Olivia Dade’s Teach Me is set in the decidedly unglamorous world of the public school system, and its clear-eyed acceptance of the stresses and injustices of that environment only makes its central romance all the more wondrous. No crazy tropes, no gimmicks, no twists—just two people falling deservedly in love.

And it certainly helps that reserved history teacher Rose Owens and her new coworker, kindhearted single dad Martin Krause, are so compelling that either could be the subject of an entire novel. As a plus-size woman who grew up extremely poor, Rose is painfully clear on all the ways the world (and specifically the patriarchy) can try to tear her down. And so she has constructed an impeccable, impermeable image—perfectly tailored, always jet black clothing; a full face of expertly applied makeup; and a polite but chilly demeanor. Rose doesn’t make friends with her colleagues and her closest friends are her former in-laws. But to her students, she is all warmth and acceptance, and always willing to help an overwhelmed or troubled teenager.

Martin is witness to both sides of Rose during their awkward first meeting, where Dade cleverly uses Martin’s reactions to his new coworker to establish his own character. A new addition to the social studies department, Martin has been given Rose’s favorite world history classes in a typically boneheaded and sexist move by Dale, an administrator who has it out for Rose. Martin intuits what has happened and the injustice of it during his first interactions with his new colleague, and is mature enough to realize that Rose’s reserve isn’t directed towards him. If anything, it is actually a sign that she’s treating him like she would any other colleague, and he is rightfully impressed and grateful for this. Martin’s emotional intelligence and unquestioning respect for personal boundaries allow Rose to feel safe enough to open up to him as they work together over the course of the school year.

As their romance unfolds, Dade ensures that Rose’s ice queen façade is just as appealing as her instinctual kindness. She doesn’t have to fully dismantle her strength to be loved. In fact, Martin finds her withering glares to deserving foes to be unbearably sexy. His pining for Rose is aching and palpable on the page, and Dade makes Rose’s inner turmoil just as compelling. Torn between her surprisingly strong desire for Martin and a longstanding fear of intimacy, Rose’s journey to her HEA is not linear and nor should it be. Teach Me is firmly grounded in reality, and acknowledges the foibles and traumas and flaws of both halves of its central couple. This is where its magic springs from—in its insistence that asking for and giving love is open to them regardless, and that love can bloom even under the deeply unflattering fluorescent lights of a public high school.

Ever since I first discovered Anna Zabo’s fantastic Twisted Wishes series, I’ve been enthralled with Mish Sullivan. A towering, confident as all hell bass player, Mish is a mother hen to younger members of the band. She’s been a calm, quietly powerful presence in the previous two books in the series, Syncopation and Counterpoint, dispensing the sort of loving, firmly realistic advice that spoke to a hard-won inner strength. Reverb and its characters frequently refer to her as a rock goddess, and that title never once seems unearned.

To put it frankly, Mish Sullivan deserves a romance with her hot, respectful bodyguard David Altet. A prince among men who understandably worships Mish, David is a reserved, intriguing foil to the big personalities that make up Twisted Wishes and their coterie. It’s a shame that Mish has to go through being stalked by a sexist jerk in order to meet him, but such is the world in which we live.

Reverb handles its stalker narrative with the empathy and character specificity that has made Zabo a favorite of the romance community. They place the focus squarely on Mish, rather than dwelling overlong on the frightening, misogynistic actions of her stalker. There are even a few moments where Zabo doesn’t share his comments at all, focusing solely on Mish and directly prioritizing her experience over his opinion and attempted ownership of it. Her strength to carry on and choose to be present for the fans in spite of the danger, many of whom look up to the out-and-proud queer members of the band is deeply inspiring. And Zabo makes it perfectly clear—Mish does not need to be present for the fans or stay in the spotlight, and no one in the band or elsewhere demands it of her. It is a choice she makes, her own personal act of defiance, and it is in no way the only correct response.

David and Mish approach their relationship with maturity, openness and a refreshing lack of angst. They both acknowledge the risks, especially David, who fears that becoming involved with Mish could distract him from his job of protecting her. But both know that the other is something special, and they are old enough to know when they have to throw caution to the wind. Their relationship is particularly meaningful for David, who has become increasingly isolated since leaving the military and transitioning. Coming out plots and stories of struggle are extremely important, but stories where trans characters are unquestionably accepted for who they are and deal with obstacles beyond their fight for societal tolerance are just as vital. David is an extremely sexy and appealing love interest whose identity and experiences are never fetishized, least of all by the pansexual Mish. His story is one of romance with Mish but also of allowing himself to become part of the family that is Twisted Wishes, making Reverb the perfect parting gift for fans that have similarly fallen in love with Zabo’s band of kickass misfits.

Samantha Chase is back with the seventh installment of her popular Shaughnessy Brothers series. Set in a small coastal North Carolina town and as refreshing as a warm summer breeze, Tangled Up in You hits bookshelves at precisely the right time for summer reading.

When police officer Bobby Hannigan is shot in the line of duty, he’s forced to take some rest and relaxation. In his downtime, he meets single mother and widow Teagan Shaughnessy, who’s just brought her son back home to be near family.

The timing is wrong for Bobby and Teagan. Their future’s too uncertain, the changes too big. But as John Lennon said, “Life is what happens to you when you’re busy making other plans.” Their attraction is gentle at first, and they forge an undeniable bond through their shared emotional struggle to adjust to their respective new normals. Bobby’s love for Teagan’s son, Lucas, only reinforces their inevitable happy ever after.

Chase takes readers on an emotional journey, and you’ll laugh and cry and get sucked into the drama of the Shaughnessy clan. If you’re a fan of big, meddling families and a full cast of secondary characters, you’ll enjoy it all the more. And even if you haven’t read the preceding books in the series, Tangled Up in You is a great standalone love story.