Mary

It really helped me picture each of them and just how different they are through vocal tone alone.

Overall loved this and glad I got to listen. Thank you again to Karelia & Fay Stetz-Waters and Hachette Audio for the ARC Audiobook. Taste The Love comes out in just a few days on Tuesday, July 15th!

Also no third act breakup, just some tension - thank you so much! I'm so sick of third act breakups just for the sake of it!

I listened to the audiobook and loved both of the narrators - Je Nie Fleming and Jordan Cobb - and their unique style.
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It takes a little bit to get rolling, but once it does, the plot picks up as well as the chemistry.

The plot is a little on the silly side, so I wouldn't go in expecting the most realism ever, but it was definitely entertaining and I was really pleased with how everything ended.

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their reunion is far from magical. However, a major corporation's play at domination quickly shifts their relationship and priorities.

With a unique marriage of convenience and a focus on food and environmentalism, Taste the Love brings a lot to the table. (heh)
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Illustrated cover of Taste the Love by Karelia & Fay Stetz-Waters. Two women sit across from each other at a candlelit restaurant table, smiling warmly as they share a romantic moment. One woman, with light skin and short curly hair, wears a white chef's coat. The other, with dark skin and a natural afro, wears a sleeveless coral top and green skirt. They are feeding each other bites of food with spoons while glasses of rosé and plates of elegant dishes sit between them. The scene is set against a softly lit window framed with lights and lush greenery, evoking a cozy, romantic evening. The title is written in bold pink and white letters at the top, and the authors' names appear in block letters at the bottom.

Thank you Hachette Audio and Karelia & Fay Stetz-Waters for the Audiobook ARC of Taste the Love! 💙📚🌈

Taste the Love is a fun, unique sapphic romance novel that follows two ex-classmates from culinary school. When development ambitions brings Kia into Sullivan's backyard,
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I really ate it up. I am finding more and more that my favorite books have messy main characters who don't have their life figured out, but it's becoming very evident to me that many people need the mc to be people they actively wanna root for/like. You won't get that here probably haha

but overall this book was gripping and thought-provoking. I loved how it blurred moral lines and didn’t shy away from emotional messiness. A must-read for fans of introspective, character-driven YA.

America's Not-So-Sweetheart comes out next Tuesday, June 17th! I hope you'll give it a shot.

and Joaquín’s manipulative behavior is explored with nuance. The writing feels organic and immersive, pulling you deep into Alec’s head as he navigates fame, self-worth, and impossible expectations.

Some of the pacing was a bit uneven, and the characters occasionally felt older than their ages,

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embarks on a road trip with his ex-showmance Joaquín... a relationship that quickly reveals itself to be more toxic than tender.

I was deeply moved by how genuine and emotionally complex this story is. Alec’s anxiety and identity struggles are raw and relatable,

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Illustrated cover of America’s Not-So-Sweetheart by Blair Hanson. The title is bold and graphic at the top, with the words “Not-So” handwritten in red between “America’s” and “Sweetheart.” Below, five vertical panels show a series of warm, sunset-hued images: a young man with tousled hair and glasses being gently touched by another man leaning in to kiss him, a silhouette of pine trees, a glowing campfire, a close-up of the same young man looking directly at the viewer with a brooding expression, and a car winding down a forest road in autumn. The bottom of the cover mimics a social media post with icons for a broken heart, comment, share, and bookmark, along with the author’s name in red script: Blair Hanson.

Thank you so much to Blair Hanson and Page Street Publishing for the ARC of America's Not-So-Sweetheart! Giving this one 5 stars :) 💙📚🌈

Alec, a former reality show contestant still dealing with a villain edit and social media backlash,

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this book delivers. It offers an enjoyable escape with a satisfying romance at its center.

Winging It with You is out on Tuesday, June 10th! I recommend giving it a try. :) Thank you again for the ARC!

A few subplots were introduced and toyed with, but didn't feel like they had conclusions, which left some storylines feeling unfinished.

Still, this was a fun and easy read with characters you’ll root for. If you're in the mood for something charming and low on angst with a sweet emotional core,

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However, the reality show setting felt more like a loose backdrop than a fully developed part of the story. The competitive reality show angle had a lot of potential for drama and humor, but the execution didn’t delve as deeply as I had hoped (I'm really particular about reality show books!!).

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Both leads felt emotionally grounded, with compelling personal arcs that unfolded naturally throughout the story. Their romance had great chemistry and genuine warmth, and I appreciated that the author allowed each character to grow individually alongside their relationship.

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Illustrated cover of Winging It with You by Chip Pons. Two men stand at the center, one blonde and wearing glasses, the other with dark hair and a beard. They are holding each other affectionately and moving in for a kiss. In the background is a stylized airport runway with a control tower, planes on the ground, and one taking off into a colorful blue and teal sky with clouds. The tagline reads, “Catching flights... and feelings.” A blurb at the top from Hannah Grace, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Icebreaker, says, “Fun, sexy, and overflowing with heart.”

Thank you so much to Chip Pons and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC of Winging It with You! 💙📚🌈

Winging It with You is a fast-paced and heartwarming romance that kept me turning the pages, even if it didn’t fully deliver in every area. I really enjoyed the character development.
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Nearly half-way with respondents! 😍

Please repost this short #Romantasy survey so I can pull the (anonymised) data — I'll be sharing insights with the reading and writing communities. 🥰 #Booksky

docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

omg I can't believe you already finished. but also... yeah FAIR HAHAHA I'm so glad you loved it!!!

I think the second is the best as a personality/vibes picture and the fourth is best from a professional perspective!

I think this book is excellent for people who love complex characters and like things a little more on the literary fiction side than the romance side.

Thank you again for the ARC! Out of Step, Into You is out on Tuesday, May 20th.

Considering how well written the characters were, I really wish we'd gotten to see more of that in action and less within their own heads.

I'm really conflicted on this one, so I'm going to give it 3.5.

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make it to the page that I would have liked. There wasn't much yearning or need between the two characters; their romance beats felt random; the tone of their conversations seemed to shift for no reason other than that they had spent more time together.

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The character work in this story is honestly gorgeous. Every single person had depth to them, which I adore. Taylor and Mari overall made a ton of sense, and their complexities definitely shone.

That said, it really didn't feel like a romance, and there's a lot that didn't seem to

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mother while taking care of her younger siblings; Taylor is trying to cope with her father's recurring health issues. Between the two of them, it's hard to find time to have patience for anything else, and when Mari moves back to Taylor's high school, their reunion is far from understanding.

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Illustrated book cover for Out of Step, Into You by Ciera Burch. Set against a vibrant, stylized sunset sky in purples, pinks, and oranges, two Black women jog down a sunlit path, each holding dog leashes. The woman on the left wears a light pink crop top and bright yellow bike shorts; the woman on the right wears a pink-and-blue swirled matching set. They smile as they run together, accompanied by four happy dogs: a small white fluffy dog, a beagle, a border collie, and a small tan-and-white dog. The tagline reads: “You can’t outrun love.”

Thank you to Ciera Burch and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the ARC of Out of Step, Into You!

💙📚🌈

This YA romance about two friends separated by life and internal struggles demonstrated the challenges of adolescence well. Mari is supporting her paycheck-to-paycheck

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It's me! I'm the fitzlacker!!! Come help support a good cause!

chefjess_95 - Twitch !CCFA !incentive !goals IT'S TIME FOR THE BIRTHDAY STREAM WEEKEND!!! Mario Party with @mrsrgsnowman @darkstryder_wolfmane and @bdreyzor

Friends!!! @chefjess95.bsky.social is raising money for the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation right now, go support her and make her do things like take hot sauce shots and eat weird peeps and drink weird drinks, it's a party out here

www.twitch.tv/chefjess_95

Tomorrow at 8pm EST Community Night - Mario Party Madness!
Then Wrapping up the weekend with Valorant with @maryfitzreads.bsky.social and GEMonsta!

I know this is a VERY last minute BlueSky announcement but there's plenty of opportunities to stop by and say hi 💜

Overall, this is a light book that's great for people who just want a queer, soft, and somewhat spicy read. Thank you again for the ARC!

Once Upon You and Me is out April 29th :)

I do feel a couple of the topics in this book felt a little glossed over, but not to a point where it upset me. I also found it to be more "tell" than "show" in many scenes, but I zipped right through it and had a really lovely time.

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This is definitely no exception, and it's one of the reasons I'm always quick to reach for a Janovsky book. While there are times I love things a little darker, more emotional, and deeper, there are also times when I need something lighter to catch my breath and relax.

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