This is exactly my cup of tea when it comes to literary studies for romance! There was a nice balance of personal essay, history of the genre, and in depth analysis of specific texts (my favorite was the section talking about Alyssa Cole's HOW TO CATCH A QUEEN). The section from Ms. Bev was unsurprisingly fascinating, but other stand outs were the articles from the editor (Jessica Pryde), Margo Hendricks, and Christina C Jones. Well worth a read for anyone who likes this kind of nonfiction!!

This collection with essays from beloved Black romance writers and readers explores, from many perspectives, why Black romance books matter. From the importance of seeing yourself represented in books to the need for more happy endings for Black characters to what food represents in romance and much more, this collection is well crafted and perfectly balanced. I absolutely loved it.

This was a wonderful collection of essays about the importance of Black representation in romance. I esp love the diversity (LGBTQIA rep, etc) in the entire collection.

I've enjoyed Jessica Pryde's Book Riot contributions for a long time, so I was thrilled when I heard about this essay collection, which includes engaging and thought-provoking pieces from some of my favorite romance authors (Katrina Jackson, Piper Huguley, Christina C. Jones, and Beverly Jenkins to name just a few) and many other writers and thinkers. I'll be thinking about this one' for a long time. I'm very much looking forward to discussing this title on the podcast and with other romance readers, and I will be enthusiastically recommending it for purchase at the library.

Many thanks to the authors, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!