I finished off my romance reading year with these two novellas featuring Black characters. I think we can forget there is so much diversity within capital D Diversity and these two novellas showcase the diversity in Black romance with each character being from a different part of the diaspora.
Former exotic dancer Cinnamon “Cin” Bradley danced her way through graduate school and now that she has her degree she’s ready for her second act. With her mother and infant daughter by her side, she’s got everything–including the eye of Landry Augistin, the handsome Creole landscaper working on her new house.
I just gobbled this book up! CCJ delivers another fabulous romance with a great heroine, sweet romance and just a touch of heat. I especially loved how she subverted the single mom/ stripper trope. Cin’s conflicts could easily be about her being a single mom and a former stripper but she’s proud of those things and accepts them as part of herself. There was no slut-shaming and both our hero and heroine visit a strip club together.
This novella is both the first book in the Sweet Heat novella series and a 2.5 in the Connecticut Kings series. I do feel like I was missing some background (like the details of Cin’s ex) but it worked on its own and I can’t wait to go back and read the other books. – ★★★★
I double clicked on this galley so fast when Avon included it in their Avon Addicts digital package.
When work relocates Likotsi Adelele, Advisor Most High to the Prince of Thesolo, back to New York City the last persons she expects to run into is Fabiola, the Instagram Instaphoto model and jewelry maker who stole her heart with one swipe and then ghosted her after their two perfect dates.
They spend the day together ticking items off Likotsi’s to do list and through flashbacks, we learn that Fabiola’s ghosting wasn’t what Liktosi thought. I enjoyed this novella, it’s filled with whimsy and romance and, like many of Cole’s romances, manages to be politically salient. My only complaint is how short it was and it felt like everything had to be crammed in. I’d say this romance is perfect for beginners but I’m not sure this novella functions well on its own. It works more as a companion to A Princess in Theory than a standalone novella like Hints of Spice. If you don’t understand Likotsi’s backstory it’s hard to fully understand a lot of the references. – ★★★+.5
