Fans pick 30 books like Feast of Sparks

There’s a lot to love about this book. An alpha heroine who knows what she wants. A large extended family. An angry ghost. An old house with hidden passages and a long-established, much-loved bar/restaurant renovation.

There’s also a very spicy love affair. Curl up with this after a long day renovating. 

In research for my own books, I have learned how present the British were in the Caribbean for centuries.

Yet it is not often that I find Caribbean characters when reading historical romances. That is one of the reasons I was so excited to pick up A Caribbean Heiress in Paris – and I was not disappointed!

In this novel, you get a heroine who is trying to defend her identity on three fronts: as a businesswoman, as a mixed-race woman, and as a woman who does not want marriage to be the solution to her problems.

Much of the hero’s growth is discovering how to witness and learn about Luz Alana’s challenges without barging in and “solving” them.

This is a great read with a delightful plot, new insight into Caribbean-European history, and an endearing romance. 

Whenever I need a low-angst, light-hearted rom-com, Carla Luna is my go-to. White Wedding is my favorite of hers, featuring hot, Mexican-American chef, Rafael Sanchez. 

Rafael breaks every common stereotype of the Mexican man. Incredibly patient, gentle, and loving, he is the perfect cinnamon-roll hero for Victoria Blackwood. 

The premise of this book is everything. Our heroine, Victoria, is stuck planning a wedding. It just so happens the groom is her ex. Enter Rafael to cater the wedding. Oh, did I forget to mention he was her one-night stand she ran out on? Yes, this book is as delicious as it sounds. 

This book made me laugh out loud, embarrassingly, in public places. Perfect for a weekend escape into a happy world.

This is a cute rom-com featuring unique characters, food, and nosy families. Being Puerto Rican, I gravitated immediately to the Puerto Rican flag on the cover.

I loved everything about it: the characters (especially the abuelos), the setting of the Puerto Rican restaurant and the whiskey distillery, the Spanish sprinkled every now and then, and the plot.

I was rooting for Kamilah and Liam to fulfill their career goals and fall in love. I loved that both Kamilah and Liam are flawed and need to grow in order to achieve their goals and have a mature romantic relationship. 

Cherise Sinclair is my number one BDSM Romance author. The reason I love her books is their great storylines, relatable characters, and realistic but steamy sex, and BDSM scenes. To Command and Collar is book five in Master of the Shadowlands. Although I would advise to start reading the series from book one (Club Shadowlands), I chose book five because it is my favorite. I love Raoul and Kim and their hard-won journey to happiness.

Although this book starts out without safe words or careful negotiations, I still recommend all of Joey W. Hill’s work and the Knights of the Board Room series as BDSM Romance. Sometimes, a Dom must dig deep to give a submissive what she needs, and this is what Matt Kensington does in Board Resolution. Savannah is trained to shield herself and I think Matt’s crazy plan is the only way through the tough outer shell and into the soft and loving woman she is. Piece by piece —with help from his team— he breaks her down, only to let her rise like a Phoenix from her ashes. Beautiful story.

While BDSM is not everybody’s cup of tea, curious readers might consider the Rescue Me saga an introduction to both the lifestyle and genre. The series highlights the key aspects of domination and submission, especially informed consent by all participants. It also grapples with the controversial question of whether a lifestyle that stresses clear rules, self-discipline, and absolute trust between Master and submissive can help heal survivors of trauma and abuse. Masters at Arms is a collection of short stories that introduces the male characters (they’re all ex-military and run a club/dungeon together) and Nobody’s Angel expands on Marc’s story. I read Masters’ saga when researching for my own books, and found it eye-opening and surprising in terms of the complexities of BDSM relationships.

This is an erotica book. It dives right in with the heat. There's a mystery element snaked between all the hot and heavy steam. Yvonne is inexperienced at first, but there are a plethora of kinks by the end. Recommended for readers looking to learn more about the BDSM lifestyle, as well as to those with kinky experiences. Consent matters in this book, and all the hot scenes have only consensual adults.

Like any good romance, there's a happily-ever-after. The mystery creates a high-action scene. Y is for Yes, like a rollercoaster, is fast-paced with excellent twists and lots of fun. J.R. Vincente has a distinct, enjoyable voice.

It’s impossible to talk about kinky billionaires without mentioning Jonathan Drazen. Featuring an up-and-coming lounge singer and the rich man who wants to have his way with her, Reiss avoids the stereotypical BDSM tropes, delivering a fresh and unique look at a healthy kink relationship. Though the book is coming on its tenth anniversary, it remains legendary for any true dirty billionaire fan.

“He was at once The Evil and The Exorcist.” Considering the date of publication, a very modern account of grooming, toxic masculinity, and the objectification of women. Feeling deserted by family and friends, a bored boarding school girl entertains herself by sneaking out of the grounds after dark. One night in the woods she encounters an older man who claims to be an artist and invites her back to the workshop where he creates suspiciously lifelike dolls. Apparently oblivious to the fact he spouts creepy comments like “the craftsman must feel the willingness of his material” and undeterred by rumors of young girls going missing in the neighbourhood, our heroine embarks on a doomed (and vaguely BDSM) relationship with the stranger. An unforgettable novella about living dolls and manipulative relationships.