Hello, I Love You! | Discovering New (to me) Authors


As a reader, there are few things that can match the feeling of discovering a new author. Well, not a new author... but a new to you author. One that you'd been meaning to try - and when you finally did the book just blew you away. Or one you just happened upon by chance - and loved the book so much that the author became an instant favorite.



What's even better? Discovering that new author and then learning they have a big ol' backlist ready and waiting for you to dive into. Book after book just waiting to be devoured. The chance of a new favorite book right at your fingertips! All that possibility! The anticipation! 




So I'm going to share some of my favorite new(ish) author discoveries and the book(s) that helped put them on my radar.

   

I'd seen Kennedy Ryan's name often enough but wasn't familiar with her books. Then my friend Amber @ Du Livre messaged me that I had to read Long Shot. She had listened to it on audio so I did the same. And Oh. My. Goodness. I was floored. It was a tough read at times (one of the main characters was in an abusive relationship) but it was completely gripping and emotional and had me totally invested. I immediately binged the next two books, also on audio, and I am completely sold on Kennedy Ryan.







I downloaded the audio version of Intercepted on a whim as something fun to listen to on my commute. I had no idea how much I would end up loving it! I don't know if it was just the story or the fact that the narration was so perfect, or maybe a combination of both, but it was total enjoyment from start to finish. Alexa Martin made main character Marlee smart and sassy and nobody's fool. And the love interest? Oh yeah, I was a big fan of Gavin Pope. :) And now I'm super excited to continue the series with Fumbled.













I read an ARC of I Want You Back in March and knew immediately that I wanted to read more from Lorelei James. While the story wasn't super original or super memorable, it was still the kind of contemporary romance that I enjoy. (Not every book has to rip my heart to shreds, make me weep piteously, and leave me emotionally bruised and battered. Or so I tell myself.) Realistic characters and situations, believable dialogue, a couple that I connect with and makes me pull for their HEA... Lorelei James delivered that and more and now, since I Want You Back was the first in a spin-off series, I want to go back and devour the original series.














The Air He Breathes is a book that lingered on my bookshelf for a long time (like, at least two years). It was one of those books that I was sure I was going to love... therefore I wouldn't read it. (Yes, I know that is completely illogical but I do this all the time because I enjoy the anticipation.) While it wasn't a 5 star read (I gave it 4.25 stars), it was a story that I flew through and Brittainy C. Cherry made me truly care about her characters and I hurt when they hurt. I absolutely want to read the other books in the Elements series as well as the rest of her backlist. Oh, and her latest release, Eleanor & Gray.





   

Kandi Steiner was a name I'd seen and heard but I wasn't familiar with any of her work. Then I saw one of my favorite BookTubers rave about Steiner's What He Doesn't Know duet. I listened to both on audio, back to back, and was taken by surprise. Kandi managed to do the impossible: make me pull for one guy all through both books and then be happy when the other guy was chosen at the end. Now that's good writing. She didn't take the easy way out and make anyone the "bad guy." Instead, she showed each character as very human and very flawed. And now she has continued the story with a third book so I'm excited to read that one... and everything else she's written.

HAVE YOU READ ANY OF THESE AUTHORS?
WHICH NEW-TO-YOU AUTHOR HAVE YOU RECENTLY DISCOVERED?

28 comments

  1. I've been wanting to try Martin.Because of my move, the timing didn't work out with my library holds so I need to request thema gain and get back on track.

    My new to me author that I love is Elizabeth Acevedo and I only wish she had a huge backlist.

    Karen @ For What It's Worth

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    1. I was so surprised at into Intercepted I got. Loved it!

      I remember your review of the Acevedo book because it seems you mentioned she narrated the audio version herself.

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  2. Well I haven’t read any of these. I need to rectify that! Thanks for the recommendation.

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    1. Hope you enjoy these if you decide to try any of them. :)

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  3. I love discovering new authors, and if they have a nice backlist too... icing on the cake. :)

    That cat GIF cracked me up!

    Oh and yay Blues!!! Did you see Brett Hull the other night? :):)

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    1. OMG, Greg, Brett Hull is a piece of work! I saw Pete Hamilton tweet that Brett was "the drunkest man in America." LOL

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  4. Whoo hoo! Welcome to the world of Kennedy Ryan. Her and Brittney Cherry definitely know how to make me cry.

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    1. I seem to have quite an affinity for authors who make my cry. LOL

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  5. What a fun post! How about loving a brand new-to-author and finding out that there isn't another book to the one you just read and it totally needs a follow up? (Said book was published 2017) That's me today. *sigh*

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    1. Nooo! That's no good! Maybe s/he is typing furiously at this very moment and a new release is just around the corner. :)

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  6. Great post! I love discovering new authors too. I guess Christina Lauren is the most recent new-to-me whose books I've fallen in love with. I'm way late to the game on that one, lol.

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    1. Better late than never! :) After 4-5 books, CLo is a definitely a favorite of mine.

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  7. I just discovered Jack Heath, an Australian author who was mostly known for YA books until his debut thriller last year. I stumbled upon his second thriller this week, and I'm already hooked!

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    1. That's great! It's such a good feeling to discover a new author to enjoy.

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  8. I have not read any of these authors, but I LOVE discovering new (to me) authors. It's great when they have more than one book out so you have more to discover without waiting.

    -Lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

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  9. I've seen the cover floating around for Intercepted but just assumed it was probably a run on the mill romance but Marlee sounds like a brilliant character and looking forward to grabbing a copy now. Theses are all new to me authors too Tanya but not for much longer, thanks for the recommendations!

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    1. I didn’t expect much when I downloaded Intercepted. Just figured it would be a fun contemporary romance diversion. I was so surprised by how much I loved it! Fingers crossed that you’ll love it, too!

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  10. I haven't read any of these authors yet, but I have read quite a few new-to-me authors this year. Plus, there are so many more that I still need to read! They did a Top Ten Tuesday in January of Top New To Me Authors from 2018, and it was a lot of fun to do. I think even if they don't do that topic next year, I'll want to do it anyway.

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    1. It’s so exciting to find a new (to you) author that becomes a new favorite!

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  11. I have read Brittainy and Kandi! Kandi frightens me sometimes as she can really play on the angst!

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    1. Kandi can definitely lay on the angst! Oh my gosh, what that woman went through in those books. Heck, what the men went through, too! Emotional torture! LOL

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  12. Kennedy Ryan and Alexa Martin are both new to me authors of mine. I still need to carry on reading Kennedy Ryan's books but Alexa Martin is a new firm favourite. I cannot wait to get my hands on Fumbled (once it goes down in price because I cannot bankrupt myself for books).

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    1. I loved the whole Hops series and am hope so much that there’s more to come! And I need to go back and read her other series, too. I hope you can get Fumbled soon!!

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  13. I dont think I've read any of these except Kennedy Ryan (one book). Need to add a few more to my TBR list.

    The What He Doesn't Know duet is one I have on the list already. Although, I'm especially nervous about reading it as I don't know if I could accept rooting for one guy the entire duet and it being the other one!! (Unless 'the other one' was my guy!) I think it'd drive me into book rage. I'm even more curious now... Oh no.

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    1. Well, maybe you’d be rooting for the guy she picks the whole time. :) What I loved was that Steiner didn’t make it easy. It was a messy situation and could have gone either way. I was so invested!

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  14. Love Lorelei James! I want to try Brittany C. Cherry after seeing you review her book here. I just love discovering new wonderful authors! Especially if I'm caught up on all my favorites. Great post, Tanya! :)

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    1. I definitely want to read more by Lorelei James! I enjoyed I Want You Back so much that I'm excited to get the stories of the rest of the family.

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