Goodness gracious, dear readers…..it’s been a pretty intense month, hasn’t it?  No matter what side of the proverbial fence on which you sit, it’s easy, in “interesting times” like these to feel a lot of negative things.  Those feelings are as contagious as colds, and do just as much–if not more–harm to us all.  Which is why is critically important to take care of ourselves, and to take care of each other.  To ensure that each of us, and all of us, have a space to feel safe, and at peace.  Here, in our monthly romance post, we try to bring you some literary suggestions that feature happy endings, emotional resolutions, and the kind of human connections that we all need right about now.  So we hope that these books inspire you to try a new book, a new author, or to share your new literary love with someone else!

Bridget:

Dare to Lie by Jen McLaughlin

In the interest of full disclosure, I really can’t get into romances set amongst criminals–whether they are in a motorcycle gang, a mob, or in prison, I find the trope really troubling and often full of some really problematic misogyny.  So imagine my genuine surprise when I discovered Jen McLaughlin’s Sons of Steel Row series, featuring a gang in the gritty streets of Boston (which feel more like mid-90’s Dennis Lehane than today, but that is perfectly ok with me).

In this third book in the series, we meet Scott Donahue, a man living a double life as a DEA agent undercover with Sons of Steel Row, determined to make his world a better place, even as he finds himself sinking deeper and deeper into the life of a Son.  But when Tate, the gang’s leader, asks Scotty to keep an eye on his younger sister, and ensure her safety during a particularly violent gang war, Scotty finds himself compromising in a way he never before imagined.  Because Skylar is a stunning, vibrant, and wonderfully strong woman that Scotty can’t keep at a distance, even if he wanted to.  Tate can never know about their clandestine relationship…and Skylar can never know Scotty’s real identity…until war comes to their very doorstep, forcing Scotty to choose, once and for all, who he really is.

I love that McLaughlin calls all her heroes on their macho nonsense, providing them with strong, self-assured women who love them, and keep them on their toes.  As a result, the relationships here are wonderfully fulfilling and revelatory, and makes the stakes of Scotty’s mission even higher.  Normally, I hate when people aren’t honest, but the way it was handled and resolved here was really skillfully done.  Even more so, I loved that McLaughing took the chance to analyze the real effects of violence on those it touches, and what a life like Scotty’s and his fellow Sons really does to people.  It’s a discussion we don’t have often enough in books–romances, especially, and really made this book something special to me.

Kelley:

Because of Miss Bridgerton  by Julia Quinn

Poking through the shelves at my local library and looking for a fun read for a frigid Saturday afternoon, I came across Julia Quinn’s Because of Miss Bridgerton. Julia Quinn is a new author for me, so I didn’t know what to expect, but being as the list of “Top Ten Reasons to Read this Book” had me laughing out loud, I knew that this was just the sort of romance I was hoping to find for a blanket fort worthy afternoon.

The “Miss Bridgerton” of the title is Billie Rokesby, a tomboy more interested in helping to run her father’s estate than in learning to host the perfect house party. Having grown up next door to the Rokesby family, she spent most of her childhood playing with their two youngest sons, and it’s assumed that someday Billie might marry Edward or Andrew Rokesby. As to the third and eldest Rokesby son, George, the dislike between him and Billie is mutual…until it’s not.

Of course, dear readers, you know exactly which Rokesby will work to capture Billie’s heart! This is a delightful romance full of fun, humor, heartwarming family dynamics, and of course, love. So if you’re looking for a lovely way to spend a chilly weekend afternoon, grab yourself a cup of tea, and join the Bridgertons and the Rokesbys to build a card house, play a game of croquet, and maybe just fall in love.

Until next month, beloved patrons–happy reading!