Welcome to Jen’s Jewels, where I spotlight the books you won’t want to miss. Today, I’m featuring LOVE ON THE SHELF by Sheila Roberts, a delightful rom-com featuring a bookseller, a radio host, and plenty of witty banter. If you love enemies-to-lovers romances with heart and humor, this one’s for you.
LIGHTNING ROUND
• What’s your favorite way to spend a slow summer afternoon?
Sitting on the deck, enjoying a homemade blended drink with girlfriends.
• What snack, drink, or sweet treat always finds its way to your desk when writing?
Chocolate – a woman needs her vitamin C.
• If your main character could plan the perfect summer getaway, where would they go?
Since she owns a romance bookstore, she would of course go on a reading retreat.
• What’s one thing that instantly helps you slip into a creative mindset?
Opening up my computer.
THE SUMMER SPARK
• What was the very first image, line, or idea that sparked this book?
Actually, the book started with my misbehaving hero, Parker Black, Mr. Toxic Spill. I was saddened to see our culture trending toward being down on men. If all you saw were the many anti-male social media posts (remember the Choose the Bear phase where women stated they’d rather be alone in the woods with a bear than with a man?) you’d think there wasn’t a decent man left in the whole USA. Who wants ‘em? Who needs ‘em? All I need is a glass of wine and my cat. Eek! I know so many good men, it was hard to see. How come nobody seemed to be stepping up to defend the good guys? Someone needed to. That’s Parker, shock jock and champion of men, came into being.
But that was just the beginning. As I thought about some of those words I’d put in Parker’s mouth I realized we have another problem: literary snobbery. So somewhere along the way, LOVE ON THE SHELF turned into a defense of romance novels. Even though this genre sells so many books and has so many dedicated readers, it still doesn’t get the respect it deserves. And I think it’s time it did. (Jane Austen, I’m trying to do my part!)
• Tell us about a scene that changed significantly from your first draft to your final version. What made you rethink it?
You might not believe it when you read the book, but I did wind up going back and reworking the first scenes where we meet our questionable hero. If you think Parker’s a brat now, you should have seen the first version of him! He was on a rampage. Actually, he still is, but I wanted readers to see that, like every bad boy, he has his good side. Parker loves his mom (even if he is embarrassed by what she writes). He’s generous and he supports good causes. There is hope for him if someone can just knock that chip off his shoulder.
• Many authors say their characters “talk back.” Did any character surprise you or take the story somewhere unexpected?
They wouldn’t dare. I’m in charge here. Oh, gosh, now that I’ve said that I do have to take responsibility for letting Parker be so out of control for the first part of the book. I’m very happy with how he learned his lesson though and with his grand gesture at the end of the story.
• Setting can shape a story in powerful ways. What role does the setting play in your book, and what inspired you to choose it?
It was fun setting a book in Seattle, which is where I grew up. And of course, much of the book is centered around HEA Books, an indie romance bookstore. I loved creating that little bookstore, and this book is actually dedicated to those stores that inspired it.
THE PERSONAL TOUCH
• Summer is ideal for discovering new books. Which books are currently at the top of your TBR pile?
I currently have Kristy Woodson Harvey’s Summer State of Mind sitting at the top of my list followed by The Prayer Box by Lisa Wingate. And lurking under those is the epic Western Lonesome Dove, which at 864 pages will take me half the summer to get through. I just finished A Sprinkle of Sweet Serendipity by Rachel Linden and loved it.
• Every book comes with its challenges. Was there a moment during this one that reminded you why you fell in love with writing?
Working to get characters right, to get into their motivations and understand them, can be a challenge, but I was so pleased with my final big scene that I about broke my arm patting myself on the back. I love it when a story comes together at the end. And I love a happily-ever-after. Love always wins in the end.
LOOKING AHEAD
• Can you give readers a sneak peek into your next project, minus any spoilers?
I’m excited about my upcoming Christmas novel, HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE MELTDOWN (which will probably take the prize for the world’s longest title!). Imagine a woman who’s written her first novel, a Christmas tale, and featured her over the top family. Now she’s regretting it big time. If her family discovers what she’s done she’d better be careful who she accepts Christmas cookies from when she goes home for the holidays.
• Where can readers connect with you and keep up with your latest writing news?
I am everywhere. I hope readers will visit my Sheila’s Place website and sign up for my monthly newsletter, Super You, which always has tips for gardening, finances, health or … whatever interesting info I’ve found and want to share, as well as a recipe of the month. And book news. Always book news. I’m also on Facebook, where we host lots of fun live chats with authors and influencers (if you’d like to watch some they’re all up on my Sheila Roberts YouTube channel). I’m on Instagram as Sheila Roberts writer and I’m also on TikTok as Sheila Roberts Writer/Fun with Sheila (cuz I’m all about fun!)
BONUS: The Author’s Playlist
Share 3–5 songs that capture the mood of your book or that helped inspire you while writing.
What’s Love Got to Do With It? (This should be Parker’s theme!)
Love is in the Air (That’s how it is in Alice and Nola Willoughby’s romance bookstore.)
God Only Knows What I’d Be Without You (Because without Alice coming into his life Parker would be a mess.)
LOVE ON THE SHELF by Sheila Roberts
The battle lines are drawn—between a romance-loving bookseller and the shock jock determined to tear happily-ever-afters apart.
Alice Willoughby and her mom run HEA Books, a cozy shop devoted to love stories and the people who crave them. Alice is great at matching customers with their perfect happily-ever-after…she just can’t seem to find her own.
Enter Parker Black, a disillusioned radio host who’s reinvented himself as a romance-bashing shock jock. Bitter from his breakup with a romance author who turned love into a four-letter word, Parker takes aim at the entire genre—and his on-air rants start stirring up trouble for Alice’s loyal customers and their partners. He’s arrogant, aggravating, and absolutely not book-boyfriend material.
Parker’s crusade leads to spirited debates and bookstore protests, but when unexpected sparks fly between the two of them Alice begins to wonder if her favorite trope—enemies to lovers—might actually be playing out in real life. Parker may claim romance is a lie…but is he protesting a little too much?
With sharp wit and plenty of charm, USA Today bestselling author Sheila Roberts delivers a modern battle of the sexes where the biggest question is simple:
Are romance novels ruining love—or rewriting it?
Women’s Fiction Contemporary | Romance [ MIRA, On Sale: May 26, 2026, Hardcover / e-Book, ISBN: 9780778305828 / eISBN: 9780369774873 ]
Buy LOVE ON THE SHELF: Amazon.com | Kindle | BN.com | Apple Books | Kobo | Google Play | Books-A-Million | Indie BookShops | Ripped Bodice | Walmart.com | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Amazon DE | Amazon FR
About Sheila Roberts
Read Sheila for a Good Time
USA Today and Publishers Weekly best-selling author Sheila Roberts has written over fifty books under various names, ranging from romance and women’s fiction to self-improvement. Over three million of her novels have been sold and that number continues to climb. Her humor and heart have won her a legion of fans and her novels have been turned into movies for the Lifetime, Hallmark, and Great American Family channels. Sheila is also a popular speaker, and has been featured at women’s retreats, writers’ conferences, and banquets. When she’s not out dancing with her husband or hanging out at the beach with friends, she can be found writing about those things near and dear to women’s hearts: family, friends and chocolate.
Life In Icicle Falls | Moonlight Harbor
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About Jennifer Vido
Jennifer Vido is the author of The Gull Island Series, sweet Lowcountry romances inspired by her love of coastal living and small-town charm. Serendipity by the Sea won Best First Book from the New Jersey Romance Writers Golden Leaf Contest, and Baltimore Magazine readers named her Best Local Author in 2024 and 2025.
A Vanderbilt graduate, Jennifer traded in teaching French to follow her dream of becoming an author. She loves discovering and sharing literary gems through her Jen’s Jewels column, celebrating the books that make her heart happy.
Jennifer lives in Maryland with her husband and is mom to two grown sons. Her rescue dog, Fripp, is her constant companion, though he’s better at napping than editing. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her at the beach with her toes in the sand, dreaming about her next romance.
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