Chaste romance Archives

Half a Soul (Regency Faerie Tales Book 1)

by Olivia Atwater

This historical fantasy romance was as enjoyable as everyone said! Missing half her soul through no fault of her own, Dora confounds court magician (and half-faerie) Elias at every turn by not responding the way he expects her to. She’s unable to feel fear or embarrassment, which occasionally gets her into trouble. She’s determined to avoid scandal this Season, if only Elias would let her be a wallflower in peace. Their banter gave me so much life! Elias got so swoony at the very end that I nearly sighed out loud. Such a delight! (Chaste.)

His Quiet Agent

by Ada Maria Soto

Arthur is looking to make friends at his boring secret government agency job and maybe find someone who is just as weird as he is. His colleague Martin might be just the ticket. The progression of their relationship is spare but layered. They continually show up for one another, whether due to a health crisis or death in the family. I’ll never forget the way Martin expressed how he felt about Arthur. Arthur is demisexual and Martin is asexual and there is no denying how much they matter to one another, making it a valuable addition to the romance genre. (Chaste.)

A Duet for Invisible Strings

by Llinos Cathryn Thomas

If you love yearning and pining as much as I do, this contemporary fantasy FF romance is for you. Neither violinist Heledd nor conductor Rosemary realize they’re both in love with each other. It was sweet how oblivious they were. When the orchestra travels to the Welsh village where Heledd grew up, her world is upended. The star of this novella is the way music draws Heledd and Rosemary together and ultimately becomes the key to the HEA. Such remarkable writing! (Chaste.)

The Craft of Love

by EE Ottoman

Benjamin, a trans silversmith, has forged the life he wants, content with his work and few connections. When he finds the dresses his late mother made him as a child, he hires Remembrance to make them into a quilt so he can turn painful memories into something beautiful. While they’re drawn to one another, Remembrance is still healing from the end of her relationship with a woman years before and unsure whether she wants to risk trying again. A friendship slowly builds into something more. This ends on a very promising HFN note. (Chaste.)

Ashlin & Olivia

by Aster Glenn Gray

Ashlin and Olivia were best friends in junior high but then Ashlin moved away unexpectedly right after they’d had a falling out. Several years later, Olivia is on a weeklong trip to Florence with her Renaissance 101 class when who should she see but Ashlin. It's a shock to both young women but soon enough they’re meeting up whenever Olivia isn’t with her class. They have to work through what happened in the past—oh the drama of junior high emotions!—as well as figure out their potential future. The romance is a slow, slow burn that is almost secondary to the nature of their friendship, which fits given their past connection, what tore them apart, and the way forced proximity can separate you from reality for a while. It ends on a very hopeful note with an HFN. (Chaste.)

Bryony And Roses

by T. Kingfisher

Simply marvelous Beauty and the Beast retelling! Kingfisher’s books have dark elements but somehow they remain balanced thanks to her trademark humor. Bryony and Beast developed a great friendship, bonding over books and their respective interests (clockwork for him, gardening for her). I felt thoroughly invested in their plight and the mystery of what happened to the Beast, as well as delighted by the ways Kingfisher made this timeless tale all her own. It made me wish I had my own garden right now, even if it wouldn’t have magical abilities like Bryony’s. (Chaste.)

Sailor’s Delight

by Rose Lerner

A historical romance anchored around Rosh Hashanah, as bookkeeper Elie grapples with keeping his feelings for Royal Navy sailing master Augustus under wraps once he’s on leave. So much pining and longing and yearning! I adored Elie’s supportive family. Rose Lerner’s brand of historical romance always has so many insights, this time around sailor life and Navy agents. A chaste, sweet slow burn with chemistry aplenty.

Love, Lists, and Fancy Ships

by Sarah Grunder Ruiz

Team member Leigh tells me this chaste love story is one of her favorites of the year. From the publisher: "For the last year, yacht stewardess Jo Walker has been attempting to complete a bucket list of thirty things she wants to accomplish by her thirtieth birthday. Jo has almost everything she's ever wanted, including a condo on the beach (though she's the youngest resident by several decades) and an exciting job (albeit below deck) that lets her travel the world. Jo is on track until the death of her nephew turns her life upside down, and the list falls by the wayside. But when her two nieces show up unannounced with plans to stay the summer, they discover her list and insist on helping Jo finish it. Though the remaining eight items (which include running a marathon, visiting ten countries, and sleeping in a castle) seem impossible to complete in twelve weeks, Jo takes on the challenge. When she summons the courage to complete item number five—kiss a stranger—and meets Alex Hayes, all bets are off."

I Didn’t Sign Up for This: A Moonlighters Short

by Anita Kelly

This is the cutest short story! Kiki’s girlfriend just dumped her. One problem: they’re in the Swiss Alps for the holidays and Kiki doesn’t know anyone else there. Her solution? Go skiing anyway, even though she’s never done it before. How hard can it be? Luckily, Maya is there to rescue her. This is just the start of their romance and I would absolutely read a whole book about what happens once they get back to Portland. (Chaste.)

Resistance

by Nia Forrester

Kai and Lila meet after they get arrested at a Black Lives Matter march. He immediately knows she’s the person he’s going to marry one day, whereas she’s much more hesitant about him. This perfectly mirrors their personalities and the emotional arc of this story. Kai and Lila develop a strong connection over the course of the day. (Chaste.)

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