What I've Been Reading Lately (Sort of)

This is really more of a post about contemporary romance, something I rarely read (I know. That sounds a bit odd since it's what I write/have written). Back when I first started publishing, I tended to stay away from reading contemporaries because I didn't want to risk accidentally (subconsciously) absorbing something from a book I'd read and then somehow incorporate it into my own work. Plus, I like historical romance a lot and that, along with some odds and ends fantasy, science fiction, literary and nonfiction tends to be what I focus on the most.

But there are some awesome new (or newer) contemporary romance writers, and their work is part of what I've been reading lately. I just finished The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood. This isn't the first book I've read by her and it won't be the last. She does a great job of world building (her books are set in the scientific community because the author works in that world) and the dialogue is sharp and snappy and funny. I highly recommend her.

Then there's Helen Hoang's The Kiss Quotient, the first in a 3-book series. The heroine of the book is on the autism spectrum, as is the author. She has said that she originally wanted to write a gender-swapped Pretty Woman, and that is a good description of where the book begins. I've read the two other books in the series and also loved both of those. 

Then there's Abby Jimenez. Her books tend to deal with serious subjects. The one I'm recommending today, Yours Truly, is actually book 2 in her Part of Your World, 3-book series. I've read all three, but for some reason, I read them out of order and this is the last one I got around to. The heroine is an ER doctor and her brother needs a kidney, badly. The hero, a new ER doctor at her hospital, suffers from severe anxiety, something which creates problems for him and doesn't always endear him to others. He's also the man who is going to get the promotion she wants, and he becomes her brother's donor (I'm not giving anything away. It's in the book description). Oh, and she's on the verge of finalizing her divorce after her husband cheated on her with her best friend. There's a lot going on here, but it all worked for me.

Lastly (for today) is Emily Henry's Funny Story. There's been a lot of buzz about her books, and two of them (I think) are being made into movies. The Goodreads description of this one is "A shimmering, joyful new novel about a pair of opposites with the wrong thing in common."

I've read most of her books (maybe all. I might have missed one), and enjoyed every one of them. The heroine initially get together in a unique and intriguing way. 

So those are the contemporary romances I've been reading lately. If you want to give them a try, there are a number of books available from each author.

Happy Reading!

Myrna