How about a little contemporary romantic comedy?

I’ve discovered a couple new authors I really enjoyed, so I thought I’d share.

First off is Tara Sheets and her delightful debut, DON’T CALL ME CUPCAKE.

Most families have a favorite recipe or two, handed down through generations. The Holloway women are a little different. Emma Holloway, like her grandmother before her, bakes wishes into her delicious cupcakes, granting the recipient comfort, sweet dreams, or any number of good things. It's a strange gift, but it brings only happiness. Until gorgeous, smooth-talking newcomer Hunter Kane strolls into her shop, Fairy Cakes - and Emma makes the mistake of selling him not one, but three Sweet Success cupcakes.    

Hunter, it turns out, is opening a fancy new restaurant and bakery right on the waterfront - Emma's competition. To make matters worse, the town committee has decided to split the upcoming summer festival contract between the two, forcing Emma to work with her nemesis. 

She can't afford to split her profits. The solution: create a recipe that will make Hunter leave town permanently.   

The Holloway charms are powerful. But there are other kinds of magic in the world - like red-hot first kisses, secret glances, and the feeling that comes with falling truly, madly, inconveniently in love....

Okay, so let me start by saying I was charmed by so much of this title. I love Emma’s cupcakes and her charms, but I especially love her house, and the sentient way it communicates with her.

I love the evolving relationship between Emma and Hunter, and how they both change themselves and each other. I love Emma’s cousin, whose magic is centered in the land, with plants and gardens. (She will star in Book 2.)

This was a fascinating, enchanting title and I absolutely adored it. I think you might too!

Next is Susannah Nix, who writes the Chemistry Lessons series. I’d heard these were really good and, even better, totally fun. Tantor was kind enough to send over ADVANCED PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY in audio, which lived up to its reputation.

After four lousy boyfriends in a row, chemical engineer Penny Popplestone swears off men until she can figure out why they keep cheating on her. But her no-men resolution hits a snag when the mysterious and superhumanly hot barista at her favorite coffee shop strikes up a friendship with her. 

Penny strives to keep things platonic, but when Caleb gives her the kiss of her life, she realizes he wants to be more than just friends. Tired of always being “good little Penny,” she throws caution to the wind and pursues a no-strings fling with the hottie barista. It’s not like they have anything in common beyond scorching physical chemistry, so what does she have to lose? 

Only her heart.

Now, this fanfic-reading, plus-size heroine faces an unsolvable problem. What do you do when being apart is unbearable…but being together is impossible

Advanced Physical Chemistry is the third in a series of standalone rom-coms featuring geeky heroines who work in STEM fields.

ADVANCED PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY was a joy, and we feel Penny’s pain and triumph as she navigates her horrible ex and dances around Caleb until the moment he plants the perfect kiss on her, then reverts back to his stand-offish self.

Penny may lack a little confidence when it comes to men, but in general she’s self-aware and pretty okay with herself, so she’s not having any of Caleb’s moody nonsense. She confronts him, challenges him and tempts him, until pretty soon they’re practically living together, though it’s kind of a secret. However, Caleb is set to leave town, and the closer the date gets, the more each of them realize they don’t want to say good-bye. They’re just too unsure of the other’s feelings to be honest about their own.

This book had so much heart and humor, and the main characters’ journey was the perfect combination of sexy and sweet, with realistic insecurities and breakthroughs that make the reader fall in love with them and yearn for their HEA nearly as desperately as they do.

So there you have it. Two absolutely adorable romantic comedies I think you’re going to love! 

(And if you’re following Read-A-Romance Month, Tara Sheets will be doing the author Q&A in the last week of August!)

#AugustReads   #LoveBooks  #ReadARomance