Today is the start of the Hops with Heart Summer Lovin’ Blog Hop (say it three times fast). That would make a lot of sense, since today is the first full day of summer.
And after a miserable winter I am here to say — wow, summer sort of sucks too. But then I live in New York, where buildings hold the heat so that it never cools off at night, and Erin lives in the District, which is built on an actual swamp. In short, summer is gross.
Which is why we’re sort of into this whole celebration of summer love. Something has to take our mind off the heat, the humidity, and the power outages in the subway.
And this is where we need your help. Rec your favorite summertime romance — film, book, TV, gay, straight, bi, trans — in the comments by 11:59pm EST June 23, and we’ll 
randomly choose one winner to receive a $5 gift certificate for Torquere Books. With their current sale (20% off with code PRIDE through the end of the month), that enough to pick out an anthology, including the recently released They Do anthology which comes in both M/M and F/F versions (and the M/M version contains my and Erin’s story “Lake Effect” which you can also buy as a standalone). As usual, you don’t have to give us your real name, but you do have to give us some way to reach you.
There are also more opportunities to win, both from the hop organizer and from other participants, so be sure to follow the links back and/or check out
the rafflecopter-based giveaway (seriously, gift cards that will keep you in books and coffee up for grabs below!).
P.S. — Yes, Erin & I mostly write LGBTQ romance, but that definitely includes the B. We’re also big believers in being part of the broader romance community and encouraging readers to explore all genres and possibility. So opposite couples enjoying each other? Sometimes you’re going to see that on our blog, and in our books! In fact, as we ramp up towards the release of Starling, we’re going to do a whole series of posts about the awesome women that are absolutely a part of the world of the M/M romances that form the core of the story. As friends, colleagues, current- and ex- lovers, we adore our women as much as we adore our men, and we hope you will too.
erincmcrae
Racheline Maltese
Avian30 
One of my favorite reads so far this summer is One Man Guy by Michael Barakiva. It’s for a younger audience, but it’s exactly what I wish I would have had as a QLTBG teen!
prettylittlepages[at]gmail[dot]com
I haven’t read a ton of summer-themed romance, but Ariel Tachna’s SEDUCING C.C. is a pretty fun m/m tale between summer camp counselors!
vitajex(at)Aol(Dot)com
I’ve been reading Dom Wars – funny and sexy and I always love to read M/M books as well.
Thanks for the giveaway and participating in the hop!
simondex68 (at) gmail dot com
My favorite summer romance read is Last Summer by Michael Thomas Ford. It features a diverse cast of characters searching for love and community during a summer in Provincetown.
knittycat99 at gmail dot com
I love Torque books.. I read so much I cant rember the name of the last summer based book.. cathybrockmanromance@gmail.com
I love all things Colleen Hoover, especially Hopeless and Maybe Someday =) meri.bee@gmx.aat
My favorite summer love story is undoubtedly the M/M story Call Me by Your Name by Andre Aciman, which I borrowed from the library as a minor, using my adult sister’s library card. Almost got caught several times while reading it, which would have been sudden death match for me, but it was worth it. It had a lovely style and a certain realism that comes from an honest place. I still treasure it.
I’ve been rereading my favourite badass female Victorians. Elizabeth Gaskell’s North and South has a better grip on social justice than Dickens, plus a love story between complicated intellectuals that’s neck-deep in said social/political plot, rather than draped over it like so much frosting. Plus, the miniseries starring Richard Armitage and Daniela Denby-Ashe is smart and luscious and ends with one of the prettiest kisses in tvdom.
dirty dancing
bn100candg at hotmail dot com
I am so busy reading ARC books. Redrabbitt (at) aol (dot) com