Staff Picks
BIPOC Romances - November 2022
- Ariel H.
- Tuesday, November 01, 2022
Collection
Find your next favorite romance author with this list! Below you'll find a mix of authors from the last 2 years. Enjoy!❤️
A Proposal They Can't Refuse
Published in 2022
"Kamilah Vega is desperate to convince her family to update their Puerto Rican restaurant and enter it into the Fall Foodie Tour. With the gentrification of their Chicago neighborhood, it's the only way to save the place. The fly in her mofongo: her blackmailing abuelo says if she wants to change anything in his restaurant, she'll have to marry the one man she can't stand: his friend's grandson. Liam Kane spent a decade working to turn his family's distillery into a contender. Now he and his grandfather are on the verge of winning a national competition. Then Granda hits him with a one-two punch: he had cancer and he has his heart set on seeing Liam married before it's too late. And Granda knows just the girl ... Kamilah Vega. If they refuse, their grandfathers will sell the building that houses both their businesses. With their futures on the line, Kamilah and Liam plan to outfox the devious duo, faking an engagement until they both get what they want. But soon, they find themselves tangled up in more than either of them bargained for."-- Publisher's description.
By the Book
A Meant to Be Novel
Published in 2022
Isabelle is completely lost. When she first began her career in publishing right out of college, she did not expect to be twenty-five, living at home, still an editorial assistant, and the only Black employee at her publishing house. Overworked and underpaid, constantly torn between speaking up or stifling herself, Izzy thinks there must be more to this publishing life. So when she overhears her boss complaining about a beastly high-profile author who has failed to deliver his long-awaited manuscript, Isabelle sees an opportunity to finally get the promotion she deserves. All she has to do is go to the author's Santa Barbara mansion and give him a quick pep talk or three. How hard could it be? But Izzy quickly finds out she is in over her head. Beau Towers is not some celebrity lightweight writing a tell-all memoir. He is jaded and withdrawn and--it turns out--just as lost as Izzy. But despite his standoffishness, Izzy needs Beau to deliver, and with her encouragement, his story begins to spill onto the page. They soon discover they have more in common than either of them expected, and as their deadline nears, Izzy and Beau begin to realize there may be something there that wasn't there before.
Drunk on Love
Published in 2022
"Margot Noble needs some relief from the stress of running the family winery with her brother. Enter Luke: sexy, charming, and best of all in the too-small world of Napa, a stranger. The chemistry between them is undeniable, and Margot is delighted that she lucked into the perfect one-night stand she'll never have to see again. That is, until the winery's newest hire, Luke, walks in the next morning. Margot is determined to keep things purely professional, but when their every interaction reminds her of the attraction still bubbling between them, it proves to be much more challenging than she expects. Luke Williams had it all, but when he quits his high-salary tech job in Silicon Valley in a blaze of burnout and moves back to Napa to help a friend, he realizes he doesn't want to tell the world--or his mom--why he's now working at a winery. His mom loves bragging about her successful son--how can he admit that the job she's so proud of broke him? Luke has no idea what is next for him, but one thing is certain: he wants more from the incredibly smart and sexy woman he hooked up with--even after he learns she's his new boss. But even if they can find a way to be together that wouldn't be an ethical nightmare, would such a successful woman really want a tech-world dropout?"--Dust jacket flap.
A Caribbean Heiress in Paris
Published in 2022
"Paris, 1889. Luz Alana set sail from Santo Domingo armed with three hundred casks of rum, her two best friends and one simple rule: under no circumstances is she to fall in love. In the City of Lights, she intends to expand the rum business her family built over three generations, but buyers and shippers alike can't imagine doing business with a woman...never mind a woman of color. This, paired with being denied access to her inheritance unless she marries, leaves the heiress in a very precarious position. Enter James Evanston Sinclair, Earl of Darnick, who has spent a decade looking for purpose outside of his father's dirty money and dirtier dealings. Ignoring his title, he's built a whisky brand that's his biggest -- and only-- passion. That is, until he's confronted with a Spanish-speaking force of nature who turns his life upside down."--Publisher's description.
Vanessa Jared's Got a Man
A Novel
Published in 2022
"Vanessa has decided to pull herself out of her postforty, postdivorce slump by forming the Savvy Sexy , and Single Club with her two best friends and starting the 'do me' portion of their lives. But on the two-year anniversary of the club, a very sexy sheriff shows up on Vanessa's doorstep wanting her to help to keep his little sister from marrying Vanessa's no-good ex. Vanessa wants nothing to do with the man...until she spots a photo of her ex's new fiancée wearing her grandmother's ring--which he'd clearly stolen from her. Now Vanessa is ready to take this trifling (fill-in-the-blank) down. What she does not expect is to fall in love along the way."--Cover page 4.
Before I Let Go
Published in 2018
Returning to her small Alaska home town after her bipolar best friend's death, Corey uncovers chilling secrets about the townspeople and their treatment of Kyra prior to her drowning.
On Rotation
A Novel
Published in 2022
When her life crashes down around her, Ghanaian-American med student Angie Appiah, who has spent her life being the Perfect Immigrant Daughter, questions everything--her career, her friendships, and her taste in men--until she meets someone who changes her perspective.
First Love, Take Two
Published in 2021
"On the verge of realizing her dream of being a doctor, Preeti Patel should be ecstatic. But between the stress of her residency, trying to find a job, and managing her traditional, no-boundaries family, Preeti's anxiety is through the roof...Preeti's finally found a new place to stay . . . only to discover that her new roommate is her ex...Can Preeti and Daniel find a way to stand up and fight for each other one last time . . . before they lose their second chance?"-- Provided by publisher.
Girl Gone Viral
A Novel
Published in 2020
A live-tweet event goes viral for a camera-shy ex-model, shoving her into the spotlight-and into the arms of the bodyguard she'd been pining for.
The Hookup Plan
Published in 2022
"London Kelly has worked incredibly hard to become a successful pediatrician, but the stress of her job never eases. Ready to let loose a little bit, she figures a one-night stand at her high school reunion with the incredibly sexy Drew Sullivan will be the perfect way to forget about her work troubles. But she soon finds out that Drew has been hired by the hospital where she works to spearhead a buy-out. Now London and Drew are on opposite sides of the boardroom table, while she tries to protect her patients and her job. Good thing she has her two besties, Samiah and Taylor, to help her sort everything out"-- Provided by publisher.
Dating Dr. Dil
A Novel
Published in 2022
"Kareena dreams of having a perfect love story ... That's why on the morning of her thirtieth birthday, she's decided to ... enter the dating arena ... Prem doesn't have time for romance, which is why it's no surprise when his first meeting with Kareena goes awry. Their second encounter is worse when their on-air debate about love goes viral. Now Prem's largest community center donor is backing out because Prem's reputation as a heart-health expert is at risk. To get back in his donor's good graces, he needs to fix his image fast, and dating Kareena is his only option"-- Provided by publisher
The Shaadi Set-up
A Novel
Published in 2021
"In this witty and heartfelt rom-com debut for fans of Jasmine Guillory, Emily Henry, and Tessa Bailey, an Indian American woman signs herself and her boyfriend up for a matchmaking site to prove they're a perfect match, only to be paired with her ex instead"-- Provided by publisher.
Do You Take This Man
Published in 2022
"After butting heads, an event planner and a wedding officiant begin an enemies with benefits arrangement as wedding bells chime around them in the newest rom-com from acclaimed author Denise Williams. Divorce attorney RJ would never describe herself as romantic. But when she ends up officiating an unplanned wedding for a newly engaged couple in a park, her life is turned upside down. The video of the ceremony goes viral, and she finds herself in the unlikely position of being a sought-after local wedding officiant. Spending her free time overseeing "I dos" isn't her most strategic career move, but she enjoys it, except for the type A dude-bro wedding planner she's forced to work with. Former pro-football event manager Lear is a people person, but after his longtime girlfriend betrayed him, he isn't looking for love. He knows how to execute events and likes being in control, so working with an opinionated and inflexible officiant who can't stand him is not high on his list. He's never had trouble winning people over, but RJ seems immune to his charms. Surrounded by love at every turn, their physical attraction pulls them together despite their best efforts to stay an arm's length apart. Lear refuses to get hurt again. RJ refuses to let herself be vulnerable to anyone. But when it comes to happily ever after, their clients might not be the only ones saying "I do.""-- Provided by publisher.
The Fastest Way to Fall
Published in 2021
"Britta didn't plan on falling for her personal trainer, and Wes didn't plan on Britta. Plans change and it's unclear if love, career, or both will meet them at the finish line. Britta Colby works for a lifestyle website, and when tasked to write about her experience with a hot new body-positive fitness app that includes personal coaching, she knows it's a major opportunity to prove she should write for the site full-time. As CEO of the FitMe app, Wes Lawson finally has the financial security he grew up without, but despite his success, his floundering love life and complicated family situation leaves him feeling isolated and unfulfilled. He decides to get back to what he loves-coaching. Britta's his first new client and they click immediately. As weeks pass, she's surprised at how much she enjoys experimenting with her exercise routine. He's surprised at how much he looks forward to talking to her every day. They convince themselves their attraction is harmless, but when they start working out in person,Wes and Britta find it increasingly challenging to deny their chemistry and maintain a professional distance. Wes isn't supposed to be training clients, much less meeting with them, and Britta's credibility will be sunk if the lifestyle site finds out she's practically dating the fitness coach she's reviewing. Walking away from each other is the smartest thing to do, but running side by side feels like the start of something big"-- Provided by publisher.
The Second Time We Met
Published in 2022
"Recovering from heartbreak, unlucky-in-love events manager Cara has vowed to avoid relationships. That is until fate throws her into the path of handsome and kind Henry, who is worlds apart from the men she’s dated before. Unfortunately, this encounter is short-lived when Cara misses her coach home--and with it, any chance of seeing him again. But fate is not finished with the mismatched couple. When Cara quite literally bumps into Henry a second time at a work event, the run-in leaves them with feelings instead of bruises, and they can’t wait another day before seeing each other again. Yet it soon becomes clear how deeply different their worlds are: Cara’s drama-filled African and Caribbean family couldn’t be further from Henry’s family of wealthy lords and ladies. With interfering relatives, problem friends, and an inconvenient ex-boyfriend attempting a comeback, everything seems stacked against the two new lovebirds. This is no straightforward love story--Cara and Henry will have to get creative with romance if they stand any chance of beating the odds to win their happy ever after.