Hi, friends.

It’s the month of love! And I’m getting married this week! So of course I had to share some very good spicy books with y’all. Even better, they’re spicy novellas.

I don’t know if it’s just my corner of the bookish internet or the whole world, but spicy novellas have been having a moment. They’re the perfect size for story—no stressing over extensive world-building and plot-having. Just a little character development and [redacted] and voila. You’ve got yourself a quick (and dirty, heh) read.

Novellas are all I can really focus on lately, too; the burnout of the real world is real. Let’s get to the good stuff.

The books

Guarding Temptation by Talia Hibbert

James knows you’re not supposed to fall for your best friend’s little sister. It’s the rules. But Nina is…Nina. She’s busy saving the world with her journalism when she gets doxxed and needs to hide out at his place. Sexy shenanigans ensue. Guarding Temptation has it all—friends to lovers! Forced proximity! There’s only one bed!

Claimed by Cupid by Dana Isaly

Last Christmas, Holly got dumped. At a bar. While she was dressed as a slutty Mrs. Claus. Luckily, the owner of the bar—Nick Saint, a silver fox—has eyes for her. And so their relationship blooms. Claimed by Cupid is book two in this series where we get to check in on the couple for each holiday; this time it’s a spicy Valentine’s date with public toy play. These two are a delight to read.

Go Deep by Rilzy Adams

Oooh, friends to lovers, you gotta love it. Navaya is an erotica writer whose reviews are plummeting. She’s been single for far too long and asks her longtime best friend, Xander, to get her writer juices flowing again (Adams’s words, not mine, okay?). But of course it turns into more than just a simple, one-time physical thing. So good! So fun!

Check this out

Literal is a Goodreads alternative with a focus on virtual book clubs of all sizes. It’s chock-full of the most coveted features, too: half-star ratings, keywords (great for content warnings), buy links to a variety of retailers (including your independent bookstore), and a text scanner for easily sharing your fave highlights. You can also import your Goodreads data to seamlessly make the switch. As a visual gal, I am obsessed with the aesthetics of the Literal site and app. The design is minimal, despite the wealth of data that lives in each book’s page. Literal is invite-only for now, but I’ve got an invite for you right here. #sponsored

The links

Why (And How) You Should Keep a Commonplace Book

I’ve kept some version of a commonplace book for *mumbles* a decade, and now I’m sharing how to start your own. This post even inspired a fellow Book Rioter and bookish newsletter writer Laura to start one!

Spice Up Your Life: 15 New Erotic Books

Look, I’ve been thinking about spicy books for a hot minute. Here are even more, if you want/need them.

Enter this

Bookshop.org is celebrating its second birthday with a huge giveaway! Enter with this link for the chance to win an annual $600 gift card to Bookshop.org as well as a $500 donation to your bookstore of choice. Five other winners will receive a $100 gift card to Bookshop.org. Full disclosure that I’m a Bookshop affiliate, but this is too rad not to share.

What I’m reading

Delilah Green Doesn’t Care by Ashley Herring Blake: A funny, steamy queer romance? Nuff said. I’m only a few chapters in and already obsessed with Delilah and Claire.

Catch the Sparrow: A Search for a Sister and the Truth of Her Murder by Rachel Rear: After you spend an entire month reading romance, you need to throw in some true crime. It’s the law. This one is especially enticing—Rachel Rear investigates the unsolved murder of her step-sister.

Do I Feel Better Yet?: Questionable Attempts at Self-Care and Existing in General by Madeleine Trebenski: I love self-help and I love satirical self-help even more. Trebenski’s written for McSweeney’s, and that’s really all I needed to hear before diving in to this one.

I hope you’re reading something that makes you happy.

xoxo

Head’s up! I’m an affiliate with Bookshop.org and may earn a commission if you click through any book links and make a purchase.

Crooked Reads

Spicy Novellas for the Month of Love