Celebrating women in romance

Black romance heroines I can’t get enough of. Plus, I share some of Texas’ Black-owned bookstores.

Author

Allyson Waller
March 20, 2024

Happy Women’s History Month! As a Black woman, it’s great to experience the transition from February to March— plus my birthday is next month. (Year 26 here I come! 💁🏾‍♀️) But, to commemorate Women’s History Month, I thought it would be nice to dedicate this edition to some of my favorite female protagonists within the romance genre. This list could get a little long, so I decided to keep it to five favorites. Now, let’s get into it:

Yasmen Wade from Before I Let Go

Yasmen Wade, the woman that you are! Before reading Kennedy Ryan’s masterpiece Before I Let Go, I had never experienced mental health and depression written in such raw and emotional prose. To see Yasmen’s mental and emotional growth throughout this book was a treasure and also witnessing it in her son, Kassim, and her ex-husband Josiah was more than I could’ve asked for from a romance like this. Yasmen makes me think of how as Black women, we’re told to have it all together and given little grace when we fall apart, and I appreciate her courage to put herself and her mental health first not only for herself but also for her kids, following unimaginable tragedy. Picking yourself back up amid struggles with depression is not easy — I know from experience — and Yasmen’s determination to do so is admirable.

*Scroll further down for my Check out my review of Before I Let Go

Lily Greene from The Neighbor Favor

I went into this book pretty blindly, but once I read how much of a nerd Lily Greene is for books AND that she works in publishing, I knew I would enjoy her as a protagonist. She’s very much an awkward Black girl in the cutest way and doesn’t try to tame it even if she may have some embarrassing moments. I find that admirable because as someone with a silly side, I used to be worried about showing it to previous partners fearing they would think I’m weird or not understand me. Lily has amazing growth throughout the book and I love how her love interest, Nick, sees the absolute best in her.

Hester Wyatt from Indigo

I’m still working my way through Beverly Jenkins’ catalog, but I’m 99% sure Indigo will be one of my top three favorite books from her. I can honestly say I’ve never read a book with a character like Hester Wyatt. She’s an admirable leader and advocate, both great qualities to have in general, but especially for her as someone who works as a member of the Underground Railroad. Throughout the book you witness how Hester leans a lot into living practically, not always putting her pleasures and wants first but eventually, and with the help of the handsome Galen Vachon, that changes. It was a joy to witness Hester’s bravery in helping people to freedom and falling in love. As an escaped slave, she’s seen the lengths Black people had to go to be with the ones they loved and how it didn’t always work in their favor. Anyone could’ve sworn off love, but I’m happy she made her heart open to what she deserves.

Kiki Banjo from Honey & Spice

Kiki Banjo exudes wit and talent. I don’t think I’ve ever read a romance set at a university where both characters were Black AND British. Hence, why I devoured this book. I loved how protective Kiki was of the Black women at her school and taking time to warn them of campus wastemen. (Black British people have such fun slang words btw!) Kiki reminded me of one of those Black girls I would see at the mall or movies when I was little and look at them in awe thinking, “She’s so cool!” Kiki doesn’t necessarily need people to tell her she’s cool and talented because she knows she is (like homegirl had a student radio called Brown Sugar, such taste!) and I loved seeing a character with so much self-assuredness who was still willing to be vulnerable at times whether with her best friends or with the swoon-worthy Malaki.

You’ve probably noticed by now, but I love female protagonists who like to take charge and go for what they want, even if it’s against the mold others try to fit them into. When you’re first introduced to Ricki Wilde you understand almost immediately that she’s sort of a disappointment to her Black, upper-crust family. Where they’re conventional, she’s more free-spirited and not at all interested in being a part of the family’s successful funeral home business. (And honestly, I can’t blame her because who wants to be discussing death all day?) I have so much respect for Ricki and her decision to venture out on her own. She leaned into her creative spirit, wholeheartedly. Also, I love flowers and it was such a treat to read about a Black florist who lives in Harlem and is not afraid to experience a little magic.

…Time for a quick life update 💕 

  • This year, I started writing the newsletter For Your Pleasure for the romance bookstore Steamy Lit (Make sure to subscribe 😉)

  • Back in February, I celebrated Mardi Gras in New Orleans— the good times were rolling. ⚜️

  • I’m currently in my fantasy era. I recently saw Dune: Part 2, and I gotta hand it to Timothée Chalamet, his performance was great. I still refuse to see Wonka though.

  • This month was my first time attending an Oscars party, and I have no idea why I haven’t done it before! Some co-workers and I went to a local bar that was throwing one and they had Oscar-themed cocktails and bingo. 10/10 event. It made my pop culture-obsessed heart so happy, and although I usually have beef with award shows (Lily Gladstone you will have your chance again!) the actual show wasn’t that bad. But I think the Oscars can thank Ryan Gosling for that.

  • I’ve been wearing my natural hair out a lot lately, and although it’s been a little bit of a struggle to re-learn how to do my hair in its natural state, it’s been a rewarding experience thus far filled with lots of joy (and some tears). Thankfully, I’m in a much better place self-esteem-wise than when I went natural back in college. Plus, I’ve enjoyed experimenting with some new styles. Hopefully, by the next edition of Swoon, I’ll also have a new hair color 🤞🏾 (Here’s the color inspo)

📚 Texas’ Black-owned Bookstores

Since I missed sending out an edition of Swoon during Black History Month, I thought it fitting to do something special this month— after all, Blackness should be celebrated 24/7! Through my various social media feeds I’ve come across a handful of Black bookstores in Texas. I hope to go to all of them 🤞🏾 Here’s a round-up of some that I hope you’ll take the time to learn more about!

Location: Dallas, Texas

Location: Fort Worth, Texas

Location: Duncanville, Texas

Location: Austin, Texas

Location: Houston, Texas

If you’d like an exhaustive list of Black-owned bookstores in the U.S. check out Oprah Daily’s list of 133 Black-owned bookstores in the country! Happy shopping! 🛍️

Genre Index: 📜 Historical romance | 🖤 Paranormal/Fantasy romance | 💓 Contemporary romance | 🤎 Black romance | 💖 POC Romance | 🏳️‍🌈 LGBTQ+ romance | 🏅 Sports romance | 👩🏾 Women’s fiction | ✌🏾Young adult | 🕵🏾 Mystery/suspense | ✨ Fantasy/science fiction | 📖 Historical fiction

February

March

April

  • Leather, Lace and Locs by Anne Shade (Bold Strokes Books, 🏳️‍🌈🤎💓) - April 1

  • Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez (Hachette Book Group, 💓💖) - April 2

  • The Kiss Countdown by Etta Easton (Penguin Random House, 💓🤎) - April 4

  • When I Think of You by Myah Ariel (Penguin Random House) 💓💖 - April 16

  • The Good Ones Are Taken by Taj McCoy (HarperCollins, 🤎💓) - April 23

  • Out of Office by A.H. Cunningham (Amazon, 🤎💓) - April 23

  • Courage to Love Again by Kimberly Brown (Black Odyssey Media, 🤎💓) - April 23

📚 Currently reading:

Wild Rain by Beverly Jenkins; Savvy Sheldon Feels Good as Hell by Taj McCoy; The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin

Review Rating System

  • 😴 Snooze-worthy read: A book not worth finishing or one that you wish you could forget you took the time to read.

  • 🙁 Dry-read: A story that grabs your curiosity in the beginning, but doesn’t completely, if at all, live up to the hype

  • 🙂 Semi-sweet read: A book that leaves you wanting more but is not completely unbearable and has some memorable moments

  • 🥰 Sweet read: An engrossing read that keeps you hooked from beginning to end. Think of it as a book that you don’t mind returning to because you enjoyed it so much the first time.

  • 😍 Swoon-worthy/must-read: This is a book that you’ll be thinking of well beyond the last page. It’s a major literary canon event. Who you were before you read this book is not the same as who you are after you’ve finished.

Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan (kennedyryanwrites.com)

Genre: Contemporary romance, Black romance 💓🤎

I have never cried as much as I have while reading this book. Like I sobbed and that doesn’t happen often when I read despite me being a pretty emotional person  As someone who has gone through depression and certain types of ideation I was amazed at how detailed Ryan was in describing what it felt like. For example, there’s a certain part in the book where Yasmen describes what her day-to-day felt like at one point. She says “I’d wake up disappointed that I wasn’t still asleep and think, Oh, my God. I have to do this again. I have to be here again.” This is just one of many parts of the book that really hit the nail on the head of what it’s like to really be in a deep pit and feel like there’s no way out. What I love about this book is how layered it is and how it doesn’t hold back in digging into the ugly parts of life. Yasmen and Josiah are imperfect people who went through unimaginable tragedy, and I think showing the conflict in their relationship early on and leaning into the awkward parts of their life as a divorced couple helped to showcase so well the nuances of being in love and illustrate what they had to go through to come back together. This is a book that I know I’ll be re-reading for years. Ms Kennedy Ryan, you hit this one out of the park.

(Rating: 😍 Swoon-worthy/must-read)

Only for the Week by Natasha Bishop (natashabishopwrites.com)

Genre: Contemporary romance, Black romance 💓🤎

I absolutely adored this book! Janelle and Rome's relationship had me smiling at my Kindle. I'm pretty particular about MMC in romance books, and I loved how Natasha Bishop made Rome such an attentive, doting, and respectful gentleman who always had Janelle's best interest at heart. Even though this book was on the short side, it packed in a lot of detail, even more than some books that are 300+ pages! There were so many supporting characters and none of them felt stale or like an afterthought. I also enjoyed how the author explored familial relationships, particularly between Janelle and her sister Amerie. If you're looking for a good book to curl up with and make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, this is the one! Also, the bonus content on the author's website was such a fun treat!

(Rating: 🥰 Sweet read)

The Seven Month Itch by Tanvier Peart (tanvierpeart.com)

Genre: Contemporary romance, POC/Interracial Romance 💓 💖

I enjoyed the hijinks in this book. Justice and Terrance were testing my anxiety levels lol! I'm starting to become a fan of second-chance romances, particularly when it involves married couples so this book was right up my alley. I do wish we learned a little bit more about Justice's background (outside of just her history with childbirth and how she was sort of a shy recluse in college). I felt like Terrence's was detailed a little bit more. I definitely would read another one of Peart's work so I'm excited to see what she comes out with next!

(Rating: 🙂 Semi-sweet read)

The Neighbor Favor by Kristina Forest (kristinaforest.com)

Genre: Contemporary romance, Black romance 💓🤎

I enjoyed how The Neighbor Favor balanced depth with lightheartedness. The pacing in the beginning kind of threw me off, but as I kept reading, I could see how central it was to the rest of the plot. (Plus, it gave a little bit of "You Got Mail," which is one of my favorite rom-coms.) The sincerity captured between the characters Lily and Nick felt very authentic, and I loved how passionate they were both about books. This book felt like an ode to book lovers. Plus, I loved Lily's quirkiness, and I feel like you don't get to see enough Black women be quirky in romances.

(Rating: 🥰 Sweet read)

Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender (harpercollins.com)

Genre: Young adult, contemporary romance, LGBTQ+ romance ✌🏾💓🏳️‍🌈

I don’t really read a lot of young adult romances nowadays, but every now and then I like to dip my toe in the genre. This was my first time reading a novel where a trans character was the protagonist. I loved how Felix encompassed the uncertainty, thrill, and awkwardness of trying to figure out your life as not only a teen but a Black trans teen. I also appreciated how it showed the complexities of the relationship with his father and although he is supportive of Felix and his transition — which I feel like you don’t see often when it comes to LGBTQ characters in fiction — he’s still ignorant about certain parts of Felix’s life. The book contained a friends-to-lovers trope (slight spoiler!), which is not my favorite, but the well-written characters definitely make up for it. I enjoyed seeing Felix come more out of his shell as the story went on and very much appreciated how Kacen Callendar made it a priority for Felix to be surrounded by a community of people there to support him.

(Rating: 🥰 Sweet read)

“I don’t want to diminish her. I want to stand back and watch her shine.” — from Only for the Week by Natasha Bishop

See you next time and happy reading! With love,

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