Cowboy Contemporaries – Yeehaw?

Thursday, 18 December 2025 07:00 am
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Posted by Lara

Lara, who is South African, has some questions about contemporary cowboy romances that she’s trying to puzzle out. I (Sarah), who have a lot of stock image credits, added some to this post purely for the lols. Enjoy.

I’ve been feeling adventurous lately. Maybe not in my real life where I favour pattern and routine, but in my reading life I’ve been reaching for new-to-me things.

It started with my quest for indie- and self-pubbed historical romance. Not a massive adventure I grant you, but an important mind shift for someone who, with an exception here or there, shied away from anything not traditionally published. I had two thoughts.

1. Were there rigorously edited self- and indie-pubbed books? Yes! An obvious answer in hindsight. I was letting my bias show.

2. I had no idea where to start as the indie- and self-pubbed world seemed massive and intimidating to me. You can read the rec league and the follow up post.

This next quest is informed by two similar questions:

  1. Are there cowboy romances with progressive politics or at least hidden moderate ones?
  2. Where on earth to find these books?

I write for Smart Bitches so the second question answered itself: search the archives. I know the site’s perspectives match many of my own.

A stock image of a White man in a straw cowboy hat, an orange plaid flannel and jeans sitting on a box facing to the side. In front of him he is holding the handle of his whip with a forlorn expression. The position of the whip is phallic, y'all. So so phallic. Like a giant curved schlong right over his crotch
It can be hard to find the cowboy romances you’re looking for.

My cowboy contemporary romance experience is rather limited. I read three historical romance westerns a few years back but have shied away from contemporary cowboys for fear it’s all US flags and MAGA hats.

I decided to branch out on my own, and tried a few books that seemed like contemporary cowboy romances I might like. But I noticed a few things, and I don’t know how they fit into cowboy contemporaries more broadly, so I’d like to pose these queries to the Bitchery.

First, are all cowboy heroes stubborn and boneheaded? Is this a feature of the genre?

Further to that, do all of them have caveman-like protective instincts?

A muscular white man stands with a blue button down shirt held open over his naked and very glisten-y chest. With one hand he's holding the shirt open, and with the other he is tipping his cowboy hat
He’s in the boardroom! He’s in the gym! He’s on the ranch! He’s in the combination boardroom-gym-ranch!

It’s not necessarily something I’m opposed to in fiction (in real life, I abhor it) but I’m curious how widespread the phenomenon is.

Second, do all cowboy contemporaries focus on men and women who I can either categorise as “good upstanding member of society with down-home values” or as a reformed “wild child” who is now an “upstanding member of society”?

In one book I read, the characters who have their HEA already are in the former category. The hero of the book was in the latter with a brief stop in ‘angry and reclusive’ and is turned into the former through “the transformative properties of love.”

The heroine starts off a ditzy mess but ends up as the former category. Think big family meals on the family ranch which is the family business. Everyone has their quirks but it’s all “good clean family” stuff. By that I mean, family comes first, gentle ribbing at the dinner table, with expectations of loyalty and reliability amongst family members.

I’ve put some phrases in inverted commas because I’m not unquestioning in my use of these terms. They are political in nature and using them feels like very gingerly handling bombs.

Next question, in cowboy contemporaries, if there are ‘enemies’, who are they?

In one novel I read, the intruders are “drug addicts who are up to no good”. There is no nuance to them at all. Which I suppose is fair as villains can be pretty flat characters but it is their step into caricature that I noticed. How they talk. How they act. It’s clear that as the reader we’re supposed to abhor them for their selfish, criminal and cruel actions directed at those good upstanding citizens. I’m not saying the author needed an in depth breakdown of how they came to have substance abuse problems and resorted to a life of petty crime. But in a world where billionaires are the actual problem (IRL that is), it feels strange to pick on a few “drug addicts”.

I can’t quite shake the feeling that I read a book that reflects specific values which would be enjoyed by a Trump supporter. Which let me tell you is deeply concerning but are all cowboy contemporaries the same that way? And how do I find the ones that I might enjoy?

Oh, and is kinky sex (including butt stuff) common in the genre? I doubt it but I have to ask. One of the books I read featured it heavily.

A woman with light brown skin and curly hair and a white cowboy hat leans up against a rail fence. There's a large white V on the fence, and perched on the top rail in the MIDDLE OF THE V is a white dude in a cowboy hat who looks precarious.
At least this guy is perched right in her V.

I should add that I’ve only visited the States twice, all my US-based friends are somewhere on the democratic socialist train, and while I’m immersed in US media, there are absolutely going to be nuances that I miss. Sometimes those nuances are going to be blindingly obvious to a resident of the States so maybe nuance is the wrong word.

Over to you, Bitchery: what are your thoughts?

Dare I continue my cowboy contemporary quest? I look forward to your answers to my numerous questions!

Links: Dogs, Drag Queens, & More

Wednesday, 17 December 2025 07:00 pm
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Posted by Amanda

Workspace with computer, journal, books, coffee, and glasses.Happy Wednesday!

Maybe TMI, but the heels of my palms have been so dry lately. Please give me all of you hand lotion recommendations. As a note, I do not like the texture of a balm. My partner often has some Working Hands around and using it just gives me the willies.

Today’s edition of Wednesday Links is just a big focus on feel good stories. I invite you to share some more in the comments!

Next week, we’ll be running Best Of content, so there won’t be a Links post.

In under a week, drag queen Pattie Gonia raised a million dollars for charity by hiking in full drag. I highly recommended following her on socials.

The Washington Post profiled Bryan Reisberg, who takes shelter dogs out on NYC adventures to help them get adopted. There are some very cute dog photos in the article, though the piece may be paywalled.

Merriam-Webster’s word of the year is…SLOP!

 

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Tess sent in this link! Jill & Jackets on YouTube has launched a Menopausal Book Club.

Don’t forget to share what cool or interesting things you’ve seen, read, or listened to this week! And if you have anything you think we’d like to post on a future Wednesday Links, send it my way!

Small Town Romance, Fantasy, & More

Wednesday, 17 December 2025 04:30 pm
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Posted by Amanda

Six Wild Crowns

Six Wild Crowns by Holly Race is $2.99! This is book one in a series. Elyse reviewed this and gave it a B:

This book is a wonderful reading experience. The setting, clothes and manners are all from a familiar enough place in time that it didn’t require a ton of world building, but Elben was still unique as a fantasy world. The action and the conflict were paced very well so the book grows in momentum. There’s also the “Earl has to die” plotline that I always appreciate.

NO KING CAN RULE THEM ALL.

In a Tudor England infused with deadly magic, a very different history will unfold for the wives of Henry VIII. Perfect for fans of The Priory of the Orange TreeSix Wild Crowns is an epic fantasy filled with legendary dragons, vicious courtly intrigue, and sapphic yearning. 

As tradition has it, the king of Elben must marry six queens and magically bind each of them to one of the island’s palaces or the kingdom will fall.

Clever, ambitious Boleyn is determined to be her beloved Henry’s favorite queen. She relishes the games at court and the political rivalries with his other wives. Seymour is the opposite – originally sent to Boleyn’s court as a reluctant spy and assassin, she ends up catching Henry’s eye and is forced into a loveless marriage with the king.

But when the two queens become the unlikeliest of things – friends and allies – the balance of power begins to shift. Together, they uncover a dark and deadly truth at the heart of the island’s magic. Boleyn and Seymour’s only hope of survival rests on uniting all six of the rival queens – but Henry will never let that happen.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Lovelight Farms

Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borison is $2.99! This is book one in the Lovelight series. I really like these covers and how they all have a theme but are clearly indicative that they’re a series. I’ve also heard good things! Have you read any of Borison’s books?

Two best friends fake date to reach their holiday happily ever after in this first romantic comedy in the Lovelight series.

A pasture of dead trees. A hostile takeover of the Santa barn by a family of raccoons. And shipments that have mysteriously gone missing. Lovelight Farms is not the magical winter wonderland of Stella Bloom’s dreams.

In an effort to save the Christmas tree farm she’s loved since she was a kid, Stella enters a contest with Instagram-famous influencer Evelyn St. James. With the added publicity and the $100,000 cash prize, Stella might just be able to save the farm from its financial woes. There’s just one problem. To make the farm seem like a romantic destination for the holidays, she lied on her application and said she owns Lovelight Farms with her boyfriend. Only…there is no boyfriend.

Enter best friend Luka Peters. He just stopped by for some hot chocolate and somehow got a farm and a serious girlfriend in the process. But fake dating his best friend might be the best Christmas present he’s ever received.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

The God and the Gumiho

RECOMMENDED: The God and the Gumiho by Sophie Kim is $1.99! Carrie reviewed this and gave it a B+:

This dreamy book is so much fun! The God and the Gumiho features Korean mythology, grumpy/sunshine, secrets, and of course Only One Bed. While I did I find this book to be somewhat slow going, I also found it to be deeply imaginative and delightful. It’s the first in a series, so the HEA is more of a Happy Ever Eventually Probably.

In this sly and dazzling contemporary fantasy, the most notorious nine-tailed fox in Korea pairs up with a trickster god–turned–detective to track down a wrathful demon . . . before it can destroy the mortal world.

Kim Hani has retired from a life of devouring souls. She is, simply put, too full. Once known as the infamous Scarlet Fox, she now spends her days working in a coffee shop and annoying a particularly irritating, if unfairly handsome, trickster god as often as she can.

That god is Seokga the Fallen. Exiled from the heavenly kingdom of Okhwang, he now begrudgingly resides in the mortal realm, working toward his redemption and suffering through his interactions with the particularly infuriating, if sneakily charming, gumiho barista at his favorite café.

But when a powerful demon escapes from the underworld and threatens to end all of humanity, Okhwang’s emperor offers Seokga an enticing bargain: Kill this rogue creature, as well as the legendary and elusive Scarlet Fox, and he will be reinstated as a god. Hani, however, has no intention of being caught. Seokga might be a trickster god, but she has a trick of her own that he’ll never see coming: teaming up. As Seokga’s assistant, Hani will undermine and sabotage his investigation right under his overly pointy nose. Sure, she’ll help him kill the demon, but she certainly won’t allow him to uncover her secret identity while they’re at it.

As the bickering partners track their case down a path of mayhem and violence, the god and the gumiho find themselves inescapably drawn to each other. But will the unlikely couple stand together to prevent the apocalypse, or will they let their secrets tear them—and the world—apart?

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

This Monster of Mine

This Monster of Mine by Shalini Abeysekara is $2.99! I remember both Elyse and I mentioned this on a Whatcha Reading. It sounds spooky and mysterious!

She knows the taste of death. He’ll stoke her hunger for it.

Eighteen-year-old Sarai doesn’t know why someone tried to kill her four years ago, but she does know that her case was closed without justice. Hellbent on vengeance, she returns to the scene of the crime as a Petitor, a prosecutor who can magically detect lies, and is assigned to work with Tetrarch Kadra. Ice-cold and perennially sadistic, Kadra is the most vicious of the four judges who rule the land—and the prime suspect in a string of deaths identical to Sarai’s attempted murder.

Certain of his guilt, Sarai begins a double solving cases with Kadra by day and plotting his ruin by night. But Kadra is charming and there’s something alluring about the wrath he wields against the city’s corruption. So when the evidence she finds embroils her in a deadly political battle, Sarai must also fight against her attraction to Kadra—because despite his growing hold on her heart, his voice matches the only memory she has of her assailant…

A dazzling Ancient Rome-inspired romantasy debut, This Monster of Mine is a bloodbath of manipulation, deception, and forbidden love.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

What Was Your Least Favorite Book This Year?

Wednesday, 17 December 2025 11:00 am
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Posted by SB Sarah

This piece of literary mayhem is exclusive to Smart Bitches After Dark, but fret not. If you'd like to join, we'd love to have you!

Have a look at our membership options, and come join the fun!

If you want to have a little extra fun, be a little more yourself, and be part of keeping the site open for everyone in the future, we can’t wait to see you in our new subscription-based section with exclusive content and events.

Everything you’re used to seeing at the Hot Pink Palace that is Smart Bitches Trashy Books will remain free as always, because we remain committed to fostering community among brilliant readers who love romance.

Holiday Gift Guide 2025: Jewelry, Puzzles and More!

Wednesday, 17 December 2025 07:01 am
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Posted by SB Sarah

It’s time for another edition of Stuff We Like, and our final 2025 Holiday Gift Guides!

This week: gifts for folks into tarot, astrology, the stars, puzzles, and more!

Take a look:

Stuff We Like - Jewelry, puzzles and more!

Want to see? Just click that image above or click right here, and come shop with us!

Remember, if you have requests for your holiday shopping, please let us know! 

And if you’d like to browse some more, we have a complete Stuff We Like archive, including past Gift Guides and other posts of our favorite items.

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Randall Morgan Memorial Archive

The Randall Morgan Memorial Archive, a Queer As Folk (US) fanfiction archive, is being imported to the Archive of Our Own (AO3).

This memorial account was set up with the assistance of Open Doors and Irishcaelan, the maintainer of Randall’s personal website, Randall’s Rambles. Randall also wrote under the pseudonym Brian Hennessey. Randall Morgan was taken from us in 2013, and this site is a permanent place where the fanworks he so loved to create will go on.

Open Doors will be working with Irishcaelan to import Randall Morgan’s works into a separate memorial account on the Archive of Our Own. As part of preserving his works in their entirety, all graphics currently in his works will be hosted on the OTW's servers, and embedded in their own AO3 work pages.

We will begin importing works by Randall Morgan to the AO3 after December. You will find them on the RandallMorgan_memorial account.

We'd also love it if fans could help us preserve the story of Randall Morgan and Randall’s Rambles on Fanlore. If you're new to wiki editing, no worries! Check out the new visitor portal, or ask the Fanlore Gardeners for tips.

We're honored to be able to help preserve the works of Randall Morgan, and while we mourn the loss of Randall, we also realize that we are fortunate that he had a friend who was given permission to collect and preserve his works on the AO3 so that they will not be lost. Thinking about the death of a fandom friend may be difficult, but it can also be an opportunity to consider what will happen to your fanworks and accounts and those of your friends after your deaths. The Archive of Our Own has an option to name a Fannish Next of Kin, someone who would be able to gain access to your accounts in the case of your death or incapacitation. By naming someone who can act on your behalf, you can decide ahead of time how you want your AO3 accounts handled going into the future.

- The Open Doors team and Irishcaelan

Commenting on this post will be disabled in 14 days. If you have any questions, concerns, or comments regarding this import after that date, please contact Open Doors.

More KDDs!

Tuesday, 16 December 2025 04:30 pm
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Posted by Amanda

Wilde in Love

Wilde in Love by Eloisa James is $1.99 and a KDD! This is the first book in The Wildes of Lindow Castle. Some readers DNF-ed this on Goodreads citing lack of chemistry between the characters or boredom. Several other James romances are also in today’s daily deals.

Lord Alaric Wilde, son of the Duke of Lindow, is the most celebrated man in England, revered for his dangerous adventures and rakish good looks. Arriving home from years abroad, he has no idea of his own celebrity until his boat is met by mobs of screaming ladies. Alaric escapes to his father’s castle, but just as he grasps that he’s not only famous but notorious, he encounters the very private, very witty, Miss Willa Ffynche.

Willa presents the façade of a serene young lady to the world. Her love of books and bawdy jokes is purely for the delight of her intimate friends. She wants nothing to do with a man whose private life is splashed over every newspaper.

Alaric has never met a woman he wanted for his own . . . until he meets Willa. He’s never lost a battle.

But a spirited woman like Willa isn’t going to make it easy. . . .

The first book in Eloisa James’s dazzling new series set in the Georgian period glows with her trademark wit and sexy charm—and introduces a large, eccentric family. Readers will love the Wildes of Lindow Castle!

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

The Day of the Duchess

The Day of the Duchess by Sarah MacLean is $1.99 and a KDD! This is the third book in the Scandal & Scoundrel series. Elyse read this one and ultimately gave it C+, mainly because she couldn’t forgive the hero for his actions:

If you really like a good grovel, this book might be your catnip. As much as I loved Sera and her sisters, I just couldn’t buy the reconciliation

The one woman he will never forget…
Malcolm Bevingstoke, Duke of Haven, has lived the last three years in self-imposed solitude, paying the price for a mistake he can never reverse and a love he lost forever. The dukedom does not wait, however, and Haven requires an heir, which means he must find himself a wife by summer’s end. There is only one problem—he already has one.

The one man she will never forgive…
After years in exile, Seraphina, Duchess of Haven, returns to London with a single goal—to reclaim the life she left and find happiness, unencumbered by the man who broke her heart. Haven offers her a deal; Sera can have her freedom, just as soon as she finds her replacement…which requires her to spend the summer in close quarters with the husband she does not want, but somehow cannot resist.

A love that neither can deny…
The duke has a single summer to woo his wife and convince her that, despite their broken past, he can give her forever, making every day The Day of the Duchess.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

The Ride of Her Life

The Ride of Her Life by Jennifer Dugan is $1.99 and a KDD! This is a f/f romance with some Western flair. Lots of tropes in this one like enemies to lovers and grumpy/sunshine. It came out last year. Did any of you read this one?

Molly McDaniel’s life is falling apart. Between her day job as a barista, her night job at a call center, and her crushing student loans, she’s barely getting by. And that dream she has of starting a wedding event planning business? The dream that led to all those student loan in the first place? She can feel it slipping farther and farther out of reach every day. So the absolute last thing she needs is to discover she’s inherited a run-down, struggling horse barn out of the blue, courtesy of her estranged late aunt.

Molly is so ill-equipped to run the barn, it’s laughable. She certainly doesn’t have the money, time or knowledge needed to save it, no matter how much faith everyone who loved her aunt has that she will. But the more Molly gets involved, the more she starts to wonder: maybe the barn is a blessing in disguise. If she can sell the land, the profits could be the small-business seed money miracle she’s been waiting for. So what if she’s starting to love everyone in the mismatched family she’s found here?

Well, everyone except Shani, the resident farrier and family friend who took care of Molly’s aunt in her last days. Judgmental, grouchy Shani, who refuses to give up on the barn; who walks around like she so much better than Molly; who’s actually really good with the horses…and kind of thoughtful. And obnoxiously hot. And unfailingly loyal.

And suddenly, Shani has become an entirely different kind of problem, one Molly can’t possibly solve, not without risking her whole future, no matter how much her heart wishes she could.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Immortal

Immortal by Sue Lynn Tan is $1.99! This fantasy romance was released in January and was mentioned on Hide Your Wallet. Tan’s books always have beautiful covers. This is the only non-KDD here.

A stunning, standalone romantic fantasy filled with dangerous secrets, forbidden magic, and passion, of a young ruler who fights to protect her kingdom, from bestselling author Sue Lynn Tan and set in the breathtaking world of Daughter of the Moon Goddess.

“What the gods did not give us, I would take.”

As the heir to Tianxia, Liyen knows she must ascend the throne and renew her kingdom’s pledge to serve the immortals who once protected them from a vicious enemy. But when she is poisoned, Liyen’s grandfather steals an enchanted lotus to save her life. Enraged at his betrayal, the immortal queen commands the powerful God of War to attack Tianxia.

Upon her grandfather’s death, Liyen ascends a precarious throne, vowing to end her kingdom’s obligation to the immortals. When she is summoned to the Immortal Realm, she seizes the opportunity to learn their secrets and to form a tenuous alliance to safeguard her people, all with the one she should fear and mistrust the most: the ruthless God of War. As they are drawn together, a treacherous attraction ignites between them—one she has to resist, to not endanger all she is fighting for.

But with darker forces closing in around them, and her kingdom plunged into peril, Liyen must risk everything to save her people from an unspeakable fate, even if it means forging a dangerous bond with the immortal… even if it means losing her heart.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

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Posted by Amanda

This HaBO request is from Maureen, who is looking for this historical romance. Content warning for the description below:

I hope that you can help me identify this book. It is historical romance novel.

The heroine and hero have a marriage of convenience. The wife was married very young, briefly to a fortune hunter who died. She still keeps his portrait in her dressing room. The husband loves a married woman who gets pregnant and dies. He leaves his wife. She has lovers.

The husband returns and wants to consummate the marriage, but the wife does not want to. He is frustrated and goes to a former mistress, but decides not to have intercourse with her.

The husband and wife go to a house party. The wife’s brother is there. I think her current lover is also there. The husband’s former lover is there and sneaks into his bathroom. The wife kicks her out. The wife decides to leave with her brother. She finds him in his carriage with a young woman he is abducting.

They all go back to London, and eventually everything works out. I thought this was an Eloisa James book, such as This Duchess of Mine, but it is not that book. It is also not Sylvia Day’s The Stranger I Married.

I’m very curious how on earth the main couple resolves their differences.

KDD Highlights

Monday, 15 December 2025 04:30 pm
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Posted by Amanda

The Blighted Stars

RECOMMENDED: The Blighted Stars by Megan E. O’Keefe is $2.99 and a KDD! Elyse loved this scifi with romantic elements and gave it an A, but gave a warning:

The Blighted Stars is the first book in a series, so we don’t get a ton of resolution in this novel, romantic or otherwise. If you’re looking for a complete romantic arc, don’t start this book.

When a spy is stranded on a dead planet with her mortal enemy, she must first figure out how to survive before she can uncover the conspiracy that landed them both there in the first place.

She’s a revolutionary. Humanity is running out of options. Habitable planets are being destroyed as quickly as they’re found and Naira Sharp knows the reason why. The all-powerful Mercator family has been controlling the exploration of the universe for decades, and exploiting any materials they find along the way under the guise of helping humanity’s expansion. But Naira knows the truth, and she plans to bring the whole family down from the inside.

He’s the heir to the dynasty. Tarquin Mercator never wanted to run a galaxy-spanning business empire. He just wanted to study rocks and read books. But Tarquin’s father has tasked him with monitoring the mining of a new planet, and he doesn’t really have a choice in the matter.

Disguised as Tarquin’s new bodyguard, Naira plans to destroy his ship before it lands. But neither of them expects to end up stranded on a dead planet. To survive and keep her secret, Naira will have to join forces with the man she’s sworn to hate. And together they will uncover a plot that’s bigger than both of them.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

August Lane

August Lane by Regina Black is $2.99 and a KDD! This is a standalone contemporary with a second chance romance and a backdrop of country music. It released over the summer.

For fans of Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter and The Final Revival of Opal & Nev, a Southern small-town romance about the visibility of Black women’s voices in country music, and “the best romance I’ve read all year.” (The New York Times).

Every Thursday night, former country music heartthrob Luke Randall has to sing “Another Love Song.” God, he hates that song. But performing his lone hit at an interstate motel lounge is the only regular money he still has. Following another lackluster performance at the rock bottom of his career, Luke receives the opportunity of his dreams, opening for his childhood idol—90’s era Black country music star, JoJo Lane, who’s being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. But the concert is in Arcadia, Arkansas, the small hometown he swore he’d never see again. Going back means facing a painful past of abuse and neglect. It also means facing JoJo’s daughter, August Lane—the woman who wrote the lyrics he’s always claimed as his own.

August also hates that song. But she hates Luke Randall even more. When he shows up ten years too late to apologize for his betrayal, she isn’t interested in making amends. Instead, she threatens to expose his lies unless he co-writes a new song with her and performs it at the concert, something she hopes will launch her out of her mother’s shadow and into a songwriting career of her own. Desperate to keep his secret, Luke agrees to put on the rogue performance, despite the risk of losing his shot at a new record deal.

When Luke’s guitar reunites with August’s soulful alto, neither can deny that the passionate bond they formed as teenagers is still there. As the concert nears, August will have to choose between an overdue public reckoning with the boy who betrayed her, or trusting the man he’s become to write a different love song.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by NK Jemisin is $ 2.99 and a KDD! This is a fantasy novel with a bit of romance and a strong, fierce heroine who is MUCH loved by readers. This book was nominated for the Hugo, the Nebula, and won the Locus for Best First Novel.

Yeine Darr is an outcast from the barbarian north. But when her mother dies under mysterious circumstances, she is summoned to the majestic city of Sky. There, to her shock, Yeine is named an heiress to the king. But the throne of the Hundred Thousand Kingdoms is not easily won, and Yeine is thrust into a vicious power struggle with cousins she never knew she had.

As she fights for her life, she draws ever closer to the secrets of her mother’s death and her family’s bloody history.

With the fate of the world hanging in the balance, Yeine will learn how perilous it can be when love and hate – and gods and mortals – are bound inseparably together.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Drop Dead Sisters

Drop Dead Sisters by Amelia Diane Coombs is $2.99 and the only non-KDD out of the bunch! I know we’ve mentioned this on the site, but I can’t remember in what capacity. Three estranged sisters reunite on a camping trip, only for the night to end in murder!

“Compulsively readable, Drop Dead Sisters is perfect for readers who love shows like Bad Sisters and Dead to Me. A mystery about three estranged sisters who accidentally kill someone? Yes, please.” —Mindy Kaling

Three sisters reunite on a family vacation and rekindle their relationship the only way they know how—by covering each other’s tracks in a real-life murder mystery not even they can figure out.

Remi Finch has spent the better part of her adult life avoiding family—especially her sisters. They just don’t click. Besides, her unconventional upbringing and major anxiety have convinced Remi that she can’t build a relationship with anyone. Period.

When her parents plan a family reunion camping trip to celebrate their anniversary, Remi’s willing to reconnect, if only because she doesn’t have a choice. But then a dead body turns up at their campsite, and their sisterly bonding kicks into high gear.

No one knows the whole story, but the Finch women are prepared to cover up the pieces before anyone tries to put them together. It’s a precautionary measure, probably unnecessary. Nobody else was there, so how could they have seen anything?

Between old grudges and new dynamics, a handsome park ranger, and a body that won’t stay hidden, Remi is about to learn that nothing strengthens family ties quite like crime.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Cover Snark: A Big Hat Special!

Monday, 15 December 2025 07:00 am
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Posted by Amanda

Welcome back to Cover Snark!

My Cowboy Groom by Zoey Grant. A shirtless, bearded man in jeans with his arms crossed. He's standing in front of a sparse forest and a big jagged mountain. A very smooth western style hat is on his head.

From Karen H, who sourced this cover set: “I noticed My Cowboy Groom has a cowboy hat that is not oriented properly (he’s looking to his right but the hat is straight on plus it sits too high.

Sarah: This is too big and photoshopped on, right?

Wait, none of the guys on the covers of this series know how to wear a hat.

My Cowboy Kiss by Zoey Grant. A shirtless man in denim. His chest is very tan, like two or three shades darker than his face. He's looking off to the side and is wearing a western style hat. The background is a lush forest and snowy mountain range.

Karen H: then I noticed My Cowboy Kiss has the same hat in the same orientation. It just looks almost okay because the model is looking to his left where the hat brim sticks up. But I think that is a side flare and not the actual front of the hat.

Sarah: LOL the Cowboy Kiss hat is on straight while he’s looking to the side

Elyse: That is not the right hat for this genre, sir.

 

My Cowboy Boss by Zoey Grant. A shirtless man in jeans standing in front of a flowery field and a mountain. It looks like a western style hat has been photoshopped on.

Karen H: And on My Cowboy Boss the inner lining of the hat looks visible.

Amanda: It looks like there’s a hat within the hat. Hat-ception

Sarah: It is FLOATING on his head. Is he the boss of gravity?

Maybe if he takes off his hat there’s another hat, and another, and another.

 

SBTB Bestsellers: November 29 – December 12

Sunday, 14 December 2025 10:00 am
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Posted by Amanda

The latest bestseller list is brought to you by heating pads, mugs of your hot beverage of choice, and our affiliate sales data.

  1. These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean Amazon | B&N | Kobo
  2. Good Spirits by B.K. Borison Amazon | B&N | Kobo
  3. Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone Amazon | B&N | Kobo
  4. Hitwoman by Elsie Marks Amazon | B&N | Kobo
  5. The Second Death of Locke by V.L. Bovalino Amazon | B&N | Kobo
  6. Birding with Benefits by Sarah Dubb Amazon | B&N | Kobo
  7. Copper Script by KJ Charles Amazon | B&N | Kobo
  8. A Delicate Deception by Cat Sebastian Amazon | B&N | Kobo | GooglePlay
  9. The Love of My Afterlife by Kirsty Greenwood Amazon | B&N | Kobo
  10. The Bone Houses by Emily Lloyd-Jones Amazon | B&N | Kobo | GooglePlay

I hope your weekend reading was cozy!

Sunday Sale Digest!

Sunday, 14 December 2025 08:00 am
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Posted by Amanda

This piece of literary mayhem is exclusive to Smart Bitches After Dark, but fret not. If you'd like to join, we'd love to have you!

Have a look at our membership options, and come join the fun!

If you want to have a little extra fun, be a little more yourself, and be part of keeping the site open for everyone in the future, we can’t wait to see you in our new subscription-based section with exclusive content and events.

Everything you’re used to seeing at the Hot Pink Palace that is Smart Bitches Trashy Books will remain free as always, because we remain committed to fostering community among brilliant readers who love romance.

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Posted by SB Sarah

A frame with a picture of The Ladies, plus a lit menorah against a blue and white background. At the top it says Hanukkah 2025Tonight is the first night of Hanukkah!

Get ready, we’re going into the new year with candles and jelly donuts and latkes and it’s going to be a party!

Like last year, I’ve put together eight care packages designed to make your winter more fun, mellow, warm, and entertaining.

Just in time for the beginning of 2026!

First: my Hanukkah wishes for you tonight and for the next eight: may each candle lit lead to another and another, until we have all connected to bathe the world in light and warmth. May there be peace in our lifetime.

Now, let’s talk about what’s in the care packages. I used to be super great at care packages because my kids went to sleepaway camp – not the type of camp where the care packages included Gucci bags and Loro Piana slippers wrapped in an Hermes scarf or anything – and I LOVED putting them together.

I still sort of send care packages now that they’re in college because I have to send them things pretty regularly, but that’s a small item in a bubble mailer. This is a whole ass box. 

So what’s in the care package?

I’m not telling!

Well, I’ll share some details so you know what to expect, but some of it will be a surprise. It might rhyme with “schmeggo.”

In keeping with my wishes for all of you to have a cozy and warm 2026, the care packages will include:

  • things that are fuzzy
  • things that are warm
  • things that are soothing
  • things that are fizzy
  • things that are indulgent
  • things that are fun!

And, like last year, I reached out to folks I know in publishing, and have assorted books, of course! There will be several books in each package, including some major titles from this year. And maybe an ARC or two (shhh!).

This is a way for me to thank you for being part of yet another lovely year here at SBTB. We are still here, and it’s because of you hanging out with us each day. It’s been a big year, and we’re looking forward to more mayhem and silliness in 2026!

SO, ready to enter to win?

To enter, please comment and tell us what book (or recommendation of any sort!) that you found at SBTB that you most enjoyed?

It doesn’t have to be a 2024 book, of course. Any book that you haven’t read is a new book! But what did you discover this year at SBTB that you really liked?

Standard disclaimers apply: We are not being compensated for this giveaway. Void where prohibited. Open to international residents where permitted by applicable law. Must be over 18 and ready to be warm and cozy. May cause increased feelings of security, warmth, and delight.

Comments will close 21 December 2025 at or near 11:59am ET, and winners will be announced shortly afterward. Packages will be shipped out in January 2026.

Thank you to the indefatigable Kristen Dwyer of LeoPR for their generosity!

Good luck, Happy Hanukkah, and thank you for being part of Smart Bitches! May you have a lovely holiday, and for everyone, a peaceful new year.

dec newsletter

Saturday, 13 December 2025 02:57 am
girlrock: (Default)
[personal profile] girlrock
i have been in a bloggy mood lately and need to stop spamming various other platforms so i will congregate my useless thoughts here. as one does

Read more... )

Whatcha Reading? December 2025, Part One

Saturday, 13 December 2025 08:00 am
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Posted by Amanda

Cozy winter still life: cup of hot coffee and book with warm plaid on windowsill against snow landscape from outside.Welcome back! It’s our first Whatcha Reading of the month, and that means only one more to go before 2026. Here’s what we’re reading:

Lara: I’m reading and enjoying Dom-Com by Adriana Anders. ( A | BN | K | AB ) I’m finding the growth of trust and intimacy in this book particularly great. There’s a lot of (hot) sex/scenes but each one pushes the characters development and evolution.

Elyse: I’m reading Audition by Katie Kitamura. ( A | BN | K | AB ) It’s not romance but I’ve heard multiple people say it’s wonderful and its shortlisted for the Booker Prize.

It’s also 200 pages which is right where my attention span is right now.

Amanda: I’ve been using my TBR game board and landed on “continue a series.” Throne of Secrets by Kerri Maniscalco ( A | BN | K | AB ) is book two in the Prince of Sin series and I really enjoyed book one. My only gripe is that it’s hardcover and lugging it around is less than ideal.

Carrie: I’m polishing off The Novel Life of Jane Austen: A Graphic Biography by Janine Barchas and Isabel Greenberg ( A | BN | K ) and it is delightful.

Sarah: I’m currently reading Magic and Mischief at the Wayside Hotel, which I just started. I think I might have a thing for “magical hotel/boarding house” stories. I know I like innkeeping stories – one of my favorite Nora’s is Born in Ice, about a woman who runs a bed & breakfast, though magic isn’t a major plot point. I’m very curious about where this book is going.

Magic and Mischief at the Wayside Hotel
A | BN | K | AB
Shana: So I’m currently hate reading Fascinating Womanhood, ( A ) an anti-feminist self help guide published in 1963. It is WILD.

Sarah: I’m both intrigued and alarmed.

Shana: I can’t really recommend it. The book feels a bit like if NXIVM and a religious cult had a baby, and that baby spoke with hyperbolic mania.

I’m at the point where the author explains that men’s ideal woman has the “charms of femininity, radiance, good health, and childlikeness.” Also domestic skills and inner happiness.

So a child in a frilly dress, who happily scrubs floors using her healthy body and knowledge of cleaning supplies.

Sarah: Yikes on trikes.

Whatcha reading right now? Tell us in the comments!

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Posted by SB Sarah

This piece of literary mayhem is exclusive to Smart Bitches After Dark, but fret not. If you'd like to join, we'd love to have you!

Have a look at our membership options, and come join the fun!

If you want to have a little extra fun, be a little more yourself, and be part of keeping the site open for everyone in the future, we can’t wait to see you in our new subscription-based section with exclusive content and events.

Everything you’re used to seeing at the Hot Pink Palace that is Smart Bitches Trashy Books will remain free as always, because we remain committed to fostering community among brilliant readers who love romance.

Sports Romance, Ghost Hunting, & More

Friday, 12 December 2025 04:30 pm
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Posted by Amanda

The Love Wager

The Love Wager by Lynn Painter is $1.99! This is a contemporary romance with some friends to lovers and fake dating elements. Fingers crossed this deal lasts!

Hallie Piper is turning over a new leaf. After belly-crawling out of a hotel room (hello, rock bottom), she decides it’s time to become a full-on adult. She gets a new apartment, a new haircut, and a new wardrobe, but when she logs onto the dating app that she has determined will find her new love, she sees none other than Jack, the guy whose room she snuck out of.

After agreeing they are absolutely not interested in each other, Jack and Hallie realize they’re each other’s perfect wing-person in their searches for The One. They text each other about their dates, often scheduling them at the same restaurant so that if things don’t go well, the two of them can get tacos afterward.

Spoiler: they get a lot of tacos together.

Discouraged by the lack of prospects, Jack and Hallie make a wager to see who can find true love first, but when they agree to be fake dates for a weekend wedding, all bets are off. As they pretend to be a couple, lines become blurred and they both struggle to remember why the other was a bad idea to begin with.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

The Right Player

The Right Player by Kandi Steiner is $2.99! This is a sports romance and book two in the Love of the Game series.

I have a three date rule — but it’s not what you think.

See, I’ve been told I’m the “good time girl,” not the one you take home to Mom. And while that label stung at first, I’ve since embraced it — living the wild and free life and sticking to a three date max. That’s just enough time to have some fun and snuff out the possibility of catching feelings. And it’s been working for me for years…

Until Makoa Kumaka.

Sadly, he also has a three date rule — and it’s the exact opposite of mine. From the second I meet him, all I can think about is stripping down that six-foot-five Herculean hunk of a man. But like the gentleman I wish he wasn’t, he’s making me wait.

The more time we spend together, the more I feel those pesky emotions creeping in. I’m even tempted to trust him, but blame it on my past or my instincts, I can’t shake the feeling that he’s hiding something…

I’ve been playing the game forever, and no man has ever won my heart — which meant they never had the power to break it.

But maybe I just hadn’t met the right player.

Maybe I’ll wish I never did.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Haunt Your Heart Out

Haunt Your Heart Out by Amber Roberts is $1.99! This is a romance between a ghost hunter and a heroine who is about to take ownership of her favorite bookstore, set in small town Vermont.

Everyone Lex McCall knows always moves on from their sleepy Vermont hometown. Unable to imagine a life outside of her quiet bookshop job, Lex has one rule for no tourists, newcomers or anyone bound to leave her behind.

One day she hitches a ride with a handsome stranger from out of town, and when he stops by the bookshop a few days later, Lex finds herself questioning this rule.

It turns out James is not just any tourist but a ghost-hunting filmmaker looking into the town’s “haunted” landmarks including the bookshop she works in. Lex can’t resist tampering with his research, especially because these so-called ghosts are made-up stories from an anonymous vlog she started as a teenager and if her secret gets out, it could ruin her chances of owning the bookshop one day. After all, James’s stay is only temporary and her career dreams come first.

But as they spend more time together, Lex realises she’s falling for James. Worse, his mission isn’t as frivolous as it seems and her interference may cost him much more than a spooky story.

Will her ghost-faking secret be the end of them?

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

The Siren

The Siren by Katherine St. John is $1.99! This one is a mystery novel. Elyse loved St. John’s first book, but be warned that despite the fun colorful cover, these are pretty dark.

From Katherine St. John, author of The Lion’s Den, comes another sublimely escapist thriller: When dangerously handsome megastar Cole Power hires his ex-wife Stella Rivers to play opposite him in his son’s film, he sparks a firestorm on an isolated island that will unearth long-buried secretsand unravel years of lies.

In the midst of a sizzling hot summer, some of Hollywood’s most notorious faces are assembled on the idyllic Caribbean island of St. Genesius to film The Siren. Written and directed by Cole Power’s son, the thriller promises to entice audiences with its sultry storyline and intimately connected cast.

Three very different women arrive on set, each with her own motive. Stella, an infamously unstable actress, is struggling to reclaim the career she lost in the wake of multiple, very public breakdowns. Taylor, a fledgling producer, is anxious to work on a film she hopes will turn her career around after her last job ended in scandal. And Felicity, Stella’s mysterious new assistant, harbors designs of her own that threaten to upend all their plans.

With a hurricane brewing offshore, each woman finds herself trapped on the island, united against a common enemy. But as deceptions come to light, misplaced trust may prove more perilous than the storm itself.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

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Posted by SB Sarah

Blue gift box with silver ribbonWe’re back with more Holiday Wishes! This week we’re talking with Rae A., Josephine, and Sneezy!

This week we are talking romance bookstores and road trips, luxurious bidets, webtoons, and, of course, books. And some ranting about women artists in history.

We are traveling as far as Taiwan in this episode – and this should be the last of my laryngitis – hooray for all of us!

Updates? Updates!

Thanks to your Patreon pledges, we have reached our goal with the F’ICE campaign, and all dynamic ads will be turned off permanently for everyone who listens. Thank you so much!

You can gift a Patreon membership if you’re so inclined! A lovely gift for someone you know who loves the show.

AND! The Smart Bitches Candle Collection is LIVE! I partnered with Wax Cabin Candle Company, an independent small chandlery, to offer two limited edition candles just for the holiday season!

A black 11oz jar candle with the bad decisions book club logo on it - a burgundy book open like a tent with light coming out, with just one more page written on the sideThey are on sale now through early January, and you can buy one or both in a gift set! And they are going very fast! 

The Smart Bitches 20th Anniversary candle is an 11 ounce hand poured soy candle with notes of sea salt, book pages, sandalwood and jasmine.

The Bad Decisions Book Club candle, also 11 ounces, is designed to be the perfect pairing for late night reading, with scents of sweet tobacco, book pages, leather, rose, and sandalwood. I had a marvelous time picking out the scents.

So if you’re looking for the perfect gift for yourself or the book lovers in your life, check out the 2025 Smart Bitches Candle collection. You can shop small, support the site, and spread light and warmth this year.

 

Listen to the podcast →
Read the transcript →

Here are the books we discuss in this podcast:

We also discussed:

If you like the podcast, you can subscribe to our feed, or find us at iTunes. You can also find us on Stitcher, and Spotify, too. We also have a cool page for the podcast on iTunes.

More ways to sponsor:

Sponsor us through Patreon! (What is Patreon?)

What did you think of today's episode? Got ideas? Suggestions? You can talk to us on the blog entries for the podcast or talk to us on Facebook if that's where you hang out online. You can email us at sbjpodcast@gmail.com or you can call and leave us a message at our Google voice number: 201-371-3272. Please don't forget to give us a name and where you're calling from so we can work your message into an upcoming podcast.

Thanks for listening!

Remember to subscribe to our podcast feed, find us on iTunes or on Stitcher.

Books by Sarina Bowen, Lynsay Sands, & More

Thursday, 11 December 2025 04:30 pm
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Posted by Amanda

The Kraken’s Sacrifice

The Kraken’s Sacrifice by Katee Robert is $2.49! This is book two in the Deal with a Demon series. This is under 200 pages and feels like a rare miss from Robert, based on the Goodreads review average.

Catalina only made her deal with the demon because she had nowhere else to go. The world has kicked her every chance it got, so she’s all too happy to leave the realm she knows behind. What’s the worst that could happen?

She doesn’t anticipate being auctioned away to a kraken.

Thane is cold and distant…but he’s not unkind. Isolated as they are, Catalina finds herself seeking his company again and again. And when she finally agrees to uphold her portion of the bargain?

That’s when things get really interesting.

But she only gave the demon seven years, and when the time is up, she’ll have no choice but to leave behind the kraken who’s stolen her heart and return to the world that doesn’t want her.

Author’s Note: For all tropes, tags, and CWs, please check the author’s website.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Tempting Olivia

Tempting Olivia by Clare Ashton is $3.49! This is book two in the f/f contemporary Oxford Romance series. Many of Ashton’s books have been mentioned and recommended on the site.

Olivia Sachdeva’s life is flawless. With a first from Oxford and as the youngest partner at Bentley lawyers, she expects high standards from everyone. Her only indulgences are eating iced desserts and repeat watching romcoms, especially those featuring Kate Laurence – pure escapism and cinematic perfection.

But, when the actor walks into Olivia’s office with a bag full of divorce and a messy personal life, that perfect bubble bursts. Kate seems nothing like the screen goddesses she plays, and Olivia must put aside her comfort viewing and handle the case like the true professional she is.

It requires secrecy, especially with indiscreet friends. Will best-friend Charlotte ever read the room? And will Millie, who instantly reads the room, ever stop commenting loudly?

And Kate? She doesn’t know what to think about this frosty lawyer. But she needs a quick divorce from a mistake of a marriage, which was over before it started, and Olivia Sachdeva is the best.

But little by little, Olivia and Kate glimpse behind the mask, to find someone they weren’t looking for, who may not even be perfect, but might be the right person for them.

Read as a stand-alone romance or book two of the Oxford Romance series.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

A Little Too Late

A Little Too Late by Sarina Bowen is $2.49! This is book one in the Madigan Mountain series. It’s a small town, second chance romance. Are you familiar with this series?

New from twenty-time USA Today bestseller Sarina Bowen!

How to behave when the guy who broke your heart two thousand miles away turns up in your office:

One: Don’t drop your lucky coffee cup in shock, even though it’s been ten years.

Two: Don’t get defensive when he asks how you ended up working his family’s ski mountain… and why you kept it a secret.

Three: Give him the worst room in the resort. He deserves it for suddenly waltzing back in like he owns the place. (Which he kind of does.)

Four, five, six, seven, eight and nine: Do not kiss him in the hot tub.

Ten: Try to keep your heart intact after you break all of your rules.

Because Reed is leaving again. Hate can’t turn back into love. And it’s a little too late…

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

The Brat

The Brat by Lynsay Sands is $1.99! This is a medieval romance and doesn’t appear to be part of a series. It was originally published in 2007.

Rumor has it that Lady Murie, King Edward III’s goddaughter, is stunningly beautiful, with bright blue eyes, golden hair, and a bewitching smile. Rumor also has it that the doting king has spoiled her rotten. When Sir Balan spies her wailing and sobbing in public, he decides that Lady Murie is the last person he would ever wish to have as a bride.

But there is far more to Murie than meets the eye—and soon Balan discovers, to his great delight, that he’d be lucky indeed to deserve such a bride. Unfortunately, he’s not the only one to discern this truth . . . and the other suitor is much less honorable. Now a plot is afoot and Balan must prove himself a chivalrous knight and win the love of Lady Murie. . .

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

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