Romantic Comedy
romantic comedy
-
Easter Egg Book Hunt
And in honor of the Easter eggs I will be hiding on Sunday, I’ve created a little egg hunt for you.
The winner who answers all of the questions correctly will receive a code to redeem the audiobook of My Book Boyfriend and listen to it via Bookfunnel!
Let the Easter Egg Book Hunt Begin!
1. Which characters from the New York Friendship series show up in the New York Spark series?
2. Which book is this passage from:
“Rumor has it that you’re competing against your cousin,” I say.
He tilts his head. “Rumors are not always correct. Page Six will have us married by tomorrow.”
“There are still 12 hours left in this night,” I say.
What book?3. In which museum does A Scavenger Hunt for Hearts take place?
4. What museums do they visit in Is This for Real?
5. What is the chocolate cookie bakery that my characters frequent?
6. What book is this scene from:
“Could you unbutton my dress?” I ask. “I’d really like to change into jeans and a T-shirt.”
He moves closer. I present my back to him, as my hands hold up the straps on my shoulders.
I tilt my head, exposing my neck to him. His fingers graze my neck softly as he uses both hands to unbutton that top button. I close my eyes. His touch is light and sure. I swallow as he works his way down the buttons, slight touches feathering my skin. My heart flutters. Can he hear it?
“It’s done.” His voice is almost a whisper. His warm breath caresses my neck. Sends tingles down my spine. Without thinking, I find myself arching toward it.
More Clips from My Book Boyfriend Audiobook
Here’s a clip of Rupert 🙂
I think Eric Altheide is perfect as Rupert! And My Book Boyfriend is now available on Amazon, Apple, and Google Play, in addition to StoryFair, Kobo, Kobo Plus, and my website. It should also be available on other retailers soon!
Happy Easter!
I hope you enjoyed this Easter Egg Book Hunt! Here is a link to a hint 🙂
-
Love Is an Art Blog Tour
Love Is an Art went on a global book blog tour in October 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 Love Is an Art, my fish-out-of-water 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 🙂
“What a fantastic book by Strobos!”
Thank you to @nlcraigwrites for this review!
“What a fantastic book by Strobos! This was a really fun read with two characters that had great chemistry and brought out the best in each other.
Each main character has a great group of supportive friends that I really enjoyed reading about and I look forward to reading more from this series.
https://www.instagram.com/nlcraigwrites/Thank you also to RamblingMads.com who wrote: “Another fun, and funny, read from Kathy Strobos.”
And here’s another review by Lynda Wolters from the blog tour:
“Love is an Art is my first Kathy Strobos read. Akin to Katherine Center or a clean Molly Henry, Strobos will make you fall in love with Tessa and Zeke.”
– Lynda WoltersI am so honored to be compared to Katherine Center.
“Delightful Romantic Comedy”
“Love is an Art” by Kathy Strobos presents a delightful romantic comedy that cleverly intertwines mistaken identities, deception, and the unpredictable whims of love.
Strobos crafts a charming and witty narrative that keeps readers engaged, drawing them into the whirlwind romance between Tessa and Zeke.
For those seeking a lighthearted romantic comedy filled with entertaining twists, genuine emotions, and a dash of deception, Strobos’s novel promises an enjoyable escape into a world where love triumphs against the odds.
Novel Nerd BlogMore Reviews from the Love Is an Art Blog Tour
Thank you to Scotsbookworm for this review: “Kathy Strobos is an author who really sucks you into her stories with her writing style. Although this book is 2 in the New York Spark series, it can be read as a standalone novel. A page-turning novel, I can’t wait to read the next one in this series!”
“This was a lovely story to read, how two people find each other in an unexpected way. But with their pasts, they have to find the courage to take that dive.
Tizi’s Book Review
Perhaps a more fitting title would have been ‘Love Is An Artwork’, as love for sure is an art, as it is something beautiful and wonderful. But love is also work, as it’s to learn to give and take, talk and listen, and not jumping into conclusions as it will only give unnecessary understandings.
I truly enjoyed reading this book, as it shows all the aspects of love, how easy it can be, but also how difficult it can be…”And thank you especially, Tizi, for this sentence which truly made me tear up: “There were moments in this book that truly swept me away, like the painting that Tessa and Zeke created together, or their biking together.”
Splashes Into Books also does rhyming reviews (!) and she is so talented at writing poems:
A heartwarming read with surprises and shocks As these two discover what opportunities knock.
To find what they choose and how they decide, too, You’ll need to read it yourself all the way through!
Splashes Into BooksAfter reading My Book Boyfriend, I was eager to read the next book in this wonderful series. This book has a great storyline, such an easy read with a mix of humor, chemistry, love and a dash of drama.
InsomniacBookwormBookReviewsThank you for another wonderful blog tour!
-
My Book Boyfriend Audiobook – Early Access!
Early Release Access to the audiobook of My Book Boyfriend is now here! Here’s the blurb:
A feel-good, enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy
Tall, dark, and handsome. That’s what I think the first time I see Rupert Evans in the library.
But then I find out he is the developer who just sent my community garden a cease and desist letter because he plans to raze the garden and construct some towering monstrosity there.
The only one who is going to cease and desist is him. That community garden is my found family.
But then he asks me out at book club night.
Suspicious, right?
I’m attractive, but I’m not the type hot bachelors are lining up around the block to ask out. Let’s be real. I’m still in the brunch date spot with my next-door neighbor after a year of my pursuing him.
Rupert is trying to butter me up and lead me down the garden path so I’ll concede. Never.
He has no idea what we’re planning to do to stop him. Our little community group may look like a bunch of frail roses, but we’ve got thorns. As long as I weed out these pesky feelings for him, I know we can win.
And don’t forget to check out all the positive reviews from the blog tour!
You’ve got early access to purchase the My Book Boyfriend Audiobook–two weeks before it arrives on Amazon 🙂 And you can support me and my books directly.
Meet Rupert and Lily as narrated by Stacy Gonzalez and Eric Altheide
Lily is the librarian who loves her community garden and will do anything to save it.
Rupert is the developer who wants to bulldoze it for housing and to prove to his grandfather that he should be the next CEO of the family company.
When feelings grow, will they blossom or turn to rubble?
Also Available from Kobo, Kobo Plus and StoryFair Now
And it is coming to Amazon in two weeks!
Let’s Talk
I hope you enjoy listening to the My Book Boyfriend audiobook. It’s exciting for me to hear my words come to life.
-
My Own E-Bookstore!
I’m excited to announce that I have my very own e-bookstore(s) and you can now buy my e-books directly from me via either my Shopify store or my Story Origin store! Click on the images if you’re someone who wants to support authors directly. My Story Origin sells e-books only, but sells internationally. My Shopify store sells ebooks, paperbacks and audiobooks, but it is set up for the US, because of tax reasons.
I’ve set up book bundles of my series, so there is a New York Friendship Bundle and a New York Spark Starter Set in the Story Origin store. Click on the image below for the links.
New York Friendship Series
Three interconnected, feel-good, standalone, closed-door romantic comedies set in New York City in one box set!
This set includes:
Partner Pursuit: Audrey is a workaholic lawyer who is determined to become a law firm partner. Jake is a fun-loving music marketing executive who would never date a lawyer. When Jake moves in next door, and sparks fly, will Audrey choose love or career?
Is This for Real?: Take one relationship recluse writing a novel with a fake-dating trope. Add in one yummy romantic guy shanghaied for her romcom research. Layer in a history of genuine friendship on top of her recent heartbreak. Is this a recipe for true love or disaster?
Caper Crush: She’s an emotional artist. He’s a reserved accountant. When they team up to solve who stole her painting, will they find love?
“Overall I have loved this series.”
Lemon Nail Fiend Book Blog“[Partner Pursuit] is an old-school romcom! If this book was a movie, JLo or Reese Witherspoon would play the female lead, with Matthew McConaughey as the love interest.”
– StephanieNew York Spark Starter Set
My Book Boyfriend and Love Is an Art – the first two closed-door, happy-ever-after, standalone, interconnected books in the New York Spark series!
My Book Boyfriend: Lily loves her garden. Rupert wants to bulldoze it. When feelings grow, will they blossom or turn to rubble?
Love Is an Art: A Fish Out of Water Romantic Comedy
Tessa: He hates lawyers. So I’m a lawyer pretending to be an artist. Forgetting one tiny detail: I can’t paint. Zeke: She’s the worst artist I’ve ever seen.
“Kathy Strobos has proved to me again why she’s one of my go to authors, for HEA, for feeling happy and warm and making the world feel a better place.”
– Tara from TheWoollyGeek on InstagramFree E-Book Copy of A Scavenger Hunt for Hearts
As always, A Scavenger Hunt for Hearts is free when you sign up to my newsletter.
What do you think of my own e-bookstore?
Have you ever wanted to own a bookstore?
-
Shepherd’s Book Recs: Find Your Next Favorite Book
Love Is an Art Shepherd’s Book Recs: Find Your Next Favorite Book! Shepherd’s ask authors for their book recs, and so it’s a great site to find your next favorite read. They asked me to recommend five of my favorite books around a theme with the release of Love Is an Art. I was so honored.
I love their site. It feels like walking into a bookstore and asking for recommendations and being given so many good ones. As they say, “it’s like wandering the aisles of your favorite bookstore.”
As the founder writes:
To start, I’ve asked 9,000+ authors to share five of their favorite books around a topic, theme, or mood and why they love each book. This infuses each book with magic and meaning.
Then, we give readers fun and unique ways to follow their curiosity down rabbit holes and bump into those books and authors. At every step, you meet the person who recommended that book, the book list it came from, and what they are passionate about.
Ben FoxMy Shepherd’s Book Recs: Find Your Next Favorite Book To Read
If you click on the image above or this link to the site, you can read why I chose the books I did.
I wandered around the site and found so many books to read based on their recommendations. #neverendingTBR Lol.
For example, Partner Pursuit would fit in this list of the Best Chicklit Books on Lawyers from a Former Big Law Attorney. If you liked Partner Pursuit, you might want to check these books out. Or if you’ve read any of those books (which includes The Undomestic Goddess and Emily Giffin’s Something Borrowed), then you will probably also like Partner Pursuit.
Fun to Explore: What other authors liked Sophie Kinsella?
There are so many fun ways to explore the site. For example, I searched for other authors who’d chosen The Undomestic Goddess as one of their favorite books. I found the list above, but also a list by Octavia Butler of The Best, Romance, Chicklit and Women’s Fiction Books.
Love Is an Art is also featured on the RNA Blog!
Love Is an Art is also featured on the Romantic Novelists Association Blog, along with an interview of me giving writing tips and explaining how my journey to publishing. I think most of you know that I was in the RNA’s New Writer’s Scheme. I cannot recommend that highly enough to unpublished writers. It really made me so happy to see one of my books featured on the RNA Blog. They also asked me what was the inspiration behind Love Is an Art and what was the hardest part of the book to write.
Let’s Talk
Had you heard of Shepherd’s before? Did you go check it out and find any books to add to your #TBR? And if so, please share in the comments below.
-
Love Is an Art! Teaser
Look at this great teaser trailer for Love Is an Art. It’s so clever. I love it!
Love Is an Art Book Trailer Love Is an Art Blurb
Love Is an Art Here’s the blurb:
He hates lawyers. So I’m a lawyer pretending to be an artist. Forgetting one tiny detail: I can’t paint.
Tessa: There’s something about the way the blond guy laughs and leans in to listen. My gaze keeps returning to him.
The only problem is, we’re at an art gallery after work, and I’ve swapped my lawyer suit for a paint-splattered shirt. I’m pretending to be a struggling artist, acting as bait to entice a scammer who conned my friend out of thousands of dollars.
I look pathetic. But still, I approach Hot Guy.
Our glances meet, and an awareness shimmers across. He offers to buy me a drink–we’re definitely flirting–and then he asks me what I do.
Just when Scammer Guy is in earshot.
I have no choice but to say I’m an artist. I can tell Hot Guy later that I’m not.But then he says he hates lawyers.
Now what?
Zeke: She’s the worst artist I’ve ever seen.
And I hate that that makes me suspect that she’s lying to me. After my ex-girlfriend cheated on me, trust is in short supply.
She makes me laugh, and it’s one adventure after another with her. Definitely different from my workaholic lawyer ex.
Maybe it’s time to give love a second chance.
All is fair in love and litigation, but when truth and deception clash, can you trust your heart?
*The romcom books in this series are interconnected standalones set in the same world. Each can be read as a pure standalone with a guaranteed happily ever after.
A Scavenger Hunt for Hearts Audiobook!
My author reading aloud of A Scavenger Hunt for Hearts is now all up on YouTube so you can listen to the whole book read aloud by me there. You can click the image above for the link. It’s like attending an author reading but in the privacy of your home 🙂
Let’s Talk
What are you watching/reading? I’m watching My Demon and Please Marry My Husband (both k-dramas). I’m reading When In Rome by Sarah Adams. And I’m hard at work on my next book.
-
MoMA Scavenger Hunt 2023
To celebrate the one-year anniversary of the publication of A Scavenger Hunt for Hearts, I created a new MoMA scavenger hunt 2023 for my readers and my newsletter subscribers! I was amazed at how many pieces of art that were on view for my original scavenger hunt were no longer on exhibit. I held the unofficial scavenger hunt event yesterday at the MoMA.
November 2023 unofficial MoMA Scavenger Hunt
- SECOND FLOOR
- Spiral for Shared Dreams. What is the name of the Aztec Goddess for fresh water, childbirth and sensuality?
- Doors with Bats. When was this work created? What is the name of the artwork?
- THIRD FLOOR
- What was the size of Picasso’s Fontainebleau studio? What is the name of one piece of art he created there?
- A shimmery painting with pink using industrial materials. “The shimmering, reflective surface she created oxidized and eroded, becoming a kaleidoscopic mirror in which we glimpse fragments of ourselves and our surroundings.” Who is the artist?
- Flag. Who is the artist? How many stars?
- Soup cans. How many panels? Why soup cans?
- Dial A Poem. What poet read you a poem?
- 10/27/69. “The works’ tension and free fall—subject to forces beyond the artist’s control—paralleled the social turmoil of the time.” This is part of a series called the Drape paintings. What is the name of the artist?
- Go for a swim. Take a photo in this room of cut-outs.
- FOURTH FLOOR
- Fish. What is the date of creation?
- In A Scavenger Hunt for Hearts, Kiara and Finn enter a room called Motion and Illumination. A video fills a large screen hanging from the ceiling, with a “flying train,” inviting the viewer into a twisting aerial view of a street from 1902. What country is this filmed in?
- Pines and Rocks. When did MoMA acquire this work?
- An artist known for colorful paintings (sometimes with cows in them) who interweaves many of the visual elements of Cubism, Fauvism, Symbolism and Surrealism. What is the name of one of his paintings with a cow in it?
- Henri Matisse. Construction by Means of Color. A painting with a red ball flower. What’s the name of the painting?
- A bicycle wheel. Who is the artist? What is the date?
- Charlie Chaplin becomes a cog in this machine. What is the name of the film?
- Hotel Sauce Pots. What’s the name of the hotel?
- In what room are the water lilies?
- Luncheon in Fur. What is the actual name of this artwork and artist? What is the date of creation?
- They did not always leave . . . Who is the artist? What is the painting showing? What painting is underneath it?
- FIFTH FLOOR
- OOF. What colors are in this painting? What is the year of creation?
- ***Which of the above works of art are mentioned in A Scavenger Hunt for Hearts?***
Thank you so much for participating in this unofficial scavenger hunt to celebrate the publication of A Scavenger Hunt for Hearts! It made me so happy to try this out for real 😊
A Scavenger Hunt for Hearts Read Aloud by Author
My author reading of Chapters One and Two of A Scavenger Hunt for Hearts is now up on YouTube! I will release a new chapter every week.
Let’s Talk
Who are some of your favorite artists? I hope you have a wonderful November!
-
My Book Boyfriend Blog Tour
Thank you so much to all the bloggers and reviewers on the My Book Boyfriend Blog Tour organized by Rachel’s Random Resources!
It was amazing! Here are some excerpts from the reviews. For the full review, click on the link for each blog.
My Book Boyfriend was such a cozy, lighthearted, and heartwarming read! The bookish theme absolutely won my heart. I was looking for a quick read for my long flight back home for the semester break, and this was just perfect. The story played out like a rom-com movie in front of my eyes. It was so enjoyable!
Lily and Rupert had sizzling chemistry from the very beginning of the story. I really enjoyed seeing how they worked through the conflict that divided them! The witty banter, along with their bookish conversations, just made me melt. One of my favorite parts of the story was the realistic dispute between Lily and Rupert. Many enemies-to-lovers books have a supposed “enmity” just for the sake of it, but the way the trope was implemented in My Book Boyfriend was perfect!
I loved seeing how Lily and her friends came together to save the community garden. The community vibe was present all throughout the story, which made reading it so touching. The NYC setting was such a bonus too!
Highly recommend!
What Irin ReadsMany of the book bloggers have been reviewing my books since the beginning, and it makes me so happy that they keep signing up to review another one. I consider that the hugest compliment! And I’m also so thrilled that new bloggers have signed up.
Reviews from Returning Bloggers
Thank you to Zooloo’s Book Diary for this review: “I devoured this in one setting. I knew I would. Kathy’s writing is so easy to lose yourself into. She writes real characters, whose plight are relatable and generally feel pretty real! I feel like this could be a story your friend is going through. I adore Lily and Rupert.”
As you know, Splashes Into Books always creates a rhyming review–and I’m always blown away by her ability to do that. She called My Book Boyfriend a “fab, fun read.” And here’s part of the review:
“Can she trust him to be true or is he leading her astray,
Can they be together, come what may?
A fun read full of character and dilemmas, too,
Where sometimes you hope your dreams can come true!
For my complimentary copy of this book, I say thank you,
I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and this is my honest review.”
But definitely check out the full poem review at Splashes Into Books!
Tizi’s Book Review brought some tears to my eyes as she wrote: “There are authors that you don’t even need a blurb of their books to know that you will read it anyway. And Kathy Strobos is for sure a great addition to that kind of list of mine!” As did Tara’s Bookish Blog: “Kathy Strobos has proved to me again why she’s one of my go to authors, for HEA, for feeling happy and warm and making the world feel a better place.”
So we were already on a sure thing for me in knowing I’d enjoy this book, but in case these things aren’t ticking your boxes, I shall add that Kathy’s writing is wonderful, it’s engaging, the kind of writing where you forget your reading and two hours later you swear it was only 5 minutes ago you opened the book. She writes fantastic characters, ones I love or fall in love with, never perfect, always realistic, relatable and flawed people you really connect with.
Tara’s Bookish BlogThank you so much to Beauty Addict for this touching review (and definitely check out the rest of her review on her site):
“Having already read and loved Partner Pursuit and Is This For Real? by Kathy Strobos – I knew I was going to love My Book Boyfriend just as much – and I totally wasn’t wrong.
Beauty Addict
My Book Boyfriend is a beautifully written story with fantastic characters – a total must-add to your TBR pile this summer.Thank you so much for these reviews too!
“This was a great summer read, it was a real page turner… A great quick cozy read
https://www.instagram.com/scotsbookworm/This was a cute romance. . . This made me reminisce about all the times I visited my younger sister when she lived in NYC.
https://lisalovesliterature.bookblog.io/Such a cute, easy read with a great take on the enemies to lovers romance trope. . . I flew through this so fast, I was instantly hooked.
https://www.instagram.com/insomniacbookwormbookreviews/Let’s Talk
Thank you again to all the book bloggers! I’m going to do a Part 2 to cover the rest of the reviews. Such positive reviews make it all worthwhile!
-
Go on a date with Love Is an Art
Go on a date with Love Is an Art! The paperback is now out on Amazon!
Here’s the blurb:
He hates lawyers. So I’m a lawyer pretending to be an artist. Forgetting one tiny detail: I can’t paint.
Tessa: There’s something about the way the blond guy laughs and leans in to listen. My gaze keeps returning to him. The only problem is, we’re at an art gallery after work, and I’ve swapped my lawyer suit for a paint-splattered shirt. I’m pretending to be a struggling artist, acting as bait to entice a scammer who conned my friend out of thousands of dollars.
I look pathetic. But still, I approach Hot Guy.
Our glances meet, and an awareness shimmers across. He offers to buy me a drink–we’re definitely flirting–and then he asks me what I do.
Just when Scammer Guy is in earshot.
I have no choice but to say I’m an artist. I can tell Hot Guy later I’m not.
But then he says he hates lawyers. Now what?
Zeke: She’s the worst artist I’ve ever seen.
And I hate that that makes me suspect that she’s lying to me. After my ex-girlfriend cheated on me, trust is in short supply.
She makes me laugh, and it’s one adventure after another with her. Definitely different from my workaholic lawyer ex.
Maybe it’s time to give love a second chance.
All is fair in love and litigation, but when truth and deception clash, can you trust your heart?
I’d like to take you on a date with Tessa and Zeke in Brooklyn.
Go on a Date with Tessa and Zeke in Love Is an Art
Zeke and Tessa have their first date in DUMBO, Brooklyn. DUMBO stands for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass. That’s the Manhattan Bridge framed by the buildings.
Then Zeke and Tessa walk down to the waterfront and see this pathway, which has such a beachy feel.
And indeed it leads to beach down by the East River.
From there, let’s head back to the restaurants. Look at that beautiful Dutch architecture. I just love the rounded windows.
And walk up to rooftop of this building. There are more restaurants up top here so Zeke and Tessa grab dinner. Here’s a view out one of the windows.
Here’s one last view to leave you with! But the date continues now with a bike ride. And much more.
Thank you!
Thank you so much to all the readers, reviewers and bloggers who have already left such positive reviews of LOVE IS AN ART. I can’t wait for you to meet Tessa and Zeke!
-
She loves her community garden. He wants to bulldoze it.
The short tagline for my next book, My Book Boyfriend, is: “She loves her community garden; He wants to bulldoze it for housing. When feelings grow, will they blossom or turn to rubble?”
A laugh-out-loud, enemies-to-lovers, feel-good romantic comedy! It releases August 10. It will be on sale for 99 cents for August, and then the price will increase to $2.99.
(Thank you to my critique partner, Giulia Skye, for the short blurb, and I highly recommend her books.)
Conflict
In this book, I finally had my two love interests in direct conflict, as recommended by several classes on writing romance. As Linnea Sinclair says in her classes, “conflict is two dogs, one bone.” (I’m excited to take her upcoming classes this August and September.) It certainly makes writing that enemies-to-lovers snappy banter easier. But I have a hard time making them enemies such that they truly hate each other. I still think that the absolute best enemies-to-lovers is Sally Thorne’s The Hating Game.
She Loves Her Community Garden
Community Gardens in New York City – the Elizabeth Street Garden
As a result, I researched community gardens in New York City. The website of the Elizabeth Street Garden in the Little Italy neighborhood of New York City was particularly helpful. Here are some pictures of this lovely garden that is under the threat of demolishment.
We may have had too much fun blurring faces. 
No, the park was not filled with headless zombies! 
This article was also incredibly interesting and full of information: https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/07/us/elizabeth-street-garden-nyc-development-ctrp/index.html
If you read My Book Boyfriend, I think you will recognize many of Lily’s arguments for supporting the garden from the above article.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading all about how Lily loves her community garden and Rupert wants to bulldoze it!
Let’s Talk
What are you reading? What are you watching?