Blushing Hearts - A Romance Book Club
Recommended Age Range: 21+
Join us for an in-store book club hosted at Midnight Readers in Apple Creek, Ohio. This club is designed for readers who love romance and want a welcoming place to talk about books in a relaxed and friendly setting.
Our discussions are casual and conversational, with light structure and guiding questions to keep things flowing naturally. Whether you’re a longtime reader or joining us for the first time, you’re always welcome!
Current Book Club Pick
Title: Rules for the Summer
Author: Meghan Quinn
Meeting Date: August 10
You can purchase the book in-store, order it through Libro.fm (supporting our shop), borrow it from the library, or read it in any format you prefer.
2026 Meeting Dates
January 12- A Girl Called Samson By Amy Harmon
In 1760, Deborah Samson is born to Puritan parents in Plympton, Massachusetts. When her father abandons the family and her mother is unable to support them, Deborah is bound out as an indentured servant. From that moment on, she yearns for a life of liberation and adventure.
Twenty years later, as the American colonies begin to buckle in their battle for independence, Deborah, impassioned by the cause, disguises herself as a soldier and enlists in the Continental Army. Her impressive height and lanky build make her transformation a convincing one, and it isn’t long before she finds herself confronting the horrors of war head-on.
But as Deborah fights for her country’s freedom, she must contend with the secret of who she is—and, ultimately, a surprising love she can’t deny.
February 9- Hard Feelings by Jennifer Millikin
Cecily Hampton's first date with Dominic Bellinger started out like a dream. The conversation? Flowing. The chemistry? Sizzling. But when Cecily overhears a phone call Dom steps away to take, she grabs her purse and makes a run for it. She knows a red flag when she sees one.
Unfortunately, avoiding Dom becomes impossible when they're both summoned to Las Vegas to celebrate their mutual friends. Armed with a vow to hate Dom forever, Cecily lands in Sin City ready to unleash her dirtiest looks on him. Except, Dom's salty attitude is making it clear Cecily isn't the only one with hard feelings.
When shooting daggers turns into shooting tequila, Dom and Cecily wake up to find themselves with a nasty hangover and newMr. &Mrs.
A rush to undo the drunken mistake is halted when Cecily's grandmother announces she's dying, and her final wish is to road trip around Arizona with her family. Including her granddaughter's new husband.
Cecily can't decide which is worse - being stuck in a luxury motor coach with Dom, or her estranged family.
But somewhere between a stay at a haunted hotel and unwittingly attending a nudist colony, their thinly veiled insults and barbed remarks give way to the attraction from their first date. They tell themselves it's just this once...twice...ok, three times.
Scratching an itch starts looking a lot like newlywed bliss. And their temporary marriage? It just might turn into forever.
March 9- Next In Line by Amy Daws
What happens when the cute mountain man you made out with in an ice fishing shack turns out to be your brother’s best friend?
A whole lot of awkward, that’s what.
Maggie’s mind is reeling when she discovers the guy she became tangled up with at Marv’s Bait & Tackle isn’t a stranger like she thought.
The big Sam and Maggie’s chemistry is hot enough to melt ice, which makes keeping their secret far more difficult than either expected. Especially when one of them decides they want this arrangement to be more than just a catch and release.
April 13- Never Rescue a Rogue by Virginia Heath
Virginia Heath’s Never Rescue a Rogue , the next book in the Merriwell Sisters series, is filled with whip-smart banter, swoony romance, hilarious mishaps, and twisty reveals that will make you gasp and laugh in delight.
Diana Merriwell and Giles Sinclair only tolerate one another for the sake of their nearest and dearest. Everyone believes that the two of them are meant to be together, but Diana and Giles know that their constant pithy barbs come from a shared disdain―not a hidden attraction. Diana loves the freedom of working at the newspaper too much to give it up for marriage, and Giles is happily married to his bachelor lifestyle. But they do have one thing in common―the secrets they can’t risk escaping.
When Giles’ father, the curmudgeonly Duke of Harpenden unexpectedly turns up his toes, it’s only a matter of time before someone comes crawling out of the woodwork who knows the true circumstances of his only son's birth. As the threat of blackmail becomes real, Giles must uncover the truth of his parentage first, or else he and all those who depend upon him will be ruined―and dogged bloodhound Diana is his best hope at sniffing out the truth. As Giles and Diana dive into his family’s past, the attraction that the two of them insisted wasn’t there proves impossible to ignore. Soon, the future of the Sinclair estate isn’t the only thing on the line…
May 11 - Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
Pride and Prejudice has charmed generations of readers for more than two centuries. Jane Austen's much-adapted novel is famed for its witty, spirited heroine, sensational romances, and deft remarks on the triumphs and pitfalls of social convention. Author Jane Austen (1775-1817) was an English novelist whose works of social realism achieved unprecedented critical and popular success, though Austen herself remained an anonymous writer throughout her life.
June 8- A Love Letter to Whiskey by Kandi Steiner
This is not your typical love story.
It’s a story of almosts and could-have-beens.
Of friendship that teeters on the edge of something more.
Of passion so intoxicating, it burns.
Jamie and B are two hearts caught in the tangle of bad timing and unspoken words. Their connection defies labels—too deep for friendship, too tangled for love. Over a decade of moments, choices, and missed opportunities, they find themselves drawn together like a moth to a flame, even when the world—and their own mistakes—keep pulling them apart.
Is it obsession? Destiny? Or just self-destruction with a pretty face?
Sometimes, love isn’t about finding the right person—it’s about the moment when everything aligns.
But what if that moment never comes?
July 13- The Love Haters by Katherine Center
It’s a thin line between love and love-hating in the newest laugh out loud, all the feels rom-com by New York Times bestselling author Katherine Center.
Katie Vaughn has been burned by love in the past―now she may be lighting her career on fire. She has two choices: wait to get laid off from her job as a video producer or, at her coworker Cole’s request, take a career-making gig profiling Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer in Key West.
The catch? Katie’s not exactly qualified. She can’t swim―but fakes it that she can.
Plus: Cole is Hutch’s brother. And they don’t get along. Next stop paradise!
But paradise is messier than it seems. As Katie gets entangled with Hutch (the most scientifically good looking man she has ever seen . . . but also a bit of a love hater), along with his colorful Aunt Rue and his rescue Great Dane, she gets trapped in a lie. Or two.
Swim lessons, helicopter flights, conga lines, drinking contests, hurricanes, and stolen kisses ensue―along with chances to tell the truth, to face old fears, and to be truly brave at last.
August 10- Rules for the Summer by Meghan Quinn
He clicked "yes" on a dare. She bought a failing candy shop. Now they're neighbors for the summer―and neither is ready for what comes next.
Renley Gossage has one shot to prove she's more than Cape Meril's favorite cautionary tale: restore her favorite candy shop before the town writes her off like they did her father. No help, no shortcuts, and definitely no rich men wielding engagement rings and making things messy.
Theo Williams never planned on ending up in Cape Meril. A drunken game of truth or dare turned into a botched online engagement, and now he's across the ocean, escaping his father's control with nothing but designer shoes, misplaced confidence, and a rental next door to Renley.
She's practical, stubborn, and covered in paint. He's posh, persistent, and willing to use a sander if it means earning her trust.
Between collapsing drywall, gossiping neighbors, and the chaotic schemes of Renley's aunt, their forced proximity turns into something dangerously close to real.
But Renley's future depends on standing on her own two feet, and Theo's past isn't done with him yet. By the time the candy shop doors open, they'll have to decide if this is just a summer fling―or the happily ever after neither of them saw coming.
September 14- Brighter than Before by Courtney Walsh
Claire did not plan to end up mid-forties with a daughter studying in London and the unfortunate discovery that her husband is not the man she thought he was. In fact, he's the exact opposite of a faithful, loyal, kind, and good-hearted spouse. And the discovery of his real nature and lack of remorse leads her to do what she never thought she would–divorce him.
After a year of wallowing before hitting rock bottom . . . in public, unfortunately, Claire realizes she needs to finally answer the question her therapist asked her all those months "What do you really want?" It was a question she couldn't answer then, but now she knows it's time to figure it out.
It's the turning point that leads Claire to change her life. And not just a little–a lot. She sells her house in Denver and moves to the city that's always had her heart–Chicago.
With the help of nosy neighbors, new friends, and a daughter who sets her up on a dating site from across the ocean, Claire begins to answer that big, important question by figuring out what she wants and how to live life on her own terms.
October 12- You, with a View by Jessica Joyce
Two high school enemies must reunite for a road trip inspired by their grandparents’ broken engagement in this electric debut romance.
Noelle Shepard is unemployed, living with her parents, and grieving the loss of her beloved grandmother when she discovers decades-old photos of Gram and a smitten man, tucked alongside a love letter. She creates a TikTok to search for the mystery man, which goes viral, and she’s shocked when his grandson responds—a man who happens to be her high school nemesis, Theo Spencer.
Noelle refuses to let Theo’s annoying accomplishments in adulthood—or his sexy smirk—stand in the way of meeting his grandfather and unlocking the secrets he knew about her gram as a young woman. When she learns that their plans to elope were thwarted, Noelle decides to take the honeymoon road trip they planned but never got to carry out. There’s a catch, though: Paul, Theo’s grandfather, asks to come with her, and he insists that Theo join them.
It’ll be a miracle if they make it through the trip without Noelle throwing Theo out of the moving car—or the bed they end up sharing. As the miles tick by, the tension simmers hotter between them…until she discovers that Theo’s hiding a secret that could cause their tenuous relationship to end before it can restart.
November 9- If It Makes You Happy by Julie Olivia
My new next-door neighbor seems to have everything figured out. Small town golden boy? Check. Single dad extraordinaire? Check. Hot baker forearms? I didn’t notice them, I swear.
I, on the other hand, don’t–at all–have anything figured out.
Trust me, I didn’t think taking over my mom’s dream bed and breakfast in Copper Run Vermont was going to be easy. It should be a good place to heal after my divorce. But apparently my scones belong in the garbage with my small talk skills. As pointed out by none other than Cliff.
Cliff is inescapable. He knows exactly what people need–always. His charm, the way he wears flannel, and even his pastries, make not wanting to be friends with Cliff and his daughters pretty hard.
Friends? I can make friends. That’s safe.
Except I’m leaving in three months to pass the inn off to my little sister and get the promotion in Seattle I’ve been working towards.
So ask me why I’m thinking about kissing my hot neighbor.
December 14- A Married Little Christmas by Abby Jimenez
Anna thought only the food would be a disaster at her Christmas dinner–until her high school ex shows up and they quickly have to hatch a fake-dating scheme to save face with their families. For Matty, the idea of sitting in a diner all day dressed as a zombie Santa after losing a bet has zero appeal. But his cute and funny server might just make him change his mind. And finally, will Lauren be able to convince her best friend that getting married after a three-day relationship is absolutely ridiculous? Or will the town called Little Christmas pull her in with its happily-ever-after magic once she meets the best man?
Location: Midnight Readers, 123 E Main St, Apple Creek, Ohio 44606
Meeting Schedule: Second Monday of every month
Time: 7:00-8:30PM
How to Participate
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1. Check the Monthly Book Pick
Each month, we announce our featured book on social media, in-store, and during our gatherings.
We carefully select each book and hope it will be one that everyone could enjoy!
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2. Read the Book
Get your copy however works best for you:
• Purchase it from us
• Order through Libro.fm to support our shop
• Borrow it from the library
• Or read it in any format you prefer -
3. Join the Conversation
There’s no sign-up required. Just come to Midnight Readers Shop in Apple Creek at the club's listed meeting time.
Grab a drink and a seat and settle in. Our discussions are relaxed, welcoming, and lightly guided to keep things flowing naturally.
Join Us Online Between Meetings
In addition to meeting in-store, members can connect online through:
Fable — a dedicated online book club for this group
Facebook Group — shared with all Midnight Readers book clubs
These spaces are perfect for staying up to date on book picks, discussing chapters as you read, and connecting with other members between meetings.