Jade C. Jamison's Blog

The semi-annual (and probably last) list!

For a while now, I’ve been asking my readers to tell me their favorite rock star romance books–and I’ve shared the results in August 2023, February 2024, August 2024, and February 2025.

Although I’ve been collecting votes and compiling results over the past few years, this may be the last time. It’s a lot of work! And we don’t want it to cut into my writing time!!!

Anyway, here are the most up-to-date reader faves, starting with the books that got the most votes. One thing to note: because it’s my readers I ask, several of my books made the list, so I’m ecstatic…but I promise it hasn’t gone to my head.

BOOKS WITH THE MOST VOTES

In no particular order, here are the reader favorite books (and series) that received the most votes!

CAKE, J. Bengtsson

J. Bengtsson’s Cake series is loved by many readers, starting with book one, Cake: A Love Story, and continues to be a HUGE reader favorite!

The ASHES & EMBERS series, Carian Cole

My readers love all of Carian Cole’s rocker books. Talon is a particular favorite, along with Storm and the standalone No Tomorrow. So if you haven’t read any of her books, you have some recommendations for where to start! This series has been a consistent favorite with every list and gets more and more votes!

The DIRTY Series, Jaine Diamond

Readers love the entire Dirty series, and multiple readers agreed that they adored book number one. This series continually gets votes from my readers.

New to the mix this go round is her Players series (including Hot Mess)!

The BULLET Series, Jade C. Jamison

As I always like to remind folks, keep in mind that these are MY readers who were polled. Because of that, many of them say the entire Bullet series is a favorite (including Feverish), followed by the Tangled Web series and Wilder Love.

The BEAUMONT Series, Heidi McLaughlin

Heidi McLaughlin’s Beaumont Series continues to be a reader favorite and gets more votes every year!

The STAGE DIVE Series, Kylie Scott

Readers loved her entire Stage Dive series, and a couple of readers have said that Deep was a fave! (And Lick is now a movie!)

NEWCOMERS

Although the following books aren’t necessarily new, they are new to this list–so I want to point them out! I’m surprised this is the first time they’re showing up here!

HOW TO SEDUCE A ROCKSTAR, Arabella QuinnJ.R. Gray’s PRETTY BROKEN SeriesKate Stewart’s BITTERSWEET SYMPHONY DuetROCKSTAR DADDY’S SECOND CHANCE, Kelly ThomasL. Ann’s FORGOTTEN LEGACY SeriesS.L. Scott’s CROW BROTHERS SeriesJAG, Stevie J. ColeMORE READER FAVES

Although these books had fewer votes, they are still reader favorites…meaning you might find a new favorite (or two…or three!).

THE WORDS, A. JadeThe ROCK STARS & ROMANCE Series, A.K. EvansThe BLEEDING STARS series, A.L. JacksonFALLING STARS series, A.L. JacksonMYSTIC BEACH FANTASY ROCKSTAR series, Aislinn ArcherOBLIVION series, Alexa PadgettRAIDEN, Ali Lucia SkyNIGHT SHIFTS BLACK, Aly StilesCODA and GIVING CHASE, Amy BookerThe REASON TO RUIN Series and other books by Anna BrooksFALLING DOWN, Anne MercierROCKED, Gillian ArcherSEDUCING DIONYSUS, Aria SkylarThe DARKEST DAYS series, Athena Wright The FERAL SILENCE series, Athena WrightHARD ROCK GAZE, Athena WrightLILAC, B.B. ReidROCK AND ROLL NEVER FORGETS, Barbara S. StewartThe HEART BEATS Series and other books by Breanna LynnBRIX, Brooke O’BrienTHE MIXTAPE, Brittainy CherryThe SOUNDS OF US Series, C.R. JaneLEAVING AMARILLO, Caisey QuinnEverything Cari Quinn and Taryn Elliott, including the ROCK REVENGE trilogy and the LOST IN OBLIVION seriesThe LOVE AND LUSH series, Cherié SummersThe DANGEROUS NOISE series and the SINFUL SERENADE series, Crystal KaswellThe ILLUSION series, D. KellyBLIND ATTRACTION, Eden SummersThe LA ROCK STAR ROMANCE series, Elle GrecoThe ANGEL FIRE series, Ellie MastersThe FOR LOVE AND ROCK series, Emily C. ChildsYOU REALLY GOT ME, Erika KellyThe ALCHEMY MYTH Series, Esme TaylorHEART BREAK HER, Eva SimmonsThe RED & BLACK series, Grace HarperLOVE TO HATE HER and other rocker books by J. SamanDIRTY TEXAS series, JA LowThe DARK FALKON series, J.O. MantelSWEET AS SIN, J.T. GeissingerWILDER LOVE, Jade C. JamisonHOT MESS, Jaine DiamondMAYHEM series, including MAYHEM, Jamie Shaw’s The SIXTH STREET BAND series, Jayne FrostThe LUMINESCENT JULIET series, Jean HausTHE SEASONS CHANGE Series and other books by Julia WolfThe MUSIC CITY LOVERS series, Julie CapuletThe ROAD KINGS Series and other books by Julie KrissAT THIS MOMENT, Karen CimmsROCK HARD series, Kat MizeraINESCAPABLE, Katherine KingThe SOUL SERENADE Series and other books by Kaylee RyanThe LESS THAN ZERO series, Kaylene WinterThe BRIGHT SIDE Series, Kim HoldenROCK CHICK RECKONING, Kristen AshleyAll Kristen Callihan rocker novels, including IDOLAFTER CARE, L.B. DunbarTHE PAINTED DAISIES series, L.J. EvansMIDNIGHT BLUE, L.J. ShenTHE GOLDEN TOUCH, Laura LondonHURLEY BROTHERS series, Lauren DaneThe CARNAGE series, Lesley JonesLOVE’S RHYTHM, Lexxie CouperA LITTLE LIKE DESTINY, the CAPITAL KINGSMEN series, and the MY FAVORITE BAND series, Lisa SuzanneThe LOVE AND CHAOS Series, M.J. SchillerA SINNER’S MEMORY, M.L. BroomeThe BLACK HALO series, Madelynne EllisREFLEX, Madelynne EllisAll Michelle Mankin rocker novels, including the recent ONCE UPON A ROCK STAR series and the TEMPEST seriesThe BLACK FALCON Series, Michelle A. ValentineThe DEVIANT HEARTS duet, N. N. BrittThe ROCK KISS series, Nalini SinghThe SONS OF SIN series, Nola MarieONE NIGHT WITH SOLE REGRET Series, Olivia CunningBACKSTAGE PASS, Olivia Cunning, and her entire SINNERS ON TOUR seriesThe BLOOD AND BONE series, Paula DombrowiakWICKED series, Piper LawsonThe RANSOM Series, Rachel SchurigThe THOUGHTLESS series, S.C. StephensTHE SHAUGHNESSY BROTHERS series, Samantha ChaseTHE ACCIDENTALS, Sarina BowenThe GUITAR FACE series, Sasha MarshallREVEL, Shey StahlTHE GIRL series, Susan WardEVERHIDE ROCKSTAR ROMANCE series and THE FLINTLOCKS series, Tania JoyceTHE ROCKER series, Terri Anne Browning HOW TO KILL A ROCK STAR, Tiffanie DeBartoloThe WYCKED OBSESSION Series, Wynne Roman

Want more rocker reads? Check out the ULTIMATE LIST!

I love writing age gap (and reverse age gap) romance!

I’ve written about this topic before, but there’s so much more to say! Age gap romance has long been a popular trope in the world of romance novels, and it’s easy to see why. The dynamic between an older, more experienced partner and a younger, more naïve or spontaneous one creates a potent mixture of tension, chemistry, and emotional vulnerability. The difference in life experiences, maturity, and even power dynamics can intensify every interaction, from the quiet moments of tenderness to the explosive, passionate encounters.

But beyond just the age difference, this trope explores deeper themes of personal growth, self-discovery, and vulnerability. The younger character, often more open to new experiences, brings a refreshing and unguarded perspective to the relationship. Meanwhile, the older character, who may be more guarded or battle-worn from their own past, finds they are drawn to the rawness and spontaneity the younger partner offers. This vulnerability on both sides—an older character opening up to love again and a younger character discovering it for the first time—makes the relationship feel authentic while emotionally intense.

Why It Resonates
Age gap romance isn’t just about the numbers; it’s about how the relationship unfolds against the backdrop of personal change. The younger character often grows emotionally in ways they didn’t expect, while the older character is forced to reexamine their past decisions and the walls they’ve built around their heart. This kind of relationship can create an exciting sense of unpredictability, where both characters challenge each other and evolve in ways they never thought possible.

This trope also resonates because it taps into the fantasy of what it would be like to love someone who has seen more of the world and has wisdom to share, yet still manages to be swept away by the unfiltered passion and joy of youth—or vice versa. It’s a dynamic where power is in constant play, and the age gap often becomes a symbolic metaphor for the emotional growth both characters undergo together.

Some of My Age Gap Romances
In my own A Thin Line (My Billionaire Enemy #1), Sinclair Whittier’s wealth of experience and maturity contrasts sharply with Annalise Miller’s youthful perspective, creating an emotionally charged and forbidden tension (not to mention all the other dynamics in their forbidden relationship!). Annalise is thrust into a world she’s unfamiliar with, and while Sinclair’s past has shaped him, he is drawn to Annalise’s youthful, sometimes unguarded perspective. Their age gap makes for a compelling exploration of vulnerability, power dynamics, and the collision of different worlds—one of privilege and one of resilience.

But A Thin Line isn’t the only age gap romance I’ve written. In Love and Darkness, for example, a reverse age gap, the relationship between Kimberly and Brandon pushes both of them out of their comfort zones. Kimberly struggles while she confronts her past and broken heart, while Brandon learns what it means to truly trust and give love. Similarly, in Barely Tattooed, the age gap takes center stage, where Kory navigates the challenges of being in a relationship with someone older. The emotional intensity in these relationships is amplified by the complexity of their age differences.

Other age gap/ reverse age gap romance novels by yours truly:

My Boyfriend’s Dad Wilder Love On the Run (Vagabonds #1) Verses and more!

Popular Age Gap Romances You Might Love
The appeal of age gap romance is not unique to my books. Some of the most beloved stories in the genre are built on similar dynamics, such as these popular novels:

Kulti, Mariana Zapata
A slow-burn romance featuring a professional soccer player and her coach, highlighting the dynamics of an older man-younger woman relationship. The Idea of You, Robinne Lee
This novel tells the story of a 39-year-old art gallery owner who embarks on a romance with a 20-year-old boy band member.Birthday Girl, Penelope Douglas
This contemporary romance delves into the complexities of a relationship between a young woman and her boyfriend’s father. (Oh! That sounds familiar! )

If you love this trope, I highly recommend exploring these titles for a deeper dive into the emotions and complexities that make age gap romance so irresistible.

What’s your favorite age gap/ reverse age gap romance? Let me know in the comments!

It started with a mistake. A million-dollar mistake.
And now she’s stuck living in his mansion, playing by his rules.

Cue the tension, the sparks, and the unholy amount of longing.

I’m so excited to announce that A Thin Line is finally here! This story is enemies-to-lovers with serious “Beauty and the Beast” vibes—but make it billionaire, forbidden, and so emotionally intense that even I wasn’t ready for where it would go.

Here’s the tiniest peek:

“A debt I can’t pay. A billionaire who won’t let me forget it. A past that won’t stay buried.”

Sinclair Whittier is everything Annalise should avoid: ruthless, cold, and the son of the man who destroyed her family. But after she wrecks the nursing lab he funded, she has no choice but to live under his roof and work off her debt.

What follows is an emotional tug-of-war between hate and heat—between two people scarred by the past but drawn to each other in ways they can’t ignore.

What you can expect:
– Enemies-to-lovers with heat
– Forced proximity in a billionaire’s mansion
– Age gap tension
– A heroine with fire and a hero with secrets
– Angst, redemption, and a slow burn that ignites

And early readers are already loving it:

“Packed with anguish and chemistry… I could not put it down.” – Leslie, Goodreads
“An amazing first look into Sinclair and Annalise’s story.” – Tara, Goodreads
“I’m definitely looking forward to book two, which I suspect will turn up the heat even more!” – Keri, Goodreads

Ready to cross the line for yourself?

A Thin Line is available now on all major platforms:
✦ Amazon → https://amzn.to/3Z3ZlBV
✦ Apple → https://apple.co/4m1agGw
✦ B&N → https://bit.ly/4dkyV57
✦ Kobo → https://bit.ly/42VjBXC
✦ Google Play → https://bit.ly/4jVRQoI

Thanks so much for being part of my reading journey. I hope you love Annalise and Sinclair’s story as much as I loved writing it.


Jade

Check out some of Amazon’s hottest romances for the Kindle! These aren’t listed in any particular order…but you might find something irresistible here!

Rock Chick Rematch, Kristen Ashley

In high school, Malia Clark found the man of her dreams.

Darius Tucker.

But life hits them full in the face way before it ever should. Darius makes a drastic decision to keep his family safe and Malia leaves town with a secret.

When Malia returns, she seeks Darius to share all, but Darius finds out before she can tell him. At the same time, she finds out just how much Darius has changed in the years she’s been away.

She just refuses to give up on him.

Until he forces her hand.

Secrets come between Malia and Darius, at the same time Malia has to worry about weird things going on at the law firm where she works, her kid wants a car and she’s stuck in slow-cooker hell. Luckily, her ride or dies have her back.

And in the meantime, she might just learn she never should have lost hope in Darius Tucker.

GET THIS BOOK

A Chance Fall, Fiona Grace

Life gets turned upside down for April Faith when her daughter leaves for college, her corporate job jades her, and her husband abruptly walks out. April realizes she has lived life too long for others, and she needs a major change. She remembers Dune Island, her childhood summer home off the coast of Georgia, a place where nothing could go wrong in the world—and she needs to revisit what remains of her family’s historic beach house and see if she can restore it, turn it into an inn, open the door for a new life—and maybe, even, a new love…

GET THIS BOOK

The Mr. Right Checklist, Melissa Foster

Dog groomer and budding marriage-proposal planner Destiny Amor believes in true love and happily ever afters. Though it’s not in the stars for her yet—honestly, who can live up to the criteria on her Mr. Right Checklist?—she wants it for others. When Destiny’s first misguided attempt at romance concierge ends in disaster, she’s ready to call it quits, until the supposed groom-to-be steps in with a proposal of his own.

Ryan “Fletch” Fletcher, a divorced-and-never-going-there-again professor, needs to get his matchmaking family off his back, and the disorganized, too-in-love-with-love proposal planner is the perfect solution. He offers to help Destiny get her business on track, if she’ll play the part of his adoring girlfriend at his brother’s wedding.

A professional situationship with her grumpy dog-grooming client? Destiny adores his pup, and she could put up with him to get her business off the ground. With any luck, she might even get that chip about love off his shoulder.

GET THIS BOOK

Plays Well with Others, Lauren Blakely

Dating lessons from my football-playing best friend? Sign me up!

So I’m throwing myself a breakup party, a glittery fete where I envision I’ll lift a glass and celebrate being free and single again.

What I actually do: Drink too much champagne and blurt out to my best guy friend that I’d really like to get back on the horse.

But what I truly don’t expect is Carter’s answer – he volunteers as tribute.

With his sinful brown eyes and too-good-to-be-true body it’d be no hardship for me to say yes, though I certainly don’t want him to feel obligated to, um, service me, just because my failed, loveless marriage was a s-e-x desert.

But since the charming and confident pro football star owes five public dates to his dating app sponsor, we make a deal to help each other out.

Pretty soon, our public how to date lessons turn into, ahem, very private ones. And I’m a star student, graduating quickly from flirty banter and lingering looks to toe-curling, sheet-grabbing, mind-blowing hours of physical education.

The problem? Turns out learning to date again feels a lot like the real thing. Can our friendship withstand all these late-night bedroom sessions?

Especially since I’m suddenly longing for my best friend and there’s nothing fake about my feelings…

GET THIS BOOK

Things We Left Behind , Lucy Score

Editor’s pick for Best Romance

There was only one woman who could set me free. But I would rather set myself on fire than ask Sloane Walton for anything.

Lucian Rollins is a lean, mean vengeance-seeking mogul. On a quest to erase his father’s mark on the family name, he spends every waking minute pulling strings and building an indestructible empire. The more money and power he amasses, the safer he is from threats.

Except when it comes to the feisty small-town librarian that keeps him up at night…

Sloane Walton is a spitfire determined to carry on her father’s quest for justice. She’ll do that just as soon as she figures out exactly what the man she hates did to—or for—her family. Bonded by an old, dark secret from the past and the dislike they now share for each other, Sloane trusts Lucian about as far as she can throw his designer-suited body.

When bickering accidentally turns to foreplay, these two find themselves not quite regretting their steamy one-night stand. Once those flames are fanned, it seems impossible to put them out again. But with Sloane ready to start a family and Lucian refusing to even consider the idea of marriage and kids, these enemies-to-lovers are stuck at an impasse.

Broken men break women. It’s what Lucian believes, what he’s witnessed, and he’s not going to take that chance with Sloane. He’d rather live a life of solitude than put her in danger. But he learns the hard way that leaving her means leaving her unprotected from other threats.

It’s the second time he’s ruthlessly cut her out of his life. There’s no way she’s going to give him a third chance. He’s just going to have to make one for himself.

GET THIS BOOK

Savage Devotion, Ajme Williams

“Don’t even think about running, sweetheart.” A silken threat, his voice slithers around me.
“You belong to me.”

Sold to the Brotherhood. Betrayed by my sister and ex, I clawed my way free, leaving a trail of gunfire and a darkness deeper than the basement cell.

Now, I wake, a captive in a gilded cage.
Damian, Chicago’s most ruthless mob boss, claims me with a single word: “Mine.”

His touch offers a twisted security, but the danger hasn’t ended.
Now, with a secret life blossoming within me, the real battle begins.

Can a ruthless mob boss become a father before his world explodes?

GET THIS BOOK

Truly Madly Deeply, L.J. Shen

Best of #BookTok

This old flame just might set them on fire.

Conceited, unattainable, and downright delicious, renowned Michelin-starred chef Ambrose Casablancas has one passion in life—food.

Women are a distraction, and he doesn’t do those. Especially Cal Litvin, his baby sister’s best friend. Her entire existence is a complication; she’s awkward, eccentric, infuriating…

And, much to his chagrin, hotter than his kitchen.

Ambrose has a lot on his plate: a new restaurant to open, a multimillion-dollar property deal to execute, and a violent stalker to tame.

Then Cal shows up at his doorstep, looking for both a job and salvation after their messy goodbye. His resolve, like his patience, is ebbing each day she works at his restaurant.

Because Cal is no longer a doe-eyed girl.

Now? She’s the woman he’ll do anything to conquer.

***

Quirky, compassionate ball of sunshine Calla Litvin can’t catch a break, and not just because she swore off running.

Back in her hometown to nurse her mother’s broken heart after losing her father, she finds herself jobless, hopeless, and penniless. She hopes to rekindle her friendship with her former BFF, but Dylan is attached at the hip to her cruel brother—the one Cal’s been secretly crushing on since middle school.

Falling for the bad boy the second time around would be a mistake of gargantuan proportions.

Too bad she’s always been clumsy.

GET THIS BOOK

Nora Goes Off Script, Annabel Monaghan

Editor’s pick for Best Romance

Nora’s life is about to get a rewrite…

Nora Hamilton knows the formula for love better than anyone. As a romance channel screenwriter, it’s her job. But when her too-good-to work husband leaves her and their two kids, Nora turns her marriage’s collapse into cash and writes the best script of her life. No one is more surprised than her when it’s picked up for the big screen and set to film on location at her 100-year-old-home. When former Sexiest Man Alive, Leo Vance, is cast as her ne’er do well husband Nora’s life will never be the same.

The morning after shooting wraps and the crew leaves, Nora finds Leo on her porch with a half-empty bottle of tequila and a proposition. He’ll pay a thousand dollars a day to stay for a week. The extra seven grand would give Nora breathing room, but it’s the need in his eyes that makes her say yes. Seven days: it’s the blink of an eye or an eternity depending on how you look at it. Enough time to fall in love. Enough time to break your heart.

GET THIS BOOK

Until It Was Love, Pippa Grant

There are a million reasons why I shouldn’t date Fletcher Huxley.

He’s a growly-faced, stubborn-streaked, international rugby legend trying to revive his flailing career in the US after being canned by his team overseas.

While he might have the good kind of thunder thighs, intriguing tattoos, and a booty of steel, he also holds the top position on my very short nemesis list thanks to what happened the first time we met.

Plus, his mustache is as terrible as the reason he’s picked me to be the woman he wants to date.

But he has one big checkmark in the why this date is a good idea column: he’s my brother’s new teammate.

They already hate each other.

And my brother has made an unfortunate habit of interfering with my love life recently.

So a revenge date with Fletcher to make my brother mad? While letting Fletcher think this date is merely for the good of the team?

Yep.

I’m in.

I’m moving to London for work in a month. And it’s just one date. What could possibly go wrong?

GET THIS BOOK

Magic Hour, Kristin Hannah

In the rugged Pacific Northwest lies the Olympic National Forest—nearly a million acres of impenetrable darkness and impossible beauty. From deep within this old growth forest, a six-year-old girl appears. Speechless and alone, she offers no clue as to her identity, no hint of her past.

Having retreated to her western Washington hometown after a scandal left her career in ruins, child psychiatrist Dr. Julia Cates is determined to free the extraordinary little girl she calls Alice from a prison of unimaginable fear and isolation. To reach her, Julia must discover the truth about Alice’s past—although doing so requires help from Julia’s estranged sister, a local police officer. The shocking facts of Alice’s life test the limits of Julia’s faith and strength, even as she struggles to make a home for Alice—and for herself.

GET THIS BOOK

Maybe in Another Life, Taylor Jenkins Reid

Best of #BookTok

At the age of twenty-nine, Hannah Martin still has no idea what she wants to do with her life. She has lived in six different cities and held countless meaningless jobs since graduating college. On the heels of leaving yet another city, Hannah moves back to her hometown of Los Angeles and takes up residence in her best friend Gabby’s guestroom. Shortly after getting back to town, Hannah goes out to a bar one night with Gabby and meets up with her high school boyfriend, Ethan.

Just after midnight, Gabby asks Hannah if she’s ready to go. A moment later, Ethan offers to give her a ride later if she wants to stay. Hannah hesitates. What happens if she leaves with Gabby? What happens if she leaves with Ethan?

In concurrent storylines, Hannah lives out the effects of each decision. Quickly, these parallel universes develop into radically different stories with large-scale consequences for Hannah, as well as the people around her. As the two alternate realities run their course, Maybe in Another Life raises questions about fate and true love: Is anything meant to be? How much in our life is determined by chance? And perhaps, most compellingly: Is there such a thing as a soul mate?

Hannah believes there is. And, in both worlds, she believes she’s found him.

GET THIS BOOK

Palazzo, Danielle Steel

After her parents perish in a tragic accident, Cosima Saverio assumes leadership of her family’s haute couture Italian leather brand. While navigating the challenges of running a company at twenty-three, Cosima must also maintain the four-hundred-year-old family palazzo in Venice and care for her younger siblings: Allegra, who survived the tragedy that killed their parents with scars and a spinal injury, and Luca, who has a penchant for wild parties, pretty women, and poker tables.

Cosima navigates her personal and professional challenges with a wisdom beyond her years, but her success has come at a cost: Her needs are always secondary. She’s married to the business, and her free time is given to those who rely on her . . . until she meets Olivier Bayard, the founder of France’s most successful ready-to-wear handbag company. A brief conversation on her palazzo’s terrace turns into a tour of the Saverio workshop, and, fifteen years after her parents’ deaths, Cosima has found a confidant.

Now the business is financially stable and generating enough income for the Saverios to live comfortably. Then Luca loses a hefty sum at the casino, and his debt must be repaid with money or his life. Cosima, forced to bail him out, is given an impossible choice: List the palazzo, sell a third of the family business, or let Luca fend for himself. But is there another way to save everything she has fought for before it goes up in flames?

GET THIS BOOK

Icebreaker , Hannah Grace

Best of #BookTok

Sparks fly when a competitive figure skater and hockey team captain are forced to share a rink.

Anastasia Allen has worked her entire life for a shot at Team USA. It looks like everything is going according to plan when she gets a full scholarship to the University of California, Maple Hills and lands a place on their competitive figure skating team.

Nothing will stand in her way, not even the captain of the hockey team, Nate Hawkins.

Nate’s focus as team captain is on keeping his team on the ice. Which is tricky when a facilities mishap means they are forced to share a rink with the figure skating team—including Anastasia, who clearly can’t stand him.

But when Anastasia’s skating partner faces an uncertain future, she may have to look to Nate to take her shot.

Sparks fly, but Anastasia isn’t worried…because she could never like a hockey player, right?

GET THIS BOOK

Love on the Brain, Ali Hazelwood

Editor’s pick for Best Romance

Like an avenging, purple-haired Jedi bringing balance to the mansplained universe, Bee Königswasser lives by a simple code: What would Marie Curie do? If NASA offered her the lead on a neuroengineering project—a literal dream come true after years scraping by on the crumbs of academia—Marie would accept without hesitation. Duh. But the mother of modern physics never had to co-lead with Levi Ward.
 
Sure, Levi is attractive in a tall, dark, and piercing-eyes kind of way. And sure, he caught her in his powerfully corded arms like a romance novel hero when she accidentally damseled in distress on her first day in the lab. But Levi made his feelings toward Bee very clear in grad school—archenemies work best employed in their own galaxies far, far away.
 
Now, her equipment is missing, the staff is ignoring her, and Bee finds her floundering career in somewhat of a pickle. Perhaps it’s her occipital cortex playing tricks on her, but Bee could swear she can see Levi softening into an ally, backing her plays, seconding her ideas…devouring her with those eyes. And the possibilities have all her neurons firing. But when it comes time to actually make a move and put her heart on the line, there’s only one question that matters: What will Bee Königswasser do?

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Hello Stranger, Katherine Center

Editor’s pick for Best Romance

Love may be blind. But what if . . . what you see isn’t what you get?

It’s all starting to come together for struggling artist Sadie Montgomery. She was just named a finalist in the national portrait competition of her dreams. But when she winds up with a rare, but real, condition where human faces look like jumbled puzzle pieces . . . it is, to say the least, not good.

With only a few weeks to paint the best portrait of her entire life, Sadie will do anything to reverse her condition and get back to work, but it’s anyone’s guess when (or even if) that’ll happen.

Enter her dog’s charming veterinarian (who may or may not be Sadie’s daydream fiancé), and her bowling-jacket-wearing, Vespa-riding neighbor (who she can’t seem to stay away from)—both vying for her attention and adding to the chaos.

It’s a lot, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad. Because the truth is, seeing the world differently has its upsides. And love has an undeniable way of giving us courage. And the best way of looking is always, always with the heart.

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Counting Miracles, Nicholas Sparks

Tanner Hughes was raised by his grandparents, following in his grandfather’s military footsteps to become an Army Ranger. His whole life has been spent abroad, and he is the proverbial rolling stone: happiest when off on his next adventure, zero desire to settle down.  But when his grandmother passes away, her last words to him are find where you belong. She also drops a bombshell, telling him the name of the father he never knew—and where to find him.

Tanner is due at his next posting soon, but his curiosity is piqued, and he sets out for Asheboro, North Carolina, to ask around. He’s been in town less than twenty-four hours when he meets Kaitlyn Cooper, a doctor and single mom. They both feel an immediate connection; Tanner knows Kaitlyn has a story to tell, and he wants to hear it. To Kaitlyn, Tanner is mysterious, exciting—and possibly leaving in just a few weeks.

Meanwhile, nearby, eighty-three-year-old Jasper lives alone in a cabin bordering a national forest. With only his old dog, Arlo, for company, he lives quietly, haunted by a tragic accident that took place decades before. When he hears rumors that a white deer has been spotted in the forest—a creature of legend that inspired his father and grandfather—he becomes obsessed with protecting the deer from poachers.

As these characters’ fates orbit closer together, none of them is expecting a miracle . . . but that may be exactly what is about to alter their futures forever.

GET THIS BOOK

Check out some of Amazon’s hottest romances for the Kindle! These aren’t listed in any particular order…but you might find something irresistible here!

Rock Chick Rematch, Kristen Ashley

In high school, Malia Clark found the man of her dreams.

Darius Tucker.

But life hits them full in the face way before it ever should. Darius makes a drastic decision to keep his family safe and Malia leaves town with a secret.

When Malia returns, she seeks Darius to share all, but Darius finds out before she can tell him. At the same time, she finds out just how much Darius has changed in the years she’s been away.

She just refuses to give up on him.

Until he forces her hand.

Secrets come between Malia and Darius, at the same time Malia has to worry about weird things going on at the law firm where she works, her kid wants a car and she’s stuck in slow-cooker hell. Luckily, her ride or dies have her back.

And in the meantime, she might just learn she never should have lost hope in Darius Tucker.

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A Chance Fall, Fiona Grace

Life gets turned upside down for April Faith when her daughter leaves for college, her corporate job jades her, and her husband abruptly walks out. April realizes she has lived life too long for others, and she needs a major change. She remembers Dune Island, her childhood summer home off the coast of Georgia, a place where nothing could go wrong in the world—and she needs to revisit what remains of her family’s historic beach house and see if she can restore it, turn it into an inn, open the door for a new life—and maybe, even, a new love…

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The Mr. Right Checklist, Melissa Foster

Dog groomer and budding marriage-proposal planner Destiny Amor believes in true love and happily ever afters. Though it’s not in the stars for her yet—honestly, who can live up to the criteria on her Mr. Right Checklist?—she wants it for others. When Destiny’s first misguided attempt at romance concierge ends in disaster, she’s ready to call it quits, until the supposed groom-to-be steps in with a proposal of his own.

Ryan “Fletch” Fletcher, a divorced-and-never-going-there-again professor, needs to get his matchmaking family off his back, and the disorganized, too-in-love-with-love proposal planner is the perfect solution. He offers to help Destiny get her business on track, if she’ll play the part of his adoring girlfriend at his brother’s wedding.

A professional situationship with her grumpy dog-grooming client? Destiny adores his pup, and she could put up with him to get her business off the ground. With any luck, she might even get that chip about love off his shoulder.

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Plays Well with Others, Lauren Blakely

Dating lessons from my football-playing best friend? Sign me up!

So I’m throwing myself a breakup party, a glittery fete where I envision I’ll lift a glass and celebrate being free and single again.

What I actually do: Drink too much champagne and blurt out to my best guy friend that I’d really like to get back on the horse.

But what I truly don’t expect is Carter’s answer – he volunteers as tribute.

With his sinful brown eyes and too-good-to-be-true body it’d be no hardship for me to say yes, though I certainly don’t want him to feel obligated to, um, service me, just because my failed, loveless marriage was a s-e-x desert.

But since the charming and confident pro football star owes five public dates to his dating app sponsor, we make a deal to help each other out.

Pretty soon, our public how to date lessons turn into, ahem, very private ones. And I’m a star student, graduating quickly from flirty banter and lingering looks to toe-curling, sheet-grabbing, mind-blowing hours of physical education.

The problem? Turns out learning to date again feels a lot like the real thing. Can our friendship withstand all these late-night bedroom sessions?

Especially since I’m suddenly longing for my best friend and there’s nothing fake about my feelings…

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Things We Left Behind , Lucy Score

Editor’s pick for Best Romance

There was only one woman who could set me free. But I would rather set myself on fire than ask Sloane Walton for anything.

Lucian Rollins is a lean, mean vengeance-seeking mogul. On a quest to erase his father’s mark on the family name, he spends every waking minute pulling strings and building an indestructible empire. The more money and power he amasses, the safer he is from threats.

Except when it comes to the feisty small-town librarian that keeps him up at night…

Sloane Walton is a spitfire determined to carry on her father’s quest for justice. She’ll do that just as soon as she figures out exactly what the man she hates did to—or for—her family. Bonded by an old, dark secret from the past and the dislike they now share for each other, Sloane trusts Lucian about as far as she can throw his designer-suited body.

When bickering accidentally turns to foreplay, these two find themselves not quite regretting their steamy one-night stand. Once those flames are fanned, it seems impossible to put them out again. But with Sloane ready to start a family and Lucian refusing to even consider the idea of marriage and kids, these enemies-to-lovers are stuck at an impasse.

Broken men break women. It’s what Lucian believes, what he’s witnessed, and he’s not going to take that chance with Sloane. He’d rather live a life of solitude than put her in danger. But he learns the hard way that leaving her means leaving her unprotected from other threats.

It’s the second time he’s ruthlessly cut her out of his life. There’s no way she’s going to give him a third chance. He’s just going to have to make one for himself.

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Savage Devotion, Ajme Williams

“Don’t even think about running, sweetheart.” A silken threat, his voice slithers around me.
“You belong to me.”

Sold to the Brotherhood. Betrayed by my sister and ex, I clawed my way free, leaving a trail of gunfire and a darkness deeper than the basement cell.

Now, I wake, a captive in a gilded cage.
Damian, Chicago’s most ruthless mob boss, claims me with a single word: “Mine.”

His touch offers a twisted security, but the danger hasn’t ended.
Now, with a secret life blossoming within me, the real battle begins.

Can a ruthless mob boss become a father before his world explodes?

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Truly Madly Deeply, L.J. Shen

Best of #BookTok

This old flame just might set them on fire.

Conceited, unattainable, and downright delicious, renowned Michelin-starred chef Ambrose Casablancas has one passion in life—food.

Women are a distraction, and he doesn’t do those. Especially Cal Litvin, his baby sister’s best friend. Her entire existence is a complication; she’s awkward, eccentric, infuriating…

And, much to his chagrin, hotter than his kitchen.

Ambrose has a lot on his plate: a new restaurant to open, a multimillion-dollar property deal to execute, and a violent stalker to tame.

Then Cal shows up at his doorstep, looking for both a job and salvation after their messy goodbye. His resolve, like his patience, is ebbing each day she works at his restaurant.

Because Cal is no longer a doe-eyed girl.

Now? She’s the woman he’ll do anything to conquer.

***

Quirky, compassionate ball of sunshine Calla Litvin can’t catch a break, and not just because she swore off running.

Back in her hometown to nurse her mother’s broken heart after losing her father, she finds herself jobless, hopeless, and penniless. She hopes to rekindle her friendship with her former BFF, but Dylan is attached at the hip to her cruel brother—the one Cal’s been secretly crushing on since middle school.

Falling for the bad boy the second time around would be a mistake of gargantuan proportions.

Too bad she’s always been clumsy.

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Nora Goes Off Script, Annabel Monaghan

Editor’s pick for Best Romance

Nora’s life is about to get a rewrite…

Nora Hamilton knows the formula for love better than anyone. As a romance channel screenwriter, it’s her job. But when her too-good-to work husband leaves her and their two kids, Nora turns her marriage’s collapse into cash and writes the best script of her life. No one is more surprised than her when it’s picked up for the big screen and set to film on location at her 100-year-old-home. When former Sexiest Man Alive, Leo Vance, is cast as her ne’er do well husband Nora’s life will never be the same.

The morning after shooting wraps and the crew leaves, Nora finds Leo on her porch with a half-empty bottle of tequila and a proposition. He’ll pay a thousand dollars a day to stay for a week. The extra seven grand would give Nora breathing room, but it’s the need in his eyes that makes her say yes. Seven days: it’s the blink of an eye or an eternity depending on how you look at it. Enough time to fall in love. Enough time to break your heart.

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Until It Was Love, Pippa Grant

There are a million reasons why I shouldn’t date Fletcher Huxley.

He’s a growly-faced, stubborn-streaked, international rugby legend trying to revive his flailing career in the US after being canned by his team overseas.

While he might have the good kind of thunder thighs, intriguing tattoos, and a booty of steel, he also holds the top position on my very short nemesis list thanks to what happened the first time we met.

Plus, his mustache is as terrible as the reason he’s picked me to be the woman he wants to date.

But he has one big checkmark in the why this date is a good idea column: he’s my brother’s new teammate.

They already hate each other.

And my brother has made an unfortunate habit of interfering with my love life recently.

So a revenge date with Fletcher to make my brother mad? While letting Fletcher think this date is merely for the good of the team?

Yep.

I’m in.

I’m moving to London for work in a month. And it’s just one date. What could possibly go wrong?

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Magic Hour, Kristin Hannah

In the rugged Pacific Northwest lies the Olympic National Forest—nearly a million acres of impenetrable darkness and impossible beauty. From deep within this old growth forest, a six-year-old girl appears. Speechless and alone, she offers no clue as to her identity, no hint of her past.

Having retreated to her western Washington hometown after a scandal left her career in ruins, child psychiatrist Dr. Julia Cates is determined to free the extraordinary little girl she calls Alice from a prison of unimaginable fear and isolation. To reach her, Julia must discover the truth about Alice’s past—although doing so requires help from Julia’s estranged sister, a local police officer. The shocking facts of Alice’s life test the limits of Julia’s faith and strength, even as she struggles to make a home for Alice—and for herself.

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Maybe in Another Life, Taylor Jenkins Reid

Best of #BookTok

At the age of twenty-nine, Hannah Martin still has no idea what she wants to do with her life. She has lived in six different cities and held countless meaningless jobs since graduating college. On the heels of leaving yet another city, Hannah moves back to her hometown of Los Angeles and takes up residence in her best friend Gabby’s guestroom. Shortly after getting back to town, Hannah goes out to a bar one night with Gabby and meets up with her high school boyfriend, Ethan.

Just after midnight, Gabby asks Hannah if she’s ready to go. A moment later, Ethan offers to give her a ride later if she wants to stay. Hannah hesitates. What happens if she leaves with Gabby? What happens if she leaves with Ethan?

In concurrent storylines, Hannah lives out the effects of each decision. Quickly, these parallel universes develop into radically different stories with large-scale consequences for Hannah, as well as the people around her. As the two alternate realities run their course, Maybe in Another Life raises questions about fate and true love: Is anything meant to be? How much in our life is determined by chance? And perhaps, most compellingly: Is there such a thing as a soul mate?

Hannah believes there is. And, in both worlds, she believes she’s found him.

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Palazzo, Danielle Steel

After her parents perish in a tragic accident, Cosima Saverio assumes leadership of her family’s haute couture Italian leather brand. While navigating the challenges of running a company at twenty-three, Cosima must also maintain the four-hundred-year-old family palazzo in Venice and care for her younger siblings: Allegra, who survived the tragedy that killed their parents with scars and a spinal injury, and Luca, who has a penchant for wild parties, pretty women, and poker tables.

Cosima navigates her personal and professional challenges with a wisdom beyond her years, but her success has come at a cost: Her needs are always secondary. She’s married to the business, and her free time is given to those who rely on her . . . until she meets Olivier Bayard, the founder of France’s most successful ready-to-wear handbag company. A brief conversation on her palazzo’s terrace turns into a tour of the Saverio workshop, and, fifteen years after her parents’ deaths, Cosima has found a confidant.

Now the business is financially stable and generating enough income for the Saverios to live comfortably. Then Luca loses a hefty sum at the casino, and his debt must be repaid with money or his life. Cosima, forced to bail him out, is given an impossible choice: List the palazzo, sell a third of the family business, or let Luca fend for himself. But is there another way to save everything she has fought for before it goes up in flames?

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Icebreaker , Hannah Grace

Best of #BookTok

Sparks fly when a competitive figure skater and hockey team captain are forced to share a rink.

Anastasia Allen has worked her entire life for a shot at Team USA. It looks like everything is going according to plan when she gets a full scholarship to the University of California, Maple Hills and lands a place on their competitive figure skating team.

Nothing will stand in her way, not even the captain of the hockey team, Nate Hawkins.

Nate’s focus as team captain is on keeping his team on the ice. Which is tricky when a facilities mishap means they are forced to share a rink with the figure skating team—including Anastasia, who clearly can’t stand him.

But when Anastasia’s skating partner faces an uncertain future, she may have to look to Nate to take her shot.

Sparks fly, but Anastasia isn’t worried…because she could never like a hockey player, right?

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Love on the Brain, Ali Hazelwood

Editor’s pick for Best Romance

Like an avenging, purple-haired Jedi bringing balance to the mansplained universe, Bee Königswasser lives by a simple code: What would Marie Curie do? If NASA offered her the lead on a neuroengineering project—a literal dream come true after years scraping by on the crumbs of academia—Marie would accept without hesitation. Duh. But the mother of modern physics never had to co-lead with Levi Ward.
 
Sure, Levi is attractive in a tall, dark, and piercing-eyes kind of way. And sure, he caught her in his powerfully corded arms like a romance novel hero when she accidentally damseled in distress on her first day in the lab. But Levi made his feelings toward Bee very clear in grad school—archenemies work best employed in their own galaxies far, far away.
 
Now, her equipment is missing, the staff is ignoring her, and Bee finds her floundering career in somewhat of a pickle. Perhaps it’s her occipital cortex playing tricks on her, but Bee could swear she can see Levi softening into an ally, backing her plays, seconding her ideas…devouring her with those eyes. And the possibilities have all her neurons firing. But when it comes time to actually make a move and put her heart on the line, there’s only one question that matters: What will Bee Königswasser do?

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Hello Stranger, Katherine Center

Editor’s pick for Best Romance

Love may be blind. But what if . . . what you see isn’t what you get?

It’s all starting to come together for struggling artist Sadie Montgomery. She was just named a finalist in the national portrait competition of her dreams. But when she winds up with a rare, but real, condition where human faces look like jumbled puzzle pieces . . . it is, to say the least, not good.

With only a few weeks to paint the best portrait of her entire life, Sadie will do anything to reverse her condition and get back to work, but it’s anyone’s guess when (or even if) that’ll happen.

Enter her dog’s charming veterinarian (who may or may not be Sadie’s daydream fiancé), and her bowling-jacket-wearing, Vespa-riding neighbor (who she can’t seem to stay away from)—both vying for her attention and adding to the chaos.

It’s a lot, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad. Because the truth is, seeing the world differently has its upsides. And love has an undeniable way of giving us courage. And the best way of looking is always, always with the heart.

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Counting Miracles, Nicholas Sparks

Tanner Hughes was raised by his grandparents, following in his grandfather’s military footsteps to become an Army Ranger. His whole life has been spent abroad, and he is the proverbial rolling stone: happiest when off on his next adventure, zero desire to settle down.  But when his grandmother passes away, her last words to him are find where you belong. She also drops a bombshell, telling him the name of the father he never knew—and where to find him.

Tanner is due at his next posting soon, but his curiosity is piqued, and he sets out for Asheboro, North Carolina, to ask around. He’s been in town less than twenty-four hours when he meets Kaitlyn Cooper, a doctor and single mom. They both feel an immediate connection; Tanner knows Kaitlyn has a story to tell, and he wants to hear it. To Kaitlyn, Tanner is mysterious, exciting—and possibly leaving in just a few weeks.

Meanwhile, nearby, eighty-three-year-old Jasper lives alone in a cabin bordering a national forest. With only his old dog, Arlo, for company, he lives quietly, haunted by a tragic accident that took place decades before. When he hears rumors that a white deer has been spotted in the forest—a creature of legend that inspired his father and grandfather—he becomes obsessed with protecting the deer from poachers.

As these characters’ fates orbit closer together, none of them is expecting a miracle . . . but that may be exactly what is about to alter their futures forever.

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The semi-annual list!

For a while now, I’ve been asking my readers to tell me their favorite rock star romance books–and I’ve shared the results in August 2023, February 2024, and August 2024.

I’m continually collecting votes and compiling results!

Here are the most up-to-date reader faves, starting with the books that got the most votes. One thing to note: because it’s my readers I ask, several of my books made the list, so I’m ecstatic…but it won’t go to my head.

BOOKS WITH THE MOST VOTES

In no particular order, here are the reader favorite books (and series) that received the most votes!

CAKE, J. Bengtsson

J. Bengtsson’s Cake series is loved by many readers, starting with book one, Cake: A Love Story, and continues to be a HUGE reader favorite!

The ASHES & EMBERS series, Carian Cole

My readers love all of Carian Cole’s rocker books. Talon is a particular favorite, along with Storm and the standalone No Tomorrow. So if you haven’t read any of her books, you have some recommendations for where to start! This series has been a consistent favorite with every list and gets more and more votes!

The DIRTY Series, Jaine Diamond

Readers love the entire Dirty series, and multiple readers agreed that they adored book number one. This series continually gets votes from my readers.

The BULLET Series, Jade C. Jamison

As I always like to remind folks, keep in mind that these are MY readers who were polled. Because of that, many of them say the entire Bullet series is a favorite, followed by the Tangled Web series and Wilder Love.

The BEAUMONT Series, Heidi McLaughlin

Heidi McLaughlin’s Beaumont Series continues to be a reader favorite and gets more votes every year!

The STAGE DIVE Series, Kylie Scott

Readers loved her entire Stage Dive series, and a couple of readers have said that Deep was a fave! (And Lick is now a movie!)

NEWCOMERS

Although the following books aren’t necessarily new, they are new to this list–so I want to point them out! And some of them? I’m surprised this is the first time they’re showing up!

A.L. Jackson’s Falling Stars seriesAislinn Archer’s Mystic Beach Fantasy Rockstar seriesAlexa Padgett’s Oblivion seriesCoda and Giving Chase, Amy BookerRocked, Gillian ArcherJA Low’s Dirty Texas seriesJamie Shaw’s Mayhem series, including MayhemKat Mizera’s Rock Hard seriesRock Chick Reckoning, Kristen AshleyL.J. Evans’s The Painted Daisies seriesLauren Dane’s Hurley Brothers seriesA Sinner’s Memory, M.L. BroomePiper Lawson’s Wicked seriesSamantha Chase’s The Shaughnessy Brothers seriesThe Accidentals, Sarina BowenTania Joyce’s Everhide Rockstar Romance series and The Flintlocks seriesMORE READER FAVES

Although these books had fewer votes, they are still reader favorites…meaning you might find a new favorite (or two…or three!).

THE WORDS, A. JadeThe ROCK STARS & ROMANCE Series, A.K. EvansThe BLEEDING STARS series, A.L. JacksonRAIDEN, Ali Lucia SkyNIGHT SHIFTS BLACK, Aly StilesThe REASON TO RUIN Series and other books by Anna BrooksFALLING DOWN, Anne MercierSEDUCING DIONYSUS, Aria SkylarThe DARKEST DAYS series, Athena Wright The FERAL SILENCE series, Athena WrightHARD ROCK GAZE, Athena WrightLILAC, B.B. ReidROCK AND ROLL NEVER FORGETS, Barbara S. StewartThe HEART BEATS Series and other books by Breanna LynnBRIX, Brooke O’BrienTHE MIXTAPE, Brittainy CherryThe SOUNDS OF US Series, C.R. JaneLEAVING AMARILLO, Caisey QuinnEverything Cari Quinn and Taryn Elliott, including the ROCK REVENGE trilogy and the LOST IN OBLIVION seriesThe LOVE AND LUSH series, Cherié SummersThe DANGEROUS NOISE series and the SINFUL SERENADE series, Crystal KaswellThe ILLUSION series, D. KellyBLIND ATTRACTION, Eden SummersThe LA ROCK STAR ROMANCE series, Elle GrecoThe ANGEL FIRE series, Ellie MastersThe FOR LOVE AND ROCK series, Emily C. ChildsYOU REALLY GOT ME, Erika KellyThe ALCHEMY MYTH Series, Esme TaylorHEART BREAK HER, Eva SimmonsThe RED & BLACK series, Grace HarperLOVE TO HATE HER and other rocker books by J. SamanThe DARK FALKON series, J.O. MantelSWEET AS SIN, J.T. GeissingerWILDER LOVE, Jade C. JamisonHOT MESS, Jaine DiamondThe SIXTH STREET BAND series, Jayne FrostThe LUMINESCENT JULIET series, Jean HausTHE SEASONS CHANGE Series and other books by Julia WolfThe MUSIC CITY LOVERS series, Julie CapuletThe ROAD KINGS Series and other books by Julie KrissAT THIS MOMENT, Karen CimmsINESCAPABLE, Katherine KingThe SOUL SERENADE Series and other books by Kaylee RyanThe LESS THAN ZERO series, Kaylene WinterThe BRIGHT SIDE Series, Kim HoldenAll Kristen Callihan rocker novels, including IDOLAFTER CARE, L.B. DunbarMIDNIGHT BLUE, L.J. ShenTHE GOLDEN TOUCH, Laura LondonThe CARNAGE series, Lesley JonesLOVE’S RHYTHM, Lexxie CouperA LITTLE LIKE DESTINY, the CAPITAL KINGSMEN series, and the MY FAVORITE BAND series, Lisa SuzanneThe LOVE AND CHAOS Series, M.J. SchillerThe BLACK HALO series, Madelynne EllisREFLEX, Madelynne EllisAll Michelle Mankin rocker novels, including the recent ONCE UPON A ROCK STAR series and the TEMPEST seriesThe BLACK FALCON Series, Michelle A. ValentineThe DEVIANT HEARTS duet, N. N. BrittThe ROCK KISS series, Nalini SinghThe SONS OF SIN series, Nola MarieONE NIGHT WITH SOLE REGRET Series, Olivia CunningBACKSTAGE PASS, Olivia Cunning, and her entire SINNERS ON TOUR seriesThe BLOOD AND BONE series, Paula DombrowiakThe RANSOM Series, Rachel SchurigThe THOUGHTLESS series, S.C. StephensThe GUITAR FACE series, Sasha MarshallREVEL, Shey StahlTHE GIRL series, Susan WardTHE ROCKER series, Terri Anne Browning HOW TO KILL A ROCK STAR, Tiffanie DeBartoloThe WYCKED OBSESSION Series, Wynne Roman

What about you? Have you told me your favorite rocker romance? If not, please comment below–even if your fave is already listed here!

Want more rocker reads? Check out the ULTIMATE LIST!

I’ve been in a couple of Facebook groups rallying rockstar romance authors together, and I’ve been part of some great group promotions. But, I’ll admit, I wanted more.

Earlier this year, I decided to see what I could do. Inspired by an event conducted by Zoe York, I reached out to hundreds of rockstar romance authors (even if they, like I, write in other subgenres as well), starting with the simple goal of having a “free book blitz” four times a year. Many of the authors who came on board participated and we had a successful first event.

But while I continued recruiting other authors and realizing the power of a group, I came up with so many more ideas, all with the intent of making some marketing tasks easier and more effective for the group. Here are some of the things we do:

Free book blitz once a quarter99 cent book blitz once a quarter“Low-key” new release swaps Round robin newsletter buildersAnd more!!!

What I like best is that nothing we do in the group is mandatory. Events are there when authors want to participate but they never have to join in.

Down the road, I’m planning to add other promotional events and a few of us are wanting to really brainstorm other things we can do to get our books into the hands of eager readers…but, in the meantime, are you a rockstar romance author? Would you like to be part of this group? If so, I’d love to invite you onboard–and joining is EASY! All you have to do is sign up here for my ROCKSTAR ROMANCE AUTHOR MARKETING NEWSLETTER!

I and my rockstar romance author colleagues were thrilled when Amazon finally gave us our very own Rockstar Romance category—but it didn’t take long for that list to become polluted with books that didn’t belong, including books in other subgenres of romance such as MC, bully/academy, various sports, and more. But thinking about that led me to a topic I’ve meant to talk about for a long time:

What exactly is a rockstar romance?

The answer might seem like a no brainer. Duh! It’s a romance novel with a rockstar as one of the main characters.

Ah, yes. But I tend to be a bit more inclusive. I also consider country music, pop star, hip hop, boy band, and others to be in this genre. Here’s why:

Regardless of the actual music being highlighted in the story, these other books feature the same elements that rocker romance does: characters struggling to get to the top or, once they’re there, dealing with fame. Their lives are about music and about baring their souls through their music to their fans. They perform for live audiences, often go on tour, record their music, etc. My only considerations when deciding if I would include a book in the rockstar romance category are these: Is it a romance? Is one of the main characters in the music industry (or an indie musician) in some way?Let’s say we “kicked out” all these other music books that weren’t actually about rock stars. Where would they go? How would readers find them? I promise that bookstores (most notably Amazon) aren’t going to be any more granular with this category than they already are. I argue that these books fit, regardless of the type of music being featured. If you had to–most of the time–you could substitute your favorite music genre for the genre being “played“ in the book.

The bottom line is this: if you like rock star romance, you aren’t going to hate a country music romance. While the feel of the book might be slightly different, I have no doubt that all the elements you love about the genre are going to appear in those other books as well. So I will continue to include all these books in my rockstar romance lists and promotions, because that’s where they belong!

What do YOU think? How do you feel about other music genres being included in the Rockstar Romance category? Let me know in the comments section!

Summer 2024 heated up with all these amazing rockstar romance novels. How many of them have you read?

July 2024 The Silent Note (Redwood Kings #5), Nelia Alarcon Midnight Stage , Sheridan Anne Madness (Chaos Fuel #2), Amy Booker The One (Tempo Rain Rockstar Romance), Emily Bow Pretty Little Rocker (Pretty Little #2), Terri Anne Browning Her Filthy Mistake (Sinfully Forbidden #2), Alexia Chase Second Chance at Us (Small Town Secrets), Emma Chase Indescribable Love (Wylder Love #2), Samantha Chase Rocking Her World , Molly Eden Because of You (Part of Me #2), Kyla Faye The Rockstar Next Door , T.S. Fox Nevermore , A. K. Graves Pretty Little Poison , Haley Holley Don’t You Want Me (A Music City Rom-Com #1), JoAnna Illingworth Blurring the Lines & Extras (The Blind Rebels), Amy Kaybach Laid Bare in D Minor: A Rockstar’s Requiem , Fortuna Lux My Rockstar Baby Daddy (My Rockstar Romance), Sassy Monroe My Rockstar Billionaire (My Rockstar Romance), Sassy Monroe My Rockstar Fake Marriage (My Rockstar Romance), Sassy Monroe Star Maker (Star Maker #1), Jessa Nevins Protecting Lila , Marjorie Page Sing for Her (Indigo Lounge #1), Grace Parkes Reckless , Chris Reilly Surprise Baby for the Billionaire Rockstar (Raising Havoc Bandmates #2), Stephie Rose Rock & Roll Baby Daddy , Nic Spade Queen of Jupiter (Ink and Lyrics #2), Nacole Stayton The Alien Rock Star’s Blind Date (Alien Rock Stars #3), Sierra Storm The Morning Aftermath (Aftermath #2), Pru Warren Rockstar Boyfriend (Rockstar Billionaire Boyfriend #1), Laine Watson Staged , C. L. West Little Monster (What Happens in the Hills), Emberly WyndhamAugust 2024 I Remember Moscato (Wine & Rock -n- Roll), Natalie Arthur Of Heartbreak and Harmony (The Hometown Heartless), Brit Benson Beauty and the Metal Rocker (Rockstar Romance #4), Sophia Ursula Brady The Air I Breathe , Laramie Briscoe Knockin’ on Heaven’s Noir (Wine & Rock -n- Roll), Lena Cove Rock the Chardonnay (Wine & Rock -n- Roll), Natalie Cross Soak Up the Sun (Rock My World), Tanith Davenport Sippin’ on a Prayer (Wine & Rock -n- Roll), Ember David Rock Star Mom (The Rock Star’s Wife #4), Melina Druga Perfume and the AlphaBetas – Side A , Lilith K. Duat and Amy Nova Chorus (Get Your Rocks Off #2), G. Eilsel Nothing But a Good Wine (Wine & Rock -n- Roll), Coco Elliot Songbird Saloon (Songbird Saloon #1), Christine Goode Rhythm (Rocky Mountain Rockstars #3), Jade C. Jamison I Wanna Savvy B Free (Wine & Rock -n- Roll), Carolina Jax You Give Wine a Bad Name (Wine & Rock -n- Roll), Annee Jones Love at the Rock Show (Pagans & Pop Stars #2), Katta Kis Riot (Legends and Love), K.A. Knight I Love Rock n Wine (Wine & Rock -n- Roll), Theresa Lambe Melody to My Soul , Cheri Marie I Hate Rock Stars , Mia McCoy Drez: A Song To Make You Mine (Drez #1), Martha T. Mile Drez: Three Concerts to Stay by Your Side (Drez #2), Martha T. Mile Bronze Goblin , AJ Mullican Perfume and the AlphaBetas – Side B , Amy Nova and Lilith K. Duat Don’t Fall For a Rockstar (Wayward Lane Backstage #1), Ava Olsen Bed of Rosé (Wine & Rock -n- Roll), Haven Rose Memphis Bound (Bad Boys of Music Row), Nichole Rose Backstage With a Billionaire Rockstar (Raising Havoc Bandmates #3), Stephie Rose Sweet Wine of Mine (Wine & Rock -n- Roll), K. M. Ryan Never the Right Time (The Love & Music Suite #2), Reese Ryan Pour Some Vino on Me (Wine & Rock -n- Roll), Wynter Ryan Steal My Breath , Ariana St. Claire Never Have I Ever , S.L. Scott Center Stage (Country Roads #6), Travis Starnes Talk Vino to Me (Wine & Rock -n- Roll), Nika Stone Summer Encore (Summers in Seaside), Melissa Walker The Rocker’s Muse , Penelope Ward Before and Aftermath (Aftermath #3), Pru Warren Rocks You Like a Cabernet (Wine & Rock -n- Roll), Melissa WilliamsSeptember 2024 Cooper (Christmas with the Ford Brothers #1), Sandra Alex Another Wine Bites the Dust (Wine & Rock -n- Roll), LizAnne Axtel Little Red Merlot (Wine & Rock -n- Roll), Layne Daniels Rockstar Trouble , T.S. Fox Jukebox Hearts (Songbird Saloon #2), Christine Goode Bonding the Band , Melissa Huxley and Lexie Quinn Fractured Frets (The Flintlocks #4), Tania Joyce A Fork in the Road (Farm 2 Forking #5), Ember Leigh The Rockstar Returns (Beacon Harbor #2), Kayley Loring and Connor Crais Strings of Betrayal (Heartstrings and Shadows #1), MacKade Once Upon a Boyband , Jenny Proctor Shattered Echoes (Billionaire Bad Boy #2), Sylvia Rae Forbidden Billionaire Rockstar (Raising Havoc Bandmates #4), Stephie Rose

If you want more rockstar romance, check out the Ultimate Compilation of Rockstar Romance Reads!

Has this ever happened to you? It happened to me yesterday—and I have yet to resolve the issue. I’m reaching out to other authors who may have the same problem.

Yesterday, when I logged into my Kindle Direct Publishing account at https://kdp.amazon.com/, this message appeared on my Bookshelf:

“Your account is currently suspended
We identified a violation of our Terms and Conditions, so we've suspended your account while we wait to hear from you.

To gain access to your account and titles, follow the instructions we emailed from KDP Support. For security reasons, please reply directly from the email address associated with your KDP account.

If you can't find the email, or have other questions, contact us and we'll help.”

Needless to say, I did not receive an email, but apparently it’s the only way I can appeal this decision. And, although I have used the “Contact Us” link, it only leads to a form. I have filled it out and received no response. I tried reaching out to Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing on Facebook to no avail. I also got a reply from AmazonKDP on X but no real assistance.

I completely understand that KDP Indie Support may be inundated with work because we indie authors are prolific, but they have made it impossible to reach anyone for support—and that’s all I want: someone to talk to who can help me get this situation straightened out.

So I’m reaching out to other authors: has this happened to you? Has your account been suspended or terminated but you haven’t received an email? Do you also need help with your KDP account?