This summer, dive into these romances starring Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) characters that may have you smiling or swooning in the sunshine (or rain).
The Mis-arrangement of Sana Saeed by Noreen Mughees follows Hijabi Sana Saeed in her pursuit for ishq (a transcendent love that intertwines “mind, body, and soul”) in this second chance romance between childhood friends navigating familial obligations. This loosely based retelling of Persuasion (with nods to Pride and Prejudice) will delight Austen fans and interest anyone hopeful about experiencing a deep romantic love even in the midst of life’s various circumstances. And They Lived Happily Ever After by Therese Beharrie centers a thirty-year-old woman named Gaia Anders who is healing from childhood trauma with a magical power that she developed on her 13th birthday that allows her to experience the stories she writes through her dreams. This charming friends to lovers story is heartfelt. Meet Me in Madrid by Verity Lowell is a sapphic romance about two women of color professors, Charlotte and Adrianna, who work at the same university and rekindle a college romance while in Madrid, Spain. Despite the obstacles they face, they are committed to creating a life together that makes sense to both of them. Manila Takes Manhattan by Carla De Guzman follows Raymond “Mon” Mendoza who has recently immigrated to the U.S. from Manila, Philippines. It explores themes of cultural connection, belonging, immigration, racism in the film industry, and love. Finally, in Finding Joy by Adriana Herrera follows Desta, a Dominican-American emergency relief worker hopes he can find closure in the East African capital of Addis Ababa where he grew up when he meets Elias who is planning to pursue his doctorial studies in the United States.
Find more BIPOC romance selections from me on this Book Bingo booklist.
For more ideas for books to meet your Summer Book Bingo challenge, follow our Shelf Talk BookBingoNW2024 series or check the hashtag #BookBingoNW2024 on social media. Book bingo is presented in partnership with Seattle Arts & Lectures.
~posted by Okunyi B.
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