 Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.Jen Devon’s well-written but emotionally harpooning debut Bend Toward the Sun inspired one of my recent memes about angst lol. The rural Philadelphia setting & love of nature are evocative (I felt like I could see the mist over the vineyard & the spiders’s webs glinting with dew & smell the dirt). The moments of the leads falling in love & noticing things about each other are lovely (not to mention when he gives her a flower or fixes her bun). It’s one of those books where so much is intricately captured & rendered. But boy did this read hurt often, from beginning to end, with a heroine biologist & nature-lover, Rowan McKinnon, who’s sooo stubborn about admitting she needs occasional help & admitting that she has lost her heart to the other lead Harry Brady, an OB who’s temporarily not working due to lingering trauma over losing a patient. Then Harry is sooo stubborn. Both leads could have benefited from regular therapy—I don't mean that flippantly. In short, in case you haven’t gotten the point , this book is so angsty. It’s relieved by those moments of loveliness plus shining friendship & found family, but damn, I was so relieved by the reconciliation (which was hard-won) & the Epilogue (so sweet). If you’re an angst-lover check this one out. There’s a lot to commend it. But it was a lot for this angst-wimp. 3.5 ⭐️. Out 08/09.CWs: Harry lost a patient immediately after labor & there are on page flashbacks. References to the end of other relationships. Anxiety attacks.
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 Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.Claire Kent is giving us so much post apocalyptic romance this year & I’m grateful for it. I’m such a fan of how she captures a post-asteroid world, where there's so much sadness and uncertainty but love is still possible. Embers flirts with forbidden love, featuring Rachel, who’s in her early 20s & Cal, who’s in his mid-40s or so & happens to be her former boyfriend’s grumpy father. Their relationship goes through quite an arc throughout the book, with them meeting when Rachel is 17 & her boyfriend still alive, to the two of them living alone & becoming closer, to becoming something more—a span of 5+ years. Despite the progression of their physical relationship (or maybe because of it?) Kent ramps up the angst in this one. While there’s so much to enjoy about Embers—the voice, the heroine becoming more independent as the book progresses, and the story of two lonely people connecting, in general the premise is not my fave, especially since Rachel is 17 when she first moves into Cal’s home. Nothing physical or romantic happens until Rachel is 22, but I’m kind of with Cal in this one: the potential power dynamics are somewhat troubling here. I just wish some of the details had been written differently because the way they *are* written it doesn’t feel like they’re on totally equal footing—something Cal suggests. Not to mention that there’s a speech Cal makes when Rachel is 22, referencing his feelings for her & their history together, that gives me somewhat ick, uncomfortable vibes. While Embers isn’t an unreserved win for me I am excited about the author’s next release in December. 3.5 ⭐️. Out 08/09.Lots of CWs including death, violence.
 Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.God bless my fellow bookstagrammers & book-lovers for spreading the word about books you’re adoring. That’s how I found Megan Bannen’s The Undertaking of Hart & Mercy, & it delighted me so hard. From the first pages, when the hero & heroine haven’t actually seen each other in person yet but the author has so perfectly captured their antagonism, I was ALL in. Marshal and demigod Hart Ralston & undertaker Mercy Birdsall do not like each other. But they must work together at times. Then one day Mercy gets a letter from “a friend.” That friend is actually Hart, who didn’t think his letter would actually get delivered to someone. It’s a You’ve Got Mail-ish situation, people! Only add fantasy. This is so wonderfully & inventively written, the chemistry between leads—& their slow & then fast fall into attraction & feelings—is compelling & lovely, & it all comes together so heartwarmingly at the end MY GOD. It was just so good. The dance scene, the epilogue . Other things I loved: a grand p*%#> declaration, a taciturn hero who also cries, stunning final lines. Check this one out!! 5 ⭐️. Out 08/23.CWs: Death. Violence. Reference to cheating & death of family members. Parental abandonment in past and current fears over parent's health. Hart is somewhat self-conscious about being a demigod due to how others have treated him in the past.
 Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own. Things are pretty brutal on a large scale IRL & yet somehow Claire Kent’s post apocalyptic romances hit the sweet spot every single time. I was talking with a friend about these books & what we love about them recently: 🌻 the steam (so good, especially because Kent really plays with the idea of people hooking up in the secret hours & there aren’t any feelings involved, definitely not ;) ). 🌻 The hope, even though the old world is gone & the new world is uncertain every day. 🌻 The voice. These are just so readable! In Princess, Olivia, the daughter of a billionaire techie, has been living in a bunker for five years—since right before a major asteroid hit Earth, destroying life as they knew it. She’s there with Grant, among others. He’s given her the impression that he’s unmoved by her again & again but one day they turn to each other, set the room on fire, & repeat repeat. But are those pesky feelings one-sided? Though this book isn’t my fave of her post apocalyptic collection—that goes to Haven—it’s got everything I love about her books. The steam is great, the tension & the romance arc feel developed for my maximum enjoyment ;), & there’s a nicely portrayed conflict between his wish to protect her—like he’s done since they’ve known each other—& her desire to be viewed as equal. Definitely check this series out if you’re looking for something dark but soft where it counts! 4 ⭐️. Out now.Lots of CWs, including death and violence.
   Summary.National bestselling author Anne Gracie returns this summer with another smart and witty Regency romance, perfect for fans of Mary Balogh and Julia Quinn. THE RAKE’S DAUGHTER (Berkley Mass Market; on sale July 26, 2022) follows an Earl who is forced to play matchmaker for the daughters of a rake. Recently returned to England, Leo, the new Earl of Salcott, discovers he's been thrust into the role of guardian to an heiress, the daughter of a notorious rake. Even worse, his wealthy ward has brought her half-sister, the beautiful but penniless Isobel, with her. Leo must find Clarissa a suitable husband, but her illegitimate half-sister, Izzy, is quite another matter. Her lowly birth makes her quite unacceptable in London’s aristocratic circles. However, the girls are devoted to each other and despite the risk of scandal if Izzy’s parentage is discovered, they refuse to be separated. To Leo’s frustration, nothing will convince them otherwise. Even worse, sparks fly every time Leo and Izzy interact. Called away to his country estate, Leo instructs the young ladies to stay quietly at home. But when he returns, he's infuriated to discover that Izzy and Clarissa have launched themselves into society — with tremendous success! There's no going back. Now Leo must enter society to protect Clarissa from fortune hunters, and try not to be driven mad by the sharp-witted, rebellious, and intoxicating Izzy. Well-loved in the historical romance sphere for her signature wit, sensuality, and strong female heroines, Gracie absolutely shines in this second series installment of the Brides of Bellaire Gardens series. According to Library Journal, “Gracie paints a thoughtful (and somewhat chilling) picture of the sisters’ childhood with the lurking menace of the wrong kind of rake as a father…This book is generally a light read that will draw in readers looking for a strong-willed heroine who knows her own worth.”  My Review.If you like dynamics where the hero is frequently stodgy & judgmental & the heroine sets him straight by blistering his ears you might really enjoy Anne Gracie’s The Rake’s Daughter. Said heroine—Isobel “Izzy” Burton—is the standout of this romance for me. Not one to fade into the background & definitely not one possessing a shy, retiring nature, Izzy is a lot of fun to watch, particularly as she corrects the opinions of the aforementioned hero, Leo, Lord Salcott. Izzy is the illegitimate child of a rake & she comes into contact with Leo after her horrible rake father dies, leaving her & her legitimate half sister Clarissa to be charges of Leo. Clarissa is his ward; Izzy is the potential walking-scandal, frustrating woman who won’t listen to him. The book started off strong for me. I’m often a big fan of a dumb dumb lead who espouses silly/maddening opinions at the beginning of the book & who comes to their senses by the end. But Leo keeps espousing those opinions too late for me, not to mention jumping to unflattering conclusions about Izzy too late, & then when he stops their relationship moves too quickly. The love declaration seems not totally believable to me, just because of those pacing quibbles. The bravery & the sheer entertainment of Izzy—all things that are appreciated & noted by Leo—are great, as is the relationship between the sisters. But while the book does try to explain how Leo’s past affects his offensive & simplistic views toward women, in general I often found him unsympathetic & not terribly likable (even close to the conclusion). With that being said, in the final pages Leo comes to his senses, double-checking with Izzy how things work out between them, and I appreciate his conscientiousness in that moment. This was my first book by Anne Gracie and I really enjoyed parts, but I wish that the middle & end matched the potential of the beginning. But a big hurrah! for Izzy. Hopefully she’ll continue to keep Leo on his toes ; ). 3.5 ⭐️. Out 07/26.Please check out CWs from a trusted reviewer before beginning. Q: What's a book you want to finish before the end of July? Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.Charis Michaels’s Awakened by a Kiss series is charming & bright, but please let me tell you that I was not saddened by the steam in A Duchess by Midnight—including while the MCs are birdwatching . From Wicked Stepsister and Mean Girl to a spinster with business aspirations, Drewsmina “Drew” Trelayne has undergone quite the change in the last few years. At the beginning of this book she’s happy to secure a job for herself as “stylist” to reclusive duke Ian Claybank’s nieces, who are about to participate in the Season but who aren’t prepared for it. United in their goal, living in the same house, & mutually appreciating the scenery in front of them , things heat up quickly between Drew & Ian. Maybe my fave thing about this book is just how attracted Ian is to Drew & vice versa. Drew still has some lingering insecurities about herself—she has orange hair & freckles & is very tall, all of which her cruel mother, no doubt, made her feel horrible about—& meanwhile, Ian makes it very clear to her & to others that she is what he wants. The chemistry between them is written beautifully & scintillatingly, & I was happy when they finally admit their feelings at the end, though wishing that Ian had been a bit less of a dumb dumb . The conflict between them feels a tiny bit lackluster to me but it all contributes to the low angst feel of the romance & I can’t complain about that too much. All in all this is cheerful, steamy fun & I love seeing a former Mean Girl who wants to try to live with kindness & empathy & follow her dreams get a HEA. 4 ⭐️. Out 07/26.CWs: emotionally abusive, cruel mother. References to past cruel behavior by heroine. References to violent Luddite Riot which a man was killed during. References to what I’m calling a religious cult of sorts, where the Duke’s nieces & sister were previously living.
   Summary.In THE ACCIDENTAL PINUP, Cassie Harris has a great life—she’s a proudly Black, plus-size photographer and entrepreneur in the windy city of Chicago making a difference in how people see themselves. Her company Buxom Boudoir’s mission is to make people look and feel their very best with their modern twist on classic pinup photography. Her best friend Dana, a plus-size model and fashion designer, is about to launch her own line of lingerie and she wants Cassie to direct and shoot the national campaign. But when company politics interfere, Cassie finds herself not behind the camera but in front of it. Though she’s never modeled herself, Cassie is very comfortable with her own body and has no problem dressing it up in skimpy bras and underwear. The only thing she wasn’t expecting is having to work with the new photographer in charge, Reid Montgomery, her long-time competitor in the Chicago photography scene. The beginning of their partnership is rocky at best, but soon enough, their prickly relationship gives way to undeniable chemistry. But as they fall deeper and deeper into each other, the worlds of personal and professional become more and more difficult to keep apart. And it might just destroy everything they’ve built together.  My Review.Take one confident, ambitious lead, introduce her to a new challenge—like modeling her BFF’s body-inclusive lingerie line—& watch her be a firework…totally stealing from Katy Perry obvi ;). Danielle Jackson’s The Accidental Pinup—of the fabulous cover—has a lot going for it, mostly centering for me around lead Cassandra Harris, a plus-size boudoir photographer with big dreams that’ll get a big kick from the national ad campaign featuring her BFF’s upcoming line. But thanks to some maneuvering by the marketing company, Cassandra isn’t given the photography job for the campaign. She’s made art director & model. & unbeknownst to her, her art actions are being reported back to the marketing company by her professional rival, hottie Reid Montgomery, who was hired to be the photographer. So this book has rivals to lovers, forced proximity, let’s make art together energy with some deception thrown in. The latter is where the book is weakest for me. I didn’t quite get the rationale for Reid’s less than honorable actions at the end; I don’t feel like the groundwork is adequately laid for me to feel sympathetic toward what he does. Though Cassandra is a creative dynamo force of nature & seeing her confidence & cool photography style intrigued, I just didn’t 💯 feel the romance in The Accidental Pinup. Reid can be sweet & he’s certainly talented but forgettable for me…outside of what he does to Cassie, which I didn’t like. Still, if the thought of a fun Chicago setting, a loyal, sparkly friend group, & a stand-out heroine sound good, consider checking this one out! 3.5 ⭐️ . Out now. Q: This or That
Pastel clothes or jewel tones? If you could spend a day in a city would you pick Chicago or New York? And if you feel comfortable answering ;) : boudoir/pajama set or whatever you can find? Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own. This book isn’t quite Assassin Lite but there are so many things that got to my heart nonetheless. 🌻 Like a deliberately annoying lead + the lead who gets exasperated by him. 🌻 A grumpy & the sunshine combo. 🌻 Forced proximity. 🌻 I have to trust you (even though I shouldn’t) if I want to survive. 🌻 Let’s make a home together. In N. R. Walker’s The Kite Harry & Asher are both assassins who go on the run together once they realize that hits have been put out on both of them. Neither man is quick to trust so that makes the inevitable walls coming down all the better. The steam had me fanning my cheeks, the caretaking scenes grabbed at my heart, & I was genuinely happy to see them at the end, forging a new, safe life separate from the violence of their past. Be warned: there’s a lot of violence in this one & lots of deaths, some committed by the leads. In an effort to establish their own safety Harry also threatens a villain’s family in front of the villain only & while I think he was bluffing I prefer my leads to make less threats against possibly innocent people please & thanks. But on the whole The Kite really satisfied. 4.5 ⭐️. Out now!
   Summary.The beloved queen of Regency romance is back with a brand-new series perfect for fans of Bridgerton. Discover New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh’s Ravenswood series. The handsome and charismatic Earl of Stratton, Caleb Ware, has been exposed to the ton for his clandestine affairs—by his own son. As a child, Devlin Ware thought his family stood for all that was right and good in the world. They were kind, gracious, and shared the beauty of Ravenswood, their grand country estate, by hosting lavish parties for the entire countryside. But at twenty-two, he discovered his whole world was an elaborate illusion, and when Devlin publicly called his family to account for it, he was exiled as a traitor. So be it. He enlisted in the fight against Napoleon and didn’t look back for six years. But now his father is dead, the Ware family is broken, and as the heir he is being called home. It’s only when Gwyneth Rhys—the woman he loved and then lost after his family banished him—holds out her hand to help him that he is able make the difficult journey and try to piece together his fractured family. It is Gwyneth’s loyalty, patience, and love that he needs. But is Devlin’s war-hardened heart even capable of offering her love in return?  My review.Would you believe that I had never read a Mary Balogh book before Remember Love & I’ve been reading historical romance for about 24 or so years & see her books around all the time? (That’s a rhetorical question since I know we all have authors like that 😆). But this book really got to me, so much so that I found myself being okay with certain things that might have given me pause if written by someone else. Because Mary Balogh’s writing is intricately descriptive (please ask me about Ravenswood Manor & one of the leads’s siblings bc this woman has learned so much 🤣), & the story is marvelously told, & it felt very much Wharton-esque to me but with that HEA. The premise of this book is that “before,” Gwyneth Rhys & Devlin Ware are total opposites & neighbors who have been closely linked throughout their childhoods but only because they’ve been best friends with each other’s siblings. Secretly they’ve pined for each other, though, & they have *one day* of luxuriating in the fact that their feelings are not unrequited before it comes crashing down in heartrending fashion. At 40% into the book, we’re fast forwarded six years & Devlin has returned home where he again meets Gwyneth, the woman he “once loved” (ok yeah whatever Devlin). I mentioned the storytelling, but there’s a lot of other things to commend this one: the bravery of Gwyneth, who is a quiet joy & a bold joy & whom I was cheering on. There’s introspective Devlin, who, as Gwyneth points out, feels so much even while not recognizing that in himself. There are well-rounded secondary characters whose happiness I’m also devoted in, & an overall plotline regarding parents and hero worship that feels relatable & heartbreaking to me. Forcing me to slow down & pay attention, to just really enjoy the immersive story of love & heartbreak & ultimately, always love, Remember Love is lovely. 4.5 ⭐️. Out now. About the author.
 Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.Anytime anyone is asking for recs in the Ilona Andrews-ish mode, I rush in shouting *Jessie Mihalik’s series.* Hunt the Stars was a fun introduction to the crew of Starlight’s Shadow & to the general tension that lingers post-intergalactic war & Eclipse the Moon, this upcoming release out 07/12, continues both of those trends with a sunshine & the grump story this time. Sunshiney data genius Kee has had feelings for grumpy Varro, a Valovan, since after he arrived on her ship in the last book. But he’s apparently resistant to her charms. So in an effort to remove herself from (supposedly) Unrequited Pining Central & also to get some much-needed data regarding the intergalactic threat they all used to work for, Kee stays on a planet by herself. Which prompts Varro to risk his own life if he isn’t also allowed off-ship by their Captain so that he can protect her. Me-ow. This story, with its confessions of mutual pining & feeling, with his multiple displays of protective feeling (including him sleeping outside of her room & the aforementioned threat of airwalking through space to chase after her!), does satisfy romantically on an emotional level. Their mutual care for the other comes in handy when his honor as a protector comes into question & the slow burn is always a nice touch! But I do wish that in addition to the romance that plays out on the pages they also established more of their past with the other. & with me 🥴😆. As it is, it just feels a little superficial to me, like a lost opportunity. This series has been entertaining & interesting. Check it out if you’re looking for something with high stakes & quite the (anticipatory) wait for spice! 4 ⭐️. Release date: 07/12.
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