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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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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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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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Thank You to My Readers!
I’m closing out 2024 with a huge THANK YOU to my readers. I love writing stories, and it means the world to me that my stories have found an audience. I feel a great sense of pride in what I accomplished this year (and most of it, before July):
1. One of the highlights of my year is always the Brooklyn Book Festival. This year, two readers who bought my books in 2023, returned to buy more books. In the rain!! And there’s no greater compliment than that. It really makes me so happy. Here’s me with Michael Molloy, another author.
2. Published My Secret Snowflake, my holiday, workplace romantic comedy. Thank you to all my reviewers. I’m so happy with the reviews. “My favorite so far in this series!” – Thank you to Lisa M.!
3. Translated my books into German, Spanish, Turkish, Korean, and Brazilian Portuguese! It was so great to correspond with my translators too. Hopefully one day I can meet them in person.
4. Published my first audiobook — My Book Boyfriend narrated by Eric Altheide and Stacy Gonzalez.
5. Produced and published my own audiobook of My Scavenger Hunt for Hearts, read aloud by me. (Thank you to Derek Doepker for the audiobook course).
6. Opened my own Shopify store and Story Origin store (for international sales). I really enjoyed wrapping the paperback orders and adding all the little gifts. I added some miniatures, like a holiday miniature shopping bag, a miniature snowman cookie that I made, and glittery paper snowflakes!
7. Held a book club or Leserunde in German (!) on Mein Book-Boyfriend on Lovely Books. So much fun! Thank you to Kris Alice for all the marketing help and for recommending this.
8. Discovered that more of my books are in the New York Public Library and the Brooklyn Public Library.
9. Sent My Rock Star Neighbor off to my critique partners. I so enjoy my conversations with my critique partners, Giulia Skye and Ellen Gilman, throughout the year. I couldn’t do this without them.
10. Attended the RNA Conference. I made more author friends and caught up with friends in person. I met up with Giulia in London for a wonderful talk.
Thank you to all my author friends, my friends, and my family!
But most of all, thank you to my readers for an exciting year.
Wishing you a happy and healthy 2025!
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Buy Direct from ME!
I’m excited to announce that I have my very own 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?
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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.
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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.
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My Book Boyfriend Blog Tour #2!
Thank you so much to all the bloggers and reviewers on the My Book Boyfriend Blog Tour organized by Rachel’s Random Resources and here’s post #2 about the tour! For post #1, click here.
Here are some excerpts from the reviews. To see the full review, click on the links. I am so grateful for all your positive reviews and so touched that my words found a home.
Thank you to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers for this great review: “A great pick for Contemporary Romance fans, and book lovers alike, for the love and laughs, but also the chance to see a bookish ending that’s all deserved!” as well as this lovely quote:
“Today’s the day all your bookish dreams come true! How so? Well, because a particular author took a particular idea 💡 that every book lover has had at some point or another, and made it a reality… in a story at least!”
Satisfaction for Insatiable ReadersMalloch Books gave this lovely review on Instagram. Their feed has many great book recommendations, so definitely follow them on Instagram: “This ticked so many boxes for me: community, library, book-based romance. I found this to be a perfect summer read with lots of swoon worthy moments and happy little dances along the way. I found Rupert adorable, he gave major Labrador vibes, and I just wanted to hug him.”
This review definitely made do a happy little dance 🙂
Books, Life And Everything also gave this lovely review: “This is a well written, enemies to lovers romcom, with a varied cast of characters and a great community feeling.”
“There is plenty of humour in the story and a wry look at people’s reading habits and likes. I enjoyed all the sessions which Lily led in her book club – her love for reading is quite infectious. Most of all, the secondary characters add real colour and humour to the story to go alongside the growing romance which you feel is inevitable.”
Books, Life and EverythingYorkshireCarly’s Book Reviews recommended My Book Boyfriend as “the perfect summer read,” but also made this interesting point:
“I enjoyed that the two main characters Lily & Rupert are both huge book worms, because mainly it’s the female protagonist that loves books so it was quite refreshing and the romance was adorable.”
Yorkshire CarlyMore Reviews from My Book Boyfriend Blog Tour #2
Thanks so much for these reviews too! I agree that book readers are definitely sexy, don’t you?
“Rupert was an ideal bookish hero with oodles of swoonsomeness and proved book readers are sexy. “
The Enchanted Emporium Bookshelf“I could see this as a Hallmark movie, it’s that cute.”
Inspired by PMDDI also recommend following these bookstagram accounts for more great book reviews:
“This was a cute, heartwarming, enemies-to-lovers story and I really enjoyed it.”
https://www.instagram.com/mrsljgibbs/?hl=en“It was wonderful to read about books in a book.. . I love New York and books set there always have a special place in my heart. The setting was accurate–felt like I was in downtown.”
https://www.instagram.com/bookishllly/“Strobos gives us a quick and light read, with realistic characters showing community as well as friendship, my heart felt warm for them all. . . This is an author I will be picking up again and a series I will be following.”
https://www.instagram.com/nlcraigwrites/Let’s Talk
Thank you again to all the book bloggers and to Rachel’s Random Resources! Next up is the book tour for Love Is an Art!
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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!
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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!