Insider #11: The Book Vault is Back + Spring Things to Read and Do
Plus spring reading ideas, cozy mysteries, and three must-watch bookish live shows.
The Weekly Insider is your weekly bookish roundup for romance, mystery and fantasy recs, plus all the bookish content you won’t want to miss.
Insider #11: The Book Vault is Back + Spring Things to Read and Do
Hey friends,
We’ve officially sprung forward—both in time and in season. The Spring Equinox just passed, which means longer days, fresh starts, and the eternal temptation to reorganize your entire TBR (again). Don’t worry, we see you. 👀
And speaking of fresh starts…
🌟 BIG ANNOUNCEMENT: The Book Vault was down this week but it’s back and better than ever!
This paid member-exclusive database is your one-stop dashboard for all things romance (and mystery and fantasy). You can now search and filter by trope, release date, series, author. We are planning to also add some Romanceopoly filters coming soon for recommendations!
Whether you're looking for recent or upcoming releases or tried-and-true backlist favorites, it’s all here—including everything we feature on the blog, neatly tagged and ready to explore.
📌 You’ll find it anytime from the Book Vault link on Substack.
💌 Not a paid member yet? Upgrade and get instant access to the Vault, exclusive content, after-show content, and more.
🌼 Spring Bucket List (Bookish Edition)
Just for fun, here’s your reader-friendly spring refresh list:
☀️ Read outside, even if it’s just your porch or fire escape
🌸 Start a new-to-you cozy mystery series (we’ve got some ideas in this newsletter)
📚 Declutter your bookshelf (make room for more, obviously). We’ve got some bookshelf organization tips here.
🧺 Plan a spring picnic and bring a romance novel. Or at the very least, get some coloring done. We’ve got some downloadable for you:
🐣 Try a book with a pastel cover—vibes matter
💐 Revisit a comfort read just because
What’s New This Week
Reading Under the Covers Podcast
Spring is the perfect time to dive into some historical romance and I shared some recommendations on the podcast this week.
Marriage of Convenience but Make It Historical — 5 iconic books that serve drama, yearning, and marriages of convenience with corsets: Watch on YouTube
Highlander Hero Showdown — Kilted heroes that will make you swoon and all the brooding vibes await. Who did I choose as the winner? Watch here
Spring Cozy Mysteries — With Laura from
: Listen here
🎙️ Plus, I was a guest on What to Read Next! I shared some binge-worthy urban fantasy series that are complete, deliciously addicting, and ready to devour: Watch the episode
Novel Hour Recap (We Were Busy!)
We went live three times last week! Here’s the replay roundup:
Bookish News & Tea: From book deals to book events, catch the full scoop: Watch here
Emergency Live – Tori Woods Drama: Yep. It happened. We had thoughts: Watch the tea spill
Stories by Women About Women: Celebrating powerful female authors and their unforgettable heroines in honor of Women’s History Month: Watch here
Join us every Thursday at 12PM EST for our regular Novel Hour show on Youtube. Every other Monday at 12PM EST for the Bookish Tea edition on Youtube. And after every show, come over to Substack live for the after show. The after show live is free for all Substack members.
Mysterylandia Deep Dives
Obsessed with dark, twisty thrillers? We’ve got a full author spotlight on A.R. Torre: Her books are perfect if you like Freida McFadden!
Fated Mates & Paranormal Romance Feels
Still riding that fated mates high from last week? We added even more must-read guides:
Did you miss last week’s Insider? Check it out here:
📅 New Releases This Week: Mar 17 - March 23
A fresh stack of books just dropped! Whether you're craving romance, mysteries or paranormal, here's what hit the shelves this week.
Note: This newsletter contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting the community!
Featured New Releases (Mar 17 - Mar 23):
Kiss the Villain by Rina Kent – Dark MM Romance, Professor/Student, Enemies to Lovers
A law student with a dangerous secret finds himself in a power struggle when his new professor turns out to be the villain from his past.
Tropes: Dark academia, forbidden romance, obsession, morally gray characters, psychological warfare.
A Gentleman’s Offer by Emma Orchard – Regency Romance, Mistaken Identity, Fake Engagement
A respectable gentleman gets engaged to the wrong twin, and now they must track down the real bride before scandal erupts.
Tropes: Historical romance, forced proximity, slow burn, opposites attract, hidden feelings.
One in a Million by Beverley Kendall – Celebrity Rom-Com, Surprise Baby, Forced Co-Parenting
A superstar with a perfectly planned life gets thrown into chaos when a fertility clinic mix-up gives her a daughter—and an unexpected co-parent.
Tropes: Accidental baby, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, celebrity drama, opposites attract.
Airhead by Avery Flynn – 1980s Rom-Com, Road Trip, Grumpy/Sunshine
After trashing the wrong car, a rebellious heroine is forced to chauffeur a grumpy six-foot-six ex-football player around town all night.
Tropes: Grumpy/sunshine, road trip romance, mistaken identity, forced proximity, nostalgic rom-com.
Alien Huntsman by Honey Phillips – Sci-Fi Romance, Alien Bounty Hunter, Fated Mates
A bounty hunter hired to kill a human woman decides to protect her instead, hiding her away in the wilderness—while also caring for seven orphaned alien wolf pups.
Tropes: Fated mates, found family, slow burn, broody hero, sci-fi Cinderella retelling.
💡 Looking for More? Our book database got a big April update this week. The Book Vault is a paid member feature.
A recommendation from Francesca: Enchantra by Kaylie Smith (out April 8, 2025)
It’s no secret that I loved the first book in the Wicked Games series. It was one of my favorite books of 2024! Enchantra is also set at a deadly games, competition, but Kaylie Smith managed to make this also a very new type of games and I loved every second of it. We have a fake marriage (or forced marriage for survival), the stakes are super high and the romance is also top notch. I can’t wait to see what’s next from this author. ~ Francesca
What I Watched This Week: One Hundred Years of Solitude on Netflix
I finally finished Netflix’s One Hundred Years of Solitude limited series, and wow—it was visually stunning. Every frame looked like it belonged in a high-budget film, and the acting was genuinely excellent across the board.
It’s been a while since I read the book (this was required reading back in high school for me), so I wasn’t going in with every detail fresh in my mind. But even with that distance, I felt like the series did an incredible job bringing the novel to life. It captures the surreal, sweeping nature of the story so beautifully, and while a few parts dragged a bit, the atmosphere and emotion absolutely pulled me in.
If you’ve ever read the book—or just love a tragic, magical family saga—this one is worth checking out. Spring is the perfect time to dive into some magical realism and this is considered required reading of the origins of this genre.
Coming Up Next Week
Thursday @ 12PM EST – Novel Hour Live Show
This week’s theme is trans joy and I’ll be sharing historical romances.Romanceopoly prompt recommendations!
Reading Under the Covers Podcast brings Spring vibes
More Spring reading recommendations and April new releases to watch out for.On Substack: April Lounge! The monthly reading guide is coming.
And I’ll be announcing the book club pick for April. There’s still time to vote on the genre you want me to choose since I haven’t made a final decision yet. Historical romance is currently winning. Go vote:
That’s a wrap for this week!
Don’t forget to join us next week for even more bookish chats. Thanks for hanging out this week! Hope you find a book (or five) to obsess over, and I’ll see you in your inbox next time.
— Francesca 📚
PS: Have you finished any good books lately? Any Romanceopoly reads? We’d love to share your favorites with the community. Simply reply to this email and let us know what your recommendations are. Or if you want to share a quick voice note click here.
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