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Friday, November 14th, 2025 11:31 pm
Friday, November 14th, 2025 07:29 pm
Friday, November 14th, 2025 04:57 pm
Comics Curmudgeon readers! Do you love this blog and yearn for a novel written by its creator? Well, good news: Josh Fruhlinger's The Enthusiast is that novel! It's even about newspaper comic strips, partly. Check it out!
Yeah, man! It’s the COTW! And it goes a little something … like this!
“It’s been obvious for a while that these two aren’t humans exactly, but today provides a little more insight into their biology. So far we can describe them as small oviparous homonids lacking teeth, probably an adaptation to the rocky crags where they evolved, preying in seabird nests.” –pugfuggly
And the very funny runners up are here too!!!!
“Round up the kids in detention, we’re taking them to The Museum of Art Puns to suffer.” –nescio
“We are such social animals that anyone deprived of human companionship will slowly go insane, even if the human whose companionship they’re deprived of is Ian Cameron.” –matt w
“Hang him from where, troops? HANG HIM FROM WHERE?” –Tabby Lavalamp
“I had believed until last week that Greg was the guy at the DMV who told you that you were missing a piece of documentation after you stood in line for an hour and that you had to go get it and stand in the line again. But then we learned he’s the guy who tells teenagers they can’t have their licenses because they bumped the curb parking. Why does he even NEED coffee for a day filled with such joy?” –richardf8
“‘The kid is onto me,’ thinks Greg. ‘I just pray he never finds out whose boot it was.’” –Peanut Gallery
“Hootin’ Holler still uses snow and ice to preserve food, as electricity is rare and service is spotty. Lil Sparky just ate a family’s entire vitamin supply for a week, and they will now suffer even worse malnutrition than the average Holler resident.” –Philip
“I’m always fascinated by the crystal ball Shoe strips. All of the characters are bitter cynics, so why do they keep going to crack wise at the local fortune teller? Is this what people resorted to in the days before social media let you mock WitchTok from the comfort of your own couch?” –Schroduck
“Thirsty yearns for the olden times that he’s never experienced but has heard about, when beer was considered ‘liquid bread,’ a way to quickly, easily, and safely hydrate and obtain necessary calories at the same time. This is not comical, this is a tragic tale of a man born three hundred years too late.” –Tom
“What’s that you say? You have ‘evidence’ before you secure an indictment? You say you wait for indictments before executing rough street justice? You say your suspects are not grotesquely deformed, with too on-the-nose names? My, my, my. To each their own, I suppose. [Caressing pistol trigger lovingly] I sure hope he turns out to be a clown, though.” –I’m Not Cthulhu, But I Play Him On TV
“Which is a euphemism for what really happens. They fuck. Each other. Constantly and interchangeably. This is Hollywood, kid. You’re too young to understand this now, but it won’t be long before curiosity leads you to flip through the supermarket pages of People and the National Enquirer and all will be revealed.” –cheech wizard
“Those corks indicate each of these wines have been opened. Is ‘Clea-ar-ance’ located in the BacqueWash region of Frawnce?” –Virginia
“His doctor has long given up on him. His wife is checking his life insurance policy. He knows his diet is killing him, but he cannot stop. ‘Next time,’ he promises himself, but ‘next time’ will never come. His fate is sealed as the future body at an open casket funeral where a dog man asks his wife ‘who is this for again?’ and the caption is ‘You’re a plugger if you’ve been to so many funerals, you’ve lost track.’” –Old Man Shadow
“The guy totally in shadow with the mysterious, ominous axiom — he’s death, right? The only reason Herb is smiling is that he’s come for Jamaal.” –Lawyerbob
“Oh, right, my bucket list included seeing a sunset. Welp, there it is. Time to die.” –Voshkod
Remember: If you want an ad-free version of this site sent to you every day via email, for $3 a month you can become a Comics Curmudgeon newsletter subscriber! And if you never want to see banner ads on this site, and want to get cool comment-editing features to boot, for the same low price you can become a Comics Curmudgeon website subscriber! You can get each day’s post ad-free via Patreon if that’s your style! And if you just want to give me money directly, you can put some scratch in my tip jar! Thanks to all for your support and readership!
Friday, November 14th, 2025 04:30 pm
Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors
Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev is $1.99 and a KDD! Carrie reviewed this one and gave it a B-:
Sonali Dev is an amazing creator of character and I suspect that this book with be A grade stuff for many readers. I enjoyed the conversations around class, race, and disability (in Emma’s case). However, the book left me stressed out instead of happy
Award-winning author Sonali Dev launches a new series about the Rajes, an immigrant Indian family descended from royalty, who have built their lives in San Francisco—a compelling, heartwarming romance between two strangers from completely different worlds, and a poignant exploration of cultural assimilation, identity, and the meaning of the word home.
Only in a family like the Rajes could San Francisco’s most acclaimed neurosurgeon be considered the black sheep. Dr. Trisha Raje has developed groundbreaking technology and won the respect of her peers and the life-long gratitude of her patients. Still, her large, close-knit family—descended from old Indian nobility—has certain rules to uphold. Trusting outsiders is frowned upon. Disloyalty of any kind is unacceptable. Trisha never intended to jeopardize her brother’s political aspirations, yet her long-ago actions inadvertently did just that. At last she has a chance to turn that around.
Up-and-coming chef DJ Caine has known people like Trisha before—people who judge his background and find it lacking, who put pedigree above character. He may need the lucrative, career-making job the Rajes offer, but he has little time for Trisha, especially when he learns that she’s the arrogant surgeon who wants to perform an untested procedure on his sister, Emma.
As the two continually clash, their assumptions shatter like spun sugar on one of DJ’s stunning desserts. Drawn to DJ’s steadiness, humor, and passion—as well as his extraordinary food—Trisha begins to reexamine her view of the world, while challenging his beliefs about the nature of family. But there’s a past to be reckoned with before they can hope to savor a future bursting with delicious possibility.
Dream On, Ramona Riley
Dream On, Ramona Riley by Ashley Herring Blake is $1.99! This released earlier in the spring and is book one in a new series by Blake. Did you pick this one up?
A small-town waitress and a Hollywood star’s worlds collide in this new romance by Ashley Herring Blake, USA Today bestselling author of Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date.
Once upon a time, Ramona Riley was a student at a prestigious art school, with dreams of landing in Hollywood as a costume designer to the stars. But after her father’s car accident, she had to quit and return to her small New Hampshire town, Clover Lake, to help take care of her younger sister. Twelve years later, Ramona is still working at the town’s café, all but given up on her dream. But when a big-budget romantic comedy comes to Clover Lake to film, she wonders if this could be her chance. There’s only one problem—Dylan Monroe, her first kiss and Hollywood’s favorite wild child—is the star.
Dylan Monroe has always lived an unconventional life, having famous rock icons for parents. But she wants to prove that she’s not some chaotic, talentless nepo baby, that she has actual skills, that she’s just a normal person. To do that, Dylan takes on a project at a charming lake town—she even works at the town’s café (very quaint), shadowing a local waitress there (very cute), and asks her to take Dylan around to do Normal People Things.
But Dylan soon realizes it’s not just some small-town waitress she’s getting to know—Ramona Riley is someone she’s met before, someone who remembers her even more vividly. Before long, however, reality hits them, and both women must decide if the spark between them can fan the flames of their individual dreams, or if it will extinguish their light.
The Hurricane Wars
The Hurricane Wars by Thea Guanzon is $1.99! This was Guanzon’s debut and is a fantasy romance. I believe Elyse mentioned this one on a previous Hide Your Wallet. This is also a title that joins the ranks of published Reylo fics.
A land ravaged by storms and conquerors…
A refuge across the sea that comes at a price…
A volatile alliance between two bitter enemies…
A growing attraction as dangerous as it is irresistible…
On opposite sides of a vicious war, a soldier who can channel light magic and a prince who summons shadows find themselves locked in a deadly dance that neither can seem to truly win. As the Continent falls to howling winds and violent lightning brought on by a ruthless emperor’s fleet of stormships, the only way for Talasyn to save countless lives is to reclaim her birthright in a mysterious archipelago over the Eversea—and to enter into a fraught political marriage with Prince Alaric, the very man she had sworn to destroy.
Like Talasyn, Alaric makes no secret of his displeasure with such an arrangement. But, when a new threat emerges to shatter a fragile peace, necessity forces the reluctant couple to work together while wrestling with the inconvenient but undeniable bloom of desire amidst a backdrop of secrets and cutthroat political intrigue.
What would you do to win a war? What would you do to save all that you hold dear? And what do you do when the person you hate finds their way into your heart, beneath the rising tempests?
Plot Twist
Plot Twist by Erin La Rosa is $1.99! I mentioned this on a previous Hide Your Wallet. However, it seems like other readers feel like La Rosa’s books don’t quite stick the landing of all the trope-filled goodness promised.
She’s written off more than she can chew…
Romance author Sophie Lyon’s ironic secret just went viral: she’s never been in love. Though her debut novel made readers swoon, Sophie’s having trouble getting her new characters to happily-ever-after, and she blames it on her own uninspired love life. With a manuscript deadline looming, Sophie makes an ambitious plan to overcome her writer’s block: reunite with her exes to learn why she’s never fallen in love—and document it all for her millions of new online followers. Which also means facing her ex-girlfriend Carla, the one person Sophie could have loved.
Luckily, Sophie’s reclusive landlord, Dash Montrose—a former teen heartthrob—has social media all figured out and offers to help. But he doesn’t mention that he’s an anonymous online crafter, a hobby that helps him maintain his sobriety. No one knows about his complicated relationship with alcohol and he intends to keep it that way. His family is Hollywood royalty, so Dash has to steer clear of scandal.
As Sophie and Dash grow closer, they discover a heat between them that rivals Dash’s pottery kiln. But Sophie needs to figure out who she is outside her relationships, and Dash isn’t sure he’s stable enough for the commitment she deserves. So Sophie suggests what any good romance author would: a friends-with-benefits arrangement. Surely a casual relationship won’t cause any trouble…
Friday, November 14th, 2025 02:00 pm
I've often thought the "sex-reveal cake" trend was fraught with peril, and today's wreck is a good example of why.
In case you haven't heard of it, the reveal cake has either pink or blue icing hidden inside, depending on the baby's sex - but the kicker is, the parents bring that info sealed from their doctor to the bakery, so the cake is how they find out if they're having a boy or a girl.
So...you're trusting a baker to correctly communicate your baby's sex?
Gee, WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG?
[whistling innocently]
Happily Kevin S. and his wife already knew they were having a boy, but for fun they decided to send a reveal cake to his parents to break the news. As is typical, they asked for it to be white on the outside and decorated with pink and blue polka dots, plus maybe a few question marks. Then they asked for blue icing inside the cake.
When the special order arrived at Kevin's parents' house, this is what they found:
o.0
And to think: someone looked at this and thought, "Yeah, that's what the customer wanted."
(John says you should read that cake out loud. So, go on. DO EET!)
Still, as baby cake trends go, it could always - ALWAYS - be worse:
...and frequently is. *sigh*
Thanks to Kevin and Stephanie F. for that revealing slice of humor.
*****
This book has over 2,000 5-star reviews and looks absolutely hysterical, definitely bookmark it for the new parents in your life:
*****
And from my other blog, Epbot:
Friday, November 14th, 2025 12:22 pm
Comics Curmudgeon readers! Do you love this blog and yearn for a novel written by its creator? Well, good news: Josh Fruhlinger's The Enthusiast is that novel! It's even about newspaper comic strips, partly. Check it out!
Pluggers, 11/14/25
I have to admit that I’m intrigued by the “come out here” formulation. This isn’t a plugger who has walked into the living room and forgotten what task he was pursuing; this is a dog-man who has gone somewhere, for some purpose now mysterious to him. “Let’s see … was I supposed to sell my soul to the devil? No, it’s sunset, and that’s more of a ‘midnight at the crossroads’ thing. Maybe I challenged someone to a gunfight as the sun went down? But wouldn’t I have brought my gun? I’m pretty sure I would’ve brought my gun.”
Crock, 11/14/25
Man, you read Crock every day for 20 years and you assume you know all the stupid lore but then you read a strip and learn that the shirtless guy in the fez is named “Pretty Boy”. This is pretty dumb, but in a strip where the cowardly guy is named “Captain Poulet” and the woman who’s supposed to be ugly is named “Grossie” and the evil commandant is named “Vermin P. Crock,” having a character with a sarcastic name represents a quantum leap in semantic complexity. Unless this guy is actually meant to be read as attractive? Possible, I guess. Anyway, one of his soldiers has to pee, which has foiled his attempt to capture the Legion’s fort and kill everyone inside.
Herb and Jamaal, 11/14/25
Hey now, the whole point of Herb and Jamaal is to be non-specific and, occasionally, quite confusing. I don’t need Herb smiling wryly while he contemplates his mortality! I have the entire archives of Funky Winkerbean for that!
Friday, November 14th, 2025 06:35 am
There's no way any of this is in the tag system, so just enjoy a sequence of pretty art and taut suspense from an old-fashioned Western.
( Read more... )
( Read more... )
Friday, November 14th, 2025 04:32 am
I wasn’t sure whether to include this one, or quite where to put it. It’s from mid-1988, but it includes a mostly earlier lineup of Justice Leaguers. And it has a droll, JLI-ish sense of humor, but in the end, the JLI and Superman are secondary players. The Weird is the hero of his own life, and that life attains more meaning from its brevity.
( If only we could say the same for his 152-page STORY. This abbreviated form may be a better reading experience. )
Friday, November 14th, 2025 09:00 am
What is this book about? Let’s give the blurb its moment to shine as it is one of the good ones (i.e. it matches the content of the book well)
Sadie Shaw and Jonah Fisher have been academic rivals since they first crossed paths as undergraduates in the literature department thirteen years ago. Now that a highly coveted teaching opportunity has come up, their rivalry hits epic proportions. Jonah needs the job to move closer to his recently divorced sister and her children, while Sadie needs the financial security and freedom of a full-time teaching position.
When Sadie notices that the job offers partner hire, however, she hatches a plot to get them both the job. All they must do is get legally married. It’s a simple win-win solution but when sparks begin to fly, it becomes clear that despite their education, these two may not have thought this whole thing through.
Right from the jump, we learn that Jonah has long had a crush on Sadie. Over the years, he’s tried to bury it, but he’s never quite vanquished it. Sadie sees in Jonah a symbol of everything that is wrong in academia. She’s learning, however, that there are two Jonahs: the symbol version (Tweed Jonah) and the real Jonah (Cardigan Jonah) and she’s got a lot more time for the latter than the former.
Sadie describes herself as all fists and all teeth and it’s pretty accurate, although there is a soft underbelly there with some trauma around being abandoned. The Jonah we get in the book is solidly Cardigan Jonah – kind, smart and enjoys a good argument (provided it comes from a place of respect).
Their love, as it is revealed, is really sweet. The particular plot beats of a romance novel are there, but they’re richer because in their narration of their love (it’s dual POV), especially with Sadie, we get a lot of literary theory. I know that might sound like a turn off, but it is explained clearly and simply so it’s accessible to someone with absolutely no relevant background. It makes the emotions that much more rich and engaging. I particularly enjoyed the use of eucatastrophe.
On that topic, the setting of Australian academia was completely foreign to me which I also loved. It sounds like a brutal, unfeeling place and the best you can hope for in terms of good outcomes is permanent employment and no more than that. So as for the traditional markers of success, temper your expectations.
I would characterise this book as women’s fiction with a romantic plot. There are two central relationships: Sadie and her sister Francesca, and Sadie and Jonah. Sadie and Jonah is a standard romance plot with a HEA. The stuff with her sister though is a lot more complicated and Sadie spends a large chunk of the book sad. It’s hard to be swept away by a romance when one of the protagonists is sad for a huge stretch of it.
For this reason, the book felt unfinished or rather, like it ended too soon. From Jonah and Sadie’s perspective, they have their HEA. But with Francesca being such a big part of the book, the persistent sadness taints the experience of that HEA. In the author’s note there is a hint about ‘something to come’, which I assumed meant that there would be a book about Francesca, but the next one (thanks to some Instagram digging) is actually Jonah’s sister’s book. I do really hope that Francesca gets her own book so that the story can feel resolved for me.
Overall, this is enemies-to-lovers done right with the best reason for a marriage of convenience that I’ve ever read. The sadness, though, is still sitting with me the next day. For me, that type of emotion in a book really lingers while the sharp emotional high of an HEA is over pretty quickly. So do take that into account when considering this book. Mileage might vary.
Friday, November 14th, 2025 07:00 am
Amye Archer, host of Little Miss Recap, was a guest on a recent paywalled episode of Fixing Famous People talking about soap operas. I was entranced. Amye is a fan of soaps, going way back, and I was very eager to have her as a guest to talk about soaps, the romances within soaps, and some of the overlap between soap fans and romance readers.
After we talk about the matrilineal cultural inheritance of soaps and romance, we have a challenge. Amye brought some of her most memorably unhinged story lines from soaps, and I have brought some of my most memorably unhinged story lines from romance, and we’re going to swap.
Please note that in this section we mention sexual assault, faked deaths, transphobic language and quicksand. During the recommendations, Amye mentions her memoir, which is about weight loss and addiction, so we discuss antifat bias and shame.
This is a long one, so we’re going to keep you company.
Did you have a favorite soap or soaps? Which ones?
Listen to the podcast →Read the transcript →
Here are the books we discuss in this podcast:
You can find Amye Archer at her website, AmyeArcher.com. Her podcasts are:
We also mentioned:
- Northern Disclosure
- Pump Up the Volume, which you can watch at this streaming locations:
If you like the podcast, you can subscribe to our feed, or find us at iTunes. You can also find us on Stitcher, and Spotify, too. We also have a cool page for the podcast on iTunes.
More ways to sponsor:
Sponsor us through Patreon! (What is Patreon?)
What did you think of today's episode? Got ideas? Suggestions? You can talk to us on the blog entries for the podcast or talk to us on Facebook if that's where you hang out online. You can email us at sbjpodcast@gmail.com or you can call and leave us a message at our Google voice number: 201-371-3272. Please don't forget to give us a name and where you're calling from so we can work your message into an upcoming podcast.
Thanks for listening!
Remember to subscribe to our podcast feed, find us on iTunes or on Stitcher.
Thursday, November 13th, 2025 09:25 pm
Not much Lesla fanservice this issue, but we do get a Superfamily Thanksgiving spread.
( Read more... )
Thursday, November 13th, 2025 11:35 pm
Thursday, November 13th, 2025 04:30 pm
Coffeeshop in an Alternate Universe
Coffeeshop in an Alternate Universe by C.B. Lee is $2.99! I believe this was mentioned on one of Dahlia’s queer romance columns. According to Goodreads, this is skewed more to YA or teens.
A geeky overachiever determined to save the world through science and a troublemaking chosen one lashing out against her destiny meet and fall in love in a magical coffeeshop as their two very different universes begin to collide in Coffeeshop in an Alternate Universe, C.B. Lee’s fun, sapphic, cozy fantasy YA romance.
When Brenda’s internet goes out right before an important scholarship deadline, she stumbles right into Kat’s family’s coffeeshop. Brenda is swept away by cool, confident Kat, who actually cares about Brenda’s 19-step plan to save the world through science. Meanwhile, Kat can’t stop thinking about Brenda, who is smart, passionate, and doesn’t seem to care that Kat is the prophesized Chosen One.
The only problem? Kat and Brenda are from different universes. Like need-to-find-a-portal-to-go-on-a-second-date different universes.
As their universes collide and things spiral out of control, can a girl who is determined to save the world find love with a girl determined to outrun her destiny?
The Love Fix
The Love Fix by Jill Shalvis is $1.99! This is a contemporary romance and a part of the Sunrise Cove series. Shalvis writes some great small town romances, if that’s your catnip.
Welcome back to Sunrise Cove for this heartwarming enemies-to-lovers tale where found family, forgiveness, and love may just be the key to finding yourself, from New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis.
Lexi Clark’s life is falling apart around her, so when she’s summoned home to Sunrise Cove, the last thing she wants to do is face all the complications she left behind. Her past, her stepsister Ashley, and especially her infuriatingly gorgeous childhood nemesis-turned-crush Heath Bowman.
Yep, Lexi’s pretty sure being home again just might kill her. She’s an overachieving art appraiser who doesn’t believe in trust, love, or Happily Ever Afters. Free spirit Ashley, on the other hand, is so full of life it hurts to look at her. But Lexi can’t refuse Ashley’s plea to honor their late mother’s final wish to make amends with the people she’d wronged. So, on behalf of her estranged mother’s estate—and with Heath in tow as the executor—Lexi embarks on a road trip to repay all the people her gambling addicted mother owed money to.
Complicating everything are the feelings that well up for for her mom, for Ashley, and most of all, for Heath. And for the record, she doesn’t like it, or the way he has of scaling the walls she’s built around her heart. The road trip shenanigans that ensue are both funny and heartbreaking, but Lexi finds something shocking along the way. Acceptance. Family. And unbelievably—if you ask Lexi anyway—love.
No Ordinary Duchess
No Ordinary Duchess by Elizabeth Hoyt is $3.99! This is book three in The Greycourt series. The first two books had middling to poor reviews on the site. Have you read any of the books?
A delicious tale of forbidden romance where the mystery that ties two lovers together might also be exactly what tears them apart.
Cold and brooding, Julian Greycourt, the heir to the Windemere dukedom, has always known that his uncle the duke was responsible for his mother’s death. Now he’s determined to exact revenge against his uncle—if he can find the proof. But Julian hides a secret so explosive it will destroy him if it’s ever revealed, and the duke is watching. The last thing he needs is a distractingly sensual woman whose very presence threatens to destroy his plans.
Sunny and cheerful, Lady Elspeth de Moray doesn’t know why her brother and Julian fell out all those years ago, but she can’t let the autocratic man get in the way of her mission: to retrieve an ancient family text that she believes is in one of the Windemere libraries. Locating the tome, however, proves trickier than she anticipated, and at each turn, she’s thrown together with the maddingly mysterious Julian. And the temptation to give in to her family’s greatest enemy grows stronger with each intriguing encounter…
When Grumpy Met Sunshine
When Grumpy Met Sunshine by Charlotte Stein is $2.99! I know Stein has a lot of fans, especially if you like steamy romances. However, I feel like this one didn’t do as well as I thought it would with readers. Have you read it?
A steamy, opposites-attract romance with undeniable chemistry between a grumpy retired footballer and his fabulous and very sunshine-y ghostwriter.
When grumpy ex-footballer Alfie Harding gets badgered into selling his memoirs, he knows he’s never going to be able to write them. He hates revealing a single thing about himself, is allergic to most emotions, and can’t imagine doing a good job of putting pen to paper.
And so in walks curvy, cheery, cute as heck ghostwriter Mabel Willicker, who knows just how to sunshine and sass her way into getting every little detail out of Alfie. They banter and bicker their way to writing his life story, both of them sure they’ll never be anything other than at odds.
But after their business arrangement is mistaken for a budding romance, the pair have to pretend to be an item for a public who’s ravenous for more of this Cinderella story. Or at least, it feels like it’s pretend—until each slow burn step in their fake relationship sparks a heat neither can control. Now they just have to decide: is this sizzling chemistry just for show? Or something so real it might just give them their fairytale ending?
Thursday, November 13th, 2025 02:00 pm
The arrival of a new baby is usually a time of joy and celebration.
Er...usually.
"Well, the stork was busy, so we figured we'd just chuck the lil' tyke out around 30,000 feet. Why? Is that a problem?"
You know, people are always talking about the sweet little toes and fingers and stuff, but you want to know the CUTEST part?
"Jus' wookit dat widdle ootsey wootsey skulley wulley!"
"Hey, anyone else think Julie's looking a little tense today?"
"It's all downhill from here, kid.
"MWUAH-HA-HA-HAAA!!"
Ahem.
"We call this one the 'Tub of Love:'"
"What do you mean, you're not supposed to put babies in full bathtubs?
"Ok, ok, FINE."
[splashing]
[thump]
"Better?"
Thanks to Elizabeth S., Marisa T., Anne J., Emily L., & Jilissa K. for throwing up the baby with the bath water.
Oh, throw OUT?
Um... sure, ok, thanks for that, too.
*****
P.S., See, now HERE'S a cute idea for a baby shower:
*****
And from my other blog, Epbot:
Thursday, November 13th, 2025 12:20 pm
Comics Curmudgeon readers! Do you love this blog and yearn for a novel written by its creator? Well, good news: Josh Fruhlinger's The Enthusiast is that novel! It's even about newspaper comic strips, partly. Check it out!
Shoe, 11/13/25
“Plus I forgot we live in a tree! Like where am I even supposed to go? The end of that branch is maybe fifteen feet away, tops!”
Garfield, 11/13/25
Garfield is of course the title character of the comic strip Garfield, making him by far the most important being in his own narrative universe. You might think it’s depraved that these foodstuffs are begging him to not restrain his appetites, but being consumed by such a divine figure would surely be the apex of their existence.
Pluggers, 11/13/25
I feel like this is the most at odds I’ve ever seen a Pluggers caption and cartoon be. Look at that bear-man’s face! He doesn’t think bacon is the only critical part of a BLT. He thinks he’s made a huge mistake!
Mother Goose and Grimm, 11/13/25
Look, after years of reading some not-so-great comic strips, I think I’ve given up on demanding that everyone recognize that the comics are a visual medium. But I think we can at least all agree that the comics are not an audible medium and write jokes for them accordingly.
Thursday, November 13th, 2025 11:30 am
This post is sponsored by Kobo Plus, and contains affiliate links which bring a portion of your purchase to us at no extra charge to you. If you use them, thanks, and if not, no worries. Thanks, y’all!
…
I know y’all have heard about Kobo Plus, I am presuming, but in case not: Kobo Plus is nifty. And if you’re looking at Lara’s quest for indie/self pub historicals and wondering where you can find some tasty books to read, Kobo Plus can definitely help.
It’s nice to have options, isn’t it? Feels like there are fewer and fewer now.
Kobo Plus is a subscription service that allows you unlimited access to ebooks, audiobooks, or, depending on the plan, ebooks and audiobooks.
If the graphic isn’t legible for you, Kobo Plus Listen is $7.99US per month, and there are over 150,000 audiobooks in their catalog.
Kobo Plus Read is also $7.99US per month, and has over 1.5 million ebooks in their catalog, including some exclusives, and entire series bundles, too.
And Kobo Plus Read & Listen is $9.99 per month – both listening and ebooks, for $10. That’s a really good deal.
Plus, if you’re a new subscriber, you can try Kobo Plus for 30 days for free, and cancel any time.
I love a cancel any time – and if you’re someone who worries that you won’t remember to, here’s a tip. When you sign up for a free trial, set a reminder or calendar appointment for just under the free trial length, with a link to where you can unsubscribe. So if it’s a 14 day free trial, sign up, and IMMEDIATELY afterward, set a reminder or calendar item for 12 or 13 days from now that your trial is about to end, and do you want to renew? Helps me out immensely.
Today, Lara’s sharing the initial progress in exploring indie and self-published historicals, so let’s take a look at what historicals are awaiting you in Kobo Plus?
Lara’s list starts off with The Duke Who Knew Too Much by Grace Callaway. The ebook is Free at Kobo – but the audiobook is included in Kobo Plus!
And, much of Grace Callaway’s backlist is included in Kobo Plus as well.
Rose Lerner is also in Kobo Plus! Lara started the Lively St. Lemeston series, and while it wasn’t a good fit for her personally, I know this series is beloved by many people.
And if you’re curious: there’s a boxed set omnibus in Kobo Plus!
Alice Coldbreath is also in Kobo Plus – the entire Brides of Karadok series, which many, many people have recommended.
Erica Ridley also has many, many books in Kobo Plus, and listen, if you wanted to hide out and read an entire series, the entire (ENTIRE) Twelve Dukes of Christmas series is available in two boxed sets:
Seriously, that will keep you going for the entirety of winter break. NICE.
Holly Bush’s Browns of Butcher’s Hill mystery series, which is set in Baltimore in the 1860s:
Emily Larkin has several books inside Kobo Plus:
…as does Celia Lake – a favorite of reviewer Catherine Heloise, of blessed memory, who reviewed Eclipse and loved it.
Point being, if you’re looking for historicals to read while you make a blanket fort in the northern hemisphere, or turn on the fan if you’re in the southern, you’ve got options in your subscription services.
What historical have you found inside Kobo Plus? If you’re a Kobo Plus subscriber, what titles do you recommend?
Thursday, November 13th, 2025 11:00 am
With fewer and fewer historical romances being traditionally published, I’m finding it harder to find arcs of books that scratch that itch for me and I’ve pretty much exhausted my small town library’s supply of historical romance. Where I was going wrong was letting myself be intimidated by the self-pubbed and indie-pubbed world. It seemed vast to me and I had no idea where to start. Who could I trust to deliver the kinds of stories I need in my life?
The bitchery, of course! I submitted a Rec League request and I was overwhelmed by the responses! The books available are thoughtful, plentiful and, for the most part, cheap! Heaven! Thank you so much for sharing your recommendations with me!
I started with three books which I’ve briefly discussed below. But I’ve enjoyed myself so much that there will definitely be additional installments of this series as my reading in this world expands.
Disclaimer: I haven’t done a deep dive on these authors. I know some have some traditionally published books or their books were traditionally published then they got the rights back and decided to self publish. The books listed below either have no publisher listed on Amazon or the author has a self titled company that published them.
I’ll be continuing my quest and would love any suggestions you have.
Here is the full list of recommended historical romance authors who are self-pubbed or indie-pubbed according to the Bitchery:
AJ Demas
Alice Coldbreath
Alissa Johnson
Anna Campbell
Annick Trent
Aster Glenn Gray
Aydra Richards
Bliss Bennet
Celia Lake
Christi Caldwell
Constance Hussey
Courtney Milan
E.E. Ottoman
EH Lupton
Elisa Braden
Elizabeth Briars
Elizabeth Cole
Emily Larkin
Emily Windsor
Erica Ridley
Gail Carriger
Grace Burrowes
Grace Callaway
J Winifred Butterworth
Jess Michaels
Jessie Clever
Joanna Chambers
Joy Demorra
Joyce Harmon
Jude Knight
Kathleen Buckley
KJ Charles
Liana De la Rosa
Lucinda Brant
Madeleine Robins
Martha Keyes
Mary Kingswood
Mary Lancaster
Meara Platt
Mia Vincy
Mimi Matthews
Minerva Spencer
Nichole Van
Paullett Golden
Rose Lerner
S.M. Laviolette
Stella Riley
Tammara Allen
The Duke Who Knew Too Much
Author: Grace Callaway
Released: January 15, 2015 by Grace Callaway
Genre: Regency, Romance
Series: Heart of Enquiry #1
A Stranger to Love
Alaric McLeod, Duke of Strathaven, is known as the Devil Duke for his wicked ways. Tormented by his past, Alaric knows better than to trust a woman yet finds himself ensnared by a spirited, virtuous virgin—who accuses him of a crime he didn’t commit. Is she his foe… or his salvation?
A Novice to Desire
Emma Kent is an independent country miss cast adrift in the ton. When a depraved encounter with an arrogant rake lands her in intrigue, Emma’s honor compels her to do the right thing. But desire challenges her quest for justice, and she must decide: can she trust her heart to discover the truth?
Bound by Passion and Peril
Alaric and Emma engage in a battle of wits and will. As their attraction flares, the true enemy stalks their every move. With danger looming, will they solve the mystery and find true love— before it’s too late?
Jill and Karin recommended this author to me and I think they have managed to introduce me to a new auto-buy author. I was entirely swept away by this book. Alaric, the duke in question, is a rake known as the ‘Devil’s Duke’ and Emma is a forthright, independent ‘spinster’. It’s a classic pairing and I devoured it in a day – so absorbing! It’s dual POV for the most part allowing us insight into both main characters’ thoughts and feelings.
Things start cataclysmically with Emma accusing Alaric of murder. Only what she witnessed was a little BDSM and not an assault. The book is spicy spicy but the sex scenes serve to push forward the emotional development of the characters which I appreciated. This is so easily a series that I could sink into and just read all of her books. It’s a wrench tearing myself away from her back catalogue and continuing my search for historical romances. I will be back!
⭐⭐⭐⭐
My advice: Start at the beginning of her back catalogue as all the books are connected. Doable as standalones, but more rewarding when read as a series.
Nearly a Lady
Author: Alissa Johnson
Released: May 10, 2016
Genre: Historical: European, Romance
Series: Haverston Family #1
He wanted to right his family’s wrongs—but this damsel in distress has little reason to trust high society types and no interest in joining them…
The woman makes the man…
Winnefred Blythe learned at a young age to make do with very little. After the death of her father, she taught herself to live on a pauper’s allowance—until a charming visitor promises her the funds that had been stolen from her through the years. But Freddie isn’t comfortable with the trappings of money—or the attentions of a handsome stranger from London…
But can a man make a lady?
After the war, Lord Gideon Haverston resolved to never again burden himself with the troubles of others. Still, he was expecting to be greeted as a hero by the beautiful, if eccentric, young woman his stepmother cheated out of house and home, not suspected as a conspirator. Indeed, the situation is more complicated than Gideon had expected—and the task of taming Winnefred Blythe much more alluring…
Emily C recommended this author to me. This book features a stellar heroine: Winnefred.
She’s forthright and strong and almost belligerently herself. The story opens with two brothers investigating the financial crimes of their stepmother who is now on the run. One of those crimes was to deny Winnefred (her husband’s ward) her allotted amount of money. Instead she sent Winnefred and her governess Lilly a fraction of the amount they were due.
After the prologue, one of the brothers, Gideon, travels to Scotland to talk with the women and make the situation right by giving them a lot of money. As premises go, I found it refreshingly original. The story follows Winnefred and her governess getting ready for a season in London.
This book features some intense emotions, some flashbacks to war and a few memorable kisses. This is not a restful read. It’s an immersive one that takes you on a journey. Gideon, on the surface, is a light hearted kind of guy, but that’s not the full story. He’s also tormented by memories of war, so much so that it interferes with his relationships without his realizing.
I appreciated that even though Winnefred had her London season, she didn’t change in herself. She remained forthright and pugnacious.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Listen to the Moon
Author: Rose Lerner
Released: August 15, 2017 by Rose Lerner
Genre: Historical: European, Regency, Romance
Series: Lively St. Lemeston #1
She’s a maid-of-all-work, and he’s a valet of no play…
John Toogood always prided himself on being the perfect gentleman’s gentleman: skilled, discreet, and professional. But now he finds himself laid off and blacklisted, stuck in tiny Lively St. Lemeston until he can find a new job. Any job.
His instant attraction to his happy-go-lucky maid Sukey Grimes couldn’t come at a worse time. Her manners are provincial, her respect for authority nonexistent, and her outdated cleaning methods…well, the less said about them, the better.
Sukey can tell that John’s impeccably impassive facade hides a lonely man with a gift for laughter—and kissing. But she also knows he’ll leave her sleepy little town behind the moment he gets the chance, and she has no intention of giving him her heart to take with him.
John learns that the town vicar needs a butler—but the job is only for a respectable married man. Against both their better judgments, John and Sukey tie the knot. The ring isn’t on her finger long before Sukey realizes she underestimated just how vexing being married to the boss can be…
Rose Lerner was recommended by Emily C, kkw, Amanda Valentine. I tried this book but didn’t get far. Not because of anything wrong with the book but rather it was me.
For me, financial struggle is a sore spot. Some of my earliest childhood memories are of my parents trying to hide our financial struggles as a family. I tell you this only to explain why reading about people who have financial stress (in this case a valet who has been unjustly fired and then blacklisted by his former employer) is a no-go for me.
So with this book, it’s really me, not the book that’s the issue. I’m including Rose Lerner’s book here because aside from the financial stress, it had me intrigued and I want you to know about it because I think it’s a book that other people will really enjoy. In fact, Carrie reviewed this book back in 2018 and gave it an A-.
Wednesday, November 12th, 2025 11:33 pm