Review: No Ordinary Duchess by Elizabeth Hoyt

No Ordinary Duchess by Elizabeth Hoyt
Series: Greycourt, Book 3
Publisher: Forever
Genre: Historical Romance 

ISBN: 9781538763582
Release Date: December 10, 2024
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible
Elizabeth Hoyt Reading Order

Cold and brooding, Julian Greycourt, the heir to the Windemere dukedom, has always known that his uncle the duke was responsible for his mother’s death. Now he’s determined to exact revenge against his uncle—if he can find the proof. But Julian hides a secret so explosive it will destroy him if it’s ever revealed, and the duke is watching. The last thing he needs is a distractingly sensual woman whose very presence threatens to destroy his plans.

Sunny and cheerful, Lady Elspeth de Moray doesn’t know why her brother and Julian fell out all those years ago, but she can’t let the autocratic man get in the way of her mission: to retrieve an ancient family text that she believes is in one of the Windemere libraries. Locating the tome, however, proves trickier than she anticipated, and at each turn, she’s thrown together with the maddingly mysterious Julian. And the temptation to give in to her family’s greatest enemy grows stronger with each intriguing encounter…

It has been quite some time since I’ve had the chance to dive into an Elizabeth Hoyt novel, so from the first page with the fairytale beginning it was like greeting an old friend. No Ordinary Duchess is an engaging story that isn’t perfect but is entertaining nonetheless.

Julian Greycourt holds himself apart from everyone, even his siblings. Then Elspeth de Moray bursts into his life, making his walls crumble and his knees weak. Julian is searching for proof that will save his siblings from the machinations of his evil uncle. Elspeth is searching for an ancient diary she believes will help bring the Wise Women she grew up among back together. The diary is supposed to be at one of the Greycourt family libraries and getting to it may be harder than she first thought.

Julian and Elspeth are a grumpy/sunshine duo who are utterly charming. Julian is a secret submissive in the bedroom and is terrified of what would happen if knowledge got out. Elspeth cares not a whit for society’s opinion and she’s a perfect fit for Julian. Their romance is sensual and sweet and I enjoyed watching them fall in love.

Putting a rating on No Ordinary Duchess is hard for me. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, the characters, and Hoyt’s writing swept me away. That being said, this book is not without its flaws. The threats against Julian, Elspeth, and their loved ones are many but all dispatched with very little consequence, the climax of the story feeling weak in comparison to the setup. As with the first Greycourt book, the Wise Women plotlines feel underdeveloped. The ongoing mystery of who murdered Julian’s sister years ago continues to slowly unfold, though that’s to be expected as there are many Greycourt and de Moray siblings yet to find love.

No Ordinary Duchess is a flawed story, but for me, the characters and Hoyt’s writing make up for it. I absolutely enjoyed seeing Julian and Elspeth come into their own, claim what they wanted, and fall in love. I cannot wait to see where Elizabeth Hoyt takes the Greycourts and de Morays next!



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: Fortune’s Holiday Surprise by Jennifer Wilck

Fortune’s Holiday Surprise by Jennifer Wilck
Series: The Fortunes of Texas: Fortune’s Secret Children, Book 5
Publisher: Harlequin
Genre: Contemporary Romance 

ISBN: 9781335996763
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Harlequin

He’d lost the holiday spirit…

Until she brought light back into his life.

Rancher Arlo Fortune is devastated when he loses his best friend in a tragic accident. The only thing that heals him is opening his heart to his friend’s adorable daughter, Aviva…and his friend’s grieving sister-in-law, the brand-new guardian to the orphaned child. Carrie Kaplan has one mission: to lavish her niece with love in a Jewish home like her sister always wanted. Her stop in Chatelaine is only temporary. Right? But as she teaches Aviva about the miracle of Hanukkah, holiday magic might just beckon from Arlo’s ranch around the bend…

Fortune’s Holiday Surprise is a story of finding love after loss. Carrie and Arlo’s worlds have both been turned upside down. Carrie lost her sister and brother-in-law and now finds herself in a small Texas town, guardian to her niece. Her brother-in-law was Arlo’s best friend and he’s grieving for the man and still coming to terms with the death of his father and the secrets that man may have left behind. It sounds like a lot – and it is – but author Jennifer Wilck balances the sadness with sweetness and light.

Carrie is learning to be a mother and to find her footing in a world without her sister. Randi wanted Carrie to teach her daughter, Aviva, their traditions and the Jewish representation in Fortune’s Holiday Surprise is wonderful. Carrie’s family are Sephardic Jews and it was a delight to see the Sephardic-specific Hanukkah traditions and treats featured here. Carrie and Aviva also help Arlo re-find the spirit of Christmas and the family traditions the Fortunes enjoy, which was charming.

Arlo and Carrie’s romance is sweet, low on drama, and just plain charming. Grief and love for Aviva bring them together but the friendship then love story that develops out of it is lovely. Fortune’s Holiday Surprise is a delightful holiday treat celebrating love, family, and traditions old and new.



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 Mirror by Nora Roberts

The Mirror by Nora Roberts
Series: The Lost Bride Trilogy, Book 2
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Genre: Contemporary Romance with Paranormal Elements 

ISBN: 9781250288776
Release Date: November 19, 2024
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible

When Sonya MacTavish inherits the huge Victorian mansion on the coast of Maine, she has no idea that the house is haunted. The footsteps she hears at night, the doors slamming, the music playing, are not figments of her imagination. In her dreams she sees glimpses of the past. In the present she finds portraits of brides. And when she has visions of an antique mirror, she is drawn to it, sensing it holds dark family secrets.

Then one night the mirror appears and Sonya glides through this looking glass, into the past—and sees a bride murdered on her wedding day, the circle of gold torn from her finger. It is a scene that will play out again and again—a centuries-old curse that must be broken—and a puzzle she must solve if there is any hope of breaking the curse.

The stories of Lost Bride Manor’s inhabitants continue to unfold in The Mirror. Sonya, Trey, Cleo, and Owen live, love, and tease out the manor’s mysteries as they prepare to battle a supernatural evil. The Mirror is very much a bridge book, but Nora Roberts’s writing is so engaging that it’s easy to become lost in the tale.

After traveling through the mirror and seeing the death of another of the manor’s brides, Sonya is more determined than ever to stop Hester Dobbs. I enjoyed watching Sonya put the pieces together, to come to know the brides and those they love. It makes what’s at stake much more interesting when you learn the stories of the manor’s ghostly residents. Dobbs is as evil as ever, trying to thwart our heroes so she can continue her reign of hatred and sorrow. I liked that no matter how terrifying Dobbs is, Sonya, Trey, Cleo, Owen, and their assortment of animals don’t back down. They live their lives, the couples continue or start to fall in love, and they breathe life into the manor.

I loved the rich atmosphere and the various stories Roberts wove through this book. The story was engaging from beginning to end, no doubt. That being said, I sat with it for a few days after finishing reading, unsure of how to rate the story as a whole. I thoroughly enjoyed it because I liked the characters and Roberts’s writing. However, The Mirror is definitely part of a greater whole rather than an entire book on its own. Where the first Lost Bride tale, Inheritance, introduced the world and was satisfying in its own right (cliffhanger and all), this story is hampered slightly the fact that the overarching arc means our heroes can only gather pieces and prepare for the final battle. I cannot wait to see what Nora Roberts has in store for readers with the final Lost Bride book!



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: Love You a Latke by Amanda Elliot

Love You a Latke by Amanda Elliot
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Contemporary Romance 

ISBN: 9780593815830
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible

Love comes home for the challah-days in this sparkling romance.

Snow is falling, holiday lights are twinkling, and Abby Cohen is pissed. For one thing, her most annoying customer, Seth, has been coming into her café every morning with his sunshiny attitude, determined to break down her carefully constructed emotional walls. And, as the only Jew on the tourism board of her Vermont town, Abby's been charged with planning their fledgling Hanukkah festival. Unfortunately, the local vendors don’t understand that the story of Hanukkah cannot be told with light-up plastic figures from the Nativity scene, even if the Three Wise Men wear yarmulkes.

Desperate for support, Abby puts out a call for help online and discovers she was wrong about being the only Jew within a hundred miles. There's one other: Seth.

As it turns out, Seth’s parents have been badgering him to bring a Nice Jewish Girlfriend home to New York City for Hanukkah, and if Abby can survive his incessant, irritatingly handsome smiles, he’ll introduce her to all the vendors she needs to make the festival a success. But over latkes, doughnuts, and winter adventures in Manhattan, Abby begins to realize that her fake boyfriend and his family might just be igniting a flame in her own guarded heart.

Abby Cohen is grumpy and she has reason to be. As the only Jew on her small town’s tourism board, she’s been tasked with throwing a Hanukkah festival… in a few weeks, after Hanukkah, and maybe can it really be all about Christmas with some blue thrown in? Abby can’t say no, but she’s not about to let a Hanukkah festival become a Christmas festival in disguise so she turns to the only other Jew in the area for help: her most irritating customer, Seth Abrams. Seth is all-too-happy to help, but he needs something in return: a Nice Jewish Girl to bring home to his family for the holidays. Abby agrees to the bargain but of course, fake dating becomes something much more real as the two spend Hanukkah together in New York City.

Love You a Latke is an entertaining romance with a grumpy heroine, a sunshiny hero, and some lovely Hanukkah spirit. Abby is closed-off with walls that are miles high, covered in spikes…you get the picture. She grew up in an emotionally abusive household and hasn’t been able to open up as a result. When she left home, she also left the Jewish community and she feels the loss keenly. Going home with Seth brings that all back: the traditions, the sense of belonging, the history, and the joy. It was lovely to watch Abby get that part of herself back, to feel rooted in her community again. Seth is a sunshiny hero who has a problem with confrontation. I liked Seth, but I felt like we could have gone deeper into his character – I wanted a bit more from him. I absolutely adored his group of friends and how they absorbed Abby into their circle. As for the romance, it’s a foregone conclusion that Seth and Abby are going to fall in love. But while I absolutely enjoyed them together I did want a touch more to really take this book to the next level.

Amanda Elliot really brings the Hanukkah spirit to Love You a Latke and it’s one of my favorite things about this story. The Jewish representation is solid there were many things that delighted me throughout the story. It definitely made me want to brave the cold and celebrate Hanukkah in New York City.

There are a lot of things to enjoy about Love You a Latke. Abby’s journey is the heart of the book and it’s a road I liked travelling with her. Her romance with Seth may not have been as spectacular as I wanted, but it was still solid and Elliot didn’t inject any false drama to the story to detract from the happily ever after. All in all, this is a great read for anyone wanting a Hanukkah romance.



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: Make the Season Bright by Ashley Herring Blake

Make the Season Bright by Ashley Herring Blake
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Female/Female Contemporary Romance 

ISBN: 9780593550595
Release Date: October 1, 2024
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible

It's been five years since Charlotte Donovan was ditched at the altar by her ex-fiancée, and she’s doing more than okay. Sure, her single mother never checks in, but she has her strings ensemble, the Rosalind Quartet, and her life in New York is a dream come true. As the holidays draw near, her ensemble mate Sloane persuades Charlotte and the rest of the quartet to spend Christmas with her family in Colorado—it is much cozier and quieter than Manhattan, and it would guarantee more practice time for the quartet’s upcoming tour. But when Charlotte arrives, she discovers that Sloane’s sister Adele also brought a friend home—and that friend is none other than her ex, Brighton.

All Brighton Fairbrook wanted was to have the holliest, jolliest Christmas—and try to forget that her band kicked her out. But instead, she’s stuck pretending like she and her ex are strangers—which proves to be difficult when Sloane and Adele’s mom signs them all up for a series of Christmas dating events. Charlotte and Brighton are soon entrenched in horseback riding and cookie decorating, but Charlotte still won’t talk to her. Brighton can hardly blame her after what she did.

After a few days, however, things start to slip through. Memories. Music. The way they used to play together—Brighton on guitar, Charlotte on her violin—and it all feels painfully familiar. But it’s all in the past and nothing can melt the ice in their hearts…right?

Brighton Fairbrook and Charlotte Donovan were instant best friends at age twelve when Brighton moved in next door. From friends to lovers to fiancées, everything seemed to be going perfectly until their wedding day when Brighton left Charlotte at the altar. It’s been five years since then and the two haven’t spoken…until they find themselves going home with a friend for Christmas and discover themselves in the same place. The love, the spark, and the longing are all still there no matter how much Charlotte in particular tries to deny it. Is there a holiday miracle in the cards for two women who are so far apart yet so clearly made for each other?

Sometimes a book grabs your heartstrings from the first and doesn’t let go and that’s exactly what Make the Season Bright did for me. With Charlotte and Brighton’s story, Ashley Herring Blake has delivered a second chance romance that is bright, joyful, bittersweet, and just so lovely that I couldn’t put it down for a minute.

Charlotte and Brighton – Lola and Bright – endeared themselves to me from the very first. Charlotte is so achingly lonely that she broke my heart. She sees herself as forgettable and easy to leave and has put up walls to try and protect her fragile heart. She’s professionally incredibly successful but personally struggling. Brighton grew up with love, but she too is hurting. She’s at a crossroads, having lost her passion for music after her band dumped her. When the two of them meet again, it throws each off their stride. The love, the memories are strong and present even as they pretend not to know one another.

Brighton and Charlotte are both lovely, messy, flawed, and completely engaging heroines. They’ve made mistakes in their lives and with each other and continue to do so while they learn and grow. I loved their imperfections as much as their charms – it made them human and made me wish they were real so I could be friends with them. While Charlotte and Brighton have smoking chemistry everyone can see, that won’t solve anything (though it does make for some delicious tension). Love isn’t even enough to solve things and Herring Blake makes her heroines work for their happily ever after.

Make the Season Bright is about love, growth, letting down your walls and opening up in order to live a full life. It’s fun, sensual, joyfully queer, and sparkling with Christmas cheer. Quite simply, I loved this book. Charlotte, Brighton, and their friends all made me wonderfully happy and Herring Blake’s writing fully immersed me in their world. I cannot wait to enjoy Lola and Bright’s love story again and again and again.



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 Highlander’s Untamed Tempest by Heather McCollum

The Highlander’s Untamed Tempest by Heather McCollum
Series: The Brothers of Wolf Isle, Book 5
Publisher: Entangled: Scandalous 

Genre: Historical Romance
ISBN: 9781649371218
Release Date: September 30, 2024
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Entangled
Heather McCollum Reading Order

Eagan Macquarie doesn’t believe in love—nor does he want a wife. There is an entire world beyond Wolf Isle, and mo Dhia, he will seek it out. But the Macquarie curse will continue to haunt his family unless Eagan finds a suitable bride to break the hex once and for all. Now he must choose between a marriage he does not want or abandoning his family…until a comely stranger catches his eye.

Claudette Tempest Ainsworth—known as Tessa—is a learned French midwife who’s been waiting for her father to come fetch her from the harsh winds and sea of Scotland and return her to her beloved France. But with Eagan, she finds something unexpected: a flame of desire, hot and almost terrifying in its intensity. But even the brightest fires cannot sustain the inevitable distance that’s soon to follow…

Tessa seems to have bewitched them all. But when danger threatens Wolf Isle and the Macquaries, Eagan discovers that the love he never believed in might be his clan’s salvation…or its devastating downfall.

The youngest Macquarie brother will be the one to finally break the curse or doom his home forever in The Highlander’s Untamed Tempest. Heather McCollum brings her Brothers of Wolf Isle series to a close with Eagan Macquarie and Tessa Ainsworth, a mysterious woman with the power to change the course of the Macquarie clan.

Eagan loves his family but with everyone wanting him to fall in love and get married in order to break the curse, he’s chomping at the bit to leave. His bags are packed, he’s ready to set sail, and then he meets Tessa. The mysterious French beauty with a powerful voice is on Wolf Isle, waiting for her father to come back for her. Tessa is smart, talented, and a survivor, but she’s also deeply lonely. It’s lust at first sight for both her and Eagan and they have an easy chemistry that makes them an enjoyable couple to read about.

Tessa has no plans to stay on Wolf Isle and Eagan doesn’t want to be tied down, but the two of them can’t bear to be apart. The biggest obstacle in the romance is not just the two of them deciding if they want to stay on Wolf Isle and be together, but the dastardly French pirate Jandeau. The series’ main villain is back, as one would expect, and determined to destroy the Macquaries. How he plans to do so is not going to surprise readers, so really the tension is finding out how Tessa and the Macquaries will defeat him.

The Highlander’s Untamed Tempest is an entertaining romance with strong protagonists who know what they want and aren’t ashamed to go after it. I was rooting for Tessa and Eagan every step of the way and the result was a satisfying end to the Brothers of Wolf Isle series.



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: It Takes a Rake by Anna Bennett

It Takes a Rake by Anna Bennett
Series: Rogues to Lovers, Book 3
Publisher: St. Martin’s Paperbacks
Genre: Historical Romance 

ISBN: 9781250793959
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible

She’s about to face her biggest challenge yet…
Since she was a girl, Miss Kitty Beckett has been adept at finding trouble: sneaking brandy, running away, and getting under the skin of the boy who, like her, was an apprentice to an architect. Now Kitty’s a talented heiress who can take a dry building plan and breathe life into it with her pencils and paints. Also? She can spot a rake at a hundred yards—and she won’t be tricked or charmed into marriage. Certainly not by a man who might interfere with her dreams. When Bellehaven Bay announces its first ever architectural design contest, she vows to win—with a little help from her childhood rival.

Turning her buttoned-up nemesis into a certified rake.
Leo Lockland, a hardworking architect with a gift for numbers, has returned home after a few years in London, and he has secrets. The biggest? He’s been in love with Kitty since they were both apprentices. She refuses to give her heart to any man, but Leo’s determined to beat the odds—even if it means learning how to be a rake. Fortunately, Kitty’s willing to tutor him in the nuances of fashion, flirtation, and seduction in exchange for his help with the contest. But the whole plan would fall apart if she knew how he felt, so he’ll have to be very convincing.

Let the lessons begin…
Leo proves to be a surprisingly quick study in the ballroom, on the beach, and in the bedchamber. Before long, he’s softening Kitty’s hard edges with his wicked words and kissing his way past all her defenses. Perhaps she’s a bit too skilled at teaching, because her lessons are threatening to backfire, putting her closely guarded heart in grave danger…

Anna Bennett brings her Rogue to Lovers trilogy to a close with It Takes a Rake. The youngest of the Bellehaven Belles takes center stage in this friends/rivals-to-lovers romance.

Kitty Beckett wants two things: to become a successful architect and to find a partner who she will never be in danger of falling in love with. Kitty has severe abandonment issues and with her closest friends seeming to be moving along in life without her, she is determined to put her career first and never be hurt by a husband who could leave her. Then her old nemesis comes back into town and threatens to make Kitty examine what she truly wants out of life.

Leo Lockland has been away from Bellehaven Bay for four years but one thing that hasn’t changed is how much he yearns for Kitty. Now he’s back and the two of them are teamed up for an architectural design competition. He'll help Kitty with her calculations and in exchange, she will help him win the “mystery woman” who has his heart. Leo knows it’s a risk that may backfire when Kitty learns it is she he’s in love with, but it’s a risk he has to take. He’ll let him turn her into a rake if that’s what’s necessary to win her over.

Leo is an absolutely endearing hero. He’s so sweet and kind and I loved that he wasn’t a dashing rogue at heart. I can’t imagine anyone wanting to change him and worried Kitty’s attempts to alter a perfectly delightful man into a rake would take away from what made him such an appealing hero. What happens I’ll leave readers to discover but suffice it to say that Kitty’s lessons make her look at her old friend and competitor in a way she rarely allowed herself to do in the past.

Kitty was a bit harder for me to connect to, mostly because she was intent on keeping her walls up high. I liked watching her lower them, however, but Leo has his work cut out in order to get her to trust him. Their romance is slow to start because both of them are holding something back, but Bennett makes things work out in an organic manner, resulting in a satisfying happily ever after.

Though It Takes a Rake is the third book in the Rogues to Lovers series, it can easily be read as a standalone. I liked seeing where Poppy, Keane, Hazel, and Blade are now, and how they come together to support Kitty, but it wasn’t necessary to enjoy Leo and Kitty’s story. All in all, this was a sweet romance that had some bumps in the road to an ending that was quite 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: Hers for the Weekend by Helena Greer

Hers for the Weekend by Helena Greer
Series: Carrigan’s Christmasland, Book 3
Publisher: Forever
Genre: Female/Female Contemporary Romance 

ISBN: 9781538768686
Release Date: August 27, 2024
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible

No-nonsense Tara Sloane Chadwick is practically perfect. An impeccably mannered Southern belle, she’s the youngest to make partner at her law firm and still friends with all her exes. However, when the woman behind her most humiliating breakup invites Tara to her wedding, Tara panics at the thought of showing up alone and impulsively declares she’s bringing her very serious girlfriend.

One issue: Tara is seriously single.

Waitress and wild child Holly Siobhan Delaney may be lusting over Tara—but Tara only dates women she can marry, and Holly’s sworn off relationships. So when Tara needs a fake girlfriend, Holly’s eager to propose a no-strings, temporary fling. Only sharing secrets and steamy kisses show Holly the caring woman beneath Tara’s picture-perfect exterior, tempting Holly to break her own rules. Can these two opposites trust their feelings enough to try for forever—or will their relationship go down in flames?

Fake dating leads to much more than a real relationship in Hers for the Weekend. Helena Greer wraps up her Carrigan’s Christmasland trilogy with Tara, the Southern debutante lawyer/ex-fiancée of Miriam Bloom, and Holly, a waitress and baker with wanderlust in her veins.

I absolutely loved Tara. She’s an ice queen on the outside and wields her Southern charm like a whip, using her power and connections to do as much good as possible even though it’s slowly breaking her down. Inside, Tara is lonely, vulnerable, and doesn’t believe anyone could truly love and care about her. When she goes to Carrigan’s for her ex-fiancée’s wedding, Tara is immediately enveloped by people who it’s easy for readers to see care about her. I really loved watching Tara realize her value, that she doesn’t have to be needed to be wanted. It was a delight to see Tara come into her own over the course of the story.

Holly is the catalyst for that change. She sees Tara for who she truly is and appreciates the woman as a whole, even though she would never want to put up with the life Tara leads (and would require any wife of hers to navigate as well). Holly is sassy and sweet, easy to like and has great chemistry with Tara. But Holly has issues of her own that she’s never addressed and those are obstacles she will have to overcome as well.

Holly and Tara have fantastic chemistry and the sexual tension is delicious between them. It’s a bit disappointing with all the buildup to have things fade to black, but oh well. I really enjoyed watching Holly and Tara fall for each other. Their relationship grows in small moments and large as the two team up during the wedding festivities at Carrigan’s. And speaking of the winter wonderland of a locale, the Carrigan’s crew is heavily involved in this story. You don’t have to have read Season of Love or For Never and Always in order to follow along, but it does add to the world. Everyone adds to the story, especially when it comes to Tara’s personal journey.

Hers for the Weekend is fun and has some large personalities, but Greer doesn’t let those characters pull focus from Tara and Holly. I really enjoyed this romance and watching Tara and Holly learn that they could build a life that is what they want rather than what they think they should do to run for or make amends for the past. Tara in particular spoke to me and was a stand-out character. All in all, I found Hers for the Weekend to be a heartwarming read with a joyful queer romance and an abundance of welcoming characters.



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: Magical Meet Cute by Jean Meltzer

Magical Meet Cute by Jean Meltzer
Publisher: MIRA
Genre: Contemporary Romance/Magical Realism 

ISBN: 9780778334415
Release Date: August 27, 2024
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible

Is he the real deal…or did she truly summon a golem?

Faye Kaplan used to be engaged. She also used to have a successful legal practice. But she much prefers her new life as a potter in Woodstock, New York. The only thing missing is the perfect guy.

Not that she needs one. She’s definitely happy alone.

That is, until she finds her town papered with anti-Semitic flyers after yet another failed singles event at the synagogue. Desperate for comfort, Faye drunkenly turns to the only thing guaranteed to soothe her—pottery. A golem protector is just what her town needs…and adding all the little details to make him her ideal man can’t hurt, right?

When a seriously hot stranger mysteriously turns up the next day, Greg seems too good to be true—if you ignore the fact that Faye hit him with her bike. And that he subsequently lost his memory…

But otherwise, the man checks Every. Single. Box. Causing Faye to wonder if Greg’s sudden and spicy appearance might be anything but a coincidence.

After an antisemitic attack in her neighborhood, ceramicist Faye Kaplan is shaken. Having found her connection to her faith through magic, Faye is a practicing Jewitch. On a drunken night after the attack, Faye crafts a golem to protect her…one that happens to have all the qualities of her dream man inscribed on it. The next day, she accidentally runs into a guy with her bike. The man hits his head and awakens in the hospital with no memory. What’s a girl to do but take him home and help him recover? Greg turns out to be a great houseguest; he’s protective, funny, intelligent, kind, enjoys Scrabble…all the things Faye inscribed on her golem. Could it be coincidence or is magic at play?

Magical Meet Cute is a mix of fluffy magical romcom and serious, realistic trauma. It sounds like it shouldn’t work, but Jean Meltzer balances things fairly well, though for me – someone who actually enjoys fluff more as a rule – the heavier topics were more interesting.

Faye is a trauma survivor. She came from an abusive household and though she’s caring and loving, she has high walls to protect herself. She lives with a disability that is a constant reminder of what she survived, and the disability rep is well done. With the rise in antisemitism her trauma response is triggered, and Meltzer handles this heavy topic very well. I really connected with this part of the story, of the small and large ways antisemitism affects people. It’s not something you see in romances and generally not something covered in-depth and I really appreciated the time and care Meltzer took with this topic.

Magical Meet Cute is also a romcom with a quirky dog, nosy friends, and hijinks. For the most part the blend of the heavier and lighter moments work, though I will say that the book isn’t quite as light as the cover and blurb make it out to be. I enjoyed the mystery of whether Greg was a man or a golem, but I do wish it had been resolved a bit earlier to give the romance more time to breathe and develop. The rom of the romcom could have used a bit more work because the chemistry wasn’t as strong as I would have liked. Greg was a wonderful hero, protective and caring to the max. Faye was an interesting heroine, complex and skilled both as a ceramicist and Jewitch. But she also has a few traditional romcom heroine quirks to her that didn’t always work for me.

I struggle with rating Magical Meet Cute because I was so-so on the romance. However, the parts of the book that work really work. The Jewish, Jewitch, and disability representation are solid and the examination of antisemitic attacks through the eyes of the victims really meant something to me. There’s emotional honesty in these plotlines that really stand out and make me recommend this story.



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: Passions in Death by J.D. Robb

Passions in Death by J.D. Robb
Series: In Death, Book 59
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Genre: Futuristic/Mystery/Suspense 

ISBN: 9781250289568
Release Date: September 3, 2024
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible
J.D. Robb Reading Order

On a hot August night, Lt. Eve Dallas and her husband, Roarke, speed through the streets of Manhattan to the Down and Dirty club, where a joyful, boisterous pre-wedding girls’ night out has turned into a murder scene. One of the brides lies in a pool of blood, garroted in a private room where she was preparing a surprise for her fiancée—two scrimped and saved-for tickets to Hawaii.

Despite the dozens of people present, useful witnesses are hard to come by. It all brings back some bad memories for Eve who once suffered an assault in the very same room—but she’d been able to fight back and survive. She’d gotten justice. And now she needs to provide some for poor young Erin.

Eve knows that the level of violence and the apparent premeditation involved suggest a volatile mix of hidden, heated passion and ice-cold calculation. This is a crime that can be countered only by hard detective work and relentless dedication—and Eve will not stop until she finds the killer who destroyed this couple’s dreams before the honeymoon even began…

A bachelorette party at the Down and Dirty turns from a rowdy night out to a horrible tragedy when one of the brides is murdered. Everybody loved Erin and her fiancée – they have a tight circle of friends and no one can imagine who would do this. But someone in their inner circle did. Lieutenant Eve Dallas doesn’t know Erin Albright, but she will come to as she stands for her and finds the killer in Passions in Death.

Within the more case-centric In Death stories, there are two kinds of tales: one where it’s a race against time and others like this one that have a more measured pace. This story is the latter and it’s a nice breather to the more tense installments while also being a compelling story on its own. The crime Eve, Peabody, and company are trying to solve is engaging because the victim at the heart of it seems so likeable, was on the verge of a joyous occasion, and as Eve notes, it was a crime that was committed not just of passion but of a meanness, a pettiness that adds its own flavor of cruelty. I liked watching Eve and Peabody do the legwork, consult others and work the case. I especially liked that Eve was torn between suspects and her reasoning kept me switching back and forth as well.

At fifty-nine full-length books into the series, Eve and Roarke are fairly settled into their marriage but that doesn’t mean things are less interesting. I love watching them grow together and this case puts them in a more reflective mode over marriage and partnership. J.D. Robb doesn’t bring us any dramatic highs or lows in this story and that’s just fine by me. The longer I sit with it the more I like this story.

Most of the In Death books can be read on their own, but I will warn that if you don’t like spoilers then you should be up-to-date before starting Passions in Death as past cases (and whodunit) are mentioned. I admit, being a longtime fan is also why I so enjoyed the quieter character moments, the bonds of love and friendship weaving throughout the background of this story. It’s not just Eve and Roarke who continue to grow, it’s their circle as well. Any time spent in the world Robb has created is a delight and this trip was no exception.



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: Elizabeth of East Hampton by Audrey Bellezza and Emily Harding

Elizabeth of East Hampton by Audrey Bellezza and Emily Harding
Series: For the Love of Austen, Book 2
Publisher: Gallery Books
Genre: Contemporary Romance 

ISBN: 9781668052556
Release Date: August 6, 2024
Source: Publisher
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It’s a truth universally acknowledged—well, by Elizabeth Bennet anyway—that there’s nothing worse than summer in the Hamptons. She should know: she’s lived out there her whole life. Every June, her hometown on the edge of Long Island is inundated with rich Manhattanites who party until dawn and then disappear by September. And after twenty-five years, Lizzy wants to leave, too.

But after putting her own dreams on hold to help save her family’s failing bakery, she’s still surfing the same beach every morning and waiting for something, anything, to change. She’s not holding her breath though, not even when her sister starts flirting with the hot new bachelor in town, Charlie Pierce, and he introduces Lizzy to his even hotter friend.

Will Darcy is everything Lizzy Bennet is not. Aloof, arrogant…and rich. Of course, he’s never cared about money. In fact, it’s number one on his long list of things that irk him. Number two? His friend Charlie’s insistence on setting him up with his new girlfriend’s sharp-tongued sister. Lizzy Bennet is all wrong for him, from her money-hungry family to her uncanny ability to speak to him as bluntly as he does everyone else. But then maybe that’s why he can’t stop thinking about her.

Lizzy is sure Will hates everybody. He thinks she willfully misunderstands them. Yet, just as they strike an uneasy truce, mistakes threaten Charlie and Jane’s romance, with Will and Lizzy caught in the undertow. Between a hurricane and a hypocritical aunt, a drunken voicemail and a deceptive party promoter, the two must sift through the gossip and lies to protect the happiness of everyone they love—even if it means sacrificing their own. But when the truth also forces them to see each other in an entirely new light, they must swallow their pride to learn that love is a lot like surfing: sometimes the only way to survive is to let yourself fall.

I love a good Pride and Prejudice adaptation and Audrey Bellezza and Emily Harding are truly wonderful at taking Austen’s classics and putting their own spin on them. Elizabeth of East Hampton is a fresh and fun take on Elizabeth and Darcy’s story.

Lizzy Bennet is at a crossroads in her life. She put her plan for a master’s at Columbia on hold after her father’s stroke and spends her days surfing then running the family bakery. She also tries to manage the many strong personalities in her household. Then Manhattanite Charlie Pierce shows up and dazzles Lizzy’s sister, Jane. Unfortunately, Charlie also brings his stuck-up friend, Will Darcy, with him. Will is snobby, rude, and someone she could never get along with…or is he?

If you’re familiar with Pride and Prejudice then you’ll know the rhythm coming as Lizzy and readers come to see the real Darcy who is so much different than what Lizzy first thinks of him. Will is an utterly endearing hero; he’s kind, protective, and a bit vulnerable. He’s a fantastic update of a timeless, dreamy hero. Lizzy I had a harder time connecting to than I do with her Austen counterpart and I can’t quite put my finger on why, only that I felt something was slightly missing from her. Because of this, the first half of Elizabeth of East Hampton was a bit slow for me and I didn’t truly start connecting with the story until Lizzy started letting her walls down. Once she did, I was all in.

One of the strengths of Bellezza and Harding’s storytelling is they follow the spirit and plot points of Austen’s classics but make them fully their own, changing details that make the story unique while never losing the essence of the characters. I loved what they did with the supporting cast in particular, how they changed and evolved characters like Mary, Kitty, and Lydia. It added a richness to the story I didn’t expect but absolutely loved. And if you enjoyed the first For the Love of Austen novel, you’ll surely delight in seeing George and Emma again. Their relationship with Will is not just a treat for fans but also works in the larger story, filling in the gaps of Colonel Fitzwilliam and Georgiana at times. But even if you haven’t read Emma of 83rd Street or the original Pride and Prejudice you can still enjoy this book on its own.

Elizabeth of East Hampton had its ups and downs for me in the beginning of the story but by the end I was completely enthralled. I love Bellezza and Harding’s writing and the way they retell Austen’s classics absolutely thrills me. I hope they have been persuaded to continue this series, especially since they’ve introduced a Freddie Wentworth who’s practically begging for an Anne Elliot.



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: Haunted Ever After by Jen DeLuca

Haunted Ever After by Jen DeLuca
Series: Boneyard Key, Book 1
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Contemporary Romance with Paranormal Elements 

ISBN: 9780593641217
Release Date: August 13, 2024
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible

Small Florida coastal towns often find themselves scrambling for the tourism dollars that the Orlando theme parks leave behind. And within the town limits of Boneyard Key, the residents decided long ago to lean into its ghostliness. Nick Royer, owner of the Hallowed Grounds coffee shop, embraces the ghost tourism that keeps the local economy afloat, as well as his spectral roommate. At least he doesn’t have to run air-conditioning.

Cassie Rutherford possibly overreacted to all her friends getting married and having kids by leaving Orlando and buying a flipped historic cottage in Boneyard Key. Though there’s something unusual with her new home (her laptop won’t charge in any outlets, and the poetry magnets on her fridge definitely didn’t read “WRONG” and “MY HOUSE” when she put them up), she’s charmed by the colorful history surrounding her. And she's catching a certain vibe from the grumpy coffee shop owner whenever he slips her a free slice of banana bread along with her coffee order.

As Nick takes her on a ghost tour, sharing town gossip that tourists don't get to hear, and they spend nights side-by-side looking into the former owners of her haunted cottage, their connection solidifies into something very real and enticing. But Cassie's worried she’s in too deep with this whole (haunted) home ownership thing…and Nick's afraid to get too close in case Cassie gets scared away for good.

Author Jen DeLuca leaves the Ren Faire circuit behind for a small, specter-filled town in Haunted Ever After. Nick and Cassie’s story is sweet, fun, and absolutely charming.

When Cassie uprooted her life and moved from Orlando to the small coastal town of Boneyard Key, she expected some changes…but none quite so dramatic as the ghost in her house. Nick has lived in Boneyard Key all his life and is very aware that ghosts are more than something used to get tourists’ money. So when Cassie bursts into his coffee shop, Hallowed Grounds, for a latte and a power source, the idea that a ghost may be tinkering with her electricity doesn’t faze him. It's Cassie that knocks him off his feet and for Nick, who hasn’t had a real relationship in a long time, that’s saying something.

Cassie and Nick are both charming, likeable characters. Cassie is at a crossroads in her life and she’s taking things in a new direction when she moves to Boneyard Key. I liked watching her find her place in the town and among the ghosts. It was fun learning about the supernatural residents of Boneyard Key; as much fun as it was meeting the living breathing residents of the town. Nick, in turn, is a sweetheart of a hero. He’s kind, a little vulnerable, and like Cassie is easy to be charmed by. Their romance is a slow burn one that is delightful. DeLuca saves the majority of the high drama for the ghosts, but what happens there I’ll leave readers to discover on their own.

Haunted Ever After is the first book in the Boneyard Key series and it’s an entertaining start. I loved the town DeLuca built and the supporting cast definitely has me looking forward to more haunt-filled love stories.



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: Primal Mirror by Nalini Singh

Primal Mirror by Nalini Singh
Series: Psy-Changeling Trinity, Book 8
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Paranormal Romance 

ISBN: 9780593440735
Release Date: July 23, 2024
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible
Nalini Singh Reading Order

Daughter of two ruthless high-Gradient telepaths, Auden Scott is not the child her Psy parents wanted or expected, even before her brain injury. Her thoughts are scattered, her memories fuzzy—or just terrifyingly blank. The only thing she knows for certain is that she must protect her unborn baby…a baby she has no recollection of conceiving and who draws an unnerving depth of interest from her dead mother’s closest associates.

Leopard alpha Remi Denier is a man driven by the primal instinct to protect. Protect his pack, protect his allies…and protect the mysterious woman who has become a most unlikely neighbor. With eerie eyes that see too much and a scent that alters in ways disturbing and impossible, Auden Scott is the enemy…but nothing about this strange Psy is what it seems, and Remi’s feline heart is as fascinated by her as his human half.

Then Auden asks Remi to help her shatter the wall of secrets that is the Scott bloodline. What they unearth will reveal a nightmare beyond imagination. This time, the battle is to the death…

Primal Mirror is a story of survival and of love conquering evil. Auden Scott is the daughter of two former Psy Counselors, but her abilities weren’t the telepathic kind her parents wanted. She has survived her parents, but didn’t come out of it unscathed; something was done to her brain that causes blank spots and times where it feels like she’s not entirely herself. She is also pregnant and desperate to save her baby from whatever plans her mother had set in motion before her death.

RainFire alpha Remi Denier doesn’t quite know what to make of his new neighbor. The first time he meets her she’s eerily blank, then next time a heavily pregnant woman ready to fight for her unborn child. Remi is a protector at heart and he and his pack will do anything, risk anything to help Auden and her child. But Remi’s drawn to Auden on another, far more personal level. What will happen to the two of them as her mother’s plans are uncovered? And how can they fight an threat that is taking place inside Auden’s mind?

Remi is a hero who is easy to fall for. He’s kind, protective, and has worked hard to make his new pack strong and whole. Auden is more complex. Her brain injuries and what was done to her make her unpredictable. Primal Mirror is a bit slow to start because Auden isn’t always herself. The mystery of what was done to her and why unravels over the course of the story and I was rooting for Auden to beat the odds and destroy the evil plan her mother put in place. Remi and Auden are characters whose core is love – they will fight for those they love until their last breath. They make a great couple but their love story is understandably slow to build, given Auden’s mental state.

Primal Mirror isn’t just about Auden and RainFire’s survival. It’s about the survival of the whole Psy race. The PsyNet is continuing to fail and it’s incredibly tense throughout the story as characters we’ve come to love over the course of the series struggle to save as many people as possible. It’s doomsday time for the Psy and there’s a pall cast over the story by the imminent threat of millions of lives lost. How things work out and what the future looks like, I won’t spoil, but I am curious to see how Nalini Singh continues things for the Psy race.

Primal Mirror is the eighth book in the Psy-Changeling Trinity series and while you don’t have to have read all the books to enjoy Remi and Auden’s story, you definitely need to be familiar with the world to follow what’s happening in the overarching storyline of the Psy. In Primal Mirror, Singh continues to weave an intricate web of characters, connections, and powers that is utterly absorbing. I adored Remi and Auden and I’m very much looking forward to seeing where Singh takes the Psy-Changeling world next.



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 Highlander’s Wild Flame by Heather McCollum

The Highlander’s Wild Flame by Heather McCollum
Series: The Brotherhood of Solway Moss, Book 1
Publisher: Entangled: Amara
Genre: Historical Romance 

ISBN: 9781649376541
Release Date: July 23, 2024
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Entangled
Heather McCollum Reading Order

Fearsome Highland warrior Rory MacLeod has sacrificed for his clan. But taken as prisoner―in place of his older brother, who’s meant to be laird―is more than any man should bear. So when the chance for escape presents itself, Rory risks everything for freedom. But instead of returning to the welcoming warmth of home, Rory steps into a blazing trap…

Despite her betrothal to their laird, Lady Sara Macdonald has no love for the MacLeod clan. But when her treacherous father locks the entire MacLeod wedding party into the church and sets fire to it, she cannot stand by and watch the slaughter. Saving them means turning traitor to her clan and becoming an enemy to her own blood…left to the mercy of her greatest enemy.

Now her intended husband lies somewhere between life and death, and Sara’s only ally is his younger brother: the fierce MacLeod warrior she’s forbidden to want. And as hunger blazes to life between Rory and Sara―unbidden, untamed, and hotter than the fires of Beltane―they quickly find themselves caught between honor and a love that will turn blood against blood.

Rory MacLeod knows all about betrayal. Trapped in an English prison he had to unite with three other warriors from rival clans to escape. After he returns home to heal, he catches sight of the enemy’s daughter, who happens to be intended for his brother. Sara Macdonald isn’t anyone Rory should want, but he’s drawn to her like a moth to flame. Then on her wedding day Sara’s father sets the church on fire, trapping the MacLeods inside. Only Sara’s quick actions save them, but leave her unable to return home and untrusted by the clan she’s at the mercy of. Now Rory will have to decide what to do as threats abound and he begins to fall for a woman he doesn’t know if he can trust.

Heather McCollum kicks off her Brotherhood of Solway Moss series with a forbidden romance that’s easy to fall into. Rory and Sara are both survivors; Sara from an abusive family and Rory from a horrid upbringing and an even worse time imprisoned in England. They know loyalty from one’s family isn’t ever assured but they’re still torn between wanting to protect their clans and the call to do what they know is truly right.

Rory is a strong Highland warrior who leads with skill. He’s got trust issues, that’s for sure, and it makes him unsure whether he can follow his gut and believe in Sara. Sara is independent and fierce in her own way, as equally protective as Rory. When she’s taken prisoner by the MacLeods (even after having helped them escape) she has to stay on her toes to survive. While Rory would protect her, his elder brother is as nasty and brutal as Sara’s treacherous father. Both Sara and Rory have their work cut out for them if they hope to achieve peace between the two clans.

At the heart of The Highlander’s Wild Flame is the romance between Sara and Rory. I liked them together and thought they had good chemistry. Rory makes mistakes due to his aforementioned trust issues, but overall they are a solidly entertaining couple. They are both kind, compassionate, and willing to fight for what’s right. I was rooting for them every step of the way even as I was unsure of how McCollum would make things work out with constant treachery afoot.

The Highlander’s Wild Flame is the start of a series that features four men who were imprisoned together after Soloway Moss. While only one other of the men (Sara’s brother) played a supporting role in this book, I’m very much looking forward to seeing how things come together over the course of the series. All in all I really enjoyed Sara and Rory’s romance. It’s sensual, sweet, and both Sara and Rory work to earn their happily ever after.



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: Hot Earl Summer by Erica Ridley

Hot Earl Summer by Erica Ridley
Series: The Wild Wynchesters, Book 4
Publisher: Forever
Genre: Historical Romance 

ISBN: 9781538726150
Release Date: August 6, 2024
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo

Bold, curvy Elizabeth Wynchester loves cuddling hedgehogs almost as much as she adores vanquishing villains with the sharp blade concealed inside her cane. Despite others’ opinions about her body and gender, nothing will stop her from seeing justice done. When her next mission drops her at the dastardly Earl of Densmore’s castle, she’s prepared to duel like gentlemen—only to be locked inside! Her trusty sword cannot defeat the castle’s hidden traps… or protect her heart from the devilishly handsome rogue guarding the keep.

When reclusive inventor Stephen Lenox agreed to impersonate his cousin for a few days, he didn’t expect the earl to vanish altogether. Nor could Stephen predict mounting death threats… or the arrival of a beguiling, blade-wielding spinster who declares herself his new bodyguard. As the earl’s enemies lay siege to the castle, Stephen fights his way past Elizabeth’s defenses. She’ll share his bed, but when the adventure concludes, she vows to sever their affair. Unless he can somehow convince a swashbuckling siren to surrender her heart…

Elizabeth Wynchester – aka Beth the Berserker – meets a most unexpected match in Hot Earl Summer. The most brash and impulsive of the Wynchester siblings always hoped to find love with a dashing warrior but it’s a brilliant tinker with unexpectedly delicious ab muscles who claims her heart.

Elizabeth swings her sword first and asks questions later. When she’s sent on a mission to find a will and prevent a villain from taking over a castle meant to be an orphanage, she’s ready to battle her way to victory. But the Earl of Densmore she comes to demand aid from is actually the man’s cousin, inventor Stephen Lenox. Stephen’s cousin had asked him to impersonate him for a few days but instead he finds himself trapped for months, fending off the enemy with clever traps. When Elizabeth arrives and decides to be his bodyguard, Stephen can’t help but fall for the beautiful warrior.

Over the course of the series I admit Elizabeth has been my least favorite Wynchester; she was just a bit too over the top for me. Erica Ridley changed my opinion on Elizabeth in this book – I loved seeing beneath the surface to what made Elizabeth tick. She’s bold and likes to charge headfirst into battle, yes. But there’s much more to her than “Beth the Berserker.” Ridley does a solid job of creating a heroine with chronic pain and a disability that can knock even the strongest warrior down. Elizabeth is a warrior at all times and I liked that she set boundaries and acknowledged what she needed, taking the time to rest and recover. Elizabeth isn’t perfect and she does make mistakes, but it makes her an interesting heroine. Stephen is a recluse more at home among his extravagant inventions than people, but he’s swept off his feet by Elizabeth. I loved how sweet and kind he is and how he practically swoons over how brave and strong Elizabeth is. The two of them have a lovely dynamic that’s fun, sweet, and sensual.

It wouldn’t be a Wild Wynchesters story without the entire family but I liked that Ridley kept the focus on Elizabeth and Stephen. The Wynchesters all play a part, never fear, and their unique talents along with how they all come together plays a part in Hot Earl Summer. You don’t have to have read the previous four books in order to enjoy this one, but it’s fun to check in with past protagonists. All in all, Hot Earl Summer is a charming romp with bold and clever characters, a very dramatic villain who must be defeated, and a sweet happily ever after.



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: Viscount in Love by Eloisa James

Viscount in Love by Eloisa James
Series: Accidental Brides, Book 1
Publisher: Avon
Genre: Historical Romance 

ISBN: 9780063347410
Release Date: July 23, 2024
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible
Eloisa James Reading Order

He wants a nanny, not a bride…

Suddenly guardian to twins, Viscount Dominic Kelbourne is luckily betrothed to a suitable lady—until she elopes. With no time to woo, Dominic decides to marry his fiancée’s unconventional sister. Torie isn’t perfect, but their kisses are so passionate that society thinks he’s actually chosen her.

She wants to marry for love…

Torie has never been able to make sense of words on a page, so she has turned her talents to art. She longs for a man who values her as she is… but marries for the sake of the twins. She doubts Dominic is capable of love, let alone respect, but as their heated debates turn into something more, Torie begins to imagine a life as a wife, not a nanny.

But when the arrogant viscount finds that his viscountess has stolen his heart, he’ll have to give all he has to win her love.

Viscount Dominic Kelbourne has a list of what he wants in a wife and the perfect fiancée who fits the bill. And she remains his fiancée for quite some time, refusing to set a date. Then the worst happens: Dominic’s sister passes away, leaving him in charge of her orphaned twins. The twins are the final straw in his strained engagement and his fiancée flees. This would be a problem, except the solution is right in front of him: Victoria Sutton, his fickle fiancée’s sister. Torie is the opposite of her sister. She’s buxom, blonde, bright, and funny. Plus she absolutely adores the twins. It’s the perfect match…if only he could convince her to marry him.

Viscount in Love is a fast-paced and fun romance. Torie is a woman who knows what she wants and won’t accept less. Dominic is a man unused to being challenged. The two of them butt heads even as they can’t deny the passion simmering underneath every encounter.

It’s easy to like Torie. She’s kind, welcoming, and takes to Dominic’s niece and nephew instantly. Torie is also a talented artist who is used to being put down constantly. She’s severely dyslexic and people treat her like she’s stupid because she can’t read. It’s frustrating to see her constantly put down but Torie knows she’s smart and keeps her head held high. Dominic is a bit rougher around the edges. He’s passionate about fighting for what’s right and it’s given him a reputation. He can be kind of a bulldozer but Torie stands up to him. He has issues thanks to his belated father and needs to work on overcoming the ghosts of his past dictating his life, but I had faith Eloisa James would make it all work out for him and Torie.

Viscount in Love is the first book in James’s Accidental Brides series and it’s a strong start. It’s sensual, fun, and full of unique characters who are charming but flawed. I enjoyed Dominic and Torie’s story very much and I’m looking forward to seeing what James has in store for Torie’s best friend, Clara.



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: A Daughter of Fair Verona by Christina Dodd

A Daughter of Fair Verona by Christina Dodd
Series: Daughter of Montague, Book 1
Publisher: Kensington (A John Scognamiglio Book)
Genre: Historical Mystery/Romantic Comedy 

ISBN: 9781496750167
Release Date: June 25, 2024
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible
Christina Dodd Reading Order

Once upon a time a young couple met and fell in love. You probably know that story, and how it ended (hint: badly). Only here’s the thing: That’s not how it ended at all.

Romeo and Juliet are alive and well and the parents of seven kids. I’m the oldest, with the emphasis on ‘old’—a certified spinster at twenty, and happy to stay that way. It’s not easy to keep your taste for romance with parents like mine. Picture it—constant monologues, passionate declarations, fighting, making up, making out…it’s exhausting.

Each time they’ve presented me with a betrothal, I’ve set out to find the groom-to-be a more suitable bride. After all, someone sensible needs to stay home and manage this household. But their latest match, Duke Stephano, isn’t so easy to palm off on anyone else. The debaucher has had three previous wives—all of whom met unfortunate ends. Conscience forbids me from consigning another woman to that fate. As it turns out, I don’t have to…

At our betrothal ball—where, quite by accident, I meet a beautiful young man who makes me wonder if perhaps there is something to love at first sight—I stumble upon Duke Stephano with a dagger in his chest. But who killed him? His late wives’ families, his relatives, his mistress, his servants—half of Verona had motive. And when everyone around the Duke begins dying, disappearing, or descending into madness, I know I must uncover the killer…before death lies on me like an untimely frost.

What if Romeo and Juliet had escaped the tragic fate Shakespeare wrote for them and instead lived on and were now the parents of seven children? Christina Dodd takes that idea and spins it into a charming tale starring Rosie, the famed couple’s eldest daughter. A Daughter of Fair Verona is a historical mystery that’s modern, irreverent, and sprightly in tone.

With parents like Romeo and Juliet, Rosie has grown up with passion, drama, monologues, poetry…and it’s made her the sensible one. She’s avoided marriage by turning each of her suitors onto a more suitable bride and it’s worked out well for her so far. Then comes a betrothal she can’t escape – one to a horrible duke rumored to have murdered his last three wives. Except at her betrothal ball the odious duke is found dead. Only the swift intervention of the podestà of Venice keeps her from being a suspect but the danger is only just beginning. Mysterious deaths seem to be following the case and Rosie wants to discover who is behind it before danger befalls her family. A Daughter of Fair Verona was a bit slow to start but once the mystery took hold I was hooked. Dodd’s writing was fast-paced and yes, fun, despite the murder and poison abounding in Rosie’s fair Verona. I liked watching Rosie put the pieces of the puzzle together and the result was a satisfying mystery.

While Rosie pretends to disdain poetry and passion, she secretly yearns for it, which is where the romance comes in. Or rather, the start of it with a love triangle. There’s no resolution to who will win Rosie’s heart – the dashing choice or the more enigmatic (and to me, far more interesting) one – as Dodd ends things on a cliffhanger there. But I’ll be interested to see how things play out in the next Daughter of Montague book.

A Daughter of Fair Verona is a fun start to a new series. The Montagues are a bold, fun, loving family and their friends and allies are intriguing. I was satisfied with how this story ended but I am looking forward to exploring more of Rosie’s world.



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 Summer Escape by Jill Shalvis

The Summer Escape by Jill Shalvis
Series: Sunrise Cove, Book 6
Publisher: Avon
Genre: Contemporary Romance 

ISBN: 9780063235816
Release Date: June 11, 2024
Source: Author
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible
Jill Shalvis Reading Order

Anna Moore didn’t just wake up one day and decide to go on a wild quest—especially since her life no longer lends itself to wild anything—so how in the world does she end up racing against the clock with Owen Harris, a sexy, enigmatic adventurist, to prove her beloved dad innocent of stealing a million-dollar necklace?

It’s all Wendy’s fault. Her older, bossy sister, who’s seven months pregnant and on bed rest in their small Lake Tahoe hometown, is desperate to clear their departed dad’s name. Owen, though, is convinced he’s guilty as hell and wants to return the jewelry back to its rightful owner—his elderly great aunt. Together Anna and Owen go on a scavenger hunt for clues to the past (with Wendy remotely along for the ride via an earbud, supplying a running wry commentary to boot).

On opposing sides and suspicious of each other as they are, Anna and Owen still can’t deny the inexplicable and explosive chemistry between them on this heart-stopping adventure, the outcome of which will prove the necklace isn’t the only thing stolen—their hearts have been as well.

A mystery brings two lonely hearts together in The Summer Escape. Jill Shalvis is an author I’ve enjoyed for years, but I had mixed feelings about her latest Sunrise Cove outing.

Anna is a private investigator whose latest case is deeply personal. She found an antique coin of her father’s but it may be stolen. She’s joined on her quest for the truth by the man whose great-aunt may have been robbed. Owen is an adventurer who, like Anna, carries hidden scars. They both have felt lost and alone with very few people they can rely on. Anna doesn’t like to trust others and Owen never fully lets down his walls. But of course, the two of them are inescapably drawn to one another.

Shalvis’s writing usually draws me in from the start but with The Summer Escape I had a bit of a harder time. Anna and Owen’s chemistry didn’t spark for me much at the beginning, likely because they were overshadowed by the third main character, Anna’s sister, Wendy. Wendy is eight months pregnant with triplets and is on bed rest, but that doesn’t stop this larger-than-life personality from chiming in. Shalvis often includes over-the-top friends or family members in her stories and Wendy is one of the more lively and persistent ones. Whether you find this charming or annoying is really reader preference, and I was in the latter camp.

At about the halfway mark The Summer Escape heats up and it feels like Anna and Owen find their footing. Their chemistry gets more fun and flirty and the story feels like it finds its focus. The mystery comes to a satisfying conclusion and the love story ends with a happily ever after that is charming. I enjoyed Shalvis’s writing and I liked that there were emotional hurdles to conquer that balanced out the frothy humor and social media-inspired quips. That being said, I could have used a bit more from the world – it felt like something was missing from the story to make it feel whole.

The Summer Escape is the sixth book in the Sunrise Cove series but it completely stands on its own. If you know Shalvis, you know that there are going to be some scene-stealing animals along for the ride and they were absolutely too cute for words. Honestly, I would have enjoyed much more time with Turbo, Clawdia, and Jennifur. Adorable animals aside, this was an OK read for me overall. It’s not bad, but I have enjoyed so many other wonderful books by Shalvis that it was a bit of a disappointment.



FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the author 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: Twelfth Knight by Alexene Farol Follmuth

Twelfth Knight by Alexene Farol Follmuth
Publisher: Tor Teen
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Romance 

ISBN: 9781250884893
Release Date: May 28, 2024 Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible

Viola Reyes is annoyed.

Her painstakingly crafted tabletop game campaign was shot down, her best friend is suggesting she try being more “likable,” and her school's star running back Jack Orsino is the most lackadaisical Student Body President she’s ever seen, which makes her job as VP that much harder. Vi’s favorite escape from the world is the MMORPG Twelfth Knight, but online spaces aren’t exactly kind to girls like her—girls who are extremely competent and have the swagger to prove it. So Vi creates a masculine alter ego, choosing to play as a knight named Cesario to create a safe haven for herself.

But when a football injury leads Jack Orsino to the world of Twelfth Knight, Vi is alarmed to discover their online alter egos—Cesario and Duke Orsino—are surprisingly well-matched.

As the long nights of game-play turn into discussions about life and love, Vi and Jack soon realise they’ve become more than just weapon-wielding characters in an online game. But Vi has been concealing her true identity from Jack, and Jack might just be falling for her offline…

Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night gets the reimagined in a high school setting treatment a la ‘90s and early 2000s rom coms in Twelfth Knight. Alexene Farol Follmuth pays homage to The Bard while making this story fully her own and the result is a delight.

It’s grumpy meets sunshine with Vi and Jack. Vi is a gamer who – thanks to rampant sexism in the gaming world – plays as a male knight named Cesario in her favorite MMORPG. Jack “Duke” Orsino is a football star whose world turns upside down when his knee is busted. Jack’s at a crossroads in his life and it doesn’t help that his girlfriend, Olivia, is avoiding him. When his friend recommends he pass the time with Twelfth Knight, Jack ends up teaming up with Cesario and the friendship he develops with his online friend is a stark difference to the bickering he and Vi do in real life.

What will happen when Jack learns that his sword-wielding friend is the same sharp-tongued grump he’s falling for? I’ll leave readers to find out. But I will say that this was an absolutely charming story with well-drawn characters and an entertaining plot. I liked seeing Cesario and Duke Orsino open up to each other online while Jack gets over, under, and through Vi’s barriers in the real world. There are just enough references to Shakespeare’s play to keep an enthusiast entertained but not so many that this book can’t stand on its own.

Twelfth Knight is about letting down your walls, letting people see the real you, and trusting that they will be there and love you as you are. I loved the gaming aspects, both seeing it through the experienced Vi’s eyes and the new-to-gaming Jack’s viewpoint. Jack and Viola are joined by a wonderful cast of characters who are as endearing, flawed, and unique as they are. All in all, this was a fun read that also took its characters on engaging journeys of personal growth.



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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