Reviewers’ Bests from 2019 to 2025

January 30, 2026

As we prepare for our 2026 AAR Top 100 Romances poll, I’ve been trying to narrow down the books that will be in the final poll–it’s just too overwhelming (and…

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What books should be included on our upcoming AAR Top 100 Romances poll? Vote and let us know!

January 23, 2026

Here are the books, published in the last ten years or so, AAR readers have suggested we consider for our upcoming Top 100 Romance Novels of all time list. I’ve…

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The Best of 2025 – Dabney’s List

January 16, 2026

Last year, I only read 23 books published in 2025. Of these, seven got five full stars from me and four more garnered four stars (on Goodreads.) For the purposes…

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the ask@AAR: What are your top ten romances of the past decade?

January 9, 2026

We are gearing up–I promise!–for the 2026 AAR Top 100 poll. We last did one in 2018. What romances, published since then, do you think belong on the new list?…

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Hello world!

January 3, 2026

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start writing!

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My New Year’s goal: Fail

January 1, 2026

Here is my goal for 2026: Fail. I’m going to fail to start listening to podcasts because, frankly, I like my own thoughts and the sound of very little. I’m…

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the ask@AAR: What were your bests of 2025?

December 19, 2025

It’s that time of year where everyone–NO, Spotify, I am not 72!–makes, shares, and reads endless Best of Lists. Over the next few weeks, you’ll see more of our Best…

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Whether you believe or not, I wish you a Merry Christmas!

December 12, 2025

I lost my faith in God by thirteen, though not before giving the heavens every chance to make their case. I’d sit in my tree fort, legs dangling (it was…

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the ask@AAR: What is your favorite fall/winter holiday tradition?

December 5, 2025

I have never been great with traditions. In my adult life, I’ve worn very few Halloween costumes, I’d be happy to buy pre-cooked Thanksgiving food from the grocery store, and…

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It’s the day after Thanksgiving and I am so damn grateful.

November 28, 2025

Yesterday, I sat down for a marvelous Thanksgiving meal–the chef, one of my nephews, is a serious foodie (Did you know you could make a very good stuffing with broccoli?)–with…

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the ask@AAR: What do we think about the romances Goodreads loves?

November 21, 2025

It’s that time of year again. You know, where Goodreads nominates a bunch of books for the Goodreads Choice Awards and many of us are shocked–and not in a good…

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the ask@AAR: What Are Your Favorite Pulitzer Prize–Winning Novels?

November 14, 2025

I’m reading Barbara Kingsolver’s Demon Copperhead right now and, to my surprise, loving it. That’s not usually my experience with Pulitzer winners; more often than not, I either loathe them…

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