💕📚 Sink into some summer romance

Plus, our recs for your end-of-summer reading

View this email online Noa Denmon for NPR Friends, August, a.k.a. the Sunday of summer, has officially begun. And with it, the mad dash to squeeze in as much summer renaissance as you can before fall hits: more barbecues, some ice cream, another trip to the movies, and, of course – sizzling romantic beach reads, please!  Here at Life Kit, we love love. We love to write about relationships, and work on our own, and read about beautifully-crafted fictional ones (especially when accompanied with a glass of cold lemonade and fresh strawberries on a summer evening 😉).   Romance novels, generally defined as having a central love story and an optimistic ending, can sometimes get a bad rap as fluffy or second-rate fiction – even romance writers joke about the genre’s cheesiness! But when the world is as scary and complicated as it so often is (or perhaps always has been), sometimes there’s nothing more soul-nourishing than a simple and sweet happy ending. We could all use a little more simple and sweet, no? And there are so many different stories to choose from. Start with NPR’s Summer Books We Love Guide, or give our episode on falling in love with romance a listen or just keep scrolling to see what books the Life Kit team can’t put down this summer! Then, keep your reading train going with our episodes on how to read more and how to start a book club that actually meets.  🎧 Listen: Fall in love with romance 💕 If you’re not into romance right now, we promise we won’t go all Mr. Darcy-cold-shoulder on you about it. Love comes in lots of forms. Whether you’re feeling that cutie by the juice bar, the bond between your friends on that end-of-summer road trip or just real cozy with yourself – we love it! —Andee Tagle, Life Kit producer   Newsletter continues after sponsor message Berkley, Random House Publishing Group, KJC Books, Wednesday Books Our romance recommendations, ❤️ Life Kit  Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman  Inspired by a reporter’s drunken night with Chris Evans, Funny You Should Ask, imagines what would happen if the chemistry between a celebrity and journalist was more than just speculation. There’s gossip and intrigue, for sure, but ultimately, there are real emotions at stake with this fun read. — Meghan Keane supervising editor, Life Kit  Ties that Tether by Jane Igharo  At age 12, Azere, a Nigerian-born Canadian, made a hefty promise to her father right before he died: she’d marry a Nigerian man. At 25 years old, she finds herself torn between familial duty and personal desire after a one-night stand leaves her captivated by the very-much-not-Nigerian Rafael Castellano. An homage to classic romance movies filled with endless drama, Ties That Tether shows the reality of healing from generational trauma and finding love in unlikely places. — Vanessa Handy, intern, Life Kit  Book Lovers by Emily Henry  Nora Stephens is a fast-talking, stiletto-wearing, city-slicker of a book agent who keeps getting dumped for the “girl next door.” If this story followed the trope, our heroine might think she needs to change. BUT NOT THIS TIME! In this story, she gets to stay true to herself *and* find love. Warning: you'll catch yourself grinning at the cheeky dialogue. — Beck Harlan, visuals editor, Life Kit  Any Old Diamonds by KJ Charles London-based illustrator Alec Pyne hires two jewel thieves to relieve the Duke and Duchess of Ilvar of a diamond for … reasons. In order to pull it off, Alec and one of the thieves, Jerry Crozier, must bond so they can present themselves as friends. But — of course — more is going on. The mystery pairs very well with the toe-curling relationship that develops between Alec and Jerry. — Julia Carney, podcast coordinator, Life Kit  I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston  Shara Wheeler kissed Chloe Green and then had the nerve to vanish. Thankfully, Shara has left behind a trail of pink-enveloped clues and a pair of whodunit high school boys whom she also kissed. The ragtag trio tear apart their small Alabama town in search of Shara – but what they find reveals just as much truth about themselves. This is a teenage Harriet the Spy – complete with romance, angst, rebellion and Taco Bell. In a year when LGBTQ youth and their families have faced intense political attacks, this book feels like a warm embrace. — Lauren Migaki, senior producer, NPR Ed 📚 Find even more books to add to your TBR pile here.   We'd love to hear from you. Leave us a voicemail at 202-216-9823, or email us at LifeKit@npr.org. Listen to Life Kit on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can find more of our digital stories here. And if you liked this newsletter, share the love and forward it to a friend. 🥰  Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: LifeKit@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Daily News, Code Switch, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Life Kit emails. 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