Sigh. The Duke Gets Even is a disappointment. Despite its potentially rich Gilded Age setting and possibly interesting protagonists—a Duke and a crusading activist—this novel fails to deliver. The romance, which should be the heart of the story, is overshadowed by an implausible plot, and the writing lacks the finesse evident in Shupe’s earlier works,…
N.R. Walker used to be one of my go-to authors, but very few of her recent titles have worked for me. I think the last book of hers that wowed me was 2019’s Tallowwood, but I pick up her books occasionally, hoping to find the emotional depth and complex characters that used to characterise her…
Now, THIS is how you do a ‘vibes over plot’ book. A.J. Demas returns readers to the alternate ancient Mediterranean world of her Sword Dance novels for The House of the Red Balconies, a quiet and sweet slice-of-life romance about finding one’s place in the world and making a life. Unlike Sword Dance and Honey…
This is the fourth book of the Ladies Most Scandalous series. It’s a lighthearted historical romance with a murder mystery and features governesses. I enjoyed this but felt like it focused more on the mystery than the romance. (I wanted more romance.) Miss Jane Hollowell has been hired as a governess by Lord Gilford, an…
The Mistress Experience marks the first time I’ve ever been disappointed by Scarlet Peckham. Perhaps it’s because this book takes a step away from drama and toward broad comedy, or perhaps it’s because I felt as though Thaïs – so indomitable in the other books – has to change too much of the way she’s…
This review originally appeared in 2013 Narrated by Rosalyn Landor Ruined by Rumor is another of the books that’s been languishing on my TBR mountain for a while that I decided to listen to rather than leaving it buried on the pile for much longer. The marriage-of-convenience is one of my favourite plots in romance…
Fantastic isn’t a word I apply liberally to my reviews – so when I call A Shore Thing an absolutely fantastic romance that will delight and dazzle every reader, oh, do I mean it! It’s one of the best queer romances of the summer and will make you smile and swoon hard. Kit Griffith is…
Warm-hearted, sweet, and filled with passion, Isabel and the Rogue does a beautiful job continuing Lina De La Rosa’s tale of the three Luna sisters. There’s adventure, derring do, growth, and a tender but sensual romance all within its pages. Isabel Luna Valdés feels completely invisible in her own family. The middle child, her parents…
Not Quite a Scandal has all of the angst and strong-willed protagonists I expect from Bliss Bennet. It’s a little weaker than its predecessor (Not Quite a Marriage), but it’s impeccably researched and filled with Bennett’s hallmark combination of imperfect characters finding imperfect romance in unique ways. It’s worth noting that you will need to…
Well, this is a load of fun. All’s Fair in Love and War is a promising start to Virginia Heath’s latest series which revolves around Miss Prentice’s School for Girls, which ‘finishes’ young ladies in respectable ways for jobs in the real world. It’s got mischievous kids, a lovable but impossible dog (NORBERT!), a hero…
End of content
End of content