Review: The Servant and the Gentleman by Annabelle Greene

The Servant and the Gentleman by Annabelle Greene
Series: Society of Beasts, Book 3
Publisher: Carina Press
Genre: Male/Male Historical Romance 

ISBN: 9780369717511
Release Date: May 17, 2022
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Carina Press

William Hartley’s wealth and social standing often make up for his short temper, but they can’t cure his claustrophobia. He’d lost hope of finding help for it, until meeting Josiah Balfour. In a moment of panic, Josiah’s presence is a balm to his senses, leaving Hartley calm for the first time in months.

Josiah Balfour knows his place—and it’s not in the bed of a gentleman. As the administrator for the Society of Beasts, he’s responsible for the club’s well-being. When a threat to the Society emerges from an unexpected quarter, it falls to Josiah to deal with it. But Hartley is willing to help, even if it involves posing as a couple to infiltrate a rival club.

Josiah needs Hartley’s prestige to help him save the Society, while Hartley simply needs Josiah. Their relationship might be a sham, but the desire between them is all too real. Stuck in close quarters with everything they love on the line, they discover that everything might just include each other.

A fake relationship quickly becomes something much more in The Servant and the Gentleman. Annabelle Greene’s third Society of Beasts novel shows that not everything about the beloved gentlemen’s club is as good as it seems and the book is the richer for it.

Josiah Balfour is the head administrator of the Society of Beasts. He’s used to cleaning up messes, even as members of the club snub him for it because he’s not a gentleman. Josiah is hardworking and kind but he sometimes gets frustrated with the elitist society members he works for. One of the snobbiest is William Hartley, one of the club’s founders. Despite this, Josiah can’t quite stop himself from thinking about the gorgeous man. And when Hartley has a panic attack, Josiah is the one to calm him, which forges the beginnings of a bond between the two. When a rival club threatens the Society of Beasts and Josiah and Hartley pretend to be a couple in order to uncover the leader behind this new club, things become real all too quickly.

I’ll say up front, Hartley isn’t easy to like at first and that’s on purpose. He’s a snob who is rude to servants and anyone he thinks is beneath him. He’s rich, beautiful, and connected and can’t see beyond his own privilege. I wasn’t sure how Greene would make me like him but she did. Josiah opens Hartley’s eyes to his attitude and Hartley isn’t too thrilled with what he sees in himself. I enjoyed watching the peacock become a person, albeit one who is still wholly himself. Josiah is a great hero from the start but he learns to assert himself over the course of the story. Mutual desire helps he and Hartley find common ground and there’s no imbalance of power in their romantic relationship. Greene treads a fine line with this and does so excellently. Josiah gives back as good as he gets and consent is at the forefront of every sensual encounter. The love story between Josiah and Hartley is surprisingly romantic given their beginnings and it was delightful to discover how sweet Hartley could be.

A rival club that is open to men of all classes threatens the Society of Beasts but opens our heroes’ eyes to the flaws of the club. I won’t spoil what happens but suffice it to say I really enjoyed that Greene didn’t sugarcoat that Hartley and his co-founders were elitist. They’re not bad men at heart but with Josiah’s help they come to see how to become better people.

The Servant and the Gentleman is an entertaining romance with well-crafted characters and a wonderfully satisfying ending. I hope Greene pens more books set in this world as there are definitely secondary characters I would love to see get their chance to shine.



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: Set on You by Amy Lea

Set on You by Amy Lea
Series: The Influencer, Book 1
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Contemporary Romance 

ISBN: 9780593336571
Release Date: May 10, 2022
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible

Curvy fitness influencer Crystal Chen built her career shattering gym stereotypes and mostly ignoring the trolls. After her recent breakup, she has little stamina left for men, instead finding solace in the gym – her place of power and positivity.

Enter firefighter Scott Ritchie, the smug new gym patron who routinely steals her favorite squat rack. Sparks fly as these ultra-competitive foes battle for gym domination. But after a series of escalating jabs, the last thing they expect is to run into each other at their grandparents' engagement party.

In the lead up to their grandparents' wedding, Crystal discovers there’s a soft heart under Scott’s muscled exterior. Bonding over family, fitness, and cheesy pick-up lines, they just might have found her swolemate. But when a photo of them goes viral, savage internet trolls put their budding relationship to the ultimate test of strength.

It’s a case of not-quite-enemies to lovers in Set on You. Amy Lea’s debut romance is fun, empowering, and refreshingly honest. I adored Crystal and her nemesis turned hero, Scott.

Crystal Chen is a fitness influencer who is determined to ignore the haters and spread the message of body positivity. I absolutely loved that she’s a curvy fitness buff whose love for the gym isn’t tied to losing weight. She’s a smart, strong, easy to love heroine who I would dearly love to have as a friend. Crystal tries to brush off the haters but it doesn’t always work because she’s only human and trolls can be cruel. I won’t spoil the journey Crystal goes on over the course of the story, but I will say that I really liked that she had to dig deep and examine her outlook toward fitness, social media, what she shares, how she feels and why, and the message she’s spreading to her followers.

Crystal doesn’t have the best luck in love and her ex left her with major trust issues. Enter Squat Rack Thief…err…Scott Ritchie. I must confess, I didn’t like Scott at first. Since this book is written in the first person, we only see him from Crystal’s point of view and at first glance, Squat Rack Thief is no fun at all. However, once Crystal gets to know Scott her view of him – and thus mine – changed. Scott is a sexy as sin fireman, but more importantly he’s sweet, funny, kind, caring, and a bit of a dork. He’s almost too perfect really, but he is such a fun hero that said perfection didn’t make him cardboard. He and Crystal move from bickering to friendship to more and it was delightful; I was rooting for them every step of the way.

Set on You is an utterly charming romantic comedy with a great message. Lea writes about all different kinds of love in this story from romantic to familial to self-love. I adored Crystal and Scott’s book and I’m very much looking to reading more of Amy Lea’s work!



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: When She Dreams by Amanda Quick

When She Dreams by Amanda Quick
Series: Burning Cove, Book 6
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Historical Romantic Suspense 

ISBN: 9780593337783
Release Date: May 3, 2022
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible

Return to 1930s Burning Cove, California, the glamorous seaside playground for Hollywood stars, mobsters, spies, and a host of others who find more than they bargain for in this mysterious town.

Maggie Lodge, assistant to the reclusive advice columnist known only as Dear Aunt Cornelia to her readers, hires down-but-not-quite-out private eye Sam Sage to help track down the person who is blackmailing her employer. Maggie and Sam are a mismatched pair. As far as Sam is concerned, Maggie is reckless and in over her head. She is not what he had in mind for a client, but he can’t afford to be choosy. Maggie, on the other hand, is convinced that Sam is badly in need of guidance and good advice. She does not hesitate to give him both.

In spite of the verbal fireworks between them, they are fiercely attracted to each other, but each is convinced it would be a mistake to let passion take over. They are, after all, keeping secrets from each other. Sam is haunted by his past, which includes a marriage shattered by betrayal and violence. Maggie is troubled by intense and vivid dreams—dreams that she can sometimes control. There are those who want to run experiments on her and use her for their own purposes, while others think she should be committed to an asylum.

When the pair discovers someone is impersonating Aunt Cornelia at a conference on psychic dreaming and a woman dies at the conference, the door is opened to a dangerous web of blackmail and murder. Secrets from the past are revealed, leaving Maggie and Sam in the path of a ruthless killer who will stop at nothing to exact vengeance.

A powerful lucid dreamer meets her match in a cynical PI in When She Dreams. Amanda Quick takes readers back to the dazzling world of 1930s Burning Cove, where glamor once again masks more sinister intentions.

Maggie Lodge is a writer who works for the advice columnist Aunt Cornelia. When her employer is blackmailed, Maggie is on the case and hires former detective turned private eye Sam Sage. The two click from the start, even though Sam is skeptical about lucid dreaming and Maggie is wary of trusting anyone after someone she trusted nearly committed her to an asylum. A case of simple blackmail turns deadly when someone is murdered and Sam and Maggie are drawn into a web of lies, showmanship, drugs, and deceit. The longer they investigate, the higher the chance that someone will target them.

I always enjoy a trip to Burning Cove, but you don’t have to be familiar with the series in order to enjoy Maggie and Sam’s book. Quick brings the world alive and I love the contrast of glitter and grime, the shimmering theatricality that masks dark deeds. Maggie and Sam are easy to like; both have been hurt in the past but work past it to open up to each other. They slide into their love story seamlessly and though I do wish there was a bit more emphasis on the emotional connection between them, I still enjoyed their romance overall. The mysteries they have to solve are satisfying and Quick takes you on an entertaining journey there. For me, the backdrop of the world she has created is the star because it’s so dang fun. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading When She Dreams. The atmosphere, period obsession with dreams, psychic phenomena and the like, and the entertaining protagonists with solid chemistry and a satisfying romance that made me smile all come together perfectly.



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: Highland Justice by Heather McCollum

Highland Justice by Heather McCollum
Series: Sons of Sinclair, Book 3
Publisher: Entangled: Amara
Genre: Historical Romance 

ISBN: 9781649371669
Release Date: April 26, 2022
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Entangled
Heather McCollum Reading Order

As the new chief of Clan Mackay, Gideon Sinclair knows the importance of maintaining order at any cost. To keep the conquered clan in line, Gideon must mete out ruthless justice or risk losing their precious new peace. But from the moment he meets Cait Mackay—aye, from the moment the sweetness of her lips captures his—all of Gideon’s careful objectivity is well and thoroughly compromised.

Cait knows that kissing the brawny Highlander is a dangerous game. It was bad enough she picked his pocket to feed the children in her care, but sometimes a desperate woman must disguise her crimes any way she can. Only her act of deception has made things worse… Because one kiss with the Highland’s most brutal chief leaves her breathless and out of her depth.

Now Gideon must choose between his duty and his heart when his lovely thief is accused of treason against the king himself.

The Horseman of Justice learns that not everything is black and white in Highland Justice. Gideon Sinclair was raised to believe things are right or wrong – no in between. He believes in law, order, and has no room for messiness. Cait Mackay knows nothing but messiness and complications; her life is lived in shades of grey. When the two cross paths there’s bound to be an explosion.

Gideon is a good man at his core, but his role in life was so drilled into him by his father that he has a hard time seeing the whole picture. As the new chief of Clan Mackay, he’s doing what he thinks is right to bring peace and wellbeing to his people but it’s clear from the start he’s missing some things. Cait opens his eyes to the messy reality of the world they live in. The survivor of an abusive marriage who now takes in orphans, Cait will do whatever it takes to see her children survive and thrive. She’s strong, smart, and determined – an easy heroine to like. I enjoyed watching her get past Gideon’s walls and to make him question what he’s always known. Gideon, in turn, is someone Cait can rely on. She’s self-sufficient but it’s wonderful that he can be there for her as an equal partner. The two of them just fit and watching them fall for each other was lovely.

Both Gideon and Cait are tested with the arrival of King James. Plots are afoot and both get mixed up in ways that could get them killed. How things work out I’ll leave readers to discover for themselves but suffice it to say that author Heather McCollum gives our protagonists a completely satisfying happily ever after. All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed Highland Justice. Cait and Gideon are both more than others think of them and it was a delight to see them realize it. I am very much looking forward to seeing what McCollum has in store for the youngest Sinclair, Bàs.



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: All the Duke I Need by Caroline Linden

All the Duke I Need by Caroline Linden
Series: Desperately Seeking Duke, Book 3
Publisher: Avon
Genre: Historical Romance 

ISBN: 9780062913661
Release Date: April 26, 2022
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible

She’s a duchess in all but name
Philippa Kirkpatrick has been raised at Carlyle Castle by her doting guardian, the Duchess of Carlyle. Preoccupied with the succession of the dukedom and the duke’s health, the duchess has left the estate in Philippa’s hands—and Philippa is determined not to let her down.

He's not a duke at all…
The arrival of a new estate steward should be a relief, but instead it threatens to upend everything. William Montclair is handsome, brash, and scandalously bold. The horrified duchess wants to sack him on sight. Philippa is just as shocked…but also, somehow, charmed.

But could he be her hero?
Carlyle cannot be her home forever, but Philippa is determined to leave it in good hands. She means to teach Will how to run the estate properly and love Carlyle as she does. The more time she spends with Will, though, the more she likes him… trusts him…even loves him. Unfortunately, she’s also more and more certain that Will is keeping secrets that could break her heart.

The mystery of who will inherit the Carlyle dukedom is solved in All the Duke I Need. I was entertained by Philippa and Will’s story from beginning to end, thanks to the excellent chemistry between the leads.

After her father married into the Duke of Carlyle’s family, Philippa Kirkpatrick was adopted by them and raised by the dowager duchess after her father and stepmother’s death. She’s had a front row seat to the search for the heir to the dukedom. Meanwhile, Carlyle estate needs a new steward, but the man hired for the job is nothing like she imagined a steward should be. William Montclair is a brash, bold American whose blunt tongue raises the dowager duchess’s hackles. But Will is also dedicated, hardworking, and determined to repair and modernize Carlyle. He and Philippa lock horns once in a while (especially as she tries to help him not get fired by her grandmother), but mostly their banter made me smile. There’s an effortless chemistry to their interactions thanks to author Caroline Linden’s writing. It was easy to become lost in their story and watch them fall in love. Both are likeable leads with good hearts, quick wit, and senses of humor – how could you not be swept away by them?

I wavered on how to rate All the Duke I Need because I adored the romance and the family dynamics at Carlyle. Philippa’s love for her adoptive family warmed my heart and the way Will just fit at the estate made me smile. However, there were some elements of the story that felt rushed and underdeveloped. Will’s relationship with his brother, Jack, and their family’s shipping business never felt fully realized. And then there’s the resolution to the missing heir storyline. I’m treading carefully to avoid spoilers and I will say that I liked where Linden took us with this plot. However, it was rushed, left me with questions, and the book ended so abruptly I thought I was missing some pages. So while I thoroughly enjoyed All the Duke I Need overall, I felt like a few more chapters would have taken this book from very entertaining to fantastic.



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: Go Hex Yourself by Jessica Clare

Go Hex Yourself by Jessica Clare
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Paranormal Romance 

ISBN: 9780593337561
Release Date: April 19, 2022
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible

When Reggie Johnson answers a job ad in the paper, she’s astonished to find that she’s not applying to work at her favorite card game, Spellcraft: The Magicking. Instead, she’s applying to be an actual familiar for an actual witch. As in, real magic.

The new job has a few perks - great room and board, excellent pay, and she's apprenticing to a powerful witch. Sure, the witch is a bit eccentric. And sure, there was that issue with the black cat Reggie would prefer to forget about. The biggest problem, however, is warlock Ben Magnus, her employer's nephew and the most arrogant, insufferable, maddening man to ever cast a spell.

Reggie absolutely hates him. He's handsome, but he's also bossy and irritating and orders her around. Ben's butt might look great in a crystal ball vision, but that's as far as it goes. But when someone with a vendetta targets the household, she finds herself working with Ben to break a deadly curse. Apparently, when they're not fighting like cats and dogs, things get downright...bewitching.

When Reggie Johnson answers a job ad, she thinks she’s applying to work for her favorite card game, not be a familiar to a witch. Magic isn’t real, of course, but Dru is paying her more than she could ever dream of and she’s a sweetheart, if slightly delusional. The only downside to this new job is Dru’s nephew, Ben Magnus. The man is insufferable and though it’s sweet he loves his aunt, the fact that he’s feeding into her believing in magic is just another mark against him.

Except magic is real and her employer is really a two-thousand-year-old witch. And her nephew? He’s a five-hundred-year-old warlock who’s an outcast even among their own kind. But when a curse strikes the Magnus home Ben and Reggie will have to work together. And close quarters means it’s harder for both to pretend they’re not falling for each other.

Go Hex Yourself is an enjoyable paranormal rom-com. Other reviewers have pointed out that it feels like thinly-veiled Reylo ff (Rey/Kylo Ren fan fiction) and I definitely can see that. That being said, the Reylo vibes were my favorite part of the book. Ben is an outcast even though he’s an incredibly powerful warlock. Beneath the fearsome surface, however, is a lonely man with deep wounds. Reggie sees past the layers to the protective, caring man beneath. Ben’s pretty easy to become attached to; he’s grumpy, yes, but desperately in need of love and it’s hard not to be drawn to him. He’s there when Reggie needs him and bonds with her on a number of levels.

Reggie had a hard childhood and the only person she can depend on is her best friend, Nick. Because of said childhood, Reggie has an obsessive need to organize and control her environment. She doesn’t believe in magic when she answers Dru’s ad, but unfortunately the first half of the book drags something awful because it takes so long for her to become a believer. Go Hex Yourself hits its stride when Reggie finally realizes magic is real and spells, curses, etc. can be discovered through her eyes. Her romance with Ben has a good amount of tension and when things heat up, Jessica Clare delivers on steam. I was rooting for these two every step of the way, even when things were hard for them.

A cast of quirky supporting characters rounds out Go Hex Yourself. I enjoyed the world Clare created; witches and warlocks who are thousands of years old have a way of behaving that is sometimes unpredictable. I would love to learn more about the familiars (aside from being their master’s battery source and pupil) and Penny, Reggie’s new friend, in particular. I had mixed feelings about Go Hex Yourself because the first half of the book didn’t grab me, but ultimately I enjoyed the resolution and I hope Clare plans more books set in this 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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