Not a lot published today because the latest Sarah J. Maas book is out and taking up all the oxygen in the room. Here is your smaller than usual weekly round-up of brand new, progressive-leaning romances!

If I’ve omitted a title you feel passionate about and think this community will enjoy, please do share it in the comments. Reminder that I haven't read any of these titles yet, so this isn't an official endorsement unless noted. Click through to read the post on Bindery for my full commentary.

The Fall Fix Up by Karmen Lee (Harlequin) — This bi4bi book sounds so refreshing. A mechanic dealing with bad credit and housing insecurity after a fire helps a divorced artist build her home. If you’re craving romances about relatable human beings, Lee’s Peach Blossom series sounds great.

Brown Eyed Earl by Jenny Holiday (Kensington) — The third book in the Earl’s Trip historical rom-com series. A lady’s companion needs to be ruined in order to avoid a forced marriage, and she turns to a scholarly and straight-laced Earl for help. Love this trope.

The Rain and the Light by Louise Mayberry (Indie) — A marriage of convenience historical romance between an abolitionist school teacher and a lawyer set in 1842 in Wisconsin Territory. This hist-rom has depression and chronic migraine representation, and asks us what it means to be an ally in the fight for justice.

Eight Ways to Say I Love You by Amanda Elliot (Berkley) — Set over eight years, this childhood friends-to-lovers Hanukkah romance is by the author of Love You a Latke.

Reminder that there is still time to submit questions for Betty Corrello, the author of Back For Seconds, 32 Days in May, and Summertime Punchline! You can do so here.

Why, hello there!

I'm sitting here with my ghosty mug of coffee, my freshly washed hair in a towel (which I'm pretty sure we're told not to do?), getting ready for my work day. I'm working on some creative projects in the early mornings and evenings, but something I'm excited about is that Curses Dance with Bourbon is up for pre-order! How neat is that?

I got my acknowledgments in to my publisher just this week and we signed off on last edits a few weeks ago.

Before it's released I'm going to share a little, from my heart, what writing the second Lost Souls novel meant to me. I don't share much about my personal life, as that's something I protect, but there is a bit more of me in this book than the first.

I hope you are all enjoying the fall, even though here in Indiana we have a high of 79, (what). It's a time of reflection and releasing heavy things, getting ready to hunker down for a season of rest. Think of what you need to release.

I look forward to more time with you ;)

Preorder for March is below if you're interested

Hello coven!

It's been a few weeks; thank you for your patience. A book release and traveling with events took a lot out of this perimenopausal woman.

How are you? I've been thinking a lot about how we as women connect and what we give each other when we do. There's a sanctity there, isn't there? When women come together and the stars align, it can be alchemy.

I had the opportunity to sit with an incredible woman, a documentarian, who created a documentary on the untold origins of women. I'll get into this incredibly important documentary in another post, but talking with Dominique, me in my living room and her in her kitchen, it felt like breathing calmly. There's something about intentional time we take with other people, especially women, the questions we ask, the answers we give, what we leave behind.

As an author and as a woman, I want a lot of things in this world, but I love to write beautiful stories, and I love helping create beautiful spaces where women can breathe and feel seen.

A book I have been reading bits and pieces of is an anthology called The Book of Women's Friendship. It's a collection of poetry, letters, bits of fiction, all gathered into the skirt of a bound pages for you to leaf through and feel like you're peeking into the heart of women. I love a good anthology because it's something I can come and go from, like a little decadent treat here and there.

Would you be interested in an online event meeting women and chatting? A simple meet-up to talk and drink a cozy beverage and possibly make new friends? It's something I've been noodling on for a while. Let me know! Excited to be back :)

Book below if you're interested :)

Happy Tuesday, mis internet amigxs!

We have VERY few Latinx releases this week, but I had a few reminders before we got to them.

First of all, thank you so much for your grace with postponing our chat with Cleyvis Natera last week. I'll get it rescheduled this week and send out a new invite.

The LibroFM BOGO sale ends on Thursday! Have you picked your selections? LET ME HELP

BOOK CLUB

We're finalizing You Should Have Been Nicer To My Mom by Vincent Tirado and Latinx Guide to Liberation by Vanessa Pezzo.

On Sunday, November 1st, we begin reading Beginning Middle End by Valeria Luiselli. This book also happens to be a finalist for the National Book Awards on November 18th. Should we watch the awards together on Discord? Let me know in the comments.

Will be pausing our nonfiction sidequest during the last few months of the year and I'll be running some polls in the interim to see if we should start back up in the new year.

DISCORD

In addition to our reading/productivity sprints on the second Monday of every month, in November, we're adding a couple of programs.

On November 19th, Discord resident journal expert, Angie, will be leading a discussion on 2027 planner planning(?) session.

In addition, we had our innaugural Bien Creativos event where we crafted and chatted on Discord. I've been running some polls and it appears it'll be a monthly offering on Discord. Will be running more polls to figure out when is best for everyone soon.

SUPPORT BIEN LEIDOS

Supporting Bien Leidos not only helps me keep uplifting Latinx authors in this era of reading monoculture, but it also keeps you in the know...first. Your support helps me continue to push through, even when I feel like I'm ready to give up.

And now, onto our Latinx releases this week...

The Queen of Swords by Jazmina Barrera and translated by Christina Mcsweeney

Thousands of Eyes by Maximiliano Barrientos and translated by Thomas Bunstead

Xo,

Carmen

Hi, everyone! We were supposed to meet tonight for our first Chain Gang All Stars bookclub conversation, but over half of the people who previously said they could come have told me they can no longer make it! So I’m moving it to this Friday, one of the other popular times! Same time: 7pm cst!

Here is the updated link: https://us05web.zoom.us/j/83792331566?pwd=gbtzzDkWJ5jMymkwAlAnZdWn4P0wWf.1

Reminder, this one is the book club discussion so everyone is invited. We will discuss the entire book.

Our other two meetings will be discussing abolition itself. Those will take place on November 13th and December 4th! Links to come!

See you Friday!