I have a crush! In truth, I have MANY crushes. Yes, my
husband knows all about them. As a writer I crush on many an author for their
lyrical prose, poetic imagery, masterful wit, or ability to wring out every
emotion from me in the hills and valleys of their story. As a reader I get
crushes on some of the three-dimensional characters created by some of my
favorite authors (aka crushes).
I could spend hours listing my literary crushes and,
frankly, who has the time. So, here are my top five and the book that clinched
my scrawling their name on the cover of my notebook in glittery gel pen.
1. The Undertaking of Hart
and Mercy by Megan Bannen
a. This
genre-bending book has a rich cast of characters that jump off the page giving
you all the feels. Hart and Mercy inhabit a world that is part-Western, part-Fantasy,
and part-Zombie, but one hundred percent enthralling. This “not-quite enemies
but not-quite chummy to lovers” story was one of my favorite books of 2022.
2. Seven
Days in June by Tia Williams
a. This
heartbreakingly and heartwarmingly beautiful story about first love and second
chances will leave you sated but wanting more. Like all good romances, its more
than just a love story about the couple. It explores issues of race, class,
gender, and chronic disease.
3. Behind
the Scenes by Karelia Stetz-Waters
a. There
are two pugs named Muffin and Poundcake. Need I say more? This has been one of
my early favs in 2023. This heartwarming and witty romance not only has a love story
that steams off the page, but a cast of support characters that make you say, “I
know that person” and want to read more about this world the author has
created.
4. The
Fastest Way to Fall by Denise Williams
a. This
witty and swoony love story not only features one of the most adorable couplings
of my fabulous fellow curvy sister-from-a-different-mister Britta and the
diabetes-inducing and panty-dropping deliciously sweet Wes but offers a very
real discussion about body image and the pressure placed on women, especially women
of color, to mold into an image of what is beautiful that doesn’t embrace all types
of beauty. (Yes, that was one run-on sentence! This is why nobody is crushing on
me…YET.)
5. Set
on You (The Influencer, #1) by Amy Lea
a. Ummm…a
curvy social media influencer and a sexy firefighter? Has someone been sneaking
around in my dreams Inception-style? Fess up, Amy Lea! This funny,
heartwarming, and very steamy novel is the first of what has become one of my
favorite series in the last year. Just like ALL of my literary crushes, this
book not just offers the “Fan Yourself” moments we love as romance readers but
delves into very real issues in a thoughtful and sensitive way.
This
is just a snapshot of some of my MANY literary crushes I am currently nursing ,along
with this cup of Chai tea sitting beside me. I love each of their style of writing
for very different reasons, but the common theme weaving them together in a
crush-worthy package is their ability to create characters that pull me into their
story causing me to flip or tap to the next page or tack (fi you’re doing
audio) to find out what happens next, to tear up with them, and to cheer on for
them.
Aa a fellow romance writer, I can
only hope to create stories that my readers will fall in love with much like my
list of crushes. If you haven’t checked these amazing crushes of mine, please
do. Also, share your literary crush in the comments or via social media at
@SteamingPlot81 (Twitter) or @melissa_whitneyauthor (Insta Gram).
And remember nothing soothes a
crusher’s heart like a steamy cup of tea!
Pinkies Up!!
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