Friendship, Thrills & Valentine’s Day Reads ❤️🔪
Elsie Silver books, March 2025 releases and the best books on friendship—plus a demon boyfriend you accidentally summon.
The Weekly Insider is your weekly bookish roundup for romance, mystery and fantasy recs, plus all the bookish content you won’t want to miss.
Happy Sunday!
Let’s talk about some chatter in the romance world this week.
First up—The New York Times wants to play matchmaker with your next romance novel. They put together a fun little quiz where you answer four questions, and they pick a book for you. I took it (obviously), and my result was A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske. But I want to know—what did you get? Take the quiz here and report back.
And now, for the real shocker of the week—Nora Roberts said she’s stepping away from romance. In a new interview, she talked about how the genre is shifting in ways that don’t align with her style anymore, which is…kind of a huge deal considering she’s one of the most iconic romance authors of all time. I’d love to hear your take on this and on the evolution of the genre as well. Are we losing something, or is this just part of the natural cycle of change in publishing? If you missed the interview, you can read it here.
Speaking of changes in romance—Rolling Stone just did a deep dive into dark romance and why it’s taking over BookTok. Author Brynne Weaver talked about what’s drawing readers to morally gray love interests and intense, high-stakes relationships. Love it or hate it, dark romance is definitely one of the biggest trends right now. If you’re into the discussion around why we’re all obsessed with these books, this article is a must-read. Check it out here. Then comment and let’s chat about it!
Also, in very important news, I was a guest on the
podcast and we talked about Lessons with the Mothman by Kathryn Moon. That’s right, Mothman romance. If you love monster romance or just enjoy unhinged bookish chats, this one is for you.Now, let’s get into this week’s bookish goodness! ❤️🔪
— Francesca 📚
PS: Have you finished any good books lately? Any Romanceopoly reads? We’d love to share your favorites with the community. Simply reply to this email and let us know what your recommendations are. Or if you want to share a quick voice note click here.
Friendship, Thrills & Valentine’s Day Reads ❤️🔪
This week, we’re all about friendship—good, bad, and utterly unhinged—plus some exciting new releases and a little Valentine’s Day magic. Whether you’re looking for books that celebrate deep bonds, romances to cozy up with, or thrillers that make you second-guess everyone… I’ve got you covered.
🗞️ On Under the Covers:
📚 21 March 2025 Book Releases – Romance, fantasy, thrillers—March is bringing the heat with some of the year’s biggest releases. Read here.
💖 10 March 2025 Kindle Unlimited Romance Books – Looking for your next KU binge? These new romance releases should be on your list. Read here.
📖 Elsie Silver Reading Guide – New to Elsie Silver or wondering where to start? This guide breaks down her books, series order, and reading recommendations. Read here.
🐎 Books Like Elsie Silver – Love small-town romance with swoony cowboys and emotional depth? Here’s what to read after finishing Elsie Silver’s books. Read here.
🌸 Romance Book Tropes for Spring – The season of fresh starts and blossoming love! These romance tropes are perfect for your spring TBR. Read here.
🔍 On Mysterylandia:
🆕 6 Exciting 2025 Debut Mystery, Thriller & Horror Releases – Meet the fresh voices you’ll want on your radar this year. Read here.
📺 What to Watch: My Name (Netflix) – A revenge thriller packed with action, betrayal, and a badass female lead. Read here.
📚 19 March 2025 Mystery & Thriller Releases – The month is stacked with must-reads. Start planning your preorders. Read here.
🎧 Reading Under the Covers Podcast:
🔍 9 Must-Read March 2025 Mystery & Thriller Releases – A fresh batch of crime, psychological twists, and gripping suspense coming your way next month. Listen here.
📺 On YouTube:
📚 5 Valentine's Day Romance Books – If you’re in the mood for love (or just in the mood to add more books to your TBR), I’ve got five swoon-worthy romances perfect for the season. Watch here.
🎥 Novel Nights Live Show
📖 Best Books About Friendship – From heartwarming female friendships in women's fiction to bromances and thrillers with backstabbing besties, this episode is packed with book recs. Watch here.
💌 Substack Exclusive
💘 A Valentine's Day Story & Quiz – This week, we’re doing something fun—a story + a quiz to see which romance trope fits you best. Will you get enemies to lovers? Second chance? Find out!
🎤 We Went LIVE on Substack! We had a Novel Hour aftershow chat with Victoria from
. We shared one book rec (I shared a series) that featured a strong friendship bond. And I recommended a Netflix show similar to Victoria’s rec!
📺 Watch the replay below.
ICYMI - last year we shared a Bridgerton themed activity book and coloring pages perfect for historical romance lovers. Download today if you haven’t yet.
📅 New Releases This Week: February 10 - February 16
A fresh stack of books just dropped! Whether you're craving romance, thrillers, or fantasy, here's what’s hitting shelves this week.
Featured New Releases (Feb 10 - Feb 16):
📖 Scythe & Sparrow by Brynne Weaver – The thrilling conclusion to the Ruinous Love Trilogy featuring a small-town doctor and a murder-happy circus performer in a steamy friends-with-benefits romance. Grab on Amazon
📖 First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison – A radio romance hotline host with a broken heart meets a single mom in this Sleepless in Seattle-inspired love story. Grab on Amazon
📖 A Rebel Without Claws by Juliette Cross – A next-gen Stay a Spell spin-off where a cage-fighting werewolf and a good-girl Aura witch can’t resist their fated connection. Grab on Amazon
📖 Waifs & Strays by Helen Harper – A magical mystery featuring a cat-loving heroine who gets tangled up in supernatural crime. Grab on Amazon
📖 A Victim at Valentine’s by Ellie Alexander – A cozy mystery set in an Agatha Christie-inspired bookshop, where a Valentine’s Day murder takes center stage. Grab on Amazon
💡 Looking for More? Our book database has over 170 February releases to browse! This is a paid member feature.
A voice note recommendation from Francesca: I Accidentally Summoned a Demon Boyfriend by Jessica Cage
If your idea of the perfect boyfriend includes otherworldly charm, a touch of danger, and an inconvenient summoning ritual—then I Accidentally Summoned a Demon Boyfriend by Jessica Cage is for you. When a spell gone wrong leaves Imani stuck with a hot, broody demon in her apartment, things quickly go from oops to oh no (and maybe a little oh yes 👀). It’s fast-paced, fun, and perfect for anyone who loves paranormal romance with snark, spice, and just a little chaos. ~ Francesca
📩 What’s on your reading list this week?
If you’re picking up any of these new releases or recommendations, hit reply and let me know! And if you take the Valentine’s Day quiz, I want to hear which trope you got. Are you prepared yet for the Romanceopoly Winter Market Square event? One more week to prep and choose our books and February 24 we start reading! Reply with your TBR.
Until next time, happy reading!
xoxo
Francesca & Suzanne
Catch us on Substack live! We will adding some Substack lives to our schedule soon. Stay tuned for that. And download the Substack app so you get instant notifications when we go live.
Don’t forget to join us for February book club!
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