In this episode I briefly discuss my journey to recovery after cancer, emphasizing ease and self-care in my life. I share how I found solace in Black romance novels during treatment, introducing you to a few more of my favorite reads from 2023.

These books range from modern retellings and essays on Black love to stories that tackle themes like gentrification, race, and second chances. My recommendations include titles like 'Pride and Protest' by Nikki Payne, 'Black Love Matters' edited by Jessica Pryde, and 'Goal' by Alexandria House, among others.

This episode celebrates Black romance literature, offering insights and recommendations to enrich your romance reading experiences

Find these books and other recommendations at The CultureLit Digital BookShop, supporting independent bookstores.

Culture Lit is a community celebrating black women and black love, and a reminder that black women deserve joy, love success, second chances, and all the beautiful magic the world has to offer.

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Let me know what you’re reading, what you’re thinking, and what you’re thinking about what you’re reading. E-mail me at hello at culturelitpodcast.com

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Hey guys and dolls, this is Octavia Marie and this

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is the Culture Lit Podcast.

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I'm so excited to be back with you again

and moving past this hiatus finally.

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As you can see, I still have

some kinks to iron out, but I

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got this episode posted today.

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A win is a win.

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If you listened to the last couple

of episodes, then you know I

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gave you a little glimpse into

why it's been such a long time.

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Life threw me a curveball, but guess what?

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I'm a survivor.

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I am cancer free.

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I've had my final surgery at the end

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my new normal, and all that entails.

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I'm not sure what my new normal

looks like long term, but for

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now, I'm just moving in ease.

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As I moved into the second quarter

of the new year, it's a time

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where you're probably hearing

that tried and true messaging from

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everyone on Beyonce's internet.

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You know the one I'm talking about,

the one encouraging you to finish

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or start the quarter strong, to

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But you won't be hearing that from me.

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In this phase of my life journey,

I'm not stressing to hurry up and

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sprint to some arbitrary finish line.

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I know the beginning of the new

year hustle is still moving strong,

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but let's take a moment to fill

our cups, especially if, like me,

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yours might be running on empty.

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I'm choosing ease in this stage.

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I'm dreamscaping what that looks

like, I'm mapping out and planning

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this next phase of my life.

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with the goals of flexibility

and freedom first.

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But while I'm doing that,

I'm also nurturing myself.

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And one way I'm doing that is by clearing

out some of the books on my TBR list.

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During those long hours of

chemotherapy last year, I found

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solace in romance novels, more

specifically black romance novels.

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They were my companions through

eight rounds of chemotherapy.

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With each round lasting about five hours.

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So, as you can imagine, that

left a lot of time for reading.

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And today, I want to share some of the

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I know I'm absolutely late in sharing

some of my faves, but I'm okay with that.

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These books brought me comfort,

joy, and a reminder that love

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and joy truly knows no bounds.

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So let's start off with Nikki

Payne's Pride and Protest.

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This was one of my favorite recent

romances and retelling of Pride

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and Prejudice set in modern day.

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Our heroine is Liza B, a radio DJ who

is determined not to let Pemberley

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development take her neighborhood and

turn it into expensive condos that

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will push out the local community.

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So you know the gentrification issue

set the fireworks off in this novel.

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But it's still such a hot,

fun, and important story.

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Our hero is Dorsey Fitzgerald,

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the acting CEO of Pemberley

Development, who finds Liza

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both frustrating and alluring.

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As he deals with his own uncomfortable

space at the head of the company

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when he would actually rather be in

charge of the philanthropic legacy

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left behind by his adoptive mother.

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Of course, Dorsey and Liza come

to blows when they first meet.

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Liza is sneaking into an event and

mistakes Dorsey for a waiter as she tries

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to get her handmade protest signs inside.

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Right from the start, Nikki does a

fantastic job of portraying cultural

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and social classes and exploring

the roles of the Black Bennett

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family and Dorsey's experience as a

Filipino man adopted by white parents.

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Nikki Payne once said in an interview

that she read research on aesthetics

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and power and what we find beautiful,

why we find things in people beautiful.

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Some of that research was done

on dating apps and how people

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are interacting on dating apps.

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What I found interesting, but not

surprising, is that Black women

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and Asian men were the least

responded to on these dating apps.

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They were seen and perceived to

have the least sexual capital in

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these spaces because of perceptions

about femininity and masculinity

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that have taken over in pop culture.

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People have internalized

what's considered beautiful.

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I want to say that I'm

shocked, but I'm not.

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Anyway, I enjoyed Nikki's

retelling of Pride and Prejudice.

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In Nikki's version, she has transformed

the world of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr.

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Darcy, taking it to

modern day Washington, D.

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C., addressing themes of race,

class, and gentrification.

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Next up on my list of best

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is actually not a romance novel.

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Black Love Matters is a series

of essays about black romance

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being seen and happily ever after.

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Edited by Jessica Pryde, who

you may know from Book Riot.

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It's a collection of essays by Black

Romance authors about a variety of

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different intersectional topics and

the publication of Black Romance.

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Black Romance is so important and this

is a really cool book that you should

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definitely add to your bookshelf.

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These are essays and storytelling from

some of the luminaries of Black romance.

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It's a great way to frame your

knowledge and understanding of

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Black romance and the work that

Black authors are doing out there.

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Next up is Mickey Chambers

Shakes It Up by Cherish Reid.

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This book is really fun.

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Mickey Chambers is in her

early 30s and she's an adjunct

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professor teaching literature.

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And as you know, with the

life of an educator, it's hard

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for her to make ends meet.

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Mickey's not a full time employee

of the university or anywhere.

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She also has some medical needs,

but that's They aren't the center

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of the story, just part of her

life and what she goes through.

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As the book starts, Mickey's

at dinner at her parents house.

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But you know, you get the sense

that everyone is thinking, why

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can't Mickey get it together?

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Anyway, Mickey picks up a job

as a bartender even though

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she's never bartended before.

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And the owner, Diego Acosta,

is a big old ball of stress.

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His wife has passed away, and he's worried

about running her bar into the ground.

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Diego is in his early 40s, but he's

going back to college part time.

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He's basically like, what

the hell am I doing here?

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And then you've got Mickey,

who is super sunny and sexy.

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And she's a pro at the college thing.

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Mickey ends up being the professor for the

online writing class that Diego is taking.

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And this is a whole other complication

that neither one of them expected.

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But they can't stay away from each other.

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This is a delightful

book that I truly loved.

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Let's talk about Jana

Goes Wild by Farah Haran.

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Jana Goes Wild is probably one

of the best second-chance romance

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novels I've read in a while.

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Jana and Anil had a brief hot

and sexy fling about 10 years

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ago and Jana ended up pregnant.

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At the same time that she finds out

she's pregnant, she also finds out

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that she and Anil can't be together.

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So Jana decides to go back home

to Toronto to raise her daughter.

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Anil is determined to be a

part of his daughter's life,

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so he also moves to Toronto.

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And Anil becomes like this distant planet

orbiting her, always in the background

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of her life, which she finds so annoying.

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Jana and Anil both end up

attending a destination wedding

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in the Serengeti in Tanzania.

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Jana doesn't realize that Anil has been

pining for her for the last decade.

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He is still very much in love

with Jana and knows he screwed up.

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Now, he just wants to figure out

what can he do to get her back.

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This is such an amazing book.

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The emotional complexity, the way

they interact with the families,

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her understanding of who Anil was

then versus who he is now, and,

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and then the same about herself.

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It's definitely one that

you should add to your list.

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Then we have Goal by The

Incredible Alexandria House.

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This romance novel centers around

Noah Kennedy, a pro hockey player who

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meets his match in the brilliant Dr.

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Zoe Broussard.

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Together, they navigate not only

their own personal struggles,

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but also the challenges that come

with being in the public eye.

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Goal delivers steamy scenes, heartfelt

moments, and a very engaging storyline.

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It's definitely a must read for all

the romance enthusiasts out there.

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And then we have The Build Up

by debut author Tati Richardson.

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I initially picked this one up

because it's set in Atlanta.

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I always love to read books based

in Atlanta so I can see if I can

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recognize any of the scenery.

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I'm so glad I grabbed this one though.

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Such a fun debut book.

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This romance features two black

architects, Ari and Porter, and

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baby Tati Richardson manages to

take on all the things in this one.

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Colorism, sexism, plus-size girl

microaggressions, and fat shaming,

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but she still manages to keep

the book super sexy, fun, and

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hilariously funny at the same time.

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I love that Porter was feeling Ari and

gone for her from the first glimpse.

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And you know I love that Ari

is a plus size and curvy woman.

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This is a slow burn office romance but

once the spice kicks in you won't be able

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to put it down and you'll love the ending.

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Next is Hostile Takeover by Christina C.

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Jones.

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And if you're into Christina C.

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Jones, you know she writes a spicy tale.

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If you're into stories that mix business

and pleasure, this one's for you.

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Christina weaves a tale of ambition,

passion, and unexpected connections that

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will keep you hooked from start to finish.

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And then we have The Neighbor

Favor by Kristina Forest.

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This book brings together friendship

and romance in the most delightful way.

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It's a sweet and charming read

that will leave you with a warm

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heart and a smile on your face.

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And so there you have it.

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That's my list of just a few of the

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These books were a lifeline for

me, and I hope they bring you

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as much joy as they brought me.

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But don't just take my word for it.

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Check out the show notes for

the full list and links to these

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fantastic reads and grab you a copy.

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Immerse yourself in these

beautiful love stories.

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That's a wrap for today's

episode of Culture Lit.

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Thank you so much for joining

me on this journey through the

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world of Black Romance literature.

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If you have any book recommendations

or thoughts on today's episode, email

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me at hello at culturelitpodcast.com.

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Until next time, keep embracing

ease and spreading the

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love.