notes from maternity leave

is this how you newsletter?

If you also have ADHD, perhaps you can relate to this confession: I have been trying to write this newsletter for over a year now.

Well, not this exact newsletter, but a newsletter. And when I say try, I don’t mean that I have sat down and actually attempted to compose anything. By try, I mean that I’ve been thinking about how I should write a newsletter and mentally berating myself for not writing a newsletter for over a year now. Though not consistently. No, most of the time, I forget that newsletters exist and that they’re a thing I should be doing as an author. And then another author’s newsletter appears in my inbox, and I’m greeted by a fresh wave of shame about my failure to produce one.

It’s one of those items on my to-do list that I remember while I’m in the shower and then promptly forget as soon as I’m out of the shower and actually able to do something about it. It’s the kind of uncompleted task—like so many emails I forgot to respond to and so many blurb request due dates I never wrote down—that will haunt me just as I’m about to fall asleep at night. As I close my eyes, I tell myself I will put it in my planner in the morning. And sometimes, I do write it in my planner. And then I write it again, transferring it to the next week’s to-do list, the next month’s, the next New Year’s Resolution, for the rest of time, probably. Unless I actually send this one.

Part of the problem is that I’m convinced that I’m bad at writing newsletters.¹ This insecurity is further fueled by the fact that other romance authors are amazing at writing newsletters. I’m nowhere near as clever as Alicia Thompson or KT Hoffman. I’m not cool like Amy Spalding with her incredible weekly fashion blog. I’m not vulnerable like Anita Kelly or Tarah Dewitt, and I don’t have interesting observations about pop culture like Nikki Payne or Regina Black. I don’t have insightful writing advice—or any advice, really.

That, perhaps, is the crux of it. I don’t have anything interesting to say at all. My life revolves around dirty diapers and trying to fold laundry during episodes of Bluey I’ve already seen twenty times. I really don’t have a lot going on at the moment, and it’s hard to motivate myself to write a newsletter if it’s going to be entirely shameless self-promotion.

so why this newsletter? why now?

I’m currently on maternity leave, though that concept is somewhat arbitrary when you’re self-employed. But for some reason, nothing makes me want to work more than being on maternity leave. There’s something about not being able to work that appeals to my ADHD brain (unfortunately, this will not translate to motivation once I am able to work again).

It’s quite challenging to write while breastfeeding, so I’ve settled for satisfying my desire to work by actually reading books for blurbs. A novel concept for me these past two years. But the cool thing is, I’ve read some TRULY AMAZING BOOKS. Books that have gotten me out of a very long reading slump and made me excited about romance and reading again. So instead of shameless self-promotion, here is some shameless other-people-promotion.

what I’ve been reading

A Lady for All Seasons by TJ Alexander

I was absolutely delighted when I received an early copy of this one, because A Gentleman’s Gentleman (the first book in the series) was easily my favorite book of 2025. The sequel did not disappoint! It focuses on the delightful gossip-queen Verbena Montrose, who was introduced in AGG, and a “lady poet” named Flora, who is also male novelist William Forsyth, who is actually gender-queer and generally bad-ass. In a recent Instagram post, TJ described the book as Sapphic-ish, since sometimes the love interest is a woman, though sometimes he’s a man, and mostly they are neither and defy categorization entirely. I freaking love this. This book solidified my obsession with queer historical romance, and if there isn’t a third book, I will riot.

See You at the Summit by Jordyn Taylor

I knew I would love this book when I saw that it’s about a woman who finally comes out as bi, only to fall for a cishet man. It’s a classic workplace enemies-to-lovers romance with a queer (and Canadian) twist, and the bi rep is glorious.

Toe to Toe by Falon Ballard

In my blurb, I think I described this book as Center Stage meets Magic Mike with a dash of Dirty Dancing. And honestly, if that description doesn’t entice you, I don’t know what to tell you. Falon’s books are always so sweet and heartfelt, and this one was no different. I devoured it.

Good Luck, Babe by Erin Baldwin

This is the only YA book on the list, and it’s my favorite YA book that I’ve read in a long time. (I barely read these days, so take that for what it’s worth.) This one was a real slump-buster for me. From the first page, I was hooked by the main character Noelle’s voice. It’s a sapphic friends-to-enemies-to-lovers Amazing Race-esque fake dating book that is so flawlessly written, I was jealous.

Thirty Love by Tom Vellner

Like everyone I’ve ever met, I’ve been watching Heated Rivalry, and this book scratched the m/m sports romance itch I didn’t know I had. Do I know anything about tennis? Nope. But I know even less about hockey, so!

For the Bride by Becca Grischow

Okay, so I haven’t finished this one yet, but I know it’s going to be a favorite of mine already, and I find myself picking it up every chance I get to read just a few more pages. It’s a sapphic bridesmaids hate-to-love romance (so far… I think…), but it’s also about grief and sobriety? But it works?! I fell in love with Becca’s writing in her debut novel I’ll Get Back to You, but dare I say I am even more enamored with this book already??? Plus, I happen to be writing a wedding-based romance right now (or I will be again, post-maternity leave), so I’m especially enjoying Becca’s take on wedding zaniness.

Reality Check by Lizzie Huxley Jones

Sapphic reality dating show romance? Uh, duh. Sign me up. I’ve only just started this one as well, but it centers on an autistic woman who goes on a Love is Blind type reality dating show to meet her husband and is going to fall for a hot blonde lady instead, so it basically checks all of my boxes.

and one book I regretfully haven’t read yet

Star Shipped by Cat Sebastian

When I heard THE Cat Sebastian was writing a contemporary romance, I legit screamed. Then, when I got asked to blurb it and was sent an early copy, I thought I’d died and gone to romance heaven. And then I promptly… did not read it. And still have not read it. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. The deadline to blurb it happened to be the week after my daughter was born, so I know that was part of the problem, but the fact that it remains unread on my bookshelf is a tragedy.

Of course, the list of books I haven’t read despite desperately wanting to read them is MUCH LONGER than the list of books I have read, but I’ll save that list for another newsletter (that I will write at some point in 2027, I’m sure).

All of the aforementioned books are future releases, so I highly recommend preordering them/adding them to your TBR.

a little shameless self-promotion

I would be remiss if I ended this newsletter without talking about my own books at all, so here is something! The Kiss Her Once for Me e-book will be on sale Christmas Day for only $1.99, so if you haven’t read it yet, here is your chance!

I also feel like I should mention that I am working on a fifth book! I can’t say too much about it yet (I don’t think?) but I pitched it to my editor as a queer My Best Friend’s Wedding, with slightly less awful characters (but only slightly). It won’t come out until 2027, but I can’t wait to tell you more about it. Once I, you know, actually write the damn thing…

I guess that’s it?

Not sure how to end this newsletter except to say thanks. For reading it. For being endlessly patient with me. For accepting that I might send another newsletter next week or I might not send one for another fourteen months. There’s really no telling which way it will go.

With love and gratitude,

Alison

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1. I am not fishing for compliments here. Please do not reach out to reassure me that no, Alison, you’re so good at writing newsletters. I will know you’re lying.