August was Read-A-Romance Month, as we inch closer and closer to the fall we think it’s time to stock up on some books that will give us that warm and fuzzy feeling when the outside temperature starts to drop. Read more for our recommendations of swoon worthy books from Pittsburgh based authors.
Rachael Lippincott
Co-author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Five Feet Apart which garnered a film adaptation of the same name, Rachael Lippincott is a Philadelphia native turned Pittsburgh resident who writes compelling and at times heart wrenching teen romance novels. Five Feet Apart told the story of Stella Grant and Will Newman whose budding love is jeopardized from the start by life threatening illnesses. Written before the pandemic, the book feels all too familiar after a year of being socially distanced from our loved ones and more. After reading the book be sure to watch the film available on Netflix. Other novels by Lippincott include All this Time, The Lucky List, and next year’s heavily anticipated Spring release of She Gets the Girl. A hate to love YA romantic comedy featuring Alex and Molly who embark on five-step plans to get their girls to fall for them but undoubtedly fall for each other, co-authored by fellow Pittsburgh debut writer Alyson Derrick.
Madeline Hunter
If you’re looking for a good historical romance look no further than Madeline Hunter, with more than 20 historical romance novels under her belt including New York Times and USA Today bestsellers, she’s guaranteed to have a book that will take you on a steamy and adventurous journey back in time. Her most recent novel released in April of 2021, Heiress in Red Silk, is the second novel in the A Duke’s Heiress series. Follow along with struggling shop-keeper turned heiress, Rosamund Jameson, as she navigates through London society with her new found fortune and interacts with the handsome Duke who believes he not only deserved her fortune but eventually her heart. The author, Madeline remains a proud Pennsylvanian to this day along with her husband and two sons.
Yona Harvey
Take a break from the traditional romance novel and warm your soul with a collection of poetry written by Yona Harvey. Harvey is one of the first Black women to write for Marvel Comics, a recipient of the Kate Tufts Discovery Award for her first poetry collection, Hemming the Water, and an assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh. Her most recent work, You Don’t Have to Go to Mars for Love, released in September of 2020, chronicles the self loving journey of an unnamed half superhero, half-secret-identity black female protagonist as she stretches the boundaries of the life she was originally made to live.
This content was provided by a local, independent contributor to Made in PGH, a lifestyle blog.