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

I have, to use a Churchillian phrase, somewhat of a variegated life. I was born in Las Vegas (which is an interesting story), grew up mostly in Southern California, quit playing football and dropped out of college to live in Hawaii and surf, survived the sixties and seventies, corporate America, and grad school, travelled all over the world, got married, had and have some wonderful kids and now grandchildren. I was one of those kids who crammed four years of college into more than ten, finally getting an MA in Renaissance Literature (as well as an MBA) and now live in Nashville.

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

For me this is a two-part question: writing and stories. I have loved stories, especially highly imaginative stories (I guess all stories are imaginative if not highly imaginative) from my earliest remembrance – old adventure stories, detective stories, mythology – I read all three books of the “The Lord of the Rings,” and “The Hobbit,” almost non-stop if I remember correctly in about a week.  As far as my love for writing, that didn’t happen till later, early in college. and that is more complicated. I rediscover my love and passion for writing every day that my writing is flowing well; it’s one of the greatest feelings in the world. But when I get blocked or when it is not working, it is quite painful. Someone has said, “Writing is easy, all you have to do is sit at your desk and sweat blood.”

Quick lightning round! Tell us:

• The first book you ever remember reading: “Great Expectations.” My mom gave it to me around third grade. I still remember from then the images of an escapee sloshing around dark marshes.
• The one that made you want to become an author: “Lonesome Dove.” Do you know how hard it is to give you only one?
• The one that you can’t stop thinking about: The story I have about an old girlfriend.

Your latest novel, Cupid on the Loose, is out February 4^th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

The mysteries and craziness of infatuation, or is it love. (Sorry, like Disraeli, “I can get inebriated by the exuberance of my own verbosity.” )

What can readers expect?

I hope they are entertained, and I hope to remind them, and thus feel a little how wonderous and wonderful it is to be deeply, crazily in love. And maybe on a deeper level, wonder where these compulsions come from.

Where did the inspiration for Cupid on the Loose come from?

My own experiences and Shakespeare, C.S. Lewis, Dante (among others).

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

Of course, my main would-be lovers, Billy and Kari. I also really enjoyed the story that Curdi, the shepherd, tells Billy and his friends when they arrive at the lodge up in the mountains. The heroine (Kara) and hero (the mysterious, eye-patched stranger) of Curdi’s story I also take much delight in.

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

Yes, trying to capture the exhilaration of being in total infatuation. I remembered a few of mine and prayed a lot.

What’s next for you?

I am working on a big novel, trying to capture and let others experience, what it was like growing up in the late sixties and early seventies. Kind of an “On the Road,” during the hippie generation later.

Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up in 2025?

I am in the middle of rereading Jane Austen – all her novels are love stories and are about coming to a better self-knowledge.

I plan on digging back into Tolstoy. When Hemingway asked what a writer should read, he said, “Anna Karenina,” “Anna Karenina,” “Anna Karenina.”

Will you be picking up Cupids On The Loose? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: John J. Jacobson, Author of ‘Cupid on the Loose’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Read on to discover some of our picks and let us know if you’ll be picking up any!

A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke by Adriana Herrera

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Aurora Montalban, an ambitious doctor breaking societal norms to help women in 19^th century Paris, and Apollo Sinclair Robles, the reluctant Duke willing to risk everything for her.

Celebrity Crush by Christy Swift

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A romance writer’s wildest dreams—the bestseller list, a movie deal, and a date with the real-life inspiration for her Hollywood hero—are all within her grasp if only she can hold it all together.    

Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey

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A steamy chance encounter between a professional hockey player and the manic pixie dream girl he just can’t seem to forget takes a turn when the pair realize that their parents are engaged—in an all-new rom-com by #1 New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey.

I Got Abducted By Aliens and Now I’m Trapped In A Rom-Com by Kimberly Lemming

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A hilarious and sexy romance about a woman who gets dropped on a strange planet only to fall for not one, but two, aliens, from the author of I Got Drunk and Yeeted a Love Potion at a Werewolf.

Get Lost With You by Sophie Sullivan

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A second chance at love, small-town romance that’s all sweet with just a hint of heat from the “queen of sweet romance” (Falon Ballard) Sophie Sullivan.

Big Name Fan by Ruthie Knox and Annie Mare

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When two A-list celebrities famous for their on-screen chemistry as TV detectives (think: sapphic Mulder and Scully, or queer Rizzoli and Isles) are reunited to investigate a real-life Hollywood murder, fans who have been ‘shipping the leading ladies for years might just get the ending they’ve always wanted…

Never Planned On You by Lindsay Hameroff

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A glittering, laugh-out-loud second chance romance that reminds us true love is sometimes the one thing you never planned on.

You Between the Lines by Katie Naymon

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In this “brilliant, poignant love story perfect for fans of Emily Henry,” a former sorority girl starts a prestigious poetry MFA program only to discover that one of her classmates is her high school crush-turned-nemesis—​and he can’t stop writing about her. 

First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison

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A hopeless romantic meets a jaded radio host in this cozy, Sleepless in Seattle–inspired love story from beloved author B.K. Borison.

Love and Other Hollywood Endings by Susannah Erwin

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An upbeat production exec is tasked with reining in the cynical director who was her forbidden college heartbreak in this sparkling, sexy contemporary romance.

The Love Lyric by Kristina Forest

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An R&B singer and a corporate executive find love that hits the right notes in this romance by Kristina Forest, USA Today bestselling author of The Partner Plot.

Change of Heart by Falon Ballard

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From the beloved author of Right on Cue and Lease on Love comes a whimsical new rom-com about a workaholic forced to aim for a goal she never thought she’d love.

Deep End by Ali Hazelwood

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A competitive diver and an ace swimmer jump into forbidden waters in this steamy college romance from the New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis.

Wooing The Witch Queen by Stephanie Burgis

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In a Gaslamp-lit world where hags and ogres lurk in thick pine forests, three magical queens form an uneasy alliance to protect their lands from invasion…and love turns their world upside down.

The Launch Date by Annabelle Slator

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In this witty and fun rom-com debut from Annabelle Slator, rival coworkers become reluctant daters after they’re forced to work together on a brand-new dating app in hopes of winning a promotion—perfect for fans of Sally Thorne’s The Hating Game.

Can’t Help Faking in Love by Swati Hegde

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A young woman with Bollywood roots hires a barista to act as her boyfriend for her cousin’s wedding—only to learn you can’t fake chemistry like theirs—in this desi romance from the author of Match Me If You Can.

On Her Terms by Amy Spalding

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For fans of Casey McQuiston, Alexis Hall, and Meryl Wilsner, an actually hilarious, sweetly sexy, gloriously relatable sapphic rom-com about a fake relationship, very real emotions, and writing your own Hollywood love story – from the acclaimed author of For Her Consideration.

The Charlie Method by Elle Kennedy

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The third in the steamy, hilarious Campus Diaries series by New York Times bestselling author Elle Kennedy, set in the same world as Off Campus and Briar U.

The Girl Most Likely To by Julie Tieu

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A frenemies-to-lovers contemporary romance by Julie Tieu which takes place over the course of one make-or-break evening, almost entirely at a high school reunion….

A Wedding in the Lowcountry by Preslaysa Williams

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Preslaysa Williams, author of the “emotionally stirring debut” A Lowcountry Bride (Oprah Daily), returns to the Lowcountry with a heartwarming friends to lovers story about the courage to fall in love again.

Back After This by Linda Holmes

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From the New York Times bestselling author of Evvie Drake Starts Over and Flying Solo, a podcast producer agrees to host a new series about modern dating—but will the show jeopardize her chance at finding real love?

Break Point by Yahrah St. John

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Falling in love cost Teagan her heart and a pro tennis career. But when her rival returns, they’ve got one last chance for a rematch…if they can keep the game on the court!

Cupid on the Loose by John. J. Jacobson

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From the author of All the Cowboys Ain’t Gone and California Fever comes a romantic comedy about the exuberant intoxication of amore and its often hilarious antics.

Book Boyfriend by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka

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Devoted fangirl meets hesitant fanboy in this swoony contemporary love letter to readers who adore fantasy worlds, from the beloved authors of The Breakup Tour.

What February romance releases are you looking forward to? Tell us in the comments below!

The post 24 Swoonworthy Romance Reads Hitting Bookshelves In February 2025 appeared first on The Nerd Daily.