Yes & I Love You is now available!

It’s finally here!

It’s been a while since I’ve had a new book out in the world, but I hope you’ll find this new series worth the wait. :)

I’ve had a number of people ask me what they should expect from this series as compared to my others. This is definitely a romance series (happy endings promised!), there are neurodiverse characters (Hollyn has Tourette’s and social anxiety, Jasper has ADHD), there’s a lot of humor (the hero is an improv actor after all), and of course there are steamy scenes (because I haven’t met a closed door I didn’t want to open, lol.) But there are also emotional backstories (a common thread through all my series) and fun female friendships (like The Ones Who Got Away series) so a women’s fiction reader who wants to dip into romantic fiction might enjoy this book too! :)

Here’s the official summary:

A beautifully emotional new contemporary romance from New York Times and USA Today bestseller Roni Loren.

Everyone knows Miz Poppy, the vibrant reviewer whose commentary brightens the New Orleans nightlife. But no one knows Hollyn, the real face behind the media star...or the fear that keeps her isolated. When her boss tells her she needs to add video to her blog or lose her job, she's forced to rely on an unexpected source to help her face her fears.

When aspiring actor Jasper Deares finds out the shy woman who orders coffee every day is actually Miz Poppy, he realizes he has a golden opportunity to get the media attention his acting career needs. All he has to do is help Hollyn come out of her shell…and through their growing connection, finally find her voice.

You can read the first chapter here if you want to check it out.

Or, you could just buy it and read the whole thing!

Buy the book:  Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Indiebound | Books-A-Million | Google Play

Audiobook: Audible | Books-A-Million | B&N

Put it on your list! Add to Goodreads

What To Read: A Beachy Book, A Murdery Book, & One to Help with the Sads

Reading has always been my go-to method for fun and comfort. So it’s been interesting that during this pandemic, I’ve been less likely to pick up a book. It’s as if because the world is flipped upside down, my normal habits are too. So even though I was way ahead of pace on my reading challenge by March, now I find myself seven books behind.

I think this is partly because it’s hard to get lost in something when there’s so much going on in the world. Also, my kiddo is home all day with me and my husband is home a lot more, so quiet reading time is hard to come by. So, for a book to really capture me right now means it’s a REALLY great book.

The good news is that I’ve had two of those make that cut recently. Both were through my Book of the Month club subscription, so I guess they’re doing something right over there! (That link is a referral link, but this post isn’t sponsored.)

First up is Beach Read by Emily Henry. This one caught my attention because the heroine is a romance novelist, so of course, I needed to read that. What was a cute set up (see summary below) turned out to be a more poignant story than the cover would have you believe, but you know I love that. I write those kinds of books—ones that are romantic but also contain darker emotions and backstories. Though I can enjoy the lighter, lower conflict romances, my sweet spot is ones that have more angst. So I really enjoyed this read.

About the book:

A romance writer who no longer believes in love and a literary writer stuck in a rut engage in a summer-long challenge that may just upend everything they believe about happily ever afters.

Augustus Everett is an acclaimed author of literary fiction. January Andrews writes bestselling romance. When she pens a happily ever after, he kills off his entire cast. 

They're polar opposites. 

In fact, the only thing they have in common is that for the next three months, they're living in neighboring beach houses, broke, and bogged down with writer's block.

Until, one hazy evening, one thing leads to another and they strike a deal designed to force them out of their creative ruts: Augustus will spend the summer writing something happy, and January will pen the next Great American Novel. She'll take him on field trips worthy of any rom-com montage, and he'll take her to interview surviving members of a backwoods death cult (obviously). Everyone will finish a book and no one will fall in love. Really.

Next up was one that I raced through. I’ll preface this by saying I’m not typically a mystery reader. Usually, I’m like—meh, I don’t care who did it. Because mysteries, in general, tend to be a lot more plot-focused than character-focused, and I’m just a character-hungry reader. However, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson, a YA mystery, had a great balance of both character and plot. Plus, I love true crime podcasts, and this definitely seemed inspired by season one of the podcast Serial.

I didn’t guess the ending, and I was interested in knowing who did it, but I also loved the characters (there’s also a touch of romance.) I actually enjoyed them so much that I went through the trouble of ordering a UK copy of book two from Book Depository because I don’t want to wait for the U.S. version to release lol. So, if that’s not an endorsement, I don’t know what is.

About the book:

For readers of Kara Thomas and Karen McManus, an addictive, twisty crime thriller with shades of Serial and Making a Murderer about a closed local murder case that doesn't add up, and a girl who's determined to find the real killer--but not everyone wants her meddling in the past.

Everyone in Fairview knows the story.

Pretty and popular high school senior Andie Bell was murdered by her boyfriend, Sal Singh, who then killed himself. It was all anyone could talk about. And five years later, Pip sees how the tragedy still haunts her town.

But she can't shake the feeling that there was more to what happened that day. She knew Sal when she was a child, and he was always so kind to her. How could he possibly have been a killer?

Now a senior herself, Pip decides to reexamine the closed case for her final project, at first just to cast doubt on the original investigation. But soon she discovers a trail of dark secrets that might actually prove Sal innocent . . . and the line between past and present begins to blur. Someone in Fairview doesn't want Pip digging around for answers, and now her own life might be in danger.

This is the story of an investigation turned obsession, full of twists and turns and with an ending you'll never expect.

Finally, this isn’t a fiction recommendation, but with everyone going through so much right now, I know I’m not the only one struggling with bouts of anxiety and sadness. So, if you’re looking for some simple ways to boost your mood, the book The Upward Spiral by Alex Korb had a lot of great, scientifically-based suggestions. He gets a little technical with the neurotransmitter talk and such, but you don’t need to understand all of that to understand the tactics and techniques he’s suggesting. I found this was a quick read with lots of helpful things to try.

Alright, that’s all I’ve got for you today. I hope you have a great weekend!

What have you read lately that you were able to get lost in?

Roni's Recs: One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid

There are books I enjoy. There are books I like. There are books I tell you about. Then there are books that I devour in every free minute I have, tell everyone they NEED to read it, and then go buy the author's backlist. This is the latter. And it's been a while since I've had one of those.

I started reading One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid on a plane last Friday on the way to the Daytona 500. Then I went to to two full days of auto racing. And I still finished this book on Monday before the plane ride home. I brought he book to the race, y'all, and read on the breaks during caution laps. That's the kind of book this was.

Yes, it was so good, I read it during caution laps at the Daytona 500. 

Now, this book wouldn't be shelved in the romance section because it's technically not a genre romance. But it IS romantic. And it IS a love story. And it does have an ending you'll be happy with. So I guess it's technically "women's fiction" but that term never feels right to me. What does that even mean? So let's just say, this could've been a movie with a 90s era Meg Ryan in it. 

And man the hook on this one. Here's the back cover:

From the author of Maybe in Another Life—named a People Magazine pick—comes a breathtaking new love story about a woman unexpectedly forced to choose between the husband she has long thought dead and the fiancé who has finally brought her back to life.

In her twenties, Emma Blair marries her high school sweetheart, Jesse. They build a life for themselves, far away from the expectations of their parents and the people of their hometown in Massachusetts. They travel the world together, living life to the fullest and seizing every opportunity for adventure.

On their first wedding anniversary, Jesse is on a helicopter over the Pacific when it goes missing. Just like that, Jesse is gone forever.

Emma quits her job and moves home in an effort to put her life back together. Years later, now in her thirties, Emma runs into an old friend, Sam, and finds herself falling in love again. When Emma and Sam get engaged, it feels like Emma’s second chance at happiness.

That is, until Jesse is found. He’s alive, and he’s been trying all these years to come home to her. With a husband and a fiancé, Emma has to now figure out who she is and what she wants, while trying to protect the ones she loves.

Who is her one true love? What does it mean to love truly?

Emma knows she has to listen to her heart. She’s just not sure what it’s saying.

Now, I'll warn you. There are sad parts. It is hard to witness Emma's grief, especially if you have a partner you love deeply. BUT you know from the start (the first chapter gives it away) that her husband survives. She just doesn't know that for years. So you might get teary, but you also know he's going to make it.

There are so many things I loved about this book. It was a very fast read and there were so many sweet, poignant moments. There's a bookstore and I love books about book people. There are two really great guys to root for and break your heart over. There are funny parts. Endearing parts. There's jumping around in time (a favorite writing technique of mine.) And this book makes you ask yourself questions: What would I do in this situation? How would I feel? Is there really such thing as one true love?

I can't convey how much I enjoyed this book and it's been a long time since I've raved about anything, so basically, just go buy it, read it, and thank me later. :)

Grab your copy: Amazon | B&N | Indiebound

Favorite quote:

"Good things don't wait until you're ready. Sometimes they come right before, when you're almost there. And I figured when that happens, you can let them pass by like a bus not meant for you. Or you can get ready. So I got ready."

What are you reading this weekend?

BAD BOYS OF EDEN Boxed Set is out and 99 Cents!

Need a respite from this endless winter? The BAD BOYS OF EDEN boxed set is here to warm you up! 

This is a limited time set and sale. Fourteen books (normally priced $2.99 each) are included in this set for only 99 cents! Crazy good deal (Over $40 value.)

My story, BLURRING THE LINES, is one of them. But even if you've read that already (thank you!), you could still get 13 additional stories set on the Island of Eden with this set.

Here's more info:

Mega Romance Bundle Sale. Limited Time Only!

 

The island knows what you need...

The INVITATION TO EDEN series was hailed by book bloggers as "sexy as hell"! Grab this set of 14 EDEN stories in one single volume and at one amazing price.

Do you want to totally to fall in love, get naughty, and be good at being bad with a bad boy? If so, get whisked away to an exotic island where anything and everything is possible with THE BAD BOYS OF EDEN mega romance bundle. We've packed the box with the best in new adult, erotic romance, sweet contemporary, and wicked paranormal all set in the mysterious, dangerous, and romantic world of Invitation to Eden.

Buy it for 99 cents: Kindle | Kobo (Nook and iBooks links should go live in the next day or two.)

-------------------

INTRODUCTION by Lauren Hawkeye

MASTER OF THE ISLAND by Lauren Hawkeye

WILD RIDE by Opal Carew

BREAKING FREE by Cathryn Fox

ROUGH DRAFT by Mari Carr

ESCAPE FROM REALITY by Adriana Hunter

SECOND GLANCES by Elena Aitken

BLURRING THE LINES by Roni Loren

IVY IN BLOOM by Tawny Stokes

DELICIOUS AND DEADLY by CC MacKenzie

YOURS TRULY, TADDY by Avery Aster

HOW TO TEMPT A TYCOON by Daire St. Denis

HOLD ME CLOSE by Eliza Gayle

SWEET RETURN by Steena Holmes

FIGHT FOR ME by Sharon Page

More about my contribution:

BLURRING THE LINES by Roni Loren

A year has passed since Gretchen lost her fiancé, but she still can’t sleep. Or paint. And her new home in New Orleans is either haunted or she’s finally going crazy. 

Her bet is on the latter. 

So when her best friend, Burke, offers to sweep her away to a private luxury island for a break, she can’t say no. Maybe if she can be someone else for a few days, the ghosts of the past will quiet. At least for a little while. 

Burke knows what she’s going through. She lost her fiancé, but he lost family. He gets her in a way no else can. But lately she’s noticing things she shouldn’t about her former fiancé’s younger brother—his sexy smirk, that spicy Cajun accent, and the way he looks at her when he thinks she’s not paying attention. A week alone with him? Dangerous. If she blurs the lines between them, she could ruin the only friendship that means anything to her. She could ruin it all. 

But the island of Eden has its own agenda. The island knows what you need. That’s what the invitation says. She just never imagines it will grant her the one wish that could destroy them both. 

Contemporary Romance with a Paranormal Twist

***

And up next after this is NICE GIRLS DON'T RIDE and the SWEET SEDUCTION Boxed Set (both available for pre-order now)!