Out of Character by Annabeth Albert
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Red, White & Royal Blue meets Fangirl in this heartwarming romcom where two former friends strike an unlikely bargain that could lead to more than either expected.

Flash Fire by TJ Klune
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In the second installment in this hilarious contemporary fantasy trilogy, Nick has landed himself the superhero boyfriend of his dreams but with new heroes arriving in Nova City it’s up to Nick and his friends to determine who is a friend or a foe.

Rise to the Sun by Leah Johnson
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From the author of You Should See Me in a Crown comes another stunning novel about being brave enough to be true to yourself, and learning to find joy even when times are unimaginably dark. Packed with irresistible romance, Rise to the Sun is a cinematic story about grief, love and the remarkable power of music to heal and connect us all.

What We Devour by Linsey Miller
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Beauty and the Beast meets Wicked Saints in this standalone dark fantasy from the author of Mask of Shadows duology and Belle Révolte.

Cheer Up: Love and Pompoms by Crystal Frasier, illustrated by Val Wise
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Annie, a smart anti-social lesbian involuntarily joins the cheerleader squad to make friends and reconnects with her former friend BeeBee, a trans girl who must keep her parents happy to keep their support of her transition. Sparks fly when the two rekindle their friendship and realize just how much they’ve been missing each other.

Fresh by Margot Wood
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Some students enter their freshman college year knowing exactly what they want to do with their lives. Elliot McHugh is not one of those people. Fresh is all about Elliot’s hilarious yet flawed experiences during freshman year.

The Dead and the Dark by Courtney Gould
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A YA supernatural thriller about two girls who fall in love when they team up to stop an evil presence terrorizing a smalltown – a story about the things that lurk in the dark, the parts of you that can’t remain hidden and about finding home in places – and people – you didn’t expect.

Anything but Fine by Tobias Madden
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Anything but Fine is about a teenage ballet dancer who breaks his foot and begins to question everything he once took for granted, including his relationship with the dreamy, perfect-in-every-way, and seemingly straight captain of the rowing team.

The Hollow Heart by Marie Rutkoski
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Intrigue, romance and magic abound in this heart-stopping conclusion to Marie Rutkoski’s Forgotten Gods duology.

The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun
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n this witty and heartwarming romantic comedy—reminiscent of Red, White & Royal Blue and One to Watch—an awkward tech wunderkind on a reality dating show goes off-script when sparks fly with his producer.

The City Beautiful by Aden Polydoros
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David Levithan meets Thirteen Doorways, Wolves Behind Them All in this haunting standalone historical fantasy that follows a young, queer Jewish immigrant who is possessed by the evil spirit of his murdered best friend and is catapulted into a deadly hunt for a serial killer terrorizing Chicago during the World’s Fair of 1893.

Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune
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 A Man Called Ove meets The Good Place in this delightful new queer love story from TJ Klune, author of the New York Times and USA Today bestseller The House in the Cerulean Sea. By turns heartwarming and heartbreaking, this absorbing tale of grief and hope is told Klune’s signature warmth, humor and extraordinary empathy.

Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World
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The highly anticipated sequel to the critically acclaimed, multiple award-winning novel Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is an achingly romantic, tender tale sure to captivate fans of Adam Silvera and Mary H.K. Choi. 

The Insiders by Mark Oshiro
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Award-winning YA author Mark Oshiro makes their middle grade debut in this queer coming-of-age story about three kids who don’t belong, a room that shouldn’t exist, and the year that will change everything.

City of Shattered Light by Claire Winn
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In this YA sci-fi, an heiress flees her controlling father to prevent her test-subject sister’s mind from being reprogrammed—but must ally with a smuggler to outwit a monstrous AI, gravity-shifting gladiatorial pits, and bloodthirsty criminal matriarchs to save her sister and their city.

Tink and Wendy by Kelly Ann Jacobson
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What happens when Tinker Bell is in love with both Peter Pan and Wendy? In this sparkling re-imagining of Peter Pan, Peter and Wendy’s granddaughter Hope Darling finds the reclusive Tinker Bell squatting at the Darling mansion in order to care for the graves of her two lost friends after a love triangle gone awry. 

Spin Me Right Round by David Valdes
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A sharp, funny YA debut that’s Back to the Future with a twist, as a gay teen travels back in time to save a closeted classmate’s life.

Briar Girls by Rebecca Kim Wells
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Cursed to kill all those she touches, Lena endures an isolated life on the run from her fellow humans. But when an enigmatic stranger offers to help her break the curse in exchange for her aid in waking a princess hidden in an enchanted forest, Lena embarks on a quest to win her freedom, no matter the cost.

Grimrose Girls by Laura Pohl
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The Descendants meets Pretty Little Liars. Four troubled friends, One murdered girl… and a dark fate that may leave them all doomed.

The Reckless Kind by Carly Heath
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A genre-defying debut, this queer historical YA centers a wild and reckless trio who fly in the face of small town tradition—full of compassion, love, and determination to live the lives of their choosing.

If This Gets Out by Sophie Gonzales and Cale Dietrich
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For fans of What If It’s Us: two boys in America’s biggest boy band fall for each other while on their first sold-out European tour, and are forced to keep their relationship a secret.

The Midnight Girls by Alicia Jasinska
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The Wicked Deep meets House of Salt and Sorrows in this new standalone YA fantasy set in a snow-cloaked kingdom where witches are burned, and two enchantresses secretly compete for the heart of a prince, only to discover that they might be falling for each other.

Here’s to Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera
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Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera reunite to continue the story of Arthur and Ben, the boys readers first fell for in the New York Times bestselling rom-com What If It’s Us.

The Coldest Touch by Isabel Sterling
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Elise, a mortal girl who feels the death of anyone she touches, and Claire, the vampire assigned to recruit her for the Order, as they team up to stop a paranormal killer and realize they might be falling in love.

What queer books have you picked up in the second half of the year or are looking forward to? Tell us in the comments below!

The post You Need These New 2021 Queer Book Releases To End The Year appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Too Good to be Real by Melonie Johnson
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To save her job as a writer for a popular website, Julia plans to prove there’s a dozen reasons why life isn’t like a romantic comedy, only to discover the one reason it is…

Out of Character by Annabeth Albert
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It’s friends-to-enemies-to-friends-to-lovers in this LGBTQIA+ Romance for fans of Red, White & Royal Blue and The Pros of Cons who enjoy ex-best-friends falling in love, gaming, conventions, fandom & cosplay, nerd culture at its finest, and learning how to be true to yourself.

Radha & Jai’s Recipe for Romance by Nisha Sharma
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To All the Boys I Loved Before meets World of Dance in this delectable love story that combines food, dance, and a hint of drama to cook up the perfect romance.

Heartbreak for Hire by Sonia Hartl
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A smart, sexy, and witty romantic comedy—perfect for fans of Christina Lauren and Sally Thorne—about a twentysomething who lives out every woman’s fantasy: getting paid to give men who do us wrong a taste of their own medicine. But when a previous target unexpectedly shows up at her office, she’s forced to rethink her life as a professional heartbreaker.

How Sweet It Is by Dylan Newton
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Event planner Kate Sweet is famous for creating the perfect happily-ever-after moment for her clients’ dream weddings. So how is it that her best friend has roped her into planning a bestselling horror writer’s book launch extravaganza? But the second Kate meets—or rather, accidentally maims—the drop-dead-hot Drake Matthews, her well-ordered life quickly transforms into an absolute nightmare.

Isn’t It Bromantic? by Lyssa Kay Adams
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Elena Konnikova has lived her entire adult life in the shadows. As the daughter of a Russian journalist who mysteriously disappeared, she escaped danger the only way she knew how: She married her childhood friend, Vladimir, and moved to the United States, where he is a professional hockey player in Nashville. Vlad, aka the Russian, thought he could be content with his marriage of convenience. But it’s become too difficult to continue in a one-sided relationship. He joined the Bromance Book Club to learn how to make his wife love him, but all he’s learned is that he deserves more. He’s ready to create his own sweeping romance—both on and off the page.

The Rehearsals by Annette Christie
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In this delightful and romantic debut novel―with a Groundhog Day twist―a couple calls off their wedding after a disastrous rehearsal dinner, only to wake up the next morning trapped in a time loop. Together.

It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey
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Tessa Bailey is back with a Schitt’s Creek-inspired rom-com about a Hollywood “It Girl” who is cut off from her wealthy family and exiled to a small Pacific Northwest beach town… where she butts heads with a surly, sexy local who thinks she doesn’t belong. 

While We Were Dating by Jasmine Guillory
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Two people realize that it’s no longer an act when they veer off-script in this sizzling romantic comedy featuring Ben Stephens, Theo’s brother from The Wedding Party, and a famous actress as they struggle to keep things purely professional while working together.

Love Next Door by Helena Hunting
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From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Helena Hunting comes an evocative small-town romance about family loyalty, finding oneself, and falling in love.

Incense and Sensibility by Sonali Dev
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The author of Recipe for Persuasion—“not only one of the best but one of the bravest romance novelists working today” (Shelf Awareness)—adds an Indian American twist to Jane Austen’s classic Sense and Sensibility in this delightful retelling that is a feast for the senses.

The Man Ban by Nicola Marsh
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Harper Ryland has been on a self-imposed man ban for the last twelve months, after a particularly horrible breakup. Instead, she’s focusing on the one thing she can control: her career as an up-and-coming food stylist. Harper’s latest gig is her best friend’s wedding, and she receives glowing praise throughout the night. When the Best Man, Manny Gomes, belittles her hard work, she wants to stab him with skewers from the buffet table, but she can think of something much better: to lead him on the entire wedding and then humiliate him in sweet revenge.

What July 2021 romance books are you looking forward to? Tell us in the comments below!

The post July 2021 Romance Book Releases appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Out of Character was very much a story about making seemingly irreversible mistakes, second chances, and a friendship that blossoms into more. Following Jasper and Milo, Annabeth Albert returns to the world of conventions and tabletop games and takes readers on an emotional ride. Jasper and Milo used to be best friends in school until Milo chose the soccer team over Jasper. Instead of standing by his best friend who was being bullied by those guys, Milo drew clear lines, not wanting to be associated with Jasper’s “nerdiness” because he likes role-play games reminiscent of D&D. Years after no contact, the two collide again as Milo needs Jasper’s help to retrieve valuable gaming cards he lost in a drunken moment of hubris.

I can see readers falling head over heels for Out of Character and rightly so. While the story takes quite a while to get going since the first part pretty much deals with establishing the backstory of Milo and Jasper, once it picks up, you’re in for quite an emotional journey. I loved how careful Jasper was when it came to letting Milo back in and how their past didn’t just magically disappear because they were attracted to each other in the present. Milo hurt Jasper a lot by giving up their friendship in order to stay with the cool crowd and that’s pain Jasper can’t forget or forgive easily. All the memories of their past and the impact it had on who they are now was so relatable and made my heart hurt because I think we’ve all had that one friend who abandoned us to move on to greener pastures and this relatability really shone through in this story.

The blooming romance between Jasper and Milo develops slowly yet naturally and I found myself invested in their relationship. There were a lot of intense feelings, regret and resignation in the beginning but the way everything is resolved definitely makes it worth it to keep reading.

While this is very much a character-driven story, we also have multiple side plots and characters that enrichen the story, for example Jasper’s younger sister April and Milo’s brother whose cards he gambled away. On top of that, there are loads of scavenger hunt moments as Milo and Jasper try to find the same deck of valuable playing cards, gaming references, and the occasional cute and fun date that had me swooning. Add to that the tension between Jasper and Milo, the fun cosplays and a redemption arc that feels like a punch to the heart, and you have a great romance.

A story of second chances, fun cosplay events and two main characters that will steal your heart, Out of Character is a sweet and restorative second installment in the True Colors series!

Out of Character is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of July 6th 2021.

Will you be picking up Out of Character? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

It’s friends-to-enemies-to-friends-to-lovers in this LGBTQIA+ Romance for fans of Red, White & Royal Blue and The Pros of Cons.

Milo Lionetti is not a gamer. Not even close. But when a stupid bet costs him his brother’s prized cards, he’ll do anything to replace them before anyone notices they’re gone. To do that, he’ll need a little help from the best gamer he knows…who also happens to hate him.

Jasper Quigley is known for moonlighting on a popular gaming blog, but he’s eager to stop playing the sidekick. The last thing he wants is to help out Milo and dredge up feelings he’d rather forget. But helping Milo comes with some perks, including getting his help running a cosplay event at the local children’s hospital. All that forced proximity was not supposed to come with kissing, and definitely not falling in love…

The post #ReadWithPride: Out of Character by Annabeth Albert appeared first on The Nerd Daily.