Posted by Amanda

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2026/03/magical-realism-mystery-more-2/

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/?p=167878

These Violet Delights

These Violet Delights by Madeleine Roux is $1.99! This is a standalone historical romance with a pair of star-crossed lovers. Have you read this one?

Passion engulfs an aspiring painter and her old childhood friend in this stunning Regency romance from New York Times bestselling author Madeleine Roux. But can the star-crossed pair overcome a simmering family feud for a chance at love?

Violet Arden is a burgeoning painter who insists on a life of passion and vivid colors, but scandal is heaped on humiliation at her artistic debut in London. It would be one thing to withstand withering critiques, but the night goes from bad to worse when an illicit affair with her art instructor is exposed. She flees the London limelight to recover from her humiliation at her cousin Emilia Graddock’s country estate, where she plans to continue honing her art under a new mentor and leave all thoughts of love and heartbreak in the past where they belong. That is, until she comes face-to-face with the man who scorned her paintings in front of her friends and family. . . her new next-door neighbor, Alasdair Kerr.

Alasdair Kerr has recently set aside his life of art and travel to return to Clafton, his family’s estate and the site of a tragic fire that claimed his cherished father’s life. Now, he’s ready to finally rebuild the home that was lost and step into his role as man of the house. But his rakish younger brother Freddie can’t seem to leave the off-limits Graddock woman alone, and his mother has brought an overbearing clergyman into their home who appears keen to fill his spot as the favored son.

Violet is determined to ignore Alasdair, which shouldn’t be hard to do considering their families have been in a long-standing feud. . . if only their attempts to end Emilia and Freddie’s secret relationship would stop bringing them together. And when new fires threaten their homes and lives, Violet and Alasdair reluctantly join forces to uncover the identity of the arsonist once and for all. But can they ignore the feelings kindling between them that are but an ember away from igniting into a full blaze?

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

Happy Medium

Happy Medium by Sarah Adler is $1.99! Hoping this is a lasting deal. Lara gave this one a B:

I really enjoyed my time with this book and recommend it for anyone who enjoys a contemporary with a touch of the paranormal and a big dose of growth.

“A sincere and sincerely funny romance.”—Alix E. Harrow, New York Times bestselling author of Starling House

A clever con woman must convince a skeptical, sexy farmer of his property’s resident real-life ghost if she’s to save them all from a fate worse than death, in this delightful new novel from the author of Mrs. Nash’s Ashes.

Fake spirit medium Gretchen Acorn is happy to help when her best (read: wealthiest) client hires her to investigate the unexplained phenomena preventing the sale of her bridge partner’s struggling goat farm. Gretchen may be a fraud, but she’d like to think she’s a beneficentone. So if “cleansing” the property will help a nice old man finally retire and put some much-needed cash in her pockets at the same time, who’s she to say no?

Of course, it turns out said bridge partner isn’t the kindly AARP member Gretchen imagined—Charlie Waybill is young, hot as hell, and extremely unconvinced that Gretchen can communicate with the dead. (Which, fair.) Except, to her surprise, Gretchen finds herself face-to-face with Everett: the very real, very chatty ghost that’s been wreaking havoc during every open house. And he wants her to help ensure Charlie avoids the same family curse that’s had Everett haunting Gilded Creek since the 1920s.

Now, Gretchen has one month to convince Charlie he can’t sell the property. Unfortunately, hard work and honesty seem to be the way to win over the stubborn farmer—not exactly Gretchen’s strengths. But trust isn’t the only thing growing between them, and the risk of losing Charlie to the spirit realm looms over Gretchen almost as annoyingly as Everett himself. To save the goat farm, its friendly phantom, and the man she’s beginning to love, Gretchen will need to pull off the greatest con of her life: being fully, genuinely herself.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

Witch of Wild Things

Witch of Wild Things by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland is $1.99! This is book one in the Wild Magic series. Carrie reviewed this and it earned a B:

This book desperately needed to be streamlined, but within all the plot threads is a sharp, painful portrait of a grieving family as well as a lovely story of magic and nature. The romance is fine, especially if you like grumpy/sunshine dynamics. But Sage’s struggle to mature, to become a person who is not solely defined by her mistakes and by responsibilities she never should have had, is the real center of the story. In that light, I enjoyed the book very much.

Legend goes that long ago a Flores woman offended the old gods, and their family was cursed as a result. Now, every woman born to the family has a touch of magic.

Sage Flores has been running from her family—and their “gifts”—ever since her younger sister Sky died. Eight years later, Sage reluctantly returns to her hometown. Like slipping into an old, comforting sweater, Sage takes back her job at Cranberry Rose Company and uses her ability to communicate with plants to discover unusual heritage specimens in the surrounding lands.

What should be a simple task is complicated by her partner in botany sleuthing: Tennessee Reyes. He broke her heart in high school, and she never fully recovered. Working together is reminding her of all their past tender, genuine moments—and new feelings for this mature sexy man are starting to take root in her heart.

With rare plants to find, a dead sister who keeps bringing her coffee, and another sister whose anger fills the sky with lightning, Sage doesn’t have time for romance. But being with Tenn is like standing in the middle of a field on the cusp of a summer thunderstorm—supercharged and inevitable.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

History Lessons

History Lessons by Zoe Wallbrook is $3.99! This was a debut mystery with a hint of romance. I mentioned it on Get Rec’d last August.

A college history professor must solve her superstar colleague’s murder before she becomes the next target in this funny, romantic debut mystery, perfect for readers of Janet Evanovich, Kellye Garrett, and Ali Hazelwood.

As a newly minted junior professor, Daphne Ouverture spends her days giving lectures on French colonialism, working on her next academic book, and going on atrocious dates. Her small world suits her just fine. Until Sam Taylor dies.

The rising star of Harrison University’s anthropology department was never one of Daphne’s favorites, despite his popularity. But that doesn’t prevent Sam’s killer from believing Daphne has something that belonged to Sam—something the killer will stop at nothing to get.

Between grading papers and navigating her disastrous love life, Daphne embarks on her own investigation to find out what connects her to Sam’s murder. With the help of an alluring former-detective-turned-bookseller, she unravels a deadly cover-up on campus.

This well-crafted, voice-driven mystery introduces an unforgettable crime fiction heroine.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2026/03/magical-realism-mystery-more-2/

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/?p=167878

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Posted by SB Sarah

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2026/03/friday-videos-love-old-songs/

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/?p=167786

It’s FRIDAY FRIDAY GOT TO GET DOWN ON FRIDAY!

But don’t worry, that is NOT this week’s Friday Video.

HOWEVER. This week we are talking SONGS.

Specifically, what is your earliest favorite song that you can remember?

My earliest favorite song that I heard on the radio when I was with my friends and beginning to define my own taste was very 80s: “Into the Groove” by Madonna.

Watch on YouTube

I was obsessed with this stupid movie, and boy, is it dumb and mostly a way for Madonna to pose and look terminally cool. I remember dancing my arms and legs off in the front yard of the church where we were holding a car wash fundraiser. I was probably 11.

But my earliest favorite song?

“Don’t It Make my Brown Eyes Blue” by Crystal Gayle

Watch on YouTube

This song came out when I was about 3 or so, but it is the earliest song I remember LOVING. Full body adoration, similar to my incredible dance moves to “Into the Groove.”

What about you? What was your first favorite song? Do you remember?

Happy weekend, everybody!

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2026/03/friday-videos-love-old-songs/

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/?p=167786

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Posted by SB Sarah

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2026/03/a-readers-guide-to-the-omegaverse/

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/?p=167742

Recently in the podcast Discord community, Jfhobbit was giving a thorough and very thoughtful explanation of Omegaverse and its variations, and I asked her to expand on those thoughts for anyone who has heard of but isn’t super well-versed in Omegaverse fiction, its tropes, and its history. Plus, she offers recommendations of some of her faves.

Jfhobbit is a long-time reader, writer, and English teacher. She reads in almost every romance genre under the sun, plus Sci-Fi/Fantasy and Historical Fiction. She lives in Germany with her spouse and two very spoiled cats, and spends her time reading, playing cozy video games, and walking around her area marveling at the layers of history in the architecture. She loves all sorts of romance, from sweet contemporaries to the knottiest monster books she can find. She got into Omegaverse stories via DeviantArt and soon after KU was introduced she dove headfirst into the cornucopia of different Omegaverse takes.

An educator by training, she often finds herself in the role of teaching people about the Omegaverse and other weird and wild romance trends that they may have only vaguely heard of.

What is Omegaverse?

“Omegaverse” is an umbrella term for any setting that includes characters who have a secondary sexual distinction that influences attraction, relationship roles, and fertility compatibility. The primary sexual distinction spectrum is still male/female and the secondary spectrum is most commonly spread across the three categories of Alpha, Beta, and Omega (AKA A/B/O).

Anyone who is an Alpha can sire children.

Anyone who is an Omega can bear children, so yes, this will be talking about male pregnancy, or mpreg for short.

Betas have the potential to do both but only as determined by their primary sexual distinction (male or female), and the roles they play (or whether or not they exist in the world) vary based on fics.

Where did it come from?

Short answer, fanfic.

Longer answer: The Supernatural fandom who turned to Real Person Fiction because they desired a way to ship the two main characters without crossing the incest line + an early 2000s TV show that Jensen Ackles was in that featured heats + bad wolf science* as popularized by werewolf/wolf shifter fiction + desire for a M/M pairing to be able to have children without a third party involved = Omegaverse, which then quickly got picked up by many, many other fandoms and jumped the fanfic barrier into (mostly indie) published novels by the early 2010s.

A | BN

Omegaverse stories have been a staple of AO3 and KU alike. Many people point to Bride by Ali Hazelwood as one of the first Omegaverse novels published by an established big name, but in my opinion it was actually just paranormal with knotting.

One of the best known Omegaverse authors is Kathryn Moon (Baby & the Late Night Howlers).

*Bad wolf science refers to the studies done on captive wolf populations between 1950-1980s that observed the behavior of unrelated wolves forced to exist in the same space over long periods of time, which first introduced the idea of Alpha, Beta, and Omega roles in a wolf pack. Behavioral studies done in the decades since on wild wolf populations have conclusively disproven this as being “the natural order of things.”

Terms:

Alpha

A | BN | K | AB

Alphas tend to be physically larger and stronger, and are often brash and aggressive, but also have very strong protective drives particularly when it comes to their mate(s). Alphas can always sire children, with female Alphas developing either an extended/engorged clitoris that functions as a cock or an Extendo-Cock that emerges from that general area when they are aroused or in a rut. Alphas often have a semi-mystical ability to use Alpha compulsion to enforce their will, usually through a mixture of pheromones. Other times, they can use the same pheromones or a “purr” to comfort or calm someone down (especially a mate).

Omega

Omegas can always bear children, and are typically smaller in stature and less aggressive. Omegas are usually cast as the nurturer, homemaker, and generally submissive. How far those roles go and how much characters have to adhere to them depends on the author. Male Omegas cannot impregnate anyone. They usually experience semi-regular heats, which often triggers an Alpha’s rut.

Beta

Betas occupy the vast middle ground between the comparatively rigid Alpha and Omega roles. Some Omegaverse stories cut them out entirely, while others put them in a societal role that essentially boils down to “the ones who make sure society doesn’t come crashing down while the Alphas and Omegas fall prey to their hormones.” Often worlds will make Alphas and Omegas more rare designations, while the bulk of the population are Betas. Betas tend to be either fully infertile, or a normal amount of fertile (as opposed to Alphas and Omegas who are almost always hyperfertile during the heat/rut).

Mates/Fated Mates

This concept is not unique to the Omegaverse, but it is very prevalent in most Omegaverse stories. With the hormones and pheromones present in the A/B/O system, “mating” is often portrayed as their scents melding or matching perfectly. Generally, a person will prefer the scent of their mate over any other, and be able to smell them better than any other person they encounter.

Scent glands

The main places from which the unique personal scents are produced. These are usually located at the base of the neck and sometimes also on the inside of wrists. These are also the source of the Alpha/Omega pheromones.

Claiming Bites

Part of a mating ritual, these are specifically very deep bites over one of the scent gland locations to meld their scents and mark their claim. They are permanent and lifelong, and will scar over to be visible to others. Alphas are most likely to be the one giving the bite, though many stories have mutual biting as a key feature. A mated polycule will sometimes have multiple bites spread out across the different scent glands.

Knotting

A key feature of an Alpha’s hyperfertility. The base of the penis swells just before orgasm, and locks them together with their partner to help ensure conception. Takes between 15-45 minutes to deflate. Only Alphas can knot someone, and Omegas typically have more flexible corresponding holes to accommodate the knot. Betas can almost always take it though, albeit less easily. Alphas can sometimes knot another Alpha if the author so desires.

Heats

Heats are based on the heats that wolves or some other mammal species experience, and refer to a period of 1-5 days where Omegas are insatiably horny, specifically for Alpha knots, and experience a feverish hypersensitivity that heightens the experience to the point of pain if their needs are not met. Often depicted as Omegas being out of their minds with need, or unable to consent to anything not agreed to ahead of time with their partner.

Omegas are either only fertile during heats or are hyperfertile during heats. The amount of time between heats is usually no shorter than three months, but can be up to a year or more. Sometimes heats are only triggered by the proximity of their mate. Other times, the intensity and satisfaction of fulfillment are just heightened with a mate as opposed to a random partner.

Ruts

A | BN | K | AB

The corresponding heightening of fertility, sensitivity, and stamina for Alphas, almost always triggered by the proximity of an Omega in heat, especially when they are mated. Alphas will be even more aggressively protective of their partner during this time, and will usually take on a highly focused caretaking role by making sure that all partners involved eat and drink during their rare refractory periods. Occasionally, Alphas will go into rut on a semi-regular basis similar to the Omega heat cycle. Sometimes Alphas can only knot a partner during a rut, but more often they can control the knot in any sexual encounter.

Nesting

A behavior associated with Omegas, particularly those in heat or approaching a heat. They will start to build an area of soft blankets, pillows, and other comforting items that serve as their home base during a heat since their skin is often too hot and/or sensitive during a heat to handle wearing clothes.

Mpreg

Short for male pregnancy, a key feature of M/M Omegaverse stories. How that works anatomically is a hotly debated topic, and often involves anal births through a cloaca-esque mechanism. Plenty of authors have handwaved a birth canal into the perineum to avoid that. Otherwise, mpreg typically progresses the same way all pregnancies do, unless you have a shifter story where the gestation times are adjusted for verisimilitude…because that’s clearly a primary concern here.

Why did it skyrocket in popularity?

This one is harder to answer, but my personal theory is that people tend to like things that mirror the strictures of the roles they’re forced into but with some extra bonuses. These roles both define the society of the world and allow for ways to explore different dynamics between partners. Theoretically, the protective instincts of the Alphas are a guarantee against intimate partner violence, which can also be played up as a story point.

Socially, Alphas are typically the ones in positions of power, and their Alpha status is used as a reason why they’re better than Betas or Omegas. A/B/O designation, more than gender, is used to determine how characters are viewed by society and the jobs and social roles they are considered for, opening the door for people to write people in roles that might seem out of the ordinary to the reader.

Men who are omegas are put automatically into caretaker roles, women who are alphas gravitate towards high-powered business or military positions, betas try to find the middle ground somewhere between those two. And similarly, they are looked down upon for trying to find jobs outside of the norm. A male alpha working at a daycare would be notable. A male omega scientist or politician is sneered at. It shines a light on how gender still plays such an outsized role in how we perceive how qualified a person is for a career.

Perhaps most importantly, Omegaverse presents a new way to have sex and often leans into so-called “primal” instincts, where the characters shake off the inhibitions of modern life to bow to their biology.

FAQs:

Do all Omegaverse stories feature all these elements?

Not at all. These are the broadest of broad generalizations. Basically every author will have their own take on how this system works, and lore for how it came into existence. Often, you will find a brief note about how their particular system works as a foreword in books, or in the Notes of fics. Other times, they will just explain it all through world building. A lot of times the elements authors use in their particular flavor of Omegaverse are tailored to the other tropes or kinks that exist in the story.

Is Omegaverse always shifters?

No, though many are. But it has expanded far beyond that and can be found in everything from fantasy/sci-fi to modern AU to post-apocalyptic settings.

Is Omegaverse always focused on the procreation goals of the system?

Not always. The concept of birth control exists in many Omegaverse stories. There are also medications known as heat blockers or heat suppressants that function as a way to minimize disruptions.

Is there Omegaverse Lite?

Yes. Omegaverse as a concept has been used by so many different authors across fandoms and genres that the variations are bordering on infinite. Omegaverse Lite is my term for stories (often contemporary AUs) that use the Alpha and Omega role to indicate biology and sexual preferences, but otherwise don’t use many of the more “extreme” things like heats, fated mates, claiming bites, and extreme social roles.

Wasn’t there a lawsuit about this in the news a while back?

Yes, and it was more than a little ridiculous. You can learn more about it in this excellent video by Lindsey Ellis.

Watch on YouTube

How common are female Alphas?

A | BN | K | AB

Sadly, they’re not very common. Some stories feature them as background characters, with their existence mentioned, but the stories that feature female alphas are thin on the ground. There are more now, particularly with F/F pairings written by sapphic authors. Heterosexual female alpha stories are probably the least common of the whole subgenre.

Doesn’t this system create some serious consent issues?

It absolutely can, especially when writing heats where the Omega is very needy. How icky that feels to you depends deeply on both your personal preferences and on how the author handles it. Many authors will include a conversation before the heat takes over with boundaries being set ahead of time. Others feature Alphas who are just so protective that the idea of hurting their partner/mate is anathema to them. And some stories on the darker side will lean into the dubious consent or blow straight past the dubious and go right to noncon.

Sources/Further information:

Alpha Status, Dominance, and Division of Labor in Wolf Packs by L. David Mech (PDF)
Fated Mates podcast: “Omegaversity”

And, one of my favorite posts:

https://www.tumblr.com/ratherembarrassing/637273975565795328/explain-please-1-battle-angel-alita-manga-gains

Do you have any recommendations?

Yes! A few of my favorities are already featured above, but here is a handy list.

Authors I’ve read with Omegaverse concepts I like:

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Nora Phoenix – Alpha’s Sacrifice (Irresistible Omegas #1, my top favorite Omegaverse series bar none)

Susi Hawke:

The Pumpkin Spiced Omega (The Hollydale Omega #1, Omegaverse lite)
The Reluctant Alpha (West Coast Wolves #1, shifter romance)
Grabbed (Team A.L.P.H.A. #1, collab with Crista Crown)

A | BN | K | AB

L.L. Raand – The Midnight Hunt (Midnight Hunters #1, not strictly Omegaverse but it has a rare female alpha)

A	A \| BN \| K \| AB

Crista Crown:

Pride and Pregnancy (mpreg Pride and Prejudice remix)
Freedom for His Omega (The Outcast Chronicles #1, collab with Harper B. Cole)

Vera Valentine – Planet Oster: Fertility Fusion

Lily X (sapphic Omegaverse author):

Let Me Be Yours (Seventh Star #1)
Ice Queen Alpha

A | BN | K | AB

Lexa Luthor (sapphic Omegaverse author) – The Iron Edge

Amy Bellows – A Pebble for Lewis (Alaskan Pebble Gifters #1)

Lorelei M. Hart – The Grumpy Grizzly’s Omega (Mail-Order Mates #1)

Anna Wineheart – Weight of Everything (Meadow Street Brothers #1)

Thank you JFHobbit!

What about you? Are you an Omegaverse fan? What are your favorite recs?

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2026/03/a-readers-guide-to-the-omegaverse/

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/?p=167742

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Posted by SB Sarah

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/podcast/710-writing-characters-with-chronic-illness-plus-restaurant-recs-with-riss-m-neilson/

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/?post_type=podcast&p=167834

A | BN | K | AB

Riss M. Neilson joins me today to talk about her new romance, The Bridge Back to You. This is a second chance love story between two exes who unexpectedly inherit shares of the same restaurant – the restaurant that he runs, and that she kind of ran away from.

There is so much to discuss in this book: we talk about characters with chronic illnesses like endometriosis, or mental illnesses like OCD. We talk about the astrology of her characters and what insights she can gain from their charts, and then, she gives us a list of restaurants to try if we’re ever in Providence, Rhode Island. And Riss even expands my theory about which foods are the universal expression of human love.

Listen to the podcast →

Read the transcript →

Here are the books we discuss in this podcast:

You can find Riss M. Neilson on her website, RissMNeilson.com, Substack, and on Instagram.

We also mentioned:

“I was Prince’s Private Chef” – The Iconic Prince
Episode 690. Disability in Romance with Lux Raven
Ivy Wolk Reacts to Viral Selena Pictures – Reddit

And if you’re in Providence, Rhode Island, Riss recommends:

Carolina’s Family Restaurant – Dominican cuisine
Cap’t Loui – Seafood
Ebisu – Ramen
Ten Prime Steak and Sushi – don’t miss the bread pudding
Baja’s Restaurant – fresh Mexican buffet

If you like the podcast, you can subscribe to our feed, or find us at iTunes. You can also find us on Stitcher, and Spotify, too. We also have a cool page for the podcast on iTunes.

Thanks to our sponsors:

Podcast →

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What did you think of today's episode? Got ideas? Suggestions? You can talk to us on the blog entries for the podcast or talk to us on Facebook if that's where you hang out online. You can email us at sbjpodcast@gmail.com or you can call and leave us a message at our Google voice number: 201-371-3272. Please don't forget to give us a name and where you're calling from so we can work your message into an upcoming podcast.

Thanks for listening!

Podcast Sponsor

Support for this episode comes from Savage Bonds, book two in the Shadowmist Pack series by Evie Mitchell!

If you are looking for a body-positive slow burn romance with very spicy scenes, knotting, an emotional support glory hole, and shared psychic orgasms, listen up.

A gritty, paranormal shifter romance, Savage Bonds follows Lithia, the first female Beta of the Shadowmist Pack, after she is betrayed and imprisoned in a silver-lined torture facility.

Her only lifeline is a voice from the next cell: Kier, a nomad who has been held in isolation for three years. His sanity has been eroded after years of psychic assault, but when he connects with Lithia though a small hole in their shared prison wall, he finds an ally, and a reason to endure.

Together, they must navigate a brutal escape through a burning wilderness to the safety of her pack. And as the pack prepares to dismantle the organisation that imprisoned them, Lithia and Kier must decide if they are brave enough to claim a future built on more than just shared trauma.

While Savage Bonds is the second in the Shadowmist Pack series, it can be read as a near-standalone. One reviewer on Goodreads says, “I enjoyed this book even more than the first in the series! Lithia is my favorite. She’s such a baddie and I love her for it! The world building in this one is awesome too. If you like werewolf romance, this series is for you.”

And I think you need to know about the dedication from author E.V. Mitchell:

To the readers who saw a hole in a prison wall and immediately thought, “…yeah, I’d fist that.” You brave, horny disasters. You trauma-bonded, violence-inclined little gremlins. This book is for you.

Savage Bonds and the Shadowmist Pack series by E.V. Mitchell are available now in Kindle Unlimited, and in print on the author’s website, or in your local library – woohoo! Audiobooks are coming soon.

Remember to subscribe to our podcast feed, find us on iTunes or on Stitcher.

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/podcast/710-writing-characters-with-chronic-illness-plus-restaurant-recs-with-riss-m-neilson/

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/?post_type=podcast&p=167834

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Posted by Amanda

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2026/03/gothic-fantasy-new-adult-romance-more/

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/?p=167800

Heir

RECOMMEDED: Heir by Sabaa Tahir is $1.99! We ran a guest review by Crystal Anne and she gave it an A:

This book is excellent, which is not a surprise, given that Tahir is an excellent writer. It would have been more surprising if it wasn’t.

But the more important thing to me is that this book was the right book at the right time, and it was there when I needed it to be. I dearly hope it could be that for others, because I know that right now, a lot of us need that, and we’re going to need it for a long time to come.

Prepare for a ruthless and romantic new fantasy from #1 New York Times bestselling and National Book Award winning author Sabaa Tahir that introduces a new generation of characters set in the same world as the unforgettable An Ember in the Ashes series.

An orphan.
An outcast.
A prince.
And a killer who will bring an empire to its knees.

Growing up in the Kegari slums, AIZ has seen her share of suffering. An old tragedy fuels her need for vengeance, but it is love of her people that propels her. Until one hotheaded mistake lands her in an inescapable prison, where the embers of her wrath ignite.

Banished from her people for an unforgivable crime, SIRSHA is a down-on-her-luck tracker who uses magic to trace her marks. Destitute, she agrees to hunt down a killer who has murdered children across the Martial Empire. All she has to do is carry out the job and get paid. But when a chance encounter leads to an unexpected attraction, Sirsha learns her mission might cost her far more than she’s willing to give up.

QUIL is the crown prince of the Empire and nephew of a venerated empress, but he’s loath to take the throne when his aunt steps down. As the son of a reviled emperor, he, better than anyone, understands that power corrupts. When a vicious new enemy threatens the survival of the Empire, Quil must ask himself if he can rise above his tragic lineage and be the heir his people need.

Beloved storyteller Sabaa Tahir interweaves the lives of three young people as they grapple with power, treachery, love, and the devastating consequences of unchecked greed, on a journey that may cost them their lives—and their hearts. Literally.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

House of the Beast

House of the Beast by Michelle Wong is $1.99! I mentioned this on Hide Your Wallet and even purchased a physical copy. It’s currently resting atop TBR mountain.

Step into the House of the Beast in this dark fantasy debut from The Legend of Korra graphic novel illustrator Michelle Wong, about a young woman who strikes a deal with a mysterious and alluring god to seek revenge on her aristocratic family—featuring illustrations throughout by the author.

Born out of wedlock and shunned by society, Alma learned to make her peace with solitude, so long as she had her mother by her side. When her mother becomes gravely ill, Alma discovers a clue about her estranged father and writes a message begging for help. Little does she know that she is a bastard of House Avera, one of the four noble families that serve the gods and are imbued with their powers—and her father is a vessel of the Dread Beast, the most frightening god of all, a harbinger of death.

In a desperate exchange for her mother’s medicine, Alma agrees to sacrifice her left arm to the Beast in a ceremony that will bind her forever to the House and its deity. Regardless, her mother soon passes, leaving Alma trapped inside the Avera’s grand estate, despised by her relatives and nothing but a pawn in her father’s schemes.

Now vengeance is the only thing that keeps Alma going. That, and the strange connection she has with her god—a monster who is constantly by her side, an eldritch being taking the form of a beautiful prince with starlit hair that only she can see. He tells Alma that she has been chosen to bring change upon their world, and with his help, Alma plots a perilous journey to destroy the House that stole everything from her.

A gripping fantasy novel marked by divine rituals, intense combat, and twisted romance, House of the Beast is a tale of revenge, resilience, and the power of love to see us through the darkness.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

Good Girl Complex

Good Girl Complex by Elle Kennedy is $2.99! I mentioned in a previous Hide Your Wallet, as I was a fan of Kennedy’s early new adult romances. Did any one you read this one?

She does everything right. So what could go wrong?

Mackenzie “Mac” Cabot is a people pleaser. Her demanding parents. Her prep school friends. Her long-time boyfriend. It’s exhausting, really, always following the rules. Unlike most twenty-year-olds, all she really wants to do is focus on growing her internet business, but first she must get a college degree at her parents’ insistence. That means moving to the beachside town of Avalon Bay, a community made up of locals and the wealthy students of Garnet College.

Mac’s had plenty of practice suppressing her wilder impulses, but when she meets local bad boy Cooper Hartley, that ability is suddenly tested. Cooper is rough around the edges. Raw. Candid. A threat to her ordered existence. Their friendship soon becomes the realest thing in her life.

Despite his disdain for the trust-fund kids he sees coming and going from his town, Cooper soon realizes Mac isn’t just another rich clone and falls for her. Hard. But as Mac finally starts feeling accepted by Cooper and his friends, the secret he’s been keeping from her threatens the only place she’s ever felt at home.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

The Grimoire Grammar School Parent Teacher Association

The Grimoire Grammar School Parent Teacher Association by Caitlin Rozarkis is $1.99! Rozarkis’s debut Dreadful comes highly recommended. This sophomore novel released last spring.

From the NYT-bestselling author of Dreadful, Big Little Lies goes to magic school, cozy fantasy perfect for fans of T. Kingfisher, Olivia Atwater and Heather Fawcett. Featuring orange sprayed and stencilled edges, with magic symbols, unicorns and baked goods from the book.

Two parents and their recently-bitten-werewolf daughter try to fit into a privileged New England society of magic aristocracy. But deadly terrors await them – ancient prophecies, remorseless magical trials, hidden conspiracies and the PTA bake sale.

When Vivian’s kindergartner, Aria, gets bitten by a werewolf, she is rapidly inducted into the hidden community of magical schools. Reeling from their sudden move, Vivian finds herself having to pick the right sacrificial dagger for Aria, keep stocked up on chew toys, and play PTA politics with sirens and chthonic nymphs and people who literally can set her hair on fire.

As Vivian careens from hellhounds in the school corridors to demons at the talent show, she races to keep up with all the arcane secrets of her new society—shops only accessible by magic portal, the brutal Trials to enter high school, and the eternal inferno that is the parents’ WhatsApp group.

And looming over everything is a prophecy of doom that sounds suspiciously like it’s about Aria. Vivian might be facing the end of days, just as soon as she can get her daughter dressed and out of the door…

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2026/03/gothic-fantasy-new-adult-romance-more/

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Posted by Lara

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/reviews/how-to-lose-a-lord-in-ten-days-by-sophie-irwin/

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/?post_type=reviews&p=167300

C-

How to Lose a Lord in Ten Days

by Sophie Irwin
July 31, 2025 · HarperCollins
Historical: European

I got my hopes up too high for this novel. Strategic fail. You see, I had been trying to find a copy for review purposes for months, but it was never available in South Africa. When the book finally was available, I grabbed it with both hands. It’s a rare book that can live up to months and months of anticipation and sadly this one did not.

Lydia is rich thanks to the wool processing factories her family owns. Her social climbing aunt and uncle force her into an engagement with Ashford, who will become a duke when his father dies. They’re keeping the engagement a secret until the ball that will be held at his cousin’s house party. Then the duke will make the big announcement. Lydia decides that the only way out of this engagement is for him to jilt her so she decides to be terrible for the duration of the house party.

Disclaimer: I last watched How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days when it was first released in 2003. I remember precisely none of the plot. This story is inspired by the movie’s plot, but for the purposes of this review, I’m pretending I’ve never even heard of the movie (because I remember none of it)

The first 30% of the book was torture for me. One of the primary reasons I don’t watch reality TV is because I am extraordinarily sensitive to secondhand embarrassment. Lydia makes a scene, makes a fool of herself, insults people around her with her rude behaviour. It’s awful. The only thing that made it bearable was that she had a moment or two of feeling bad about how her behaviour made others feel. Not enough to curb her actions mind you.

Í will say that a lot of her actions are centred around playing up the ‘new money’ caricatures that people assume she’ll fulfill. So she’s not, like, telling people they’re assholes. But you do see the strain that it puts on the hostess to always be smoothing over waters that have been troubled by Lydia’s behaviour.

Eventually, Ashford cottons on to Lydia’s scheme and the two then engage in bickering and childish schemes to make the other look bad. Some of this is enjoyable, but mostly it’s just tiresome. This might be a me problem. I have no appetite for pranks.

Finally, they start to really talk to each other like human beings and those parts are delightful! I wish they took up more real estate in the book.

The lack of historical detail bothered me. As with many historicals there is blithe disregard for any of the less salubrious parts of that time period. These people are rich because they exploit poor people across the globe. Sometimes in books I can stomach that erasure, but I couldn’t in this one, maybe because they already included unpleasant things (see CW).

Mention is made of the Dutch East India Company and of one of the characters becoming a colonial governor of Mauritius and one of the characters ‘getting’ jewels from India. The mention without context or awareness decreased my enjoyment because each example is steeped in hideous context, but all of that context is ignored. The easy excuse would be that ‘the characters wouldn’t be thinking about all that,’ and because one cannot prove or disprove awareness, I disregard that argument. By mentioning specificities like the above, the book is forcing me to confront the source of this wealth, one that I know is appalling. The characters may be blithe about it, but I am not. Context, and the lack thereof, matters. And so the cruel machinery of commerce and the colonialist state are mentioned but not explored in any meaningful way, and I am left thinking about it while the characters dance and sparkle. Anyway, I digress.

My chief complaint is around the ending. I don’t think it’s too much of a spoiler to say that it’s a HFN, but for more detail on why that bothered me, click below.

Show Spoiler

At the end of the ten days, just before the engagement is to be announced, Ashford jilts Lydia. I got the impression that Lydia had been hoping for the engagement to be announced. It wasn’t explicitly stated that Lydia had changed her mind and did, in fact, want to be engaged to Ashford for real, but based on her heartbreak when he jilts her, it was what she wanted after all.

Ten days later, Ashford finds Lydia and asks if he can court her. Lydia is furious. She had just been starting to feel better and he reentered the picture.

I don’t know about you but if it takes me only 10 days to get over a relationship that I had potentially wanted to continue for my entire life, I can’t have been that interested in the first place. Lydia then pipes up during this conversation saying that she doesn’t know if she wants to be a duchess. First time that’s been mentioned and it’s on the second last page of the book. So they agree to court for today and perhaps tomorrow and then they’ll just play it by ear.

HUH? I can’t with these shifting goalposts.

I can’t give this book too poor a grade because I did, in fact, want to finish it. It left me disappointed and it irritated me but I wanted to see how it ended. I can’t say I recommend this book to the Bitchery. Maybe if I hadn’t anticipated this book so hotly, I would appreciate it more. But no, it’s not for me.

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/reviews/how-to-lose-a-lord-in-ten-days-by-sophie-irwin/

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Posted by Amanda

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2026/03/the-rec-league-academic-romances-for-grown-ups/

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/?p=167846

The Rec League - heart shaped chocolate resting on the edge of a very old book This Rec League is from PamG, who is looking for some competence porn in academic settings:

I don’t know if this is appropriate for a Rec League, but I have a rather persnickety request. I really like books set in academia, but I have problems with student/professor match-ups. The issue isn’t necessarily the relationship if it’s consensual and the author addresses the power (or age) imbalance between student and teacher in a serious way. However, I really have an issue with the following things:

1) Grown assed adults who cannot keep their pants on for a lousy semester when the wellbeing of their career and/or lover is at stake,

2) Draconian HR or fraternization policies used to threaten “true love” and imply that protecting students is somehow unfair or unnecessary,

3) Protagonists who lie primarily to protect their own interests,

4) Academic environments that seem unrelated to reality.

To sum up, I like protagonists with some self-control, common sense, and a modicum of integrity. I like fictional higher education that feels authentic and has reasonable and realistic policies and procedures regarding student/teacher relationships.

Maybe there are no books with this trope that will ever satisfy me, but also, maybe there are readers who have found some decent books with this trope. I would really love to find something where the professor in this situation is a woman.

Sarah: Celia Lake, 10000% I can hear Catherine hollering from the great library in the sky. She LOVED Celia Lake’s books and they’re full of grown ass adults who are thoughtful and mature, and Eclipse is set at Schola, one of the institutions of magic in that world. There are several series, too.

The Academy of the Dead by Vermilion H. Baine ( A ) might also fit – they’re necromancers trying to decipher a page from a dangerous book.

Amanda: Regardless of the request, The Academy of the Dead sounds fun, so I bought it. Whoops!

What books would you recommend? Drop them in the comments!

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2026/03/the-rec-league-academic-romances-for-grown-ups/

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/?p=167846

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books

The Secrets of Story: Innovative Tools for Perfecting Your Fiction and Captivating Readers by Matt Bird

A how-to-write book. Despite the title, mostly for TV and movie writers, down to and including explaining that a prose writer has it easier.

Nevertheless, some useful ideas, particularly about irony, such as the character's flaw should be a flip-side of a strength to add reason to not want to fix it. None of the jargon was impenetrable.

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Posted by Amanda

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2026/03/historical-romance-a-mystery-more-5/

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/?p=167794

The Princess and the P.I.

The Princess and the P.I. by Nikki Payne is $1.99! Big thank you to everyone who let us know about this sale. Here’s hoping it lasts today. (Also, how awesome is that cover?)

An amateur online sleuth must enlist the help of a jaded PI to clear her name while taking down a shady tech start-up in this exhilarating romantic suspense novel.

Fiona Addai is ready to set her plan in motion. To honor the anniversary of her brother’s death, she’s going to steal back his brilliant invention from the ruthless corporation that stole and claimed it as their own. As a famed Reddit detective known as @Princess_PI, Fiona has used her online connections and sleuthing skills to time every step down to the minute. But with one disastrous misstep, instead of getting justice, Fiona finds herself accused of murder.

Maurice Bennett is no stranger to insomnia. These days, he’s not losing sleep over the cases he’s solving—but running from the one he couldn’t. Instead, he’s been settling for small-time scandals that don’t stir up the guilt he’s buried. But when he spots Fiona Addai at the center of a murder investigation, something clicks. And for the first time in a long while, Maurice feels that old spark of intrigue.

However, Fiona is not the helpless damsel she appears to be. Sure, she needs Maurice’s help to clear her name, but she’s got conditions of her she wants a crash course in real-world detective work. Maurice isn’t exactly thrilled. With every late-night stakeout and tension-filled interrogation, their partnership, rife with tension and unexpected chemistry, unravels a dangerous web of corporate crime and familial secrets. To bring the real killer to light, they’ll need to trust each other and that might be the most dangerous gamble of all.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

Never Rescue a Rogue

Never Rescue a Rogue by Virginia Heath is $1.99 and a Kindle Daily Deal! This is book two in The Merriwell Sisters series. I believe I’ve seen some good comments about this series, but for the most part, it seems to have flown under the radar.

In this Regency rom-com, when a Duke and a reporter team up to uncover his family’s secrets, their search brings up more than they bargained for—including their feelings for each other.

Diana Merriwell and Giles Sinclair only tolerate one another for the sake of their nearest and dearest. Everyone believes that the two of them are meant to be together, but Diana and Giles know that their constant pithy barbs come from a shared disdain—not a hidden attraction. Diana loves the freedom of working at the newspaper too much to give it up for marriage, and Giles is happily married to his bachelor lifestyle. But they do have one thing in common—the secrets they can’t risk escaping.

When Giles’ father, the curmudgeonly Duke of Harpenden unexpectedly turns up his toes, it’s only a matter of time before someone comes crawling out of the woodwork who knows the true circumstances of his only son’s birth. As the threat of blackmail becomes real, Giles must uncover the truth of his parentage first, or else he and all those who depend upon him will be ruined—and dogged bloodhound Diana is his best hope at sniffing out the truth. As Giles and Diana dive into his family’s past, the attraction that the two of them insisted wasn’t there proves impossible to ignore. Soon, the future of the Sinclair estate isn’t the only thing on the line…

Never Rescue a Rogue, the next book in the Merriwell Sisters series, is filled with whip-smart banter, swoony romance, hilarious mishaps, and twisty reveals that will make you gasp and laugh in delight; Virginia Heath’s latest is one you won’t want to miss.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

When No One Is Watching

When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole is $1.99! We were all pretty excited about this one. What did you think about Cole’s thriller debut?

Rear Window meets Get Out in this gripping thriller from a critically acclaimed and New York Times Notable author, in which the gentrification of a Brooklyn neighborhood takes on a sinister new meaning …

Sydney Green is Brooklyn born and raised, but her beloved neighborhood seems to change every time she blinks. Condos are sprouting like weeds, FOR SALE signs are popping up overnight, and the neighbors she’s known all her life are disappearing. To hold onto her community’s past and present, Sydney channels her frustration into a walking tour and finds an unlikely and unwanted assistant in one of the new arrivals to the block—her neighbor Theo.

But Sydney and Theo’s deep dive into history quickly becomes a dizzying descent into paranoia and fear. Their neighbors may not have moved to the suburbs after all, and the push to revitalize the community may be more deadly than advertised.

When does coincidence become conspiracy? Where do people go when gentrification pushes them out? Can Sydney and Theo trust each other—or themselves—long enough to find out before they too disappear?

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

Throne of the Fallen

RECOMMENDED: Throne of the Fallen by Kerri Maniscalco is $3.99! I enjoyed this one and it reminded me a lot of sexy, early 2000s paranormal romances (which may or may not be your thing). I gave it a B+:

Throne of the Fallen is a “yes, and…” sort of book that you just have to lean into, which I happily did. It’s extremely cliched and tropey, and I’d eat this nonsense for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

The adult debut of #1 New York Times bestselling author Kerri Maniscalco, Throne of the Fallen is a seductive new standalone novel set within her fan-favorite Kingdom of the Wicked world, perfect for readers of fantasy, romance, and mystery alike.

Sinner. Villain. Ruthless.

These are wicked names the Prince of Envy welcomes. They remind him what he isn’t: a saint. And when a cryptic note arrives, signaling the beginning of a deadly game, he knows he’ll be called much worse before it ends. Riddles, hexed objects, anonymous players, nothing will stand in his way. With a powerful artifact and his own future at stake, Envy is determined to win, though none of his meticulous plans prepare him for her, the frustrating artist who ignites his sin—and passion—like no other…

Talented. Darling. Liar.

The trouble with scoundrels and blackguards is that they haven’t a modicum of honor, a fact Miss Camilla Antonius learns after one desperate mistake allows notorious rake—and satire sheet legend—Lord Phillip Vexley to blackmail her. And now it seems Vexley isn’t the only scoundrel interested in securing her unique talents as a painter. To avoid Vexley’s clutches and a ruinous scandal, Camilla is forced to enter a devil’s bargain with Waverly Green’s newest arrival, enigmatic Lord Ashford ‘Syn’ Synton, little expecting his game will awaken her true nature . . .

Together, Envy and Camilla must embark on a perilous journey through the Shifting Isles—from glittering demon courts to the sultry vampire realm, and encounters with exiled Fae—while trying to avoid the most dangerous trap of all: falling in love.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2026/03/historical-romance-a-mystery-more-5/

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/?p=167794

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Posted by SB Sarah

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2026/03/the-80s-are-back-in-books/

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/?p=167572

This piece of literary mayhem is exclusive to Smart Bitches After Dark, but fret not. If you'd like to join, we'd love to have you!

Have a look at our membership options, and come join the fun!

If you want to have a little extra fun, be a little more yourself, and be part of keeping the site open for everyone in the future, we can’t wait to see you in our new subscription-based section with exclusive content and events.

Everything you’re used to seeing at the Hot Pink Palace that is Smart Bitches Trashy Books will remain free as always, because we remain committed to fostering community among brilliant readers who love romance.

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2026/03/the-80s-are-back-in-books/

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Posted by Amanda

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2026/03/links-birds-vintage-romance-more/

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/?p=167791

Workspace with computer, journal, books, coffee, and glasses. Happy Wednesday!

Y’all, I am tired. This week has been so weird and we’re only halfway through it. Anyone else feeling off-kilter?

At the very least, it’s Cadbury Creme Egg season. My favorite time of the year. However, I’ve heard that the Cadbury chocolates, in general, are of better quality across the bond. Maybe one day I’ll get to taste test!

…

This link was sent in by EC Spurlock:

This is a virtual tour company I have been following since COVID. It’s a great way to tour the world without leaving home! All tours are free to zoom, they just recommend that you tip the guide at the end. The guides can be hit or miss sometimes, and sometimes they can’t fit everything they want to in the hour format, but most of the guides I have seen have been very good and informative. All in all a worthwhile experience for $10-$20 depending on the guide and what you get to see.

If you sign up and can’t make it, most all of the tours are recorded now and they will send you a link to watch the recording at your convenience. You do have to sign up in advance the day before so be sure to spread the word!

…

If you love and miss bonkers vintage romance reviews, I highly recommend the Tattered Pages newsletter. They wrote a review on reddit and I was dying.

…

For those looking for more whimsy in their lives, check out this artist who draws/paints some wonderfully plump birds. The hummingbird has been my favorite thus far. I believe he does sell them as prints.

…

Not a link, per se, but Sarah and I are kicking around ideas to revitalize the Smart Bitches Book Club. It’d be more like a read-along where people can engage as they read rather than trying to wrangle a Zoom or virtual chat across so many time zones and schedules. The tentative idea would be to run them quarterly and offer them for four different subgenres: historical, contemporary, SFF/paranormal, and dark/romantic suspense. Readers can participate in as little or as many as they’d like.

…

Don’t forget to share what cool or interesting things you’ve seen, read, or listened to this week! And if you have anything you think we’d like to post on a future Wednesday Links, send it my way!

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2026/03/links-birds-vintage-romance-more/

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/?p=167791

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Posted by Amanda

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2026/03/contemporary-romance-cat-sebastian-more/

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/?p=167701

Katabasis

Katabasis by R.F. Kuang is $1.99! This was a big release, as are most of Kuang’s books. Did any of you grab this one? If you’re still waiting on library holds, snap this deal up while you can.

Two graduate students must set aside their rivalry and journey to Hell to save their professor’s soul, perhaps at the cost of their own.

Alice Law has only ever had one goal: to become one of the brightest minds in the field of Magick. She has sacrificed everything to make that a reality—her pride, her health, her love life, and most definitely her sanity. All to work with Professor Jacob Grimes at Cambridge, the greatest magician in the world—that is, until he dies in a magical accident that could possibly be her fault.

Grimes is now in Hell, and she’s going in after him. Because his recommendation could hold her very future in his now incorporeal hands, and even death is not going to stop the pursuit of her dreams. Nor will the fact that her rival, Peter Murdoch, has come to the same conclusion.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

We Could Be So Good

RECOMMENDED: We Could Be So Good by Cat Sebastian is $1.99! This is book on in the Midcentury NYC series. Lara gave this one an A:

TL;DR: Read this book if you’d like to be swept along safely in a rising tide of emotion, predominantly love.

Nick Russo has worked his way from a rough Brooklyn neighborhood to a reporting job at one of the city’s biggest newspapers. But the late 1950s are a hostile time for gay men, and Nick knows that he can’t let anyone into his life. He just never counted on meeting someone as impossible to say no to as Andy.

Andy Fleming’s newspaper-tycoon father wants him to take over the family business. Andy, though, has no intention of running the paper. He’s barely able to run his life—he’s never paid a bill on time, routinely gets lost on the way to work, and would rather gouge out his own eyes than deal with office politics. Andy agrees to work for a year in the newsroom, knowing he’ll make an ass of himself and hate every second of it.

Except, Nick Russo keeps rescuing Andy: showing him the ropes, tracking down his keys, freeing his tie when it gets stuck in the ancient filing cabinets. Their unlikely friendship soon sharpens into feelings they can’t deny. But what feels possible in secret—this fragile, tender thing between them—seems doomed in the light of day. Now Nick and Andy have to decide if, for the first time, they’re willing to fight.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

Secrets of a Summer Night

Secrets of a Summer Night by Lisa Kleypas is $1.99! This is the first book in the much-loved Wallflower Quartet. Coincidentally, I’ve been getting the urge to reread this series. There’s also no time like the present to start your Kleypas reading journey!

Four young ladies enter London society with one common goal: they must use their feminine wit and wiles to find a husband.So a daring husband-hunting scheme is born.

Annabelle Peyton, determined to save her family from disaster, decides to use her beauty and wit to tempt a suitable nobleman into making an offer of marriage. But Annabelle’s most intriguing—and persistent—admirer, wealthy, powerful Simon Hunt, has made it clear that while he will introduce her to irresistible pleasure he will not offer marriage. Annabelle is determined to resist his unthinkable proposition . . . but it is impossible in the face of such skillful seduction.

Her friends, looking to help, conspire to entice a more suitable gentleman to offer for Annabelle, for only then will she be safe from Simon—and her own longings. But on one summer night, Annabelle succumbs to Simon’s passionate embrace and tempting kisses . . . and she discovers that love is the most dangerous game of all.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

Nine Month Contract

Nine Month Contract by Amy Daws is $2.99! This is a grumpy/sunshine romance with a hero wanting to be a dad. I haven’t read this one, but I feel like not involving a surrogacy agency can lead to a lot of trouble. Last time this was on sale, commenters mention this one requires some suspension of disbelief.

Help Wanted: Grumpy mountain man seeks baby momma. Job is an incubator position only. Surrogate must be impervious to grunting as the form of communication and nosy brotherly neighbors. Rustic mountain range housing available upon request.

I wanted to pummel my irritating brothers when they posted their own version of a wanted ad to help me with my life.

But I can’t fault the results once the right woman lands in my lap.

Becoming a single father is not a decision I made lightly. In fact, it’s the biggest decision of my entire life.

Which is why when I interview Trista, I know she’s perfect.

She’s wild, she’s opinionated, she wears cowboy boots. Even my pet goat loves her…

She’s the exact type of person I was holding out for.

And to my great horror, I realize on our first night of attempting this baby-making dance—when the lights are low, the cheap wine is flowing and the home-insemination supplies are laid out on the kitchen counter—I want to do a lot more than just make her my surrogate.

I want to make her mine.

Perfect for fans of:
Grumpy/Sunshine
Small Town Romance
Age Gap
Curvy FMC
Meghan Quinn and Tessa Bailey

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2026/03/contemporary-romance-cat-sebastian-more/

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/?p=167701

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Posted by Amanda

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2026/03/habo-steamy-steam-room-action/

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/?p=167732

This HaBO comes from Andrea, who wants to find this romance:

I’m looking for a book from Kindle, but I can’t remember the cover, title, or any of the character names.

There’s this one scene that I remember very vividly, which is what sparked my interest in finding this book because I remember it being so hot. I can’t remember if this book was part of a series or not.

But basically the heroine and hero are in a sauna or steam room and then their friend walks in. I know the friend hadn’t been with a woman in awhile, which he had talked about with the heroine previously. I don’t think it’s a why choose book because I remember the hero was torn up about sharing her with other guys and I remember that heroine sleeping with the friend was the first and last time it happened. The heroine wanted to make the friend feel good because he was going through a lot and so she hooks up with both hero and the friend at the same time. I remember the hero handed his friend a condom before it happened and I remember the hero finishing first and the friend pulling her body away from hero so that he could finish afterwards. I remember someone walking in and hero yelling at the stranger to get the fuck out.

It’s bothering me so much that I can’t remember this because I need to read it again immediately.

Anyone recognize this one?

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2026/03/habo-steamy-steam-room-action/

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/?p=167732

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Posted by Amanda

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2026/03/hide-your-wallet-march-17th-release-week/

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/?p=167727

Happy Tuesday!

It’s a brief release week for us with two fantasy titles and a contemporary romance. However, things will pick up for the rest of March.

Which new releases are you excited for this week? Tell us in the comments!

Innamorata

Author: Ava Reid
Released: March 17, 2026 by Del Rey
Genre: Gothic, Horror, Science Fiction/Fantasy
Series: The House of Teeth Duology #1

The next exciting novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Ava Reid.

A visionary and atmospheric gothic fantasy about necromancy, vengeance, and soul-consuming love, the first in a duology from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Study in Drowning and Lady Macbeth

Once there was an island where the dead walked the earth, and seven noble houses ruled by the arcane secrets of necromancy.

A conqueror’s blade brought them low, burning their libraries, killing their lords, and extinguishing their eldritch magic.

But defiant against the new order stands the House of Teeth and its last living members: beautiful Marozia, the heiress to the House, and her cousin, the uncanny Lady Agnes.

Though she has not spoken a word in seven years, Agnes is the true carrier of the House’s legacy. And she has her orders. She must recapture the secrets of death magic and avenge her family’s fallen honor. She must arrange the betrothal of her beloved cousin Marozia to Liuprand, heir to the conqueror’s throne, for access to the forbidden library in his grotesquely grand castle.

Revenge burns in Agnes’s heart but so do stranger passions—and it is Liuprand, the golden prince, who speaks to her soul. This passion is as treasonous as it is powerful, poisoning the kingdom’s roots and threatening to tear the already shattered realm in two.

For Agnes’s final order is the gravest: She must not fall in love.

Amanda: Reid does a great job crafting dark, fantasy settings. This is also labeled romance on Goodreads, but many people (including the author) have stated it’s not. It’s very much a Gothic horror fantasy. There is a romantic relationship, but given what I’ve heard, I wouldn’t expect an HEA.

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Love Song

Author: Elle Kennedy
Released: March 17, 2026 by Elle Kennedy Inc.
Genre: Contemporary Romance, New Adult, Romance

A Briar universe standalone romance featuring the next generation Off-Campus characters—where one unforgettable summer changes everything

After a brutal breakup, college junior Blake Logan escapes to her family’s lake house in Tahoe, determined to shut out the world. Her plan is simple: no men, no drama. Until Wyatt Graham shows up. Four years older and far too good at getting under her skin, Wyatt is the living embodiment of a “bad idea,” and the guy who shattered her pride when she confessed her crush at sixteen.

With his music career stalled, Wyatt has come to Tahoe for inspiration. The last thing he expects is to find it with Blake. He’s spent years keeping his distance, convinced he’s all wrong for her, but she’s no longer the innocent girl he once knew. She’s confident, captivating, and impossible to ignore. And the slow-burning tension between them? It’s catching fire fast.

They both know this can’t last, but one reckless kiss turns into another, and soon they’re tangled in something that feels dangerously like more. Just as they finally give in to the pull, tragedy tears them apart, leaving their hearts in pieces.

But forgetting that one, nearly perfect summer? Not a chance. And when fate brings them together again, Blake and Wyatt must decide if this is a second chance…or the final verse.

A new standalone romance from Elle Kennedy, loosely related to her Briar U series.

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Mayhem and the Mortal

Author: Shanora Williams
Released: March 17, 2026 by Entangled: Red Tower Books
Genre: Fantasy/Fairy Tale Romance, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy

One mission. One curse. No escape.

Zaira doesn’t want a hero. She needs a weapon.

To save her sister from a soul-devouring curse, she has to cross The Shallows—a nightmare landscape of ruined magic, shifting paths, and vicious creatures that eat people alive.

Her guide? Thane Valkor: sorcerer, assassin, walking red flag. His name clears rooms. His magic kills quietly. And whatever he’s really after, it’s not salvation.

He promises to help. He might even mean it.

But Zaira knows better than to trust a liar with a blade and ice in his veins.

She just doesn’t have a choice.

Amanda: You had me at “walking red flag.”

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Posted by Amanda

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2026/03/fairy-tales-brenda-jackson-more/

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/?p=167692

No Mistress of Mine

No Mistress of Mine by Laura Lee Guhrke is $1.99! This historical romance features a second chance, opposites attract romance. Some readers had difficulty liking the protagonists, while others really enjoyed the scandalous heroine. It’s book four in the American Heiress in London series.

USA Today bestselling author Laura Lee Guhrke is back with the latest in her dazzling An American Heiress in London series, in which a reformed rogue finds all his honorable resolutions tested by the only woman who ever broke his heart…

After spending his youth as one of the wildest rakes in the ton, Lord Denys Somerton has devoted the past six years to putting his past behind him. He is determined to fulfill his duties, find a suitable wife, and start a family, but that plan changes when Lola Valentine—the red-haired temptress from his past—returns to London, sparking the same irresistible desires that almost ruined his life once before.

Lola is a woman with no romantic illusions. She knew love would never be enough for a British lord and an American girl from the wrong side of the tracks. For Denys’s sake, she walked away from him and the glittering life he offered. But when an unexpected inheritance brings her back to London, Lola discovers the passion between them is as hot as ever. Can they vanquish it, or will it burn out of control again and destroy them both?

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

I Dared the Duke

I Dared the Duke by Anna Bennett is $1.99! This is book two in the Wayward Wallflowers series and features a grumpy hero and some forced proximity. Readers say this is a great light read, but at times requires some suspension of disbelief.

DARE TO FALL IN LOVE

Alexander Savage, the Duke of Blackshire, is known throughout the ton for three things: the burn scars on his neck, his ornery disposition, and the trail of broken hearts behind him. None of which would concern Miss Elizabeth Lacey in the least—if she weren’t living under his roof. As his grandmother’s companion, Beth is all too concerned with the moody and compelling duke. Incensed by his plans to banish the sweet dowager duchess to the country, Beth refuses to do his bidding. If Alex wants her help, he’s going to have to take her dare…and grant her three wishes.

Alex adores his grandmother, which is precisely why she must leave. A string of unfortunate incidents has him worried for the safety of everyone around him—including the dowager’s loyal and lovely companion, Beth. But the notorious wallflower isn’t as meek as she appears, and as their battle of wills heats up, so does Alex’s desire. He’s dangerously close to falling in love with her…and revealing secrets he’d rather keep hidden. How can he convince her that his darkest days are behind him—and that, for the first time in forever, his heart is true?

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

Spilling the Tea

Spilling the Tea by Brenda Jackson is $1.99! This is a standalone contemporary romance, with main characters healing from trauma. Have you read this one?

Ninetysomething Mama Laverne is determined to find all of her great-grandchildren their perfect match before going home to glory. So far, her success rate is 100 percent—and she intends to keep it that way.

After sustaining injuries in Iraq, Chancellor Madaris was told he’d never walk again. Chance credits his great-grandmother Mama Laverne with giving him the will to heal and prove the doctors wrong. He has a healthy respect for her meddling ways and knows he’ll eventually end up next on her matchmaking list.

When Zoey Pritchard was eight, she survived a car accident that took the lives of her mother and father, and was sent to live with her great-aunt who refused to speak about her parents. Zoey has no memory from before the crash, but she’s been having the same dream over and over…

Searching for answers, Zoey travels to Houston, where she uncovers a scandal involving her parents and the wealthy and powerful Madaris family. Her trail leads her straight to Chance’s door. The dislike and intense attraction are instant and simultaneous. But to help Zoey restore her memory, he grudgingly introduces her to his great-grandmother…

Was it chance, or Mama Laverne’s plan, that threw this pair together?

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

Apples Dipped in Gold

Apples Dipped in Gold by Scarlett St. Clair is $1.99! This is book two in the Fairy Tale Retellings series, though I can’t quite place which fairy tale it’s based on or just an amalgamation of a few.

Orphaned at a young age, Samara is left under the care of her three, horrible brothers. Just when she thinks she cannot take another day of their abuse, a handsome prince offers for her hand in marriage.

Samara’s brothers agree in exchange for a large dowery but on her way to her new kingdom, her carriage is ambushed by Lore, the wicked Prince of Nightshade.

Samara believes that the fae has snatched away her chance at freedom to punish her for her crimes against his kind but punishment is only half of Lore’s plan.

The truth is that the Elven Prince has pined after Samara for seven long years. She is all he can think about—a toxin in his blood. Can the Prince of Nightshade, whose power over poisons rivals none in The Enchanted Forest, manage to find a remedy or will he succumb to her love?

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2026/03/fairy-tales-brenda-jackson-more/

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books

The Snake Prince and Other Stories: Burmese Folk Tales by Edna Ledgard

A varied collection. I think a little overwritten, but the tales are a new slice, fitting a new culture. Fairy tales, including a kind and unkind girls featuring a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, and a unique take on burning the skin of the shape-shifted: the Naga prince is not killed but he is rendered mortal to live and grow old and die with his bride.

Also tales of fools and clever men, and animal tales.

Most are recognizable types, but not close to other variants.

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Posted by Lara

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/reviews/miss-wick-and-the-duke-dilemma-by-violet-marsh/

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/?post_type=reviews&p=167302

DNF

Miss Wick and the Duke Dilemma

by Violet Marsh
March 17, 2026 · Forever
Historical: EuropeanRomance

This book is ludicrous and not in a fun way.

Before I let my rant get away with me, the blurb:

Eoin Aucourte, the newly minted Duke of Foxglen, always played by his grandfather’s rules. But now that the old man is dead, Eoin’s first decision is to track down his long-lost mother. The only problem? He’ll have to visit the infamous Black Sheep Coffeehouse to begin his search. Rumor has it that the owner, Miss Hannah Wick, knows all the gossip from the dingiest St. Giles alleyways to the glittering ballrooms of Mayfair. But the whip-smart daughter of a pirate also has a way of making Eoin forget all the lessons on propriety that his grandfather ruthlessly instilled in him.

The Duke of Foxglen represents everything Hannah disdains about the nobility. Even worse, his grandfather exiled her papa from England, setting her father on the course of piracy and endangering her entire family. Seeing an opportunity to seek vengeance on his family, Hannah pretends to “help” the shy, surprisingly handsome duke—but soon realizes Eoin may be the first truly honorable noble she’s ever met.

With every clue they uncover, their search intensifies … and so does their attraction. But with so many secrets between them, does love even stand a chance?

I was already on the back foot when I started this book because I haven’t read the others in this series. Usually with historical romance, that’s no big deal. In this case, it’s quite a big deal. I reached 66% and I still didn’t understand the back story and how all these characters connected to one another.

So yes, that made me grumpy. Fine, I admit it.

As stated in the cover copy, yes, Hannah is a pirate’s daughter and co-owns a coffee house. She has a vendetta against the Aucourte family because they impoverished her father and grandfather through the enclosures of the 18th century. So when Eoin shows up asking for help tracking down his mother, Hannah sees a chance for retribution and agrees to help him in order to better facilitate her revenge.

I realise this is a common plot structure.

I’ve read books that do it well.

I’ve read books that mess it up.

This one was downright painful. Hannah wrings her hands and frets and feels guilty constantly from around 40% in. Yet she doesn’t speak up about any of it. It’s beyond tiresome. It’s particularly tiresome because it is clear from Eoin’s behaviour that he would not actually be upset about her ulterior motives as he has no love for his father’s family.

Oh and that mystery they need to solve – finding Eoin’s mother and sister?

Show Spoiler

Solved at 55% in. They followed 1 (one) clue which was a dead end and then found the pair by chance. Ridiculous!

Speaking of ridiculous …

Spoilers and animal abuse

There is an abused, scarred, mangy bear in this story. Strike one. Can’t stomach animal abuse in a ROMANCE.

They do not immediately rescue the bear. Strike two.

The bear is deployed in the world’s stupidest plot point. Strike three.

I’m done.

What’s that you say? A stupid bear-related plot point? Yes: Eoin and Hannah are sitting in his mansion’s garden when they hear a roar. A bear, not a trained one, mind you, has been released in his garden in the world’s most ridiculous assassination attempt.

Is there a fence?

Who transported the bear?

How did they convince the bear to stalk and try to attack Eoin and Hannah? I repeat, this is not a trained bear. How is this an effective strategy? No idea.

It is not just the bear that’s ridiculous. There’s an equally ridiculous parrot and a cuter, but still bananas, gosling. Neither of these two are abused but they do also form ridiculous plot points.

I was also annoyed by how Eoin’s body was spoken of. He’s described as huge and looking like a prizefighter. Only, he can’t fight at all. His tremendous size is mentioned ALL THE TIME. I would argue it’s brought up even more than his character. It felt like the only thing that mattered about him was how he looked and I found it nauseating.

I am all for some wild escapism in my romances, especially historical ones. There is a quagmire of shit in English history and I understand not wanting to stare it in the face while trying to engage with some dopamine. But a plot has to be at least a little bit plausible, in my opinion. This book is not even remotely plausible and because it felt insulting to me as the reader, I found it hard to enjoy.

Is there anyone that would enjoy this book? I think someone who is interested in substantial whimsy in their romances might have an easier time of it. Someone who has read the prior books in the series. Someone who hasn’t read the ‘ulterior motives’ trope a million times, too. And I’ll be honest: someone who isn’t a middle-aged grouch like me.

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Posted by Amanda

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2026/03/get-recd-with-amanda-volume-110/

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/?p=167672

Welcome back!

This round of recs came from the bookish people and communities in my life. I love finding new books through friends and colleagues, and it really solidifies the importance of readers to connect with other readers.

Do you have any recommendations you’d like to share? Drop them in the comments?

The Art of a Lie

A historical mystery with some added food history knowledge! This recommendation came from my bookish friend Jamie and her newsletter Multitudes Contained. She’s a great resource if you want mystery, thriller, and horror recs, though she does read very widely.

“Astonishing. The Art of a Lie is Laura Shepherd-Robinson at the height of her considerable powers. Of course it’s beautifully written and richly detailed, but it’s also fiendishly twisting and properly thrilling. A rare and wonderful story.” —Chris Whitaker, New York Times bestselling author

In 18th-century England, a widowed confectioner is drawn into a web of love, betrayal, intrigue, and a battle of wits in this “twisty” (Ruth Ware, New York Times bestselling author) historical novel from the author of the USA TODAY bestseller The Square of Sevens.

London 1749: Following the murder of her husband in a violent street robbery, Hannah Cole is struggling to turn a profit at her confectionary shop on Piccadilly as her suppliers conspire to put her out of business.

So when she learns that her husband had a large sum of money in his bank account, the surprise is, at first, extremely welcome. But her financial windfall attracts the attention of author-turned-magistrate Henry Fielding, who believes the money might have been acquired through ill-gotten means and seeks to confiscate it.

Endeavoring to prove otherwise, Hannah enlists the help of William Devereux, a friend of her late husband, who also tells her about a new Italian delicacy called “iced cream,” which she believes might transform the fortunes of her shop. As she and Devereux delve into the mysteries of her husband’s double life in Georgian London’s gambling dens, Hannah unravels secrets even more devastating than his murder.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

The Best Dog in the World

This is a new release! Edited by Alice Hoffman, and containing over a dozen authors, this is a collection of essays about dogs and the bond between pet and owner. Tuck this away for any dog lovers in your life.

Fourteen beloved authors celebrate the life-changing bond with their canine companions in this heartwarming essay collection edited by New York Times bestselling author and lifelong dog lover Alice Hoffman.

Anyone who has ever been fortunate enough to share their life with a dog knows the experience is both profound and transformative. Here, in this charming collection of essays, fifteen celebrated authors share unforgettable tales of the dogs who left their pawprints on their hearts.

With contributions from Isabel Allende, Chris Bohjalian, Bonnie Garmus, Roxane Gay, Emily Henry, Ann Leary, Tova Mirvis, Jodi Picoult, Elizabeth Strout, Amy Tan, Adriana Trigiani, Nick Trout, Paul Yoon, and Laura Zigman, The Best Dog in the World captures the full range of the canine-human connection, from the joy of welcoming a new puppy to the heartache of saying goodbye to a beloved friend.

A love letter to the loyal companions who enrich our lives and teach us about empathy, joy, and unconditional love, this anthology is the perfect gift for dog lovers everywhere, offering a blend of laughter, tears, and inspiration that will resonate with anyone who has been fur-ever touched by the love of a dog.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

The Incandescent

I have a wonderful coworker who shares a similar taste in books. Every Thursday, we wind up yapping about what we’re reading or trading recs. We recently talked about dark academia settings with main characters who aren’t students, and she loved this one.

Naomi Novik’s Scholomance series meets Plain Bad Heroines in this sapphic dark academia fantasy by instant national and international bestselling author Emily Tesh, winner of the Hugo and World Fantasy Awards.

“Look at you, eating magic like you’re one of us.”

Doctor Walden is the Director of Magic at Chetwood School and one of the most powerful magicians in England. Her days consist of meetings, teaching A-Level Invocation to four talented, chaotic sixth formers, more meetings, and securing the school’s boundaries from demonic incursions.

Walden is good at her job—no, Walden is great at her job. But demons are masters of manipulation. It’s her responsibility to keep her school with its six hundred students and centuries-old legacy safe. And it’s possible the entity Walden most needs to keep her school safe from—is herself.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

Invitation to a Banquet

Shoutout to my colleague Jane for this one! She recommended this particular piece of food writing and warned everyone to not read while hungry.

The world’s most sophisticated gastronomic culture, brilliantly presented through a banquet of thirty Chinese dishes.

Chinese was the earliest truly global cuisine. When the first Chinese laborers began to settle abroad, restaurants appeared in their wake. Yet Chinese has the curious distinction of being both one of the world’s best-loved culinary traditions and one of the least understood. For more than a century, the overwhelming dominance of a simplified form of Cantonese cooking ensured that few foreigners experienced anything of its richness and sophistication—but today that is beginning to change.

In Invitation to a Banquet, award-winning cook and writer Fuchsia Dunlop explores the history, philosophy, and techniques of Chinese culinary culture. In each chapter, she examines a classic dish, from mapo tofu to Dongpo pork, knife-scraped noodles to braised pomelo pith, to reveal a distinctive aspect of Chinese gastronomy, whether it’s the importance of the soybean, the lure of exotic ingredients, or the history of Buddhist vegetarian cuisine. Meeting food producers, chefs, gourmets, and home cooks as she tastes her way across the country, Fuchsia invites listeners to join her on an unforgettable journey into Chinese food as it is cooked, eaten, and considered in its homeland.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2026/03/get-recd-with-amanda-volume-110/

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/?p=167672

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Posted by Amanda

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2026/03/sunday-sale-digest-73/

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/?p=167625

This piece of literary mayhem is exclusive to Smart Bitches After Dark, but fret not. If you'd like to join, we'd love to have you!

Have a look at our membership options, and come join the fun!

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Happy Saturday!

I'm going to be doing a little maintenance today. It will likely cause a tiny interruption of service (specifically for www.dreamwidth.org) on the order of 2-3 minutes while some settings propagate. If you're on a journal page, that should still work throughout!

If it doesn't work, the rollback plan is pretty quick, I'm just toggling a setting on how traffic gets to the site. I'll update this post if something goes wrong, but don't anticipate any interruption to be longer than 10 minutes even in a rollback situation.

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smartbitches_feed - Magical Realism, Mystery, & More
smartbitches_feed - Friday Videos Love Old Songs
smartbitches_feed - A Reader’s Guide to the Omegaverse
smartbitches_feed - 710. Writing Characters with Chronic Illness (Plus Restaurant Recs!!) with Riss M. Neilson
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smartbitches_feed - How to Lose a Lord in Ten Days by Sophie Irwin
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Reading

These Violet Delights

You can find ordering info for this book here.

Happy Medium

You can find ordering info for this book here.

Witch of Wild Things

You can find ordering info for this book here.

History Lessons

You can find ordering info for this book here.

What is Omegaverse?

Where did it come from?

Terms:

Alpha

Omega

Beta

Mates/Fated Mates

Scent glands

Claiming Bites

Knotting

Heats

Ruts

Nesting

Mpreg

Why did it skyrocket in popularity?

FAQs:

Do all Omegaverse stories feature all these elements?

Is Omegaverse always shifters?

Is Omegaverse always focused on the procreation goals of the system?

Is there Omegaverse Lite?

Wasn’t there a lawsuit about this in the news a while back?

How common are female Alphas?

Doesn’t this system create some serious consent issues?

Do you have any recommendations?

Here are the books we discuss in this podcast:

Thanks to our sponsors:

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Remember to subscribe to our podcast feed, find us on iTunes or on Stitcher.

Heir

You can find ordering info for this book here.

House of the Beast

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Good Girl Complex

You can find ordering info for this book here.

The Grimoire Grammar School Parent Teacher Association

You can find ordering info for this book here.

C-

How to Lose a Lord in Ten Days

The Princess and the P.I.

You can find ordering info for this book here.

Never Rescue a Rogue

You can find ordering info for this book here.

When No One Is Watching

You can find ordering info for this book here.

Throne of the Fallen

You can find ordering info for this book here.

Katabasis

You can find ordering info for this book here.

We Could Be So Good

You can find ordering info for this book here.

Secrets of a Summer Night

You can find ordering info for this book here.

Nine Month Contract

You can find ordering info for this book here.

Innamorata

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Love Song

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Mayhem and the Mortal

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No Mistress of Mine

You can find ordering info for this book here.

I Dared the Duke

You can find ordering info for this book here.

Spilling the Tea

You can find ordering info for this book here.

Apples Dipped in Gold

You can find ordering info for this book here.

DNF

Miss Wick and the Duke Dilemma