Tag: romance

New Romystery

- Stephanie Leave a comment

I would like to start a movement that romystery becomes the next big trend in literature (move over romantasy!). Romystery is the mix between romance and mystery. This genre is typically less high stakes than romantic suspense, but still contains a mystery that will keep the romantically entangled characters linked. Below is a list of new romystery titles that we can’t wait to get our hands on (and that we hope you’ll like too)!

As of this writing, all of these titles are owned by the Davenport Public Library. Descriptions provided by the publishers.

And Then There Was the One by Martha Waters

In a quaint village in the Cotswolds, Georgiana Radcliffe has accidentally become an amateur detective after helping solve four murders in a single year. When the chairman of the village council turns up dead, everyone agrees with the official ruling of a heart attack, but Georgie can’t help but suspect that the council chairman is a fifth victim. Now, murder tourists are flocking from around the country, in hopes of becoming sleuths themselves.

Along with her reporter friend, she reaches out to a famous London detective for assistance in ascertaining why they have become a magnet for murder. But the fancy detective is simply too busy—or can’t be bothered—to help, and instead dispatches his secretary, Sebastian Fletcher-Ford—a posh womanizer who, truthfully, is just trying to get out of his hair, much to practical, no-nonsense Georgie’s dismay. But as they investigate in the charming Buncombe-upon-Woolly—with plentiful scones, sheep on the village green, and murder tourists at every turn—Georgie finds that her previous assessment of Sebastian may have been wrong, and rather than solving a murder, she may be solving for love instead. – Atria Books

This title is also available in large print.

Crazy Spooky Love by Josie Silver

Ghosts and spirits are business as usual, but love just might be enough to scare Melody Bittersweet.

In the leafy, charming town of Chapelwick, the Bittersweet family has been a fixture on High Street for as long as anyone can remember. Their rambling black-and-white building houses all three generations of ghost-sensitive Bittersweet women and their business, Blithe Spirits.

On her twenty-seventh birthday, Melody Bittersweet converts the disused back storeroom into her office and opens her own business. Unlike the rest of her family, she’s not taking down messages from ghosts—she’s taking them out.

Right away, the freshly minted Girls’ Ghostbusting Agency takes on its first case: a grand old house that won’t sell because a trio of incumbent ghost brothers raise merry hell whenever prospective owners arrive to view it.

It soon becomes clear that there’s a whole heap of unfinished business between the Scarborough brothers—including murder—and Melody isn’t the only one trying to unravel the mystery. Leo Dark, her rakish ex and business rival, is also on the case, along with the TV crew that trails him.

To make matters worse, the sarcastic and skeptical (and annoyingly good-looking) local reporter Fletcher Gunn has his nose in the story as well. Sniffing out a way to publicly discredit the Bittersweets is his favorite assignment—and has absolutely nothing to do with his inability to resist Melody.

With her business on the line, it’s up to Melody to work out the brothers’ issues, but can she protect her own very susceptible heart from Fletcher’s charm? Does she even want to? – Dell

This title is also available in large print.

Cross Your Heart and Hope He Dies by Jenny Elder Moke

Juliette Winters is used to taking care of business alone. She has no time for petty things like romance, friendships, or emotional commitments. Love is for people who believe in reality TV dating and holding hands in public. She’s too busy dominating the publishing world by single-handedly saving her company from financial ruin with the book deal of the century.

Business magnate Warren Ellingham has guaranteed Juliette exclusive rights to his explosive memoir that promises to expose the secrets of his ultra-exclusive country club, Pacific Pines. But when Warren drops dead of an apparent heart attack and the memoir is stolen, Juliette suspects that someone was willing to resort to murder to keep their secrets from being exposed.

Enlisting the help of Charlie Hawkins, a doctor with a heart of gold and abs of steel, Juliette dives into the glamorous and messy world of Pacific Pines Country Club. As the investigation heats up, so does the tension between Juliette and Charlie. But Juliette can’t afford any distractions because the bodies keep dropping, and Juliette is tee-d up to take the blame. If she doesn’t uncover Warren’s killer soon, the thing that was supposed to secure her future might just be the thing that ends it.

Jenny Elder Moke’s twisty mystery rom-com blend will delight readers with its outrageous characters, laugh-out-loud jokes, and opposites attract romance. – Minotaur Books

Definitely Maybe Not a Detective by Sarah Fox (book 1 in The Wyatt Investigations Mysteries)

In this delightfully charming rom-com mystery, a woman becomes accidentally entangled in a murder investigation (and with a handsome stranger) when her fake detective agency is enlisted to solve a real homicide.

Emersyn Gray is definitely not a detective.

Really, she’s an unemployed twenty-eight-year-old raising her beloved niece in the only place she can afford after her ex-boyfriend ran off with her life savings: a run-down, seniors-only apartment complex that was desperate for tenants. But never fear—her wild best friend has the perfect plan to get Emersyn back on her feet and stick it to her thieving ex: scare him into returning her money by hiring a private investigator to prove he stole it. Only, there won’t be an actual detective, just a fabricated business card from Wyatt Investigations . . . and a ridiculously hot stranger, who steps in to play the part—a stranger whose name is, coincidentally, Wyatt.

Emersyn can’t help but notice the real-life Wyatt is capital H-O-T hot, even though she’s wary of his intentions. But her ex does seem flustered, and if she can get her money back and regain control of her life, maybe it’ll finally prove to her parents that she can be a responsible caregiver to her niece.

But the day after they set their plan in motion, the superintendent of Emersyn’s apartment building winds up dead, and her neighbors turn to her fake detective agency for help after finding one of the phony business cards. With so many eyes on them—or maybe just their eyes on each other—Emersyn and Wyatt agree to take on the case. Now the question is, Can they solve the murder without getting tangled up in their own fictions—or each other? – Bantam

He’s to Die For by Erin Dunn

Brooklyn 99 meets The Charm Offensive in this sparkling romantic murder mystery: it’s murder cute in the first degree when a detective finds himself falling for the lead suspect in a career-making case.

At 29, Detective Rav Trivedi is the youngest member of the NYPD’s homicide squad, and his future looks bright. He may be a bit of an outsider in the department—an ivy-league educated gay Brit with a weakness for designer suits—but his meteoric rise and solve rate prove he belongs.

So when his CO assigns him lead on the high-profile murder of a record executive, Rav is ready for action. He won’t be distracted by TV crews, tabloids, or what’s trending on social media, nor by the ridiculously hot rock star with a clear motive and no alibi.

This is it, his shot, and he is not going to screw it up—certainly not by falling in love with his number one suspect… – Minotaur Books

A Killer Getaway by Sierra Sharpe

Falling in love can be murder…

No one in Lily Lennox’s life can understand why, for each of the past five summers, she has left her successful business behind to work a lifeguarding job at the exclusive Riovan Wellness Resort on a sun-soaked Caribbean Island.

Fortunately for her, they also aren’t aware of the mysterious deaths that occur on the island every time she’s there. You see, Lily has a secret. She’s determined to make toxic people pay for the damage they do – and she’s very good at getting away with it.

But this summer, there’s a problem in the form of a very attractive guest, Daniel Black, who is asking a few too many inconvenient questions. Hoping to lead him off her trail, Lily decides to keep her enemy close, but as their attraction grows into something much deeper, Lily’s plans start to unravel. Because Daniel is set on finding the murderer – and Lily plans to get away with it – no matter what. – Sourcebooks Landmark

A Killer Kind of Romance by Letizia Lorini

Scarlett Moore doesn’t do romance.

She’s made a name for herself narrating gritty crime fiction on a local podcast. But when her boss hands her the reins to the network’s romance show, Scarlett finds herself neck-deep in swoony love stories on top of her usual murder plots.

Then someone begins reenacting the chilling crimes she discusses on air, down to the last twisted detail.

Determined to protect her small town, Scarlett launches her own investigation. But the line between reality and fiction blurs even more when Rafael Gray—the brooding bad boy who disappeared five years ago—unexpectedly returns. Suddenly, her life reads like a romance novel filled with every trope she used to mock, with Rafael playing the dangerously irresistible lead.

He’s perfect in every way…except last time, he broke her heart, and now he’s the prime suspect in the string of brutal murders.

Will this be the love story she never saw coming, or is it a killer kind of romance? – Gallery Books

Without a Clue by Melissa Ferguson

A laugh-out-loud rom-com wrapped in a whodunit, this high-seas adventure proves that sometimes the best love stories start with a little murder.

Penelope Mae Dupont has one superpower: keeping her cool. Which is essential when you’re the personal assistant to renowned mystery author Hugh Griffin. But when Pip organizes a luxury book cruise featuring The Fabulous Seven–a glittering cast of seven bestselling authors known for both their brilliance and their drama–her trademark composure starts slipping. One boat. Seven egos. Hundreds of fans. What could possibly go wrong?

Well . . . murder, for starters.

On day two, Hugh is found dead–and the cruise security team proves to be utterly incompetent. Stranded in the middle of the Atlantic with no help in sight, Pip realizes if anyone’s going to solve the case, it’ll have to be her. And so, with her friend and ally Nash, the dreamy Western author who’s just as rugged as the cowboys he writes about, she puts her amateur sleuthing skills to the test.

As Pip and Nash navigate an ocean of secrets, shocking twists, and one too many red herrings, she’ll have to decide whether she’s meant to stay behind the scenes–or finally step into the spotlight . . . and maybe, just maybe, find love along the way.

In the world of mystery and love, sometimes you have to risk going overboard to find the truth. – Thomas Nelson

New Romance

- Stephanie Leave a comment

Are you looking for a new romance? Look no further! Below you will find a list of new romances that were published in January 2026 and just hit the shelves at your Davenport Public Library. The romance titles picked for this post are either standalone novels or first in a series. As of this writing, all of these titles are owned by the Davenport Public Library. Descriptions are provided by the publishers.

Drive Me Crazy by Lizzy Dent

Can they navigate the twists and turns of love without crashing and burning?

As one of the first female team principles in Formula 1, Chloe Coleman is determined to prove herself and transform her failing team from underdogs to champions. Nothing can ruin her strategy—except maybe the surprising new addition of a cocky, top-tier driver who’s lost his edge. And he just so happens to be her estranged childhood crush who still sends her heart racing.

Matt Warner needs a comeback. A former champion, he hasn’t won a race since the disastrous crash that landed his best friend and teammate in the hospital. If there’s a silver lining to this scandalous demotion, it’s his fierce and familiar new boss, Chloe. But as the competition heats up, so does an unexpected spark that turns dangerously and passionately hot. With the world watching and pressures of the season mounting, will their chemistry lead them to victory, or spin them out of control? – G.P. Putnam’s Sons

Fruit of the Flesh by I.V. Ophelia

Love devours those who dare to taste it.

Behind the glamour of Gilded Age New York, a marriage of convenience between an artisan and a ballerina masks their shared appetite for revenge in this darkly seductive gothic romance.

In early 1900s New York, former ballerina Petronille De Villier makes an unconventional marry struggling sculptor Arkady Kamenev. For her, it’s an escape from her family’s unsavory legacy. For him, the De Villier name promises the patronage his art desperately needs. It should be a simple arrangement.

But beneath their marriage of convenience lurks a darker recognition. In each other, they see a reflection of their own dangerous appetites. As buried secrets surface and bodies begin disappearing, Petronille and Arkady discover their union runs deeper than social advantage. Their shared obsessions draw them into an intoxicating dance of predator and prey, though it’s never quite clear who is which.

Bound by law, God, and blood, they must decide if their monstrous natures will tear them apart or forge them into something terribly wonderful together. In a world where nothing is quite what it seems, two creatures of shadow learn that true love requires a taste for the macabre. – I.V. Ophelia

Fundamentals of Being a Good Girl by Julie Murphy & Sierra Simone (book 1 in Academic Affairs series)

Class is in session.

Maddie Kowalczk is ready to be a bad girl. When the rookie lecturer lands at Astra University, she’s looking to start fresh after a messy breakup. But her first night in town takes a twist when she bumps into Bram Loe—a reserved but incredibly handsome single dad she (not so accidentally) stole a parking spot from earlier that day. The unspoken chemistry as he locks eyes with her while she gets a birthday spanking at a local bar is hotter than a Bunsen burner at full flame.

Bram is looking for a break from his hectic life as an ecology professor and dad to rambunctious twins and a busy teenager. So when his college friend’s divorce celebration brings him face-to-face with the same delectable brat who stole his parking spot, he’s ready for a night to remember. But the next morning, Bram’s world turns upside down (and that’s not just the hangover talking). His new nanny? None other than Maddie, who also happens to be the new poli-sci adjunct at the university where he teaches.

Maddie is desperate and broke, so when Bram offers her a raise and the chance to set some ground rules, she can’t say no. As the two settle into their new roles, the normally unruffled Bram finds that no one riles him up like Maddie does, which is a problem when every argument feels like foreplay. Of course, Bram is an educator first and foremost, and he very quickly finds he can’t resist the temptation of instructing Maddie in the fundamentals of being a good girl.

And it turns out Maddie’s a hands-on learner… – Avon

Last First Kiss by Julian Winters

Sparks fly in this second chance m/m rom com when an unlucky-in-love event planner realizes the man-of-honor at the high profile wedding he’s planning is the same man who broke his heart.

They say you never forget your first kiss. But Jordan Carter wishes he could forget the one he shared with Jamie Peters as teens. And the one they almost shared again last year before Jamie made it clear he wasn’t the “right” man for Jordan to be with while he’s figuring himself out.

Now, Jordan’s fully focused on his career at 24 Carter Gold, his family’s event planning company, and ready to move on – until his boss assigns him to plan a new client’s high-profile wedding. The bride’s man-of-honor? None other than Jamie.

As things ramp up the closer they get to the wedding, so does Jordan’s relationship with Jamie, with sarcastic asides turning into steamy hook-ups. But can Jordan afford to pursue Jamie if he’s still unsure of who he is? Or is knowing who he loves enough? Venue shopping, cake-tastings, and dress fittings with the man he can’t forget just might change the man Jordan Carter is meant to become.

Last First Kiss by Julian Winters is a second chance romance about finding yourself–and the love of your life. – St. Martin’s Griffin

Like in Love With You by Emma R. Alban

When Catherine Pine relocates to Bath in 1817, she comes face-to-face with her mother’s arch nemesis and her daughter—the wildly popular Lady Rosalie. Twenty-five years after a horrible betrayal, Catherine’s mother sees the perfect opportunity for revenge: Catherine must win the favor of Lady Rosalie’s suitor and unofficial betrothed, the most eligible Mr. Dean.

Only Catherine soon discovers that Lady Rosalie is by far the wittiest, cleverest, most intriguing young woman Catherine’s ever met, and she’s instantly smitten. Which is a problem.

Meanwhile, Lady Rosalie feels trapped in her relationship with Mr. Dean and in her role as Bath’s resident mean girl. But when she notices newcomer Catherine gunning for her spot as queen bee, Rosalie finally feels a spark again–something she absolutely doesn’t want to extinguish.

As Rosalie and Catherine circle Mr. Dean, and their mothers force them into increasingly absurd contests of wit and feminine charms, the two women somehow find themselves falling for each other, scheme, by barb, by catty jab…

Is it possible that their sizzling rivalry can become a match to last? – Avon

Most Eligible by Isabelle Engel

Georgia Rose is not going on the hit reality dating show Love Shack to find love. She’s there to write a killer exposé on the producers, which will guarantee the journalism job of her dreams. But when Georgia’s unforgettable one-night stand from the year before, country singer Rhett Auburn, steps into the Malibu mansion as the season’s new host, all of her carefully crafted plans unravel.

Caught up in the drama of backstabbing contestants, producer blackmail, and death-defying dates, Georgia must keep her identity—and history with Rhett—a secret. Despite the lies between them, it isn’t long before Georgia and Rhett’s heated behind-the-scenes moments start to feel more genuine than the romance Georgia’s faking for the cameras. But with her assignment unfinished and the executive producer on her tail, a second chance with Rhett could be her riskiest move of all. – St. Martin’s Griffin

The Odds of You by Kate Dramis

Sage Collins knows a thing or two about odds. A year ago, she was a data analyst until she burned it all down to pursue her dream of becoming an author. One whirlwind bestseller and a struggling second book later, and Sage isn’t sure she’ll ever write a novel again.

But then an accidental encounter with an irritating passenger on the flight to Comic Con leaves Sage in an untested position. That passenger is Theo Sharpe: a breakout actor on the cusp of fame. And, unfortunately, the paparazzi have mistaken her for his girlfriend.

Armed with signature British charm and a smile that could tame oceans, Theo wears fame like a well-fit coat…though Sage can see there’s something deeper held in his eyes. But his fans are too involved in the drama, the pressure to deliver the next bestseller is on, and Sage and Theo both must agree there’s nothing between them. They don’t have to acknowledge that saying it doesn’t make it true.

When Sage decides to flee to Scotland to clear her head and write her novel, she expects to find fresh air and the stillness to think. What she doesn’t expect is Theo Sharpe to come back into her life…and how he may be her greatest miscalculation of all. – St. Martin’s Griffin

Our Ex’s Wedding by Taleen Voskuni

Two people who can’t stand each other must come together to plan their mutual ex’s wedding in this new romantic comedy by Taleen Voskuni, author of Lavash at First Sight.

Ani Avakian was supposed to be the Bay Area’s premier Armenian wedding planner by now. But after a huge blow to her business, she’s determined to redeem herself by taking on the biggest job of her career: a wedding for an indie movie star. The wedding is set at a stunning Armenian-owned winery, and Ani is eager to connect with the owner, who she’ll be working closely with. But then she actually meets him. Sure, Raffi is ridiculously hot and charming, but he’s also insufferably smug. Though the real gut punch comes when Ani meets the happy couple—because the actress’s fiancée is none other than the woman who shattered her heart two years ago: her ex-girlfriend, Kami.

All Raffi Garabedian has ever wanted is to make his father proud. Taking over the family winery should be his dream come true—but its first major event is off to a rocky start, thanks to one irritating(-ly beautiful) wedding planner who challenges him at every turn. He’s shocked to find that they have one thing in common, however: their mutual ex, Kami. Despite the record level of awkwardness, they’ll have to work together to make sure this wedding goes perfectly. But first, they’ll have to deal with the tension sizzling between them—before it turns their ex’s nuptials into a full-blown disaster…or something much more scandalous. – Berkley

Playing for Keeps by Alexandria Bellefleur

Poppy Peterson’s life is finally back on track and she’s thriving as the publicist of the NFL’s most promising quarterback (and her childhood best friend), Cash Curran. So, she doesn’t appreciate when he makes an impulsive and public pass at America’s popstar darling, Lyric Adair. When Lyric’s notorious publicist Rosaline Sinclair reaches out, Poppy is ready to face her wrath, but instead learns that Lyric is equally interested.

As Cash and Lyric embark on their ill-advised whirlwind romance, Poppy and Rosaline are forced together, each determined to protect their own client from the other. Poppy is frustrated by Rosaline’s cool demeanor, while at the same time, as a legend in the industry, she’s determined to impress her. But, no matter what she does, she can’t shake the feeling that Rosaline doesn’t like her.

That is until one steamy night, when the two women contend with their unexpected feelings and begin a messy romance of their own. But with paparazzi, tabloids, and stalker fans nipping at their heels, Poppy and Rosaline’s loyalties will be tested in ways they could never expect. – Avon

The Re-Do List by Denise Williams

Willow experienced all her big firsts with her high school sweetheart. Now, reeling from their very public breakup, she wants to get a re-do on those important moments. While dog-sitting for her brother during his deployment, she has a chance to start over and spending time with his best friend gives her the confidence to start checking items off her “Re-Do list.”

Deacon promised his best friend two things when Cruz left for a deployment: that he’d look out for Willow, and that he’d keep his hands off Cruz’s baby sister. “Operation Re-Do” is innocent enough at first: Deacon likes Willow and he’s willing to help her out any way he can. But when the list of firsts turns from a first dance to first kisses and more, Deacon can’t deny the connection he feels to Willow.

As Deacon’s and Willow’s firsts turn to seconds, thirds, and fourths, this pair can’t get enough of each other—and they support each other through new challenges. But they are both aware there’s an end date to Willow’s time in town… and even if she were to stay, Deacon doesn’t know how to choose between his loyalty to his closest friend and the woman he’s fallen in love with. With no more romantic moments on her list for them to re-do, can these two still find a way to stay together? – Berkley

An Academic Affair by Jodi McAlister

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“Sincerity, my research had taught me, was often seen as a vulnerability. To earnestly express a feeling was a weakness. It was part of the reason people—including, but not limited to, Professor Christian Fisher—liked to hang shit on romance novels. There was something inherently earnest at their heart: a sincere love and hope and joy that readers often reacted to with the same feelings, a delicate flower that provoked some people to want to crush it.”
― Jodi McAlister, An Academic Affair

What do you know about the cutthroat world of academia? Personally, I know next to nothing, but a new romance, and start to a new series, by Jodi McAlister called An Academic Affair discusses the lengths that people go through in order to secure an academic job. If you’re interested in a marriage of convenience or a rivals to lovers romance, I recommend you give this title a read!

Sadie Shaw and Jonah Fisher, English professors and academic rivals, have been fighting since they first met as undergraduates almost fifteen years ago. While they have been battling about almost anything and everything, they have had stalemates over the years. Teaching part-time and both dreaming of a full-time secured job, the two are shocked when a new teaching opportunity comes available that they are both qualified for. Obviously they are both going to apply for it and obviously their rivalry is going to reach untold heights.

Sadie and Jonah have their own reasons for wanting this job. For Sadie, she would finally have a full-time teaching position and the financial security and freedom that comes along with said job. The same is also true for Jonah, plus this job is in the same town as his recently separated sister, thus allowing him to help her and her children. Only one of them can get this job though.

After the hire is announced, Sadie discovers that the job offers partner hire. This may be a way for them both to secure full-time employment! Sadie proposes a legal marriage of convenience to Jonah. What could possibly go wrong? The positives far outweigh the negatives, but when the two spend more and more time together, their opinions of each other change. Maybe they could actually be friends? Or something more?

Let me be honest: I checked this book out based purely on the cover! This is a marriage of convenience, rivals to lovers, and open door romance that had me kicking my feet and giggling as the characters grew. The relationship between Sadie and Jonah was incredibly genuine and felt like it could have actually happened. Jodi McAlister is releasing a sequel called A Study in Sparkling which should be publishing in July 2026, starring some of the side characters from An Academic Affair. I can’t wait.

Literary Lovers (or Love Notes) series

  1. An Academic Affair (2025)
  2. A Study in Sparkling (2026)

Cover Trends: I’m Spying On You

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Being around books every day means that you notice book cover trends. Publishing has changed so much over the years with one of the major changes being cover design. Covers have become more animated with abstract art and bold colors. One trend I’ve seen lately is people spying on others! Whether it’s through a letter slot, a magnifying glass, a pair of binoculars, or by creeping around a corner, these books below are just a sampling of books with nosy main characters!

The titles in this list are all standalones or first in series. As of this writing, all of these titles are owned by the Davenport Public Library. Descriptions are provided by the publishers.

10 Marchfield Square by Nicola Whyte

When a minor criminal is murdered in the smallest residential square in London, elderly heiress and landlady Celeste van Duren recruits two of her tenants to investigate. Her cleaner, Audrey, knows everyone and is liked by all, while failed writer Lewis is known by no one. He hates his job, hates his life, and he’s not that fond of Audrey either—but Celeste is persuasive.

As they hunt for clues in and around the Square, they discover everyone has something to hide, including their fellow residents. Audrey and Lewis must find a way to work together if they’re to find the killer in their midst. Assuming of course, there’s just the one . . . – Union Square & Co.

Birding with Benefits by Sarah T. Dubb

The inspiration behind the Hallmark Channel movie Adventures in Love and Birding.

A divorcee embarks on her “year of yes” and crosses paths with a shy but sensitive birdwatcher who changes her life in this charming rom-com that is perfect for fans of Christina Lauren and Ali Hazelwood.

Newly-divorced, almost-empty-nester Celeste is finally seeking adventure and putting herself first, cliches be damned. So when a friend asks Celeste to “partner” with his buddy John for an event, Celeste throws herself into the role of his temporary girlfriend. But quiet cinnamon roll John isn’t looking for love, just birds—he needs a partner for Tucson’s biggest bird-watching contest if he’s ever going to launch his own guiding business. By the time they untangle their crossed signals, they’ve become teammates…and thanks to his meddling friends, a fake couple.

Celeste can’t tell a sparrow from a swallow, but John is a great teacher, and the hours they spend hiking in the Arizona wilderness feed Celeste’s hunger for new adventures while giving John a chance to practice his dream job. As the two spend more time together, they end up watching more than just the birds, and their chemistry becomes undeniable. Since they’re both committed to the single life, Celeste suggests a status upgrade: birders with benefits, just until the contest is done. But as the bird count goes up and their time together ticks down, John and Celeste will have to decide if their benefits can last a lifetime, or if this love affair is for the birds. – Gallery Books

This title is also available in large print.

Definitely Maybe Not a Detective by Sarah Fox (book 1 in Wyatt Investigations Mysteries series

Emersyn Gray is definitely not a detective.

Really, she’s an unemployed twenty-eight-year-old raising her beloved niece in the only place she can afford after her ex-boyfriend ran off with her life savings: a run-down, seniors-only apartment complex that was desperate for tenants. But never fear—her wild best friend has the perfect plan to get Emersyn back on her feet and stick it to her thieving ex: scare him into returning her money by hiring a private investigator to prove he stole it. Only, there won’t be an actual detective, just a fabricated business card from Wyatt Investigations . . . and a ridiculously hot stranger, who steps in to play the part—a stranger whose name is, coincidentally, Wyatt.

Emersyn can’t help but notice the real-life Wyatt is capital H-O-T hot, even though she’s wary of his intentions. But her ex does seem flustered, and if she can get her money back and regain control of her life, maybe it’ll finally prove to her parents that she can be a responsible caregiver to her niece.

But the day after they set their plan in motion, the superintendent of Emersyn’s apartment building winds up dead, and her neighbors turn to her fake detective agency for help after finding one of the phony business cards. With so many eyes on them—or maybe just their eyes on each other—Emersyn and Wyatt agree to take on the case. Now the question is, Can they solve the murder without getting tangled up in their own fictions—or each other? – Bantam

The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club by Gloria Chao (book 1 in Hu Done It Mystery series)

The body in the closet was going to be a problem. Kathryn Hu knew it. Yes, Tucker Jones was a cheating scumbag, and yes, she’d agreed to meet Olivia and Elle—Tucker’s other girlfriends—to exact revenge for all he’d put them through… But then they found him. Dead.

Do they look guilty? Yes.

Do they feel guilty for having wished him dead just hours before? Maybe a little.

But—solid motive and a crime scene covered in their DNA aside—they’re innocent. They swear.

To clear their names, Kat, Olivia, and Elle team up to find the real killer. But as they go undercover and lie to everyone, including the hot detective working the case, they realize that every person in their ex’s life had a reason to want him dead. Will they uncover the truth before they go down for a murder they didn’t commit? – MIRA

Errands & Espionage by Sam Tschida

Recently divorced Gabby Greene spends most of her days listening to self-help books while wrangling her loving yet erratic kids. During a decade of marriage, Gabby shoved aside her own career and ambitions to make room for mountains of laundry, running errands, and investigating the case of the missing socks. Her number one suspect: their Bichon Frise, Mr. Bubbles.

All that changes when a secret government agency comes knocking on Gabby’s door, asking her to go undercover. At first, she thinks some reality show is pranking her, but apparently, she bears a striking resemblance to an agent recently murdered, and… well, desperate missions call for desperate measures. Soon Gabby is juggling motherhood and a crash course in Spying 101, led by a handsome James Bond-type who has secrets of his own.

As Gabby embarks on a dangerous mission involving money laundering, a Russian oligarch, and an unfortunate incident with a prosthetic nose, she begins to realize that she is far from the invisible housewife she once believed herself to be, and that maybe, just maybe, she might be capable of saving the day. – Forever

The Hollywood Assistant by May Cobb

Offered a dream job in Hollywood with a famous director and his actress wife, an insecure woman becomes their personal assistant where their secrets and lies place her in the crosshairs of a murder investigation.

Cassidy Foster is heartbroken, stuck in life, and getting a little too obsessed with plants. When a well-connected friend becomes sick of Cassidy’s moping and gets her a gig with famous Hollywood couple, Marisol and Nate Sterling, Cassidy jumps at the chance to move to sunny LA.

The Sterlings are warm and welcoming. A perfect couple. All Cassidy has to do is be available a few hours a week for errands. In return, she has access to luxury: Designer clothes. A sparkling pool. Great pay.

When Nate takes an interest in her, asking her to read scripts he’s written, Cassidy thinks this could be the key to kick-starting her writing dreams. As their business relationship grows, so does their attraction. Nate is sexy and talented, and Cassidy can’t believe her luck. Clearly, Marisol doesn’t know what she has. Maybe that’s why the two are always fighting when they think Cassidy isn’t around.

But Cassidy learns she was hired for a different purpose. The Sterlings aren’t the perfect couple. Marisol isn’t the perfect wife. And when one of them is found dead, Cassidy becomes the perfect suspect. – Berkley

This title is also available in large print.

Homemaker by Ruthie Knox and Annie Marie (book 1 in Prairie Nightingale series)

When a former friend and devoted mother vanishes, a confident homemaker turned amateur sleuth follows an unexpected trail of scandals and secrets to find her.

Prairie Nightingale is both the midlife mother of two teenage girls and a canny entrepreneur who has turned homemaking into a salaried profession. She’s also fascinated with the gritty details of other people’s lives. So when seemingly perfect Lisa Radcliffe, a member of her former mom-friends circle, suddenly disappears, it’s in Prairie’s nature to find out why.

Given her innate talent for vital pattern recognition, Prairie is out to catch a few clues by taking a long, hard look at everyone in Lisa’s life—and uncovering their secrets. Including Lisa’s. Prairie’s dogged curiosity is especially irritating to FBI agent Foster Rosemare, the first interesting man Prairie has met since her divorce. His square jaw and sharp suits don’t hurt.

But even as the investigation begins to wreak havoc on Prairie’s carefully tended homelife, she’s resolved to use her multivalent homemaking skills to solve the mystery of a missing mom—and along the way discover the thrill of her new sleuthing ambitions. – Thomas & Mercer

Isabella’s Not Dead by Beth Morrey

Isabella’s NOT dead.

That’s what Gwen tells anyone who asks about the friend who ghosted them all fifteen years ago. But if Isabella’s not dead, then where is she? And why did she leave, just when Gwen needed her most?

Freshly fifty-three, out of a job, and with children who are starting to fly the nest, Gwen decides to turn detective. Setting out to solve the mystery, Gwen embarks on an adventure across England—then across Europe—that will test her marriage and put her on a collision course with reluctant acquaintances, a mother-in-law best described as eccentric, and a rabbit hole full of clues. But Isabella’s not the only one who’s lost.

A tale of deep, frayed friendship, fractured memories, and skewed perspectives, Isabella’s Not Dead is the story of one woman’s quest to reclaim her best friend—and herself. – G.P. Putnam’s Sons

Nosy Neighbors by Freya Sampson

Nothing brings neighbors together like someone else’s secrets… At Shelley House, the walls have ears, and they’re attached to a ragtag duo of busybodies ready to pry, snoop, and generally annoy their neighbors into solving a crime.

Seventy-seven-year-old Dorothy Darling has lived in Shelley House longer than any of the other residents, and if you take their word for it, she’s as cantankerous as they come. But Dorothy has her reasons for spying. And none of them require justifying herself to Kat Bennett.

Twenty-five-year-old Kat has never known a place where she felt truly at home, and crumbling Shelley House is no different. Her neighbors find her prickly and unapproachable, but beneath her tough exterior, Kat’s plagued by a guilty secret from her past.

When their apartments face demolition, sworn enemies Kat and Dorothy agree on just one thing: they must save their historic building. But when someone plays dirty—and one of the residents is viciously taken down—Dorothy and Kat seek justice. The police close the investigation too soon, leaving it up to the unlikely amateur sleuths—with a playful Jack Russell terrier at their side—to restore peace in their community. – Berkley

This title is also available in large print.

One Death at a Time by Abbi Waxman

When Julia Mann, a bad-tempered ex-actress and professional thorn in the side of authority, runs into Natasha Mason at an AA meeting, it’s anything but a meet-cute. Julia just found a dead body in her swimming pool, and the cops say she did it (she already went to jail for murder once, so now they think she’s making a habit of it). Mason is eager to clear Julia’s name and help keep her sober, but all Julia wants is for Mason to leave her alone.

As their investigation ranges from the Hollywood Hills to the world of burlesque to the country clubs of Palm Springs, this unconventional team realizes their shared love of sarcasm and poor life choices are proving to be a powerful combination. Will secrets from their past trip them up, or will their team of showgirls, cat burglars, and Hollywood agents help them stay one step ahead? Are dead piranhas, false noses, and a giant martini glass important clues or simply your typical day in Los Angeles? And will they manage to solve the crime before they kill each other, or worse, fall off the wagon? Trying to keep it simple and take it easy is one thing—trying to find a murderer before they kill again is a whole other program. – Berkley

Welcome to Murder Week by Karen Dukess

When thirty-four-year-old Cath loses her mostly absentee mother, she is ambivalent. With days of quiet, unassuming routine in Buffalo, New York, Cath consciously avoids the impulsive, thrill-seeking lifestyle that her mother once led. But when she’s forced to go through her mother’s things one afternoon, Cath is perplexed to find tickets for an upcoming “murder week” in England’s Peak District: a whole town has come together to stage a fake murder mystery to attract tourism to their quaint hamlet. Baffled but helplessly intrigued by her mother’s secret purchase, Cath decides to go on the trip herself—and begins a journey she never could have anticipated.

Teaming up with her two cottage-mates, both ardent mystery lovers—Wyatt Green, forty, who works unhappily in his husband’s birding store, and Amity Clark, fifty, a divorced romance writer struggling with her novels—Cath sets about solving the “crime” and begins to unravel shocking truths about her mother along the way. Amidst a fling—or something more—with the handsome local maker of artisanal gin, Cath and her irresistibly charming fellow sleuths will find this week of fake murder may help them face up to a very real crossroads in their own lives. – Gallery / Scout Press

Anime Rom-Coms

- Elena Leave a comment

Last year, I wrote about romance manga, so this year I want to highlight on-screen love with these anime rom-coms. If you’re looking for a lighthearted romance to watch, these anime series are a perfect match! The following titles are all available through The Library. (Descriptions below provided by publisher.)

My Love Story!!
Takeo Goda is a giant guy with a giant heart. Too bad the girls don’t want him! (They always go for his good-looking best friend, Sunakawa.) Used to being on the sidelines, Takeo simply stands tall and accepts his fate. But one day when he saves a girl named Yamato from a harasser on the train, his (love!) life suddenly takes an incredible turn! Takeo can hardly believe it when he crosses paths with Yamato again, and he finds himself falling in love with her… But with handsome Sunakawa around, does Takeo even stand a chance?

A Sign of Affection
For hearing-impaired university student Yuki Itose, silence has been a natural part of life since birth. Her world is small and isolated; she commutes to campus, interacts with her best friend Rin Fujishiro, and communicates through writing and text messages—a lifestyle that offers little to no change. One day, during her commute, Yuki meets fellow student Itsuomi Nagi, a multilingual travel enthusiast and friend of Rin. When Itsuomi learns of Yuki’s condition, he takes it in stride, moving Yuki’s heart. From this one simple gesture, Yuki and Itsuomi’s lives start changing day by day as they let each other into their own worlds.

The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague
For Himuro, being a descendant of a snow spirit is tough at the workplace when your emotions can lead to snow blasts with snowmen and igloos. Any emotionally charged incident with coworkers can trigger it—conflict, fun, and in this case, romance. And with his lovely and calm coworker Fuyutsuki, he gets more frozen, literally. Get ready for a snow-white office romance that blows in like a blizzard.

Love after World Domination
It’s love at first sight for Fudo and Desumi, except it was during a battle of life and death. Fudo, leader of the hero squad Gelato 5, and Desumi, the Death Queen of the evil society Gekko, have found themselves caught in a forbidden love—and it’s their first relationship! Moving in secrecy, they live holding hands with one weapon in the other, finding out what’s truly fair in love and war. Can they keep their romance a secret from across the battlefield?

How I Attended an All-Guy’s Mixer
College student Tokiwa gets invited to a mixer by his female classmate Suo. But when he arrives with his friends Asagi and Hagi, they’re greeted by three dazzlingly handsome men. Turns out these three cute boys are actually women in drag! They soon find themselves getting closer in unexpectedly heartwarming (and hilarious) ways.

Overdue by Stephanie Perkins

- Stephanie Leave a comment

“Because he knew, we both knew, that our friendship had always held the capacity for more. The air hummed thicker between us. It startled us with intermittent and unpredictable sparks. This wasn’t the one-way charge of seeing somebody attractive; the charge was striking in both directions.”
― Stephanie Perkins, Overdue

The cover of Overdue by Stephanie Perkins caught my eye from across the library – gorgeous wildflowers with a due date envelope on it screamed bookish romance. Upon starting this read, I knew I was right. This is a grumpy x sunshine, slow-burn romance about finding your way while looking for new beginnings. Ingrid Dahl is a cheery, happy librarian in the mountain town of Ridgetop, North Carolina. Dating her college boyfriend, Cory, for the last eleven years, the two are content with how life is going. When Ingrid’s sister announces her engagement, their peace shatters. The two find themselves on a one-month break where they plan to spend that month dating other people with the understanding that after that month ends, they will restart their relationship and then get married! Nothing could possibly go wrong, right?!

Well, Ingrid isn’t sure how she will survive this month break, but she knows that she wants to spend this time with one specific person: Macon Nowakowski. Macon is the grumpy coworker who has sat next to her at the library for years (and who she has a secret crush on). Determined to win Macon over, she sets her plan in action. An awkward moment occurs, sending Ingrid spiraling. What was she thinking? How could Macon ever like her? What about Cory? This month break has the power to change Ingrid’s entire life forever, not just her relationship.

Overdue by Stephanie Perkins was a beautiful love story of two librarians: she is sunshine and happiness, while he’s grumpy and closed off. This book could have been predictable, but the author instead decides to break the book into separate months, highlighting how each character matures. While this is a love story, the author doesn’t just focus on romantic love. She brings in family, friends, and others to show how love can change. The characters were also incredibly mature while dealing with real life issues (they actually TALKED to each other to solve their problems). Solid four star read.

This title is also available in large print.

Better than the Movies by Lynn Painter

- Stephanie Leave a comment

“Sometimes we get so tied up in our idea of what we think we want that we miss out on the amazingness of what we could actually have.”
― Lynn Painter, Better Than the Movies

First in series, Lynn Painter’s Better Than the Movies is a fun romp through classic romantic comedies as experienced by a hopeless romantic high school senior trying to win over her childhood crush. Liz Buxbaum’s childhood crush, Michael, has moved back to their hometown! Convinced that he is her soulmate and determined to make him her prom date, she enlists the help of her next-door neighbor, Wes, to grab his attention. Wes may be her nemesis, but he’s friends with Michael. Having grown up watching many classic romantic comedies, Liz hatches a fantasy plan straight from one of her movies involving Wes that will hopefully lead Michael to become her prom date. Downside: she’ll have to spend a lot more time with the boy who has tormented her since childhood. Upside: she discovers that spending time with Wes isn’t actually that bad. Has she misjudged him? Her feelings about this whole situation are changing and she isn’t sure what that means for her, Wes, or Michael.

Better Than the Movies was absolutely adorable. Liz is obsessed with her first love, Michael, but her relationship with Wes had me squealing as they grew closer and closer. I also loved the romantic comedies that Liz, the hopeless romantic, has been obsessed with since she was little. It was something her mom loved before she died, so Liz frequently watches the same movies that her mom enjoyed. Liz talks about many of the movies throughout this book, which I enjoyed (and want to watch again!).

Movies series

  1. Better than the Movies (2021)
  2. Nothing Like the Movies (2024)

Interested in this book? Better than the Movies is the February See YA Book Club pick. We will be discussing this book on Wednesday, February 4th at 6:30pm at our Eastern Avenue branch. For more information about future See YA book picks, visit our website.

See YA Book Club

Join our adult book club with a teen book twist. See why so many teen books are being turned into movies and are taking over the best seller lists.

Registration is not required. Books are available on a first-come, first-serve basis at the Eastern Avenue library. We meet the first Wednesday of the month at Eastern at 6:30pm. Stop by the service desk for more information.

Wednesday March 4th session will be meeting in the Story Room.

February 4 – Better than the Movies by Lynn Painter

March 4 – The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera

April 1 – Looking for Smoke by KA Cobell

May 6 – If You Could See the Sun by Ann Liang

June 3 – Shut Up, This is Serious by Carolina Ixta

Friends to Lovers Romances

- Stephanie Leave a comment

Do you have a favorite plot or trope in romance novels? One of my favorites is friends to lovers (I credit 1990s movies for getting me interested in this plot. Think Sleepless in Seattle, You’ve Got Mail, My Best Friend’s Wedding, Ten Things I Hate About You, and so many more). In these novels, the main characters are friends before they fall in love. What interested me in these is that because the characters already have a history, readers see moments that show how well the characters know each other or even how much they already are in each other’s lives.

As of this writing, all of these titles are owned by the Davenport Public Library (and were published in 2025). Descriptions are provided by the publishers.

Finders Keepers by Sarah Adler

Last week, Nina Hunnicutt was a professor about to move into a gorgeous new apartment with her long-term boyfriend. Now, she’s single, unemployed, and living with her parents. Even more surprising is the fact that Quentin Bell, her childhood neighbor (and okay, fine, crush), is also back in town—and wants to resume the treasure hunt that ended their friendship almost two decades ago.

Hoping the reward promised to whoever finds the rumored riches left behind by the town’s eccentric turn-of-the-century seltzer magnate will help her get her life back on track, Nina agrees. Granted, last time the search resulted in a broken heart and seventeen years of silence. But Nina’s older and wiser now. Surely things will be different?

Except, Quentin is also older and wiser…not to mention distractingly handsome. As they resume their hunt, Nina and Quentin begin to rediscover all the things they once loved best about each other. But unlike the treasure, the secrets that left them empty-handed the first time refuse to stay buried. If there’s any hope of finding what they’re looking for—and for a future together—Nina and Quentin will have to be brave enough to excavate their past as well. – Berkley

This title is also available in large print.

Friends to Lovers by Sally Blakely

Best friends Joni and Ren have been inseparable since childhood. So when Joni moves across the country for her job, the two devise a creative way to stay in touch: they’ll be each other’s plus-ones every year for wedding season, no matter what else is happening in their lives.

It’s a tradition that works, until a line is crossed and the friendship they once thought was forever is ruined.

Now Joni is back at their families’ shared summer home for her sister’s wedding, and she’s determined to make the week perfect, even if it means faking a friendship with Ren—and avoiding the truth of why they have to fake it in the first place. How hard can it be to pretend to be friends with the person who once knew you best?

But as sunny beach days together turn into starry nights, Joni begins to question what her life is without Ren in it. And when the wedding arrives, bringing past heartaches to the surface, she’ll be forced to decide if loving Ren means letting him go, or if theirs is a love story worth fighting for. – Canary Street Press

This title is also available in large print.

Friends with Benefits by Marisa Kanter

Evie Bloom pays attention to the details. Her very job depends on it—as an aspiring Foley artist, she’s responsible for every crisp footstep, smacking kiss, and distinct sound in film and television. So when she’s selected for a fellowship opportunity that would make all her career dreams come true, she’s quick to spot the catch: there are no health benefits, and for someone with a chronic illness, that’s a non-starter.

Theo Cohen is an elementary school teacher who can’t afford to live on his own in LA, and is facing eviction after his roommates couple up and move out of their rent-controlled apartment. But there is one loophole in his lease: each tenant must meet an income threshold, unless the tenants are married.

For Theo, the answer is obvious. Marry Evie, his best friend since forever. It’s not as if they don’t spend all their free time together anyways. Not only will Theo be able to keep his apartment, but Evie can be added to his insurance plan so she can accept her dream fellowship. It’s such a logical, practical solution. Never mind that Evie doesn’t really want to be married—not to Theo, not to anyone—ever. Or the small, complicating fact that Theo has always been a little bit in love with Evie.

But it doesn’t have to be a big deal. Marriage. It will just give them space to breathe, and much-needed relief from the daily financial stress. It won’t change anything.

It’s . . . going to change everything. – Celadon Books

The Friendship Fling by Georgia Stone

In this delightfully charming and heartfelt debut love story, two lonely and wildly different strangers embark on a short-term friendship over one London summer—only to discover they may be something more by the time the season ends.

No one would ever call Ava Monroe a people person, which isn’t ideal for a barista in a busy London coffee shop. She’s sarcastic, blunt, and cynical, and her relationships are strictly no strings attached. With her best friend Josie soon leaving for a year, Ava knows she’ll be all alone unless she shakes up her routine. But she can’t risk bringing chance back into her carefully controlled life.

Then insufferably cheerful, country-hopping, undeniably gorgeous Finn O’Callaghan rolls into her coffee shop with a horrifying proposal —a strictly friends-only summer fling. Finn needs a local to help him complete his London bucket list, and Ava needs to reassure Josie she won’t be on her own. And it’s only for a few months.

To Ava’s surprise, their mismatched friendship of convenience becomes oddly tolerable, and as they work their way through Finn’s list and around the sun-drenched city, from rooftops and floating bars to nights at the museum, their adventures—and Finn’s company—start to feel . . . nice. Incredibly, terrifyingly, dangerously nice.

Still, rules are rules—Ava has good reasons for them—and as the days get shorter, Finn’s departure gets closer. Because that’s the thing about summer: it always ends. Right? – Harper Perennial

Never Been Shipped by Alicia Thompson

Micah’s relationship to music is complicated. As teenagers, her band took off after being featured on a popular TV show, but the group barely released their sophomore album before breaking up. Now, over a decade later, the band is reuniting for one more performance on a themed cruise, and Micah is determined to learn from her past mistakes — no losing herself in the music, and no losing her heart along the way.

John misses playing in a band, and mostly he misses Micah, who’d been his best friend until the music stopped. Back then, he didn’t take the lead, either in his guitar parts or while he sat back and watched her date another bandmate. John’s never been one to rock the boat, but he’s faced with another chance now that this cruise has brought music — and Micah — back in his life.

Onboard, Micah can’t help but see John with brand new eyes, and John’s feelings only intensify as the discordant band’s tension grows to a breaking point. With five days at sea, there’s a ticking clock on anything that might develop between them, and they’ll have to decide if their relationship is destined to be more than a one-hit wonder. – Berkley

Only Lovers in the Building by Nadine Gonzalez

Wanted—no, NEEDED: a summer escape with beach reads, cocktails…and a little romance on the side.

After her legal career comes to a sudden and humiliating end, Liliane Lyon books a restorative summer rental at The Icon, a quintessential Art Deco building in Miami Beach, where her only plan is to bask in the sun, read, and sip cocktails. But soon she’s enchanted by the colorful community, including university professor Benedicto Romero—resident tortured poet, whose sole intention for sabbatical is to indulge in brooding introspection.

When they discover a shared passion for romance novels, Lily and Ben are soon spending hours reading together by the pool, the spark between them unwittingly giving the other residents the impression that they’re experts in matters of the heart…no matter that IRL their disastrous love lives bear little resemblance to the stories they’re reading.

But while Ben and Lily can pinpoint a trope a mile away and give excellent advice to others, they can’t make sense of the sizzling chemistry between them, and the suggestion of a professional podcast suddenly forces them to consider the long-term. So what if it means working even closer together! So what if their banter makes Lily’s head spin! It’s the summer of taking chances, but a word to the wise: Miami isn’t the place for growth and rebirth. It’s the place to get messy. – Canary Street Press

Passion Project by London Sperry

If your twenties are supposed to be the best years of your life, Bennet Taylor is failing miserably . . . with a big emphasis on the miserable. Where’s that zest she keeps hearing about? She’s a temp worker in New York City with no direction, no future, and no social life. And at the painful center of this listlessness is grief over the death of her first love.

When Bennet runs into Henry Adams just hours after standing him up for a first date, she makes an alcohol-fueled confession: She’s not ready to date. In fact, it’s been years since she felt passion for something. Not even pottery, or organized sports—not anything. Rather than leaving her to ruminate, Henry jumps at the opportunity for adventure: Bennet needs to find a passion for life, and Henry will help her find it. Every Saturday, they’ll try something new in New York City. As friends, of course.

As their “passion project” continues, the pair tackle everything from carpentry to tattooing to rappelling off skyscrapers, and Bennet feels her guarded exterior ebbing away. But as secrets surface, Bennet has to decide what she wants, and if she’s truly ready to move on. With emotional resonance and sparkling banter, Passion Project is a fun, flirty, thoughtful story of finding a spark—and igniting happiness. – Penguin Books

Something Cheeky by Thien-Kim Lam

Zoe Tran is living her best life, designing plus-size lingerie at her own award-winning clothing boutique, when suddenly her college best friend reenters her life. Derek Bui is offering a tantalizing chance to recapture a forgotten dream: designing costumes for the musical they created together years ago.

Derek has loved Zoe since freshman year but never had the guts to confess his true feelings. Now he’s directing the Vietnamese Cinderella rock musical they dreamed up in college. The stakes are high: it’s the first production with an all-Asian cast and creative team at Washington, D.C.’s largest theatre and if they can make it work, they’ll head to Broadway. But his real goal: get Zoe back in his life.

A proud demisexual, Zoe only ever saw Derek as her best friend, but working on their dream production together brings them closer than ever. Sparks ignite under the hot spotlights. But when the theatre’s artistic director pressures Derek to make the musical “less Asian,” he and Zoe clash on whether to stay true to their vision or compromise to keep the production alive.

Will Zoe and Derek finally let love take center stage or will their creative differences close the curtains on them forever? – Avon

When Javi Dumped Mari by Mia Sosa

One engagement. Two best friends. Three’s a crowd.

On the eve of their college graduation, best friends Javier Báez and Marisol Campos swore never to date someone the other doesn’t approve of. Now, almost a decade later, Javi has a problem. Mari, the woman he’s secretly pined for since sophomore year, is engaged—and Javi didn’t even get the chance to vet the Pedro Pascal knockoff she plans to marry.

A successful entertainment lawyer in Los Angeles, Mari is no longer seeking Javi’s dating advice or waiting for him to declare his love. Instead, she’s made a different pact—with herself. And to succeed, Mari’s vowing to build a future with someone who wants to commit to her.

With his life and career finally on track, Javi’s ready to confess his feelings. Except Mari’s changed the script and moved on without him. Javi has just six weeks to convince Mari this marriage is a flop. If that means he needs to ruffle some feathers to help her avert disaster, well, he’s up for the challenge. After all, isn’t that what best friends are for? – G.P. Putnam’s Sons

This title is also available in large print.

With Stars in Her Eyes by Andie Burke

Seconds from a meteoric career launch, cellist Courtney Starling suffers a frightening migraine attack during a key performance. While harmful rumors fly, she escapes to her happy place—her best friend’s Kansas bookshop. Courtney’s working incognito when a scream sends her leaping off a shelving ladder to find the woman who screamed cowering near the register.

When Thea Quinn dropped in for a misdelivered package, she did not expect a mortifying encounter with a bearded dragon in front of an inconveniently attractive bookseller. Clutching an upcoming book club flyer and the tattered shreds of her dignity, she heads back to her new piercing job at the tattoo shop next door. She moved to this quirky place for a fresh start. But maybe the meet-disaster was a sign? Maybe Thea needs to branch out beyond her photography hobby and connect with new people…like at a historical romance book club run by a particularly mysterious and sexy bookseller with a pixie cut?

Friendly lunches become stolen moments between the bookshelves. Courtney and Thea’s old problems feel ages away. But just as their chemistry heats to a combustion point, consequences from Courtney’s past arrive literally on her doorstep at exactly the wrong moment. New revelations and surprising connections take the pair from feeling joyfully lovestruck to confusingly star-crossed. Both women must decide what they’re willing to give up for happily ever after. – St. Martin’s Griffin

Good Spirits by B.K. Borison

- Stephanie Leave a comment

“I still feel like I don’t fit, but I’ve stopped trying to force myself into the spaces that aren’t made for me.”
― B.K. Borison, Good Spirits

Nolan Callahan never expected to spend his afterlife as the Ghost of Christmas Past, but here he is. Every holiday for over a hundred years he has spent his time haunting someone. This year he expects the work to be the same – he will get his assignment, visit them, take them on trips to their past, and then go back to aimlessly wandering as a ghost waiting for his afterlife. His newest assignment, Harriet York, isn’t like the others though. She’s sweet, charming, and has managed to give Nolan hope for a future if only he could figure out why he was assigned to haunt her.

Harriet York is a good person. Having left her career as a lawyer much to her family’s massive disappointment, Harriet has taken over her aunt’s antique shop. As a people pleaser deep in her core, Harriet lives to make people happy and to do what’s expected of her. When Nolan starts haunting her, she is just as surprised as he is. The two start on a quest to discover why they have been brought together. On trips to her past, Harriet and Nolan find connections that link the two of them to each other. Having decided that they were matched in order to help Nolan move on, they quickly find that moving Nolan to his afterlife isn’t as easy as they thought it would be.

Nolan knows his deadline of Christmas Eve is fast approaching. With a warning from his boss that dire consequences await both he and Harriet if he doesn’t complete his job on time, Nolan is conflicted. Does he want to move on? Or does he want to spend time with Harriet, indulging in the deep feelings between them both? The connection that Nolan and Harriet have is unmatched. Fueled by his magic and the charged threads connecting the two, Nolan and Harriet must decide which route they want to take? Move on or stay connected?

Looking for a holiday read, I turned to my fellow readers, one of whom suggested I look into B.K. Borison. Good Spirits, her latest novel, caught my eye based on the cover alone. This was a cozy magical, paranormal holiday romance. I absolutely adored it and can’t wait to read more by this author. Final note: if you choose to read this book, you need to be able to suspend your disbelief. (Also if you read this book, let me know! I need to talk the ending with someone!)

Ghosted series

  1. Good Spirits (2025)
  2. Grim Tidings (2026)

The Girl from the Sea by Molly Knox Ostertag, color by Maarta Laiho

- Stephanie Leave a comment

“Sometimes you have to let your life get messy. That’s how you get to the good parts.”
― Molly Knox Ostertag, The Girl from the Sea

Lee Knox Ostertag has written and/or drawn some of my favorite graphic novels, Strong Female Protagonist and The Deep Dark, to name a few. When I spotted The Girl from the Sea on the shelves and realized that I hadn’t read it yet, I knew I needed to give this one a go.

Published in 2021, The Girl from the Sea is a queer, coming of age romance graphic novel set on an island. Telling the story of fifteen-year-old Morgan and her secrets, readers are drawn into her world as she works to figure out who she is and who she can trust. Morgan can’t wait to escape the island where she lives. Her life may seem perfect, but her mom is sad because of the divorce, her dad is nowhere to be seen, and her little brother keeps getting angrier. Morgan should be able to rely on her friends, but lately her secrets are pushing them farther and farther apart. Morgan’s biggest secret is that she wants to kiss another girl, but she hasn’t been comfortable enough to tell anyone else. Sitting on the cliffs by her house one night, Morgan suddenly finds herself falling into the sea. When a mysterious girl named Keltie saves her, Morgan is convinced she’s in a dream. Waking up the next morning, Morgan realizes that Keltie is, in fact, real. The two become friends, going on adventures across the island that help Morgan to come out of her shell and enjoy life more. Who exactly is Keltie though? She has her own secrets, which could destroy their friendship and budding romance.

The vibrant colors and beautiful artwork pulled me to this graphic novel. I love a coming of age romance, especially when the characters are queer and struggling to figure out who they are. The struggles between friends were realistic, while the romance and relationships were wholesome and relatable. The ending was a bit bittersweet, but still somewhat happy. All in all, I’m glad I picked up this book.