Book Beat aims to highlight other books that we may hear about through friends, social media, or other sources. We could see a gorgeous ad! Or find a new-to-us author on a list of underrated romances! Think of Book Beat as Teen Beat or Tiger Beat, but for books. And no staples to open to get the fold-out poster.

• All’s Fair in Love and Pickleball

  

  Pickleball rivalry? Sure. Falling for your fake boyfriend? Now that’s a surprise.

  Bex Martin’s racquet club is her entire world. But the business she inherited from her mother has started to feel more like a sinking ship. That is, until Nikolaus Karras—a former tennis bad-boy with an ego as big as his serve—makes himself at home on her courts.

  Niko has something to prove, and a high-stakes pickleball tournament is just what he needs to get back in the game after a career-ending injury. When he is finally able to set his ego aside to ask for Bex’s help, everyone assumes that they are a couple—on and off the court.

  But she needs the prize money to save the club, and he needs a win to restore his reputation. So now they have a fake relationship as well as a doubles partner that they can’t seem to resist. Game on!

  Someone you know wants to read this, right?

  I’m honestly confounded by the pickleball craze, but this book would work for SBTB Summer Bingo if you’re looking for a sport that isn’t hockey, American football, or baseball.

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• Love on the Air

  

  A vibrant enemies-to-lovers romance full of radio drama and unexpected love stories, from beloved radio presenter and podcaster Ash London.

  ‘The best read-in-the-bath love story.’ Kate Langbroek

  ‘Will blow you away … beautifully (and accurately) written.’ Fifi Box

  Radio young gun Alex York is used to knowing – and getting – exactly what she wants.

  But when she blows up her glamorous career and retreats to a tropical island, for the first time in her life she has no plan, no prospects and, increasingly, no money.

  Lured back to the real world by the breakfast radio gig of a lifetime, she promises herself she’ll never let anyone throw her off course again – not her patronisingly old-school CEO, her network arch-nemesis or even her unexpectedly attractive new boss …

  Laugh-out-loud funny and bursting with heart, Love on the Air is a deliciously escapist rom-com set in the dazzling world of commercial radio and celebrity musicians.

  ‘Funny and fresh and feisty and fierce and simply fabulous. I couldn’t put it down.’ Kate Langbroek

  ‘Ash has delivered not only an exceptional story of love but also an intriguing and addictive insight into all the intricate nuances of the media and radio scene … this first novel will blow you away. It’s beautifully (and accurately) written. Congratulations Ash – you’ve nailed it.’ Fifi Box

  Someone you know wants to read this, right?

  Another Bingo rec! If you need a “character working in audio” book for the SBTB Summer Romance Bingo, this would fit the bill.

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• Magic in the Melanin

  

  Author: The Melanin Library
  Released:
  February 18, 2025 by
  Written in Melanin Publishing
  Genre:
  Science Fiction/Fantasy

  In this anthology, everybody is Black.

  Filled with epic battles, complicated families, soft kisses, and sharpened blades, Magic in the Melanin is an adult fantasy anthology that showcases Black authors who write magical stories of all kinds. Featuring full-page artwork to accompany your adventure through the pages, this anthology is what fantasy looks like when Blackness is centered and the imaginations of Black creators are unhindered. Dive into these stories and discover countless worlds where magic is truly in the melanin.

  The proceeds from this anthology will go to supporting the Melanin Library, an online database of books written by Black authors. Share and support to ensure the library remains a free resource for everyone.

  Someone you know wants to read this, right?

  A whole fantasy anthology with Black characters written by Black authors. Saw this one on L. Penelope’s website. 

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• Renegade Girls

  

  “Direct but not too heavy, bright with color and gentle in tone, Neus’s graphic novel is an absolute dream of an afternoon read.” — The New York Times

  A swoonworthy queer romance set against a riveting story of social change in the 1880s, this historical graphic novel reimagines the life of America’s first stunt girl—a young undercover reporter—and her whirlwind summer of romance and fighting injustice. 

  Seventeen-year-old Helena “Nell” Cusack came to New York this summer looking for a story—a real story. She dreams of one day writing hard-hitting articles for the New York Chronicle, but so far she’s only managed to land a job as a lowly society reporter. That is, until Alice Austen strolls into her life, an audacious street photographer who encourages Nell to shake up polite society…and maybe also take a chance on love.

  When her best friend, Lucia, is injured while working in a garment factory, Nell is determined to crack the story wide open. Posing as a seamstress, she reports on the conditions from the inside, making a name for herself as the Chronicle’s first ever stunt girl. But as Nell’s reporting gains momentum, so do the objections of those who oppose her. Will Nell continue to seek justice—even if it hurts her in the end?

  Based on real-life stunt girl Nell Nelson and photographer Alice Austen, this tenderly drawn narrative is about bringing buried stories to light and the bravery of first love.

  Someone you know wants to read this, right?

  Sarah posted this in the SBTB slack! It’s a queer YA historical fiction graphic novel. The graphic novel space for YA and middle grade readers has an abundance of options. 

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