Tales as old as time (or at least 1987)
Romance recommendations for when you're in the mood to revisit an old fave
Okay so yes we’re giving you two newsletters in a row instead of episodes, and no that was not the plan, but in our defense Hannah is having a technology crisis and Caroline is in the midst of the most insane few weeks she’s had since moving across the country, so HERE WE ARE. Because we cannot leave our Throbbing Members without recommendations!!
Our theme for the week is retellings—of myths, fairytales, movies, the classic 1987 film Overboard…because the best kind of retelling is a sexy one with an HEA.
So without further (much) ado, let’s get into the recs:
Caroline’s Retelling Recs
Marry Me by Midnight, Felicia Grossman: Starting off strong with a Cinderella retelling, of which there are many good ones (Eloisa James has another), but this is the only one I’ve read that is a Jewish historical romance and gender-swapped Cinderella retelling. The research? Slay. The “surety empress” heroine? Slay. The orphaned synagogue custodian who lives in the basement taking care of families of mice and birds and dreaming of having a family? SLAY. [Disclaimer: I work for the publisher; all opinions are my own.]
Tastes Like Shakkar, Nisha Sharma: If you’ve followed me for a while, you probably know how picky I am about Much Ado About Nothing retellings. It imprinted on me at an early age and I have found almost no retellings that truly do it justice. But Nisha!! She drew parallels between the experience’s of Shakespeare’s characters and those of first gen South Asian Americans, AND she made it sexy and fun and still referenced the OG text, and for that I salute her.
What Souls Are Made Of, Tasha Suri: This isn’t strictly speaking a romance so much as a YA classic retelling, but it does have a romance plotline with a happy ending and I loved it, so I’m including it. This is Tasha Suri’s “remixed” version of Wuthering Heights, in which Cathy and Heathcliff are South Asian (Cathy is white passing). It actually makes SO much sense, and it is my canonical version of Wuthering Heights now.
Again the Magic, Lisa Kleypas: “What?” you may be thinking. “Again the Magic is a retelling?” YEAH BABES. IT’S WUTHERING HEIGHTS RETELLING #2 ON MY LIST. WHICH IS CRAZY BECAUSE I DON’T EVEN LIKE WUTHERING HEIGHTS. Lisa Kleypas really said “what if I took Cathy & Heathcliff, put them in early Victorian England, and then made the story super sexy and emotionally devastating” and I never recovered.
The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy, Megan Bannen: You’ve Got Mail retellings make me laugh because they’re actually like, a retelling of a retelling of a retelling? They’re like onions and ogres babes. And this one is literally a practically verbatim You’ve Got Mail retelling but in a weird fantastical alternate universe with like, zombie-type things and corpses and giant talking animals and demigods? It makes no sense when I try to explain it so just trust me and read it.
Hannah’s Retelling Recs
Wicked Abyss (Immortals After Dark, Book 17), Kresley Cole: Hannah recommending Immortals After Dark and it’s NOT Kiss of a Demon King? Who is she??? Shhhhh, Wicked Abyss is easily a top five IAD book for me! It’s a little bit Hades and Persephone and a lot a bit Beauty and the Beast retelling! Since it’s a recognizable story—it could be a good IAD book to read if you don’t want to read in order (why???) or maybe had a bad taste early on in the series. It’s absolutely wild and sexy, but it’s a little tamer than some of the others in the series!
What Happens in Scotland, Jennifer McQuiston: Okay, so picture What Happens in Vegas (2008) but throw in a wayward chamber pot, some light amnesia, and 1842 Scotland. Also unlike Ashton Kutcher’s character, James McKenzie is very, very hygienic. (For some reason, I really couldn’t get past that apartment in the movie.) I will take one burly, buttoned-up Scot any day of the week, please and thank you. I loved the drama of equally laced-up, Georgette, waking up naked in bed next to McKenzie with a ring on her finger and no memories of the night before. And that’s just the first chapter!!!
The Catch, Amy Lea: It’s no big shock that I love Amy Lea’s The Influencer series, but I’m still going to talk about it! The Catch was such a perfect conclusion to the series! It’s a mix of While You Were Sleeping and The Proposal—aka the perfect romcom. It’s Canadian. It’s fake relationship. It’s the spiciest in the series. While I would recommend reading the series in order, you can read this one as a standalone. Warning: Will cause excessive craving of poutine. [I received an eARC of The Catch from Berkley Romance and an ALC from PRH Audio.]
An Earl to Remember, Stacy Reid and Once More My Darling Rogue, Lorraine Heath: That’s right, baby, TWO Overboard histrom recommendations. In my opinion, they’re both perfect Overboard (1987) retellings, but they’re literally so different. An Earl to Remember is definitely a romcom, where Once More My Darling Rogue makes me ugly cry every time I reread it (often). What if Kurt Russel had a giant dragon tattoo on his back?? What if Goldie Hawn was the one to get revenge on a rakish earl?? Who’s to say!! [I received an eARC of An Earl to Remember from Entangled Publishing.]
My Sister’s Big Fat Indian Wedding and Sleepless in Dubai, Sajni Patel: I really hope you can see where these two are going, lmao. I’d say they’re both pretty loose YA retellings—Sleepless in Dubai is definitely more You’ve Got Mail, but hey, another retelling! I really loved the big Indian family dynamics and ensuing shenanigans. If you want to get into that early-2000’s-romcom state of mind, definitely check these out. [I received an ALC of Sleepless in Dubai from RB Media.]
Sex, Lies and Sensibility, Nikki Payne: If you love Sense and Sensibility, READ THIS BOOK. Unfortunately, I realized that I, in fact, do not love Sense and Sensibility. HOWEVER, I loved what Payne’s version brought to the original and would reread it wayyyyy before I ever touch Austen’s again (sorry not sorry). I loved the writing and the character work so much . . . I just maybe wish it wasn’t an S&S retelling lol. Do with that what you will. [I received an ALC of Sex, Lies and Sensibility from PRH Audio.]
*Let us know if you want a part two!*
Hopefully that’ll keep you occupied for a bit (at least a day or two, unless you somehow read even faster than Hannah). We’ll catch ya next week when hopefully (please, PLEASE UNIVERSE) our lives are calmer and our technology isn’t actively working towards our downfall.
XOXO,
Gossip Girl