About The Best I Never Had: They staged a romance, faked a breakup, and this time around, anything can happen―even something real. Releases August 18th 2026.

I’ve always been interested in everyone’s favorite trope. I overanalyze each, attributing meaning like a half-baked personality test or poorly written horoscope. There’s no way I’m right (I don’t actually think enemies-to-lovers fans are living out their fantasy of fighting through the characters because they’re avoidant in real life), but I’ve always wondered what it says about me that I can’t seem to get enough of fake dating books.

For some important context, I’m the goodiest of goody two-shoes. The idea of lying makes me break out in hives. Maybe that’s why I love these books so much? It’s something so far outside of my comfort zone that I can explore through the characters. Come for the adrenaline rush, stay for the “Is this kiss real?” moment.

I devour these books, and in each story, one of two things happens. Of course, they fall in love (as one is destined to while fake dating), and either they (a) decide to come clean, or (b) get caught and it all blows up in the most delicious way. It got me wondering… what if neither of those things happened? What if they never acted on their attraction and weren’t forced to come clean by external forces?

That’s exactly what happens in my new book, The Best I Never Had. Owen pays Thea to pretend to be his girlfriend for a family wedding. Despite the tension between them, Owen chooses not to put the moves on someone he’s paying to pretend to like him (like me, he is the goodiest of two-shoes). They walk away from the weekend, unkissed and certain they’ve gotten away with it.

Flash to three years later, when Thea shows up at her sister’s whirlwind wedding to a man she’s never met and realizes that the groom is Owen’s little brother. The two panic, agreeing to keep up the lie that they dated and had a devastating break up so Owen’s intense mother doesn’t blow up the whole wedding. But it’s hard to keep straight what’s real and what an act when his huge meddling family keeps pushing the ‘soulmates’ back together, especially when those pesky feelings they so successfully ignored the first time get even more intense.

This book is a play on fake dating instead of the real thing, but it took its inspiration from all of the fake dating books I’ve read. Here are ten of my favorites:

The Wedding Crasher by Mia Sosa

Read if you want to laugh out loud on every page

Mia Sosa is one of my all-time favorite authors! In my eyes, she can do no wrong, and that’s certainly true with The Wedding Crasher. After ruining Dean’s modern-day marriage of convenience by objecting at the wedding, Solange agrees to pretend to be his girlfriend to help him claim the promotion he’s been chasing. What follows is banter-fueled perfection (Dean literally gives her a fake dating study guide!) that had me howling and squealing.

The Next Best Fling by Gabriella Gamez

Read if you quote Marie Kondo’s “I love mess” on the regular.

This is the messiest (complimentary) book on the list. We have an upcoming wedding, a hero and heroine who are in love with the bride and groom, respectively, and a fake dating scheme to cover up the fact that the hero was about to tell the bride to call off the wedding. It’s hilarious in just how chaotic it is, but it’s also so beautifully grounded in relatable characters you can’t help but cheer for. And most importantly, Theo is scrumptious.

Say You’ll be Mine by Naina Kumar

Read if no man will ever compete with Mr. Darcy

This one kicks fake dating up a notch. Instead of fake dating, they’re fake engaged. Karthik’s mother is relentless in her desire to see him settled, and Meghna’s just agreed to be the ‘best man’ for a man she’s secretly loved for years. They both need a buffer for the next few months, so what better way than to ‘agree’ to the arranged match their parents are pushing? I am obsessed with Karthik! He’s giving Darcy, all stern and judgmental, but once he falls, he falls hard.

Sunk in Love by Heather McBreen

Read if you like your laughter with a side of tears

I’ve read this book a half-dozen times, and I love it more with every read. Roslyn and Liam are in the middle of a secret divorce when they’re invited to an important family event. The two agree to pretend to still be together for the trip to avoid the drama and disappointment of announcing their split, pairing fake dating and marriage in trouble in the best way. McBreen expertly weaves together funny, spicy, and heavy moments as we learn what pulled them apart and cheer for them to get back together.

Lovelight Farms by BK Borison

Read if you’ve ever secretly been in love with your best friend

I’ll admit it. I’ve been that girl pining after her best friend. And while I’m very happily married now, there’s some sort of wish fulfillment watching two best friends who clearly refuse to act on their feelings being forced to snuggle up and kiss. Stella didn’t think things through when she mentioned a “boyfriend” on a contest application, but now she’s a finalist and needs someone fast. Enter her delicious best friend, Luka, who is more than happy to step in for the role. They’re so soft and perfect, and I come back to reread every Christmas!

Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert

Read if you binge watch everything on BBC

I’ll read anything Talia Hibbert writes, but this one will always hold a special place in my heart. When Dani and Zaf go viral, he begs her to fake a relationship so he can bring more attention to his non-profit. The only problem… they can’t seem to keep it professional. Dani’s on board for the perfect friends-with-benefits situationship she’s been looking for, but Zaf’s determined to show her they could be so much more than a fake relationship with hook-ups on the side. Like all of Hibbert’s books, she pairs beautifully complex characters with the type of hilarious British humor that’s made me pay to stream way too many BBC shows.

Birding With Benefits by Sarah T Dubb

Read if you think older characters deserve to get their back blown out, too

Being quiet isn’t in my nature, so I could never be a successful birder, but I devoured this book. Celeste shows up at a birding competition thinking she’s there to pretend to be this stranger’s girlfriend. Meanwhile, John, who’s looking for a birding partner after his last partner—and girlfriend—dumped him, has no idea what’s happening when this chaos demon shows up. They decide to go with both, and their dynamic is addictive. Your hot not-boyfriend having to stand close behind and whisper in your ear to avoid scaring the birds? Yeah, I’ll take two.

Sunshine and Spice by Aurora Palit

Read if you love a good Bollywood movie

I remember watching ‘Jab We Met’ in college, and it rewrote my brain chemistry. This book hit all the same chaotic, perfect notes! Naomi, our sunshine heroine, needs to learn about Bengali culture—fast, and Dev, our grumpy hero, needs to avoid the matchmaker his mom hired against his will, so they strike a deal. He’ll teach her about the culture her mother never shared if she pretends to be his girlfriend to scare off potential matches. I was (and am) obsessed. I wanted to magically transport myself into the Garba scene and then melted at the scene right after (iykyk).

The Kiss Countdown by Etta Easton

Read if you haven’t been able to stop talking about Project Hail Mary

We all know astronauts are hot. No other career pairs a brilliant mind and competency with the body of a professional athlete. In this book, Amarie’s life is falling apart around her, and Vincent is preparing for a big mission. Both need to get the people in their lives off their backs, so they agree to fake a relationship until he leaves. The Kiss Countdown has it all. The wickedly hot astronaut, a temporary roommate situation to dial up the tension, a 3-month countdown to a literal blast off, and a New Year’s Eve kiss that will have your toes curling!

First Down by Grace Reilly

Read if you think there’s nothing hotter than a toxic man being put in his place

Look, I know hockey romance is all the rage (I’m with you! The number of times I’ve watched Heated Rivalry should be illegal), but this football romance deserves the spotlight, too. Who can resist a book that starts with her kissing a hot stranger to get away from her cheating ex? From there, Bex and James strike a deal. She’ll help him pass the class he needs to graduate if he pretends to be her boyfriend to get her ex to leave her alone. He’s so wonderfully protective of her, and the rest of the series (featuring a different sport for each sibling) is just as amazing.

The post Author Amy Buchanan’s Fake Dating Book Recs appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Hi, Gabriella! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?

Hello, Nerd Daily readers! I’m Gabriella Gamez, author of messy contemporary romance novels with lots of heart and heat. I can’t function without caffeine and love stories of all kinds, whether they’re from books, movies, TV shows, or even video games. All my books so far are set in San Antonio, Texas where I currently reside.

When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?

Probably around the time I got my first laptop in fifth grade. We didn’t have a stable internet connection at home, so I’d spend a majority of my free time on Microsoft Word writing fanfiction before I knew there was a word for it. No, I never posted it and no, it will never ever see the light of day, and nor should it ever!

Quick lightning round! Tell us:

• The first book you ever remember reading: Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schreiber
• The one that made you want to become an author: Sarah Dessen’s books in general
• The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Currently, “When She Loves” by Gabrielle Sands

Your latest novel, Second First Dates, is out July 28^th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

I only need three: idiots in love.

What can readers expect?

Readers can expect an awkward meet-cute, meet-again when Leti and Julian match on a dating app and agree to go out only to realize halfway through that they’ve already been on this date before—and it’s going about as well as it did the first time four years ago, which is to say, not great.

Despite how much Leti might want to, they can’t seem to get rid of each other afterwards. Not only do they work at the same school and live in the same apartment building, but it turns out Julian’s roommate is Leti’s younger brother. When Julian witnesses another one of Leti’s terrible first dates he offers to help take over her dating apps, but lines are blurred and unexpected feelings grow as they become closer and closer. If only he wasn’t setting her up with other people…

Where did the inspiration for Second First Dates come from?

The inspiration for this book came from an episode of How I Met Your Mother (Season 5 Episode 3: Double Date) in which Ted is set up with a woman he went on a first date with seven years prior, only neither of them remembers it when they go out on another “first” date.

HIMYM has been a comfort show of mine for over a decade. For as long as I can remember I’ve always romanticized this episode in particular, perhaps because there’s something intriguing about the way Ted plays out the what-ifs. What if he’d called her after their original first date? Would they still be together now, seven years later? The life lesson at the end is that it’s always better to hold out for the person who loves your weird little quirks rather than just tolerates them, which is ultimately what made these two characters incompatible.

But I’ve always thought this would make an amazing premise for a romcom movie or romance book, and I couldn’t stop thinking about the idea that maybe you’ve already crossed paths with the person you’re meant to be with. Maybe even someone you wrote off within an hour of meeting, and never looked back. That’s how Leti came to be and how she views Julian the first time they meet. I think there’s something fated about the universe pulling a few strings to force your path to cross with the same person in the same exact way for a second time, and I loved digging into Leti’s perspective as she slowly changes her mind about Julian and starts to view him differently.

Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?

I really enjoyed writing the banter and overall dynamic between Leti and Julian. I’m a big fan of two people with opposite personalities getting together in romance, and it was really fun to get to explore that dynamic for myself in this book.

I’d also say their first kiss was a really fun scene to write, and possibly one of my favorite moments from the whole book. Not to keep making this about HIMYM, but I think there’s something really delicious, nerve wracking, and sexy about the build up to a first kiss—a “drumroll”, if you will. It can be a really good way to create tension between two characters who know that nothing will be the same after, but fuck it, they can’t resist each other anymore.

Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?

I faced the biggest challenge when I asked myself the worst possible question a writer could ask themselves when they’re 70k words into a draft: would this book work better in dual POV?

The answer was yes, unfortunately. After writing nearly the entire book in single POV, I made the decision to completely tear my book apart in order to add Julian’s point of view in the hopes of making this book better—which it did! But not without a whole lot of editorial consequences, because the butterfly effect is real.

Even though it was a lot of work whipping this book into shape, I still had so much fun implementing this massive change. Drafting from scratch has always been my favorite part of writing, and I got to do a lot of that in Julian’s POV. On the downside, editing is my least favorite part of the process and I had to do a ton of it in Leti’s. Still, I think it made a world of difference compared to the first draft I had of this book and I’m extremely proud of the end result.

What’s next for you?

I can’t say much about my next book since I’m still in the middle of drafting it, but I can tell you that it’s a “roommates with a spicy audio narrator” type of premise.

Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up? Any you’ve read so far this year that you’ve enjoyed?

I’m highly anticipating Mutal Discord by Liana De La Rosa, which comes out August 18^th! It sounds deliciously messy and just like something I’m going to eat up immediately.

Will you be picking up Second First Dates? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Gabriella Gamez, Author of ‘Second First Dates appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

About Every Version of You: For fans of The Love of My Afterlife and The Seven Year Slip, Reese’s Book Club LitUp Fellow Natalie Messier’s heartfelt contemporary romance debut follows a woman who gets a second chance at a formative time in her adult life—this time to win the “one that got away.” Releases on July 7th 2026. 

Like many women (most women, perhaps?) I’ve expended a lot of energy trying to make myself as likeable as I can, whittling myself down into the most palatable version of myself. So when I encounter a story where the main character simply hasn’t bothered to do the same, I’m intrigued. As a woman, there’s a million ways to do things wrong and seemingly no way to do things right, so it’s refreshing to see a woman who refuses to play the game.

Or, perhaps, she plays the game wrong. She makes a mess. She works so hard to be likeable that in her attempts, she loops back around and becomes insufferable. She tries to do the right thing, only to make everything worse. Women who care too much what people think, or women who don’t care at all—give me all the messy women. Without further ado, please find some of my favorite messy female leads in books, movies, and TV shows.

Buffy and Faith in Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Nothing says messy quite like a vampire slayer falling for a vampire—and Buffy does it twice! To be fair, some mess is to be expected—is earned, even—when you have the weight of the world on your shoulders. But when I say I love messy women, I mean messy, so I’d be remiss not to mention my favorite Buffy character: Faith. Even though Buffy errs on occasion, she always tries to follow the right path and do good. Faith messes up way more, on a bigger scale, and she does so unrepentantly. She looks out for herself, and though she comes back around, she ends up on the side of evil—lured there by a father figure who preyed on all her insecurities and desire for familial love. And you know what, I loved her through it all.

Evangeline Jenner in Devil in Winter

It’s undeniable that Lisa Kleypas writes some of the best MMCs in romance—and her heroines are just as compelling, entertaining, and easy to root for! I have a particular soft spot for all of the ladies in her Wallflowers series. Each one messy in their own way, it was hard to pick who to include on this list. From Lillian’s bold and brash demeanor, to Daisy’s fanciful imagination. I love Annabelle and the way she determinedly schemes to catch a husband—but I’d argue that Evie is the messiest. I mean, propositioning a marriage of convenience to the man who kidnapped one of your closest friends…I never would have guessed Evie would have it in her earlier in the series, and that to me makes her one of the historical queens of mess.

Eleanor Shellstrop in The Good Place

I’ll just say it: I don’t think I’ve ever seen a fictional character who loves shrimp as much as Eleanor Shellstrop. I don’t know why I think that adds a tally in her “mess” column, but it does. I won’t ever forget how hard I laughed the first time I saw the pilot episode when Eleanor tells Chidi she doesn’t belong in the Good Place. In life, Eleanor was selfish, callous, and uncaring—but in death, she gets a second chance. Does she nail this second chance right off the bat? She wouldn’t be messy if she did. But Eleanor, like many women on this list, embodies what is to me one of the most important things about messy women—they deserve love too.

Solange Pereira in The Wedding Crasher

I’m a huge fan of Mia Sosa. Her FMCs are strong, sassy, and thoroughly entertaining. Solange in The Wedding Crasher is a perfect example of the fact that sometimes, mess can come well-intentioned. Was she right to crash Dean’s wedding? Absolutely, but that doesn’t make it not messy. Not that I minded, since it led to one of my favorite, messiest tropes—fake dating. I eat it up every time.

Isabel Conklin in The Summer I Turned Pretty

Falling for two brothers is peak messiness as far as romance FMCs go (special shout-out to Percy in Every Summer After for doing the same!), but Belly is such a lovable character. She’s coming of age, she’s torn between two boys who both give mixed signals and have histories with her. And you know what, everything that happened in these books and show was messy of Conrad and Jeremiah too, so I for the record am Team Belly all the way.

Nicole Speyer in The Best Worst Thing

I’m almost hesitant to call Nicole in The Best Worst Thing messy because everything she does is completely justified. Showing up unannounced on the doorstep of her former coworker who she had a will-they-won’t-they thing going on with years ago? Well, why not, considering she walked in on her husband sleeping with their dog walker. Nicole’s story and romance with Logan is undeniably messy, but she does the best with the circumstances she’s given. Still, she’s so undeniably human, and I think she’s earned her place on this list.

Julie in The Worst Person in the World

Julie might be the messiest woman on this list. She’s lost, listless, struggling in her career and in her romantic life. The other day, my partner asked if I remembered the scene where she and Eivind really want to cheat on their partners but are determined not to, so they push the boundaries of what “cheating” is. And you know what, personally, I think they cross that line pretty early on! But watch it and decide for yourself. Regardless, I found Julie easy to root for and empathize with in all her missteps.

June Wood in It’s Different This Time

Joss Richard’s debut was one of my favorite books I read last year. June Wood is my girl. It’s so relatable how she gets in her own way with her avoidant tendencies. She waits for the other shoe to drop, scared that Adam is too good to be true, and haven’t we all been there? But all of June’s insecurities and fears only makes it all the more satisfying when she finally accepts that good things can happen to her and gets her HEA.

Issa Dee in Insecure

Issa in Insecure is a very real kind of messy. Her mess is often driven by her awkwardness and the fact that she’s a young woman in her twenties, trying to find her way in life. Issa can be an unreliable and selfish friend at times, but who among us hasn’t hurt a few people while in crisis? She doesn’t always know what she wants, and she missteps in her pursuit to figure out what it is. Personally, I don’t know what’s more relatable than that.

Angela Gutierrez in Kiss Me, Maybe

You want to talk about messy? Creating a scavenger hunt on TikTok where the winner earns your first kiss. That’s pretty messy—and it’s exactly what Angela does in Gabriella Gamez’s sophomore novel after she goes viral from posting a video about being ace and a late bloomer. Luckily, she needs help pulling off the event. Enter Krystal, the hot bartender Angela’s had a crush on for years. Krystal isn’t ready for romance yet, and Angela is in the process of figuring herself out. It’s swoony, it’s romantic, and yes, it’s a bit messy.

Tashi Donaldson in Challengers

Love triangles are messy by nature, and a love triangle that spans 13 years like the one at the center of Challengers is all the more so. To be fair, everyone in this movie is a bit unhinged—but this is a list of messy women, so forget the guys for a second. Tashi shows that mess can be calculated. It can be intentional. Tashi is such a puppet master in this movie—but everything she does is messy, it’s fantastic to watch. From kissing both men as teenagers and telling them she’ll give her number to the winner of the next day’s tennis match, to everything she does before their match as adults, Tashi knows she has the guys wrapped around her finger, and she utilizes her power to its most chaotic degree.

Fleabag in Fleabag

A list of messy women wouldn’t be complete without Fleabag. She basically rewrote the book. In terms of influential characters, she’s top of the list when it comes to what I write. Every move she makes is questionable, yet thoroughly entertaining and empathetic. Season 2 of Fleabag might be one of the best seasons of television ever written—Hot Priest, anyone?—and so much of it is because of the growth we get to see her go through.

A Few More Messy FMCs Releasing in 2026

If you’re a fan of the aforementioned messy women, there are several books releasing in 2026 whose FMCs should be on your radar!

First up is Kaia Harper in Adrienne Thurman’s Don’t Tell Me How It Ends (out now). Kaia is a floundering twenty-something who has sworn off romance—only to be roped into her meddling sister’s matchmaking business. When Kaia begins falling for Ro, she pushes him away because it’s what’s familiar to her.

Next, Violet Lumani’s Not Good Neighbors (out now) is about Penny Huff, who is so irritated about the tragically thin wall between her apartment and her neighbor’s that she attempts to soundproof it…only to literally blow a hole in it, trapping the two in each other’s spaces.

Commitment-phobic Norah Gold in Rachel Pologe’s Now That We Don’t Talk (out 10/20) is a certified bolter who avoids emotional situations at all costs. So when she returns home for the holidays, her goal is to avoid Henry Cole, the boy who broke her heart back in high school. Easier said than done, since she discovers that their mothers are dating.

Alix Kelinda’s The Christmas Curse (out 10/20) is about Devra, a Christmas-hating recluse convinced her family is cursed due to the catastrophes that have tormented them every December for the past 30 years. So of course, when holiday-obsessed Bradley moves in next door, she’s certain he’s been sent by the curse.

A young adult romance to check out is Angelica Cheng’s The Fast Track (out 8/4) about a 17-year-old up-and-coming young driver Justine Kwong, who is trying to make it to F1 and falls for her biggest rival on-track.

Lastly, Harper Kinsley’s Spikes, Dice and Other Variables (out 9/15) centers on high schooler Riley McMahon, who struggles to keep her grades up and pretends to know how to play D&D to get her love interest to like her enough to tutor her. Sounds like teenage messiness at its finest!

The post Natalie Messier’s Favorite Messy Female Leads appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Intrigued? Well read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from Gabriella Gamez’s Kiss Me, Maybe, which is out May 6th 2025.

Librarian Angela Gutierrez has never been kissed. But after posting a video about her late bloomer status and ace identity, she’s finally ready to get some firsts out of the way. Using her new influencer status to come up with a scavenger hunt idea in which the winner earns her first kiss, Angela realizes she may need some help to pull off the event.

Enter Krystal Ramirez, hot bartender and Angela’s unrequited crush of five years. Despite vowing that romantic love isn’t for her, Krystal seems awfully determined to help Angela pull off the scavenger hunt and find true love.

There’s just one problem: the connection between Angela and Krystal is getting stronger and stronger the more they hang out, until Angela isn’t sure she wants to go through with the scavenger hunt after all. But Krystal is convinced that she isn’t capable of love and before long, Angela realizes she’s falling head over heels for a woman who may never love her back.

Chapter One

The last time I went viral on TikTok was from an accidental thirst trap. This time, it’s so much worse.

By no means am I an influencer or anything of the sort, so you can imagine my surprise when a lip-syncing video of me in my pajamas did numbers—especially when it was the first video of mine to ever do so. Perhaps it was the consequence of using a trending sound coupled with the fact that my sleep tank was apparently tight enough to inspire the imagination and ultimately caused thousands of strangers online to have the sort of reaction only someone like me couldn’t understand. At least, that’s what I’ve gathered from the more indecent parts of my comment section.

I may be asexual but I’m not a prude. I’m familiar with sex, even if only in the abstract sense. When I look back at that video, I don’t see the sexualized woman they see. I could understand how people found me cute or pretty or sexy, but what I couldn’t understand was the number of men incapable of keeping their disgusting imaginations to themselves. Most of all, I couldn’t understand why their overblown sex drives were now my problem.

Even my boss thought it was my problem, according to the lecture she gave me last week.

“What’s so inappropriate about it?” I was this close to crying in Erika’s office, and maybe I would’ve been if she and Marcela hadn’t made it clear from the beginning of the meeting that I was in no danger of losing my job. “It’s a lip-syncing video for god’s sake. I’m barely dancing, and you can only see the upper half of my body. Sorry if I didn’t know my flat boobs were so boner-inducing.”

There was a long, awkward pause where Erika cleared her throat and Marcela’s stunned expression quickly morphed into a stern look I rarely see from my best friend. That’s when it dawned on me that I’d actually used the phrase “boner-inducing” in front of my boss. If I wasn’t in danger of losing my job, well, at least I could prove that the day was still young.

“I don’t think your, um, chest is the problem,” Marcela said, pulling up the video on her phone. And thus began a worthy contender for most humiliating moment of my life: my best friend and boss explaining detail by detail what strangers on the internet found so titillating about a video that should’ve stayed in the drafts. “It’s everything in concert together. Scantily covered, conventionally attractive woman on the internet pretty much does it for every lowlife, cis straight man. The hip roll might’ve been the final nail in the coffin.”

It was on the tip of my tongue to argue the “scantily covered” bit of her description, but I knew it wouldn’t do me any good. I’m flat enough to wear most shirts without a bra, have no cleavage to speak of, and the black tank top I was wearing in the video is thick enough to hide my nipples in even the coldest temperatures, but none of that ultimately matters when your workplace’s reputation is on the line. As much as it sucked, what’s considered “appropriate” wasn’t up to me.

“The hip roll certainly wasn’t great, but it’s the strap falling off your left shoulder that got me a call from a board member.” Erika broke eye contact in favor of staring down at the keyboard on her desk, her discomfort a physical tension in the air I could feel. “I’m very sorry, Angela, but regardless of whether or not you see how this video looks, it has to come down.”

It’s not that I was angry about having to delete the video. If anything, it was a relief to not be bombarded by sexually explicit comments and messages from men that I neither asked for nor wanted, even if that meant giving up the largely positive reception from people who hadn’t sexualized me at all.

But if I’m being honest with myself, I was a little disappointed. While the attention from men was unwelcome, and even creepy at times, the attention from queer women had been…unexpected. While their numbers weren’t nearly as overwhelming compared to the men’s, they still came in at a steady pace.

At first, it was hard to discern whether the wows and fire emojis and “looking respectfully” comments were purely innocent praise, or something deeper, but a closer look into those accounts told me I was, in fact, also desired by the sapphic community.

And I didn’t mind one bit.

“It’s a shame you had to take down the video,” Marcela had told me after the meeting, during our lunch break. In the Whataburger parking lot, she didn’t have the awkward job of talking to me as an authority figure. “Otherwise, you could’ve moderated the comment section and capitalized on the moment.”

“Asexual thirst trapper does have a paradoxical sort of ring to it.” I tapped my chin, pretending to think. “It might have been a nice side hustle. How much money do you think I could’ve made?”

“Don’t even go there.” She threw a fry in my lap. “Erika will have a heart attack if you put her through this a second time, and then we’ll get stuck with a micromanaging branch manager who’ll move our desks apart.”

“As if that’ll stop us from yapping.” I smirked at her, picking up the fry and popping it into my mouth. “Is it bad that I kind of loved the attention? Not from the ones who took it too far, but…” I sighed. “I don’t know. I hate dating apps, but how else am I supposed to find women to date? That video was the closest thing I’ve ever had to a dating pool.”

A few of them had even slid into my DMs with compliments that turned to friendly conversation. Even if it was through small talk, it was a relief to finally tell people other than my parents or Marcela I was an asexual lesbian, maybe even more so than coming out the first time. Maybe because I’d reached another first: I was being welcomed into the community I belonged to, and perhaps even on track to building my own.

“You’ve never been on a dating app.” Marcela rolled her eyes at me.

“Correction: I hate the idea of dating apps.”

“What about a lesbian bar?” Marcela asked. “I can help research if there any in town that are good.”

“As if we’ll go anywhere that isn’t Havana Bar,” I huffed, ignoring the knowing look she gave me. We both knew why I wouldn’t go anywhere else, and it was all thanks to the beautiful, bisexual bartender I can never seem to get out of my head.

“Krystal could probably give us some good options,” Marcela pointed out. “If you stopped pining over each other for longer than ten minutes, I mean.”

“We do not pine.” She doesn’t, at least. Me? Pining is all I know how to do when it comes to Krystal Ramirez.

“You could always try asking her out,” Marcela suggested, and not for the first time. “You never know. She might say yes.”

“Too real.” I shook my head, and she sighed. “I’m not ready to be rejected in person, especially not without options, which brings me back to the dating pool.”

“You’ve shot my suggestions down and it’s not like you can date a TikTok comment section that doesn’t exist anymore, so I’m all ears,” she said. “What’s your plan?”

I didn’t have one, but I was starting to.

When I got home, I didn’t really think about what I was doing, only that I was overcome with the need to do something. I hadn’t planned on making a follow-up to the video I’d deleted, but I wasn’t content to leave it at that, either.

Which brings me to now, in the aftermath of hitting Post for a second time without thinking it through. I played the video back, watching the number of views climb with a lump in my throat.

The post Read An Excerpt From ‘Kiss Me, Maybe’ by Gabriella Gamez appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Releasing July 9th 2024, The Next Best Fling sees two broken hearts decide that the best way to get over their first loves is with a no-strings-attached relationship in this spicy and charming debut romance.

The book community can moan and groan about love triangles all they want—I’ll be on the couch with my Kindle and a snack because I eat it up every single time. Whether it’s time to move on from an unrequited love, exes who stick around to wreak havoc when someone new enters the chat, a main character torn between two siblings, or even a love square, there’s something so captivating to me about these complicated dynamics of the heart.

Love’s a mess, and sometimes we’re not sure what we want until we navigate our way through it. I had a blast exploring the messier dynamics in The Next Best Fling, and it’s one of my favorite aspects to read in romance books.

Here are some messy romances that had my eyes glued to the page, and if quite a few of these also involve fake dating? I guess you could say I have a type.

Complicated Exes

Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date by Ashley Herring Blake

After a (failed) one night stand with an unlucky in love romance author leads Stevie’s friend group, including her ex who’s now dating within said friend group, to believe she’s finally moving on, Stevie will have to fake date the woman to save face. Luckily, Iris is in desperate need of inspiration for her next book, and what better way to beat her writers block than living out a beloved romance trope?

The Bright Falls series explores the joys and complexities of queer friendships in beautiful and fascinating ways. Stevie is put in an awkward position, but it’s made even worse when her ex’s jealousy comes out once Stevie and Iris start fake dating. I loved the way Iris helped Stevie through her anxiety, and it was so satisfying to watch Stevie break down Iris’s walls and convince her she’s worthy of love. And while the series overall is fever hot, this book is the hottest by far.

Only For The Week by Natasha Bishop

Janelle is completely over her ex. Is it a little weird that he’s now engaged to her sister? Completely, but she’s always known he was wrong for her on some level, despite all the pitying glances she now gets from her friend group. When her ex’s best friend and best man, Rome, joins everyone for the destination wedding, they can’t deny their attraction to each other. After all, he’s always had a thing for Janelle even when she was with his best friend. Their friends might think the worst of Janelle if they knew what was going on between her and Rome, but their fling will last only for the week leading up to the wedding, so it’s no problem…right?

Rome is the book boyfriend we all deserve. Renting a yacht all because Janelle’s one wish for the wedding getaway was to read in peace by the water? The definition of if he wanted to, he would. He stands firmly beside Janelle as she discovers the true reason her sister has become so cold with her recently as the wedding date creeps closer and closer.

Brothers

My American Duchess by Eloisa James

Merry Pelford is infamous in English society for jilting two fiancés, which is why she intends to make it down the aisle with her third come hell or high water. Enter the aforementioned hell and highwater: The Duke of Trent, AKA her current fiancé’s older brother, who has his eye set on Merry after a chance encounter leaves him wanting more. But the consequences of their attraction might be even greater than they both realize…

Something I love about historical romances is that they’re always going to have the most delightfully unhinged plotlines. There is a point in this book where I audibly gasped, shouted “no way” and paced the length of my bedroom. Just when you think this book is going one direction, the rug gets pulled out from underneath you. Just trust me on this one, Eloisa James is a staple in hist-rom for a reason.

The Earl Takes All by Lorraine Heath

Edward has always held a torch for his twin brother’s wife, Julia. But when an expedition abroad goes terribly wrong, his brother’s dying wish is for Edward to take his place as the Earl of Greyling until Julia delivers her baby safely to term. As Edward is pretending to be the Earl and falling for his brother’s wife more and more every day, he knows he can’t keep up the ruse for much longer. But the deception may be too great for Julia to ever look past, no matter how conflicted her heart.

Speaking of unhinged plots? Lorraine Heath hasn’t met a line she’s not willing to cross for the sake of a really good romance. Not everyone will be able to get behind Edward’s actions, but this book was so expertly crafted that I could not put this book down until the conflict was resolved and he and Julia had their well-deserved HEA.  

The Worst Best Man by Mia Sosa

What’s more humiliating than being left at the altar? Being a wedding planner and a jilted bride at the same time. So when Lina receives an opportunity to change the downward trajectory of her career, she’ll do anything for the chance to prove herself. Even if it means collaborating with Max, her ex fiancé’s brother, the man who encouraged him to leave her at the altar…

Packed with Mia Sosa’s sparkling brand of humor and hijinks, this is the perfect set up for an incredible forced-proximity, enemies-to-lovers rom-com that explores Lina’s long-held grudge as she begins to thaw and Max’s rocky sibling relationship as he reckons with the fact that he’s falling for his brother’s ex fiancé.

Unrequited Love

Say You’ll Be Mine by Naina Kumar

After Meghna’s best friend, writing partner, and object of her affection gets engaged, she knows it’s time for her to move on. After agreeing to let her parents introduce her to a potential match, she meets Karthik, who isn’t interested in forming anything real but is looking for a way to get out of his mom’s matchmaking schemes. Maybe fake dating someone else will make Meghna forget all about her crush and get Karthik’s mom off his back. That is, if they don’t accidentally fall for each other in the process.

A delightful twist on My Best Friend’s Wedding—Meghna and Karthik’s banter and sizzling chemistry won me over immediately. It was so lovely to watch Karthik convince Meghna that she deserves so much more for herself than the scraps she receives from her best friend/unrequited love.

The Romantic Agenda by Claire Kann

Joy has secretly been in love with her best friend, Malcolm, for forever, but when he announces that he’s found the love of his life, she’s crushed. Even worse, he wants Joy to go on a weekend getaway with his newfound love and a man named Fox, who has a complicated relationship with Malcolm’s girlfriend. After forming a tentative bond, Fox proposes they pretend to have a fling to get make Malcolm jealous, but surprise themselves when they realize they might actually be right for each other.

Joy knows her approach to relationships is different from others because of her asexual identity, which is partly why she clings to the idea of Malcolm because of their shared experiences and years of friendship. But it isn’t until she meets Fox that she realizes she’s been doing herself a disservice by holding herself back from other opportunities for love. The complicated dynamics between these four characters are explored with humor and self-reflection, and it was incredibly beautiful how the resolution between everyone was handled with so much care.

The post Gabriella Gamez’s Favourite Messy Romance Books appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

As we approach the halfway mark of 2024, it’s time to start looking ahead to the phenomenal new books that will be hitting shelves over the rest of the year!

We’ve put together a small sample of anticipated releases that you should keep an eye out for with new books from the likes of Rainbow Rowell, Stephen Graham Jones, Casey McQuiston, Ransom Riggs, Jodi Picoult, Sally Rooney, Richard Osman, Sabaa Tahir, Courtney Gould, Darby Kane, and so many more, plus even some debuts you should definitely have on your radar!

Read on to discover just a few of our picks and keep an eye out for when we round up further upcoming releases for the YA, Fantasy & Sci-Fi, Romance, Fiction, and Middle Grade genres.

Let us know in the comments below if you’re looking forward to any of them or if you have other recommendations!

JULY 2024

The Grandest Game by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

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Get ready for a new series that brings readers deeper into the lush, romantic, and puzzle-filled world of the #1 bestselling Inheritance Games series (over 3 million copies sold!), set a year after we last saw Avery and the Hawthornes.

Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell

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From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Eleanor & Park and Attachments comes Slow Dance—a bright, beaming power ballad of a novel about a love so true it refuses to be forgotten.

It’s Elementary by Elise Bryant

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A fast-paced, completely delightful new mystery about what happens when parents get a little too involved in their kids’ schools, from NAACP Image Award nominee Elise Bryant.

The Seventh Veil of Salome by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

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A young woman wins the role of a lifetime in a film about a legendary heroine — but the real drama is behind the scenes in this sumptuous historical epic from the author of Mexican Gothic.

The Haters by Robyn Harding

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The bestselling author of The Party and The Drowning Woman returns with a twisted tale of fame, obsession, and the dark recesses of social media.

The Blackbird Oracle by Deborah Harkness

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Diana Bishop journeys to the darkest places within herself—and her family history—in the highly anticipated fifth novel of the beloved #1 New York Times bestselling All Souls series.

The Wedding People by Alison Espach

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A propulsive and uncommonly wise novel about one unexpected wedding guest and the surprising people who help her start anew.

The Next Best Fling by Gabriella Gamez

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Two broken hearts decide that the best way to get over their first loves is with a no-strings-attached relationship in this spicy and charming debut romance.

Our Wicked Histories by Amy Goldsmith

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A teen girl’s attempt to make amends with her former friend group takes a sinister turn during a weekend getaway at an ancestral Irish estate in this atmospheric, literary horror from the author of Those We Drown.

The Night Ends With Fire by K. X. Song

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Infused with magic and romance, this sweeping fantasy adventure inspired by the legend of Mulan follows a young woman determined to choose her own destiny—even if that means going against everyone she loves.

The Hollywood Assistant by May Cobb

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Offered a dream job in Hollywood with a famous director and his actress wife, an insecure woman becomes their personal assistant where their secrets and lies place her in the crosshairs of a murder investigation.

I Was a Teenage Slasher by Stephen Graham Jones

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From New York Times bestselling horror writer Stephen Graham Jones comes a classic slasher story with a twist—perfect for fans of Riley Sager and Grady Hendrix.

AUGUST 2024

The Pairing by Casey McQuiston

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In #1 New York Times bestselling author Casey McQuiston’s latest romantic comedy, two bisexual exes accidentally book the same European food and wine tour and challenge each other to a hookup competition to prove they’re over each other—except they’re definitely not.

You Will Never Be Me by Jesse Q. Sutanto

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When cracks start forming in an influencer’s curated life, she finds out that jealousy is just as viral as a video in this riveting suspense novel by bestselling author Jesse Q. Sutanto.

Death at Morning House by Maureen Johnson

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From the bestselling author of the Truly Devious books, Maureen Johnson, comes a new stand-alone YA about a teen who uncovers a mystery while working as a tour guide on an island and must solve it before history repeats itself.

Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend by MJ Wassmer

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White Lotus meets Kevin Wilson in this whip-smart social satire about a man who finds himself trapped on an island resort after the sun literally explodes, and suddenly must choose whether to save himself from the chaos, or help fellow guests make it off the island alive…

Four Weekends and a Funeral by Ellie Palmer

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A tender, laugh-out-loud debut romance about a woman who ends up in over her head after a little white lie . . .

Society of Lies by Lauren Ling Brown

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When a young woman is found dead on her college campus, her sister doesn’t believe it was an accident—and her search for answers leads her closer to home than she ever would have imagined in this thrilling debut novel from an exciting new talent.

The Girl With No Reflection by Keshe Chow

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A young woman chosen as the crown prince’s bride must travel to the royal palace to meet her new husband—but her world is shaken when she discovers the dark truth the royal family has been hiding for centuries—in this lush fantasy debut perfect for fans of Song of Silver, Flame Like Night and Violet Made of Thorns.

Lady Macbeth by Ava Reid

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From #1 New York Times bestselling author Ava Reid comes a reimagining of Lady Macbeth, Shakespeare’s most famous villainess, giving her a voice, a past, and a power that transforms the story men have written for her.

A Werewolf’s Guide to Seducing a Vampire by Sarah Hawley

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Ben Rosewood never meant to be bound to a vampire succubus, especially one as sexy-yet-terrifying as Eleanora Bettencourt-Devereux, but he has to admit there are some fang-tastic perks….

The Volcano Daughters by Gina María Balibrera

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A saucy, searingly original debut about two sisters raised in the shadow of El Salvador’s brutal dictator, El Gran Pendejo, and their flight from genocide, which takes them from Hollywood to Paris to cannery row, each followed by a chorus of furies, the ghosts of their murdered friends, who aren’t yet done telling their stories.

Sunderworld, Vol. I: The Extraordinary Disappointments of Leopold Berry by Ransom Riggs

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Visionary storyteller Ransom Riggs weaves the familiar with the peculiar in a stunning loss, triumph, friendship and magic, reminding readers everywhere that true heroes are made, not born—and that when you’re never the chosen one, sometimes you have to choose yourself. 

By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult

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From the New York Times bestselling co-author of Mad Honey comes an “inspiring” (Elle) novel about two women, centuries apart—one of whom is the real author of Shakespeare’s plays—who are both forced to hide behind another name.

SEPTEMBER 2024

A Dark and Drowning Tide by Allison Saft

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A sharp-tongued folklorist must pair up with her academic rival to solve their mentor’s murder in this lush and enthralling sapphic fantasy romance from the New York Times bestselling author of A Far Wilder Magic.

Intermezzo by Sally Rooney

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For two grieving brothers and the people they love, this is a new interlude―a period of desire, despair, and possibility; a chance to find out how much one life might hold inside itself without breaking.

An Academy for Liars by Alexis Henderson

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A student will find that the hardest lessons sometimes come from outside the classroom in this stunning dark academia novel from the acclaimed author of The Year of the Witching and House of Hunger.

Us in Ruins by Rachel Moore

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With a blend of humour, magic, and love, Rachel Moore crafts another stand-alone adventure rom-com full of double- and triple-crosses, hilarious shenanigans, and frustration-fuelled banter, where the best treasure is true love.

We Solve Murders by Richard Osman

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Combining the heart and humour of The Thursday Murder Club with a puzzling international mystery, welcome to the blockbusting new series from the biggest new fiction author of the decade, Richard Osman.

The Hitchcock Hotel by Stephanie Wrobel

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A Hitchcock fanatic with an agenda invites old friends for a weekend stay at his secluded themed hotel in this fiendishly clever, suspenseful new novel from the international bestselling author of Darling Rose Gold.

Immortal Dark by Tigest Girma

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The Cruel Prince meets Ninth House in this dangerously romantic dark academia fantasy, where a lost heiress must infiltrate an arcane society and live with the vampire she suspects killed her family and kidnapped her sister.

The Third Gilmore Girl by Kelly Bishop

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A candid and captivating memoir from award-winning and beloved actress Kelly Bishop, spanning her six decades in show business from Broadway to Hollywood with A Chorus Line, Dirty Dancing, Gilmore Girls, and much more.

The Lovers by Rebekah Faubion

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A second chance at love is in the cards for two women working a stylish California wedding in this charming debut romance.

Somewhere Beyond the Sea by T.J. Klune

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Somewhere Beyond the Sea is a story of resistance, lovingly told, about the daunting experience of fighting for the life you want to live and doing the work to keep it.

The Life Impossible by Matt Haig

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Filled with wonder and wild adventure, this is a story of hope and the life-changing power of a new beginning.

How to Hide in Plain Sight by Emma Noyes

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The unbreakable bonds of family and love are explored in this brilliant and tender story from the author of Guy’s Girl.

OCTOBER 2024

The Puzzle Box by Danielle Trussoni

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Two sisters. A lost imperial treasure. The world’s greatest puzzle master has twenty-four hours to solve the most dangerous mystery of his life . . . or die trying.

This Cursed House by Del Sandeen

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In this Southern gothic horror debut, a young Black woman abandons her life in 1960s Chicago for a position with a mysterious family in New Orleans, only to discover the dark truth. They’re under a curse, and they think she can break it.

The Nightmare Before Kissmas by Sara Raasch

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Red, White & Royal Blue meets The Nightmare Before Christmas in a sexy, quirky rom-com where the golden-hearted Prince of Christmas falls for the totally off-limits Prince of Halloween.

Heir by Sabaa Tahir

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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.

Swordcrossed by Freya Marske

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The cozy, low stakes of Legends & Lattes meets the scorching bodyguard fantasy of Jennifer L. Armentrout’s From Blood and Ash in this enemies-to-lovers romance where, yes, the swords do cross.

Throne of Secrets by Kerri Maniscalco

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Two rivals torn apart by a dark memory reunite on a deadly hunt—and in an irresistibly twisted fairy tale—in the next steamy standalone fantasy romance from New York Times bestselling sensation Kerri Maniscalco.

Don’t Let the Forest In by C.G. Drews

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As alluring as it is unsettling, award-winning author CG Drews’ debut YA psychological horror will leave readers breathless and hesitant to venture deeper into the woods.

The Last One at the Wedding by Jason Rekulak

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From the bestselling author of Hidden Pictures comes a breathtaking work of suspense about a father trying to save his daughter from a life-altering decision that will put everything he loves on the line.

Fledgling: The Keeper’s Records of Revolution by S. K. Ali

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The first book in a gripping duology from acclaimed author S.K. Ali introduces a fractured world on the brink of either enlightenment or war.

A Dark and Secret Magic by Wallis Kinney

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A warm, spellbinding tale about a witch and the secrets her coven has been keeping from her, with echoes of the classic Hades and Persephone story, in the tradition of Practical Magic and Witch of Wild Things.

I’ll Be Waiting by Kelley Armstrong

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From New York Times Bestselling author Kelley Armstrong comes a spellbinding new tale of supernatural horror involving a haunted-house, seances, lost loved ones, and a sinister spirit out for blood…

The Book of Witching by CJ Cooke

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A mother must fight for her daughter’s life in this fierce and haunting tale of witchcraft and revenge from the author of A Haunting in the Arctic.

NOVEMBER 2024

The Author’s Guide To Murder by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White

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Agatha Christie meets Murder, She Wrote in this witty locked room mystery and literary satire by New York Times bestselling team of novelists: Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White.

Where the Library Hides by Isabel Ibañez

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Where the Library Hides is Isabel Ibañez’s stunning conclusion to the story that started in What the River Knows. A lush immersive historical fantasy set in Egypt filled with adventure, and a rivals-to-lovers romance like no other!

Games Untold By Jennifer Lynn Barnes

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Romance, luxury, and secrets abound in this thrilling new collection that takes readers deeper into the world of the #1 bestselling Inheritance Games series.

Is She Really Going Out with Him? by Sophie Cousens

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From the New York Times bestselling author of This Time Next Year, a hilarious love story about a disillusioned divorcée who agrees to let her children play matchmaker.

Pony Confidential by Christina Lynch

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In this one-of-a-kind mystery with heart and humour, a hilariously grumpy pony must save the only human he’s ever loved after discovering she stands accused of a murder he knows she didn’t commit.

The Estate by Sarah Jost

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For fans of The Cloisters and The Cartographers comes a gripping speculative suspense that follows one woman with the ability to enter the dimension of art, who finds herself trapped in a French estate as the pawn in a rich man’s game…

The Jewel of the Isle by Kerry Rea

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Two very indoor people rough it on a remote island after getting swept up in an archaeologist’s hunt for a famed jewel in this dazzling new adventure rom-com by Kerry Rea, author of Lucy on the Wild Side.

I Am the Dark That Answers When You Call by Jamison Shea

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Jamison Shea’s sharp and unflinching voice will bring readers to terrifying new heights in this vicious sequel to the “relentlessly gory and almost euphoric in its embrace of the horrific” (NPR) I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast is Me.

The Empty Place by Olivia A Cole

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A powerful and imaginative story about a girl fighting to find her way back home from a mind-bending land of the lost.

The Courting of Bristol Keats by Mary E. Pearson

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From NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author Mary E. Pearson comes a thrilling romantic fantasy full of dangerous fae, dark secrets, and addictive romance

The Songbird & the Heart of Stone by Carissa Broadbent

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New York Times bestselling author and BookTok sensation Carissa Broadbent returns with a brand new novel in the Crowns of Nyaxia series, Songbird and the Heart of Stone, where A Court of Thorns and Roses meets Dante’s Inferno, in an epic fantasy romance of love and treachery between mortals and gods.

An Insignificant Case by Phillip Margolin

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A new standalone legal thriller from the international bestselling author of GONE, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN.

DECEMBER 2024

A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna

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An enchanting novel about a witch who has a second chance to get her magical powers—and her life—back on track, from the national bestselling author of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches.

What the Wife Knew by Darby Kane

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Darby Kane, author of the #1 international bestseller Pretty Little Wife, returns with another twisty domestic thriller about a wife wondering who tried to kill her husband twice before finally succeeding… because that was supposed to be her job. 

Heavenly Tyrant by Xiran Jay Zhao

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Zetian must balance dangerous politics with a new quest for vengeance in the sequel to the #1 New York Times bestseller Iron Widow, a blend of Chinese history and mecha science fiction.

What the Woods Took by Courtney Gould

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Yellowjackets meets Girl, Interrupted when a group of troubled teens in a wilderness therapy program find themselves stranded in a forest full of monsters eager to take their place.

Alter Ego by Alex Segura

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Alex Segura, LA Times Book Prize–winning author of Secret Identity, returns with a clever and escapist mystery set in the world of comic books. In the present day, a comics legend is given the chance to revive a beloved but forgotten character. But at what price?>

A Monsoon Rising by Thea Guanzon

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Two hearts circle each other in the eye of the storm in this highly-anticipated follow-up to The Hurricane Wars—prepare for more enemies-to-lovers romance, magical adventures, and political schemes in this Southeast Asian-inspired world.

Roland Rogers Isn’t Dead Yet by Samantha Allen

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It’s the gig of a lifetime for this ghostwriter, except there’s a the client, a closeted A-list actor finally ready to come out in his memoir, is an actual ghost.

The Shutouts by Gabrielle Korn

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A brilliant queer dystopian novel from the author of Yours for the Taking, following a cast of characters on the margins of a strange and exclusive new society.

The Close-up by Pip Drysdale

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A struggling author discovers the dark side of fame when a stalker begins reenacting violent events from her thriller in this electrifying and twisty new novel.

A Cruel Thirst by Angela Montoya

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A fledgling vampire and a headstrong vampire huntress must work together–against their better judgment—to rid the world of monsters in this irresistible romantic fantasy.

The Party by Natasha Preston

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Set against the backdrop of a sprawling English estate, Natasha Preston’s latest thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat until the party’s over…

The Peculiar Garden of Harriet Hunt by Chelsea Iversen

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A young woman channels the magic of the lush, fantastical plants that adorn her crumbling estate in The Peculiar Garden of Harriet Hunt, a darkly enchanting novel for fans of The Magician’s Daughter and Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries. ​

What books are you looking forward to releasing in the second half of 2024? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Get Your Hands On These Anticipated July To December 2024 Book Releases appeared first on The Nerd Daily.