On The Thread’s Ask a Bookseller series, we talk to independent booksellers all over the country to find out what books they’re most excited about right now. 

Listen to the podcast here

This one’s for the romance lovers.

Chardai Powell is with Loyalty Bookstores, with locations in Silver Spring, Md., and Washington, DC. Her beat is indie Black romance writers, and she says part of the joy is being able to keep up with authors on social media and really pour into their lives and the communities they create.

One of the authors she loves is Rae Lyse. Chardai says she was recently up until 4 a.m. devouring her new release, "For the Night”:

It’s a slow burn, adult romance, an age-gap, parent-teacher trope. Venus Thibodeaux is a kindergarten teacher starting back in the dating scene following a divorce. Anthony Nunez is the father of one of her favorite students, a shy girl nicknamed “Munch.”

I just fell in love with [Munch] and I love how important she was to their story. This one was a rollercoaster of emotions.

I don’t have a lot of books that leave me speechless, but this one did. And I honestly just felt so grateful after reading it and cried and wanted to read it all over again.

— Chardai Powell