We’re more than halfway through 2024–where DOES the time go? Thus far, AAR reviewers have designated 59 books (out of 178 reviewed) as DIKs. Two have received the rare grade of A+: Bridesmaid for Hire by Megan Quinn and The Perfect Find by Tia Williams. (Not all of the books we’ve reviewed have been romances.)
My favorite 2024 romance, thus far, is Bride by Ali Hazelwood. Runners up are Under Your Spell and Funny Story.
How about you? What’s been your favorite romance published this year?
We have a new Power Search. Have you tried it? It’s–in my opinion–amazing. You can find it under the Reviews tab. For starters, you can now search by tags. Caroline Russomanno has spent the past few years improving the tag system on our reviews and now, you can search by them. You can…
This time last year, I hoped that the worst of 2020 wouldn’t follow me into 2021. And while that didn’t happen, I did find much to celebrate in 2021 perhaps because the past two years have taught me to find joy, laughter, and love wherever I can. Here are a few things that made my soul…
There’s been a slew of novels set in the pandemic on Netgalley recently and I for one am not here for them. I am so tired of lockdown and COVID and social isolation–the last thing I want to read for fun is something that highlights these things. Give me escapism baby!
I’ve just finished rereading one of my favorite books by Meredith Duran–Written on Your Skin–for an upcoming review. I adore Phin Granville as a hero–he’s complex, strong, brilliant, and willing to work to win the woman he very slowly realizes he loves. He and Julian Sinclair, the hero of Duran’s sublime The Duke of Shadows…
What’s your favorite thing about AAR? I ask not because, as my mom would say, I’m fishing for compliments but because as we figure out how to survive and move forward, I’m wondering what are the things here you can’t live without. Is it the reviews? The blogs? The Steals and Deals? The community? We…
I’m on my annual large family vacation–there are three generations here, ages 17 to 85. In a conversation about choices with a few of my nephews, I referenced The Gift of the Magi. They looked at me blankly. I explained–briefly–the plot which I have always found depressing and asked what short stories they liked. Again,…
Cicadas, which I reviewed recently, is definitely a contender for my Best of list this year – I had a few quibbles but it’s an unusual and wonderfully romantic story. Other contenders are Fearne Hill’s Salt, Fen by Barbara Elsborg, You Should Be So Lucky by Cat Sebastian and Nicky James’ Promises of Forever. Oh, and the new KJ Charles, of course! I’ve limited that list to ‘just’ romances – I could add some romance “and” titles to that list and probably will come the end of the year.
Interestingly, the Quinn seems to have divided opinions and many commenters weren’t so enthusiastic about it.
I’m with Caz on Nicky James’s PROMISES OF FOREVER, a beautifully-written, angsty, melancholy, and ultimately hopeful m/m romance about two men who meet as kids at summer camp and reconnect 35 years later. It’s my favorite book of 2024 so far.
My favorite romance for the year is Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan. That’s followed closely by Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez. Just loved both of those books.
Both of these are so good! I’m trying to decide between those and Not Another Love Song by Julie Soto, Viscount in Love, by Eloisa James (comes out later this month) and Funny Story by Henry.
I’m going to choose What Is Love, by Jen Comfort because I am a big fan of Jeopardy. I don’t read as many historicals any more, but I also want to shout out Julie Anne Long’s My Season of Scandal.
The snarky banter and trivia in What is Love was so fun plus it’s got that special parachute scene:)
Bride is the only 2024 novel that I still remember reading. I have been in nostalgia mood for months so I’ve been re-reading my old favorites instead.
My favorite is Happily Never After by Lynn Painter, with an honorable mention to Charlotte Stein’s When Grumpy Met Sunshine.
I love Lynn Painter’s humor! I forgot about Stein’s When Grumpy Met Sunshine. I need to check it out!
Painter’s banter is so good! I want her to start writing romantic comedy films IMMEDIATELY.
I’m really enjoying her new book that comes out Oct. 1st, Nothing Like the Movies. They are college age and it’s got her classic humor – so fun.
Well THAT is a recommendation.
For some reason I feel the urge to rewatch His Girl Friday.
A Shore Thing by Joanna Lowell; The Stranger I Wed by Harper St. George; The Love Remedy by Elizabeth Everett.
Favorite historical so far is Cat Sebastian’s You Should be So Lucky; it’s also the only new HR I’ve read this year, but I’m excited to read A Shore Thing and have already pre-ordered Elizabeth Kingston’s new book. As usual, I’ve been reading a ton of older historicals.
For CR, I loved Pointe of Pride by Chloe Angyal. The corps de ballet dancer heroine and retired dancer hero drew me in (unusual in a ballet/sports romance), but so did the sensitively treated representation of pelvic floor pain. I love the crackling tension between the leads and the exploration of how much career pressures and transitions can reverberate in all areas of one’s life.
Interesting. I pulled up my list of 2024 reads, sorted by rating and every single title with 3.5 or more stars has been a reread for me and published before this year. (If I enjoy a book, I give it 3 stars. It has to cause a more specific reaction e.g. something to make the book particularly memorable or the “yeah, I’ll be rereading this at some point” thought) to get above a 3 for me. I’ve read some very fine 3s but I can’t tell you what they are off the top of my head. I’ll have to dig a little deeper to figure out if there is a clear favorite.
It looks like the majority of the books I have read so far this year were published in previous years. I have a bunch of 2024 releases in my TBR and hopefully I will get to them! For 2024 so far, 3 books I really enjoyed were:
Bride by Ali Hazelwood (M/F)
Amid Our Lines by Zarah Detand (M/M)
Fen by Barbara Elsborg (M/M)
Bride by Ali Hazelwood, At First Spite by Olivia Dade, and If Only You by Chloe Liese are my faves so far.
Cara Bastone, READY OR NOT
Alexis Hall, FOR REAL (reread, but new paperback edition, with a MUCH better cover!)
L. H. Cosway, QUIET TYPES
Cat Sebastian, LUKE AND BILLY FINALLY GET A CLUE
K. T. Hoffman, THE PROSPECTS
Fearne Hill, SALT
Chloe Liese, ONLY AND FOREVER
Ruby Barrett, THE FRIENDSHIP STUDY
Charlotte Stein, WHEN GRUMPY MET SUNSHINE
Jenny Holiday, CANADIAN BOYFRIEND
Cat Sebastian, WE COULD BE SO GOOD
Ashely Herring Blake, IRIS KELLY DOESN’T DATE
Karelia Stetz-Waters, SATISFACTION GUARANTEED
Joanna Lowell, A SHORE THING
That’s a lot!
??? The Perfect Find was published in 2016.
My top romances of 2024 are Stars in Your Eyes by Kacen Callendar, You Should Be So Lucky by Cat Sebastian and The Other Side of Disappearing by Kate Clayborn. Also really liked Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle, though it’s not really genre romance.
You are right! I don’t know how I missed that. Bad Dabney! Thank you for pointing that out!
The Callendar came out last October – I reviewed it here. I’m glad you liked it; I could only give it a middling grade.