The drawback is, of course, that you can’t tell the level of spice\/heat in a book with an illustrated cover. If a cover has a naked or mostly naked model, you know there is going to be boinking. But you can’t easily tell with illustrated covers, unless you know the author’s reputation.<\/p>\n
But to be fair, there are plenty of books with high heat\/spice that don’t have hot\/spicy covers<\/a>. And I am always going to be a sucker for a pretty<\/a> book<\/a> cover<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Cover design by Augusta Scarlett<\/p>\n Self-Published<\/p>\n I’ve read several books by this author–related and intertwined romantic fantasies, and although I love the world-building and the setting (late Victorian and early Edwardian eras) the writing … well, it feels like it was dictated and then published without editing, which I find extremely frustrating to read.<\/p>\n But I want to note this cover, which I really love. It’s set during the Mahdist War, and one of the characters was severely injured–which is made clear on the cover. <\/p>\n Of course there are silhouettes, and a two color scheme, which I liked.<\/p>\n And of course this is self-published and the author made sure to get a good cover that represented the characters.<\/p>\n Just wished the book had held up to the cover for me.<\/p>\n Only When It\u2019s Us<\/em><\/a> (2020) Cover Art by Jennie Rose Denton of Lamplight Creative<\/p>\n Self-Published<\/p>\n This series has been picked up by Berkley and is getting all new covers, and, to be honest, I really really prefer these covers she commissioned when she self-published them. Here, on the cover of Ever After Always, Freya is clearly curvaceous AND confident enough to wear a bikini. <\/p>\n I also like the solid color backgrounds that make the characters the focal point.<\/p>\n The new covers are illustrated clinch covers and nowhere near as interesting. <\/p>\n Bergman Brothers<\/strong>: Only When It\u2019s Us<\/em><\/a> (2020), Always Only You<\/em><\/a> (2020),\u00a0Ever After Always<\/em><\/a> \u00a0(2021)<\/p>\n Cover illustration & design by Vi-An Nguyen<\/p>\n Published by Jove Books (Berkley<\/a>)<\/p>\n Honestly, I just think this is a cute cover. <\/p>\n Cover illustration by Kristen Solecki<\/p>\n Published by Sourcebooks Casablanca<\/a><\/p>\n I hadn’t realized until I put this post together that these two covers used the same shade of blue.<\/p>\n As is the theme for many of the other covers I loved this year, it has a solid background and a relatively simply design.<\/p>\n I like the arrows, signifying the house switching the main characters do. I suppose the felt they had to use evergreens to signify Christmas, but that makes it hard to guess the second location is New Orleans.<\/p>\n Overall I find it pleasing. <\/p>\n Cover design & illustration by Philip Pascuzzo<\/p>\n Published by Montlake<\/p>\n Cheese DOES in fact play a major part in this story, being both the reason Tam leaves her ex and the impetus for helping her get a new job.<\/p>\n My only ding is that I totally didn’t expect the amount of boinking this book had. The cover feels far more light-hearted than super-sexy.<\/p>\n Ponto Beach Reunion<\/strong><\/p>\n by Cathy Yardley<\/a><\/p>\n Cover illustration by Leni Kauffman<\/p>\n Published by Montlake<\/p>\n Montlake is Amazon’s publishing wing, so I wonder if she had more say than she would with other publishers. <\/p>\n I hope so, because I really like everything this cover is doing. I love the moon as the “O”. The cuddling is adorable as is the look he is giving her, and the mini-figs on the table are marvelous.<\/p>\n Also, her comfy sweats and slouchy socks!<\/p>\nFour Walls and a Heart<\/em><\/a>\u00a0(2023) by Celia Lake<\/a><\/h5>\n
![\"Four](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/four-walls-and-a-heart.jpg?resize=250%2C393&ssl=1\")
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<\/p>\nBergman Brothers by Chloe Liese<\/a><\/h5>\n
![\"Only](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Only-When-Its-Us.jpg?resize=188%2C300&ssl=1\")
<\/a> ![\"Ever](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Ever-After-Always.jpg?resize=195%2C300&ssl=1\")
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\nEver After Always<\/em><\/a> \u00a0(2021)<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nDonut Fall in Love<\/em><\/a> (2021) by Jackie Lau<\/a> <\/h5>\n
![\"Donut](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Donut-Fall-in-Love.jpg?resize=250%2C377&ssl=1\")
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<\/p>\nThe Holiday Trap<\/em><\/a> (2022) by Roan Parrish <\/a><\/h5>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/The-Holiday-Trap.jpg?resize=250%2C375&ssl=1\")
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<\/p>\nGouda Friends<\/em><\/a> (2022) by Cathy Yardley<\/a><\/h5>\n
![\"Gouda](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Gouda-Friends.jpg?resize=250%2C375&ssl=1\")
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<\/p>\nRole Playing<\/a><\/em> (2023) <\/h5>\n
![\"Role](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Role-Playing.jpg?resize=250%2C375&ssl=1\")
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<\/p>\nTeacher of the Year<\/em><\/a> (2023) by M.A. Wardell<\/a><\/h5>\n
![\"Teacher](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Teacher-of-the-Year.jpg?resize=250%2C370&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/p>\n