Essays & Musings

What We’ve Been Thinking About

Thoughts on books, reading, culture, and the literary life.

the ask@AAR: Has love become too easy in romance?

the ask@AAR: Has love become too easy in romance?

September 5, 2025

Romance 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?

the ask@AAR: How do you feel now about marriage of convenience tales?

August 29, 2025

The 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?

the ask@AAR: Who’s your favorite romantic suspense author?

August 22, 2025

I’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?

Which is the greatest Loretta Chase romance?

August 20, 2025

Among 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?

the ask@AAR: Is romance REALLY limited to six plots?

August 15, 2025

I 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?

the ask@AAR: Any one using AI? If so, how?

August 8, 2025

This 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 Releases! What are you excited about?

August 4, 2025

  Coming 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?

the ask@AAR: What do YOU think are the best films of this century?

August 1, 2025

I’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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the ask@AAR: What can’t you forgive in a lead?

the ask@AAR: What can’t you forgive in a lead?

July 25, 2025

Last night, Dr. Feelgood, my friend Ann and I watched The Man Who Knew Too Much. I had seen it in college and loved it. Morocco! Que Sera Sera! Jimmy…

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the ask@AAR: What should it cost a library to lend out an ebook?

the ask@AAR: What should it cost a library to lend out an ebook?

July 18, 2025

Today’s ask is inspired by a recent New York Times article about something many readers probably don’t think much about: how libraries pay for ebooks. Several states, including Connecticut and…

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the ask@AAR: What have you been reading lately?

the ask@AAR: What have you been reading lately?

July 11, 2025

I’ve been on a damn good reading run. As usual, I’ve read a bunch of books that will come out later in the year, but, in the interest of conversation,…

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Make Jeff Bezos Pay for Our Web Hosting…..

Make Jeff Bezos Pay for Our Web Hosting…..

July 8, 2025

Amazon Prime Day runs this year from July 8 through July 11—four full days of deals. If you’re planning to shop, whether for books or anything else, we’d be grateful…

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What We’ve Been Thinking About

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