Love, Essie - The Podcast

This week I talk about a five star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ book that’s phenomenal!!! Megan Bannen did the thing y’all 😂. If you love the deep dark moment to be brutally painful and HURT you need to read this book! Spoilers start at 18:32 and end at 58:50 for anyone who wants to skip them. Let me know your thoughts on this book on the socials at Twitter @molessie, Instagram and TikTok @essiemv Thanks for listening 💜

This week I talk about a new novella from Dria Andersen! It’s vampires and Black and HOT 🥵 I’m so excited to see more books set in this world! Run to Amazon here: shorturl.at/qzKN6 and treat yourself to this book! Let me know your thoughts on Twitter @molessie and @essiemv on Instagram

This week I talk about two romances that I found via Instagram. Sweet Fang by Nicole Whitfield was on @sharonda_isadora’s reel and The Duke’s Defiant Cinderella by Parker J. Cole was on @talk_about_swoon’s post about Black historical romance. I’m so glad that I follow such awesome people who mention new to me books! Let me know what you’re reading on Instagram @essiemv or Twitter @molessie

This week I talk about some of the Harlequin Presents that I’ve been reading and how the excerpts keep sucking me in! The books I talked about are on my Instagram @essiemv and pinned to my Twitter account @molessie ☺️

This week I return to the show with an update on life and my thoughts on Nalini’s latest Psy Changeling book Storm Echo! Spoilers start at 21:28 and end at 1:10:40 😂 I also include my first reaction after I read the ARC! Thanks again for listening and you can always chat with me on Twitter @molessie and on Instagram @essiemv

I’m back with the latest contemporary romance from my fave Nalini Singh!! I’m a stan so please don’t expect objectivity! I really enjoyed this book and loved the issues Nalini tackled. Let me know your thoughts and what spin-off you’d like to see on Twitter @molessie and Instagram @essiemv because I’m curious.

I’m back my darlings! It’s been awhile but I’m back with book two in the Bay Area Blues duo. It’s a fantastic novella written by an incredibly talented author and you need to read it. It is a forever reread for me! Just a note that this book deals with grief and death of parent (off-page). Thank you so much for listening and you can find me on Twitter @molessie and Instagram @essiemv 💖

This episode I’m talking about the brilliant Katrina Jackson and her incredible novella, Layover. You need to read it!! I do spoil it so apologies in advance. It’s only 99 pages so grab it on kindle! To check out the playlist she created for the book, click here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0TEjkNx3J7jXzZ7Z7T2VrU?si=Bmhc0882SD2NiiB3ku8T2Q

I’m back from a reading slump thanks to an excerpt of this book! I read Rancher’s Christmas Storm by Maisey Yates which led me to this fantastic book and I’m so glad that Harlequin always has excerpts of other books because it can lead you to a new fave! The ebook version my library had also included A Kiss to Remember a Rose Bend novella which I also enjoyed! Let me know your thoughts and what books have captured your heart recently on Twitter @molessie and Instagram @essiemv Also the hot chocolate picture came from @kobbymendez on Unsplash 😊

Hi! It’s 2022 and I’ve got a Lorraine Heath book that will make you boohoo cry 😭 It’s got two brothers, a wanted woman and so much love ❤️❤️ Thank you for listening and subscribing. Let me know what book last made you bawl on Twitter @molessie and Instagram @essiemv

This week I talk about the latest Guildhunter book!! Book 14 in the series with Illium and Aodhan front and center! I loved it so much and had lots of thoughts lol! This is a long episode with spoilers starting at 27:40! Please let me know your thoughts on Twitter @molessie or Instagram @essiemv

This week I talk about a historical published in 1994! Sweet Lullaby had a lot going on and the plot twists kept me guessing and mad and sad and just a roller coaster of emotions!

This week I talk about book two in the Once upon a Dukedom series by Lorraine Heath, The Duchess Hunt! I really enjoyed it and the plot twists definitely had me going “What?!” Let me know your thoughts on Instagram @essiemv and Twitter @molessie

This week I talk about Scoundrel of my Heart which is book one in a new series by Lorraine Heath. I had heard lots of good things about book two The Duchess Hunt so put it on hold and read book one. This historical had a plot twist I was not expecting! Looking forward to book two😆

This week I talk about Susanna Allen’s first book in the Shapeshifters of the Beau Monde series. A Wolf in Duke’s Clothing has shifters and ballrooms! This is a good first book and I look forward to the next one out in December 🐺

This week I talk about the first book in the Union of the Rakes series by Eva Leigh! My Fake Rake was a fantastic read and I really enjoyed Grace and Sebastian’s story♥️

This week I talk about books 1-4 in this series that has vampires, a hobgoblin, a leprechaun and more! The Gray Court by Dana Marie Bell has drawn me in y’all!!

This week I talk about Lisa Kleypas’ latest in The Ravenels series. I enjoyed Merry and Keir and I also enjoyed seeing characters from the Wallflowers series make appearances.

This week I return with a recent release from Ann Aguirre. Witch Please is book one in the new Fix-It Witches series. I was lucky enough to get an ARC and see what it was all about.

This week it’s all about Thea Harrison’s Elder Races books. I read 5 novellas and 2 books! True Colors, Natural Evil, Devil’s Gate, Hunter’s Season and The Wicked are the novellas. Night’s Honor and Midnight’s Kiss are the books and all were a delight to read. Let me know if you’ve read any of these or what paranormal romance is giving you all the feels! Twitter @molessie and Instagram @essiemv

This week I talk about Jackie’s latest release, Book 2 in the Fong Brothers duo, Bidding on the Bachelor. Cedric finally gets a book! This is a true romcom chock full of food (it made me crave dumplings 🥟) I loved it and hope you do too💖 Let me know your thoughts on Instagram @essiemv and Twitter @molessie

This week I talk about books 5&6 of the Elder Races series by Thea Harrison and Wolfsong by TJ Klune which is book 1 in the Green Creek series. I love paranormal romance and these books deliver!! Let me know your favorite paranormal romance @molessie on Twitter and @essiemv on Instagram.

This week I talk about a new to me paranormal romance series. I read books 3&4 and am waiting on book 5. Let me know your thoughts on Twitter @molessie and Instagram @essiemv

I’m back with Last Guard book 20 in the Psy Changeling series!! There are spoilers so if you’re not a fan stop at 27:10! I loved the book and have many thoughts, ideas and possible future pairings 🤣 Let me know your thoughts on Instagram @essiemv and Twitter @molessie Link to Ben Oni’s site: https://www.benonijewelry.com/

This week I talk about Carly Bloom’s third book in the Once Upon a Time in Texas series. There’s fake dating, older woman/younger man, a librarian, dyslexia, small town romance and I laughed quite a bit! If you’ve read this series let me know your thoughts on Twitter @molessie and Instagram @essiemv

This week I talk about books one and two in the Elder Races series by Thea Harrison. Dragon Bound and Storm’s Heart were quite enjoyable and I’m looking forward to the rest of the series. I do love paranormals y’all! Thank you to @zerisse on Instagram for putting me on! Let me know if you’ve read this series on Twitter @molessie and Instagram @essiemv

This week after watching the movie In The Heights and I started thinking about what romance novels could be turned into one. Some possibilities were From Scratch by Katrina Jackson, Topaz by Beverly Jenkins and Silver Silence by Nalini Singh. What romance novels would you turn into a musical? Let me know on Twitter @molessie and Instagram @essiemv

This week I talk about the newest release from Jackie Lau: The Professor Next Door. It’s available June 8, 2021 here: https://jackielaubooks.com/books/the-professor-next-door/ Let me know your thoughts on Twitter @molessie and on Instagram @essiemv

This week I talk about soaps and telenovelas thanks to Adriana Herrera’s IG live with Andie Christopher. She’s doing 8 more before the release of her new book One Week to Claim it All which is her debut for Harlequin Desire! Let me know your thoughts on soaps, romance and telenovelas on Twitter @molessie and Instagram @essiemv

This week I talk about Always and Forever by Beverly Jenkins and historicals set in the United States. There’s so much out there and this is just my thoughts on how history shows up or doesn’t in some romances. I also mention A Chance at Love, Taming of Jessi Rose and Topaz all by Ms. Jenkins and how they’re interconnected. You can chat with me on Twitter @molessie and Instagram @essiemv

This week I talk about The Duke who Didn’t by Courtney Milan and what I think about historical romance set in the UK specifically. There’s a lot of historical romance out there and this is just a small dip into that area of the genre. You can chat with me on Twitter @molessie and Instagram @essiemv

This week I talk about the 6 books I read in a week!!! The Friend Contract and The Alpha Affair by Dria Andersen were shifter romance with bears, panthers and a witch. The Bride Quartet by Nora Roberts which includes Vision in White, Bed of Roses, Savor the Moment and Happy Ever After were contemporary and filled with weddings. Come share your fave Nora Roberts and shifter books on Twitter @molessie and Instagram @essiemv

I’m back from moving with a new book from Ann Aguirre, The Jaguar Knight which is the 6th and final book in the Ars Numina world. Slay and Rowena were 💖💖💖 if you’ve read the series let me know on Twitter @molessie or Instagram @essiemv, which couple is your favorite ☺️

This week I talk about the first book in a series that let me down. Luckily I had read the series out of order lol. Books mentioned: Cold-Hearted Rake (the disappointment), Marrying Winterborne (phenom!), Devil in Spring, When Strangers Marry, Only With Your Love all by Lisa Kleypas. You can find me on Twitter @molessie and Instagram @essiemv

This week my reading was all over the place so I’m sharing the mixed bag of new, rereads, full length, novella and a plethora of tropes books that I read! Books mentioned: Rock Addiction, Rock Hard and Rock Courtship by Nalini Singh, The Italian’s Final Redemption by Jackie Ashenden, Sin City Seduction by Zuri Day, A Reunion of Rivals by Reese Ryan, The Hating Game by Sally Thorne. Let me know what books you’ve been loving and which have been meh on Twitter @molessie and Instagram @essiemv

This week I talk about the tropes I like and some I don’t like. Books mentioned: That Kind of Guy, Wanna Bet, Mating the Huntress and Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert, A Second Chance Roadtrip and Not Another Family Wedding by Jackie Lau, Tangle of Need by Nalini Singh. Let me know what your favorite and least favorite tropes are on Twitter @molessie and Instagram @essiemv

This week I talk about the books I read that I actually own thanks to the wonderful hashtag from @ShadesNPages and @BrazenBabeReviews. These are the titles: Secret Crush Seduction by Jayci Lee, Stolen to Wear His Crown by Marcella Bell, Careless Whispers by Synithia Williams (out March 30, 2021) and Seducing the Jackal by Seressia Glass. Let me know what you thought of the intro and what you’re reading on Twitter @molessie and Instagram @essiemv

This week’s episode is about romance in comics, specifically my fave WEBTOON comics which have an enemies to lovers, multiple ships 🚢 and the Underworld! The comics mentioned are Lore Olympus, My Dear Cold Blooded King, SubZero, Let’s Play and Gourmet Hound! Thank you for listening ♥️

This week I’m talking about the newest Talia Hibbert book! The last Brown sister, Eve, has to help Jacob Wayne out after injuring him. This book is warm, funny and has a main couple who I’m certain will be together forever!! Thank you for listening and if you can please rate or review the podcast wherever you listen ♥️

This week I talk about a recentish release (July wasn’t that long ago) from the incredible author duo, Kit Rocha. This is book one in a new series and the world building and romance were a hit for me! Spoilers start at 24:12 and end at 48:25 in case you don’t like to be spoiled! I definitely can’t wait for the next book and would love to hear your thoughts on this series on Twitter @molessie or Instagram @essiemv

This week I talk about the books I read thanks to @shadesnpages and @brazenbabereviews task of reading the books you own! (Trust) Falling for You by Charish Reid is a great novella and books 1 and 2 in Beverly Jenkins Destiny trilogy, Destiny’s Embrace and Destiny’s Surrender are so good! Let me know what books you end up reading on Twitter @molessie and Instagram @essiemv Check out https://instagram.com/theinfinitelimitsoflove for the best cover and dessert pairings!

This week I talk about how Ann Aguirre gave me tropes I’m not fond of in a book and blew my expectations sky high! Strange Love and As Long As You Love Me both surprised me with how much I enjoyed them. If you like the episode feel free to rate and review wherever you’re listening and please share any recommendations for romance novels you love on Twitter @molessie and Instagram @essiemv

This week I talk about book 2 in the Women Who Dare series by Beverly Jenkins! Wild Rain is wonderful and will keep you up past your bedtime 😆 Spring Rain Lee is awesome and I want my own Garrett McCray! Spoilers start at 22:25 and end at 50:27 in case you hate being spoiled! The books I mention are Through the Storm (Raimond Le Veq and Sable), Forbidden (Rhine Fontaine and Eddy Charmichael), Tempest (Dr. Colton Lee and Regan Charmichael) and Rebel (Drake Le Veq and Valinda Lacey). You don’t need to read them to read Wild Rain but you should because they’re all so good! Wild Rain is out February 9, 2021 so you won’t have to wait long🙌🏾 The playlist link: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1ptREK6CdZyDUjRnHo7w6K?si=tsACHh-QSs2r8gGrUgt6xg

This week I talk about the books I read thanks to @shadesnpages and @brazenbabereviews task of reading the books you own! I was pleasantly surprised at all of the good books past me had bought lol. I mention the following: His Beauty by Jack Harbon, Redemption by Kenya Wright, Janine: His True Alpha and Lenora: His Omega Mate, both by Chencia C. Higgins. If you too have lots of unread books in your TBR, this hashtag helps!! Let me know what books you end up reading on Twitter @molessie and Instagram @essiemv because my TBR always has room for more😂

This week I talk about my love of shifter romance! Thanks to #TeamJacob I enjoy wolves, bears, panthers, and more. Nalini’s Silver Silence has Valentin 🐻 and Chasing Savannah and Hers to Call both by Dria Andersen have wonderful fated mates stories!! I also mention Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs and His to Defend by Elena Aitken. If you have any shifter romance recommendations hit me up on Twitter @molessie and Instagram @essiemv

This week I talk about Flirting with Forever and how freaking good Cara Bastone is. If you’re wondering how a horrible first impression can lead to love, you gotta read this book. You can buy this starting January 26, 2021 and you can see the other books in the series at Cara’s website: https://www.carabastone.com/

This week I talk about age gap romance and Tasha L. Harrison’s wonderful book: If She Says Yes... I also mention Tessa Bailey’s Crashed Out and Diana: In Her Own Words which is streaming on Netflix. The Google Forms template that Black Chick Lit created can be found here: https://blackchicklit.com/dont-use-excel-to-track-your-reading-use-google-forms/ The podcast can be found here: http://blackchicklit.com/ If you enjoyed the episode, please rate and review and subscribe 💖 find me on Twitter @molessie and Instagram @essiemv

This week’s episode is a bit on the short side lol. I share the new releases I’m excited for: Wild Rain by Beverly Jenkins Flirting with Forever by Cara Bastone Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert Last Guard by Nalini Singh Sweethand by N.G. Peltier The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang (Trust) Falling for You by Charish Reid Check out my Instagram @essiemv and Twitter @molessie and thank you for listening!

This week I talk about Nalini’s latest Guild Hunter book, Archangel’s Sun! It’s so good and I loved it! Spoilers start at 21:18 and end at 57:41. I also mention Holiday Fairies 2020 and you can check it out at bit.ly/romancelandia This is also the last episode of the year and I am so thankful to y’all for listening for 52 episodes!!! If you have any comments or ideas for Season 2 hit me up on Twitter @molessie or Instagram @essiemv Happy Holidays, Great Conjunction and New Year 🎉 See y’all in 2021!

This week I talk about the Holiday Fairies gift drive that Andrea Martucci from Shelf Love Podcast is spearheading. Check it out at bit.ly/romancelandia I also talk about Partners in Persuasion from the Wild Embrace collection and Declaration of Courtship from the Wild Invitation collection by Nalini Singh because novellas are perfect right now!

This week I talk about three Christmas novellas and a short story. Her Pretend Christmas Date by Jackie Lau is out December 8, Wrapped Up in You by Talia Hibbert is a Kobo exclusive out now, A Virgin River Christmas by Robyn Carr is out and Underneath the Mistletoe by Meko Mitchell is on Wattpad right now! Please let me know what you think on Instagram @essiemv and Twitter @molessie and share your favorite Christmas romances too 💗🎄💗

This week I talk about two upcoming books: Best Women’s Erotica of The Year Volume 6 out December 8, 2020 and How To Catch a Queen out December 1, 2020.

This week I talk about book 12 in the Guild Hunter series, Archangel’s War!! This book is big 👀 also I am overly excited for the next book in the series lol. Romancing the Runoff’s auction ends Nov 24 so you still have time to check it out: https://www.32auctions.com/romancingrunoff

This week I talk about book 11 in the GH series, Archangel’s Prophecy! Spoilers start at 24:25 in case you hate those. Also on Wednesday November 18, 2020 the auction for Romancing the Runoff begins and there are amazing auction items. Check it out here: http://www.romancingtherunoff.com/ auction here: https://www.32auctions.com/romancingrunoff Thank you for listening 👂♥️

This week’s episode is a short one because it was a. week. of. craziness! Shelly’s Honey Badger Chronicles are so much fun to read and I’m so glad book two was in my surprise box from Love Sweet Arrow. Get yours here: https://shop.lovessweetarrow.com/surpriseboxes

This week I’m talking about Venom and Holly 💚 Book 10 of the series has some interesting moments; think radar! In the Gratitude spotlight, I mention one of my favorite DJs and you can find his mixes here: https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/TqtJwQUFARXsubv96 You can find me on Twitter @molessie and Instagram @essiemv where we can chat about romance novels!

This week I talk about book 9 in the Guild Hunter series, Archangel’s Heart. Andrea Martucci the host of the Shelf Love podcast mentioned an interesting concept about life, death, sex and immortality that I had to talk about. Definitely check out her podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4QJHzYTCZtWNFY0MeInETa?si=RoBGiq0uQ5GbzteRfx5wEg Hit me up on Twitter @molessie and Instagram @essiemv if you have other thoughts about the series. Don’t forget book 13 Archangel’s Sun is available November 24 and you can read an excerpt here: https://nalinisingh.com/books/guild-hunter-series/archangels-sun/

This week I talk about two books I reread that give me a warm hug feeling: Dancing in the Moonlight by Raeanne Thayne and Stroke of Enticement by Nalini Singh. This term comes from author Angelina M. Lopez who mentioned it on the Boozy Book Broads event last Friday. Please rate and review the podcast if you enjoyed the episode and you can hit me up on Twitter @molessie and Instagram @essiemv

This week I talk about book eight in the Guild Hunter series which is all about Naasir and Andromeda 🤍 these two are so perfect for each other. The found family storyline is beautiful! Please rate/review the podcast if you can and say hi on Twitter @molessie or Instagram @essiemv

This week I talk about Archangel’s Shadows, book seven in the Guild Hunter series by Nalini Singh. Spoilers start after the ad so be forewarned. Please take a moment to rate/review the podcast if you can😊 you can find me on Twitter @molessie and Instagram @essiemv if you want to chat about this book or other romance ♥️

This week I talk about the Harlequin Blaze trio by Tiffany Reisz that blew my mind! Her Halloween Treat, Her Naughty Holiday and One Hot December are centered around the holidays (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas/Hanukkah) and need to be on your TBR if you haven’t read them yet🧡 If you want to see my unboxing of Lucy Eden’s Blind Date with a Book Boyfriend swag box go to my Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/essiemv/

This week I talk about book 6 in the Guild Hunter series. It’s a return to Raphael and Elena and some crazy shit thanks to the creepy Lijuan. Spoilers start at 29:30 and end at 1:13:40 Also I’m doing #FallintoRomBingo and would love to get recommendations on Twitter so I can fill that square. I’m @molessie on there.

This week I talk about Angel’s Flight which has 4 awesome Guild Hunter novellas that y’all should definitely read! I also talk about Jackie Lau’s latest release: Her Big City Neighbor, which is funny and full of food 🍪 follow along with my #FallintoRomBingo on Twitter @molessie and Instagram @essiemv 😊🍂🤗

This week I talk about book five in the Guild Hunter series, Archangel’s Storm ⛈. Jason and Mahiya are 🖤 I also talk about #fallintorombingo happening on Twitter and Instagram thanks to @Danis_bookshelf and @jhughe17 and how excited I am to participate. You can hit me up on Twitter @molessie and on Instagram @essiemv.

This week I talk about Black Panther, the wedding with Storm, the movie and Chadwick Boseman. I also talk about romance in comics and the very cool app WEBTOON! Hit me up on Twitter @molessie and Instagram @essiemv

This week it’s all about Dmitri and Honor! Book four in the Guild Hunter series gives us a new perspective on the world that really works for me. Spoilers start at 17:53 in case you don’t want to hear them. Please rate and review wherever you listen to the podcast and if you want to chat, I’m on Twitter @molessie and on Instagram @essiemv

This week I talk about the awesomeness that was the 2nd annual Bookstore Romance Day with a bunch of fantastic virtual panels! Definitely check out https://twitter.com/BkstoreRomance?s=21 for more info on the event! Also get this calendar with romance events that the wonderful Linda Watson put together in your life: http://shorturl.at/vCJWZ I also talk about book three in the Guild Hunters series by Nalini Singh! If you have comments, questions or just want to chat, hit me up on Twitter @molessie and Instagram @essiemv

This week I talk about two Brenda Jackson titles: An Honorable Seduction and Duty or Desire which are both part of the Westmoreland Legacy brand. I wanted to read some Harlequins because it's been awhile and I remember reading them when I was a teen. I also briefly mentione Maisey Yates' Want Me, Cowboy and Sara Orwig's The Rancher's Cinderella Bride as contrast to Ms. Jackson's books which have some fantastic covers. Linda Watson's amazing Romacelandia events Google calendar can be found here: shorturl.at/vCJWZ Don't forget, August 15, 2020 is Bookstore Romance Day and there are a bunch of wonderful virtual events you should definitely sign up for :D

This week I talk about book two of the Guild Hunter series. Elena and Raphael are navigating their new relationship and figuring out who they are together. Spoilers start at 24:10 and end at 1:00. Check out Lucy Eden’s newsletter where I’m recommending 3 books and the newsletter is fantastic!! Click on the first link here: https://linktr.ee/essiemv The anthology out on the 5th: Only One Bed. I’m on Twitter @molessie and Instagram @essiemv

This week I talk about Midnight by Beverly Jenkins and how much I enjoyed it. Spoilers start at 29:45 and end at 1:09 😂 the next Beverly Jenkins book Wild Rain is out February 9, 2021 and has a lady rancher!! Check out RomBkPods #JenkinsJuly episode https://open.spotify.com/episode/0YnBPk7EpGqADmzYnhX5U5?si=Nw5nPY__TseBMU9vEN2-2w and the hashtag on Twitter and Instagram. The timeline thread is here: https://twitter.com/mformley1920/status/1280175040617742336?s=21 This is what a Tory is: Loyalists were American colonists who stayed loyal to the British Crown during the American Revolutionary War, often called Tories, Royalists, or King's Men at the time. They were opposed by the Patriots, who supported the revolution, and called them "persons inimical to the liberties of America". Wikipedia If you want more info on the Kit Rocha and Ms. Bev event: https://www.instagram.com/p/CCWR1tQgXLH/?igshid=169i37noxhnp3 Follow me on Twitter @molessie on Instagram @essiemv and like, subscribe and share the podcast!

This week I talk about Book 1 in the Guild Hunter series, which has vampires, angels and archangels ✨ If you love found family tropes, get this book and don’t blame me if you can’t put it down! Spoilers start at 19:37 and end at 46:59. If you have thoughts and theories, hit me up on Twitter @molessie or Instagram DMs @essiemv

This week I wanted to talk about “historical fantasy” after watching Date Night with Alyssa Cole. These events are so good and you should follow her to catch the next one! Scentsational Rynnie has done us all the biggest favor and compiled a thread with Beverly Jenkins books in a chronological timeline!!! Go here to check it out and like: https://twitter.com/mformley1920/status/1280175040617742336?s=21 The blog post about Regency and the lack of diverse characters in the Jane Austen fanfic world is here: https://www.bellabreen.com/racism-of-erasure-in-regency-romance-novels/ The other blog post calling out Austen Authors for taking down Bella’s post is here: https://katherinegrantromance.com/news/writing-about-historical-racism-is-not-controversial Also check out RomBkPod’s episode for Jenkins July here: https://linktr.ee/rombkpod

This week I talk about Hold Me by Courtney Milan and The Mistress by Maya Banks and how enemies to lovers shows up (at least for me). Also y’all need to listen to RomBkPods episode with Beverly Jenkins https://tinyurl.com/y8q8ls4y and Episode 49 of Shelflove Podcast with Katrina Jackson https://tinyurl.com/yb5n3vf8 You can reach me on Twitter @molessie and Instagram @essiemv and you can subscribe and rate the podcast on whichever listening service you’re using 🥰

Aaaaaahhhh it’s Alpha Night time🤣😍🤣 I loved this book so much. Spoilers start at 18:06ish and go to 51:23 in case you want to avoid them. I also talk about CLOY aka Crash Landing on You the kdrama on Netflix that y’all need to watch! If you have theories about the Architect, let’s chat on Twitter @molessie or Instagram @essiemv I’m so excited/curious!!!

This week I talk about the Juneteenth Book Fest romance panel, Black Love: Writing Black Romance which has Alyssa Cole, Beverly Jenkins and Farrah Rochon. Watch it here: https://youtu.be/hd35oBcd-G4 I also talk about Beverly Jenkins’ A Chance at Love which is so good and I gush about Take A Hint, Dani Brown which is out 6/23/2020 and you need!!!!!

This week I read Be Not Afraid and That Could Be Enough by Alyssa Cole. These historical romance novellas are beautifully written and I loved them very much!!! Also I’m re-reading Alpha Night and if you want to talk spoilers, theories etc hit me up in the DMs on Twitter @molessie and Instagram @essiemv

This week I talk about Wolf Rain and the new Empath we meet! Alpha Night is out June 9 and you can get a copy at my Bookshop storefront which supports indie bookstores: https://bookshop.org/shop/loveessie Also you can add I Think I Might Love You by Christina C. Jones, Queen Move by Kennedy Ryan, Real Men Knit by Kwana Jackson and Take A Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert and A Chance at Love by Beverly Jenkins to your TBR 🤗📖🤗

This week, Ocean Light takes center stage! If you’ve been waiting for Bowen Knight’s book, it’s here😊 If you want to check out my Bookshop storefront you can here: https://bookshop.org/shop/loveessie and you can get amazing totes, throw cushions and more with dope designs at: https://readblackromance.threadless.com/

This week I talk about Silver Silence the first book in the Trinity arc which has my favorite changeling alpha, Valentin!! The StoneWater bears are so much fun and his relationship with Silver is full of banter and so much love ❤️

This week I talk about Allegiance of Honor which is a different romance novel than usual! Think season finale 😊 I also talk about paranormal romance and my love of shifter novels. Would love to see some owl 🦉 and pigeon shifters as well as penguins 🐧 and eagles 🦅 !!

This week we go back to the Psy Changeling series and I talk about Shards of Hope, book 14 in the series. Aden and Zaira are two Arrows who are leading the squad into a new future by being a wonderful example of what they can be with love! I also talk about a new release by Ann Aguirre, The War Priest which is book 5 in a 6 book series and has a bear shifter falling for a lynx shifter. 

This episode, it’s all about Jackie Lau and her wonderful books! Pregnant by the Playboy is out on May 26, so get your pre-orders on lol! If you like contemporary romance you need to read her books as she is bringing her A game! Listen to me fan girl over her books that have fake dating, one bed, pies, dumplings, durian and amigurumi!! Also check out the #RomBKLove on Twitter and Instagram for inclusive romance recommendations all month long💖

This week I delve into Shield of Winter book 13 in the series, which has an Arrow and an Empath! Jackie Lau has a new book out May 26, Pregnant by the Playboy that you can preorder and Mr. Hotshot CEO is free.99 so go to her website: jackielaubooks.com Shelf Love Podcast has a list of 58 novellas “for a quick hit of hope”, check it out here: https://shelflovepodcast.com/blog/posts/romance-novellas-for-a-quick-hit-of-hope/ If you want to be my pen pal and get a notecard, DM your address on Twitter @molessie or Instagram @essiemv and I’ll send you a card via USPS 🤗

This week, life kicked my ass so I decided to read some Talia because her books bring me so much joy! Guarding Temptation is out April 22 and it’s got the friend’s younger sister trope as well as forced proximity with a tattooed mechanic 💗 You need to add her to your TBR!!! I also read Love Hard by Nalini which has a hot rugby playing single dad🤤 check out Talia’s gorgeous site: taliahibbert.com and if you have a library science degree, hit my DMs pretty please - Twitter @molessie and Instagram @essiemv

This episode we get to Kaleb Krychek’s book! He’s a pretty dark main character and his journey is fascinating. We’re now 12 books in to the series and only eight weeks away from the latest book in the series!! If you want to join Nalini’s newsletter go here: https://nalinisingh.com/ and scroll down to where it says newsletter. If you want to receive a card from me please DM me your name and mailing address on either Twitter or Instagram. Links here: https://linktr.ee/essiemv

Hi! It’s episode 15 with Tangle of Need, book 11 in the Psy-Changeling series. I talk about this book, Adria Morgan who makes it so good, the crappy “Unlikeable Heroine” rag and how much I don’t like it. If you haven’t already read Aarya’s article on the subject, here it is: https://tinyurl.com/t8h48sg Please let me know your thoughts on Twitter @molessie and Instagram @essiemv Get four books from Rebekah Weatherspoon: https://payhip.com/b/Htub and get the first three Beyond books from duo Kit Rocha here: https://payhip.com/b/dxkA Both are pay what you can 🤗🤗🤗🤗 And if you still haven’t read Katrina Jackson (seriously, what are you waiting for?!?) she’s got three books here: https://payhip.com/b/MQ3g Ooooh in case y’all need more Holley Trent has some too: https://payhip.com/b/AwWG

This week I talk about Kiss of Snow. Hawke and Sienna’s book is filled with a lot of action, two love stories 💓 and some wild moments. I do spoiler free first, then I spoil, tee hee😂 While trying to stay sane inside I’m reading some historical: Tessa Dare’s When a Scot ties the knot and Lisa Kleypas’ Scandal in Spring 🤗 Jayci Lee’s debut Temporary Wife Temptation was a fun quick Harlequin read! Coming out March 30, 2020 - Adriana Herrera’s American Sweethearts - second chance and a reformed fuckboi (which I think is today’s rake lol) Coming out April 24, 2020 - go preorder Katrina Jackson’s Office Hours - Black burnt-out sociology professor heroine + cinnamon roll hero who wears tailored suits and is Mexican American = an amazing read because this author is that good!!!!!

For this episode I talk about book 9 Play of Passion! It’s got two wolf changelings, younger man/older woman trope (kinda!) and Andrew Kincaid is a delightful main character. Reading has been tough but I’ve started re-reading Devil’s Bride by Stephanie Laurens because the Fated Mates podcast had an episode about it. The novellas I mentioned that are set in the Psy/Changeling world are: Beat of Temptation - Tasmyn and Nathan from DarkRiver; Declaration of Courtship - Grace is a submissive being courted by a very dominant wolf - both can be found in Wild Invitation. In Wild Embrace you can find Partners in Persuasion which has Felix a submissive wolf tangling with Dezi, a dominant leopard soldier. Please share your thoughts on Twitter @molessie and Instagram @essiemv 😊

This episode I talk about book 8 in the Psy-Changeling universe with Max and Sophia who are a new pairing! I also talk about House Rules and Love Lettering — authors Ruby Lang and Kate Clayborn are so talented and you need both of these books in your lives. Please say hi on Twitter @molessie and on Instagram @essiemv 😊😊😊

This episode I bring y’all back to the Psy-Changeling universe! Book seven, Blaze of Memory is one of my favorite Nalini Singh books and it also destroys me emotionally, every. single. time. I read it! If you’re going to read it, have tissue ready 🧻 I love Katya and Devraj very much and there’s amnesia, forced proximity, and enemies to lovers tropes in this book. Thank you for listening and please share your thoughts with me on Twitter @molessie and Instagram @essiemv

We’ve made it to episode 10! Did something different this week! I decided to pretend I was in the room with Andrea and Katrina in minisode Communication is Key - Polyamory + Financial Conversations and give you my thoughts. You should check out the episode here: https://tinyurl.com/uxppdyx I also had a wonderful conversation on Twitter with @weekendreader_ @DanieReads and @_AdeleBuck about why romance novels specifically get shat on across the board. Decided to share more of my thoughts here. Kelly Faircloth’s article, How Harlequin Became the Most Famous Name in Romance can be read here: https://tinyurl.com/sk98m9u Books to check out: Tempted at Twilight by Jamie Pope, Romancing Mister Bridgerton by Julia Quinn, The Merchants of Venus by Paul Grescoe, Passion’s Fortune: The Story of Mills & Boon by Joseph McAleer, A Cowboy to Remember by Rebekah Weatherspoon and Hearts on Hold by Charish Reid! Contact me here: https://linktr.ee/essiemv

This episode I focus on Branded by Fire which is book 6 in the series but also my FIRST Nalini Singh book. This book is where my love for Nalini started. This book was the gateway, my friends ☺️ So Mercy’s last name is Smith lol 😂 please hit me up on Twitter @molessie and Instagram @essiemv and check out my blog https://linktr.ee/essiemv Gracias 😁

This episode I talk about the enemies to lovers and my faves in that trope. Then I go into Nalini’s Hostage to Pleasure which is book five in the series. Because I mention a lot of books click on the linktree link to see the blog post with all of the wonderful books 🥰🥰🥰 https://linktr.ee/essiemv

In this episode, I focus on book four, Mine to Possess which is Clay and Talin’s book. You can grab a copy here: https://nalinisingh.com/books/psychangeling-series/mine-to-possess/ To read Aarya Marsden’s post on unlikable heroines click here: https://tinyurl.com/t8h48sg Spoilers begin at 32:12 and end at 1:09:39 The second chance romances I mentioned are A Second Chance Road-trip by Jackie Lau https://tinyurl.com/rv7gkw9 Every New Year by Katrina Jackson https://tinyurl.com/uvuxczl House Rules by Ruby Lang (OUT TODAY !!) https://tinyurl.com/t6l9kfa You can reach me at https://linktr.ee/essiemv

In this episode, book three of the series, Caressed by Ice is our focus. If spoilers make you ragey, pause at 24:49 and skip to 1:02:25 to listen to the rest of the episode. After listening to Shelf Love’s minisode on Secret Baby with Kini Allen ( https://shelflovepodcast.com/episodes/season-1/episode-21/episode-21/ ) I wanted to share with y’all one of my favorite secret baby books, Emma Darcy’s The Wrong Mirror and why it’s a trope that can sometimes work for me. I also figured out which Diana Palmer book I was talking about, it’s Merciless! To check out the excerpt of Ruby Lang’s newest book House Rules, check out my blog - https://essieslovecorner.wordpress.com/ Out today: Hearts on Hold by Charish Reid charishreid.com/books/ Black Authors to check out: Rebel Carter - www.rebelwrites.com/ Rebekah Weatherspoon - www.rebekahweatherspoon.com/ Farrah Rochon - www.farrahrochon.com/ DL White - www.booksbydlwhite.com/

This episode I focus on the second book, Visions of Heat. The spoiler free section ends at 27:26. There are spoilers from 29:27 to 1:11:45 and you can get the book here: https://nalinisingh.com/books/psychangeling-series/visions-of-heat/ Re-reading this for the podcast was interesting because of the similarities I saw to real life. Also as I mentioned at the end, Piper J Drake’s latest book Forever Strong is out January 28th and if you like action, forced proximity and a K-9 dog get this book: http://piperjdrake.com/books/forever-strong/ To check out the excerpt from Ruby Lang’s House Rules next week go here: https://linktr.ee/essiemv and you can preorder Hearts on Hold here: https://charishreid.com/2020/01/19/196/

In this episode I talk briefly about the RWA debacle and then I recommend authors, social content creators and websites you should follow. The detailed breakdown of the links can be found here: https://linktr.ee/essiemv and if you need to 1-click right now: Katrina Jackson - https://tinyurl.com/t9obs36 Jackie Lau - https://tinyurl.com/remocml Talia Hibbert - https://www.taliahibbert.com/ Charish Reid - https://charishreid.com/books/ Zaida Polanco - https://tinyurl.com/qnvzqwz Mimi Grace - https://mimigracebooks.com/ RWA article - https://tinyurl.com/s7t8bah

In this episode I talk about book 1 in the Psy/Changeling series and why I love it so much!! I also talk about Jackie Lau’s holiday novella A Fake Girlfriend for Chinese New Year. Spoilers are between the 15:48 and 48:22 mark. Get Jackie’s novella here, https://jackielaubooks.com/books/a-fake-girlfriend-for-chinese-new-year/ and check out Nalini’s website here, https://nalinisingh.com/ You can reach me at https://twitter.com/molessie and https://www.instagram.com/essiemv/ Thanks for listening!!!!!

It’s episode two! I’ll be talking about Black romance and a Twitter conversation that sparked so many great responses as well as Every New Year by Katrina Jackson which is a must read for y’all! You can follow her at https://twitter.com/katrinajax and find her books at https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B01GAF7X2Q

This is the intro episode to my romance podcast! Welcome and if you have any questions you can reach me by email at essie.v@outlook.com and on Twitter @molessie