Jasmine Guillory (and two other authors who I will write about in the future) and Jasmine Guillory’s books helped me come to a great realization: I love romance novels, and that is nothing to be ashamed of. Jasmine Guillory wrote such books as “Party of Two,” “The Wedding Date,” and the upcoming, “By the Book.” She is a romance novelist and a true delight on social media.
If you’re anything like me, you grew up with one image of “Romance Novels” in your head: Fabio and a woman with a heaving bosom.
Turns out, romance novels span much further than a long-haired man with his chest out saving a woman’s life. For one thing, NOT ALL ROMANCE NOVELS ARE ABOUT STRAIGHT PEOPLE. For another, NOT ALL ROMANCE NOVELS ARE ABOUT WHITE PEOPLE. To which I say, oh thank god. 
My discovery of Jasmine Guillory’s Books
I discovered Jasmine Guillory through a Book of the Month pick years ago. I remember choosing her book, The Proposal at random because I wanted a light read, and the premise sounded fun. A woman turns down a proposal on a jumbotron and strikes a romance with someone who helps her escape the park.
I brought the book with me to Mexico one Christmas during a second annual attempt to escape holiday pressure after the death of my father.
I devoured the book in two pool sittings.
The story included discussions of rape culture, interracial dating, understanding that not everyone wants a relationship, and the struggles of modern dating. I loved it.
Surprise: It’s a series…
Turns out, The Proposal is the 2nd book in a romance series (a concept I’d never heard of), and this past year, I read the rest. The series is as follows:
- The Wedding Date
- The Proposal
- The Wedding Party
- Royal Holiday
- Party of Two
- While We Were Dating
This newfound discovery of romance series (which apparently is not a new concept at all) tickled all my Marvel Cinematic Universe loves. You can read any book in the series, in any order, but you’ll have the most fun starting at the beginning and plowing through. Each character of a subsequent novel begins in a previous one. For example, Royal Holiday follows the mother of a love interest in The Wedding Party. The Wedding Party stars two friends found in The Wedding Date. While We Were Dating follows the brother of a love interest in The Wedding Party.
YOU HAVE BUILT-IN CHARACTER INTEREST. Genius.
Reading those 6 books brought me more joy that reading the entirety of The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan. I find the books do a better job of most media at exploring mental health struggles and racial prejudices. The fact that the books are romances keep stories accessible and didn’t trauma porn their way through difficult topics.
If you have any interest in romance, pick up The Wedding Date, and have a great weekend. Pour some wine (or hot chocolate) and cozy up. Jasmine Guillory is must buy author for me, and I cannot wait to read By The Book which comes out May 2nd, 2022.
Jasmine Guillory re-ignited my cold, dead heart. Follow her on instagram.
Have you read any of her books? Comment below your thoughts, or shoot me an email with a link to one of your reviews!
Looking for ways to expand your reading? Try my reading challenge:
