Skip the Chocolate & Roses, Books are the way to my heart

lizellyn Bookish , ,

Creative Romance Month

February is the month of love and romance, but it isn’t just about Valentine’s Day or Galentine’s Day.

This month is about finding creative ways to show love for yourself and the people you care about.

Ways to show love through books:

  1. Buy someone a book from their TBR
  2. Take someone to the bookstore for a date and buy them a book instead of a drink
  3. Curl up and read beside someone
  4. Pick up someone’s library holds
  5. Bring someone their favorite drink while they’re reading (and then don’t disturb them)

January 2026: My Heated Rivalry Obsession

lizellyn Books , ,

Reading Wrap-Up

January 2026

This was my month of happily getting swept away in Heated Rivalry

In 2026, I plan on reading at least 1 ARC each month

January ARC… The Better Mother by Jennifer Van Der Kluet

The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose
The Better Mother by Jennifer Van Der Kluet
Well Played by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward
I Want You Back by Lorelei James
Rachel Reid: Heated Rivalry, Tough Guy, Role Model, and Common Goal

Understanding Polyamory: Is It Fate or Inner Drive?

lizellyn Romance, Uncategorized , ,

Polyamory Discovery: Inner Drive or Fate

Interest in polyamory seems to come from a mix of inner fire and cosmic nudge. Some call it innate wiring awakening, where a door naturally opens when someone is ready.

It isn’t magic. Polyamory discovery mirrors a rabbit hole dive. Both start with a curious peek, then spiral into obsession, revelation, and no turning back.

The road of discovery may challenge identity, relationships, and norms.

Celebrate Willful Parties: A Unique Polyamorous Romance

lizellyn Liz Ellyn Books, Uncategorized , ,

Happy Book Birthday to Willful Parties by Liz Ellyn

Three hearts. One fiery passion. Endless complications. Seth, the daring bisexual, ignites the spark. As Kat, the sharp-witted pixie, guards her heart, Dylan, the confident future politician, fights battles with identity and ambition. Their sizzling love burns bright in law school, but life’s trials threaten to tear them apart. Can they overcome legal battles, loss, and fear to reclaim the polyamorous love of a lifetime?

Tropes:
Polyamory
Fighting Biphobia
Lawyer Romance
Cross Cultural
3 POV
Best Friend Romance
City Romance
MMF

The cakes in the image are Lamingtons, in honor of the Australian Open. They have two layers of unique vanilla cake, separated by blueberry preserves, covered in a chocolate icing, and topped with coconut.

(and a reference to layers in the MCs’ triad in Willful Parties)

Addressing Common Opposition to Polyamory

lizellyn Romance, Uncategorized , ,

Let’s address the opposition to Polyamory

Jealousy: jealousy happens in all relationships. I’ve discussed this in many posts. It’s about how you deal with it that is important.

Stability: 40% of all marriages end in divorce. It is a lot of pressure to expect one person to suit all of your physical, emotional, and intellectual needs for an entire lifetime.

Cultural Norms: Why must people yuck others’ yum?

Ethical Doubts: 65% of people cheat at least once. Marriage isn’t a shield against cheating. And open relationships are not a form of cheating.

Practical Hurdles: All relationships face challenges. Those challenges aren’t the same for every couple, regardless of the type of dynamic.

Counting Spicy Scenes: A Unique Look at Romance

lizellyn Liz Ellyn Books , ,

When someone actually counts the spicy scenes

Huge Shout Out to Erika @thesmutfiles for reading and meticulously cataloging all the fun scenes in:

📚 Overruling Judgment
📚 Defending Engagement
📚 Willful Parties

🔥 Final Tally: 40 intimate scenes
🌶️ 23 different flavors of intimacy
Because polyamorous romance is never boring

If you love spicy books, follow @thesmutfiles Her spice-rating system is next-level! It includes: count of spicy scenes, language used, kink rating, and taboo/forbidden rating.

She also offers incredible author services, including street team management, content creation, novel handbooks, character maps, book event assistance, and book bedazzling.