Book Mail

3 Romance Novels that recently landed on my doorstop.

Hello book friends,

The book mail is stacking up again (on my kitchen counters) so it’s time to get my act together and share some of it with you.

In these book mail posts I highlight THREE books that I’m particularly excited about reading. Check out last week’s book mail post for 3 upcoming suspense novels if you missed it . I’ve already read and thoroughly enjoyed The Gathering by C.J. Tudor.

This second round of book mail goes to the romance genre that I dabble in and out of when the mood strikes. I tend to prefer open door (descriptions of intimacy), some depth to the characters and plot, and great banter is a bonus. What do you look for in your romance reading? Do you need a happily ever after?

Don’t forget you can find all my book mail over on my IG account but here of course I will go BEYOND the Basics.

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1. Better By Far by Hazel Hayes - Available April 23rd

   Thank you Dutton Books for the gifted copy.

   

One of Zibby Mag's Most Anticipated Books Coming Out in 2024 One of SheNet's Highly Anticipated Books of 2024

A genre-bending story about love and loss, hope and heartbreak, and the healing to be found in life's little limbos, those in-between spaces where you're no longer who you were and not yet the person you will be

About her debut, Out of Love, Hazel Hayes said, "The journey from writing horror to writing love stories was a short one. There is nothing more horrific than love." In her new novel, she sets out to prove it.

This genre-defying, meta-modern novel is unlike anything you have ever read, and yet at its core it is a story we all deeply understand. A story of love and liminality, and the ways in which grief grips us all. Prepare to laugh and cry; Hazel Hayes will break your heart, but then she'll mend it for you.

Following a breakup, Kate and Finn decide to keep sharing their house until the lease runs out in twelve weeks' time, alternating week by week so that they are occupying the same space but never at the same time.

Practically, the plan makes sense, but coming back each Sunday to a home where Finn has been and gone feels far too much like living with a ghost. Kate lost her mother at a young age and now this fresh grief dredges unhealed sorrows up to the surface, and soon, Kate finds herself adrift in her own subconscious, trapped in the liminal space between loving someone and letting go.

This feels like it’s going to be so much more than a romance and I’m here for it. A genre mix up with themes of grief and loss and I’m immediately going to at least give it a go. I’ve got the tissues ready but will Hayes deliver? We shall see! This is also giving me The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary vibes but in reverse.

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2. When I Think of You by Myah Ariel - Available Now

   Thank you Berkley Publishing for the gifted copy.

   

   In this sweeping second chance romance from debut author Myah Ariel, the unexpected spark of two former flames may force them to choose between their dreams and each other.

   Kaliya Wilson has paid her dues. But all the years behind the reception desk at a flashy film studio have only pushed her movie-making dreams further out of reach. That is, until a surprise reunion presents an opportunity that could make her career, or break her heart...a second time.

   It's been seven years since Kaliya's whirlwind college romance with Danny Prescott went up in flames. While her passions have stalled, his career is taking off. So when the hot shot director reappears to offer her a job on his next production, it's a shock to the system. Working with Danny may recapture the intensity of their film school days, but trusting him again won't come as easily.

   As the pair allows themselves the openness and vulnerability to entrust their deepest truths to each other, the possibility of a true connection draws ever closer. But when Hollywood politics and scandal threaten to sink the production and her career, Kaliya may have to risk everything to do what's right--even if it means letting go of the second chance love of a lifetime.

I had the opportunity to hear the author pitch her debut at the Berkley Spring Influencer Virtual event a month or so ago and just knew I needed to give it a chance. I don’t always love second chance romance but the early reviews are glowing. I hope to sample this very soon.

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3. This Used To Be Us by Renee Carlino - Available July 2024

   Thank you Dial Press for the gifted copy.

There are two sides to every love story--and every breakup. Get ready for an emotional roller coaster of family, marriage, and divorce that will have you both laughing and crying, from the bestselling author of Before We Were Strangers.

After twenty-two years together, Danielle and Alex are getting a divorce. Once fiercely in love, they can barely stand the sound of each other's voice. Instead of shuttling the kids between two broken homes, Alex and Dani decide to share a nesting apartment while swapping days with their two teenage boys at the family home.

In the apartment, Dani and Alex, on their own, begin to reflect on the last two decades--why they fell in love and why the marriage fell, spectacularly, apart. With the newfound space and time, they are given a chance to rediscover their autonomous selves again. They both get back in the dating pool. Dani finds major success at work as a showrunner on her own TV project, while Alex faces the challenges of a new relationship.

Still, they find that they just can't stay away from each other, and somehow, the distance allows them to remember (for the first time in years) what each used to love about the other. When a family crisis draws them back into each other's orbit, Dani and Alex are once again put to the test, which leads to a dramatic conclusion that will have readers weeping.

My trusted romance reader sources have been raving about Carlino for years. It’s finally time I give her a go!

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That’s it for today but let me know if you added any of these books to your tbr. I’ll be back soon with another edition of book mail.

xoxo Basic B