Roni Loren’s Say Everything series is one that’s going on my fave contemporary romance series list—you can put that blurb right on the cover 😆.

The latest installment, For You & No One Else, out now, warmed every cockle of my heart. I really loved this friends with benefits romance where they really are *friends* & lovers & eventually make an adorable and unfairly hot partnership.

Therapist & mental health influencer Eliza hasn’t won over office-mate Beckham & that’s fine.

But they strike up a friendship while unexpectedly shopping for a dog together *cue the soft, happy tears* & as a hacker & friend he’s there for her when a horrible date tries to publicly shame & bully her by posting a video of her without her consent rightfully going off on him (check out the CWs for more on this!).

Gradually they move into something steamier, but there are big complications standing in the way including Beckham’s past & their different relationship wants.

This age gap, forced proximity, workplace-ish romance is written so beautifully & captures how romance underlaid with a strong friendship can be so strong & heartwarming. The speeches that each makes about friendship, & later about love, really got to me in the best of ways.

& the Epilogue. I didn’t need to see it go there, & it didn’t have to for the characters, but I absolutely loved seeing them sooo happy. Furthermore, seeing the other characters from past books—all of them one big, happy, extended family—was particularly welcome given the crappy news we’re dealing with in the Real World.

This book & this whole series is fantastic. If I want sensitive romance with steam & compelling relationships with attraction & tenderness & respect & gentle challenges I’m rec’ing this one! Check it out if you haven’t already—you won’t regret it!

Wow, Ashley Poston’s The Dead Romantics blew me away & had me freaking crying before taking my kids to gymnastics the other morning 😆.

This book engaged me emotionally on every level—it kind of has a Book Lovers effect in that way. The story weaves in happiness & grief, joy & sadness, laughter & tears in a most affirming way—as the book makes us aware time & time again, that weaving is life itself. The sour sometimes but always the sweet too.

At the beginning of the book ghostwriter Florence Day asks to write the last book on her contract as a non-romance bc according to her, “romance is dead.” (Ok, Florence, check back in with me later 🙄🤣). The editor Benji Andor, a hottie who clearly turns cold by her ask, says no.

Shortly thereafter, Florence’s beloved dad passes & Benji Andor, her editor, arrives at her family’s funeral home as a ghost. Good thing that Florence can communicate with them—even if that actually made her infamous in her small town.

This book obviously deals with some tough topics, including the loss of Florence’s dad, but it handles them so lovingly, so eager to see the possible beauty left in the world even through tears & wrenching sadness.

I missed Florence’s dad even though he was only alive on page for a short portion of the book. Just as I was happy for her happy memories & the moments she shares with Benji—because Florence’s narration reeled me in & I could feel the fullness of her, of her family too, as a person.

Quirky, funny, loving, hopeful, this book hits every note & I loved living in it for a while. Every character in The Dead Romantics feels special & precious. More books like this one, please.