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If you’ve been here for honestly any length of time, you may have picked up on the fact that I’m atrocious at following a TBR so I hope you won’t be to harsh with me if I struggle to actually follow this. But I figured since #FallIntoRom is officially underway and more recommendations (or whatever you call it when I haven’t read a book but it fills a prompt) never hurt anyone, I’d go ahead and put my tentative TBR out into the world. You may notice that there are squares where I have multiple options because I’m the least decisive person in the world. My disclaimer here is that there are a multitude of fantastic books in the world and you cannot honestly expect me to choose. Now let’s dive in.

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Makes You Hungry: Delicious Satisfaction by Sabrina Sol

Delicious Satisfaction is a chef romance with a defense lawyer hero and, I mean, I am fully on board. If it happens to be a pining hero, I may switch this one with Delicious Complication, also by Sabrina Sol, which I imagine will also have great food descriptions. Regardless, I plan to read both to finally finish out this series.

Pining: Slightly Married by Mary Balogh

This is one of the last two older historicals left on the When Old Meets New challenge Dani and I are doing and according to Goodreads, this qualifies as not just pining, but mutual pining. Aka the best kind. But if it doesn’t work, I’ll just slot this in somewhere else (maybe big family?). My back up option for this is likely Queen Move by Kennedy Ryan, which I admittedly also don’t know if it qualifies, but based on the synopsis and also Kennedy, I have to believe it does! ALSO, did I completely fail to tell you in my recommendation post that Scoring Off the Field by Naima Simone (aka one of my favorites of all time!!!) would count for this square? I think I did, so if you haven’t read that book yet, consider this another PSA that you should read that book!

Black Love: After Hours Redemption by Kianna Alexander

I mean, (a) look at this cover and (b) I have an advanced copy of this one so it’s a top priority! AND to make it even better, this book is about music!!!!! I’m thrilled. I can’t wait to actually pick it up. It lands on October 1st, aka, the day after my birthday.

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Non-Regency Historical: Destiny’s Surrender by Beverly Jenkins

I still need to finish the Destiny series, which means finally picking up book two. I’m really excited about this sex worker heroine book and I’m hoping I’ll love it! Other books I’m considering for this though are Best Laid Plaids by Ella Stanton based on Dani’s recommendation, Pharaoh’s Bed by Mukami Ngari, or The Flapper’s Fake Fiancé by Laura Robinson.

Set in Another World: Crux by H. E. Trent

If you’ve been following me on Twitter, you may have witnessed me falling in love with Erstwhile by H. E. Trent this weekend. I’m absolutely fascinated by this world and am excited to follow Erin, Courtney’s sister. I’m pretty sure I’m going to wind up devouring this entire series. Other options include A Treason of Truths by Ada Harper (a sapphic romance set on some very distant planet) or Phoenix Unbound by Grace Draven (a fantasy romance hanging out on my shelf).

Set Somewhere You’ve Never Been: A Wedding One Christmas by Therese Beharrie

A Wedding One Christmas is set in South Africa where Beharrie is from. I want to pick this one up because right now, I just want holiday romances. I think I might have to splurge for cable because those ridiculous Hallmark Christmas movies are my happy place and 2020 means I’m trying to get that serotonin wherever I can find it. A Wedding One Christmas will give me a serotonin boost in book form though and much cheaper than a cable subscription!

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Hockey Romance: Hearts on Ice by Janae Keys

Okay, so here’s my issue, I am so into the synopsis for Hearts on Ice by Jane Keys, which I stumbled across on WOC in Romance’s website whilst looking for hockey romances to include in my recommendations post. The heroine is an ice skater while the hero is a hockey player! I mean, what’s not to love? I can’t wait to read this one. But there’s also Out on the Ice by Kelly Farmer, which Dani recommended, Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid, which everyone on Twitter loves, and Nick just convinced me to pick up Always Only You by Chloe Liese. I will say that there are other prompts some of these could work for so I may try and fit in more than one onto my board!

Older Heroine: A Taste of Her Own Medicine by Tasha L. Harrison

I’ve been meaning to read this one for a while and now seems like a great time to pick it up! A Taste of Her Own Medicine is an older woman/younger man romance that is also a small town romance. Sonja signs up for a course for entrepreneurs after her divorce and finds herself drawn to her younger instructor. Tasha was a guest on Fated Mates a while ago and really sold me on her book, but I am not infrequently slow to pick up books I’m interested in because my TBR is entirely too extensive.

Librarian/Bookseller MC: Meet Cute Club by Jack Harbon

I swear, if I don’t read Meet Cute Club finally, I need one of y’all to tie me to a chair and make me sit there until I finally do! I’ve been desperate to read this book, but I’m drowning in ARCs and as I just mentioned, my TBR is entirely too extensive. But I really, really want to read this one! It’s a m/m romance between Jordan Collins, who “doesn’t need a man” (I love him already), and Rex Bailey. Jordan runs a romance book club and Rex, a bookseller, crashes the meeting. Sign me up, please! (Seriously, force me to read this book. I know I’m going to love it!)

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Banter: Truth or Dare by Danielle Allen

First of all, shout out to Kennedy Ryan for specifically listing banter as an aspect of this book in her tweet selling this book to me (oh look, this also works as a twitter rec…). Secondly, bless you, Danielle Allen, for gracing us with this cover, which WOAH buddy. This man is attractive, y’all. It’s best friends to lovers, which is a trope I already like, and a cinnamon roll hero, which I also love. I can’t wait to read this one!

New to You Author: Her Night with the Duke by Diana Quincy

Okay, so this is a great place for me to stick some of these books I keep talking about in prompts where I list like three books, but actually, I have an advanced copy of Her Night with the Duke by Diana Quincy, which will be my first book of hers and seems like a logical choice for this square. So Leela and Elliot have one glorious night after fending off an attack and then discover that Elliot is supposed to marry Leela’s step-daughter?? I am so intrigued by this premise!

Royalty: A Princess for Christmas by Jenny Holiday

This is my responsible choice because I have an advanced copy and this book comes out before How to Catch a Queen by Alyssa Cole, which is the only book I want to read for this prompt. But I am really excited for A Princess for Christmas because I’m desperate for some light Hallmark-esque escapist reading because the world is on fire. That said, you’d best believe I’m reading How to Catch a Queen during this period of time too!

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HEA: Well Played by Jen DeLuca

Well Played is my soonest to read ARC that doesn’t fit neatly into another box, so we’ll tentatively say Well Played for now. This Renaissance Faire romance is actually about Stacey and the guy she thinks she’s been corresponding with, Dex, but actually it’s not Dex. I’m super excited for this one.

Series Following a Big Family: Only When It’s Us by Chloe Liese

This is the first book in Liese’s Bergman Brothers series, which I believe is a series with five brothers and two sisters, so I think it certainly counts. Although I’d seen these books floating around on Instagram and had it recommended specifically to me at least once, it took Nick’s post about the first two books in the series to knock me from interested but not a priority to absolutely need to read this ASAP. So shout out to Nick! As for what this book is about Willa, a soccer player!, who is dealing with grief and has to deal with grumpy Ryder, a fellow classmate. I think I’ll really like this one.

Crafts or Puzzles: Miracles and Menorahs by Stacey Agdern

Shout out to Aarya for pointing out that a metal sculptor totally qualifies as a craftsman and therefore I can use the advanced copy of Miracles and Menorahs that I won from Romance Sparks Joy to fulfill this square! I think I’ve read a short story from Agdern before (which I really enjoyed), but this will be my first full length novel from her. It sounds like both Sarah and Isaac love Hanukah, but Isaac is a little disillusioned about the festival Sarah is in charge of putting together. I’m very excited for this one!

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A Beautiful Outfit: When the Night’s Over by Chelsea Maria

I look absolutely appalling in yellow, but like, this cover model looks phenomenal in this yellow dress. I’m a little obsessed. I literally don’t remember why I picked this book up, despite it being a very recent addition to my kindle. The blurb sounds intense and like there’s going to be a lot of alpha male behavior happening in this one night stand turned multiple nights. Fingers crossed I love it as much as I love the cover!

Grumpy & Sunshine: Always Only You by Chloe Liese

Look! I found a place to insert this hockey book in a place that’s not hockey! I’m so proud of me. Also, again, so thankful for Nick’s review, which is how I learned that this book is grumpy & sunshine energy and!! The grumpy one is Frankie, our heroine, and the sunshine one is Ren, our hero, which is the BEST take on this dynamic in my humble opinion.

STEM Heroine: Make Up, Break Up by Lily Menon

Should I take the time out of my too intense ARC reading schedule to read a 2021 release? No. Will I? *nods* I’m so excited for this one! Lily Menon is Sandhya Menon’s adult romance pen name and Make Up, Break Up is her adult romance debut! Our heroine is Annika Dev, who is an app developer of an app for relationship support. Our hero is Hudson Craft, who is also an app developer of an app that is the “Uber for breakups.” Anyway, they hooked up at one point and now they don’t really get along and they’re competing against one another in an important contest for funding for their respective apps. I know I already mentioned being excited, but I’m REALLY excited.

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Twitter Rec: Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid

And this is how I’m fitting in another hockey book into this TBR! Heated Rivalry was all over twitter (or at least mine) a few months ago and I finally picked it up when it was on sale the other day. Ooh, it’s rivals to lovers! (The little I picked up on about this book despite it being everywhere is honestly obnoxious.) Dani has been wanting me to read this for ages so I know she’s going to be excited to see this on here!

Rainy: Lakota Dreaming by Constance Gillam

I know I’ll be reading other books that fit this square, but I really wanted to make sure I had something on this Bingo Board to celebrate Native American Heritage Month. I’m also hoping to pick up some Robin Covington titles, but I don’t know yet if her new series will fulfill any of the squares! So I’ve selected Lakota Dreaming, which is a romantic suspense novel where Zora Hughes is trying to solve a murder of one of her ancestors and someone is trying to stop her.

Punny Title: If the Boot Fits by Rebekah Weatherspoon

If the Boot Fits is a Hollywood romance and reimagined Cinderella and I am so incredibly excited. This is Sam’s romance and he has a fun and sexy romp with a gorgeous woman who disappears. With his Oscar. Can they turn one night into forever? Y’all!!!!!! Sign me up. I’m ready.

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Quintessential Fall Activity: You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle

Once again, shout out to Aarya for making sure I knew that this book qualified! I have been wanting to read this book for ages, like I got the BaeCrate box it came in because I was so intrigued. This is a lovers to enemies to lovers book and I’m ready for that.

Pets: Mistletoe & Mr. Right by Sarah Morgenthaler

There is a dog on this cover so I’m assuming it qualifies for this prompt. Morgenthaler is a new to me author, but I saw a lot of people really enjoying her first book, The Tourist Attraction, so I’m hoping this one will work for me! Lana Montgomery is very rich and she’s in Moose Springs, Alaska to make things better somehow? Idk. Anyway, she and Rick Harding are butting heads about holiday stuff but also it’s maybe a second chance? Do synopses make sense to other people? Because I’ve read this one several times and I have no idea. If it doesn’t work though, I’ll probably take this opportunity to pick up Out on the Ice by Kelly Farmer!

Plus Sized Heroine on the Cover: Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade

I am so excited about this book!!!!! I can’t wait to actually read it and I need all of my other responsibilities to leave me alone so I can pick it up. It’s about an actor for a very famous fandom who secretly writes fanfiction and a cosplayer and fanfiction writer who wind up going on a date for publicity and then they actually start a relationship for real. I’m high key excited about this one and I just want to read it right now.

Romance Writer in a Different Genre: Bring on the Blessings by Beverly Jenkins

My understanding of the Blessings series is that it’s a “women’s fiction” type novel and if that’s accurate then this is my pick. If it’s not accurate, let this be the year I finally read Mating the Huntress by Talia Hibbert around Halloween time! I’m determined to read it in the Fall but keep not doing that?? I make poor choices, I guess. Anyway, Bring on the Blessings is about Bernadine Brown who divorces her husband after finding out that he cheated on her and takes the money from her divorce settlement and buys a town, Henry Adams, Kansas. I’m especially excited to read this because Blessings is being adapted!!

And there you have my very loose and tentative to be read for this Bingo! I’ll keep y’all up to date on Twitter with the hashtag #FallIntoRomBingo. Don’t forget to capitalize each separate word for accessibility reasons and if you’re going to post an image of the board, please feel free to copy and paste my caption of the board here to use as ALT text. If you have any questions about how to do ALT text, feel free to DM me! In the meantime, what do you think about my picks? Any you think I should change from my main choice to one of my alternates? What books are you most excited to read for bingo if you’re participating?

If you live in the States, please, please check your voter registration and make sure you have a plan for how to vote. If you need to request a mail in ballot, please go ahead and do that! We’re getting close to election day and we should definitely exercise our right to do that. Also, feel free to send angry emails to your Senators like I do sometimes.

xx