Review: Stolen in Death by J.D. Robb

Stolen in Death by J.D. Robb
Series: In Death, Book 62
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Genre: Futuristic/Mystery/Suspense 

ISBN: 9781250414526
Release Date: February 3, 2026
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible
J.D. Robb Reading Order

A blow to the head with a block of amethyst has left multibillionaire Nathan Barrister dead—while nearby, a vault, its door ajar, sits filled with priceless paintings, jewelry, and other treasures. Lieutenant Eve Dallas’s husband, Roarke—who misspent his youth in Ireland as a scrappy thief—recognizes at least two stolen pieces among the hoard. The crime scene suggests a burglar caught in the act. But only one item seems to be missing.

Then it’s revealed that the vault had actually belonged to the victim’s late father—and no one in the household knew it was there until a recent remodeling project exposed it. To protect the family name and business, they explain to Eve, they’d been looking for a way to return the ill-gotten gains anonymously and avoid the police. But now the police are all over their elegant house, and have a bigger, bloodier mystery to solve.

By all accounts, Nathan Barrister was a good man, a generous employer, a devoted husband and father. As for his father—he clearly had secrets. Now it’s up to Eve and her team to find out if those secrets got Nathan killed—and if it was a crime of passion or revenge.

To the media, a murder pales in comparison to the theft of famously stolen missing jewels, but not to Lieutenant Eve Dallas. In Stolen in Death Eve finds herself hunting a killer amid the rich and covetous. It’s a world her husband, Roarke, is intimately familiar with which is both helpful and causes some concern for Eve.

Sixty-two full-length novels into the In Death series and I never get tired of reading about Eve and Roarke. While Stolen in Death started out a bit slow for me, things picked up in the latter half of the story as the pieces of the puzzle started coming together. I like it best when Eve’s personal life is affected by the case at hand, which happens in this book. It’s not a spoiler to say that the original thief of the missing gems all those years ago was Roarke – he was, after all, the best in the business. What I liked is seeing how Eve handled it, how she balanced her love and loyalty to Roarke with her duty and commitment to justice. This story takes her into the world of thieves, private auctions, and more. I enjoyed seeing so much of the squad come together on this one. While it did take a bit for the story to pick up steam, when it did it was absolutely engaging.

J.D. Robb doesn’t miss and this latest entry in the In Death series will be wonderfully satisfying to Eve and Roarke fans. The case is interesting, the personal stakes even more so, and the characters I enjoy so much continue to entertain.



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 Seven Rings by Nora Roberts

The Seven Rings by Nora Roberts
Series: The Lost Bride Trilogy, Book 3
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Genre: Contemporary Romance with Paranormal Elements 

ISBN: 9781250288790
Release Date: November 18, 2025
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible

Long ago, Arthur Poole built a grand house overlooking the turbulent ocean, in a Maine village that bore his name. Today, Sonya MacTavish lives in that house—a manor that has been cursed for generations. Within its walls, she has witnessed the deaths of seven brides and the thefts of seven wedding rings. And now, to break the curse and banish a malevolent spirit once and for all, a difficult task must be completed.

After Sonya, her boyfriend, Trey, and their friends are forced to hear, see—and feel—the suffering of the house’s many ghosts as their torment is reenacted by the evil presence, their bond only strengthens and their anger is renewed. Refusing to let her spirit be broken, Sonya searches each room for clues to her ancestors’ hidden story, putting the picture together, unearthing small treasures, and uncovering the moments of joy that existed among the sorrows. She’s determined to bring light to this haunted place—to fill it with people, with life and hope, once again.

But the enemy in the black dress continues to hover, to come at her in frightening forms. They may be illusions—but illusions can be powerful enough to wound and kill. She feeds on fear, and lies are her weapon. This dark-hearted witch wants to be mistress of Poole Manor, at any cost. And Sonya will need to fight a battle across two realms to finally take possession of the house on the clifftop—and of her own future…

The Lost Bride trilogy comes to a close with The Seven Rings. Nora Roberts has woven an engaging tale of light versus dark, good versus evil. Sonya, Trey, Cleo, Owen, and all the ghostly residents of Lost Bride Manor must team up to put an end to Hester Dobbs’s reign of terror. Each step our heroes take toward the grand finale is balanced by their evil nemesis’s growing power, making the match-up interesting.

Sonya brings determination and bears the heaviest weight of the group as the key to breaking the curse. Owen brings strength and Poole blood, Cleo the magic, and Trey the logic. Together the four of them are the key to bringing down Dobbs and breaking her curse. How they do so, I won’t spoil, but I loved that the manor’s spirits assisted where they could, enjoyed seeing the relationships between living and dead grow. I also adored the devoted animal companions who had their own supporting roles to play in this book.

Much of The Seven Rings is our protagonists living their lives, strengthening the bonds of love (romantic, familial, and friendship) between them, while they search for clues and learn more about the spirits they are trying to save. Roberts makes the ordinary interesting and I really enjoyed the ups and downs of work, life, and relationships in this book. But through it all runs the story of the Poole family. This isn’t a book you can jump into without reading Inheritance and The Mirror. But once you have you’re in for a treat. The Seven Rings has moments that are lovely, bittersweet, hopeful, and tense. I fear I cannot say much without spoiling the story for readers which I won’t do. Suffice it to say that Roberts brings the Lost Bride trilogy to a wonderfully satisfying conclusion.



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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Review: Hidden Nature by Nora Roberts

Hidden Nature by Nora Roberts
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Genre: Romantic Suspense 

ISBN: 9781250370853
Release Date: May 27, 2025
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible

Natural Resources police officer, Sloan Cooper, and her partner had just taken down three men preying on hikers in the Western Maryland mountains. Driving back, she pulled in at a convenience store—and walked right into a robbery in progress. One gunshot from a jittery thief was about to change her world.

After being shocked back to life on the operating table, she has a long recovery ahead, so she moves back to her parents’ peaceful house in Heron’s Rest. As for the boyfriend who dumped her via text while she was in the hospital, good riddance.

She may be down, but she’s not out. So when a woman vanishes, leaving her car behind in a supermarket parking lot, Sloan searches online for similar cases. She finds them, spread across three states. Men and women, old and young—the missing seem to have nothing in common. And the abductions keep happening.

Luckily, the new man in her life shares her passion for solving this mystery. But it will take every ounce of endurance to get to the dark heart of this bizarre case—and she's willing to risk her life again if that's what it takes to stop the horror.

A strong heroine coming back from a devastating injury, a handsome hero who is good with his hands, lots of home renovation, loving family members, a few adorable dogs, and villains who must be stopped – Hidden Nature has all the hallmarks of a classic Nora Roberts romantic suspense. I’ve been a fan of Nora Roberts for decades so it pains me to say that as much as I wanted to love this book, it isn’t up to her usual standards.

Sloan and Nash are likable protagonists. Sloan is recovering from a gunshot wound when she comes home to Heron’s Rest and she is determined to get her strength back. Roberts’s newsletter revealed that her starting point for this book was learning about the Natural Resources Police Department and honestly seeing Sloan’s job was one of the more interesting parts of the story. Nash left the high-powered world of Wall Street to become a contractor in Heron’s Rest. He’s strong and guarded, but incredibly kind and very supportive of his younger brother. Separately, our hero and heroine are entertaining, which is good because it takes quite a while for them to meet. Together, they are a solid couple whose romance is understated and honestly could use a bit more time and attention. The story dragged a bit until things started picking up with them so more time with the romance would have perked things up. And while I do love home renovation and have enjoyed it in many a Nora Roberts novel, it took over this story way too much for my liking.

Another couple is at the heart of Hidden Nature and that’s the villains, Clara and Sam. They are, in a word, creepy. Their mission is horrible and I didn’t love reading about it over and over when it didn’t feel like much new was added in the repetition. It felt like they had as much page time as Nash and Sloan, which just didn’t work for me (but your mileage may vary). Hidden Nature isn’t bad, but having read and loved the majority of Roberts’s work, it just doesn’t compare.



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: Bonded in Death by J.D. Robb

Bonded in Death by J.D. Robb
Series: In Death, Book 60
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Genre: Futuristic/Mystery/Suspense 

ISBN: 9781250370792
Release Date: February 4, 2025
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible
J.D. Robb Reading Order

His passport read Giovanni Rossi. But decades ago, during the Urban Wars, he was part of a small, secret organization called The Twelve. Responding to an urgent summons from an old compatriot, he landed in New York and eased into the waiting car. And died within minutes…

Lieutenant Eve Dallas finds the Rossi case frustrating. She’s got an elderly victim who’d just arrived from Rome; a widow who knows nothing about why he’d left; an as-yet unidentifiable weapon; and zero results on facial recognition. But when she finds a connection to the Urban Wars of the 2020s, she thinks Summerset—fiercely loyal, if somewhat grouchy, major-domo and the man who’d rescued her husband from the Dublin streets—may know something from his stint as a medic in Europe back then.

When Summerset learns of the crime, his shock and grief are clear—because, as he eventually reveals, he himself was one of The Twelve. It’s not a part of his past he likes to revisit. But now he must—not only to assist Eve’s investigation, but because a cryptic message from the killer has boasted that others of The Twelve have also died. Summerset is one of those who remain—and the murderous mission is yet to be fully accomplished…

When an unassuming visitor from Rome is killed in New York shortly after arrival, Lieutenant Eve Dallas is baffled. Furthering her confusion is why her card was left with the body. She never met Giovanni Rossi, nor is his killer’s motive readily apparent. Looking into the victim and the mysterious group called “The Twelve” that has some connection to the Urban Wars of the 2020s, Eve discovers why the killer chose her. Summerset, Eve’s pain in the neck of a majordomo and member of her family (whether either wants to admit it or not), was once one of the Twelve…and he’s now a target.

Bonded in Death takes Eve, Roarke, and company through a journey of the past and I was totally here for it. The Urban Wars have been referenced throughout the series but the events are more central to this story than most others. Summerset was more than a medic in the Urbans and we get to learn of his past, and that of the other members of the Twelve. I loved learning more about Summerset’s past, enjoyed meeting the friends of his who were all a part in fighting for peace. I won’t say too much for fear of spoiling things, but I really liked meeting the remaining members of the Twelve and learning about them and their shared history. It was also nice to shine a light more on Summerset, a character who has been important but in the background for much of the series.

J.D. Robb has a way of drawing me in from the start and not letting go and the latest In Death adventure was no exception. I enjoyed watching Eve and her team work to put together a picture of the person they were hunting while having to protect a group of ex-spies who may be retired but whose skills are still sharp. Robb balanced mystery, suspense, and entertainment extremely well and I hated it whenever I had to put this book down. I recommend at least being familiar with the In Death series before diving into Bonded in Death, but if you know the main cast I think you can safely jump in here. Any time spent with Eve and Roarke is enjoyable and this latest outing should delight fans of the In Death 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: 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: 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
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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: 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: Mind Games by Nora Roberts

Mind Games by Nora Roberts
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Genre: Romantic Suspense with Paranormal Elements 

ISBN: 9781250289698
Release Date: May 21, 2024
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible

As they do each June, the Foxes have driven the winding roads of Appalachia to drop off their children for a two-week stay at their grandmother’s. Here, twelve-year-old Thea can run free and breathe in the smells of pine and fresh bread and Grammie’s handmade candles. But as her parents head back to suburban Virginia, they have no idea they’re about to cross paths with a ticking time bomb.

Back in Kentucky, Thea and her grandmother Lucy both awaken from the same nightmare. And though the two have never discussed the special kind of sight they share, they know as soon as their tearful eyes meet that something terrible has happened.

The kids will be staying with Grammie now in Redbud Hollow, and thanks to Thea’s vision, their parents’ killer will spend his life in supermax. Over time, Thea will make friends, build a career, find love. But that ability to see into minds and souls still lurks within her, and though Grammie calls it a gift, it feels more like a curse—because the inmate who shattered her childhood has the same ability. Thea can hear his twisted thoughts and witness his evil acts from miles away. He knows it, and hungers for vengeance. A long, silent battle will be waged between them—and eventually bring them face to face, and head to head…

Thea Fox’s idyllic childhood is shattered forever when her parents are murdered. Though she’s in Kentucky with her grandmother when it happens, Thea can see everything as it happens and is instrumental in putting the killer away for life. But the killer has the same gift as Thea and as she grows up, he is edging ever closer in her mind. Now as an adult, successful, talented, and with a burgeoning relationship, Thea’s going to have to face down the monster she’s been waging a silent war with for years.

Mind Games is a romantic suspense with a healthy splash of the paranormal. At its heart, it’s Thea’s story. Nora Roberts takes readers from Thea’s childhood in Redbud Hollow through college and into adulthood as Thea grows and thrives in the aftermath of a horrific tragedy. I adored Thea’s grandmother, Lucy, and her brother, Rem. They have strong personalities and are as vital to her story as the hero. Thea’s career as a video game designer was also entertaining to watch and I liked that Roberts spent time on it. The killer she helped put away is always in the background, however. While he’s locked up in prison, he and Thea share a psychic talent that is increasingly intruding on Thea’s mind. It’s different having a villain who isn’t physically a threat and that makes it interesting. Thea (and thus the readers) never know when he’ll break through the barrier she puts up to keep him out.

While Mind Games is a romantic suspense, the romance doesn’t begin until the latter half of the story. Ty is a single dad who guards his privacy and whose past has made him wary of trusting others. I adored watching Ty with his son and can see why Thea falls for him. He and Thea have an easy chemistry that makes their slide into a relationship enjoyable to watch unfold. The romance is understated but I really enjoyed the story as a whole so I didn’t mind.

Mind Games kept me hooked from first page to last. The characters were interesting, the setting vibrant, the romance sweet. There was humor, heart, and action aplenty, and the climax of the story was satisfying. Roberts never fails to draw me in and this book 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: Random in Death by J.D. Robb

Random in Death by J.D. Robb
Series: In Death, Book 58
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Genre: Futuristic/Mystery/Suspense 

ISBN: 9781250289544
Release Date: January 23, 2024
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible
J.D. Robb Reading Order

Jenna’s parents had finally given in, and there she was, at a New York club with her best friends, watching the legendary band Avenue A, carrying her demo in hopes of slipping it to the guitarist, Jake Kincade. Then, from the stage, Jake catches her eye, and smiles. It’s the best night of her life.

It’s the last night of her life.

Minutes later, Jake’s in the alley getting some fresh air, and the girl from the dance floor comes stumbling out, sick and confused and deathly pale. He tries to help, but it’s no use. He doesn’t know that someone in the crowd has jabbed her with a needle—and when his girlfriend Nadine arrives, she knows the only thing left to do for the girl is call her friend, Lieutenant Eve Dallas.

After everyone on the scene is interviewed, lab results show a toxic mix of substances in the victim’s body—and for an extra touch of viciousness, the needle was teeming with infectious agents. Dallas searches for a pattern: Had any boys been harassing Jenna? Was she engaging in risky behavior or caught up in something shady? But there are no obvious clues why this levelheaded sixteen-year-old, passionate about her music, would be targeted.

And that worries Dallas. Because if Jenna wasn’t targeted, if she was just the random, unlucky victim of a madman consumed by hatred, there are likely more deaths to come.

When the pool of potential victims is vast and the killer’s method of picking targets seems random, Lieutenant Eve Dallas and her team won’t rest. Random in Death is fast-paced, tense, and engaging. There’s no down time for Eve, Roarke, Peabody, or McNab as they try to form a profile of a killer who selects their victims at random.

The In Death series can be roughly divided into stories that are primarily case-centric and those that are mainly character-centric. This story is the former, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be invested in it. I loved watching Eve and company put together the clues to form a picture of the villain. The deaths in this book weigh heavily on Eve, as all the victims she stands for do, and to see the innocence snuffed out was heartbreaking. I really enjoyed seeing the pieces of the puzzle come together as Eve and her team (with the help of their civilian consultant, Roarke) work tirelessly to form a picture from not much. And the picture is that of a psychopath with a brilliant mind.

Even with the timeline of the cases being so tight, we still get to see the characters we know and love over the course of the story. Roarke continues to watch out for his cop, the “great house project” of Mavis, Leonardo, Peabody, and McNab moves along, some other fan favorites have a small role to play, and we get to see more of Nadine’s boyfriend, rock star Jake Kincade. You can read this book pretty much as a standalone, but you’d be missing out on the characters and relationships if you aren’t at least familiar with the series.

Regardless of whether you’re a longtime fan of the In Death series or are just looking for an interesting mystery to get caught up in, Random in Death is sure to please. With fifty-eight full-length novels in this series and counting, J.D. Robb shows no sign of slowing down – and with a mystery as solidly entertaining as this one there’s no reason to. I thoroughly enjoy every outing with Eve and Roarke and Random in Death is 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: Inheritance by Nora Roberts

Inheritance by Nora Roberts
Series: The Lost Bride Trilogy, Book 1
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Genre: Contemporary Romance with Paranormal Elements 

ISBN: 9781250288325
Release Date: November 21, 2023
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible

1806: Astrid Poole sits in her bridal clothes, overwhelmed with happiness. But before her marriage can be consummated, she is murdered, and the circle of gold torn from her finger. Her last words are a promise to Collin never to leave him…

Graphic designer Sonya MacTavish is stunned to learn that her late father had a twin he never knew about—and that her newly discovered uncle, Collin Poole, has left her almost everything he owned, including a majestic Victorian house on the Maine coast, which the will stipulates she must live in it for at least three years. Her engagement recently broken, she sets off to find out why the boys were separated at birth—and why it was all kept secret until a genealogy website brought it to light.

Trey, the young lawyer who greets her at the sprawling clifftop manor, notes Sonya’s unease—and acknowledges that yes, the place is haunted…but just a little. Sure enough, Sonya finds objects moved and music playing out of nowhere. She sees a painting by her father inexplicably hanging in her deceased uncle’s office, and a portrait of a woman named Astrid, whom the lawyer refers to as “the first lost bride.” It’s becoming clear that Sonya has inherited far more than a house. She has inherited a centuries-old curse, and a puzzle to be solved if there is any hope of breaking it…

After her engagement ends and her career takes an unexpected turn, Sonya MacTavish is ready for a fresh start. What she doesn’t expect that to entail is an inheritance from an uncle she never knew existed. Said inheritance includes a stunning Victorian manor on the Maine coast that comes with, shall we say, unearthly residents. Seven brides were lost, one per generation. Their spirits and others are anchored to the house… Along with an evil that lurks, displeased with Sonya’s arrival. With her best friend, Cleo, beside her, and handsome lawyer Trey for support, Sonya starts to unravel the mystery of Lost Bride Manor.

Inheritance is engaging, interesting, and at times richly atmospheric. Nora Roberts has opened up her Lost Bride trilogy with an utterly addictive beginning.

Sonya was easy for me to like from the start. She takes a few hits, but she’s strong, smart, and determined. With the support of her loved ones, she gets a fresh new start when she moves to Maine. She didn’t expect to fall in love at first sight with the manor she inherited, nor the charming town nearby. She also didn’t count on her new ghostly roommates. It takes a while for Sonya to believe, but I loved learning about the ghosts and their different personalities alongside her. The son of her late uncle’s best friend, Trey Doyle has had a lifetime to become accustomed to the hauntings of the manor. Trey is sexy, kind, and supportive – how could Sonya or I resist him? He and Sonya just click from the start and though Inheritance is only the beginning of their story, I definitely can’t wait to see where Roberts takes them.

Along for the ride are Sonya’s best friend, Cleo, and Sonya’s newfound cousin, Owen. Sparks fly between the two and – as with our main couple – I’m very much looking forward to seeing where Cleo and Owen go. I enjoyed the various love stories in this book, from the love of family to that of friends to the possibilities of what’s to come and to love lost but lingering. I don’t want to say too much about the ghostly residents or the Big Bad as much of the fun of the story is learning things alongside Sonya.

Inheritance is beautiful, sad, and hopeful all at once. It’s got some creepy vibes (if you’re easily spooked like me) and a touch of gothic atmosphere. This is not a self-contained book, however; it’s the first part of a much larger story and ends with a bit of a cliffhanger. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Inheritance. It was easy for me to get caught up in the story; I loved the world and the journey Sonya and company are on so far. I cannot wait to see what happens 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: Identity by Nora Roberts

Identity by Nora Roberts
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Genre: Romantic Suspense 

ISBN: 9781250284112
Release Date: May 23, 2023
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible

Former Army brat Morgan Albright has finally planted roots in a friendly neighborhood near Baltimore. Her friend and roommate Nina helps her make the mortgage payments, as does Morgan's job as a bartender. But after she and Nina host their first dinner party—attended by Luke, the flirtatious IT guy who'd been chatting her up at the bar—her carefully built world is shattered. The back door glass is broken, cash and jewelry are missing, her car is gone, and Nina lies dead on the floor.

Soon, a horrific truth emerges: It was Morgan who let the monster in. "Luke" is actually a cold-hearted con artist named Gavin who targets a particular type of woman, steals her assets and identity, and then commits his ultimate goal: murder.

What the FBI tells Morgan is beyond chilling. Nina wasn't his type. Morgan is. Nina was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. And Morgan's nightmare is just beginning. Soon she has no choice but to flee to her mother's home in Vermont. While she struggles to build something new, she meets another man, Miles Jameson. He isn't flashy or flirtatious, and his family business has deep roots in town. But Gavin is still out there hunting new victims, and he hasn't forgotten the one who got away.

Morgan Albright had a home and life she loved and a roommate who was like a sister to her. Everything was going perfectly and the former Army brat was putting down the roots she so desperately yearned for. Then a monster took it all. The seemingly charming IT guy Morgan had started seeing turned out to be psychopath Gavin Rozwell. He stole her identity and murdered Nina, but Morgan survived. Retreating to Vermont, Morgan moves in with her mother and grandmother to start rebuilding her life. This time she meets another man, one as genuine and kind as Rozwell was false and cruel. But Rozwell is still out there, and Morgan is the one that got away from him…

Identity is an engaging romantic suspense that is classic Nora Roberts. Morgan is a heroine who is easy to root for. She’s smart, strong, and a survivor. She’s not perfect, not invulnerable – Rozwell proves that – but she doesn’t break even in her darkest moments. She goes through a nightmare and still doesn’t lose herself. I enjoyed watching Morgan find her new dream, her new life in Vermont. I loved watching her claim her life, whether it was working behind the bar, making home improvements, or building new relationships.

One of those relationships is with Miles Jameson. His family owns the local resort where Morgan gets a job managing the bar. Miles has deep roots in the area and the resort is very much a family business with each member playing to their strengths. I loved his relationships with his family and how Morgan became a part of all that. He and Morgan have good chemistry and it was easy to fall into their romance. They went from mutual attraction to something much deeper in an organic way. Roberts lets the story breathe, allows everything time to grow and develop without ever slowing the pace of the book.

The characters – both main and supporting – all shine in Identity. Roberts brought the world to life so well that I hated to put the book down. The hunt for Rozwell was compelling but never overshadowed Morgan and Miles or the life they were building. In other words, Roberts perfectly balanced the romance with the suspense. This book was addictive pure and simple and everything about it worked for me. Identity entertained from the first page to the last and I cannot wait to re-read it.



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: One Duke Down by Anna Bennett

One Duke Down by Anna Bennett
Series: Rogues to Lovers, Book 2
Publisher: St. Martin’s Paperbacks
Genre: Historical Romance 

ISBN: 9781250793935
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible

A FISHERMAN’S DAUGHTER
Miss Poppy Summers is determined to keep her family’s fishing business afloat. Her poor widowed father has fallen ill, and her foolhardy brother has moved to London, leaving her precious little time to read or pursue her own dreams. But she’ll do anything for her family, so she cheerfully spends mornings in her rowboat, casting her nets. The very last thing Poppy expects or wants to find tangled in them is a dangerously attractive man. Especially one with a head wound—who’s convinced he’s a duke.

AND A DUKE OUT OF WATER
Andrew Keane is the Duke of Hawking, but he’s having the devil of a time convincing his fiery-haired rescuer of that fact. The truth is he came to the seaside resort of Bellehaven Bay to escape his life in London. Unfortunately, someone in Bellehaven wants to kill him—and he intends to find out who. He implores Poppy to tend to his injuries and hide him on her beach, reasoning it will be easier to find his attacker if that man assumes Keane is already dead. She wants no part of the scheme but can’t refuse the generous sum he offers in exchange for food and shelter while he recovers. It’s a mutually beneficial business arrangement…nothing more.

ARE ABOUT TO MAKE WAVES
Under Poppy’s care, Keane regains his strength—and a sense of purpose. As they work together to solve the puzzle of his would-be murderer, he’s dazzled by her rapier wit and adventurous spirit; she’s intrigued by his mysterious air and protective streak. Though Poppy’s past gives her every reason to mistrust someone like Keane, the seawalls around her heart crumble in the storm of their passion. But when clues hint at the prime suspect in Keane’s attempted murder, Poppy must decide where her loyalties lie. Torn between the world she’s always known and the one she’s always dreamed of, she’ll need true love for a shot at her fairytale ending.

One Duke Down is a sweet, romantic, totally addictive read. I loved coming back to Anna Bennett’s Bellehaven Bay, this time to see fisherwoman Poppy Summers fall in love with injured duke Andrew Keane.

Poppy is hardworking, kind, and secretly yearns for just a bit more. She loves her family, her friends, Bellehaven Bay, and her secret reading nook, but when her life takes an adventurous turn with a mysterious washed-up man claiming to be a duke it’s for the better. Keane is a wealthy, privileged duke but he’s also a good and kind man. That doesn’t stop someone from trying to kill him, though. Safe in Poppy’s cove and hiding from the world while he tries to figure out who wants to kill him, Keane starts to change. He sees the world through Poppy’s eyes and learns to be better. I loved the small changes they made in each other and how they brought their two worlds together to make one that would suit them both.

Poppy and Keane’s romance is easy to become swept away by. Keane is a romantic, eager to prove himself worthy of Poppy’s trust. Poppy has reason to not trust the nobility, but between her friends and Keane she learns to take a risk for a chance of happiness. I absolutely loved everything about Keane and Poppy’s love story. The two of them fit so well and I adored how it wasn’t just attraction turned to deeper feelings but respect and liking as well. There’s a solid foundation to their romance and Bennett eschews false drama in favor of showing how strong Keane and Poppy are as a couple.

One Duke Down is a historical romance that will make you smile and sigh. I adored it from beginning to end and cannot wait to revisit Poppy and Keane in the future. I love Bennett’s Rogues to Lovers series; the strong friendships between the heroines, the picturesque seaside town, and the love stories that remind me why I love this genre all come together beautifully.



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 Choice by Nora Roberts

The Choice by Nora Roberts
Series: The Dragon Heart Legacy, Book 3
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Genre: Fantasy Romance 

ISBN: 9781250272720
Release Date: November 22, 2022
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible

Talamh is a land of green hills, high mountains, deep forests, and seas, where magicks thrive. But portals allow for passage in and out—and ultimately, each must choose their place, and choose between good and evil, war and peace, life and death…

Breen Siobhan Kelly grew up in the world of Man and was once unaware of her true nature. Now she is in Talamh, trying to heal after a terrible battle and heartbreaking losses. Her grandfather, the dark god Odran, has been defeated in his attempt to rule over Talamh, and over Breen—for now.

With the enemy cast out and the portal sealed, this is a time to rest and to prepare. Breen spreads her wings and realizes a power she’s never experienced before. It’s also a time for celebrations—of her first Christmas in both Talamh and Ireland, of solstice and weddings and births—and daring to find joy again in the wake of sorrow. She rededicates herself to writing her stories, and when his duties as taoiseach permit, she is together with Keegan, who has trained her as a warrior and whom she has grown to love.

It’s Keegan who’s at her side when the enemy’s witches, traitorous and power-mad, appear to her in her sleep, practicing black magick, sacrificing the innocent, and plotting a brutal destruction for Breen. And soon, united with him and with all of Talamh, she will seek out those in desperate need of rescue, and confront the darkness with every weapon she has: her sword, her magicks—and her courage…

The time has come for the final battle of good versus evil and Breen Siobhan Kelly is the key to victory. Breen’s powers have awoken, she has become the protector of light she was destined to be, and now it’s up to her to choose her fate. The Choice is the final book in The Dragon Heart Legacy trilogy and Nora Roberts brings the world of Fey and man to life in vivid color. The Ireland of Roberts’s writing is as dreamy as ever and the world of Talamh is filled with fantasy and wonder. I loved watching Breen travel back and forth between the two as she and her best friend, Marco, find the balance in between both worlds that fits them and the men they love.

The Choice follows Breen as she continues to develop her innate talent for magick and writing and to strengthen her weak points. We follow her life, her romance with Keegan that comes more to the forefront in this final tale, and see happy moments for all the characters we’ve come to love. And in the background is the threat of Breen’s grandfather, the dark god Odran, who would see all the worlds bloody and burned.

A lot of this book is building the anticipation of the battle and for a final battle of good against such dark evil, there’s surprisingly less action that you’d might expect. Whether or not this is satisfying is reader preference. I didn’t mind following a mostly pleasant journey with Breen and company, but I did perhaps expect a bit more energy and to feel the stakes that were laid out a bit more. There are dark moments and even a couple that brought tears to my eyes as Breen and all she loves have to fight to protect what’s good in every world. The conclusion of the story is satisfying and it wraps up all the main characters’ journeys in a satisfying way. All in all, I enjoyed The Choice; Nora Roberts’s writing drew me in and in the absence of Odran, Breen’s two worlds are ones I found cozy, warm, and engaging.



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: Fake It Till You Bake It by Jamie Wesley

Fake It Till You Bake It by Jamie Wesley
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Genre: Contemporary Romance 

ISBN: 9781250801852
Release Date: June 21, 2022
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible

Jada Townsend-Matthews is the most reviled woman in America after turning down a proposal on a reality dating show. When she comes home to lick her wounds, Jada finds herself working at San Diego's newest cupcake bakery, Sugar Blitz, alongside the uptight owner and professional football player Donovan Dell.

When a reporter mistakenly believes Jada and Donovan are an item, they realize they can use the misunderstanding to their advantage to help the struggling bakery and rehabilitate Jada's image. Faking a relationship should be simple, but sometimes love is the most unexpected ingredient.

A fake romance between a football player/cupcake shop owner and a woman at a crossroads in her life turns real in Fake It Till You Bake It. It’s a romance with a lot of potential, but I struggled with rating this book because I wanted to like it a lot more than I did.

Donovan likes order and Jada’s arrival upends his carefully structured life. She’s the most reviled woman on social media after turning down a marriage proposal on a reality dating show. When she comes into his shop and insults his cupcakes, Donovan is irritated – but also incredibly attracted. Then her grandmother – the owner of the football team Donovan plays for – asks Donovan to give Jada a job and things only get more confusing. Cue a mixture of kitchen mishaps, fake dating, image rehabilitation, and finding love where you least expect it and you have a recipe for a delightful book. Jada is prickly at first, but a lot of that is armor against the censure of the world and those who should love her but have beaten down her self-esteem. Jada intrigued me because her attitude masks vulnerability and a fear of messing up and being judged. She comes into her own over the course of the story and I liked seeing her find her way planning events and becoming a part of Sugar Blitz. Her personal journey was the strongest plotline of this book and I was cheering for her to believe in herself and her abilities, to carve her own path and be able to overcome the haters and the parents who criticize her for being dyslexic and not following in their prestigious footsteps.

Where I struggled with Fake It Till You Bake It was the writing. Jamie Wesley had all the elements of an engaging story but as much as I wanted to fall into it I never did. Jada and Donovan are characters ripe with potential and though there’s a lot I enjoyed about Jada’s personal journey, Donovan’s kind of fell flat (also, he and his partners are professional football players and none of the work or training that goes into that is ever shown). The romance was also flat, lacking any zip or zing that would have kept me from putting down the book as often as I did. That being said, I really liked that Donovan supported and believed in Jada. They fit well; I just wanted some more sparks. The book isn’t bad, but it's slow-paced and never came alive. Add in a last-minute series of obstacles that felt more manufactured than organic and I finished the story feeling just OK about the read overall.



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: Rules for Engaging the Earl by Janna MacGregor

Rules for Engaging the Earl by Janna MacGregor
Series: The Widow Rules, Book 2
Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks
Genre: Historical Romance 

ISBN: 9781250761613
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible

Constance Lysander needs a husband. Or, so society says. She’s about to give birth to her late husband’s child—a man who left her with zero money, and two other wives she didn’t know about. Thankfully, she has her Aunt by her side, and the two other wives have become close friends. But still—with a baby on the way, her shipping business to run, and an enemy skulking about, she has no time to find the perfect match.

Enter Jonathan, Earl of Sykeston. Returned war hero and Constance’s childhood best friend, his reentry into society has been harsh. Maligned for an injury he received in the line of duty, Jonathan prefers to stay out of sight. It’s the only way to keep his heart from completely crumbling. But when a missive from Constance requests his presence—to their marriage ceremony—Jonathan is on board. His feelings for Constance run deep, and he’ll do anything to make her happy, though it means risking his already bruised heart.

With Constance, Jonathan, and the new baby all together, it’s clear the wounds—both on the surface and in their relationship—run deep. But when the nights come, their wounds begin to heal, and both come to realize that their marriage of convenience is so much more than just a bargain.

A marriage of convenience becomes a real partnership in Rules for Engaging the Earl. Janna MacGregor’s second Widow Rules book features Constance Lysander, one of the three women who discovered they were married to the same man, and her childhood best friend, the Earl of Sykeston.

Constance is a smart businesswoman who has had bad luck in love. When she asks Jonathan to marry her for the sake of her daughter, she’s hoping their marriage will turn into something true and real. Jonathan has other plans. He’ll do whatever it takes to protect Constance and her daughter, but to him that means staying far away. The ghosts of his past are nipping at his heels, and he’s wounded inside and out. He’s loved Constance for as long as he can remember but he does his best to push her away rather than let himself believe he can have the love and family he craves.

Constance is a likeable protagonist, though a bit too perfect for my personal taste – there’s simply nothing she can’t do. Jonathan is a wounded hero whose bark is worse than his bite, and though he eventually became a likeable hero he’s not particularly unique or memorable. It took a while for me to get into this book; the first half is a lot of push-pull between Constance and Jonathan and though it was fine it wasn’t particularly engaging. Halfway through the story picks up and I was along for the ride. I do wish MacGregor had shown more of the childhood friendship between our protagonists as that is the foundation their romance is built on. I enjoyed the love story but seeing their history would have given the romance a bit more depth. Jonathan and Constance have a lot of obstacles to overcome, and they (mostly Jonathan) did have to work a bit to open up, learn to lean on each other, and own up to the mistakes they made in order to get their happily ever after. There’s also a villain who threatens their happiness and more who must be defeated by our heroes.

Rules for Engaging the Earl is the second book in the Widow Rules series and if you don’t mind a small spoiler from A Duke in Time you can easily read this story on its own. If you like historical romances with brooding heroes, capable heroines, cooing babies, and/or loyal dogs (Regina did almost steal the show at times), then you’re sure to enjoy Rules for Engaging the Earl.



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: Good Girl Complex by Elle Kennedy

Good Girl Complex by Elle Kennedy
Series: Avalon Bay, Book 1
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance 

ISBN: 9781250796738
Release Date: February 1, 2022
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible
Elle Kennedy Reading Order

She does everything right. So what could go wrong?

Mackenzie “Mac” Cabot is a people pleaser. Her demanding parents. Her prep school friends. Her long-time boyfriend. It’s exhausting, really, always following the rules. All she wants to do is focus on growing her internet business, but first she must get a college degree at her parents’ insistence. That means moving to the beachside town of Avalon Bay, a community made up of locals and the wealthy students of Garnet College.

Twenty-year-old Mac has had plenty of practice suppressing her wilder impulses, but when she meets local bad boy Cooper Hartley, that ability is suddenly tested. Cooper is rough around the edges. Raw. Candid. A threat to her ordered existence. Their friendship soon becomes the realest thing in her life.

Despite his disdain for the trust-fund kids he sees coming and going from his town, Cooper soon realizes Mac isn’t just another rich clone and falls for her. Hard. But as Mac finally starts feeling accepted by Cooper and his friends, the secret he’s been keeping from her threatens the only place she’s ever felt at home.

A rich college girl and a bad boy townie are a case of not-quite-opposites attract in Good Girl Complex. Elle Kennedy’s writing keeps this new adult romance flowing at a quick clip and kept me engaged, despite a plot that feels like it fell out of a teenage rom com from twenty-five years ago.

Mac is an independent twenty-year-old chafing at her parents’ restrictions. She’s already created a successful company and has no interest in going to college when she could be growing her empire. But her dad’s a congressman and her mom is all about appearances, so Mac caves into the pressure to attend Garnet College, where her perfect boyfriend also goes. Except Pres isn’t as perfect as he appears to be, as Cooper Hartley knows. Without spoiling the story, I’ll say that Cooper has it out for Pres, and with good reason. The problem is that Mac is his means of revenge, even though she has nothing to do with and no knowledge of her boyfriend’s behavior and is an independent person, not an extension of the man.

Cooper is from Avalon Bay and he’s used to the rich kids treating the townies like trash. He and his friends hate the “clones” as they call the Garnet students. But it’s clear to him pretty early on that Mac is nothing like the students who have looked down on him all his life. Yes, she’s ridiculously wealthy, but she’s smart, kind, and hardworking. Mac and Cooper have an easy chemistry that sucks you in and makes you want to forget the lies and the emotional cheating that are the rocky foundation their burgeoning relationship is built on. Despite my issues with the plot, I was rooting for these two because they’re engaging characters. Cooper is hardworking and we see enough of the injustice the clones dish out to understand his bias against him, plus there’s added childhood trauma to trigger more sympathy since his sex appeal wouldn’t be enough to balance out his initial revenge plot. There are a number of fun and sexy moments to Good Girl Complex that made me smile and sigh. I was satisfied by their romance even though I had serious issues with the beginning of it, and I do wish there had been an epilogue to show Mac and Cooper down the road.

Good Girl Complex is the first book in the Avalon Bay series but it’s only because I’ve been an Elle Kennedy fan for well over a decade that I’d consider picking up the next book in the series. I pretty much hated most of the supporting cast. Yes, they’re all young and have growing up to do, but there’s some definite meanness (a lot of it stemming from throwback plotlines that have not aged well) that turned me off. I have mixed feelings about Good Girl Complex overall. Kennedy’s writing sucked me in and Cooper and Mac were entertaining characters; I just couldn’t get on board with the basic premise and the supporting cast.



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: Not the Witch You Wed by April Asher

Not the Witch You Wed by April Asher
Series: Supernatural Singles, Book 1
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Genre: Paranormal Romance 

ISBN: 9781250807991
Release Date: February 8, 2022
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible

Magic-less witch Violet Maxwell wants nothing to do with alpha wolf shifter Lincoln Thorne—the man who broke her fragile, teenage heart. But when the two of them are forced by arcane Supernatural Laws to find mates, Violet and Lincoln agree to fake-date their way to a fake-mating in order to conjure themselves some time.

The joke’s on them. When old feelings make a reappearance—along with Violet’s magic—they both realize there’s nothing fake about their feelings. But there are old secrets and looming threats that could snatch away their happily ever after, again. One thing’s for sure: magic doesn’t make dating and love any easier.

In Not the Witch You Wed, April Asher brings all the hilarity and sweet, sexy moments you love in a romantic-comedy—plus a fun dose of magic—to this spell-binding new series about being sexy, single, and supernatural in New York City.

Not the Witch You Wed is a delightful supernatural romp. April Asher introduces an interesting world of witches, shifters, demons, vampires, angels, and more and it was a whole lot of fun diving into it.

Violet Maxwell is the granddaughter of the current Prima and the eldest of a Magical Triad. By rights, Vi should be a super powerful witch; instead she’s a magicless witch known as the “Maxwell Dud.” Vi is happy with her life and there are definite perks to leaving the politics and society maneuvering of being the Prima Apparent to her sister. Except a run-in with Lincoln Thorne, Alpha wolf of the North American Pack, stirs something in her. Linc broke her heart when they were teens and she’s never forgiven him, but somehow his reappearance happens at the same time as her magic starts to make an appearance. When both of them run into a problem of arcane supernatural laws forcing them to find mates, Vi and Linc agree to put the past aside and fake date in order to buy time. Except there’s nothing fake about the feelings that never died between them…

Vi and Linc are fun, likeable protagonists who are easy to root for. Linc is noble, wanting to change shifter society to make it democratic, fighting to overturn arcane laws that take away people’s choices. He’s determined to do what’s right and I liked that about him a lot. Vi has also forged a path different from the one she was born into. But the sudden appearance of magic in her is causing chaos and she’s desperate to get a handle on it. She and Linc have instant chemistry when they’re reunited after years apart, but old wounds, secrets, and the con they’re pulling get in the way. I adored Linc and Vi together and wanted to see them get their happily ever after. They’re entertaining together and also really sweet with a nice dash of spice; it was easy to fall into their romance.

Vi and Linc are the heart of Not the Witch You Wed, but Asher introduces a world of supporting characters who not only flesh the story out but are interesting in their own right. I loved Vi’s relationship with her sisters, Rose and Olive, and ooh does Asher tease HEAs for them that have me eager for more Maxwell sister books. But I also loved Vi and Linc’s best friends and can’t wait to see more of them. Not the Witch You Wed is a zippy romance with magic, humor, heart, and a world I cannot wait to explore more.



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: Girls Before Earls by Anna Bennett

Girls Before Earls by Anna Bennett
Series: Rogues to Lovers, Book 1
Publisher: St. Martin’s Paperbacks
Genre: Historical Romance 

ISBN: 9781250793911
Release Date: December 28, 2021
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible

WHAT A GIRL WANTS
To survive her difficult childhood, Miss Hazel Lively relied on two things: a tough exterior and a love of books. Now, she’s realized her life-long dream of opening a school for girls. She’s hoping the wealthy families who summer at the shore will entrust their daughters to Bellehaven Academy—and help pay for less fortunate students. All Hazel must do is maintain a flawless reputation. It’s a foolproof plan…until a handsome earl strides into her office.

WHAT AN EARL NEEDS
Gabriel Beckett, Earl of Bladenton, has had a monstrous headache since the day his teenaged niece became his ward. She’s already been expelled from two London schools, but Blade is determined to enroll her at Bellehaven Academy, where she’ll be out of his hair. If only he can convince the buttoned-up—and unexpectedly intriguing—headmistress to take a risk.

LEAD TO AN IRRESISTIBLE DEAL
Blade makes an offer that’s impossible for Hazel to refuse, but she has one condition: the earl must visit his niece every other week. Soon, Blade discovers there’s more to Hazel than meticulous lessons. Their sparring leads to flirtation…and something altogether deeper. But the passion that flares between them poses a threat to Hazel’s school and Blade’s battered heart. They say a good thing can’t last forever, but true love? Well, it just might…

Anna Bennett has kicked her Rogues to Lovers series with a bang. Girls Before Earls is an entertaining, fun, heartwarming read with a romance that will make you smile and sigh.

As a child, school saved Hazel Lively. Her determination, love of learning, and caring heart have her now opening her own school in the seaside town of Bellehaven. To keep her doors open and take in more girls can’t afford school, she also needs the daughters of wealthy families to attend her school. Enter the Earl of Bladenton. Blade closed off his heart after it was broken by his childhood love. But now he’s in charge of his orphan niece, a bright fifteen-year-old who keeps getting herself kicked out of London schools. Hazel’s school is his last chance, but he doesn’t expect to find the buttoned-up mistress so intriguing. And Hazel, who has closed herself off but secretly desires true love, can’t resist Blade even though his station and determination to wall off his heart make him an incompatible match. I really liked the chemistry between Hazel and Blade, enjoyed how they couldn’t resist each other because they simply fit. They come alive in each other’s company and become their best selves with each other. It’s not a smooth road to happily ever after, but the bumps in the road are worth it. Their romance is sweet, engaging, and ultimately delightful.

Bennett brings the world of Bellehaven to life in Girls Before Earls and I loved the picturesque seaside town. The supporting cast made me smile and there are characters I definitely want to see get books of their own. I really enjoyed all the female relationships in this story, both when it came to friendships and to made families. In a lot of ways, Bellehaven and some of its residents reminded me of the TV adaptation of Jane Austen’s Sanditon, which is likely why I was so charmed by it. All in all, I adored Hazel and Blade’s story and I cannot wait to see what Bennet has in store for the next Rogues to Lovers 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: Not Your Average Hot Guy by Gwenda Bond

Not Your Average Hot Guy by Gwenda Bond
Series: Not Your Average Hot Guy, Book 1
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance 

ISBN: 9781250771742
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible

A paranormal romantic comedy at the (possible) end of the world.

All Callie wanted was a quiet weekend with her best friend. She promised her mom she could handle running her family’s escape room business while her mom is out of town. Instead a Satanic cult shows up, claiming that the prop spell book in one of the rooms is the real deal, and they need it to summon the right hand of the devil. Naturally they take Callie and her friend, Mag, along with them. But when the summoning reveals a handsome demon in a leather jacket named Luke who offers to help Callie stop the cult from destroying the world, her night goes from weird to completely strange.

As the group tries to stay one step ahead of the cult, Callie finds herself drawn to the annoying (and annoyingly handsome) Luke. But what Callie doesn’t know is that Luke is none other than Luke Morningstar, Prince of Hell and son of the Devil himself. Callie never had time for love, and with the apocalypse coming closer, is there room for romance when all hell’s about to break loose?

Not Your Average Hot Guy is a fast and fun rom com set against the backdrop of the apocalypse. Gwenda Bond makes these two disparate things work better together than you might think, though overall I had mixed feelings about Callie and Luke’s first outing.

Callie has recently graduated from college and is back home helping her mom run their escape room business. She’s left in charge for the weekend when a Satanic cult shows up, steals a prop grimoire (which is actually the real thing), and summons the literal Prince of Hell. Luke Morningstar has been tasked with reaping the cult’s souls, but things go awry and suddenly he and Callie are teamed up and trying to stop the apocalypse. Callie and Luke are a lot of fun together. His seemingly laid-back attitude and her super trivia brain make an enjoyable pairing so I was ready to go along for the ride. The problem with them was twofold: (1) they both sounded the same so with the dual-POV it was sometimes hard to remember whose chapter I was in and (2) they both spoke and acted younger than they were supposed to be. Because of the former especially, the book fell slightly short of its premise, which was a pity.

Bond keeps Not Your Average Hot Guy hopping with all the action and I did really enjoy it even though we seemed to be moving from point to point in a way that didn’t feel wholly organic (and I can’t really say why without spoiling the story). Bond presents a lot of potentially interesting locations, both above and below, and I definitely wanted to explore them further. I struggled with putting a rating on this story because I had a lot of fun reading it, but I can’t be blinded to its flaws. At the end of the day, I found Not Your Average Hot Guy to be fast-paced, entertaining, and even with the missed opportunities there was a good amount of adventure to be had. I will absolutely be checking out Callie and Luke’s next 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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