The Journal
Blog
Thoughts on books, reading, culture, and the literary life.
the ask@AAR: Do You Read Across the Aisle?
September 18, 2025A love story is rarely just about desire. Often, it is also about power—who holds it, who is denied it, and what it takes for two people to meet as…
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What are your favorite romances penned by Hispanic authors?
September 15, 2025It’s National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15–October 15) which means it’s time to celebrate the full range of romances by Latin authors. These writers bring new perspectives to familiar tropes…
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the ask@AAR: What romances do you read again and again?
September 12, 2025Some romances I enjoy once and set aside. Others I return to, again and again, not because I’ve forgotten the ending–although my aging brain certainly does that far more frequently…
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Dukes are out, dragons, mafia dons, and hockey players are in.
September 10, 2025The latest–always interesting and worth your time–Romancing the Data report is explicit. Last month, Amazon’s Kindle Store added 34,467 new romance titles. Of the Top 100 bestsellers, 63% were self-published,…
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the ask@AAR: Has love become too easy in romance?
September 5, 2025Romance novels have always depended on barriers. At the heart of the genre is the idea that two people want each other but cannot, at least for a time, have…
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the ask@AAR: How do you feel now about marriage of convenience tales?
August 29, 2025The marriage of convenience is one of romance’s most enduring plots. Whether the bargain is struck to save a fortune, secure a future, or escape a scandal, watching two strangers…
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the ask@AAR: Who’s your favorite romantic suspense author?
August 22, 2025I’ve always loved romantic suspense. Done well, it offers the joys of a thriller wrapped around a love story that complements rather than distracts from the danger. Linda Howard, for…
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Which is the greatest Loretta Chase romance?
August 20, 2025Among romance readers, the question of which Loretta Chase novel is the greatest has never been settled. There are SO many fabulous choices. Lord of Scoundrels dominated our Top 100…
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the ask@AAR: Is romance REALLY limited to six plots?
August 15, 2025I read this recent article in Book Riot with amusement. Honestly, I found it a bit simplistic and, well, a bit silly. First of all the idea that a swath…
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the ask@AAR: Any one using AI? If so, how?
August 8, 2025This column is not, I promise you, written by AI. I’ve never published anything that is wholly written by AI. I have, however, published work that is helped by AI–sometimes…
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August Releases! What are you excited about?
August 4, 2025Coming Soon – The Books We’re Most Looking Forward to Reading in August 2025 We would love to hear which books you’re looking forward to in the coming weeks….
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the ask@AAR: What do YOU think are the best films of this century?
August 1, 2025I’ve read, several times, the New York Times’ list of the Best Films of the 21st Century and, man, does it miss the mark. (You can see the list at…
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