Plot Trysts

04/01/2026

Plot Trysts Episode: What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve? by Catherine Stein

Happy New Year, everyone!⁠9-Word Summaries:⁠⁠Laine: Accidentally inviting your crush to the NYE ball works.⁠⁠Meg: Two virgins figure it out on New Year’s Eve.⁠ Goodreads

Happy New Year, everyone!⁠9-Word Summaries:⁠⁠Laine: Accidentally inviting your crush to the NYE ball works.⁠⁠Meg: Two virgins figure it out on New Year’s Eve.⁠ Goodreads

31/12/2025

2025 is over!!! While the year itself was a little ... rough ... we read a LOT of really good books. As always, we read way too many good ones to narrow them down to an arbitrary number of "best." Instead, here are a whole lotta slides with a whole lotta books, each of them a favorite for a different reason.
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Do you have a favorite book (or more) that you read in 2025?⁠ OR, what book did you read in 2025 that you'd recommend to us?

30/12/2025

Plot Trysts Episode: The Seduction of Mr. Alfred Saintsbury by Lydia Lloyd

Meg is correct. This is the final boss of alpha heroines. 41-Word Summaries: Laine: Emotionally stunted business mogul decides to f**k a celibate religious employee for reasons (and doesn't believe in love). Alfred is down bad anyway. I am very down for the man being ruined, but the ex*****on here left me wanting (not s*xily). Meg: Have you ever read a real alpha heroine?...

Meg is correct. This is the final boss of alpha heroines. 41-Word Summaries: Laine: Emotionally stunted business mogul decides to f**k a celibate religious employee for reasons (and doesn’t b…

29/12/2025

It's time for the annual Plot Trysts Virgin Hero Round-Up, where I present to you every single virgin hero I read in 2025. (My Keep Notes app is getting a little weird, y'all.)⁠
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All virgin heroes have their own reasons for staying chaste. The big winners in 2025 were "It's always been you" and⁠ "I'm young and it just hasn't happened yet," both with 6 examples!

We had our usual showing of "religious conviction" (we've got a vicar and a Christian thinker on our hands) and "I'm a gentleman and would never disrespect a lady," but we also had a few socially awkward/on the spectrum heroes, some gray aces, and three very specific virgin heroes:

1. An alien who literally can't mate until he commits FOR LIFE (and he's been stuck on Earth for way too long);
2. A "Psy" who cannot allow himself to feel emotion; and
3. A guy who's convinced that there's a family curse that will befall any of his progeny (how better to keep your kids safe than by not having any?).

Whatever their reasons, I love them all. With no further ado, here are the 24 (!) virgin heroes I read in 2025:⁠
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With Love, Juniper - Amanda Cessor*
Lessons in French - Laura Kinsale
The Mister I Married - Sylvie Sinclair*
Unclaimed - Courtney Milan
The Viscount's Second Chance - Kelsey Swanson*
A Midsummer Night's Duke - Colleen Kelly
Manic Pixie Dream Earl - Jenny Holiday*
The Fortune Flirtation - Jenna Bigelow*
Out with Lanterns - Hillary Bowen*
I Think I'm in Love with an Alien - Ann Aguirre*
Is This Real or Just Pretend? - Emily Sullivan*
A Right Honorable Soldier - Jane Hadley
My Best Friend's Earl - Bethany Bennett*
The Nanny's Handbook to Magic & Managing Difficult Dukes - Amy Rose Bennett*
The Dravenhearst Brides - Lindsay Barrett*
Caressed by Ice - Nalini Singh
An Heir Unraveled - Jane Maguire*
Seduced in a Storm - Royaline Sing
The Seduction of Mr. Alfred Saintsbury - Lydia Lloyd*
A Christmas Affair to Remember - Mia Vincy
Enchanting the Fae Queen - Stephanie Burgis*
The Venus of Lebanon - Jane Hadley
The Halifax Hellions - Alexandra Vasti*
What Are You Doing New Year's Eve? - Catherine Stein
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*Complimentary ARC

26/12/2025

Plot Trysts Episode: A Christmas Affair to Remember by Mia Vincy

Thank you to everyone who recommended Mia Vincy. Merry Christmas to us, because we can't wait to read more of her. 20-Word Summaries: Laine: I completely understand all of Sylvia's choices and will hear no criticism of her Christmas seduction school or Christmas punch. Meg: Sometimes, all you want for Christmas is s*x lessons from the “old lady” (she’s 33, y’all) at the house party. Goodreads

Thank you to everyone who recommended Mia Vincy. Merry Christmas to us, because we can’t wait to read more of her. 20-Word Summaries: Laine: I completely understand all of Sylvia’s choi…

24/12/2025

Plot Trysts Episode: How the Rogue Stole Christmas by Ginny B. Moore

While the Marriage in Crisis plot didn't work for us as you have all probably come to expect, this book is very hot. 10-Word Summaries: Laine: I'm just saying, I would not have forgiven this man. Meg: Christmastime s*x can make up for a plethora of sins. Goodreads This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novella.

While the Marriage in Crisis plot didn’t work for us as you have all probably come to expect, this book is very hot. 10-Word Summaries: Laine: I’m just saying, I would not have forgiven…

18/12/2025

Plot Trysts Episode: The Christmas I Stole a Viscount by Alexandra Vasti

This is a perfect Christmas novella and I loved it. The end. 23-Word Summaries:⁠⁠Laine: Percy and Leo scheme to free her brother from himself and society, all before the Christmas party! A s*x detour delays them willingly.⁠⁠Meg: Leo might be a handsome rake, but he’s not about to ruin his best friend’s sister … even when she asks him to.⁠...

This is a perfect Christmas novella and I loved it. The end. 23-Word Summaries:⁠⁠Laine: Percy and Leo scheme to free her brother from himself and society, all before the Christmas party! A s*x deto…

18/12/2025

Plot Trysts Episode: The Christmas Conquest by Claire Delacroix

A marriage in crisis novella without enough Christmas that we both liked? Who are we? 7-Word Summaries:⁠⁠Meg: Marriage in crisis due to family curse.⁠⁠Laine: Christmas! taking advantage of women's s*xual ignorance.⁠ Goodreads

A marriage in crisis novella without enough Christmas that we both liked? Who are we? 7-Word Summaries:⁠⁠Meg: Marriage in crisis due to family curse.⁠⁠Laine: Christmas! taking advantage of women& #8…

18/12/2025

Plot Trysts Episode: The Countess’s Christmas Groom by Fenna Edgewood

Meg and Laine were both into this novella in spite of the relatively high amount of trauma. Christmas lovers take note, the title is about as Christmassy as this book gets. 11-Word Summaries:⁠⁠Laine: Marry in haste, ensure he's good with horses and it's fine.⁠⁠Meg: It’s The Horse Whisperer, Regency style, now with a younger man.⁠ Goodreads

Meg and Laine were both into this novella in spite of the relatively high amount of trauma. Christmas lovers take note, the title is about as Christmassy as this book gets. 11-Word Summaries:⁠⁠Lain…

17/12/2025

This time of year we spend so much time, money, and effort treating other people that sometimes we forget to treat ourselves! Well, if you're looking for a low effort, high reward way to give yourself a little self care, it's hard to go wrong with a good newsletter novella.
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Two years ago I posted about my favorite newsletter novellas. This year, I'm bringing a new and updated list. I double-checked my favorites from 2023, and as long as they're still available as a newsletter freebie, I included them again. I also did a bunch of research based on many of your recommendations and was able to add even more to the list. PLUS, there are even two limited-time newsletter offerings, so you'll want to make sure you get in under the wire.
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I've divided these up into holiday novellas, new recs, and finished off with my perennial faves. And yes, you can get all of the featured books by signing up for the author's newsletter. ⁠
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Treat Yo Shelf here:⁠

The Christmas I Stole a Viscount - (limited time!)
The Silly Season -
The Venus of Lebanon, or The Ruin of Elias Hower - (limited time!)⁠
When the Lord Adored Me -
A Song and a Snowflake - ⁠
Mrs. Milner Gets a Kitchen - ⁠
Two Can Play - .read.belle
Seduced in a Storm -
The Merchant Match -
A Girton Girl's Guide to Longing and Loathing -
When Ardor Blooms -
Second Chance Amidst the Storm -
Caught Looking -
A Midsummer Night's Duke - ⁠
The Chemistry of Familiar Objects - ⁠
The Spinster - ⁠
A Selkie's Secret - ⁠
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Do you have a favorite newsletter novella I didn't mention here? Please feel free to recommend your favorite!

11/12/2025

Plot Trysts Episode: It Starts with a Kiss: A Very Merry Fairbanks Christmas by Alyssa Clarke

Should we have read the first 8 books before reading this? Yes. Is it a Christmas novella? Also yes. 13-Word Summaries:⁠⁠Laine: Even the world's hottest 50 year old can't get past other people's opinions.⁠⁠Meg: Snowed in with a super hot person my age, whatever shall I do?⁠ Goodreads

Should we have read the first 8 books before reading this? Yes. Is it a Christmas novella? Also yes. 13-Word Summaries:⁠⁠Laine: Even the world’s hottest 50 year old can’t get past other…

08/12/2025

Plot Trysts Episode: Santa’s Baby by Lacey Hawthorne

Ever wondered what it would be like to have s*x with Santa? I never did, but now unfortunately it's burned in my brain. 19-Word Summaries:⁠⁠Laine: In addition to my normal daddy kink aversion, I am now grossed out by milk and cookies. Thanks, Santa. ⁠⁠Meg: He knows if you’ve been bad or good and makes sure your ex sees you when you’re (not) asleep. ⁠ Goodreads This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novella.

Ever wondered what it would be like to have s*x with Santa? I never did, but now unfortunately it’s burned in my brain. 19-Word Summaries:⁠⁠Laine: In addition to my normal daddy kink aversion…