firewhiskeyreader

I hope y’all are excited about #SpringIntoLoveBingo because I definitely am! Somehow #SnowInLoveBingo wound up being a real challenge for me so I’m hoping that I’ll do better with #SpringIntoLoveBingo. If you’re unfamiliar with this seasonal bingo, myself, Dani, and Aarya put together these prompts every season (except summer) and then my sister, Sarah, illustrates our board. I’m absolutely obsessed with the board, as always. So please make sure to tell Sarah how much you’ve it and shout out your favorite prompt illustration!

#SpringIntoLoveBingo will take place from March 1st through May 31st. We ask for just one thing from y’all, which is that if you’re participating and using the hashtag or sharing images that you do your best to make them accessible. Capitalizing each word in a hashtag makes it much easier for screen readers and alt text is something else that is really helpful. We also want to remind everyone that the definition of Black Love is a book written by a Black author that is about Black love interests. Interracial romance is great, but that makes it not Black love for purposes of this bingo. And now, for the most exciting part… The prompts!

Row One

Bookish Main Character

For this prompt, we’re looking for a reader, a book seller, a librarian… Probably there are other examples, but these are definitely the ones that pop in my head right off the bat. Of course, I’m much better at providing recommendations for this prompt than I am at thinking of books off the top of my head… But I know that Ashley Poston’s A Novel Love Story would definitely work and I just bought that on a kindle deal… And Kiss Me Maybe by Gabriella Gamez is about a librarian! It comes out on May 6, which is in time for bingo, although I’m also fortunate and have an ARC.

Historical

Historical romance is apparently under attack by traditional publishing, by which I mean, publishers aren’t picking up historical romances and that is just disrespectful. So I thought this was a great prompt to choose for the times. If you’re really not a historical person, but you will do fantasy, I guess you could stretch it to a historical fantasy romance or a prequel. But I would encourage you to pick up an actual historical romance.

The Mistress Experience by Scarlett Peckham is a book that I am late on reading… I love getting ARCs of books and then just reading them nearly a year later. I’m so annoying. I’ve also got How to Fall for a Scoundrel by Kate Bateman, which is more of a historical mystery/romantic suspense vibe. Plus, Hot Earl Summer by Erica Ridley, No Ordinary Duchess by Elizabeth Hoyt, Wake Me Most Wickedly by Felicia Grossman, The Lady He Lost by Faye Delacour, and In Want of a Viscount by Lorraine Heath. Are you wondering if I ever read my ARCs? Me too, tbh. And somehow, that is still not all of them. Maybe I’m the problem. (Speaking of, You’re the Problem, It’s You is another one!)

Tender Moment

This is going to be very dependent on what you read and what you would consider a tender moment. I tend to find caretaking scenes especially tender, but maybe for you, it’s as simple as a hug or a forehead kiss or even taking out the trash. My favorite book with tender moments recently along those lines was At First Spite by Olivia Dade because the male main character taking care of Athena during her depressive spiral was pretty much everything to me. If you’ve got any recommendations similar to that, I would absolutely adore that recommendation.

Animal

Animal on the cover or animal in the book. Maybe even a shifter romance? This prompt should be easy, but if you’re struggling, stretch away. Did the main character mention that they had a goldfish when they were little? Close enough! King of Sloth is an animal in the title, even though as far as I’m aware, there is no sloth in the book (which is a real missed opportunity, in my opinion). Anyway, you do you is really my point here.

Y’all already know that I will drop everything to read Abby Jimenez’s newest release because I’m obsessed with her. So obviously, I can slot in Say You’ll Remember Me here because it features a dog on the cover and the male main character is a vet. Winning all around here! Alternatively, trying to read things I already own, I’ve got Happy Medium by Sarah Adler, which has… a cow on the cover, I believe. Oh, and I also am very late on reading Training the Heart by Paisley Hope, which is set on a horse farm in Kentucky and therefore, you know, has horses. Ooh, and also the third book in the Gold Rush Ranch series. Honestly, I have so many options for this. If you’re struggling to find one you actually want to read, let me know and I am happy to come up with some tailored options for you!

Name in Title

This one is pretty straight forward and I’m not really sure how to help you bend it if you can’t find something you’re interested in. Maybe to series name? I’ve got Adam & Evie’s Matchmaking Tour by Nora Nguyen on deck, but I’ve also purchased Mrs. Nash’s Ashes, which could work as a back up option. Oooh, also, When Javi Dumped Mari by Mia Sosa is a great choice! Oh, except it doesn’t come out until June 24th. But if you have an ARC of that one, a great choice. Oh, there’s also the Grace Calloway Lady Charlotte’s Society of Angels series, which has books like Olivia and the Masked Duke and Fiona and the Enigmatic Earl. I really enjoy Calloway’s works, like so much!

Row Two

Home

There are a few different ways to interpret this prompt for sure. My favorite interpretation is for a character saying that the other person “feels like home” because I LOVE that. But there are also the more obvious, like a character doing home renovation or returning to their hometown, or even trying to make their home a home in a new place. Really, however you want to interpret this, I support you. For my TBR picks, I went with characters returning tot heir hometown. Return to Cherry Blossom Way by Jeannie Chin and Wreck My Plans by Jillian Meadows are both books that involve a character returning home from somewhere else. Admittedly Wreck My Plans is a Christmas season read… But uh, well, sometimes I just want to read a book, you know? (I really loved Give Me Butterflies by the same author and so now I want to read this one.)

Prophecy

Y’all probably know that I’m a huge Swiftie, but Aarya flies under the radar with her love of Taylor, I think, so I just want to take a moment to spotlight that this prompt was all her!! Now, if you’re like, what does prophecy have to do with Taylor Swift, please allow me this moment to encourage you to go listen to “The Prophecy” off the The Tortured Poets Department album, because it is truly a masterpiece. Anyway, the song itself is essentially about a person begging for her luck to turn around with love because she just keeps thinking she’s found her person and it turns out to not be true love, basically. Anyway, Taylor got Travis and your main character is going to get… Someone. But also, absolutely, go with a book that has an actual prophecy or stretch it to like, a tarot reading, an astrology thing, or a self-fulfilling prophecy. For me, I’m leaning toward continuing with Melissa K. Roerich’s Legacy series, which will be either book two if I don’t manage to finish it (I’m on chapter four so I’ve got a ways to go) or book three if not.

Auction

There are some small town books where there’s like a bachelor auction to raise money for charity (although I swear I see this more in movies than in books) so that’s a great option. Books with literal auctions. Maybe you’re reading a book with characters who attend an auction. Or maybe you know that the book that you’re reading went to auction with publishing. This is one where I’m struggling to come up with a good pick, but after much searching, I figured out that Bourbon & Secrets by Victoria Wilder features lots of references to auctions because they’re selling the bourbon. At least, I think that’s why. I wasn’t trying to spoil myself. Anyway, if you have any ideas that aren’t really dark romance or monster romance, I would love to hear them! (Although, also, feel free to leave those recommendations for anyone else who may be more interested in reading those subgenres!)

Sporty Cover

I chose this prompt because I wanted to be a little more vague than just a sports romance because I know those aren’t everyone’s favorites. So this concept is hopefully a little more broad than sports romance and is just getting at covers that seem to have some type of sports equipment on it, regardless of whether or not it is a sports romance. Now, I do like sports romances, so I’ve picked a few options for my TBR that are, but hopefully you can find something that fits what you’d like to read too! A couple of my options are Collide by Bal Khabra, Face Off by Chelsea Curto, and The Pregame Ritual by Alexandra Warren.

Backlist

This prompt is truly leaving things wide open for you because you could be so broad as to say any book released prior to, let’s say March of 2024, to make it at least a year old. Or even just released prior to the author’s newest release. So picking a book for this one was honestly a bit of a struggle. I decided though to pull out a few of my older ARCs to slot in here for my TBR and have selected Requiem of Silence by L. Penelope, The Devil Comes Courting by Courtney Milan, and When Grumpy Met Sunshine by Charlotte Stein.

Row Three

Stickers

For stickers, this is another prompt that you can use if several different ways. For example, is there a sticker on your book? Does the main character mention stickers? Did you receive or purchase a sticker when you got the book? Did you get a sticker with a design from the book you’re reading? So many options. For me, I walked over to my shelves and found six (then narrowed down to three) books that have a sticker on them about a sale. So the ones I picked out are Better Than Fiction by Alexa Martin, A Shore Thing by Joanna Lowell, and Redeeming 6 by Chloe Walsh. However, if we went with books I’ve purchased stickers relating to them, I could do a reread of Fourth Wing, ACOTAR, or Throne of Glass. I’m just having the realization that I don’t have stickers for Magnolia Parks and I’m thinking I need to remedy that immediately. I also don’t have stickers for Binding and Keeping 13, but I do have them picked out… Anyway, let me know what direction you’re thinking of taking this prompt!

Reread

Reread really doesn’t need an introduction, but if we’re talking about what I’m likely to reread, I’m still wanting to reread Daisy Haites: The Great Undoing, but I’m also not sure I’m emotionally prepared to do that again. But my love of Julian Haites truly knows no bounds. Anyway, I’m also thinking I could use a reread of A Court of Silver Flames because Nesta is my mental health queen. Or, alternatively, Hate to Want You for the same reason. I’m really struggling with burnout and I think picking up books with characters who are healing from their own difficulties would be really useful to me at the moment.

HEA

Our actual easiest prompt! Just pick any romance with an HEA. So, admittedly, you can’t throw in book one in a duet if it doesn’t end with that HEA. But aside from that, you’re good to go with anything. A couple books that I just really want to read right now are This Wild Heart by Karla Sorensen, Loved by You by Alexandrea LeChelle, and Out of the Woods by Hannah Bonam Young.

Anticipated Release

So, this could be something that has already come out that you were highly anticipating, like, for me, Deep End by Ali Hazelwood or First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison. Or it could be a book that is coming out that you’re highly anticipating like Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone or Can’t Get Enough by Kennedy Ryan. Whatever you’re feeling.

Someone’s 2024 Favorite

Pick anyone you’d like and check out their 2024 Favorites and then read a book off their list. I pulled up B’s list on Instagram and found A Love Like the Sun by Riss M. Nielsen, Fiona and the Enigmatic Earl by Grace Callaway, The Mistress Experiment by Scarlett Peckham, Out of Office by A.H. Cunningham, Lucky Strike by Janine Amesta, and The Ex Vows by Jessica Joyce on her list and on my TBR. (Are some of those on my TBR because of her as is? Yes. Sometimes it takes me a few minutes to get around to reading a book I buy! And by a few minutes, I mean, literal years.) If you’re looking for my list for some options, here is the link!

Row Four

South Asian

This prompt is to spotlight authors who are of South Asian descent (or still live in South Asia!). I suppose you could also go with a book that is set in South Asia, written by a non-South Asian author, but I would really encourage you to focus more on books by South Asian descended authors. Some books on my TBR include Sunshine and Spice by Aurora Palit, The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Siri, and The Trouble with Hating You by Sajni Patel. I have plenty more, but I’ve been really trying to limit myself to three options! But we all know the likelihood I stick to my TBR is wildly slim. So we’ll see what I actually pick up.

Mediterranean

An expansive view of this prompt is pretty important in my opinion because there is a severe lack of romance set in and around the Mediterranean Sea and in the general area. So I’m starting my options with One Last Shot by Betty Cayoutte, which is set in Cinque Terre, Italy, which is close enough to the general area. But then I was like, obviously, the place to go here is Harlequin Presents and now I’m really intrigued by Greek’s Enemy Bride by Caitlin Crews, which is an “enemies to lovers, marriage of convenience, forbidden, billionaire romance.” Say no more, Harlequin, I’ll be picking this one up promptly!

One Sitting

The idea for this prompt is to pick up a book that you think you could read in one-sitting. Because we all know that we can have the best of intentions about sitting down and reading, but then something happens, like your cat gets sick or work calls or your kids. Whatever. Anyway, so you don’t have to actually read the book in one sitting, you just have to think that it’s one that you could do that with. For me, I’m really not a novella girl, so I’m trying to think through some of the books that I’m pretty sure I’ll pick it up and I wont’ stop until I’m done. I think that’s likely to be the new Abby Jimenez, Say You’ll Remember Me unless I do that thing where I’m so excited to be reading it that I keep putting it down because somehow enjoying a book can make me anxious? Other options include Wild and Wrangled by Lyla Sage or The Kiss Countdown by Etta Easton.

Black Love

Black love is for books written by a Black author that features only Black romantic leads. I’m super keen to read Colliding with Fate by A.E. Valdez after reading and adoring the first book in the series. But I also want to pick up Something Like Love by Christina C. Jones and I really need to read one of her books because a) she’s one of the authors on my 25 in 25, but also b) because I love her writing. Other options I haven’t mentioned elsewhere include When I Think of You by Myah Ariel.

Author with Initials

Oh, this is another good place to slot in CCJ, actually. But this is for an author who uses an initial anywhere in their name. So I could also do book three in the Legacy series here from Melissa K. Roehrich or actually finish the Lady of Darkness series, where I only have the final book left… I got side tracked because I just wanted to try out the Legacy series. Oopsies. Not Safe for Work by Nisha J. Tuli would work too and it has such a gorgeous cover! I could read The Baby Dragon Café by A.T. Qureshi or Honey Witch by Sydney J. Shields. So many options, honestly.

Row Five

Melody

I have a hard time thinking of anything besides music when I think of melody, but I also know that you could find a book with a character named Melody, and likely could certainly find another option that I’m not currently thinking of. For me, though, I’m all about books with music and musicians. I’m not sure what it is about me, but I love nothing more than a book with music as a big theme. (Okay, I actually probably do love other things more, but allow me this moment, please.) Daisy Jones and The Six is my favorite book of all time and a huge part of that is I love seeing the creative process. So as I was looking through my TBR and trying to decide what books look promising to give me that vibe, I settled on these three: Anywhere with You by Ellie Palmer is not out until August so I probably shouldn’t read it for this prompt, but, the thing is, there’s literally a guitar on the cover. Her bestie is a musician and they’re on a road trip and are obviously going to fall in love. So I’m very excited about it even if I should hold off on reading it. Lies & Lullabies by Sarina Bowen would be a good choice because Sarina Bowen is another author on my 25 in 25, but this is an accidental pregnancy with a rock star book and I’m not sure I’m in the mood for that. And then we have the one that I should choose, Exposed by Kristen Callihan, because WHY HAVE I WAITED SO LONG? I love this series so much and for some reason, probably because I don’t want to be out of books to read from Callihan, I’ve been refusing to pick it up. So annoying of me.

Secret Fear

Secret fear is almost impossible to figure out without reading a book so I’m afraid I’m going to have to just stumble upon this one. But the most obvious example to me is Anthony being terrified of bees in The Viscount Who Loves Me by Julia Quinn. Which, tbh, I’m super down to re-read. My absolute favorite book in that series, I think. If you have any suggestions, please share with me because I would love to know!

One Night Stand

Technically a book can feature a one night stand at any point, but I think for the most part, I tend to think of ones that happen pretty early on in the book. And when I was searching for ones I haven’t read yet on my TBR, I discovered that I have so many. Change of Heart by Kate Canterbary is one that it’s honestly criminal I haven’t read yet, so that’s at the top of my list. I should really read Wicked Sexy Liar by Christina Lauren because it would mean that I finish that series. But then I’m also pulled to Rally by Devney Perry, The Devil Gets His Due by Elizabeth O’Roarke, Business or Pleasure by Rachel Lynn Solomon, and Close Knit by Kels & Denise Stone. So… I have no idea what I’ll read for this prompt, but I do know that there are a ton of options. (Also, interestingly, I would have told you I don’t love this trope, but when I was looking at this Goodreads list, I discovered so many books I’ve loved with this exact trope, so perhaps I’m wrong about that.)

Fever

“Spring Fever” is a common saying, but the technical meaning I think allows you to pick up a book that you just need to read because you’re feeling restless. Like a book that you think will hit the spot in the exact moment when you pick it up perhaps? But also, books with caretaking in it are my FAVORITE so I’m hoping to find a book with a caretaking season where one of the main character’s has a fever. I think based on my searching my downloaded kindle books that Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone may have a sick character being taken care of by another. I found Sweethand by N.G. Pelteir recommended in the comments of a Smart Bitches post. And then, per this Goodreads list, Practice Makes Perfect by Sarah Adams has a sickbed scene. (I recently read Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood and it had a great caretaking scene, honestly.)

Graphic Novel / Audiobook

In an ideal world, I would use this prompt to challenge me to actually read a graphic novel, but in all honesty, I’ll just throw on one of the million audiobooks I own and call it a day. Top options include In a Not So Perfect World by Neely Tubati Alexander, Glow by Raven Kennedy, and Beneath These Cursed Stars by Lexi Ryan.

Closing Thoughts

I really hope y’all love this bingo board! We try not to repeat too many prompts so in some ways, I think this board is more challenging than some of our boards have been. But we have three months! And you don’t have to read a book for every prompt! Let me know if you’re participating and leave any recommendations you have down below.

xx