Review: Legend by Karina Halle

Legend by Karina Halle
Series: A Gothic Shade of Romance, Book 2
Publisher: Ace
Genre: Erotic Gothic LGBTQIA Romance 

ISBN: 9780593952368
Release Date: December 2, 2025
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo

Welcome back to Sleepy Hollow. Though Katrina Van Tassel, Ichabod Crane, and Brom Bones have begun to pull apart the bone-chilling mystery of the Headless Horseman, their journey is far from its end. As they share the enigmatic halls of Sleepy Hollow Institute, their lives become increasingly entangled. Amidst their exploration of dark desires, Kat grapples with the affections of two possessive men who hunger not just for her, but for each other.

As their passions deepen, unsettling secrets within the school's ancient coven come to light, threatening to unravel the very fabric of their existence. Each must face a profound test, with one harboring a hidden past that could shatter their newfound unity.

In a suspenseful tale of desire, obsession, and the ever-lurking shadows of Sleepy Hollow, these three souls will be pushed to the brink, facing the chilling consequences of their deepest secrets and darkest cravings.

Return to the dark and haunted world of the Sleepy Hollow Institute in Legend. Author Karina Halle brings her erotic reimagining of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow to a close as Kat, Crane, and Brom work to unmask the school’s secrets and find a way to break the curse of the Headless Horseman.

I absolutely loved the first book in this duology, Hollow. It’s eerie, imaginative, horrifying, and sexy all at once. Legend maintains those elements, but ups the steam sometimes at the expense of substance. I thoroughly enjoyed the conclusion of Kat, Crane, and Brom’s tale, but not quite as much as the beginning of their story. Kat and Crane remain as curious as ever, which I loved. I liked seeing them both work out the puzzles surrounding them, looking horror straight in the eye and moving forward anyway. Brom is the most mysterious of the lot, feeling somewhat inferior due to his lack of magic. Where Kat’s character was explored in the first book, here it’s Brom and Crane whose history, insecurities, and ghosts must be faced.

Where Hollow raised a lot of questions, Legend provides satisfactory answers. We learn the secrets of the school, of Crane and Brom’s pasts, and who or what the Headless Horseman is. Halle satisfactorily wraps up the story and I only wish we got to delve more into the history behind what happened. The majority of this book is focused on the heat and connection between Brom, Crane, and Kat. Sex, jealousy, rituals, and magic weave through every bit of their relationships, tangling them together sometimes not comfortably. I liked that everything wasn’t perfectly smooth with the three of them and wanted just a bit more of the emotional development between Brom and Crane. As with the mysteries and horror, the love stories and romance are satisfying at the end of the book but there’s so much possibility there that I could have read more to dive deeper.

While I can’t help but compare Legend to Hollow, that doesn’t mean I was let down by the book. I devoured it in one sitting, enjoying the unbridled heat between the three protagonists. The worldbuilding Halle did was so compelling that I – an avowed chicken when it comes to horror – could have spent a long time in it, unpacking all the secrets of the Institute. As it was, I finished this book hoping Halle continues the Gothic Shade of Romance series with the characters introduced in the epilogue. She has a talent for delivering dark and sensual reimaginings of gothic tales.



FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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Review: To Heist and to Hold by Christina Britton

To Heist and to Hold by Christina Britton
Series: Wimpole Street Widows Society, Book 1
Publisher: Forever
Genre: Historical Romance 

ISBN: 9781538769119
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo

A vigilante widow and a casino owner are both trying to bluff their way to a winning hand.

Heloise Marlowe has always forged her own path. As a former blacksmith and fencing instructor, she wasn’t just going to sit around knitting after her husband died. The Wimpole Street Widows Society, a secret group dedicated to balancing the scales of justice, was a much better fit for her skills. Her newest mission: seduce the owner of the club Dionysus and gain access to the den’s inner workings. She didn’t mind putting her body on the line, but she wasn’t prepared to gamble her heart.

Ethan Sinclaire has worked hard to clean up his club after the betrayal of his brother. But now, rumors are swirling that his club is just as crooked as before. He won’t let anyone destroy what he’s built, so when Heloise starts poking around, he decides to go all in, in hopes that she’ll show her hand. Enjoying her company is the easy part. Keeping himself from falling—that’s a whole different card game.

To Heist and to Hold is both sensual and surprisingly sweet. Christina Britton’s first entry into the Wimpole Street Widows Society series features a kind, strong, determined heroine and a hero whose stoic mask hides a vulnerable heart.

Heloise is a former blacksmith and a fencing instructor who was taken in by the Wimpole Street Widows Society after the death of her husband. Heloise has a hard time believing people will care about her for herself alone rather than what she can do for them, which makes her very relatable. She and her fellow widows help people in need and this time it’s her sister-in-law who needs assistance. The case takes Heloise into the world of Dionysus and she’s determined to seduce the owner in order to gain access to the back rooms of the club. But Ethan is nothing like she expected. Ethan has been hurt, betrayed, and has pulled himself out of the gutter to be a success. At first, he seems like a broodingly sexy hero but then Britton does the unexpected and shows him to be rather emotional. I loved it and it made the whole book hit differently. The romance starts with heat and desire but what builds is off of emotion. The characters don’t always react predictably because said emotions are in play and it gave the story so much heart which I just loved.

To Heist and to Hold is fast-paced and engaging with romance, intrigue, and memorable characters to make the book appealing. The hunt for who is behind the theft at Dionysus brings the action, but it’s the characters at the heart of it that truly drew me into the story. I adored Heloise and her fellow widows and cannot wait to learn more about them. The same goes for Ethan and his partners at Dionysus. Everyone is intriguing and it makes me impatient to read the next Wimpole Street Widows Society tale.



FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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Review: Hollow by Karina Halle

Hollow by Karina Halle
Series: A Gothic Shade of Romance, Book 1
Publisher: Ace
Genre: Erotic Gothic LGBTQIA Romance 

ISBN: 9780593952344
Release Date: October 7, 2025
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible

Kat Van Tassel's life was predestined from childhood; she was to marry her best friend, Brom Bones. But Brom vanished from Sleepy Hollow years ago, leaving Kat alone to enroll in Sleepy Hollow Institute, a shadowy university for advanced witchcraft run by her powerful family. And now she finds herself drawn to the school's enigmatic new teacher, Ichabod Crane, as he delves into dark magic.

When Brom returns, suffering from amnesia and a dark transformation, the trio must confront gruesome murders attributed to a vengeful spirit, The Headless Horseman, while navigating their tangled relationships.

As Kat, Ichabod, and Brom seek answers, their bonds deepen, and forbidden desires take hold. But Sleepy Hollow holds secrets more sinister than they imagined. The Headless Horseman lurks, threatening to claim them, while something even more terrifying looms in the shadows. Embark on a journey of dark mysteries, desire, and danger in the eerie heart of Sleepy Hollow.

Karina Halle’s reimagining of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is a mix of erotic tension, gothic romance, shades of horror, fantasy, domination, and mystery. That may sound like a lot but Halle blends it together beautifully in this sexy, captivating tale. It's been a long time since I devoured a book in one sitting – staying up way too late because I couldn’t stop reading – but Hollow is just that compelling.

The atmosphere of the Sleepy Hollow Institute is creepy and enthralling. Kat Van Tassel has hidden her magic most of her life but here she comes to learn, and quickly is pulled toward the new professor, Ichabod Crane. Kat has an open heart and a curious mind; Crane has dark secrets and a brain that loves nothing more than a mystery. Their chemistry is palpable and I liked watching the sexual tension bubble then boil over. And what of the third member of this trio? Brom Bones is a mystery even unto himself. He has blank spaces in his memory and at times he is not wholly himself. He doesn’t remember Crane but there’s something about the man that both draws and angers him. And Kat, his beloved best friend is now a woman who can no longer be solely his. All three of them are compelling protagonists; each has shared wants and desires that draw them together. But there are also secrets, especially for Crane and Brom, that are still to be unpacked and explored. I loved the beginning of their romance and cannot wait to see what Halle does in the second half of their story to build on the strong foundation she establishes here.

In Hollow, one mystery leads to another. The secrets of Sleepy Hollow are fascinating and the pieces Halle has put on the board are deliberate and I am sure will come together in the next book. I loved the worldbuilding, the creepiness (and this is coming from someone who does not do horror), and am desperate to learn more. I don’t want to say too much because I came into this book not knowing anything other than it was a dark and sexy retelling of a classic and the discovery of what lies behind the Institute’s gates was part of the thrill of the read.

Hollow is a perfect blend of eroticism and storytelling. I absolutely loved the magnetic pull between the three leads, the desire between all of them rich and transfixing. The story itself was atmospheric and engaging, each piece of the puzzle only making me want more. I cannot wait to see how it all ends in Legend!



FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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Review: To Kill a Badger by Shelly Laurenston

To Kill a Badger by Shelly Laurenston
Series: The Honey Badger Chronicles, Book 6
Publisher: Kensington
Genre: Paranormal Romance 

ISBN: 9781496730206
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible

Nelle Zhao is a social media maven who knows what matters. And the only thing that matters right now is survival. Not easy, though, when her honey badger teammates attract trouble the way she attracts attention. She didn’t know when it became her job to protect the ones she cares about from themselves, but even she has to admit…she’s really good at it. Too bad some people don’t appreciate when she’s being helpful. Especially Keane Malone, who doesn’t know how to accept a friendly paw. But Nelle excels at helping! And at ignoring other people’s irrational demands, such as doing it all alone. Keane, poor pretty kitty, doesn’t understand the kind of assistance a shit-starting honey badger like Nelle can truly offer…

Keane knows two things—he doesn’t like other people, and he is going to crush the de Medicis, an evil coalition of male lion shifters who are not only snatching innocent humans for fun and profit, but also killed his father. And for once, he may not be able to fight this fight alone, forcing him to let long-legged, jet-setting Nelle join the fight. And getting close to Nelle is suddenly bringing out his roar…

I come to Shelly Laurenston’s Honey Badger Chronicles expecting a lot of action, a lot of nonsense, more characters than I care to count, and a dash of delightful romance. Unfortunately, only three out of the four were present in To Kill a Badger. The book is billed as being Nelle and Keane’s story, which I was absolutely excited to read. The tiny bits of character that were doled out (few and far between) and the scraps of a love story were charming when they popped up on the page and I do wish there was more of that. They had great chemistry and their back-and-forth was really fun to read about. But Nelle and Keane, as charming as they are, are afterthoughts in their own story and nothing would have been missed by leaving them out of it entirely, which is not a good sign for a romance.

To Kill a Badger is a lot of action and a paper-thin plot that gets very repetitive and only really becomes important at the very end. Mostly, this story is about Charlie MacKilligan whose legacy becomes more mythic as the series goes on. I like Charlie a lot, but the baking and the third act action didn’t break new ground for the series. The other stars of the series are the “crones,” middle-aged badgers who are over-the-top and out-of-control. They are entertaining in small doses, but again, their antics took over way too much of the book.

I wanted to enjoy To Kill a Badger as much as I have the rest of the series, especially since I like Nelle and Keane so much, but this book just fell flat for me. The plot was a jumble that didn’t seem to matter very much and many times it felt like a rehash of past plots. Laurenston’s books are rarely boring, but this one I kept putting down. Yet while this book wasn’t for me, I will certainly pick up more Honey Badger books because as a whole I enjoy the series and the shenanigans the MacKilligans and their friends get into.



FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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Review: The Austen Affair by Madeline Bell

The Austen Affair by Madeline Bell
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Genre: Time Travel Romance 

ISBN: 9781250373519
Release Date: September 16, 2025
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible

Tess Bright just scored her dream role starring in an adaptation of Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey. It's not just the role of a lifetime, but it’s also her last chance to prove herself as a serious actress (no easy feat after being fired from her last TV gig) and more importantly, it’s her opportunity to honor her mom, who was the biggest fan of Jane Austen ever. But one thing is standing in Tess’s way—well, one very tall, annoyingly handsome person, actually: Hugh Balfour.

A serious British method actor, Hugh wants nothing to do with Tess (whose Teen Choice Awards somehow don’t quite compare to his BAFTA nominations). Hugh is a type-A, no-nonsense, Royal Academy prodigy, whereas Tess is big-hearted, a little reckless, and admittedly, kind of a mess. But the film needs chemistry—and Tess’s career depends on it.

Sparks fly, but not in the way Tess hoped, when an electrical accident sends the two feuding co-stars back in time to Jane Austen’s era. 200 years in the past with only each other to rely on, Tess and Hugh need to ad-lib their way through the Regency period in order to make it back home, and hopefully not screw up history along the way. But if a certain someone looks particularly dashing in those 19th century breeches…well, Tess won’t be complaining.

Tess Bright hasn’t been herself since the death of her mother. Her career is on the edge of failure and scoring the lead in an adaptation of Northanger Abbey is both her last chance at being taken seriously as an actress and a way to honor her Jane Austen-loving mother. There’s just one problem: her co-star, Hugh Balfour. Hugh is her opposite in every way. His acting pedigree is stellar, he’s organized where she’s chaotic, stiff where she’s sunshiny, and he cannot be more clear in his dislike of her. But when an accident on set sends them both back in time, Tess and Hugh will have to stick together in order to find a way back home. Can it be long before these two opposites attract?

The Austen Affair is an utter delight! Madeline Bell pays homage to Austen while not trying to recreate her work in this incredibly charming story.

Tess is an endearing heroine who is messy but truly kind. Bell does a really good job of depicting someone struggling with grief, which Tess most certainly is. Her mother was her best friend, her center, and Tess hasn’t really moved on. Getting tossed into the past is like having her Janeite mother with her, in a way. Tess grabbed my heart with her bright nature that not even grief can subdue. She’s spirited and charming and an utter delight to read about. As for Hugh…well he’s no Henry Tilney. The method actor is unyielding and judgmental when we first meet him. He’s Type A and kind of rude to Tess, but when they are sent back in time they have no choice but to join forces. The longer they are forced to play a role, the more Hugh opens up and he is completely endearing when he does. Hugh is struggling with the declining health of his father, the grief inevitably coming for him as much as it had for Tess. He also has anxiety, isn’t the best at expressing his emotions (for all that he’s a great actor) and is a case of still waters that run deep. I absolutely loved seeing him open up to Tess, thrilled as the two learned they could trust and lean on each other.

Though grief is a theme in The Austen Affair, the book overall feels light on its feat and the pages fly by. Between Hugh’s research and method acting and Tess’s love of Austen, the two manage to do fairly well in the nineteenth century. I enjoyed their adventures, the spirited exchanges, and the love that developed between Tess and Hugh. Normally I can take or leave a time travel romance, but in this case with both Tess and Hugh traveling together, it absolutely worked for me. I cannot wait to read more of Bell’s work because she really nailed it with The Austen Affair. The Austen references worked, the writing felt smooth, the pacing was on-point, and the romance was just lovely.



FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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Review: Ghost Business by Jen DeLuca

Ghost Business by Jen DeLuca
Series: Boneyard Key, Book 2
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Contemporary Romance with Paranormal Elements 

ISBN: 978-0593641231
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible

Boneyard Key, Florida, is the only home Sophie has ever known. Her love for its supernatural history has flourished into a career, as she guides the one and only ghost tour through the town’s can’t-miss haunted spots. And while her bank account isn’t full by any means, her heart is. Or at least, it was. But there's a newcomer in town. The son of a Fortune 500 businessman, former theater kid Tristan has grown his tours from a fraternity fundraiser to a multicity ghost tour conglomerate. It’s doing well, but not well enough—if he can’t prove that he’s solidly in the black by the fall, Dad’s going to pull his funding, spelling the end of his career. Boneyard Key, with its haunted reputation, seems like the perfect place to boost his bottom line.

When the two ghost tours clash, Sophie’s expletive-filled rant goes viral, and the rivals strike up a deal. Whoever has the most successful business by summer’s end stays, while the loser must ghost. But the more Tristan comes to appreciate Boneyard Key, the more Sophie comes to appreciate Tristan, and what starts as begrudging respect becomes something spicier. Can they put their feuding businesses aside to make room for a chance at love, or is Boneyard Key too small for two ghost tours?

Return to Jen DeLuca’s Boneyard Key, where if there’s a chill in the air it’s more likely a ghost than the Florida weather. Ghost Business features two rival ghost tours, one historically accurate, one theatrical, as they compete to see who’ll be the last girl or ghoul standing.

Sophie loves her home of Boneyard Key. She’s passionate about the history of her town and honors the dead on her tour. It’s not a living, but it’s her passion and she’s the only ghost tour in town…until Tristan shows up. The splashy guy with big theater kid energy has a host of haunted tours throughout the country and he’s got just a few months left to convince his CEO dad that he can make a killing running ghost tours. Who cares about true stories when you can provide entertainment? Boneyard Key is the perfect setting for Tristan, but it’s a splash of cold water when he finds out there’s another ghost tour in town. Tristan and Sophie inevitably clash and when their spat goes viral, they make a bet: whoever has the most ticket sales by the end of summer will get to keep their ghost tour going.

I really enjoyed the first Boneyard Key book, Haunted Ever After. I loved the human and spectral residents of Boneyard Key and was delighted to learn about both. The town and its residents are as charming as ever in this story, which definitely makes me hope DeLuca has more books planned. But the heart of the story is Tristan and Sophie’s romance. I liked Sophie for the most part and really wanted to see her succeed. Tristan took a little longer to grow on me, his privilege as much of a turn off as his charm was a turn on. He’s a good guy overall, but not the most interesting hero to read about. He and Sophie are good together, but they lack the spark of chemistry I was hoping for. Their love story just didn’t draw me in as much as I would hope. That being said, I was still entertained by the book overall because I liked all the characters and the setting. All in all, Ghost Business isn’t DeLuca’s strongest book, but it is fun and I am very much looking forward to future Boneyard Key books.



FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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Review: Framed in Death by J.D. Robb

Framed in Death by J.D. Robb
Series: In Death, Book 61
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Genre: Futuristic/Mystery/Suspense 

ISBN: 9781250370822
Release Date: September 2, 2025
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible
J.D. Robb Reading Order

Manhattan is filled with galleries and deep-pocketed collectors who can make an artist's career with a wave of a hand. But one man toils in obscurity, his brilliance unrecognized while lesser talents bask in the glory he believes should be his. Come tomorrow, he vows, the city will be buzzing about his work.

Indeed, before dawn, Lt. Eve Dallas is speeding toward the home of the two gallery owners whose doorway has been turned into a horrifying crime scene overnight. A lifeless young woman has been elaborately costumed and precisely posed to resemble the model of a long-ago Dutch master, and Dallas plunges into her investigation.

A mediocre artist with delusions of grandeur turns to murder to fuel his work in Framed in Death. Lieutenant Eve Dallas is on the hunt for a madman with wealth and ego, but all the money in the world can’t stop justice.

J.D. Robb’s In Death books generally fall into more case-centric stories and more personal/relationship-focused stories. Framed in Death is the former and luckily the case itself was interesting. The villain is despicable in so many ways, his narcissism and absolute lack of value for human life, indeed for anything other than himself, came alive on the page. I thoroughly enjoyed watching Eve, Peabody, and their associates pull together to track down the leads and stop the killer. When it’s a case-focused book such as this one, it’s tough to say much without spoiling the enjoyment of readers for the story so I’ll leave it at this mystery was entertaining from first page to last.

While the case is at the forefront of this book, Eve and company keep on living their lives as they work. Roarke may not be central to this case, but he’s there is a supporting role and his scenes with Eve are always engaging. Their ever-expanding circle of loved ones also play strong supporting roles and for those who have been following The Great House Project, there’s fun to be had there. All in all, Framed in Death is a solidly entertaining entry in the In Death series. Eve, Roarke, and their friends are always wonderful to spend time with, the mystery was engaging, and I finished this story a well-satisfied reader.



FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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