Pride Month!

This definitely isn't a trope, but it is a topic I want to shine a bright light on. Love is for everyone. To be loved for who we are, by people who truly see us and care about us, is a wonderful thing.

It's not always a given thing, though, and to me, that's a tragedy that we need to change.

Some people are big movers and shakers. Others make changes quietly, but we all need to be part of the change. Maybe it's trying to learn what people's pronouns are and using them without any fuss. Maybe it's making sure that what we read (and for me, write!) are inclusive of the real world around us.

I'm still working on that, but trying to always do better.

Check out these romances that I've really enjoyed (and one I've written). If you want to share these recommendations with a friend, remember you can use the FORWARD button at the bottom of the email and they'll be able to read and follow links without having to sign up for more newsletters.

Rocky Mountain Freedom

Travis, Cassidy and Ashley are all strong individuals who are made even stronger when they're together. I loved writing this story for them, and having them find a solid place in the Coleman family where all three of them know they're not just accepted, but unconditionally loved.

**

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Mr. and Mr. Smith by HelenKay Dimon

The Tough Love series is Romantic Suspense, and HelenKay excels at writing exciting adventures that also allow her heroes to find their someone special. This first in series has the same spin as the movie Mr. and Mrs. Smith—both parts of the couple undercover without the other knowing!

**

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The Wolf at the Door by Charlie Adara

What a remarkable series, with two characters who are “least likely to fall in love” forced to work together. This paranormal romance is also a mystery, and I loved how complex not just the story but the relationship building is. 

**

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Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree

The subtitle says “A novel of High Fantasy…and low-stakes.” 

Which is a delightful way of saying this fantasy book isn't about epic quests for treasure, or to right wrongs, but to find a new life filled with great coffee and good friends.

I adored this book.

After years of reading fantasy in my twenties and thirties, it was great to come back to a well-written adventure with a fantastic main character who I want nothing but the best for. That Viv, the orc barbarian, also finds friendship (and headed toward love?!) with a woman who becomes part of Viv's world, is the icing on a joyous story.

—

High Fantasy with a double-shot of self-reinvention

Worn out after decades of packing steel and raising hell, Viv the orc barbarian cashes out of the warrior’s life with one final score. A forgotten legend, a fabled artifact, and an unreasonable amount of hope lead her to the streets of Thune, where she plans to open the first coffee shop the city has ever seen.

However, her dreams of a fresh start pulling shots instead of swinging swords are hardly a sure bet. Old frenemies and Thune’s shady underbelly may just upset her plans. To finally build something that will last, Viv will need some new partners and a different kind of resolve.

A hot cup of fantasy slice-of-life with a dollop of romantic froth.

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