So, as you know, I'm not doing a ton of romance novel reviews these days. I have my reasons, but that doesn't mean I'll NEVER review again. In fact, here are some lightning-quick reviews for books I've read recently: 

Look, I don't have anything against the Bridgerton series. But I will admit that I get a little irked when people who've never read historical romance act like it's the only series on the market. It's not!! There are TONS of great historical romances out there, and to prove it, here are just a few of my all-time favorite series that I recommend you binge, like, IMMEDIATELY, because they're just that good:   

Get 'em while they're cheap, y'all. And beware, these sales will NOT last forever: 

I'm very sad to report that author Claire Kingsley very recently and tragically lost her husband. And since I don't know her personally and can't think of any other way to convey my deepest condolences, I'm going to recommend her books to y'all--because honestly, they are DAMN delightful. This is an author who can do rom com and deeply emotional contemporary romances with ALL the feels. I'm a huge fan, will probably always be a huge fan, and will keep recommending her via Friday lists and such. But today, I'm going to give her the full spotlight and recommend a few of my all-time favorite Claire Kingsley reads. Seriously, pick them up. You'll thank me later: 

As you know, I cut WAY back on doing book reviews. The why of it was a long story, but just because I'm not actively reviewing lots of books, doesn't mean I'm not finding great books. With that in mind, here are some awesome romance reads I've discovered lately that you should consider picking up for #FridayReads/#WeekendReads. Enjoy: 

The top 10 acceptable reasons to bother a romance reader while they are reading (or an author while they are writing) are:  

Small town romance has always been one of my favorite tropes. The forced proximity, the quirky neighbors...it's all very Doc Hollywood (an older movie, but one that has some AWESOME comedy and romance in a delightfully quirky small town). So, that said, here are 16 of the best small town romances I've ever read:  

Heat level: I dunno. Didn't make it that far. 
Contemporary Romance/Rom com
Publication date: ​02/22/2021
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Cliffhanger: I dunno.

I haven't DNF'd in a while, y'all. And I certainly haven't DNF'd anything that I felt the need to rant about in a while. But, here it goes:  

Contemporary Romance/Romantic Suspense
Publication date: ​05/14/2021
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Cliffhanger: No

Not to long ago, I asked for bodyguard romance recommendations where the person being guarded wasn't a whiny a-hole who decided to "teach the bodyguard a lesson" by trying to make his/her job harder. Well, I found one!! Here's the deal: 

Once upon a time, a literary agent told me writers shouldn't even bother creating romance heroes and heroines over 29 years of age because "no one wants to read about old people having sex." Needless to say, that agent was a douchecanoe of the highest order. And also, she was WRONG. Because here are some awesome romance novels with characters who are over 35 (you know, for those of us who prefer "seasoned" and "mature" reads): 

Contemporary Romance
Publication date: ​05/18/2021
Kindle Unlimited: No
Cliffhanger: No

 There are so few books that surprise me, y'all. I mean, I'm OLD. And not just in years. I'm an old, OLD soul. I have seen things that can't be unseen. So, when I'm reading in bed (at 9pm after taking my multivitamin, because, as I said, I'm OLD) and something makes me sit straight up and say, "Holy crap!" so loud that I startle the dogs, that's really saying something. This book did that exact thing. (The dogs are still a little edgy at bed time as a result, but we're working through it. But I digress...) Here's the spoiler free scoop:  

Look, I like a sexy bad boy as much as the next romance reader. (Not alphaholes, though. I HATE those.) But I also REALLY enjoy nice guy heroes. And contrary to what some of y'all might think (I'm looking at you, alphahole fans. Not in a judge-y way, though. No judgement here) nice guy heroes CAN be super sexy. Don't believe me? Then check THESE out:  

Trust me, y'all, you won't want to miss THESE: 

I really love bodyguard romance. Always have. But I've noticed something that often happens in this trope that REALLY annoys me.  Here it goes (takes deep breath): 

It's shocking how hard it is to find rom coms these days that include sexy times! And rom coms that deliver sexy times AND hilariously snarky banter? Well, those are even tougher to dig up. That said, here are some of my all-time favorite, go-to authors who never fail to deliver on comedy, sexy times, AND snarky banter: