Diversity in Romance

2:15 PM - 3:00 PM

Sunday, November 17

Kirkus Tent

Fake relationships, hidden pasts, and irresistible chemistry: these two novels are reigniting the romance genre with diverse and refreshing perspectives. In The Next Best Fling, Gabriella Gamez tells the story of a heartbroken Latina librarian who watches the love of her life marry someone else—only to find herself in the arms of his irresistible, ex-NFL brother. Meanwhile, Nikki Payne's Sex, Lies, and Sensibility gives an Austen classic a modern twist, set in rural Maine, where a former Black college track star teams up with her sister and a stoic Abenaki tour guide to restore a rundown inn. Both authors bring fresh voices to the romance genre, highlighting BIPOC representation while crafting stories that explore love, heartbreak, and the complexity of relationships.