A Summer Announcement & Recipes & April Moments

get your romance TBR list ready

Readers, my Kindle overfloweth. In February, I decided to request a BUNCH of romance novels with spring and summer release dates to see if maybe, possibly, I would like to put together a romance-centric summer reading guide this year. After reading and loving and abandoning many titles, I found a handful of guide-worthy books to share and decided to go ahead with my new project. (Actually, I’m still reviewing additional titles as summer releases continue to pour into NetGalley.)

This curated guide to swoonworthy summer reads will arrive in your inboxes this June. I’m narrowing down the list to around 12 titles with a mix of contemporary and historical romances at varying spice levels. Because this list is tailored to my personal taste, you’ll find romance novels with strong narrative choices like evocative settings, unique story structures, or creative genre mash-ups.

I’m currently working on short blurbs and entirely subjective spice ratings for each book included, plus podcast episodes to release over summer with more in-depth commentary on the titles and my vetting process.

My guide to summer romance releases will be free to all subscribers of Recipe for a Bookish Life. I’m not ready to turn on paid subscriptions, and I want to treat this first guide as a fun experiment. I feel strongly about creators being paid for their time and expertise; there are plenty of fabulous reading guides behind a paywall this summer, and those creators are pouring themselves into their work. I do not want my choice misconstrued to suggest that all content like this should be free—it’s just where I’m at in my personal creative journey.

I will include a donation option for those who wish to contribute to my “coffee shop work time fund” and another way you can “pay” for the guide is by pledging your support for a future paid subscription to this newsletter down the road—you can also share my newsletter with all of your friends.

I can’t wait to share my guide with you all in June, and I hope you’ll forgive my scarcity here while I wrap up reading, writing, and designing for the finished product. In the meantime, feel free to send me any questions you have about the guide!

Here’s a sneak peek:

Recipes

Unfortunately, a stomach bug wiped us out for a solid two weeks last month, rendering me useless in the kitchen—though I do have a small but impactful meal routine to share. For the last ten years of our marriage, I’ve been the primary cook because I love it! I even love grocery shopping (I know, I know that’s an essay for another day). However, between several bouts of sickness over winter and spring, fewer childcare hours over the last few months, and the heaping mental load of motherhood in general, my usual love for the kitchen has lost its luster. I requested one day per week where I do not have to think about OR cook dinner, so Curtis took ownership of Wednesday nights.

Every Wednesday, we eat breakfast for dinner, and every Wednesday it’s lovely. I know many couples share more of the meal planning and cooking load, but since cooking is one of my creative outlets, I just wanted one day off my plate. Mid-week works great for a break, and it lines up with my evening events for Novel Pairings. As a nice little bonus, Curtis caught the grilling bug as soon as the weather turned spring-ish, so I’ve been off the hook for most weekend cooking, too! Here’s a short list of grilling recipes we’re looking forward to trying this season (mostly from Defined Dish, my favorite spot for grill recipes):

• Mustard Marinated Flank Steak

• BBQ Chicken Skewers

• Grilled Greek Steak

• Grilled Chicken with Lemon & Thyme

• Grilled Mushroom Antipasto

April Moments

• Listening to Theo talk up a storm, exclaiming “I did it!” and asking his stuffed animals, “you want some?” (of his snack).

• Meeting fellow bookworms in Wisconsin and hearing J. Ryan Stradal wax poetic about the Midwest.

• Taking Theo on hiking trails and watching him explore.

• Seeing old friends in new life phases.

• Eating meals made entirely on the grill (here’s helpful a guide to grilling veggies).

• Listening to Taylor Swift playlists and pretending I’m at her concert.

• Reading lots and lots and lots of romance novels.

• Watching Ted Lasso, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and blossoming trees.

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Did you cook or read anything wonderful in April? I would love to see your recipes and reviews in the comments.

Chelsey