Sharma loosely riffs on Much Ado About Nothing in this hilarious and red-hot sequel to Dating Dr. Dil. Wedding planner Bobbi Kaur is determined to knock it out of the park for her best friend’s nuptials, especially since a promotion at her uncle’s wedding planning business is riding on the event. Two things stand in Bobbi’s way, however: someone is sending mysterious notes that threaten to derail the wedding, and she’s forced to work with the attractive yet infuriating chef Benjamin Padda. Beneath Benjamin and Bobbi’s constant bickering is the memory of a flirtatious moment they once shared, which could have led to more if Benjamin hadn’t put his foot in his mouth. Working together is difficult, but with Bobbi striving to prove herself to her uncle, and Benjamin wanting to step out of his father’s shadow, the pair agree to a truce to ensure the wedding goes smoothly. One thing may still get in their way, though: their undeniable attraction. With a charming (and lovingly meddlesome) supporting cast and plenty of glamorous pre-wedding events along the way, this exhilarating rom-com hits all the right notes. Readers will have no trouble cheering on these sparring hearts. Agent: Joy Tutela, David Black Literary. (Aug.)

Reviewed on 05/26/2023 | Details & Permalink

With the thoughtful second Secret Lies romance (after A Kiss from the Past), Cain continues to probe into the spectrum of adoptee experiences. Lauren Steele, who is Black, is so grateful for the love and support of her white adoptive family that she takes over her parents’ floral business instead of following her passion and going into politics. When Ben Specter, who is white and Jewish, enters her shop claiming to be looking for work, Lauren happily hires him. But Ben is actually part of a crisis management company hired to investigate Lauren by a wealthy California politician who thinks that she may be his long-lost sister. Lauren and Ben bond quickly, and despite having a painful experience mixing business and pleasure in the past, Ben struggles to see Lauren as just part of a job. But will their budding relationship survive Ben coming clean about why he sought Lauren out? The prose itself is lackluster and occasionally repetitious, but Cain’s compassionate approach to examining Lauren’s relationship to her Black identity and to her family sets this apart. Despite the central deception, the couple are refreshingly good at communicating with each other, making it easy to root for their sweet romance. Series fans will not be disappointed. Agent: Amy Brewer, Metamorphosis Literary. (July)

Reviewed on 05/26/2023 | Details & Permalink

Exploring the difficulties of dating in Minneapolis’s Modern Orthodox Jewish community, Shertok’s debut delivers both sparkling banter and realistic relationship hurdles. Jewelry seller Penina Kalish, 29, wants a family but worries both children and love are out of reach due to her uterine hypoplasia, which renders her infertile. Matchmakers haven’t completely given up, but the pickings are slim in a community that prioritizes large families. Accepting that she may never find a partner, Penina dotes on her nieces and nephews and volunteers at the local hospital’s NICU. Most days, it’s enough—until she meets the sexy—but secular—Sam Kleinfeld, her new boss. Not willing to pursue a non-Orthodox relationship, Penina ignores the attraction and instead agrees to a marriage of convenience with a closeted gay Orthodox man in exchange for his help bailing her sister out of a financial bind. There are some light Indecent Proposal overtones to this arrangement, but can money really dampen the chemistry between Penina and Sam? Shertok’s description of the Modern Orthodox community and how it fits into secular society is lovingly rendered without stifling the plot. This is sure to please. Agent: Claire Friedman, InkWell Management. (July)

Reviewed on 05/26/2023 | Details & Permalink

Cole debuts with a summery and slow-burning contemporary. Looking to start over after an emotionally abusive marriage, avid surfer Candice leaves behind the busy beaches of Oahu to offer surfing lessons in the calm and quaint Newquay, Cornwall. Heartache has left her lonely and emotionally defensive, but she finds a second family in the tight-knit small town. When she’s not surfing, she escapes into her favorite romance novels. So when romance author Alexis arrives in town searching for surfing lessons and inspiration for his next novel, Candice jumps to help. But as the pair grow closer, she also starts to suspect that Alexis is a fraud with no understanding of or appreciation for the romance genre. Then his agent, Daniel, comes to town and, seeing Candice’s expertise, offers her the chance to cowrite Alexis’s novel. As all three brainstorm potential romance plots, Candice also learns what—and who—she wants in her own love life. The love triangle adds some drama, while the meta elements will be a special treat for romance fans. Throw this one in the beach bag. (July)

Reviewed on 05/26/2023 | Details & Permalink

A summer romance outlasts its season in Kennedy’s saucy third Avalon Bay new adult romance (after Bad Girl Reputation). When college senior Cassandra Soul returns to Avalon Bay for one final summer before her grandmother moves to Boston, she’s determined to experience the passion her friends have found, a quest she calls “operation summer fling.” Smoking-hot sailing instructor Tate Bartlett seems the perfect choice. Tate has a reputation as a player, but a gentle, caring spirit lies beneath his charm. He’s immediately attracted to Cassie and is onboard with a romance—until he finds out she’s a virgin. Fearing their affair would wind up becoming too serious, he friend-zones Cassie, offering to be her wingman instead. She reluctantly agrees, but as they hang out all summer long without the pressure of dating, their platonic friendship naturally transitions into love. When Cassie’s narcissistic mom arrives in Avalon Bay, however, secrets and lies come to light that shake the foundation of their budding relationship. There are plenty of laughs and heartfelt moments along the way, and the young lovers handle conflict with refreshing and believable maturity. The result is a perky depiction of first love that will have readers’ hearts fluttering. Agent: Kimberly Brower, Brower Literary. (July)

Reviewed on 05/26/2023 | Details & Permalink

The electrifying fifth romance in Robert’s blockbuster Dark Olympus series (after Radiant Sin) returns to the dystopian city of Olympus, ruled by a council of 13 politicians whose titles and roles are derived from the ancient Greek gods. To keep the peace in unstable Olympus—where political assassinations are becoming ever more common—enemies Aphrodite and Hephaestus enter into a political marriage, despite the fact that Aphrodite is in love with Adonis. At first the feuding duo go out of their way to provoke and anger each other—Aphrodite sleeps with Hephaestus’s best friend, Pandora, and Hephaestus seduces Adonis—but all four become a tight unit after an attempt is made on Aphrodite’s life. As they endeavor to protect one another, the quartet settles into a high-heat polyamorous relationship. The steamy sex scenes are punctuated by escalating danger culminating in a knife attack that could take one of the four out of the group forever. Robert’s celebration of both kink and nontraditional relationship structures sets this apart, and her ability to paint morality in shades of gray makes for complex and enjoyable conflict. This sizzling story will spark readers’ desire for more erotic fare from the Dark Olympians. (Aug.)

Reviewed on 05/26/2023 | Details & Permalink

Merrill spins off her Gifted series with this promising queer paranormal tale. When white nurse Creed Lowell is hired for the evening shift at Puesta Del Sol, an assisted living facility in Santa Cruz, Calif., he immediately catches the eye of Filipino American grad student Roman, whose grandmother is one of Creed’s patients. But even after the guys start to date, Roman keeps his guard up, sensing something otherworldly about Creed—and rightly so. Creed is, in fact, a vampire whose bite provides healing energy and who uses pheromones to “lure people close.” When a series of bizarre attacks rock the community, Roman, who is doing his dissertation on modern cult crimes, is asked to consult with the police on the case. The ongoing mystery causes tensions in the guys’ relationship, especially as Creed, who’s been on a decades-long quest for revenge against the cult who turned him into a vampire, worries for Roman’s safety from the supernatural. The sultry romance—Roman’s scent makes Creed’s “canines ache with desire”—takes a bit of a backseat to the supernatural story line, which is jam-packed with action and mysticism. Still, genre fans will be hungry for the next installment. (Self-published)

Reviewed on 05/26/2023 | Details & Permalink

Levine debuts with this lighthearted and charming paranormal rom-com. Aspiring artist Cassie is suspicious of the too-good-to-be-true Chicago apartment listing she finds online—but with eviction looming, she’s low on options. She takes the room, moving in with the apartment’s oddly old-fashioned owner, Frederick J. Fitzwilliam. As strange and out of touch as Frederick seems, he’s also rich, considerate, wildly handsome, and a gentleman. Cassie works during the day while Frederick claims to be out of the apartment “on business” most nights, so the pair communicate largely through sweet (and increasingly flirtatious) notes. Cassie’s not looking to complicate their living situation, but she can’t deny how much she enjoys their dynamic—until the night she ducks home unexpectedly and discovers Frederick slurping from a blood bag. Frederick is a vampire, he’s been in a coma for a hundred years, and he wants Cassie’s help getting up to speed on the modern world before his old flame Esmeralda shows up demanding they pick up where they left off. This adorable odd couple proves easy to root for, with Frederick’s awkwardness navigating modern life adding both humor and pathos. The supernatural conflict wraps up a bit too smoothly, but there’s so much fun to be had that readers won’t mind. This one is good to the last drop. Agent Kim Lionetti, Bookends. (Aug.)

Reviewed on 05/26/2023 | Details & Permalink

When criminal Deke Mitchell robs a Denver, Colo., bank, he leaves a trail of love in his wake in this riveting anthology of interconnected romantic suspense novellas. Ivy’s “Redemption” reunites police detectives Tessa Ralston and Ian Sullivan, the man with whom she once shared an unforgettable steamy night, as they follow Deke’s trail. In Zanetti’s “Rescue: Hero Style,” Deke threatens bank teller Ella Riverton, igniting the fierce protective instincts of her ex-boyfriend, former soldier Caden Scott. Deke and his crew then hide out at Sam Bridger’s ranch in Martin’s “One Last Kiss,” which finds Sam willing to do whatever it takes to rescue his crush Libby Hale, who’s been taken hostage by the gang. Each story smoothly transitions into the next, building tension in the action-packed through line while offering believable and steamy love stories amid the danger. The authors keep the plot zipping along with exciting twists and intense chemistry. Fans of strong and chivalrous heroes will swoon. (June)

Reviewed on 05/19/2023 | Details & Permalink

Heintzelman’s utterly charming sequel to Monopolove returns to San Diego game shop Love & Games, this time turning the focus onto co-owner Rox Sloan, a finance whiz and Trivial Pursuit aficionado. Rox has spent a decade crushing on her friend Nadia’s brother, Murphy “Murph” Theodore Sikes, a medical doctor, but she’s shy about making a move. Meanwhile, Murph is wary of relationships in general after a lifetime observing his parents’ seemingly loveless marriage. The pair are brought closer first by an epic bar trivia night, then by Rox’s “Dirty-Thirty” birthday party in Las Vegas, leading to a steamy affair. With baggage on both sides, however, will they be able to make it last? Heintzelman makes the duo’s communication issues believable, alternating between Rox and Murph’s perspectives to show how Rox’s insecurities and Murph’s fears threaten to derail their romance. The author takes care in fleshing out her protagonists, making it easy to empathize with them both as the snappy plot unfurls. The result is an adorable contemporary romance that will especially please fans of the best friend’s brother trope. (July)

Reviewed on 05/19/2023 | Details & Permalink