Coco Zephir is a bookseller and marketing assistant at An Unlikely Story in Plainville, Mass. She loves romance titles and here offers a roundup of upcoming and recent books that she's most excited about:
Every Version of You by Natalie Messier (Gallery Books)
When Joey Vasquez is offered a second chance at life, she jumps! With memories intact the second time around, she re-emerges as a freshman in college, ready to fix what was broken. Forcing what she thought she wanted isn't all it's cracked up to be, as other moments fall into place that lead her to believe maybe the cosmos has other things in store for her.
For believers in fate and second chances, this debut is ripe with beautiful dialogue and quirky twists.
Die for Me by Shirlene Obuobi (Penguin Books)
This book has claws and teeth. Once it sinks in, prepare to be devoured.
When cardiologist Sean encounters younger, enigmatic Julien, she feels something she wasn't looking for. When their relationship deepens, more questions arise than are answered about Julien and his past, causing Sean to seek answers that may threaten her existence.
For fans of twists, this paranormal love story filled with steam, action, and a full cast of characters is waiting for readers who prefer their books with bite.
Return to Sender by Stephanie Parente (Dial Press)
After months of grief following their father's death, Violet sees a spark in her teen sister, Phoebe, when Phoebe opens mail destined for a long-lost love, written by a stranger named Dexter who has used the sisters' address. The problem is that the mail has been "returned to sender." How will this lost love letter ever reach its recipient?
On an impulse, Violet, Phoebe, and Dexter set out on a cross-country road trip to deliver this declaration of love, turning their three lives into a close-quarters tangle of emotion. For fans of Cara Bastone--a romance where the journey is the ultimate destination.
An Infinite Love Story by Chanel Cleeton (Berkley)
The 1960s space race collides with a love story that spans time and space in An Infinite Love Story from Chanel Cleeton.
When astronaut Joe's rocket goes missing in space, his wife, Viv, is left on the ground waiting for the fallout with the rest of the world. As she attempts to unravel what went wrong, their love story unfurls for readers in a gorgeous and unexpected way.