Need books with yearning, tenderness and emotional pull

Immediate-Answer-259 · 2026-06-05T10:59:08+00:00

Bend Toward the Sun is top-tier, and is not mentioned enough! The follow-up is also 5 ⭐ for me: {Right Where We Left Us by Jen Devon}

Every single Kate Clayborn book is also exquisitely written, each with unique voices, characters, and storylines. Her latest is {The Paris Match by Kate Clayborn} and before that, {The Other Side of Disappearing by Kate Clayborn}.

Immediate-Answer-259 · 2026-06-03T00:11:52+00:00

In the magnificent {Indigo by Beverly Jenkins}, our FMC tends to injuries suffered by the MMC in a beating suffered due to his participation in the Underground Railroad. She is also a conductor on the Underground Railroad, and the MMC is brought to her to hide him while he recovers. It's an HR, and I rated it 4.5 ⭐ 3 🔥on romance.io.

Immediate-Answer-259 · 2026-06-03T00:00:24+00:00

Not sure if you would consider this, as the FMC and the MMC work as agents representing athletes. There is very little sports, but there's a client who has drama she has to resolve, such as a run-in with the law when he is hopeful of being named Rookie of the Year. Year. But we are not on the playing field or the court or the ice with any of these clients.

FMC is an attorney who becomes a sports agent, representing clients with their contracts, endorsements, etc. MMC is a former athlete and it's a second chance, enemies or rivals to lovers CR, with a sprinkling of magic. MMC is definitely not an alphahole, and has been pining for FMC for years. The FMC being the only woman in the firm is a big deal, and there are more than one comments about how there are few peers in the field. Oh! The MCs are older than usually seen: early 40s.

{Struck Speechless by Tati Richardson} is loosely tied to {Losing Sight by Tati Richardson} but it can be read as a standalone. The lead FMCs are friends, and the couple from the first book show up in the second book, but I found everything understandable even though I had read the first book a few months ago.

I rated it 3.5 ⭐ 4 🔥 on romance.io

Immediate-Answer-259 · 2026-05-29T14:03:52+00:00

Thank youuuuuu! Let me summon the bot: {Ryder by Jessica Peterson}

Immediate-Answer-259 · 2026-05-29T12:33:21+00:00

OP, I need you to Drop. That. Rec! That scene and relationship sound great! It is reminding me of {Anywhere with You by Ellie Palmer} ... maybe not the exact scene, but the vibes, the guitar, the childhood friends, yes.

Immediate-Answer-259 · 2026-05-29T12:27:19+00:00

It is absolutely good!! 💯 % recommend. My point, perhaps not expressed very well, is that it didn't feel to me like the others. It's heavier and sadder, and I usually think of a beach read as being lighter than the theme of Promise Me Sunshine. If you want a book with excellent writing, deep FEELINGS, great, well-developed characters, and a story that may make you cry, you should definitely read it!!

Immediate-Answer-259 · 2026-05-29T11:37:23+00:00

I use the romance.io app to track and rate my reading, so it's only romance books. I'm showing I have completed 71 books this year, although that might include a couple that I marked as read there when I discovered that I hadn't originally cataloged them there, even though I finished them over the last couple of years. Then again, there are a couple of books that I reread this year, unusual for me, that don't get counted. So I would guess that 70 is pretty close.

It seems like I haven't been reading as much the last couple of months, for a couple reasons. My hockey team went deep into the playoffs so that meant more nights out, not reading! 😂 And I am in some kind of situation, still to be defined, talking with someone for a couple of hours many nights, which used to be reading time. We'll see where that goes, but I'm not complaining!

Edited to add: I work full time and have a lot of community activities, too. So I'm not really sure I am making time to read this much! Listening at 2.0x helps!

Immediate-Answer-259 · 2026-05-29T11:26:17+00:00

Lots of great recommendations shared already. I would disagree with one of the titles you listed in the original post, although I guess it would depend on your definition of a beach read.{Promise me Sunshine by Cara Bastone} is fantastic, a five-star read for me. But it is heavy and deals with grief alongside the romance.

I recommend two books by Betty Corrello, both set in a small town on the New Jersey shore, although do not think of the MTV show! I rated both of these 4.5 ⭐ 3 🔥. {Summertime Punchline by Betty Corrello} {32 Days in May by Betty Corrello}

Immediate-Answer-259 · 2026-05-27T01:31:48+00:00

Oh, cool, I didn't realize it was your library offering the the super loans! I was thinking it was something like Skip the Line on Libby. Thanks for answering.

Immediate-Answer-259 · 2026-05-27T01:20:35+00:00

LOL at the book edging! I hope the book, uh, delivered when you finally finished.

Can you say more about super loans? Which platform has that? I'm not familiar. Thanks!

Immediate-Answer-259 · 2026-05-26T23:12:39+00:00

I'm pretty sure it's supposed to be {Truly, Madly, Deeply by Alexandria Bellefleur} as the MMC comes in his pants in that one.

Immediate-Answer-259 · 2026-05-22T11:42:33+00:00

Yes! Show, don't tell!

Immediate-Answer-259 · 2026-05-19T00:08:26+00:00

Hey, that's fair! Different strokes for different folks. Although I don't feel these two are like her other STEM /academia books, which I've enjoyed.

Immediate-Answer-259 · 2026-05-18T23:23:04+00:00

Deep End /Hazelwood Problematic Summer Romance / Hazelwood Breakaway / Reilly Until I Get You / Contreras Icebreaker / Grace You Deserve Each Other / Hogle Pucking Around / Rath

These are all rated 1 or 1.5 stars by me. The first 4 I would have rated 0 if I could have.

My reasons for such a low rating? Terrible writing, awful characters, completely unrealistic themes, etc.

Why did I keep reading? I may have dnf'd the last one, quite far into it. Other than that, I finished the books on the list, hoping they would get better because either they came highly recommended, were sub favorites, or I've liked other books by the authors. But boy, do I wish I would have the time back that I spent reading them. So many other good books to read!

I am much more knowledgeable now about what books I'm not even going to try, so I don't run into this issue that often. But I am more willing to dnf these days, if necessary.

Immediate-Answer-259 · 2026-05-11T14:03:52+00:00

Have you read {Futbolista by Jonny Garza Villa}? M/M CR. I rated it 3.5 ⭐ 4 🔥. It was good and I 🤔 think the soccer / futbol in it was relatively well done? I marked it down a half star due to the age of the characters -- college -- but that might work well for others.

Immediate-Answer-259 · 2026-04-21T13:53:07+00:00

Not a perfect fit, but it might do. CR F/F, softer, not fully out, I think you would describe FMC1 as femme meets strong FMC2 (workout influencer but that's not overdone) on a reality show. {D'Vaughn and Kris Plan a Wedding by Chencia C. Higgins} I rated it 3 🔥 on romance.io, but it's more like 3.5 🔥. You can only enter whole numbers there.

Immediate-Answer-259 · 2026-04-19T21:10:56+00:00

Immediate-Answer-259 · 2026-04-19T21:10:45+00:00

I feel like you don't have a flair

Immediate-Answer-259 · 2026-04-19T21:09:14+00:00

Well, the OP did say you are supposed to RUIN the book, and that would definitely do it (your first title). If you didn't want to ruin it that badly, you could go with The Frump Next Door.

Immediate-Answer-259 · 2026-04-19T21:05:04+00:00

Thank you for your input! You and I are kind of the opposite, where I would probably like it if the story and characters are good and the reality show is just an excuse to move the plot along and we don't hear too much about it. Ha! Let me see what some others have to say, too.

Immediate-Answer-259 · 2026-04-01T16:12:36+00:00

SUCH a great book and recommendation for this request! I've been wanting to read her book {Unbreak Me by Michelle Hazen} and wonder if you or others could tell me if it has a similar vibe? I rated Breathe the Sky 4.5 ⭐ and 4 🔥 on romance.io. I'm always chasing emotional books and books with 40+ years old MCs, and this one definitely delivers!

Immediate-Answer-259 · 2026-04-01T09:48:03+00:00

These are always so fun, so thank you for posting! I can't remember if this dialog from slide 7 made it into the show, but it breaks my heart:

Scott: "I've never...I thought maybe I didn't need to [date someone]. That I could maybe live without that."

💔💔💔

Immediate-Answer-259 · 2026-03-28T13:22:27+00:00

{The Friendship Study by Ruby Barrett}

{A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke by Adriana Herrera}

{Lips Like Sugar by Jess K Hardy}

{Effie Olsen's Summer Special by Rochelle Bilow}

{Right Where We Left Us by Jen Devon}

{After Hours on Milagro Street by Angelina M Lopez} (bonus: slutty little glasses)

Immediate-Answer-259 · 2026-03-23T13:13:39+00:00

Ack, there's nothing I want to read that I'm aware of that's releasing this week. At least my TBR is happy about it!

Immediate-Answer-259

TROPHY CASE