Roni Loren's Blog, page 6

Hi y’all,

This will be a quick one today, but I’m so excited to share that the new gorgeous edition of The Ones Who Got Away is now available!

This series has always been special to me, and I’m thrilled that Sourcebooks has given it fresh life with this beautiful redesign and new available format.

Get your copy

A few things to know about this edition…

All four books are scheduled to be reissued and the four book covers together form one complete (super pretty!) design. You can see all of them here!

I’m donating a portion of my earnings from this version to Sandy Hook Promise, an organization that does a number of in-school programs like Start With Hello and Say Something that I think are really fantastic.

This is the first time this book has been available in the larger, trade paperback size, so make sure if you purchase, you choose that size and not the smaller mass market size (because mass market will have the older cover—unless you want the older cover because it’s great too!) Ebook covers should be the new one.

Want to know what it’s about?

Buy the book:  Bookshop.org | Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo | Google Play

If you’ve already read this story, thank you! I’d love it if you could help me spread the word! Feel free to share the graphic below and/or post a review if you feel so compelled. I appreciate you so much!

Thanks, everyone! I hope you enjoy Liv and Finn’s story!

Hi y’all,

This will be a quick one today, but I’m so excited to share that the new gorgeous edition of The Ones Who Got Away is now available!

This series has always been special to me, and I’m thrilled that Sourcebooks has given it fresh life with this beautiful redesign and new available format.

Get your copy

A few things to know about this edition…

All four books are scheduled to be reissued and the four book covers together form one complete (super pretty!) design. You can see all of them here!

I’m donating a portion of my earnings from this version to Sandy Hook Promise, an organization that does a number of in-school programs like Start With Hello and Say Something that I think are really fantastic.

This is the first time this book has been available in the larger, trade paperback size, so make sure if you purchase, you choose that size and not the smaller mass market size (because mass market will have the older cover—unless you want the older cover because it’s great too!) Ebook covers should be the new one.

Want to know what it’s about?

Buy the book:  Bookshop.org | Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo | Indiebound | Google Play

If you’ve already read this story, thank you! I’d love it if you could help me spread the word! Feel free to share the graphic below and/or post a review if you feel so compelled. I appreciate you so much!

Thanks, everyone! I hope you enjoy Liv and Finn’s story!

Roni

Hey y’all,

It’s cover reveal time!

As I mentioned in my newsletter, The Ones Who Got Away series is being reissued in trade paperback size with beautiful new covers. And BONUS—the covers, when lined up, make a complete picture! I love this so much.

The first will be released March 12 and then the others will release every few months over the next year. The only one I don’t have an official date on yet is book 4, but I anticipate that one will release in early 2025.

I’m so excited to have these new versions available. When the series originally came out, they were released in mass market size…right before mass market size mostly went away for much of the contemporary romance genre, lol. Oh the fun of an unpredictable book market! So I’m thrilled that they’re going to get a second life in the new size.

And if you haven’t read this series yet, you’ll get to read them all gussied up! If you’re already a fan of the series (thank you!), maybe you’d like the new version for your shelves.

Okay, I’ll shut up. Here they are!

And here they are when lined up!

What do you think?

Hey y’all,

It’s cover reveal time!

As I mentioned in my newsletter, The Ones Who Got Away series is being reissued in trade paperback size with beautiful new covers. And BONUS—the covers, when lined up, make a complete picture! I love this so much.

The first will be released March 12 and then the others will release every few months over the next year. The only one I don’t have an official date on yet is book 4, but I anticipate that one will release in early 2025.

I’m so excited to have these new versions available. When the series originally came out, they were released in mass market size…right before mass market size mostly went away for much of the contemporary romance genre, lol. Oh the fun of an unpredictable book market! So I’m thrilled that they’re going to get a second life in the new size.

And if you haven’t read this series yet, you’ll get to read them all gussied up! If you’re already a fan of the series (thank you!), maybe you’d like the new version for your shelves.

Okay, I’ll shut up. Here they are!

And here they are when lined up!

What do you think?

Hey y’all,

I hope you’ve had a good week. This isn’t a full newsletter, but I couldn’t wait until the next newsletter to share these covers. :)

As I mentioned in an earlier newsletter, The Ones Who Got Away series is being reissued in trade paperback size with beautiful new covers. And BONUS—the covers, when lined up, make a complete picture! I love this so much.

The first will be released March 12 and then the others will release every few months over the next year. The only one I don’t have an official date on yet is book 4, but I anticipate that one will release in early 2025.

I’m so excited to have these new versions available. When the series originally came out, they were released in mass market size…right before mass market size mostly went away for much of the contemporary romance genre, lol. Oh the fun of an unpredictable book market! So I’m thrilled that they’re going to get a second life in the new size.

And if you haven’t read this series yet, you’ll get to read them all gussied up! If you’re already a fan of the series (thank you!), maybe you’d like the new version for your shelves.

Okay, I’ll shut up. Here they are!

Subscribe now

And here they are when lined up!

What do you think?

Leave a comment

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It’s that time of year again. That time when I ask myself the question—to reading challenge or not to reading challenge?

I’ve gone back and forth over the years with reading challenges. Some years, I’ve simply set a total number goal in the Goodreads annual challenge. That’s basically a gimme for me. I know I’ll read at least 50 books in a year. But I like setting the goal because Goodreads gives you that nice little badge at the end of the year when you complete it. So I know I’ll do that one this year as well.

In other years, I’ve gotten more creative, making up my own challenges. My most long-running challenge has been the Read Wide Challenge. I’ve really enjoyed that one over the years and missed it the year I didn’t do it (and ended up adding it back a few months into the year.) However, in 2023, I did not finish my Read Wide challenge. In fact, I bombed the romance column/category—confirming that I have definitely been in a romance reading slump. I also bombed the YA category. That’s out of character for me, but it has me reluctant to do a Read Wide challenge in 2024.

In 2023, I also tried to do a backlist challenge, focusing on reading from my enormous pile of unread books (with a specific focus on my unread Book of the Month and Aardvark book club books.) I had planned to read 12 backlist books and I only made it to 6. So another incomplete challenge. Gah.

So that has me wondering what to do this year. Reading challenges usually bring me joy, but if they didn’t last year, should I continue?

I’ve given it some thought, and I think that, for now, I need to avoid challenges that are overly prescriptive. I don’t need challenges that assign genre since my reading moods have been all over the place.

However, I really do still have a backlist problem. I have SO MANY books in ebook, audio, and physical format that are sitting there untouched and ignored. I know there are wonderful, amazing stories just waiting for me to discover them. Plus, good money has been spent on those books. I hate feeling like it was wasted money.

So, my main reading goal for 2024 is going to be tackling the books that I already own. This will be a challenge because every time I listen to a bookish podcast or open a bookish email, I want all the new, new, new!

However, I’m going to try to find a book “like” whatever new book I heard about on my own shelves—because I guarantee there’s something I already have that fits the bill. My TBR on Goodreads is over 1000 books—no joke. Some date back 10 years.

Does that mean I’ll buy no new books this year? No, of course not. Let’s not talk crazy. :) But I do plan to give this backlist issue some focus.

Here are some gentle guidelines I’m hoping will help me:

When I’m in the mood for a certain genre or vibe, I’ll shop my shelves first.

If I need a book for writing research that I don’t have, I will “shop” by library sources first before purchasing.

When I get excited about a new book, I will add it to my wishlist instead of immediately buying it. That way I don’t forget about it and can get it in the future but it doesn’t add to the towering pile.

I will do random searches and sorting on my Kindle (like sorting by title or author or publication date) so that I can “see” the older books that I may have forgotten about—because many times I’ve just forgotten what’s there.

I will feature backlist books that I like here on the blog and in my newsletter so that you can benefit too!

I will remind myself why backlist is awesome:

usually easier to find with no holds at the library

you know if it’s survived the “new release buzz” and stood the test of time (meaning, the reviews are more representative of the general reading public than the early excitement reviews)

you get more variety instead of whatever is on trend in your favorite subgenre

I think that’s it for now. We’ll see how I do, but I’m excited about it!

Do you have any reading goals for 2024 or have you joined any reading challenges?

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Thanks,

Roni

These are a few of my favorite things, er, books.

This year has been a weird reading year for me. (It’s been a weird year in general.) But I’m not one to judge reading choices, including my own. I follow my whims on which books to pick up and see where those moods take me.

So where did I end up? First, a few stats…

Books attempted: 74

Books finished: 58

Number of 5-star books: 11

Number of 4-4.75 star books: 29

Number of completed audiobooks: 19

Percentage of successful books (4 or above): 69%

Surprising-ish stat: 60% of my reads were non-fiction

That percentage of success is good and a direct result of my lack of guilt over DNFing (did not finish) a book. I’ve learned not to let myself get stuck behind a book. The only one that I’m happy I pushed through (because I was tempted to DNF early on) was Demon Copperhead. It was a library book club pick, so I pushed further than I would’ve on my own, and when I switched from print to audiobook, that format finally opened up the (massive, 550 page) story to me in a way that hooked me.

So overall, the reading vibe of the year was positive!

But that’s not what you’re here to know. You want to know which books are my favorite of the year, right? So, how about I get on with that? :)

Favorite Novels of the Year

I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai

I highly recommend this one on audio with Julia Whelan as narrator. This is literary, a mystery, has a podcast element and thoughts on true crime and on women and crime. I could go on. This story had so many layers to it and was very compelling. If you like your mystery with more literary heft to it, try this one.

Lessons In Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

Everyone has heard of this book by now because it’s been turned into a TV series, but I really loved this one. From my book journal: So great. If Sheldon from Big Bang Theory was a woman in the 1960s. The best character was Six-Thirty, the dog (who had a POV.) One of those books with such a singular voice that it stands out from everything else.

Every Summer After by Carley Fortune

This one had so many of the tropes I love: friends-to-lovers, childhood friends, dual timeline. I raced through this one in two days and it’s one of the few romances I read this year. (I’ve been in a romance-reading slump.)

Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld

One of the other romances I read, but I’d say this is romance with a nod to more literary writing. I adored the sneak peek behind a Saturday Night Live type show and improv acting (I wrote an improv hero in Yes & I Love You for a reason. I’m fascinated by that style of acting.) The characters in this one totally won me over.

I Could Live Here Forever by Hanna Halperin

Not a romance. A sad love story but so nuanced and beautifully written that I couldn’t put it down.

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson (specifically on audio)

A classic that I had tried before in print but hadn’t finished. The audio version really opened this one up for me and I loved it. Creepy as hell. Gorgeous writing.

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

Y’all. I enjoy my library book club, but the picks this year have included multiple 500+ page books and it’s killing me softly. However, this one was worth the read. I would’ve never picked this one up on my own, so that’s what book clubs are for, right? They get us to read new things.

This is a beautifully written, epic story about one character whom you follow from childhood all the way into adulthood. There is A LOT of tragedy so be warned, but what saved this for me was the singular voice of the main character. He’s darkly funny and you’re pulling for him so hard. I highly recommend this one in audio because the narration was fantastic and really helped me power through the book. (I did tandem reading where I switch back and forth between print and audio.)

My Heart Is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones

This one is a horror story, so you’ve been warned. The set-up: 17-year old Jade Daniels is obsessed with horror movies and starts to see signs that one is staring in her town of Proofrock, Idaho. But she’s an outcast and no one believes her.

This one is a slow burn and I had to switch from audio to print to follow the unique way the author uses language. I couldn’t skim any of this one without missing stuff. I also wasn’t sure the main character was believable at first, but I’m glad I trusted the author because eventually, you get it—why she is the way she is. This was a compelling journey and I immediately went out and bought book 2. (Though, don’t worry, not a cliffhanger ending.)

Honorable Mentions - Fiction

Recursion by Blake Crouch (sci-fi, fast-paced)

The Local by Joey Hartstone (legal thriller set in small-town Texas)

None of This is True by Lisa Jewell (thriller, very propulsive, read it in one day)

Love & Saffron by Kim Fay (epistolary, historical novel, sad but lovely)

The Quiet Tenant by Clemence Michallon (thriller, dark)

Favorite Non-Fiction Books of the Year

The Creative Act by Rick Rubin

In my book journal I gave this “a million stars.” If you do anything creative, add this one to your list. It will be one that I reread regularly.

You Could Make This Place Beautiful by Maggie Smith

This is a memoir about divorce and it is heartbreakingly beautiful. Maggie Smith is a poet and it shows. This was gorgeous in audio but I also bought a hard copy afterward to keep on my shelf. I think I’d like to reread it in print as well.

Freaks, Gleeks, and Dawson’s Creek: How 7 Teen Shows Transformed Television by Thea Glassman

Fun on audio. If you’re of my generation and want to remember the years of great teen TV, this is for you. It covers Freaks & Geeks, Glee, Dawson’s Creek, My So-Called Life, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, The O.C., and Friday Night Lights. I love books like this and it kept me company many a night while I was cooking.

101 Horror Books To Read Before You’re Murdered by Sadie Hartmann

If you like horror, Hartmann gives modern recommendations (instead of repeating the same old classics.) I loved how this introduced me to many new authors I’m looking forward to trying. Plus, it’s a fun format.

Gentle Writing Advice by Chuck Wendig

I mean, it’s a Chuck Wendig writing book. That’s all I needed to know.

Honorable Mentions - Non-Fiction

Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh (darkly funny memoir, check trigger warnings, some stories had me rolling laughing.)

In Light of All Darkness by Kim Cross (true crime about the murder of Polly Klaas)

Monsters: A Fan’s Dilemma by Clair Dederer (good on audio, not an easy listen, this is an intellectual dive into what to do when creators of something you love turn out to be “monsters”)

Outlive by Peter Attia (good on audio, exhaustive but interesting coverage on health topics and research on how to live our healthiest lives. If you’re not into health books, this will probably be too much.)

From Strength to Strength by Arthur C. Brooks (about our careers and how they shift as we age)

Hidden Potential by Adam Grant (about, well, hidden potential ;) )

The Secret History of Home Economics by Danielle Dreilinger (good on audio)

Discipline Is Destiny by Ryan Holiday (stoic philosophy)

Writing in the Dark by Tim Wagonner (on writing horror)

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron (re-read, got me to start morning pages in March and I haven’t stopped since!)

Dear Writer, Are You Intuitive? by Becca Syme and Susan Bischoff (I’m going to be working with Becca so obviously I’m a fan of her work, but if you’re a writer and have been told you’re “doing it wrong” by other writing books/instructors, check out her books)

Refuse to Be Done by Matt Bell (on writing)

Whew! I think that’s it. That was a lot, lol. I hope you found something that piqued your interest!

What were your favorite reads this year? I’d love to hear!

Hope you all have a lovely holiday season!

*All links are affiliate links to either Bookshop.org or Libro.fm

Hope you all had a nice holiday!

This isn’t an “official official” newsletter, but I saw that Caught Up In You, one of my Loving on the Edge novels, is on sale today for $1.99!

The Loving on the Edge books rarely go on sale (they’re usually $12.99 in ebook), so I thought I’d alert y’all just in case anyone wanted to grab it. Crash Into You and Melt Into You also have sale prices—2.99 and 5.99.

And don’t worry that these are in a series. They can all stand alone.

Sidenote: when I was grabbing the cover to post above, I ran across the original cover that got switched out last minute when cover trends shifted to object covers. It made me sigh. RIP my former people covers. They’re still near and dear to me. :)

About the book:

After a shaky past, Kelsey LeBreck’s future is looking good. She’s been saving money for culinary school with her earnings from The Ranch, a private BDSM resort. Even better, she’s landed a day job where she can practice baking and flirt with her favorite customer. However, having secret fantasies about Wyatt Austin is where it has to end. If there’s one thing Kelsey knows can derail her, it’s a relationship. But when a danger from her past threatens to steal her fresh start, the intense executive may be the only one who can help her.

Wyatt doesn’t have room on his agenda for dating, but something about the pretty young waitress stirs desires he thought were long buried. So when he needs someone to pose as his girlfriend at an important business retreat and finds out Kelsey needs to go off the grid for a while, he can’t resist making her an offer. Soon, Kelsey learns that Wyatt’s power in the boardroom is no match for his power in the bedroom, and she wonders if her heart will survive. Because Wyatt Austin is a man who gets what he wants, and now he wants her.

BUY THE EBOOK: Nook | Kindle | Kobo | Google Play | iBooks

Leave a comment

These are a few of my favorite things, er, books…

Before we get started on the annual Best Of List, if you’re a writer and missed my big announcement about becoming a coach for writers in 2024, you can check out the details below! :) I also have a Self-Care for Writers class that starts in January and still has a few spots left if you’re interested.

The Nourished WriterSecret news I've been sitting on!I know that the way we divide time into neat units is an artificial structure. However, for me, each year generally takes on its own theme or vibe—one I usually can’t fully pinpoint until the year comes to a close and I look back at it. But this year, I think, without fully realizing it, I pointed to the outfield at the start and called my shot…Read more6 days ago · 8 likes · 17 comments · Roni Loren

Alright, on to the list!

This year has been a weird reading year for me. (It’s been a weird year in general.) But I’m not one to judge reading choices, including my own. I follow my whims on which books to pick up and see where those moods take me.

So where did I end up? First, a few stats…

Books attempted: 74

Books finished: 58

Number of 5-star books: 11

Number of 4-4.75 star books: 29

Number of completed audiobooks: 19

Percentage of successful books (4 or above): 69%

Surprising-ish stat: 60% of my reads were non-fiction

That percentage of success is good and a direct result of my lack of guilt over DNFing (did not finish) a book. I’ve learned not to let myself get stuck behind a book. The only one that I’m happy I pushed through (because I was tempted to DNF early on) was Demon Copperhead. It was a library book club pick, so I pushed further than I would’ve on my own, and when I switched from print to audiobook, that format finally opened up the (massive, 550 page) story to me in a way that hooked me.

Subscribe now

So overall, the reading vibe of the year was positive!

But that’s not what you’re here to know. You want to know which books are my favorite of the year, right? So, how about I get on with that? :)

Favorite Novels of the Year

I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai

I highly recommend this one on audio with Julia Whelan as narrator. This is literary, a mystery, has a podcast element and thoughts on true crime and on women and crime. I could go on. This story had so many layers to it and was very compelling. If you like your mystery with more literary heft to it, try this one.

Lessons In Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

Everyone has heard of this book by now because it’s been turned into a TV series, but I really loved this one. From my book journal: So great. If Sheldon from Big Bang Theory was a woman in the 1960s. The best character was Six-Thirty, the dog (who had a POV.) One of those books with such a singular voice that it stands out from everything else.

Every Summer After by Carley Fortune

This one had so many of the tropes I love: friends-to-lovers, childhood friends, dual timeline. I raced through this one in two days and it’s one of the few romances I read this year. (I’ve been in a romance-reading slump.)

Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld

One of the other romances I read, but I’d say this is romance with a nod to more literary writing. I adored the sneak peek behind a Saturday Night Live type show and improv acting (I wrote an improv hero in Yes & I Love You for a reason. I’m fascinated by that style of acting.) The characters in this one totally won me over.

I Could Live Here Forever by Hanna Halperin

Not a romance. A sad love story but so nuanced and beautifully written that I couldn’t put it down.

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson (specifically on audio)

A classic that I had tried before in print but hadn’t finished. The audio version really opened this one up for me and I loved it. Creepy as hell. Gorgeous writing.

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

Y’all. I enjoy my library book club, but the picks this year have included multiple 500+ page books and it’s killing me softly. However, this one was worth the read. I would’ve never picked this one up on my own, so that’s what book clubs are for, right? They get us to read new things.

This is a beautifully written, epic story about one character whom you follow from childhood all the way into adulthood. There is a A LOT of tragedy so be warned, but what saved this for me was the singular voice of the main character. He’s darkly funny and you’re pulling for him so hard. I highly recommend this one in audio because the narration was fantastic and really helped me power through the book. (I did tandem reading where I switch back and forth between print and audio.)

My Heart Is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones

This one is a horror story, so you’ve been warned. The set-up: 17-year old Jade Daniels is obsessed with horror movies and starts to see signs that one is staring in her town of Proofrock, Idaho. But she’s an outcast and no one believes her.

This one is a slow burn and I had to switch from audio to print to follow the unique way the author uses language. I couldn’t skim any of this one without missing stuff. I also wasn’t sure the main character was believable at first, but I’m glad I trusted the author because eventually, you get it—why she is the way she is. This was a compelling journey and I immediately went out and bought book 2. (Though, don’t worry, not a cliffhanger ending.)

Honorable Mentions - Fiction

Recursion by Blake Crouch (sci-fi, fast-paced)

The Local by Joey Hartstone (legal thriller set in small-town Texas)

None of This is True by Lisa Jewell (thriller, very propulsive, read it in one day)

Love & Saffron by Kim Fay (epistolary, historical novel, sad but lovely)

The Quiet Tenant by Clemence Michallon (thriller, dark)

Favorite Non-Fiction Books of the Year

The Creative Act by Rick Rubin

In my book journal I gave this “a million stars.” If you do anything creative, add this one to your list. It will be one that I reread regularly.

You Could Make This Place Beautiful by Maggie Smith

This is a memoir about divorce and it is heartbreakingly beautiful. Maggie Smith is a poet and it shows. This was gorgeous in audio but I also bought a hard copy afterward to keep on my shelf. I think I’d like to reread it in print as well.

Freaks, Gleeks, and Dawson’s Creek: How 7 Teen Shows Transformed Television by Thea Glassman

Fun on audio. If you’re of my generation and want to remember the years of great teen TV, this is for you. It covers Freaks & Geeks, Glee, Dawson’s Creek, My So-Called Life, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, The O.C., and Friday Night Lights. I love books like this and it kept me company many a night while I was cooking.

101 Horror Books To Read Before You’re Murdered by Sadie Hartmann

If you like horror, Hartmann gives modern recommendations (instead of repeating the same old classics.) I loved how this introduced me to many new authors I’m looking forward to trying. Plus, it’s a fun format.

Gentle Writing Advice by Chuck Wendig

I mean, it’s a Chuck Wendig writing book. That’s all I needed to know.

Honorable Mentions - Non-Fiction

Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh (darkly funny memoir, check trigger warnings, some stories had me rolling laughing.)

In Light of All Darkness by Kim Cross (true crime about the murder of Polly Klaas)

Monsters: A Fan’s Dilemma by Clair Dederer (good on audio, not an easy listen, this is an intellectual dive into what to do when creators of something you love turn out to be “monsters”)

Outlive by Peter Attia (good on audio, exhaustive but interesting coverage on health topics and research on how to live our healthiest lives. If you’re not into health books, this will probably be too much.)

From Strength to Strength by Arthur C. Brooks (about our careers and how they shift as we age)

Hidden Potential by Adam Grant (about, well, hidden potential ;) )

The Secret History of Home Economics by Danielle Dreilinger (good on audio)

Discipline Is Destiny by Ryan Holiday (stoic philosophy)

Writing in the Dark by Tim Wagonner (on writing horror)

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron (re-read, got me to start morning pages in March and I haven’t stopped since!)

Dear Writer, Are You Intuitive? by Becca Syme and Susan Bischoff (I’m going to be working with Becca so obviously I’m a fan of her work, but if you’re a writer and have been told you’re “doing it wrong” by other writing books/instructors, check out her books)

Refuse to Be Done by Matt Bell (on writing)

Whew! I think that’s it. That was a lot, lol. I hope you found something that piqued your interest!

What were your favorite reads this year? I’d love to hear!

Leave a comment

Hope you all have a lovely holiday season!

*All links are affiliate links to either Bookshop.org or Libro.fm