#RomBkLove Day 2: “I think of all the small acts of love he has given me. The wonderful sex where he cares as much for my pleasure as his own. How I felt more alive naked with him than I have ever felt before. Reading the papers in bed on a Sunday morning. His kisses on the small of my back. Laughing in the park, when he told me something he had heard on the radio. Cooking me spaghetti when I was tired.“

#romantsy #aww2018

#RomBkLove Day 1: This opening line hooked me straight away.
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“The silver lining there was that it only took a moment to know that I didn‘t need a person in my life. Not you, not you, not your brother, not your perv dad.”
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📖 Iris After the Incident by Mina V. Esguerra https://amzn.to/2FycNT1

#romantsy

#RomBkLove Day 1: Once upon a time, a daggy girl fell in love with a kind boy and I AM HERE FOR IT.
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“But no, she had to go and fall in love with Colin Bridgerton when he fell off a horse and landed on his bottom in a mud puddle. It was highly irregular, and highly unromantic, but there was a certain poetic justice in that, since nothing was ever going to come of it.”
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📖 Romancing Mister Bridgerton by Julia Quinn https://amzn.to/2KtS8Dl

Join us for a month-long celebration of our favourite romance books! #RomBkLove is the brainchild of @Anacoqui and this year she invited a bunch of bloggers to host a theme. Stay for a day, flit in and out, or participate for the entire month — it‘s up to you. Just use the hashtag #RomBkLove. I love the line-up and can‘t wait to see your recommendations! #romantsy

Chilling out at my favourite book cafe. Surrounded by books, but reading on my Kindle because some of the best books don‘t get a print run.
📖 The Love Experiment by Ainslie Paton
🍰 Passionfruit chiffon cake @ Black Star Pastry

#romantsy #bookandcake #bookshopcafe

This made me chuckle when I was browsing at the bookshop.

Reviewed for Books+Publishing. The author tries something new—Shanghai 1925 was filled with tension and turmoil—but Annie, the protagonist is too shallow and bland to do justice to the setting.

Additional notes: some of the dialogue by minor Chinese characters are spelled to show their accent. YMMV but this bothered me a lot as it served no useful purpose to the plot.

One of the few books where I managed not to kill a fairy (heh). This book has it all: teen angst, mysterious happenings, strong female voices, high stakes, and kissing. Lots and lots of kissing. #loveozya

This is the Dr Seuss linguine from one of my favourite cafes. Every time I‘m there for lunch I think about trying something else, but seriously? How can I go past a dish named after a literary icon?

🍽 The Wooden Whisk, Albany St, St Leonards

I‘ve decided to DNF this book. The writing isn‘t bad, but it‘s not a romance and, well, life is short. This might appeal to readers who like women‘s fiction that focuses on female friendships.

You can find my thoughts on this book here: https://twitter.com/bookthingo/status/957904043870863360

In summary, it has sweet moments, but for the most part it was boring. No, I don‘t mean slow-paced or with a slow burn. I mean boring. There are similar but much better stories on Wattpad, and they‘re free.

I have unexpectedly found myself reading this book. The main character is Filipino and there‘s a food scene that could be problematic. I‘m not up to that yet. Starts as an epistolary. Cute, but I thought the heroine was a teen. Turns out she‘s 23! You can find my livetweets here: https://twitter.com/bookthingo/status/957904043870863360

I can see the appeal of this book, but without a strong romantic subplot, there was nothing to anchor me to the story. 📖 Check out my review at http://bit.ly/2E4PmBH
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Amz: http://fave.co/2DLbP9q
Booktopia: http://bit.ly/2n8Rtwk

This trilogy had so many plot threads and character arcs that could have been amazing, but a lacklustre finale filled with exposition and easy outs left me disappointed. You can read my full review on the blog: http://bit.ly/2CYGZ9u

#romantsy #fantasy #amandabouchet #kingmakerchronicles

My first two book purchases (for myself) this year! What were yours?

This book has been slow-going, but I definitely want to know how it ends!

I‘ve been saving this book for when I have time to read. I managed to crack it open the last day of our family trip out of town, and I had to put it down just when the plot started to get going! #bookandbrekkie #bookandcoffee

Genre spotting at the National Library of Australia! #libraries #ilovegenre #romantsy

A little light morning reading while on holidays. Aside from featuring women leaders of their field, this book is beautifully illustrated and laid out.

Some of the books I talk about in the latest issue of Books+Publishing. Not pictured but definitely autobuys include new releases by Kylie Scott, Patricia Briggs, and Ilona Andrews. I can‘t wait for the last book in the Kate Daniels series! #romantsy #womensfiction #generalfiction #readinglist #newrelease #comingsoon

📚 What books are you looking forward to in 2018?

Every library needs a disco ball! The children‘s section in Balmain Library is one of the cosiest library spaces I‘ve been to. But yeah, I feel like you could also host an awesome dance party here! #library #readingcorner #readingnook #childrensbooks

Mills & Boon‘s new imprint, DARE! What does it have to do with my lunch? Well, they‘re both hot! 🔥

This book feels a bit like Harlequin Presents meets Fifty Shades. It‘s not a criticism — just an observation that favourite tropes endure. I wonder what the final cover will look like!

#romantsy #millsandboon #bookandlunch #bookandlaksa #hothothot

My kid read this book aloud to me today.

This book is making me cry. 😭 But also: it‘s so good!

📖 http://amzn.to/2yEMlID

#romantsy #sff #dragons #bookandbrekkie

I think this might be a fantasy romance. (Okay, I killed a fairy and peeked at the ending!) I have no idea if there‘s buzz around this book, but I can‘t wait to read it! Amazon: http://amzn.to/2yEMlID #bookhaul

Getting this ARC was sweet! 😍 #romantsy #bookandbrownie

Just realised that at the Whileaway Bookshop & Cafe, Rachael Johns‘ books are shelved next to Nobel Prize winner Kazuo Ishiguro. Guess whose book is facing outwards? 😄 #nobelprize #kazuoishiguro #romantsy #bookshopcafe

Browsed through Whileaway, a quaint bookshop cafe in Port Douglas. I love how the tables aren‘t separated from the bookshelves. There‘s no separate shelving for romance fiction, but I was chuffed to see a copy of Jilted under Fiction! #romantsy #bookshopcafe

Something for the kids, and something for me. 😅 #bookandcoffee #kidlitsy #scarletandivy

Remember that Hamilton-inspired anthology that Courtney Milan teased us with in February? We have blurbs! http://bit.ly/2xUV8ou

French toast for a very hungry caterpillar!#bookandbreakfast #bookandbrunch #picturebooks

Had a fabulous time bonding with @TBD_BookBlog Rudi and @shallowreader over books and truffle Parmesan fries... #romanceclass # #romantsy

Had a sneak peek at this new bar in Melbourne. Storyville on Lonsdale St will have book-themed cocktails and spaces! #booksandbooze

This hero is adorable. So adorable. Like, he's too much, but all in very good ways. 😭😭😭 #romantsy #blameitonlitsy

📖 http://amzn.to/2fFsJJf

One of my kids has been reading books about the Holocaust, which had led to a lot questions. And I realise that what I know of these events is still pretty limited and shallow.
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📖 The Hidden Girl by Lola Rein Kaufman with Lois Metzger #nonfiction #nonfictionbooks

Not a fan of the Australian cover for this book. It doesn't scream historical romance to me at all. The pink pancakes were not bad, although they were a bit dry. Still. Pink pancakes are a novelty, and the maple syrup more than made up for it. (The entire dish smelled like flowers. It was all very pretty!) #romantsy #foodandpancakes #foodandbrunch

None of these ARCs are romance. 😩

TFW you see real life reflected in romance books. 😂 #romantsy #recommendsday

📖 Cake At Midnight by Jessie L Star http://amzn.to/2wll0FA (not yet listed; Jan 2018)

I picked this up first from my ARC stack based on the title alone. Friends to lovers, hot guy next door, baked goods ... I'm totally on board for this!

📖 Release date: Jan 2018 http://amzn.to/2wll0FA #romantsy #bookandcoffee #bookandbrunch #bookandcroissant

🥐 Pioik Bakery, Pyrmont

Found this gorgeous street library in Newtown! That free Melina Marchetta book is an absolute treasure. 💛

#streetlibrary #booksinthewild #melinamarchetta #littlelibrary #streetlibrary #library

A friend went to a fete and bought me a bag of secondhand Mills and Boon books at an absolute bargain. Sara Craven is hit and miss for me, so 🤞🏽! And recently, @Chachic introduced me to Happy Skin cosmetics, and I couldn't go past a lipstick called 'Under the sheets' and mascara named 'At long lash'. 💜 #bookandmakeup #millsandboon #romantsy

I'm at #Storyology for Maria A. Ressa, CEO of Rappler. I want to hug her, I want to be her, and I'm so glad the Philippines has people like her. #womenwhoinspireme

Tandem reading with my kid. Yes, I own two copies, and they're both signed! (One copy was a gift from @shallowreader 😘) I believe in books as heirlooms. I would save this in a fire. #LoveOzYA #blameitonlitsy

Comfort food + comfort read #LoveOzYA #jonahgriggsfanclub #chocolaterice #bookandchamporado

A bookish Saturday at a book cafe. #bookandbrunch #bookandcoffee

Enjoying my first coffee back at home. Choco Chip Hips is a charming teen novella that should not be read when you're hungry. It has romantic elements, but as you know, I always want more kissing in my books. 😍 #romanceclassYA #romanceclass #bookandcoffee

OMG Tala! 😂

📖 http://amzn.to/2fXVvYB

This book is best read while pleasantly buzzed. Who knew Philippine mythology could be so dirty! 😅 Thanks to @Chachic for spreading the smut.

📖: How To Tame Your Tikbalang Without Even Trying by Alma Anonas-Carpio http://amzn.to/2fXVvYB

What $5 bought me at the secondhand bookshop... #romantsy

We have a secret podcast project and these were some of the reactions... @readbyher