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As you may remember, last Saturday was Bookstore Romance Day! From what I saw on social media, it was a smashing success again. Unfortunately, I didn’t make it to any indies around me that day, but I’m planning on buying a few things from Bookshop.org before the month is done. That is, once I figure out what I want and don’t already own. However, I did finish Rules for Ghosting and began reading Rise and Divine.
Read on for recommendations for romances of the mature variety, an awesome sticker you will want to add to your collection, and some more new releases that can take you into the weekend.
Bookish Goods
“Standing on My Collection” Sticker by AllMyQueensShop
This sticker made me go “Yassss” out loud because it is giving everything. This would be a welcome addition to anyone’s sticker collection because the sentiment expressed here is one that all book royalty can agree on. $4.00
New Romance Releases Out This Week
The Cottage on Pelican Bay by Brenda Jackson
When Zara returns home to Catalina Cove, she’s surprised to discover that her brother’s new hire is Saint, the same man she had a passionate one-night stand with in New Orleans two years prior. Even though their connection was explosive, the agreement had been for a one-time encounter with no strings attached. Despite having both grown up in Catalina Cove, their paths had never crossed before, and now they seem to always run into each other. Even though the connection is still there, they try to keep it secret and themselves out of the gossip mill. But when temptation proves too much to ignore, they sneak away to Zara’s cottage on the coast, determined to discover how deep their connection is.
Love and Other Conspiracies by Mallory Marlowe
When Hallie is booted off the web show she produced with her ex, she needs a new project to avoid getting axed. Hayden is a popular cryptid podcast with a huge following. When Hallie approaches him with the opportunity to host his own web show, he jumps at the chance, only to discover that he’s more than a little camera shy. After she joins him on screen, their chemistry quickly shoots them to the top contenders. But when that chemistry extends to off-screen, they’re left wondering if there is room in their partnership for love.
I’m currently reading this one, so I’ll let you know what I think!
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.
Romance Reads About Finding Love in Your Forties
There’s been some chatter across the web about “postmenopausal women” and what “purposes” they serve in society. While I have a lot of thoughts about that, I don’t have the word space for it here. What I will say is that this mentality of how “useful” a woman is after a certain age is not new and, unfortunately, is something a lot of women adopt themselves thanks to the ingrained internal misogyny that we all suffer from.
The saying “age is just a number” is true, especially now that companies are laying thousands of employees off as quickly and easily as a normal person changes their socks. This means that there are a lot of people out there in their forties having to start over again, either in the same career field or a different one. While it may not be pleasant to be forced to start over again at that age, it is possible.
With that in mind, I wanted to highlight a few romances starring women in their forties.
The Perfect Find by Tia Williams
After forty-year-old popular fashion editor Jenna gets fired from Darling magazine, she’s forced to beg for a job from her frenemy Darcy. Shortly after being hired, Jenna begins to worry that she’s bitten off more than she can chew. Adding to this complication is the mutual attraction between her and Eric, the handsome twenty-two-year-old videographer assigned to record her web series. Even though their romance is taboo for multiple reasons, they can’t resist the draw between them, leaving Jenna wondering if this unexpected life change has set her up for success with a new career and new man.
It’s a Widow Thing by Karen Booth
Sabrina never planned on being a widow after only two years of marriage. Now she’s back in the dating pool at forty years old, looking for a good time but not a long time, and thinks her neighbor Michael is the perfect person for the job. After a health scare, Michael is ready to admit that it may be time to settle down and only has eyes for Sabrina as a possibility. They have good conversation and chemistry, yet she keeps him at arm’s length. Will he be able to convince her to take a second chance on love, or will their fling end in heartbreak?
If you’ve been looking for some steamy romances, here are a few good candidates to check out.
We can look forward to an upcoming romantasy from Talia Hibbert!
And that’s all she wrote for today. If you’re ever interested in what I do between the sends, you can always give me a follow over on Instagram under @pns_bookish_world. Until then, happy reading, and stay hydrated!
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