#a.h. cunningham

[triviareads]

ARC Review of Out of Office by A.H. Cunningham

Rating: 4.25/5 Heat Level: 3.75/5 Publication Date: April 23rd

Premise:

Genevieve is a high-powered hospitality executive intent on getting a promotion. Before she does, she decides to throw caution to the wind and embark on a vacation fling with Adrián, her driver in Panama. Two weeks later, neither of them are ready to end what they have.

My review:

This is a sensual, stunningly emotional read that touches on so many realistic adult issues while never sacrificing the romance. Genevieve and Adrián are in their thirties; Genevieve is a consummate career woman and you really understand where her drive to succeed comes from. Adrián on the other hand suffered from burnout some years prior and is now focusing on his family and their small hotel in Panama. Gen is endearingly uptight and type-A (her alternate persona is "Hot Girl Gen which... is so real of her), Adrián is super smooth and super laid-back, and they're technically in opposite places life-wise, so how do they make this work?

The answer is a lot of communication, but let me preface this by saying this doesn't make the book boring or *too real*. Instead, what you do get is two people who are instantly attracted to each other (and the chemistry is THERE right off the bat, and it's honestly kind of insane), but they need to make some tough choices when it comes to sustaining their relationship— What do they compromise on? What do they sacrifice? And this becomes even more relevant when their personal and professional lives collide and Genevieve's ability to do her job hinges on her successfully headhunting Adrián. As a woman of color, I really appreciated the nuanced way the author handled Gen's career, as well as a host of other topics like Adrián's bisexuality, the fact that Adrián isn't traditionally as "successful" as Gen career-wise (something you still don't see in a lot of romance novels), and Genevieve and Adrián's drive to revitalize small communities like Adrián's rather then outright gentrify them.

Also, the way A.H. Cunningham described the setting in places like Aguimar in Panama? Gorgeous. And love and care with which she wrote Afro-Panamanian culture really comes across.

The sex:

My big takeaway here is that the closer Gen and Adrian grew, the hotter the sex acts got. The initial sex scenes very sensual and more focused on building this emotional connection between them, and making them realize they were irreplaceable in each others' lives despite this ostensibly being a vacation fling. But once they found some semblance of permanence with one another, I feel like all bets were off. I loved how toys, masturbation, and video sex were incorporated into the story later (which makes sense since a part of their relationship is long-distance!), and Adrián had a strong "let me take care of you" vibe during sex which was never patronizing, but very hot. Also, Gen does, in fact, rim him during a blowjob, something I pleasantly surprised by.

Overall:

This is the second Harlequin Afterglow book I'm reviewing after The Boyfriend Subscription, and I've really enjoyed both of them. They've both been far more diverse than most of the contemporary romances I'm seeing out there, they're romantic, they have great sex scenes. I'd strongly recommend Out Of Office to anyone looking for a grown-up sexy kinda read.

Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.

[posi-pan]

2022 books with pan rep 📚

At the time of posting previous lists, there were 57 books in 2020 and 141 in 2021. This year, there are 176!

30 Things I Love about Myself by Radhika Sanghani

Ablaze by A.H. Cunningham

All I’m Asking by J. Marie Rundquist

Apparition by Zahlia Amin

Attraction (Mobsters + Billionaires #3) by Kelly Fox

Bad At Love by Gabriela Martins

Barcelona (Circus After Dark #3) by Chloe Adler

The Barkeep and the Bookseller by V.L. Locey

Barnabas Bopwright Saves the City by J. Marshall Freeman

Bartholomew (The Temple Brothers #2) by Elle Sparrow

Ben and Beatriz by Katalina Gamarra

Bishop’s Opening by R.S.A Garcia

Bitter Medicine by Mia Tsai

Blood Bound (Youkai Bloodlines #3) by Courtney Maguire

Blood Legacy (Avators of Ruin #2) by Tej Turner

Bloodmarked (Legendborn #2) by Tracy Deonn

Bound (Fangs with Benefits #3) by Aveda Vice

Bound (Kozlov Chronicles #2) by Elena Sobol

Carnal Cryptids 2: Southeast (Carnal Cryptids #2) by Vera Valentine

Changing the Rules (Rules of the Game: Evanston River Otters #1) by Brigham Vaughn

The Chasm (Finding Humanity #2) by Branwen Oshea

Cold Cases and Bitter Enemies (Cold Case Unit #3) by J.M. Dabney

A Cosmic Kind of Love by Samantha Young

Count Your Lucky Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur

A Cruel and Fated Light (The Hollow Star #2) by Ashley Shuttleworth

Dance with the Devil (Mercenary Librarians #3) by Kit Rocha

The Darkest Edge by Lyra Blake

Dead Draw by Layla Reyne

Death by Society by Sierra Elmore

Dinner with the Schnabels by Toni Jordan

Dominance of the Heart by Char Dafoe

Dragon’s Honor (Irresistible Dragons #2) by Nora Phoenix

Dreams Bigger Than Heartbreak (Unstoppable #2) by Charlie Jane Anders

D’Vaughn and Kris Plan a Wedding by Chenica C. Higgins

The Edge of Being by James Brandon

Electric Idol (Dark Olympus #2) by Katee Robert

Epilogues of Lost Gods (Unwritten Runes #2) by Cat Rector

Errant Vol. 1 (Errant #1) by L.K. Fleet

Eternal Hoptimist by Lee Blair

Every Word You Never Said by Jordon Greene

Exodus 20:3 by Freydís Moon

Extra Witchy (Fix-It Witches #3) by Ann Aguirre

Fabricated by Zoe Lee

The Fae Keeper (The Witch King #2) by H.E. Edgmon

The Fake Date by Trisha Bradley

Fate in Suspension (Horn & Haven #1) by Archer Kay Leah

Fault Tolerance (Chilling Effect #3) by Valerie Valdes

Fight + Flight by Jules Machias

Fighting Monsters: Part One (Fighting Monsters #1) by Sam Hall

Fighting Monsters: Part Two (Fighting Monsters #2) by Sam Hall

Forward March by Skye Quinlan

Furious Heaven (The Sun Chronicles #2) by Kate Elliott

Going Public (Jade Harbor Capital #2) by Hudson Lin

Got Me Looking (Vet Shop Boys #3) by Casey Cox

Griff by Ana Night

Grim and Bear It (Love Me Dead #2) by Heather Novak

Grounded for All Eternity by Darcy Marks

The Heartbreak Handshake by J.R. Hart

Her Stubborn Warrior by Kaylee Pike and Kyra Keys

His Heart Knows by Riley Long

The Hourglass Throne (The Tarot Sequence #3) by K.D. Edwards

Howl Down the Moon by Layla Dorine

How to Love a Dragon (Dragon Tamer #2) by Lila Mina

How We Ricochet by Faith Gardner

I Am Sebastian by Cameron James

I Bought Him, So He’s Mine by Kaylee Pike and Kyra Keys

Icebreaker by A.L. Graziadei

Icebreaker by Hannah Grace

I F-ing Dare You by Emm Darcy

If I Were A Weapon (All These Gifts #1) by Skye Kilaen

The Immortality Trials (The Immortality Trials #1) by Madison Nicole

Incandescent by Christina Lee

Indigo: Nights (Indigo B&B #2) by Adrian J. Smith

Inked Temptation by Carrie Ann Ryan

In the City of Time by Gwendolyn Clare

Irresponsible Puckboy by Eden Finley and Saxon James

It’s Not Unusual To Be Loved by an Alien by Chloe Archer

Jamison by A.N. Waugh

Jilted: Jaren (The Foster Brothers #1) by Nora Phoenix

Just a Touch Away by Jae

Just One Date (Castleton Hearts #5) by Chelsea M. Cameron

Kieran by Avery Tu and Kota Quinn

The Kindred by Alechia Dow

Kink Camp: Hunted by A. Anders

Know It In the Dark (All These Gifts #2) by Skye Kilaen

Kostya the Fallen Star by Melissa Polk

The Last Hero (The First Sister #3) by Linden A. Lewis

Last Resort by Helene Gadot

Lead Me Astray by Sondi Warner

Let Me In (Gods of Hunger #3) by R.M. Virtues

Let the Light Shine Through by A. Marie

Lipstick Lies (The Order Duet #2) by Kris Butler

Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistake by Mazey Eddings

London (Circus After Dark #4) by Chloe Adler

Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly

Love Me Gently by E.M. Dennings

Love You Like That by Scarlett Cole

Lunar New Love by Ophelia Silk

Man o’ War by Cory McCarthy

Match with the Demon by Chace Verity

Meet Me on St. Patrick’s Day by Bryony Rosehurst

Moon Dark Smile (Night Shine #2) by Tessa Gratton

MumFest & Murder (The Java Tavern #2) by Elizabeth Garver

Music Lights & Never Afters by C.L. Matthews

My Roommate Romeo (First Times #1) by Billie Bloom

Nestor (Green Hill Pride #6) by Catherine Lievens

Not Good for Maidens by Tori Bovalino

Not Your Type by Elizabeth Jeannel

Odder Still by D.N. Bryn

Omega’s Study Partner (Sweet in Silford #3) by Hope Bennett

One Night With You by Laura Jane Williams

One Night With You by Sky McCoy

One Step at a Time by Lily Seabrooke

One Week with His Stepbrother (Daddy Tales #3) by Kelex

The One Who Loves You the Most by Medina

Ophelia After All by Racquel Marie

Paris (Circus After Dark #1) by Chloe Adler

Pitcher Perfect (Tap That Brewery #1) by Lee Blair

Playing for Keeps by Jax Calder

Play Me (Dragons Love Curves series #10) by Aidy Award

Pull (Love Is Love #1.5) by Nyla K.

Project Himbo by S.J. Whitby

Promote (Shattered Pawns #3) by Jennifer Cody

Pushing the Limits (Secrets Kept #2) by Riley Hart

Queen of Queens (Our Fae Queen #5) by Traci Lovelot

Queen’s Hope (Star Wars: The Padmé Trilogy #3) by E.K. Johnston

Reaper Hospital: Code Hot Nurse (Their Repear #2) by Lacey Carter Anderson

Recast (Handled #4) by Romilly King

The Redemption by Alexia Chase

Ripped (Kozlov Chronicles #3) by Elena Sobol

Rookie Mistake (On the Board #1) by Anna Zabo and L.A. Witt

Royal Exposé by Jenny Frame

Royal Lines (Boston Rebels #4) by R.J. Scott and V.L. Locey

Sasha and the Butcher (The Moretti Family #1) by Stephanie Kazowz

The Savior’s Rise (The Windermere Tales #2) by Talli L. Morgan

Scorpica (The Five Queendoms #1) by Greer Macallister

Seize the Castle (A Knight’s Revenge #2) by Elizabeth Dear

Shake Things Up (Love at Knockdown #2) by Skye Kilaen

Silent Secrets (The Secrets of Sorlphi #1) by Miranda May

Silhouette and the Shadows (Silhouette #1) by Delaney Andrews

The Society For Soulless Girls by Laura Steven

So This Is Ever After by F.T. Lukens

Spin the Damn Bottle (All the Games We Play #2) by Emm Darcy

Stiletto Sins (The Order Duet #1) by Kris Butler

Stitched (Kozlov Chronicles #1) by Elena Sobol

Stone Wings (The Gargoyles of Arrington #1) by Jenn Burke

Storm the Gates (A Knight’s Revenge #1) by Elizabeth Dear

A Strange and Stubborn Endurance by Foz Meadows

Sugar Girl by Emma L. McGeown

Sweet to the Core (Lighthouse Bay #3) by Amy Aislin

Temptation Cove (Hot Takes #3) by T.S. Ankney

Tempt Me Tonight by Natasha Washington

A Tended Garden by J.P. Jackson

Thank You, Next by Andie J. Christopher

That Good Mischief (The Nine Worlds Rising #3) by Lyra Wolf

This Cursed Crown (These Feathered Flames #2) by Alexandra Overy

This Wicked Fate (This Poison Heart #2) by Kalynn Bayron

Tracking Trouble (Spellster Universe #2.5) by Aldrea Alien

The Trow of Duncaster by Melissa Polk

Twilight’s Touch (Prairie Smoke Ranch #2) by V.L. Locey

Two Rights Make a Wrong by Chloe Liese

Undeniable (Bainbridge University #4) by Andi Burns

Uninhibited (Bainbridge University #3) by Andi Burns

Unlikely Savior (For the Gods’ Amusement #3) by Catherine Lievens

Untitled (The Councillor #2) by E.J. Beaton

Us Against the World by Shayne Prescott

VAMPS: Fresh Blood by Nicole Arend

Venice (Circus After Dark #2) by Chloe Adler

Violet is Nowhere by Faith Gardner

Warrior Queen (Our Fae Queen #6) by Traci Lovelot

Warwick (Rebel Sky Ranch #4) by Kelly Fox

What’s Mine Is Yours by Willow Renee

When the Walls Come Down by Harper Robson

Wicked Beauty (Dark Olympus #3) by Katee Robert

The Wicked Love by Pru Schuyler

Wrong Hunt by J.S. Harker

Have you read any of these books? Or books with pan rep at all this year? Let me know! Happy Pan Week!

[noellelovesbooks]

"To feel her body vibrate against his, to hear her cries of abandon, it had been so much and not nearly enough." -ALIGHT BY: A.H. CUNNINGHAM

This book is HOT...childhood bffs who reunite after years apart...sparks ensue. 🔥🥵

There's a scene where they read a romance novel together as they act out one of their fantasies...*chefs kiss*🤏🏽

[triviareads]

Can you suggest a new contemporary romance? I keep wanting to try books I see suggested on my fyp but never can tell if they're good.

Sure! It's hard to get a feel for books that are shilled over social media short of like, in-depth reviews and maybe trope graphics to a degree but that depends on how specific someone gets and again, it still won't necessarily give you an idea of how the book actually is. In terms of newer contemporaries:

Tripe Sec by TJ Alexander is out on June 4th and I can't recommend it enough; it's a queer polyamorous romance between a bartender and a married couple consisting of a very femme bubbly lawyer her (nonbinary) artist wife who's more of a strong and silent type. There are sections dedicated to each individual relationship and it's super gratifying seeing them all come together by the end. The sex scenes are also EXCELLENTLY written.

For a more emotional, Grown Adult romance, Out of Office by A.H. Cunningham is a book I ended up really enjoying. Gen is a high-powered hospitality executive who has a fling with her driver in Panama, Adrián, and as time is running out, they realize they want more. It's super sensual and sultry and that feeling carries even past their fling and once they're in the "real world" so to speak, and making tough choices about continuing their relationship.

And of course, if you want an erotic contemporary romance, I can't not recommend Salt Kiss by Sierra Simone while we wait for Honey Cut, which is out next month. It's an erotic Tristan and Isolde retelling and in true Sierra Simone fashion, there's a main throuple: Tristan/Isolde/Mark. and book one mostly focuses on ex-soldier Tristan Thomas who takes a job as his step-uncle Mark Trevena's personal bodyguard. Mark is ex CIA, ex(?) assassin, and current owner of Kink Club Floating In The Middle Of The Potomac, Lyonesse. Again, (WILDLY) sexy, queer, kink-positive, and a hilariously toxic dynamic between sadsack virgin Tristan, human disaster (though obviously that's a facade) Mark Trevena who keeps fucking Tristan while telling him not to fuck his future wife when he does, in fact, want him to fuck his future wife, and Tristan does! fuck Isolde, surprise. And ofc Isolde has hella beef against Mark for good reason(s), which is explored further in Honey Cut.

[triviareads]

Trivia's Monthly Book Round-Up: March 2024

Definitely a better reading month this March! I had a lot of fun with the historicals as well as the contemporary romances I read this month (including some pretty out-there finds like Beg For It by Megan Hart which I ended up adoring. I also got to read some fabulous ARCs like The Mistress Experience by Scarlett Peckham and You Should Be So Lucky by Cat Sebastian (reviews to come).

Daddy Crush by Adriana Anders

Exactly what it says on the tin, just a really well-executed age-gap romance that's tender and sexy and has a daddy kink; Jerusha grew up in a rural conservative Christian environment and moves out because she never could quite fit in with her family. She develops a crush on her new neighbor Karl and ends up asking him for sex lessons. I love how unapologetic and joyful Jerusha is about exploring her desires after not being able to do so in the past, and Karl provides her with that safe space all while feeling juuuuuuust enough guilt about being an old lech (he really isn't) to provide further entertainment for me.

Also, I appreciate the realness of the way Adriana describes their bodies— the softness, stretch marks, dimples. It's one of those things I wish we saw more often in romance novels that weren't specifically advertised as having fat rep.

Beg for It by Megan Hart

A super hot femdom romance; Corinne and Reese were in a relationship for in their early twenties, but he eventually left her to move to the Big City. Now they're middle-aged and Reese is a successful businessman looking to take over the company Corinne is CFO of. I loved reading about how the D/s dynamic just clicked for them when they first met in a flashback scene. As with all great second chance romances, their mutual resentment upon reuniting is real ("I'm not your boy anymore!"), but they're also grown-ass adults who know how to handle themselves.... for the most part. You get the sense that while both of them technically moved on, they were never able to get what they wanted from later partners; Reese loves to serve Corinne and gets off on punishment just as much as she enjoys making a meticulous (mental) list of infractions and doling the punishment out. Also, I do appreciate a book where pegging isn't treated as a one-time *special* thing (or worse, a bonus scene).

The Duke's Perfect Wife by Jennifer Ashley

At long last I decided to retry Jennifer Ashley and I ended up adoring this book! After years of no contact, Eleanor approaches her ex-fiancé Hart to inform him someone is threatening to leak his nude photos. Hart is a gruff, growly SCOTTISH duke who's trying to become Prime Minister so.... this is inconvenient. For all of Hart's posturing, he never got over Eleanor and the man is Obsessed with her. There's so much I loved about this story— there's such a valid reason as to why Eleanor broke off her previous engagement with Hart and I feel like they both learned and grew from it in the following years. BUT that doesn't mean the chemistry isn't there— it was always there (as shown in the flashbacks) and it will always be there, and it's bonkers hot. Like, Eleanor hoards Hart's blackmail nudes in her Hart Scrapbook (I know) and when she's found out, she asks for more nudes (which are taken. in a veeeery hot scene that is very female gaze-y). Obviously he asks for hers in return, which he also takes, eventually.

Rules for a Proper Governess by Jennifer Ashley

@mermaidsirennikita had already put this one my radar, so when the hero Sinclair McBride aka The Scots Machine aka BASHER McBride was teased in The Duke's Perfect Wife in that specific way where you know he's a future hero because he made the current hero (Hart) jealous, I had to read about this hot blond widower barrister next. The heroine Bertie is a pickpocket who tries steal Sinclair's pocket watch but he catches her and she ends up stealing a kiss instead. Then she highkey stalks Sinclair because she's FASCINATED by him and accidentally ends up as his children's governess. In classic The Sound of Music style, she gives the kids an unorthodox but well-rounded education, and on the side she's adorably seething when a widow tries to put the moves on Sinclair. She and his son successfully cockblock him and what follows is the most EROTIC finger-sucking scene I've read like, this man fully shoves 3 of her fingers in his mouth and goes for it. It's so great. I'd absolutely recommend.

The Home Wrecker by Sara Cate

I'm gonna be real, I was not impressed by the last few books Sara Cate put out, but I actually ended up really enjoying this one. Kudos to Sara for actually writing cheating into the romance, and I also thought she handled sensitive subjects like Briar and Caleb's fertility struggles (and the decision they make by the end), Dean being a sex worker, and homophobia in conservative Christian families, quite well. And the emphasis she put on family (lost, found, estranged, having children) was actually really moving by the end.

And on a romance level, the cheating stuff worked— It was kinda great to read both Caleb and Briar being galvanized into acting once they've both been with Dean, especially when you see their their intense apathy towards one another earlier on with this super cringy sex scene. I also like how we were given three distinct personalities with distinct viewpoints in the three main characters; it's something I felt was missing with the throuple in Madame. Here is my full review.

Out of Office by A.H. Cunningham

This is suuuch a sensual, tropical romance split between Panama and Miami and it's out on April 23rd. Here's my review.

[triviareads]

full article

[triviareads]

Trivia's Monthly Book Round-Up: February 2024

I didn't have a lot of luck with my reading material this month, and the few books I read were mostly rereads. That being said, I attended two bookish events this month and read a few amazing ARCs (I'm super excited to talk more about Out of Office by A.H. Cunningham and Late Bloomer by Mazey Eddings soon), and I’m hoping I’ll have better luck with the books I choose in March!

In Bed with a Stranger by Mary Wine

Everything I love about Scottish historical romances; Mary Wine goes hard on how HOT and SCOTTISH the hero is and honestly I'm super chill with that. Anne (named after Anne Boleyn because her dad's wife hates her) is illegitimate and blackmailed into marry Scottish earl Brodick (I know) pretending to be her legitimate half-sister, except, the plan is to force her to give her baby up to her sister who will take her place in Scotland after she gives birth. A hella dumb plan? Yes. But Anne is feisty and a fighter and Brodick is SUPER into that, especially when they're playing "If You Get Me Hard You Have To Take Care Of It" and "Scottish Raider Captures His Prize Off A Horse".

The Boyfriend Subscription by Steven Salvatore (Pub Date: 3/26)

I adored this queer retelling of Pretty Woman! It had a lot of heart, humor and obviously excellent chemistry. Here's my full review.