Books
my reviews of books
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Holiday Romance Recommendations
I’m excited to share some holiday romance recommendations, including my own book, My Secret Snowflake. I am looking forward to a vacation sitting by my Christmas tree with the lights on and a good book. But I’ll let a reviewer speak for my book:
One of my favorite authors and one of my favorite holiday romance books: Christmas Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella.
’Tis the season for change and Becky Brandon (née Bloomwood) is embracing it, returning from the States to live in the charming village of Letherby and working with her best friend, Suze, in the gift shop of Suze’s stately home. Life is good, especially now that Becky takes time every day for mindfulness—even if that only means listening to a meditation tape while hunting down online bargains.
But Becky still adores the traditions of Christmas: Her parents hosting, carols playing on repeat, her mother pretending she made the Christmas pudding, and the neighbors coming ’round for sherry in their terrible holiday sweaters. Things are looking cheerier than ever, until Becky’s parents announce they’re moving to ultra-trendy Shoreditch—unable to resist the draw of craft beer and smashed avocados—and ask Becky if she’ll host this year. What could possibly go wrong?
Becky’s sister demands a vegan turkey, her husband insists that he just wants aftershave (again), and little Minnie needs a very specific picnic hamper: Surely Becky can manage all this, as well as the surprise appearance of an old boyfriend–turned–rock star and his pushy new girlfriend, whose motives are far from clear. But as the countdown to Christmas begins and her bighearted plans take an unexpected turn toward disaster, Becky wonders if chaos will ensue, or if she’ll manage to bring comfort and joy to Christmas after all.
My review: I love Sophie Kinsella, and this is the best Christmas book. It’s both laugh-out-loud funny, capturing all the joy and stress of Christmas, and also conveys the absolute heart of Christmas. Highly recommend.
Sebastian: I admit I’m attracted to my co-worker Iris—after that glimpse of glowing cat paw underwear. But even though she’s breached my first line of defense, I’m set in my Grinch ways. I need to prove myself—and dating my co-worker is definitely forbidden.
Iris: No more naughty heartthrobs for me. Catching my rock star ex cheating cured me. All I want from Santa is my work bonus and a nice guy. And that’s my Secret Snowflake recipient, Ernest. My plan: Befriend Sebastian, Ernest’s colleague, to figure out the perfect gift for Ernest to spark his interest. But now our company has been hacked, and secrets abound. I’m determined to figure out who and why—with our aloof, but oh-so-attractive company counsel, Sebastian—before I get a stocking filled with coal for the holidays. But then I get blamed. I know I can trust Sebastian to help me. It’s trusting my heart that’s the problem.
When things are definitely not what they seem, sometimes it takes the light of the holidays to reveal the clues to love.
Tara’s review:
Is a fake boyfriend really just for Christmas?
One fake romance. One magical Christmas. One chance to fall in love.
Laura was all set for a quiet solo Christmas – just her, a bottle of wine, and flat-sitting for a stranger. But when the stranger’s parents mistake her for his mystery girlfriend, she’s swept off to the snowy Scottish Highlands with Callum and his whole family.
Between the cosy sleeper train, charming pubs and breathtaking views, this could be the no-strings-attached Christmas of Laura’s dreams.
But stranger Callum is hot, hilarious and their ‘fake’ chemistry is off the charts.
So is this just a Christmas fling? Or the start of something more?
My review: A fun, fake dating holiday romance!
Mirren Sutherland stumbled into a career as an antiquarian book hunter after finding a priceless antique book in her great aunt’s attic. Now, as Christmas approaches, she’s been hired by Jamie McKinnon, the surprisingly young and handsome laird of a Highland clan whose ancestral holdings include a vast crumbling castle. Family lore suggests that the McKinnon family’s collection includes a rare book so valuable that it could save the entire estate—if they only knew where it was. Jamie needs Mirren to help him track down this treasure, which he believes is hidden in his own home.
But on the train to the Highlands, Mirren runs into rival book hunter Theo Palliser, and instantly knows that it’s not a chance meeting. She’s all too familiar with Theo’s good looks and smooth talk, and his uncanny ability to appear whenever there’s a treasure that needs locating.
Almost as soon as Mirren and Theo arrive at the castle, a deep snow blankets the Highlands, cutting off the outside world. Stuck inside, the three of them plot their search as the wind whistles outside. Mirren knows that Jamie’s grandfather, the castle’s most recent laird, had been a book collector, a hoarder, and a great lover of treasure hunts. Now they must unpuzzle his clues, discovering the secrets of the house—forming and breaking alliances in a race against time.
A treat for booklovers and treasure hunters alike, The Secret Christmas Library serves up a delicious mystery with a hint of romance, and plenty of holiday spirit!
My review: I had such a happy feeling reading this book and I was sorry when it ended because I was really enjoying being snowbound in a castle in Scotland (while toasty warm at home). The romance is a slowly simmering one with twists and turns.
Tis the season to lie to your parents…
No?
Just Lark Wellington?
Well, it seems like the best idea Lark could come up with when his holiday-loving parents surprise him with a holly jolly visit he actively tried to avoid.
The lie?
He’s engaged to his best female friend, Da’Nika Martin – after all she’s the only person willing to go in on the crazy, last-minute scheme.
And now that we’re talking about the snowflake white lie? It just may cost him a lot more than coal in his stocking if he isn’t careful…
Sleigh Bride is a short, sweet, laugh-out-loud romantic comedy that’s jam packed with all new characters, all the cheer, and all the Christmas cookies you need to put a smile on your face this holiday season!
My review: Love a friends-to-lovers and this one was done so well! Their shared humor and banter made their relationship come alive and had you rooting for them from the first page to see that they were meant to be together. And the Keebler parents! Lol.And some more Holiday Romance Recommendations
She knocked down his Christmas tree. He knocked down her defenses.Vivian Sterling needs five days in small-town Vermont to secure her VP promotion. Instead, she destroys the town Christmas tree and gets stuck working with frustrated single dad Gabriel Brooks to fix it.
Gabriel doesn’t have time for polished executives who remind him of his ex-wife. But watching Vivian charm his twin daughters and discover the magic of Christmas, his guarded heart doesn’t stand a chance—even though she’s leaving in three days.
When Vivian’s boss cuts her trip short, she must the promotion she’s worked eight years for, or the man and town that showed her what she’s been missing.
My review: If you’re looking for a Hallmark movie romance to read, this is it. Vivian Sterling hates Christmas but needs to location scout a town in Vermont known as “America’s Most Magical Christmas Town” for 5 days to secure her VP promotion. Unfortunately, things get off to a rocky start when she knocks down the town Christmas tree! But that may not be all that is knocked down, as two people, who have built walls after being dumped for not being enough, start to care for each other. The twins were especially adorable.
Can these exes rekindle their love this Hanukkah?
Evelyn Schwartz has the perfect Hanukkah planned: eight jam-packed days producing the live-action televised musical of A Christmas Carol. Who needs family when you’ve got long hours, impossible deadlines, and your dream job? That is, until an accident on set lands her in the medical bay with one of her chronic migraines, and she’s shocked to find her ex-husband, David Adler, filling in for the usual studio doctor.
It’s been two years since David walked away from Evelyn and their life in Manhattan, and his ex-wife is still the same workaholic who puts her career before everything else—especially her health. But when Evelyn begins hallucinating “ghosts” tied to her past heartbreaks, and every single one leads to David, he finds himself spending much more time with her than he anticipated. And denying the still-smoldering chemistry between them becomes impossible.
As Evelyn revisits her ghosts of Hanukkah past, she and David both begin to wonder if they can have a Hanukkah future. But with a high-stakes production ramping up the pressure on Evelyn, and troublesome spirits forcing them both to confront their most difficult shared memories, it might just take a Hanukkah miracle for these two exes to light the flame on their second-chance at love.My review: Even though it is called the eight heartbreaks of Hanukkah, I did not expect this to be such a sad book, but it is dealing with a lot of heavy topics. I thought it was well done, and we really worked through Evelyn’s character development. There were some hilarious moments as well. I would have liked to have seen more of her and David working through their issues. I really appreciated the author’s note at the end.
Let’s Talk
What books do you recommend?
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Behind the Scenes: My Secret Snowflake
I’m excited to take you behind the scenes of My Secret Snowflake. When I write a book, I like to write in the season in which it is set, and I really enjoyed doing all the holiday activities when writing My Secret Snowflake in December 2023.
Here’s the blurb:
Burned by love, Sebastian has sworn to remain single, but he may have just met his match.
Sebastian: I admit I’m attracted to my co-worker Iris—and not just because she was wearing glowing cat paw underwear. But even though she’s breached my first line of defense, I’m set in my Grinch ways. I need to prove myself—and dating my co-worker is definitely forbidden.Iris is the Secret Snowflake for her perfect man—who is definitely not Sebastian.
Iris: No more naughty heartthrobs for me. Catching my rock star ex cheating cured me. All I’m asking Santa for is my work bonus and a nice—dare I say boring?—guy. And that’s my Secret Snowflake recipient: Ernest. My plan: Befriend Sebastian, Ernest’s colleague, to figure out the perfect gift for Ernest to spark his interest. But now our company has been hacked, and secrets abound. I’m working around the clock to figure out who and why—with our aloof, but oh-so-attractive company counsel, Sebastian—before I get a stocking filled with coal for the holidays. The last thing I should also be trying to decipher is him. But then I get blamed.
When things are definitely not what they seem, sometimes it takes the light of the holidays to reveal the clues to love.Take a behind the scenes tour of New York City during the holiday season
Of course, I visited the Rockefeller tree, where Iris and Sebastian go ice skating as part of a company holiday party.
Thank you to Kat Paige for this photo from 2025. But I also went with a friend to see all the decorations in Dyker Heights. I highly recommend checking that neighborhood out if you’re in New York City for the holidays. Here are some photos from Dyker Heights in 2023:
This is the house of the woman who started it all:
Here are some other houses:
And me:
One house created a green wonderland, which you can see live in this YouTube video.
But of course, there’s also hot chocolate at a cafe:
Sebastian and Iris also shop for Secret Snowflake gifts for their colleagues and then end the day with Iris’s sister’s party at her family’s bar in the Lower East Side. Iris organizes a scavenger hunt for her sister’s guests, and one of the clue answers is this metal stag. Here’s a photo of the one in real life:
Iris runs with her brother around the Central Park reservoir, and here is a photo from Central Park in January 2024:
Remember, My Secret Snowflake is available from my website and a signed, personalized copy makes a great gift.
Click on the image above or below to visit kathystrobosbooks. Plus we have gift boxes with a theme of cat paws (IFYKYK):
Wishing you a wonderful holiday season!
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My Rock Star Neighbor Publication Day!
I am so thrilled to announce that today is happy publication day for My Rock Star Neighbor, my fake dating, friends-to-enemies, rock star romantic comedy!
Thank you to these rock star reviewers!
And the first reviews have been fabulous! Thank you to Jill, a librarian, for this review:
I love a good rockstar romance! This was so much fun! I was looking for something light and fun to read … and this perfectly fit the bill! I love any books that deal with the glamorous rockstar world and this was a great choice. Great characters, great chemistry, and lots of fun rock star action! Be sure to check this one out you won’t regret it. – Jill (a librarian)
And thank you to Donna for this review:
Maddie’s a journalist for a local New York City newspaper. She’s working on a story about corruption in the city official offices, but finding the culprit is proving tricky.When Maddie’s musician neighbor Nick plays music until all hours, it drives her crazy, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t enjoy his friendship. When Nick is photographed with Maddie, she’s mistaken for being his girlfriend.Now the pair are fake dating. Nick’s helping Maddie in her investigation and she’s giving him a cover as his girlfriend. But maybe there is more to this that neither is admitting.
Kathy Strobos’s stories tend to use the city backdrop as a side character and the city really sparkles in this latest instalment. Late night meetings on the fire escape, singing at the local bar, eating dumplings with friends all add to the charming setting. There’s a whole whodunnit happening in the story, and Nick is as much of that part of the story as his own backstory. I loved how this cute couple support each other, put each others needs at the forefront and fit seemlessly in with each other’s friends and family. It’s another cutie from the author 
More Rock Star Reader Reviews
And thank you to Lisa for this review:
Fun New York City Rom – Com with Wonderful Characters, Setting and Even a Mystery
This was a great book from start to finish – all of the characters were likable and well developed and both the will they / won’t they fake to real romantic plot along with the mystery Maddie is hoping to solve for her news story kept the pages turning and I couldn’t put the book down. I enjoyed the dual POV so the reader understands both of their growing feelings as well as their “found family” group of friends who were all there to support them. The New York background was also fun to revisit as a former resident – I felt like I was back in the heart of the city again. It is part of a series but it easily read as a standalone. I look forward to reading the next book from this author.
Pinterest Board for My Rock Star Neighbor Publication Day!
I’ve also created a Pinterest inspiration board for My Rock Star Neighbor, which was super fun. What do you think of it?
Where can I buy this?!!
Don’t worry. I’ve got you covered. You can buy it from all good bookstores, including Bookshop.org and Ripped Bodice, as well as Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Kobo, Apple and Google Play:
You can also buy it direct from me, as either an ebook or a signed paperback:
Thank you so much for your support!
Thank you so much for all your support!! Every sale makes me do a little happy dance! Here’s a video of me expressing my thoughts about publication day. I’m so happy with these great reviews! It’s always a rollercoaster experience releasing a book and it doesn’t seem to get any easier 🙂
And I hope you have a great weekend. We’re supposed to have a lot of rain, so I hope I get some reading done.
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Behind the Scenes: Rock Star RomCom
I want to take you behind the scenes for my rock star, fake dating, frenemies-to-lovers romcom, My Rock Star Neighbor!
Here’s the blurb:
When a rock star and a reporter fake date to bury a scandal, will true love be the real story?
Nick: I do my best songwriting while playing my guitar on the fire escape. Unfortunately, my in-bed-at-ten next-door neighbor, Maddie, is not a fan of my music. She clambers out on the fire escape to yell at me about making “noise.” In bunny slippers, no less. But then she trips and falls into my arms. That photo of Maddie plastered all over me hits the papers, just as my dream recording company wants to sign my band. Which is a problem, because an obsessed fan is claiming that I’m her boyfriend and now the media is blowing up that I’m two-timing them both. Good-bye recording contract, unless…
Maddie: I’m supposed to cover the story. Not be the story! But when Nick begs me to fake date, I can’t resist the chance to be Nick’s girlfriend—even if fake—the opposite of my life as a city desk reporter. But my ex said I’m a terrible kisser, and there’s no way I want Mr. Hot Rock Star saying the same thing. Hence, clause 11 in our contract: There will be absolutely no physical contact.
Nick: When Maddie receives a threatening photo of the two of us with an X over her face, my desire to protect her suddenly feels all too real. It’s either a troll or her undercover investigation has been compromised. With both our careers at stake, is breaking up the only way to keep Maddie safe?
As you know, when I write a book, I try to walk around New York City and visit the places I describe in my book, although of course some places are fictional, like the Books & Banter cafe.
Here is a photo of the Sticky Rice Cafe which is near where Maddie and Nick live on the lower east side:
Here’s a photo from the neighborhood where Maddie’s office is located:
And here are some photos from the Chinese New Year parade that Maddie covers as a reporter, with Nick by her side:
It was raining that day. And in the book, I describe how the streets are pretty with the papers from the poppers:
And here’s the lion that guards the park near them:
Here’s a photo of rowboats on Central Park:
I hope you enjoyed this behind the scenes tour. You can also buy My Rock Star Neighbor directly from me:
I’m so excited for this release. Here’s a video of me discussing it:
I also had a great time meeting readers at the Brooklyn Book Festival! Here I am with our club president, author Katy Berritt!
Remember that you can always buy signed paperbacks with bookmarks directly from me at my little shop:
Hope you have a great week!
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My Secret Snowflake Blog Tour
My Secret Snowflake, my workplace, holiday romantic comedy, traveled around the world on a global book blog tour in September 2024 organized by Rachel’s Random Resources. Here are some more highlights! And as I wrote in my previous post, Christmas in July Romcom, thank you so much to all the book bloggers who posted about and who reviewed My Secret Snowflake, my holiday romantic comedy! Your reviews mean so much to me. You help me find readers, and I am so grateful.
Here’s an excerpt from the blurb: A holiday, workplace romantic comedy
Burned by love, Sebastian has sworn to remain single, but he may have just met his match.
Sebastian: I admit I’m attracted to my co-worker Iris—and not just because she was wearing glowing cat paw underwear. But even though she’s breached my first line of defense, I’m set in my Grinch ways. I need to prove myself—and dating my co-worker is definitely forbidden.
Thank you so much to Kirsty Whitlock for this fabulous review:
LOVE, LOVE, LOOOOOOVVVEEE, LOVED IT!!! Another Huge well done, Kathy, on yet another absolutely sweet, festive fun and fantastic heartwarmer. You will absolutely LOVE this adorable story.
And thank you to Stack Those Books for this review:
This was such a cute romance that I completely enjoyed and recommend to all my romance lovers out there. Definitely pick this one up if you enjoy close knit family and friends, set around the holidays, nice guy, office romance, and power couples.
Thank you so much for all these great reviews from the blog tour!
“It’s fun, exciting, light hearted and really you will just struggle to want to put it down.” Thank you to Pause the Frame (Instagram) for that review.
“A cute read for the festive season.” Thank you to Kirsty Reviews Books for that review.
“A great book to get lost in.” Thank you to NlCraigwrites.
“Kathy is an amazing writer and you should give her writing a chance for sure.” Aww, thank you to Ana’s column for this review.
Thank you to Tara’s Bookish Blog for this review: “My Secret Snowflake is full of so much humour, great chemistry and a wonderful supporting cast of characters, a simply fantastic festive read.”
Thank you to Lisa Loves Literature who said this is her favorite book in the New York Spark series so far! She just participated in the cover reveal for My Rock Star Neighbor. I hope she likes that one as well.
And thank you as always for a review that rhymes
Thank you to Splashes into Books for this review, calling it a “fun restive romance and mystery” with this poem:
A story that had me smiling and cheering for this pair
Whilst hoping they’d trust each other and really care.
For my copy of this book I say thank you
As I share with you this my honest review.Thank you so much to all the My Secret Snowflake blog tour reviewers for all the time you take to talk about books and recommend them to readers
I appreciate so much the blog tours organized by Rachel’s Random Resources.
If you’re curious about My Secret Snowflake, here’s a teaser video:
My Rock Star Neighbor, the next book in the series, the love story of Nick and Maddie, is coming soon!
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My Rock Star Neighbor!
I am thrilled to announce that I’m publishing a new book, My Rock Star Neighbor, on October 10. Here is Nick and Maddie’s story!
Here is the blurb:
When a wary rock star and a cynical reporter fake date to bury a scandalous rumor, will true love be exposed as the real story?
Nick: I do my best songwriting while playing my guitar on the fire escape. Unfortunately, my in-bed-at-ten next-door neighbor, Maddie, is not a fan of my music. She clambers out on the fire escape to yell at me about making “noise.” In bunny slippers, no less. But then she trips and falls into my arms.
That photo of Maddie plastered all over me hits the papers, just as my dream recording company wants to sign my band. Which is a problem, because an obsessed fan is claiming that I’m her boyfriend, and now the media is blowing up that I’m two-timing them both. Good-bye recording contract, unless…
Maddie: I’m supposed to cover the story. Not be the story! But when Nick begs me to fake date, I can’t resist the chance to be Nick’s girlfriend–even if fake–the opposite of my life as a city desk reporter. But my ex said I’m a terrible kisser, and there’s no way I want Mr. Hot Rock Star saying the same thing. Hence, clause 11 in our contract: There will be absolutely no physical contact.
Nick: When Maddie receives a threatening photo of the two of us with an X over her face, my desire to protect her suddenly feels all too real. It’s either a troll of her undercover investigation has been compromised. With both our careers at stake, is breaking up the only way to keep Maddie safe?
A closed-door, friends-to-lovers, rock star romantic comedy set in New York City!! My Rock Star Neighbor is the 4th book in the New York Spark series!
My Rock Star Neighbor is the fourth book in the New York Spark Series!
If you’ve read My Book Boyfriend, you first met Maddie and Nick there. You may remember that Maddie complained because Nick was playing his guitar at all hours of the night.
“My rock star neighbor wrote me a song. See?” Maddie asks. “It’s dedicated to my neighbor who always complains.”
“You’re someone’s muse,” Jing says.
“That’s so sweet,” Bella says.
“Not really. At the end of the note, he said that instead of getting soundproofing, he used his funds to hire another music editor.” Maddie snorts. “But he hopes I’ll forgive him because he dedicated a song to me.”
I can’t wait for you to read Nick and Maddie’s story!
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Christmas in July RomCom
If you are looking to celebrate Christmas in July with a romcom, My Secret Snowflake traveled around the world on a global book blog tour in September 2024 organized by Rachel’s Random Resources. Here are some of the highlights!
First, thank you so much to all the book bloggers who posted about and who reviewed My Secret Snowflake, my holiday romantic comedy! Your reviews mean so much to me. When I’m feeling discouraged, I pull them out and read them again.
Most of the book bloggers have reviewed my other books, so I thank them for their continued trust in my writing. I’m glad I’ve found my readers 🙂
Thanks to Tizi’s Book Review for this review!
“Picking up a book written by Kathy Strobos for me always feels like picking up a book filled with happiness. Because she always manages to write great stories with great characters but also realistic and just real characters.”
I had high expectations of this book, as I absolutely devoured the previous books of this series and other books of this author… I absolutely loved this book, the author did a wonderful job with this story about love, respect and courage about letting fear miss you out on perhaps the best possible thing.”
For the full review, click here!
“A charmingly romantic tale filled with lovable characters, unexpected twists, plenty of humor, and a heartwarming ending.” – Storied Conversation
Thank you to Storied Conversation for her review, which ends with: “You’ll be cheering for Iris and Sebastian to finally realize how right they are for one another. I couldn’t stop turning the pages!”
For the full review, click here!
A “festive romantic comedy”
Thank you to Carla Loves to Read for this review:
I’ve not read anything by Kathy Strobos, in fact I had not heard of this author before, but I love Christmas romance, so decided to give this book a try and I am so glad I did. I loved everything about it. The two main characters, Iris and Sebastian stole my heart. I wanted to meet them, to get to know them, and spend time doing all the wonderful things they did over the festive season. The characters are all wonderful, especially the friends group and their families. There is mega chemistry between these two and I loved their banter. One thing I love about Christmas stories is the festive activities and there were a lot in this book.
And she also wrote: “This is the first book of hers that I’ve read, but it definitely won’t be my last. “
Christmas in July RomCom?
Do you like to read holiday books in July? And if you’re looking for the blog tour reviews for the first two books in this series, My Book Boyfriend and Love Is an Art, click here.
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Ciao! Caper Crush is published in Italian!
Ciao, Caper Crush is published in Italian! It is available at Amazon and at other booksellers like Barnes & Noble. Buna ziua! It is also available in Romanian! My books have now been published in German, Spanish, Korean, Turkish, Brazilian Portuguese, Romanian and Italian! It’s exciting to work with translators of so many different countries.
Buna ziua! It is also available in Romanian!
My Book Boyfriend – Another Lovely Review
My Book Boyfriend also has this lovely review from Gail A.:
“Kathy Strobos’ My Book Boyfriend is a delightful romantic comedy that intertwines themes of community, passion for literature, and unexpected love. Set against the vibrant backdrop of New York City, the novel introduces readers to Lily, a dedicated librarian and co-founder of a cherished community garden. Her world is disrupted when she discovers that the attractive man she met in the library, Rupert Evans, is the developer planning to demolish her beloved garden to build a new building. This revelation sets the stage for an engaging enemies-to-lovers narrative.
Strobos crafts a compelling story that balances humor with heartfelt moments. Lily’s fierce commitment to her community and her love for books make her a relatable and endearing protagonist. Rupert, initially perceived as the antagonist, reveals layers of complexity as the story unfolds, challenging Lily’s and the readers’ initial impressions.
The novel’s charm is amplified by its setting. The community garden serves as a symbol of unity and resilience, highlighting the importance of green spaces in urban environments. Strobos’ depiction of New York City captures both its bustling energy and the small pockets of tranquility that residents cherish.
The chemistry between Lily and Rupert is palpable, with their witty banter and evolving relationship providing a satisfying romantic arc. The narrative also delves into themes of personal growth, as both characters confront their biases and learn to see the world from each other’s perspectives.
Supporting characters add depth to the story, enriching the community aspect and providing moments of levity. The plot, while following familiar romantic comedy tropes, offers enough unique elements to keep readers engaged.”
It’s available in e-book, paperback and audiobook at your favorite retailer.
Love Is an Art Love Is an Art – Interview with Roma Cordon
I had so much fun talking to Roma about writing Love Is an Art. Please check out my interview with Roma Cordon, and check out her novel Bewitching a Highlander!
Ciao! Caper Crush is published in Italian!
Here is the Caper Crush blurb in Italian (the title has been translated into something more similar to My Mischievous Love:
Una commedia romantica ambientata a New York che vi farà sentire bene: due opposti che si attraggono e un amore che nasce a piccoli passi.
Dopo dieci anni a fare la cameriera e i miei genitori che mi ripetono di trovarmi un lavoro vero, finalmente ho l`occasione di sfondare come artista: una mia opera è stata selezionata per il Vertex Art Show, un`esposizione che potrebbe definire la mia carriera. Ma poi il mio dipinto viene rubato. Ho solo poche settimane per ritrovarlo o dire addio per sempre al mio sogno di diventare un`artista… e per farcela, dovrò lavorare con William. William Matsumura.
Attraente, se ti piacciono i tipi da Servizi Segreti. Insomma, quello tutto legge e ordine, protettore di donne e bambini. Va bene, ma è così rigido che non riesco mai a capire cosa pensa; e mi fa impazzire, soprattutto quando mi guarda come se fossi una bomba emotiva pronta a esplodere. Lui insiste per indagare sul furto con me. Per proteggermi, dice. Quello che intende davvero è: proteggermi da me stessa.
Come se ”capitare per caso” in certe zone ”vietate” fosse un`effrazione. Indagare con William è inaspettatamente divertente, e mi fa venire le farfalle nello stomaco. Ma se c`è una cosa che ho imparato dal divorzio dei miei genitori, è che gli opposti si attraggono, ma non durano. Non posso fidarmi di questi sentimenti… o forse sì?
Ciao! Let’s Talk
Yesterday we finally had a beautiful spring day in New York City, and some cherry blossoms were in full bloom in Central Park. What have you been watching or reading? Ciao for now!
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Book Recommendations for Black History Month
Here are some fun book recommendations for Black History Month. I really loved reading these books, so I hope you enjoy them too! I’m starting with two romances and then one I read for my Book Club, which was one of my favorite book club reads of last year.
Take a Hint, Dani Brown
Danika Brown knows what she wants: professional success, academic renown, and an occasional roll in the hay to relieve all that career-driven tension. But romance? Been there, done that, burned the T-shirt. Romantic partners, whatever their gender, are a distraction at best and a drain at worst. So Dani asks the universe for the perfect friend-with-benefits—someone who knows the score and knows their way around the bedroom.
When brooding security guard Zafir Ansari rescues Dani from a workplace fire drill gone wrong, it’s an obvious sign: PhD student Dani and ex-rugby player Zaf are destined to sleep together. But before she can explain that fact, a video of the heroic rescue goes viral. Now half the internet is shipping #DrRugbae—and Zaf is begging Dani to play along. Turns out, his sports charity for kids could really use the publicity. Lying to help children? Who on earth would refuse?
Dani’s plan is simple: fake a relationship in public, seduce Zaf behind the scenes. The trouble is, grumpy Zaf’s secretly a hopeless romantic—and he’s determined to corrupt Dani’s stone-cold realism. Before long, he’s tackling her fears into the dirt. But the former sports star has issues of his own, and the walls around his heart are as thick as his… um, thighs.
Suddenly, the easy lay Dani dreamed of is more complex than her thesis. Has her wish backfired? Is her focus being tested? Or is the universe just waiting for her to take a hint?
*Zaf is such a green flag hero! And you know, I love my green flag men.
The Neighbor Favor
Shy, bookish, and admittedly awkward, Lily Greene has always felt inadequate compared to the rest of her accomplished family, who strive for Black excellence. She dreams of becoming an editor of children’s books but has been frustratingly stuck in the nonfiction division for years without a promotion in sight. Lily finds escapism in her correspondences with her favorite fantasy author. What begins as two lonely people connecting over e-mail turns into a tentative friendship and possibly something else Lily won’t let herself entertain–until he ghosts her.
Months later, still crushed but determined to take charge of her life, Lily seeks a date to her sister’s wedding. And the perfect person to help her is Nick Brown, her charming, attractive new neighbor, whom she feels drawn to for unexplainable reasons. Little does she know that Nick is an author–her favorite fantasy author.
Nick, who has his reasons for using a pen name and for pushing people away, soon realizes that the beautiful, quiet woman from down the hall is the same Lily he fell in love with over e-mail months ago. Unwilling to complicate things even more between them, he agrees to set her up with someone else, though this simple favor between two neighbors is anything but–not when he can’t get her off his mind.
*Loved the email exchange. I was so invested in this couple, and I couldn’t put it down. Ripped Bodice recommended this, and I’m so glad I bought it. I’m excited to read the next book. I recommended this on Shepherd’s as one of my favorite reads of 2024. I do have to say that it’s hard to choose just three reads.
Sankofa
Anna is at a stage of her life when she’s beginning to wonder who she really is. She has separated from her husband, her daughter is all grown up, and her mother—the only parent who raised her—is dead.
Searching through her mother’s belongings one day, Anna finds clues about the African father she never knew. His student diaries chronicle his involvement in radical politics in 1970s London. Anna discovers that he eventually became the president—some would say dictator—of a small nation in West Africa. And he is still alive…
When Anna decides to track her father down, a journey begins that is disarmingly moving, funny, and fascinating. Like the metaphorical bird that gives the novel its name, Sankofa expresses the importance of reaching back to knowledge gained in the past and bringing it into the present to address universal questions of race and belonging, the overseas experience for the African diaspora, and the search for a family’s hidden roots.
*A very engrossing story about identity and finding yourself.
Let’s Talk
What are your book recommendations for Black History Month? Any favorite romances or romantic comedies?
And remember you still have a coupon code for $1.00 off any of my e-books if you buy direct through my store: BEMYVALENTINE2025!
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Peek into Lily’s New York Life!
Peek into Lily’s New York life! I realized I never did a behind-the-scenes tour of all the places that inspired the scenes in My Book Boyfriend, my enemies-to-lovers, librarian-saving-community-garden vs. developer-who-wants-to-bulldoze-it romantic comedy. But I did previously include photos of the community garden inspiration! Here’s the short blurb: Lily loves her community garden. Rupert wants to bulldoze it for community housing. When feelings grow, will they blossom or turn to rubble?
Here’s the My Book Boyfriend cover – click on the image below for links to your favorite retailers!
So where should we start? She lives in a small walk-up in a brownstone, and she works in a library on the Upper West Side. I used the St. Agnes library branch as inspiration. Here’s a photo:
She goes on a date to the New York Public library gala, which doesn’t go quite as well as expected:
When my date at the ball ditches me to flirt with another woman, and Rupert, my enemy – the hot shot developer who plans to bulldoze my community garden—asks me to dance . . .
“You look like you’re plotting mischief.” Rupert appears by my side as I watch my date dancing with another woman.
Why does Rupert have to be so attractive?
“He’s a fool,” Rupert says.
It looks like I’m the fool.
Here’s a photo of a New York Public Library lion all bedecked for the holidays:
And she hangs out with her friends at a fictional cafe called Banter & Books, which is filled with plants, books, coffee, tea, cookies and friends 🙂
Here are some photos of the community garden inspiration (inspired by the Elizabeth Street Garden):
We may have had too much fun blurring faces I hope you’ve enjoyed this peek into Lily’s New York life 🙂