My Pure Romance Picks

Welcome Back, Booklovers! Today I've teamed up with a friend to pair some of the hottest romances with the hottest products all from Pure Romance. All pictures lead to the website where you can make a purchase.

If you like the Marriage of Convenience trope I suggest you check out Trust Fund Fiance by Naima Simone

His friend needs a fiancé to claim a fortune.

But they both know it’s about more than money…

Ezekiel Holloway’s proposition could save his friend Reagan Sinclair’s inheritance and give her the freedom she craves. But when family scandals force Ezekiel to end their fake engagement, the heiress comes up with a counterproposal—and they elope to Vegas after all! Is there something more than mere convenience at stake here?

And pair it with Capri Dream Hydrating Body Dew which merges the scents of jasmine and dragon fruit with agave nectar

If you like the Brother's Best Friend trope you should read Delicious Temptation by Sabrina Sol

Amara Maria Robles is a good girl. So good that she gave up her dreams of becoming a renowned pastry chef to help her parents with their struggling Mexican bakery. Yet her parents reject any changes she suggests, and refuse to sell her mouth-watering confections. Clearly being a good girl isn't paying off. So when her brother's sexy ex-best friend walks into the bakery, Amara's tempted to be very bad indeed...

After a scandal twelve years ago, resident bad boy Eric Valencia has returned to make things right with his family and friends. One glance at Amara and her wicked curves, however, and Eric finds himself thinking about how she'd feel beneath him-something he promised Amara's brother he would never think about, let alone do.

But this bad boy is in deep trouble...because Amara's determined to have her cake, and Eric, too.

 

Pair with Whipped Vanilla Cupcake a creamy lubricant that tastes just like vanilla frosted cake.

If you like small town romance especially set during the fall with harvest festivals then pick up Sweet Talkin Lover by Tracey Livesay

When everything is on the line,

surrendering completely to love is your only choice...

Marketing manager Caila Harris knows that the road to success in the beauty industry doesn't allow for detours. She's forsaken any trace of a social life, working 24/7 to ensure her next promotion. When grief over her grandfather's death leads to several catastrophic decisions, Caila gets one final chance to prove herself: shut down an unprofitable factory in a small Southern town. But as soon as she arrives in Bradleton, she meets one outsized problem: the town's gorgeous mayor.

Wyatt Bradley isn't thrilled about his nickname, Mayor McHottie. He's even less happy to learn that his town might be losing its biggest employer. If he has to, he'll use some sneaky tactics to get Caila on his side. Yet even as he's hoping she'll fall for Bradleton, he's falling too--right into a combustible affair that shakes them both with its intensity.

Two stubborn people, torn between loyalty, ambition, and attraction. But when you're willing to give it your all, there's no limit to how far love can take you...

Pair with Kiss Love Story body spray which gives you a refreshing splash of amber and warm vanilla

If Boardroom romance is your jam check out A Reunion of Rivals by Reese Ryan. 

The deal that could bring Quinn Bazemore’s career back from the brink has one catch: she must partner up with her ex-lover Max Abbott. Quinn can’t forget the pleasure-filled summer they shared. But now she’s butting heads over business strategy with the mouthwatering marketing VP, even as their reawakened desire threatens to expose her deepest secrets… 

Pair it with Perfect Match the vibrating c-ring for him and her.

Island getaway, soul searching heroine, no strings affair? Mine at Midnight by Jamie Pope has all those things.

After her plans for a storybook wedding are derailed by a shocking discovery days before the big event, Ava Bradley retreats to a tranquil beach cottage. Days of intense soul-searching turn into nights of passionate yearning when she clashes with her infuriatingly arrogant and incredibly sexy Hideaway Island neighbor. Derek Patrick is tempting her, not just as a lover but as a soul mate, and it's a connection unlike anything she's ever experienced before. 

The up-by-his-bootstraps entrepreneur is proud to be mayor of the beautiful, secluded tropical island. Derek doesn't need some social-climbing diva messing with his hard-earned serenity. Yet Ava keeps surprising him. When their no-strings affair leaves them both hungry for more, Derek is tempted to take their island affair to the next level. But Ava doesn't intend to make her permanent home there…until a natural disaster threatens Derek's beloved island, making them realize what matters most—a love too precious to lose.

Pair it with Bosom Buddy in Pina Colada and invite your partner for a taste.

If you like Romantic Suspense then Seduced by the Badge by Deborah Fletcher Mello may be for you

Chicago detective Armstrong Black follows the rules—his rules. When he’s assigned to partner with an Atlanta detective who’s hell-bent on bringing down criminals who targeted her sister, he’s determined to stay in control. But stunning Danni Winstead is all blazing temper and sweet temptation. Working with her tests Armstrong’s restraint; trusting her could put them both in fatal jeopardy

              

The right lingerie set sets the perfect mood. The sexy babydoll and robe set is aptly dubbed Twilight

Charming as a Verb by Ben Phillipe

 

Welcome Back, Booklovers and Happy 1st of September! This is going to be a busy blogging month for me and I'm hoping to give you all plenty of content. 

So I wanted to start with a review for a book that might not be on your radar yet.  I came across this book on my search for 2020 Black YA Contemporary Romances. Noticing how few were on the shelves I decided last year that I would seek them out and review. Because Black teens deserve to see themselves opposite each other outside of fantasies or the "important" books. I was lucky enough to receive an arc from Edelweiss and Balzer and Bray in exchange for an honest review.

One thing that immediately pulled me into this story was the Haitian-American protagonist Henri Haltiwanger. Henri is a witty kid with a laid back coolness and beloved by his peers. He's not the type of Black boy we usually see in the media. He's not a jock and instead is on the debate team. He's not exclusively dating the hottest girl in school nor is he a player. He's just a smart boy, cool with everyone yet aloof at the same time with hopes and dreams of getting into Columbia University and fulfilling his father's American dream. 

I could relate to the pressure of being the child of Caribbean immigrants and going to private school as they push you to be better and do better than they have. Though if I would ever think to say some of those things he said back to his parents during an argument I would've at the very least had to dodge a shoe flying in my direction. This book tackles being a first generation child without being heavy handed and becoming an "issues" book. 

Henri is not only a hard-worker in academics but he also runs his own dog walking business which is how he ends up getting caught up with Corinne Troy. Corinne lives in his building and her mother enlists Henry to be the dog walker to their new puppy. Another bright young student who attends his elite private school she easily discovers the truth about the exclusive dog walking company and uses it to blackmail him into helping her be more sociable with their peers after a teacher describes her as intense in a recommendation letter.

And while Henri finds himself falling for Corinne and her wit which is a matches his own the more time they spend together he can't help but get the fact that her mother is a dean at Columbia out of his mind. Especially since his bombed interview makes him insecure about being admitted. 

Much of the plot is focused on the pursuit to be accepted into Columbia and it can be a little tedious at times as Henri obsesses over checking his emails and the admissions portals daily. While I was never the excellent student that Henri is I did have a dream school also and it brings back those feelings of wondering what your future will be like.

Set perfectly against an NY backdrop Charming as a Verb is a fun rom-com Black teens will enjoy about discovering your true self and acknowledging that your path may not be the one you think it should be.

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

 

Welcome Back, Booklovers!

I'm back with another one to wrap up the month. And what a month August was. So we all know literary fiction is not my strongest point  but  the Audible 2 for 1 credit sale intrigued me. 

And I tend to stay away from fiction that mentions slavery in depth but I'm trying to broaden my book horizons. I think as Black people we are so used to images of pain and suffering being constantly shown to us in the media that after awhile we just get tired and don't want to see anymore. The audiobook format definitely made the early parts of this story easier to digest. Truth be told if I was reading the physical book I may have put it down and never revisited. It was hard listening to the scenes with the lynchings and beatings.

This book though fictional made me sit back and really reflect on how far Black people have come in this country.  It was very ambitious having the story consist of vignettes of the lives of different people across multiple generations. There was so much history to cover and at times it felt when you were just getting to really grasp certain characters their story was over and it was on to their descendant. 

And as someone who is Black American but not African-American I can say sometimes we don't acknowledge everything Black people in the US went through so that we can live the lives we live today. How the white man went out of his way to rip every little bit of African culture away from away from them in while my people in the Caribbean were able to hold on to pieces of theirs. This year we saw a great recognition for Juneteenth across the country which white people immediately jumped on trying to capitalize upon while Emancipation Day in the Caribbean is a national holiday.

 And this book did touch upon the differences in the diaspora. Though my family is not African but West Indian I grew up going to African celebrations with family friends. The scene in the book where Marjorie encountered the African-American girls who made fun of the way she talked and how she had trouble identifying with them. I felt that otherness of you eat food that we don't eat and don't listen to our type of music when I was a child.  African-Americans cannot pinpoint a specific country as their country of origin like other Black Americans but at the same time they have records of history within the USA that is easier to access than history in Africa and the Caribbean which requires a lot more research.

Colonial Africa is not usually as discussed as it should be even though Africa is still feeling the repercussions. We usually don't sit down and think about it because media usually only tells the story about US slavery but the people in Africa were struggling too. Black people are a very spiritual people but it's rarely talked about how Christianity was used to brainwash people. How the white invaders who call themselves missionaries look at Africans as the lost souls. Effia and Esi both experience abuse and trauma in their lives despite the different paths their lives take. When it is mentioned that Africans were selling slaves to the white man people don't like to mention the wars that took place between the different groups of people. I was not familiar with cassare before reading this story and seeing how pivotal it was here.

This was a truly well told story that I highly recommend not only to educate yourself further but to remember how far Black people have come. 

Interview with Author Debbie Rigaud

 

Welcome Back, Booklovers!

I'm back with another interview as a part of my author interview series. She's been around for awhile now having written for some notable magazines. Or if like me you were reading YA contemporary romance during the early 2000s you may have come across her debut.  Or maybe you're just hearing about her with her recent YA and MG books. You definitely want to keep Debbie Rigaud on your radar though.

What inspired you to become a writer? And what was the experience like writing for magazines like CosmoGirl!(a throwback), Seventeen, Essence, etc? 

 I’ve been writing for as far back as I can remember. It’s always been my impulse. In grammar school, I wrote laughably bad poetry about my friends. And I filled journal after journal, documenting my life. It felt like the most natural thing to do—to the point where I didn’t think of writing as a career. But when I got to my first magazine job, I felt like a lousy writer. Magazine writing allows for personal expression, but you have to still adhere to the brand voice. And for a while, I just couldn’t get that brand voice. My first drafts returned from my editor blood red. It wasn’t until I was assigned a first-person piece (from my POV) that I got to show what stuff my writing is made of. I think I just had been overthinking it, focusing on how different I was from my colleagues, feeling out of my comfort zone in a majority white space. It was hard to break through the cycle of those I’m-so-different thoughts.

Now, I recognize a big part of brand voice is a shared worldview. I also understand that back then, I was having trouble connecting to the particular worldview that bred that particular brand voice. Ironically, today, the first thing editors appreciate about my writing is the voice. That’s because now the brand is me and folks like me. Now the worldview I write from is my own and my community’s worldview. And even though I may not always love my first drafts, I am so much more confident in them.

It’s worth investigating our insecurities on a macro level as well as the usual micro level. That way we won’t be so hard on ourselves.

 

We’re seeing more Black books in mainstream YA now. What was your experience like when you were debuting your standalone novel Perfect Shot? For those who don’t know it was part of the popular Simon Romantic comedies series.

 

Yes, many people aren’t aware that I am not a debut author. Although, my time away from publishing stretched so long, I feel like I’m starting over again. When you told me you enjoyed PERFECT SHOT back in the day, I was delighted you knew about it. Yes, the climate was different when that book came out. I was the first Black author to publish in the Simon Pulse Romantic Comedies series. And PERFECT SHOT was the first of the series to feature a Black protagonist. I was very proud to bring London Abrams, a Black sporty girl character to the cannon, and I felt embraced by the SPRC author community. But the experience followed a pattern that’s played out in my life. I thought back to my teens when I worked at a local women’s clothing store. One customer there complained that all the cashiers (who worked side by side on a tall, lighted, elevated platform) were white. In anger, my manager marched out to the floor—where all the Black and Brown girls worked—pointed right at me and barked, “Debbie, you’re on register!” I’m a smiley, friendly people-person so I was his safe choice. Maybe he thought I’d be the stereotypical whitewashed token. LOL. But you only have to spend time with me to know I love my people deeply and I roll deep spiritually. Whatever I do reflects that, and hopefully my people especially benefit from the elevated platforms I reach in my career.

 

Truly Madly Royally was very much inspired by Meghan and Harry’s relationship. What made you decide to write that story?

 

The curiosity and excitement surrounding Meghan and Harry’s engagement, and around the idea of a Brown princess was too good to pass up. From Black Twitter to Joy Ann Reid’s podcast, the aunties and sister-friends were buzzing about this royal romance, and I couldn’t get enough of everyone’s reaction posts. Happily, Aimee Friedman at Scholastic POINT loved my teaser of the inspired-by story I dreamed up, and she invited me to tell Zora and Owen’s story in full.

How would Zora and Owen deal with the current pandemic?

 

Without a doubt, Zora would be making sure the kids in her Walk Me Home program had everything they needed during quarantine. She’d probably be delivering meals and offering socially distant tutoring somewhere outdoors. Owen would be using this time to write short stories as well as to grow into his new student reporter role. Of course, Owen and Zora would be on marathon video chats. And I just know Owen would do a drive by in a Men-in-Black-chauffered car, just to give Zora flowers or deliver her favorite ice cream. 😊

 

Does your Haitian heritage often influence your writing?

 

It does if you consider the steady diet of oral storytelling I grew up consuming. My family are a lively bunch, and when they tell stories, they tell it with their entire bodies. From my grandparents to my aunties and uncles, everyone is quick-witted like you wouldn’t believe. Humor plays a huge part of their stories and their survival, and so my writing reflects that. Aside from the personal anecdotes, there are all these mythological and folkloric tales—so much magical realism, spiritual lore. And they spark so many of my ideas!

 

You also lived in Bermuda for a while. What was that like?

 

Yes! My husband got a job out there right after our wedding. Bermuda is gorgeous, pristine, welcoming. Bermudians are a proud people, and I was fascinated by their history and their heritage. Look up the gombeys to see a traditional dance that the island celebrates every chance they get. Of course, while we were living there, we had so many houseguests from home. Family, friends and even acquaintances came to visit “us.” Lol! I still can’t believe I used to live walking distance from a powdery, pink-sand beach and turquoise waters. Thinking of my time there reminds me of the lyrics to that Mary J Blige song, “You Are My Everything”—"You take me away from the pain/And you bring me paradise.” I lost my mom and grandparents and my soulmate of a godmother within the year I got married and moved to Bermuda.

 

You also co-write the Hope series with Alyssa Milano. What has that been like?

 

It’s been amazing. I love getting to work with a dedicated activist like Alyssa on a series centering a big-hearted, compassionate, smart character like Hope. Through Hope’s adventures, young readers can learn about how interconnected we are as citizens, and about our need to actively care about each other, our communities and of course the planet. I love that Hope isn’t perfect—she’s impulsive, makes mistakes, and she has a lot of fumbles. But she leans on her family and friends to untie the knots she gets herself into. In the back pages, we offer resources and tips. The next HOPE book releases October, and in it Hope runs for class president.

What is your writing process like?

 

I’m a mix of a pantser and a planner. I write a brief synopsis for the book, from beginning to end. The entire synopsis is about five to eight pages. I used to also write a chapter outline, offering a short (two to three sentence) summary for each chapter. But lately, my synopsis has been so detailed, I just use that as an outline. I also refer to notes I’ve written up about the character or the A and B plots. These are notes I jot down whenever inspiration strikes. They are usually notes that help me color the character’s personalities. Also, I write in bursts. I can’t write zero words for days straight and 2,000 words another day. I can’t say I’m one of those authors who writes daily and diligently. I’ve tried, and maybe I’ll keep attempting to be that writer. But for now, this is what I’m working with.

 

 

Who are some of your favorite Black writers?

 

Lately, I’ve been reading a lot of Middle Grade. Nnedi Okorafor, Jewell Parker Rhodes, Rita Williams Garcia and Christopher Paul Curtis. Now that I think of it, a lot of that those reads have been historical fiction. And it just so happens, Varian Johnson—another awesome MG author—wrote a great piece in the NYTimes about historical fiction that doesn’t center on Black pain, but uplifts even as it teaches hard truths about the brutalities in our history. I certainly felt uplifted reading these stories. I’m a big fan of Christopher Paul Curtis because he uses humor in the way I love.

 

What books have been your favorite 2020 reads so far?

 

In 2020, I’ve been reading lots of 2019 reads I needed to catch up on. My TBR list is so long because there’s so much amazingness out there. But for 2020, I’m bursting with pride for Leah Johnson’s YOU SHOULD SEE ME IN A CROWN and the YA response in this election year comes in the forms of RUNNING by Natalia Sylvester (great read!!) and Brandy Colbert’s VOTING BOOTH (my next read!). RAYBEARER by Jordan Ifueko is what’s in front of me now. As far as awesome MG releases this year, I loved KEEP IT TOGETHER KEIKO CARTER by Debbi Michiko Florence, GHOST SQUAD by Caribel Ortega, and FROM THE DESK OF ZOE WASHINGTON by Janae Marks.  

 

Are you able to talk about any upcoming projects?

Yes, I’m excited to shout about my upcoming YA rom-com, SIMONE BREAKS ALL THE RULES. I comp it as “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” for prom, but it’s getting lots of comparison to the Netflix series “Never Have I Ever,” which I love. It’s loosely based on my upbringing as an overprotected teen, and there is humor and cultural pride and cringe moments, plus a slow burn romance with a dreamy boy. I hope everyone loves meeting sheltered Simone as she and her similarly-screwed friends set out to create a senior bucket list as a way to win back independence from their families. It comes out summer 2021, and please look out for the cover reveal, because it is everythannnnnggg!!! It’s really wild that we have to be this excited every time a publisher is willing to put a dark-skinned girl’s image on a cover. But hopefully, with enough of these images on shelves every season finding a supportive general audience, it won’t be as unusual. 😊

Follow Debbie on Twitter @debbierigaud and purchase her books for the pre-teens and teens in your life.

When No One is Watching by Alyssa Cole

 

Welcome Back, Booklovers! I'm back with another review and this time I decided to read something different and pick up a suspense book. First I'd like to thank William Morrow/ HarperCollins Publishers for sending me this book for review. 

I was excited to read this book. So many people gave it much praise and claimed I just had to read it. And the premise was so interesting. A thriller tackling gentrification in Brooklyn sounded like a fun read. The beginning is slow. So slow I thought I was going to put it down at one point as I was several chapters in and felt no connection to the dual leads or minor characters. And the leads had similar voices at first that I didn't realize it was dual perspective until Chapter 3 and had to go back and reread.  So our female lead is Sydney, a Black woman who not long ago moved back to the neighborhood fresh from a divorce. The male lead is Theo a white guy who recently moved into the neighborhood with his girlfriend after buying a house together before shit hit the fan in their relationship. 

The pacing for this story was very odd. I don't read a lot of thrillers but I came into this expecting something more thrilling. I wanted a more steady pace that kept my heart pumping. Nothing happened for the first 30% and then it would stop and start going forward before the very last portion of the story where the events were kicked into overdrive.

And if you aren't also a fan of romantic suspense then this isn't for you. I don't mind romantic suspense but I find that the romance part often takes over the suspense part. This book would have some interesting tidbits but then the romance would take place. And I felt nothing for the romance. Why is a book where we spend so much time talking about the evil white people gentrifying the neighborhood, does our leading lady fall for the somewhat naive white guy gentrifying the neighborhood? Oh, but he's not like those caricature white folks in the neighborhood. He's not super woke but he's eager to learn! There's was also a very detailed sex scene that would've been very sensual for a romance but felt too in depth for this story especially after the big reveal that happened prior. Why must we always shoehorn interracial forbidden romance into our stories?

I will give Alyssa Cole her props for doing a lot of research on the history of Brooklyn and how Black people were forced out of the neighborhoods during different periods of history. Unfortunately at times it felt more like a history lesson and very heavy handed. Some light history was needed and helps build the background of the story. Plus that was time we could have instead gotten familiar with the current Black residents of Gifford Place. I didn't really care as they were pushed out of the neighborhood because Sydney barely felt close to them herself. I don't need to like the characters in a book to enjoy it but I do need to feel some form of attachment. 

I liked how the discussions from the neighborhood app OurHood were inserted. The conversations on there were the only time I really felt a sense of community. And many neighborhoods that white folks inhabit including my own though I've never checked it out do have those apps. Because even the rare times they came together as neighbors it didn't feel like they were truly close knit.

The white villains were caricatures who were so blatantly obvious with their intentions it was eye rolling. Central Park Karen um I mean Kim was too much too soon and she set the tone for the evil white folks we would encounter in this story. And the last section of the book started feeling really dystopian to me which while entertaining was odd because that wasn't the tone throughout. 

I really do think this had potential to be a great story befitting of all the rave reviews but it didn't quite come together for me the way I would've liked. It was a decent first attempt at romantic suspense for Alyssa Cole and I wish it would've been marketed that way to set expectations.