Double Booked is a collaboration between two Black romance reviewers, myself and Christine to read and review books by and about BIPOC characters. We’re prioritizing our ARC TBRs to share our perspectives of every swoony line, every lust-fueled plot, and the scenes that literally stop you in your tracks.
Hi Librarygoer!
It’s Friday so let’s keep this brief—and take care of your weekend reading!
Every Friday in Black History Month Christine and I are sharing what we’re reading on the bingo board (scroll to the bottom if you haven’t gotten it yet!).
Fair disclosure, we aren’t reading a book a day but if we were, these are the books we would have chosen to match the bingo squares.
When Soledad’s husband turns out to be seven kinds of bad, she doesn’t crumble but commits to rebuilding her life after betrayal, providing for her three girls, and going after a dream she was afraid to dream. Judah is a gentle, patient single-father—and the teensiest bit forbidden.
Why Do We Love This?: Black women deserve to build the life they want! In the beginning of the story, Soledad loves being a stay-at-home mother because she can. Later she transitions her homemaking skills into a career while staying true to herself, and taking a chance on love.
Additional Recommendations
Seven Days in June by Tia Williams
The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory
Dominic and Sloane met in college and had a bit of a connection—and then Sloane started dating his best friend. Sloane married said best friend and maintained a frenemies relationship with Dominic, until her husband passed. A couple of years later, their relationship is turning the corner past frenemies and they’re worried what everyone in their close-knit friend group would think if they go there.
Why Do We Love This?: Messy forbidden romance in a small town that serves as a prequel for an equally messy world? Hell yeah.
Additional Recommendations
Reel by Kennedy Ryan
Only For the Week by Natasha Bishop
That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming
Manuela del Carmen Caceres Galvan is spending her last single summer in Paris with her two best friends. She decides to have one last fling with Cora, a duchess and ruthless businesswoman before her parents marry her off to ensure the family finances. Manuela strikes a deal of delicious debauchery with Cora; they embark on a summer to remember forever.
Why Do We Love This?: If you have to have a fling before the ring, maybe the ring’s not right for you. The way these two discover their forever is inspiring and beautiful!
Additional Recommendations
Church Girl by Naima Simone
When Javi Dumped Mari by Mia Sosa
Eve is the baby sister of two very focused, also slightly zany older sisters. But she cuts her own path, including when she backs her car up into her potential boss post-interview. He’s forced to hire her for the chef position, since his arm is broken, even though he’s terrified of the chaos he’ll bring into his ordered life.
Why Do We Love This?: A proper hilarious romcom (with an amazing self/mutual pleasure session) always has a place on our shelves.
Additional Recommendations
Just Our Luck by Denise Williams
The Kiss Countdown by Etta Easton
Ricki Wilde is the baby daughter of a powerful mortuary family in Atlanta. Where her sisters are comfortable as socialites and building the funeral home empire, she just wants to design grandiose floral arrangements. When a fairy godmother, in the form of an elderly woman, offers her a Harlem brownstone, Ricki leaves to build her own dream—which is quickly intertwined with a mysterious stranger.
Why Do We Love This?: Aleia is obsessed with magical realism (and plants and flowers) and will never NOT recommend this book.
Additional Recommendations
The Neighbor Favor by Kristina Forest
American Sweethearts by Adriana Herrera
An Unlikely Coven by A. M. Kvita
Grab the bingo board below for a flexible way to read along with us this month.
Join the StoryGraph challenge for year long reading, and
Use the image below to share what you’re currently reading on social!
!["BHM Romance Bookish Bingo card featuring a 5x5 grid of romance tropes in alternating blue and coral squares. The grid includes prompts like 'NYT Bestseller,' 'Light Stalking (aka the good kind),' 'An Influencer Falls in Love,' 'Puppy Love,' 'Forbidden Romance in the Office,' 'Indie Book Gone Trad,' 'A Secret Mission,' 'Love in a Magical Way,' 'Otherworldly Chaos,' 'A Love Story Set at (Someone Else's) Wedding,' 'One Last Fling Before the Ring,' 'Monster Loving,' 'bpcu' (free space in cursive), 'Small Town Secrets,' 'Werewolves in Love,' 'A Neuro-divergent MC,' 'Love & Sports,' 'A Book About Books,' 'Secret/Surprise Baby,' 'Three (or More) is a Party,' 'A Little Magic in New York,' 'Banger of a Debut,' 'Runaway Bride,' 'Love (wayyy above) 30,000 Feet,' and 'Tension-Filled Second Chance Romance.' Header reads 'BHM ROMANCE BOOKISH Bingo' with instructions to 'Pick a book that fits the prompt' and 'Tag @msaleia and @tropesandkisses.' Bottom text reads 'Read Black Romance All Year with Double Booked' with the Double Booked Club logo."](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Jfmz!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe75f8209-f061-49f5-b305-6df73830f659_1080x1920.png ""BHM Romance Bookish Bingo card featuring a 5x5 grid of romance tropes in alternating blue and coral squares. The grid includes prompts like 'NYT Bestseller,' 'Light Stalking (aka the good kind),' 'An Influencer Falls in Love,' 'Puppy Love,' 'Forbidden Romance in the Office,' 'Indie Book Gone Trad,' 'A Secret Mission,' 'Love in a Magical Way,' 'Otherworldly Chaos,' 'A Love Story Set at (Someone Else's) Wedding,' 'One Last Fling Before the Ring,' 'Monster Loving,' 'bpcu' (free space in cursive), 'Small Town Secrets,' 'Werewolves in Love,' 'A Neuro-divergent MC,' 'Love & Sports,' 'A Book About Books,' 'Secret/Surprise Baby,' 'Three (or More) is a Party,' 'A Little Magic in New York,' 'Banger of a Debut,' 'Runaway Bride,' 'Love (wayyy above) 30,000 Feet,' and 'Tension-Filled Second Chance Romance.' Header reads 'BHM ROMANCE BOOKISH Bingo' with instructions to 'Pick a book that fits the prompt' and 'Tag @msaleia and @tropesandkisses.' Bottom text reads 'Read Black Romance All Year with Double Booked' with the Double Booked Club logo."")
Did you read along with us this week? Tell us about your reading week and share your recs!
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