Emezi, Tanaïs, and Meredith Talusan share their stories alongside activist and organizer Raquel Willis and RuPaul’s Drag Race star Peppermint, as well as a host of rising literary talent. Each story is told with honesty, authenticity, and beauty. A nonbinary molecular biologist has nightmares about their estranged father transitioning. A writer revisits a casual hook-up when she discovered her womanhood. And a woman vacations with her wife in Hawaii, where she gets in touch with the fire goddess within. These stories depict real trans lives from trans points of view, at a time when these perspectives are most urgent and valuable.

Inspired by Electric Literature’s groundbreaking series and edited by the first Black, openly trans editor-in-chief of a major literary publication, Both/And uplifts and amplifies stories of queer joy, heartbreak, rage, and self-discovery.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

The Dead Husband Cookbook

The marketing I’ve seen for this has been so fun, and the more I see it, the more tempted I am to pick it up.

A deliciously wicked new thriller from New York Times bestselling author Danielle Valentine.

One husband, well done.

When infamous chef, restaurateur, and television personality Maria Capello’s husband died, the media circus was intense…and quick to cast the blame. Whispers claimed Maria murdered her husband to build her culinary empire on his bones, and that there was an all-too-grisly reason his body was never recovered. Yet for the past few decades, the Capello family maintained their stoney silence—until now.

Thea Woods has no idea why she was chosen to work with Maria on her sure-to-be-infamous memoir, but she doesn’t question her luck. Spirited away to the Capello’s rustic upstate farm, she’s soon embroiled in the mystery—and cut off from the rest of the world. It should be the job of a lifetime, but something’s not quite right with the close-knit clan, and Damien Capello isn’t the only one to go mysteriously missing over the years. As the true story of Maria’s past unfolds and the stench of rot hidden behind the kind coastal grandmother veneer rises, Thea finds herself trapped…and desperately afraid.

Because there are reasons why Damien’s body was never found…and why, in over thirty years, Maria Capello has never revealed the secret ingredient in her most famous recipe.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Kinky History

For all my niche history nerds! I follow James on socials, so feel free to poke around her IG and TikTok accounts to get a sense of the subject matter.

A provocative journey through human sexual history, packed with fun factoids and forgotten stories, from the historian and storyteller behind Kinky History, @esme.louisee on TikTok

Contrary to popular belief, our predecessors had all sorts of obscene hobbies long before Christian Grey hit the scene. In this enlightening romp, learn about the first instances of homosexuality on record from the ancient world and the diverse history of nonbinary gender; encounter a thousand years’ worth of hilarious and horrifying contraceptive methods; consider the positive and negative effects of the widespread availability of pornography in the digital age—and how our relationship to it changed during the pandemic; take a sneaky riffle through centuries of bedside drawers; and discover the dirty little secrets of luminaries such as Julius Caesar, James Joyce, Albert Einstein, and Virginia Woolf.

Esmé Louise James also identifies the key tipping points that directly inform current beliefs around sex to place the past in conversation with the present. By educating ourselves about the weird, wonderful, and varied spectrum of human sexuality and experience, we can normalize and destigmatize sex, write people of marginalized sexual identities back into the pages of history, and build toward a more liberated future.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Like First Love, Again

If you prefer your romances to pack an emotional punch with a bonus side of pining and yearning, add this to your TBR pile.

When the one who got away comes back…

Real estate broker Tori Cruz has spent years building a life of structure and control — keeping her heart, and her past, carefully locked away. But when Mia Falcon, her childhood best friend and secret first love, crashes back into her life after fourteen years apart, everything Tori thought she buried comes rushing back.

Mia didn’t mean to find Tori again. She definitely didn’t mean to want her. Divorcing, grieving, and lost, Mia only wanted help selling her mother’s house. She wasn’t prepared for feelings she never dared name to come rushing back — hotter, deeper, and far more dangerous than before.

Back together, and it’s like no time has passed. And when Mia realizes that home isn’t a place — it’s a person — she knows she can’t walk away again.

Old feelings resurface. New ones spark. And some loves? They never die. They wait.

A steamy, slow-burn, friends-to-lovers romance full of heart, heat, and second chances.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

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Posted by Amanda

Book Beat aims to highlight other books that we may hear about through friends, social media, or other sources. We could see a gorgeous ad! Or find a new-to-us author on a list of underrated romances! Think of Book Beat as Teen Beat or Tiger Beat, but for books. And no staples to open to get the fold-out poster.

Backhanded Compliments

Backhanded Compliments by Katie Chandler

Author: Katie Chandler
Released: June 10, 2025 by Atria Books
Genre: , ,

A steamy sapphic romance with a fantastical twist about two bitter tennis rivals who realize they are reluctant soulmates—perfect for fans of Expiration Dates and Here We Go Again.

Juliette Ricci dreams of only one being the best women’s tennis player in the world. She’s worked nonstop with her strict father/coach to prepare for her big chance in the Australian Open. Unfortunately, she’ll be playing Lucky Luca Kacic, an aloof player whose unorthodox style and reigning popularity deeply irritate Juliette.

For months they’ve traded sly insults in their press conferences leading up to their showdown on the court, and their first ever match is the most anticipated of the season. But Juliette refuses to let her nerves—or Luca’s annoyingly perfect abs—get the best of her.

Meanwhile, Luca seemingly has everything Juliette desires but there’s one thing missing from her love. When she shakes hands with Juliette after an agonizing match and sees her rival’s name appear on her wrist, it feels like a cruel joke. Juliette is a spoiled, arrogant brat who wants absolutely nothing to do with Luca or a soulmate.

But despite their personal and professional clashes, the two grow closer after late-night massages and one too many shots of limoncello. Their chemistry is tangible, but Luca’s anxiety tells her that Juliette is just messing with her head to throw her off her game, and Juliette can’t understand why Luca is so hot and cold. With the pressure of the world scrutinizing their every move, they will have to decide what’s more important—being together or being number one.

This rivals to lovers tennis romance is a debut! And if you’re playing SBTB Summer Romance Bingo, this would work for the sports romance square.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

The Gentleman and His Vowsmith

The Gentleman and His Vowsmith by Rebecca Ide

Author: Rebecca Ide
Released: April 15, 2025 by S&S/Saga Press
Genre: , , , ,

A young lord, his future bride, and his former lover become unlikely allies to survive a deadly mystery in this spine-tingling historical fantasy of magic, murder, and steamy encounters.

Lord Nicholas Monterris is trapped. The only heir to a declining dukedom, Nic is destined for a marriage of convenience. What he doesn’t expect is for his bride to be Lady Leaf Serral, daughter of his father’s hated rival.

Tradition dictates the families are confined together while the marriage contract is crafted, which should be the worst part. Until Nic learns the Serrals’ head negotiator is master vowsmith Dashiell sa Vare—beautiful, perfect Dashiell sa Vare—an old flame he has neither forgiven nor forgotten. Nic’s only defense is false smiles and too much wine.

When a dead body turns up, tension within the castle thickens. The first death is brushed off as an unfortunate accident, but a second reveals something sinister is unfolding at Monterris Court. As accusations fly and long-buried secrets surface, Nic must work with his former lover and his future bride to uncover a devious mastermind before they claim another victim.

“One part sweet and swoony romance, one part magic-infused mystery, and thoroughly enjoyable on all counts!” —Maiga Doocy, author of Sorcery and Small Magics

I keep seeing this one and I just know the Bitchery will have an interest in this. 

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

No Body, No Crime

No Body, No Crime by Tess Sharpe

Author: Tess Sharpe
Released: July 15, 2025 by MCD
Genre: , ,

From the bestselling author Tess Sharpe comes a new action packed thriller about two women whose lives—and hearts—are destined for each other.

Murder either bonds you or breaks you.

Rural PI Mel Tillman knows this well. She’s seen her fair share of bloody cases and botched cover-ups. But killing with someone? That is a different kind of mess all together, and Mel’s got real experience with it.

No one’s heard from Toby Dunne since Chloe Harper’s sweet sixteen party—because the birthday girl and sixteen-year-old Mel buried him so deep in the backwoods, no one’s ever finding him. Mel loses little sleep over it—Toby had been terrorizing them.

What she does lose sleep over is Chloe, the girl with whom she survived that horrible night in the woods. Chloe, the girl she fell in love with. Chloe, the girl who disappeared and hasn’t been seen in more than six years.

Tasked with locating Chloe by her family, Mel can’t resist the call of a good chase, or finding the one who got away with her heart (and with murder). When Mel finds an armed and vigilant Chloe living off-grid in a highly booby-trapped patch of Canadian wilderness, she realizes that Chloe had been expecting someone other than her ex to come looking for her. The thing that’s kept Chloe going for years is that she’s kept Mel safe by running. Now, the truth must come out as they run for their lives once again.

Because when they buried Toby Dunne in the backwoods, they buried something else, too. Something Toby took. And the powerful family he stole it from? They’ll do anything to get it back.

Twisty and razor-sharp, Tess Sharpe’s No Body No Crime is a heart-pounding thriller teeming with secrets, betrayals, and a star-crossed romance for the ages.

A queer, YA Thelma & Louise-inspired adventure. 

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

Retreat

Retreat by Krysten Ritter

Author: Krysten Ritter
Released: February 11, 2025 by Harper
Genre:

“Multitalented Krysten Ritter is back with a sexy, breakneck thriller that immerses readers in the sometimes glamorous and sometimes deadly life of a con artist. Full of surprises and edge-of-your-seat scenes, Retreat is a wild ride.”—Mary Kubica, New York Times bestselling author of She’s Not Sorry

“Smart, sexy, and wickedly this is everything you want in a sun-drenched thriller. Ritter can really write—you’ll race through Retreat in a day, rooting for its sparky anti-heroine (just try not to drop it in the pool at the jaw-dropping twist).”—Ellery Lloyd, bestselling author of The Club and The Final Act of Juliette Willoughby

A beautiful con artist insinuates herself into a wealthy socialite’s life . . . with deadly consequences, in this serpentine thriller about identity and obsession, from actress, director and bestselling author Krysten Ritter.

Liz Dawson weaves through a crowd with the ease of a tropical breeze, moving seamlessly through elite circles, sparking instant connections and making every new acquaintance feel like an intimate friend. She’s clever, smooth, and confident—qualities that make her a brilliant serial con artist.

Isabelle Beresford is strikingly beautiful, obscenely wealthy, and the new owner of Casa Esmerelda, a fabulous villa on the Mexican coast—attributes that make her the perfect mark. When she offers Liz a job handling the installation of a piece of art in her otherwise vacant home, Liz can’t resist the allure of a beach retreat. She longs for a reset, a chance to finally shed the grip of her addiction to the conning game.

But when Liz, with her lush dark hair and intense green eyes, is mistaken for Isabelle herself, Liz can’t help effortlessly slipping into the socialite’s identity. The transition is so easeful, it almost feels like fate. But just who is Isabelle Beresford really, and why does she seem to have abandoned this stunning life of hers?

As Liz insinuates herself deeper into the dazzling—and deceptive—world of the Punta Mita resort community, she draws closer to the dangers surrounding the real Isabelle. Dangers that may have already ensnared Liz, too. This might not be the con of her life—but the con that ends it.

Ritter had released a debut years ago (Bonfire), and now she’s back with another mystery. 

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

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Posted by Amanda

Promise Me Sunshine

RECOMMENDED: Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone is $1.99! Fingers crossed this isn’t a leftover KDD from yesterday. I loved this book and it was my first Bastone. It’s on my list for the best releases of 2025.

Grieving the loss of her best friend, a young woman’s life is turned upside down when she meets a grumpy stranger who swears he can help her live again, in this heartwarming, slow-burn romance by the author of Ready or Not

Lenny’s a bit of a mess at the moment. Her best friend, Lou, recently passed away after a battle with cancer, and her death has left Lenny feeling completely lost. She’s avoiding her concerned parents, the apartment she shared with Lou, and the list of things she’s supposed to do to help her live again. The only thing she can do is temporary babysitting gigs, and luckily, she just landed a great one, helping overworked, single mom Reese and her precocious daughter, Ainsley. It’s not perfect: Ainsley’s uncle, Miles, always seems to be around, and is kind of… a huge jerk. But if Lenny acts like she has it all together, maybe no one will notice she’s falling apart.

Miles sees right through her though. Turns out, he knows a lot about grief and, surprisingly, he offers her a proposition. He’ll help her complete everything on her “live again” list if she’ll help him connect with Ainsley and overcome his complicated relationship with Reese. Lenny doubts anything can fill the Lou has left behind, but she begins to spend more time with Miles, Lenny is surprised to discover that, sometimes, losing everything is only the first step to finding yourself, and love, again.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Book of Night

RECOMMENDED: Book of Night by Holly Black is $2.99! This was one of our Best Reviews of 2022 and Carrie gave it a B+:

Fans of Holly Black’s Young Adult books may have to reset their expectations. However, I really loved this gritty, horrifying, magical novel. I just hope there is a sequel!

#1 New York Times bestselling author Holly Black makes her stunning adult debut with Book of Night, a modern dark fantasy of shadowy thieves and secret societies in the vein of Ninth House and The Night Circus

In Charlie Hall’s world, shadows can be altered, for entertainment and cosmetic preferences—but also to increase power and influence. You can alter someone’s feelings—and memories—but manipulating shadows has a cost, with the potential to take hours or days from your life. Your shadow holds all the parts of you that you want to keep hidden—a second self, standing just to your left, walking behind you into lit rooms. And sometimes, it has a life of its own.

Charlie is a low-level con artist, working as a bartender while trying to distance herself from the powerful and dangerous underground world of shadow trading. She gets by doing odd jobs for her patrons and the naive new money in her town at the edge of the Berkshires. But when a terrible figure from her past returns, Charlie’s present life is thrown into chaos, and her future seems at best, unclear—and at worst, non-existent. Determined to survive, Charlie throws herself into a maelstrom of secrets and murder, setting her against a cast of doppelgangers, mercurial billionaires, shadow thieves, and her own sister—all desperate to control the magic of the shadows.

With sharp angles and prose, and a sinister bent, Holly Black is a master of shadow and story stitching. Remember while you read, light isn’t playing tricks in Book of Night, the people are.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Unfortunately Yours

Unfortunately Yours by Tessa Bailey is $1.99! This is book two in the A Vine Mess series. It’s the classic case of “I need to be married to access my trust fund!” Normally it’s the hero in this scenario, but this time it’s the heroine.

#1 New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey is back in Napa Valley with this hilarious rom-com about a down-on-her-luck heiress who suggests a mutually beneficial marriage of convenience to a man she can’t stand… only to discover there’s a fine line between love and hate.

After losing her job and her fiancé in one fell swoop, Natalie Vos returned home to lick her wounds. A few months later, she’s sufficiently drowned her sorrows in cabernet and she’s ready to get back on her feet. She just needs her trust fund to finance her new business venture. Unfortunately, the terms require she marry before she can have the money. And well, dumped, remember?

But Natalie is desperate enough to propose to a man who makes her want to kill him—and kiss him, in equal measure.

August Cates may own a vineyard, but he doesn’t know jack about making wine. He’s determined to do his late best friend proud, no matter what it takes. Except his tasting room is empty, his wine is disgusting (seriously, he once saw someone gag), and his buddy’s legacy is circling the drain. No bank will give him the loan he needs to turn the business around… and then the gorgeous, feisty heiress knocks on his door.

Natalie has haunted August’s dreams since the moment they met, but their sizzling chemistry immediately morphed into simmering insults. Now, a quickie marriage could help them both. A sham wedding, a few weeks living under the same roof, and then they can go their separate ways—assuming they make it out alive. How hard could it be?

There’s just one thing they didn’t account for: their unfortunate, unbearable, undeniable attraction.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Mistakes Were Made

Mistakes Were Made by Meryl Wilsner is $1.99! This is a contemporary lesbian romance with an age gap. We’ve mentioned this on Hide Your Wallet, though haven’t written a formal review.

From the critically acclaimed author of Something to Talk About comes Meryl Wilsner’s Mistakes Were Made, a sharp and sexy rom-com about a college senior who accidentally hooks up with her best friend’s mom.

When Cassie Klein goes to an off-campus bar to escape her school’s Family Weekend, she isn’t looking for a hookup—it just happens. Buying a drink for a stranger turns into what should be an uncomplicated, amazing one-night stand. But then the next morning rolls around and her friend drags her along to meet her mom—the hot, older woman Cassie slept with.

Erin Bennett came to Family Weekend to get closer to her daughter, not have a one-night stand with a college senior. In her defense, she hadn’t known Cassie was a student when they’d met. To make things worse, Erin’s daughter brings Cassie to breakfast the next morning. And despite Erin’s better judgement—how could sleeping with your daughter’s friend be anything but bad?—she and Cassie get along in the day just as well as they did last night.

What should have been a one-time fling quickly proves impossible to ignore, and soon Cassie and Erin are sneaking around. Worst of all, they start to realize they have something real. But is being honest about the love between them worth the cost?

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

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Posted by Joey Colby Bernert

Migrant labor sustains U.S. agriculture. It is essential and constant. Yet the people who do the work remain hidden. That invisibility is not just social. It is spatial. Employers tuck housing behind groves, set it far off the road, or place it on private land behind locked gates. These sites are hard to reach. They are also hard to leave.

As a paralegal at my stepmother’s immigration law firm in Metro Detroit, I met with many migrant workers who described the places they were housed. They worked long days in fields or orchards, often six or seven days a week, and returned to dormitories built far from town. The stories stayed with me. They worked in extreme heat and came back to shared spaces without privacy, comfort, or dignity. Workers are placed in dorms with shared beds and tight quarters. Bathrooms are communal. Kitchens are often bare.

A bedroom for migrant farmworkers at the Nightingale facility in Rantoul, Ill., in July 2014.
Credit: Photo by Darrell Hoemann/Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting. Used with permission.

Images help tell this story. Photographs from North Carolina and California show identical cabins in rows. Inside are narrow beds, small windows, and not enough space to stretch. These photos are more than documentation. They are evidence. They show us what it looks like to build a system that erases the people who keep it running.

Migrant agricultural worker’s family in Nipomo, California, 1936. The mother, age 32, sits with three of her seven children outside a temporary shelter during the Great Depression.
Credit: Photo by Dorothea Lange. Farm Security Administration Collection, Library of Congress. Public domain.

Sociology gives us a framework to see that this is not just bad housing structure. It is a structural problem. When the employer controls housing, every complaint becomes a risk. Speaking up may not only cost your job, it also means losing your bed and risking forcible deportation. The design limits autonomy and keeps people quiet. The fewer choices a person has, the easier it is to control them.

In sociology, conflict theory starts with a simple idea: society develops and changes based on struggles over power and resources. In the case of migrant labor, that struggle is visible in the very organization of housing. Henri Lefebvre argued that space is socially produced. Social production means that space is shaped by those who have authority to determine how people live. This is not driven by comfort, fairness, or function. The arrangement and social production of space reflects the interests of those and control. The shape of a room, the distance between houses, and the layout of a building are not random. They reflect relationships.

Similarly, Michel Foucault shows how institutions use architecture to enforce discipline. In migrant housing, space signals control. These dorms do not need bars or guards. The buildings are made to meet the minimum legal standard for shelter. That standard is barely above what is allowed for a prison cell. The architecture dehumanizes, and in doing so, it controls.

I saw this firsthand. A worker told me his bunk was so close to the next that he could hear every breath of the man above him. His wife told me there were rules about visitors, meals, and noise. They could not live together, even though they were married. They felt monitored. They were afraid to speak. These homes were not theirs. The system made sure of that.

Sociology gives us the language to name what is happening. This is not a housing crisis. It is a labor strategy. These camps are not temporary accidents. They are long-term solutions to a problem no one wants to fix. As scholars and citizens, we should bring these designs to light. We cannot change what we do not see.

Joey Colby Bernert is a statistician and licensed clinical social worker based in Michigan. She is a graduate student in public health at Michigan State University and studies feminist theory, intersectionality, and the structural determinants of health.

(View original at https://thesocietypages.org/socimages)

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Posted by SB Sarah

I have 2″ by 2″ stickers of this design, celebrating our 20th Anniversary, and they’re holographic stickers.

the original smart bitches ladies in their 50s glasses against red blue yellow and pink boxes with a 20 years anniversary banner in the lower center

Seriously I keep staring at them because they’re so neat. Sparkly!

Want one? I’d love to send one to you as a reader of the site as a wee gift.

All you need to do is:

  1. Email sarah@smartbitchestrashybooks.com with the subject line “Sticker Please!” 
  2. I’ll give you instructions. You’ll need to send an SASE (remember those?). What’s that? A Self Addressed Stamped Envelope. Yes, we’re doing this very old skool style.
  3. Receive sticker! Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy!

I love how sparkly they are, and at 2″x2″ they can go anywhere (I have one on my insulated cup, alongside a “FUCK SCOTUS” and “NO KINGS YAS QUEENS” sticker, among others.

Where do you like to get stickers? Which are your favorites?

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