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Gratitude, Vulnerability and Free Romance
Free romance stories delivered straight to your inbox every Friday.
Parneet Gosal
January 17, 2025
Happy Friday, and for our American readers, I hope you enjoy a meaningful and restful MLK weekend!
I’ve been reflecting on yesterday's IG post and wanted to share some thoughts. These past few months have been deeply reflective for me, and I hope it’s okay to get a little vulnerable here.
The post wasn’t planned. It wasn’t about tapping into the zeitgeist—it came from a personal place. I’ve always believed in standing up for the underdog, for voices often overlooked or dismissed. Romance and spice—our passion and work—are often treated that way.
When someone with 50 million followers uses their platform to ridicule rather than uplift, it sets us all back, especially those striving for a more sex-positive and inclusive space. Silence felt complicit, so we spoke up. But it wasn’t about clicks or bullying tactics—we didn’t tag or name them. It felt like the right thing to do.
I’m grateful for this community, where we can have honest conversations. Whether you agree or not, your perspective matters, and I appreciate the grace you extend as we navigate moments like these.
Thank you for being here.
With love,
Parneet (Co-founder, Theo Reads)
P.S. For authors, check out this protip by Erin Wright on why you should hold off on creating that audiobook too soon. Erin is good peeps and knows her stuff. 🙂
 | Defensive Heart - The Donnellys, Book 2 By Dorothy F. Shaw (🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ Age Gap, Femdom) Uptown girl, tattooed bad boy. Think you know which one is wild? You’d be wrong. Jimmy Donnelly avoids commitment, but meeting Sonja Martin changes everything. Her chaotic life: work, an ex, and a rebellious teen, clashes with his carefree charm. Will he break through Sonja’s guarded heart? (Read it as a standalone or as part of The Donnellys series; next book in the series drops next week!) |
 | A Vampire’s Fate By Rhiannon Futch (🌶️🌶️🌶️ Second Chances, Vampires) “When your life is built on lies like a house of cards, what happens when the deck starts to fall? Devon is the tall, dark devil I should stay away from. I know it the second I lay eyes on him. He desires the impossible—something I can’t give—the heart I buried with my late husband. But when someone makes an attempt on my life, Devon may be the only one who can protect me. |
 | Obligated By Betty Blades (🌶️ Second Chances) “You can’t unring a bell. You can’t unscramble an egg. And you can’t unbreak a heart. A Vegas wedding might have taken our friends and family by surprise, but Owen and I have been in love for years. Now we’re married, and I’m starting to figure out that just because my husband put a ring on my finger, that doesn’t mean we’ve got something built to last.” |
If you’re feeling spicy, check out the spicy short stories we’ve released so far. They’re free. And very spicy. 💦
Previously Released:
 | Unworthy Heart - The Donnellys, Book 1 By Dorothy F. Shaw (🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ Forbidden Office Romance, Alpha, Dirty Talk) Protecting her isn’t an option. It’s a requirement. Badger finally got Rosie in his bed, but in order to keep her there, he has to figure out how to save her life. After her husband’s death, Rosie Santini starts fresh in Phoenix, working at a strip club. Badger Baxter, the tough bouncer, is drawn to her—but she’s not interested. (Next book in the series— coming next week!) |
 Theo Exclusive | Obnoxious By Betty Blades (🌶️ Enemies to Lovers, One Bed) “This road trip was a bad idea. My car’s wrecked. I’m stranded in a dirty motel room with my best friend’s ex. We’re never going to make it to Vegas in time to stop her from marrying some rando she’s known for only two weeks.” (Next book in the series— coming next week!) |
 | Written in Water By Elizabeth Schechter (🌶️🌶️ Romantasy, LGBTQ+) Aven is the Waterborn, one of the five chosen by the Mother Goddess to rule the world. But first, he has to survive. |
 | Cardinal Virtue By J.R. Lesperance (🌶️🌶️ Suspense, Paranormal) Police legacy Lara Nadeau finds herself exiled to Eastfall, a small New England town just outside of Salem, Massachusetts. After the murder of a local high school teacher, Lara is thrust into an investigation that will reveal otherworldly secrets and force her to come to terms with her own demons. |
 Theo Exclusive | The Prince’s Boy By Cecilia Tan (🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ Forbidden love, BDSM, LGBTQ+ - Gay) In a fantasy world where the lust of male for male fuels Night Magic, Prince Kenet lives a sheltered life. Isolated from the war that threatens the kingdom, he and his whipping boy Jorin are of age, but still sneak forbidden pleasures in their bed at night. When a dark mage tries to bespell Kenet into sexual submission, the prince and his boy are thrust into the world of intrigue, sex, and war. |
 | The Secret About Time By Kathryn K. Murphy (🌶️🌶️🌶️ Small Town, Suspense) He’s lived a century. She’s barely unpacked. On Brightrock Island, time doesn’t tick like it does on the mainland. When a newcomer stumbles into this secretive, ageless community, sparks fly—but love on the island comes with rules. |
 | Chocolatiers of the High Winds By H.B. Hurtzwilde (🌶️🌶️🌶️ Sci-fi, LGBTQ+ Gay) In a world where airships rule the skies and chocolate is a prized commodity, an ambitious chocolatier navigates intrigue, romance, and danger as he strives to make his mark. |
 | Finding Forever With You By Karmen Lee (🌶️🌶️🌶️ Second Chances) Yvonne Cummins dreads her ten-year high school reunion, expecting awkward memories and fake laughter. Instead, she’s blindsided by Blaine Rockwell, the heartbreaker she’s tried to forget, whose perfect smile stirs feelings she thought she’d buried. |