These are just a few of the books coming out next month that are on our radar. Are you pumped for any of these titles? What did we miss?
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So far, I only have a few books on my December tbr, but experience has taught me that the list will expand as more new books come to my attention. Here’s what I have as of now:
My favorite iteration of the “fake relationship” trope is when one of the people in it (almost always the heroine) is in love with someone else but can’t let that person know, so Winter Renshaw’s FAKE-ISH (December 5) seems like it will totally be my jam: it features a woman in a fake relationship with the brother of the man she has true feelings for. I expect plenty of angst in this one.
TMI (December 7) is an m/m/m holiday story that is part of the ILYBSM (I Love You Both So Much) series by Leslie McAdam, J.E. Birk, and Rachel Ember. According to the blurb, this book features a clueless mayor, his grouchy best friend, and an investigative journalist.
Marley Valentine”s UNLOVED (December 8) is another m/m/m romance. I expect this one will be far more angsty than the above-referenced TMI.
With Skye Warren’s books, I’ve learned to treat release dates as suggestions rather than solidly reliable dates. Her latest, WHITE LIES, has been postponed twice and is now showing a release date of December 12. WHITE LIES is the second book in Warren’s Cirque des Miroirs series about a woman who runs away from her abusive home and literally joins the circus (and falls for the circus’s enigmatic owner). The first book—RED FLAGS—ended on a anxiety-inducing cliff-hanger, so I’m eager to see how that gets resolved in WHITE LIES.
DEARLY BELOVED (December 12) by Skye Warren’s frequent writing partner, Amelia Wilde, is a fake-engagement-that-has-to-become-a-real-marriage story that is associated with the Midnight Dynasty series of dark romances.
The Councilman, Matrimonial Merriment, and Catered All the Way are the books I know I’ll read and are already on my TBR list. I’m not sure if The Councilman will come out on audio at the same time, but I will probably listen to instead of read that one. Matrimonial Merriment I will read immediately and then listen as soon as the audio is released. I think the audio for Catered All the Way is being released with the print version. If so I’ll be listening to that.
I’ll also be reading Holiday Heartstrings by N.R. Walker and The Christmas Veto by Keira Andrews.
I don’t think the audio of The Councilman will be out until 2024. Hopefully early 2024 though!
Nicky James has said that Matrimonial Merriment will be different to the other Valor & Doyle books in that there won’t be a mystery, and that it’s their final outing – for now. She’s working on a spin off series and says we’ll see them in that.
I don’t think I will mind at all that Matrimonial Merriment won’t have a mystery. The mysteries have been good but I have loved watching the relationship develop most of all and I am excited about the wedding. It will also be fun to try to figure out who will feature in the spin off (I think Nicky James’ newsletter said it would be a newly introduced character?)
Same – it will be a nice change of focus, I think, and a good pay-off for all the readers invested in the relationship.
I still might wait for the audiobook of The Councilman. That’s what I did for The Doctor. Unlike the Momento Mori series these aren’t necessarily books I both read and listen to, at least not in a short time frame.
I, for one, will miss the mystery aspect of the Valor and Doyle series. She’s so good with the twisty mystery and I’ve always enjoyed that almost as much as the romance aspect. In fact, in the last book I think I might have enjoyed the mystery a little more (Doyle’s actions had me frustrated). I admit I am curious to see if this book contains that kind of angst, or if it will be more lighthearted, especially since there’s no mystery plot. Not sure which I want, honestly.
Same! My December list also has Matrimonial Merriment, Catered All the Way, Holiday Heartstrings, and The Christmas Veto.
I just finished The Christmas Veto – it was… okay.
I was afraid of that. I enjoyed The Christmas Deal, but didn’t much care for The Christmas Leap. Was it better than that one?
Yes, same. I gave the first one a DIK here, but the second was a disappointment and this one wasn’t much better. KA is one of those authors whose work I used to enjoy who just seems to have… gone off the boil 🙁
I enjoyed The Fake Mate and, as I keep saying, ADORED The Frozen River.
Your new format is so pretty. I think Fate Mate will be very popular. It’s by the same author that wrote The Nanny. I also think Second Chance Year (Dec. 5) by Melissa Weisner is Sweet. Knives, Seasoning and a Dash of Love was inspired by Kylo Ren fanfiction.
I like this new format too!
Oh, I have The Fake Mate on my reading list, good to know!
I’m waiting impatiently for Gregory Ashe’s The Spoil of Beasts, especially after the ending of the previous book, The Girl in the Wind. I loved the unexpected short stories he published between them, Tangents (Vol 1). Fer! Jaden and Nico!
Other than that, I’ll be on the look out for Christmas books from tried and trusted authors.
GA has been posting little teasers for Nico’s book at his FB group, so it’s happening!
The stories in Tangents were a lot of fun – it was great to read all those different pairings.
If anyone deserves a HEA it’s Nico!
I love how GA has managed to join all these couples so convincingly for this series. Some of the interplay between individual characters is just superb.
He’s such an incredible writer and his character work is some of the best I’ve ever read. He is very sensibly and skilfully using smaller groups and pairings and keeping the big scenes with all 8 guys (in Iron on Iron) to a couple a book, which avoids overload and makes them thst much more special(there’s a fantastic one near the end of Spoils).
I wish I was more excited about a new book by Mary Jo Putney. She’s written some of my all-time favorite books (The Rake, The Bargain) and I really enjoyed her Fallen Angels series. But her more recent work has just not hit me the same way and I think I’ve DNF’ed a few of them. I’m feeling that way about a few authors who I used to really love. (Maybe that’s a blog post?)
I will not touch the MJP until I see a good review I trust. I do not want to destroy good memories (more).
Yeah, sometimes, there really is something to be said for quitting while you’re ahead (sadly).
Same – I gave up on MJP several years ago after reading and reviewing a couple of duds in a row.
I’ve enjoyed the other books in the series, so I’m looking forward to the new book by Evie Dunmore, The Gentleman’s Gambit.
I only have the Foz Meadows pre-ordered.
I enjoyed the feels in book 1 a lot, and want more.
Nothing else really, and none of the above tempt me much.
I veer to fantasy, sf, or older books right now.
Discovered the Chaos station books by Burke&Jensen 🙂 great m/m sf romance
Rereading an Egg, a Key, an Unfortunate Remark by Connolly – elder lady pacifist urban paranormal-amazing! No romance…
I just finished the Meadows and am writing a review – I think it’s better than the first book and I liked it a lot.
Great to know! The price is steep for a kindle book, so this info reassures me a lot.
I’ve been curious about the Chaos Station books. I need to bite the bullet and jump in.
I really liked the first book. A crisp story, lots of feelings of two lovers reunited – they were torn apart by interstellar war fresh from college. Their state after years of war, imprisonment & super-soldier experiments is well portrayed, still not unrelentingly grim. This is one story in installments, with good HFN stops at the end of each book. Lovely surrounding characters.
Thanks for the description! It sounds like something I would enjoy.
I’m also working my way through the Chaos Station books – I’ve read the first two – and am enjoying them!
Yay!
I would love to know your thoughts if you do read them! I liked that each book has a definite end with a happy for now ending (no cliffhangers) but still had an overarching story arc that moves from one book to the next.
You all have sold me! I bought the first in the series today!
I hope you enjoy it Carrie!
Yes! Exactly this – I like reading a book and then being able to take a break in a good spot, not feeling all anxious because I need to commit to 5 books for a final payoff
I LOVE the Chaos Station series by Jenn Burke and Kelly Jensen – I’m so glad you’re enjoying it!
Love the Chaos Station series by Burke & Jensen too. Highly recommend. Will re-read!
Just learned The Councilman has been pushed to Jan 2024. Its a bummer, but I think CSP has had a tough year so I’m not surprised. At least we know it WILL happen – she’s not one to keep changing dates and then not deliver.
I probably wasn’t going to get to it before then, but I’m sorry she’s had a rough year. I just read Jay Hogan has had a rocky year as well, although she said the audio for Pinot and Pineapple Lumps was coming out soon, and also the third in the Mackenzie Country series was on track for late February.
Yeah, I think CSP has been fighting a bad case of burnout over the last couple of years, but she’s said recently that work on the book is going really well and that she’s feeling pretty positive. I read about Jay’s health issues, too – my fingers are well-and-truly crossed for her.
T. Kingfisher is bringing out a new book in her Paladin series on December 5th. I love each of the books till now.
Only a few December releases is great, as I need to catch up on my TBR. That said, All the Hidden Paths by Foz Meadows is on my radar.
December 25, 2023: Dawnmaker (Endeavor #3) by Amanda Bouchet. SFF. Not as good of a series as the Kingmaker Chronicles.