 Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own. Q: if you had to put these in order of preference how would you do it?: historical romance, contemporary romance, paranormal romance. This is actually an impossible question I think . It would be contemporary & paranormal tied for me & then historical. Well KJ Charles’s The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen was basically a little slice of heaven. My enemies to lovers greed was quenched by this lovers to vague dislike to lovers again story, I got my steam wants met, & I think this is definitely one of the more romantic KJ Charles books I’ve read… All of which makes for a very happy Jess. Gareth Inglis & Josiah Doomsday are anonymous lovers who have a bit of a bitter break-up thanks mostly to Gareth’s past trauma. Then they unexpectedly meet again when Gareth—now a baronet after the death of his father—moves to his family home & into the life his estranged dad left behind. Unbeknownst to him, his former lover is the leader of a smuggling family within his new community & Gareth has gotten himself involved in a bit of a mess. I just adored how sweet the relationship between Gareth & Joss is. They both want & need certain things from each other & it’s lovely how they make their relationship into a refuge—or maybe just embrace it as one. There are some lovely speeches & a symbolic gesture with pieces of grass *weeping* & it was all what I wanted. There’s plenty of family drama & thrills in this one too & Charles captures this life & these characters so vividly. Can’t wait to return for more books—this was a good one! 5⭐️. Out 03/07.CW: attempted murder. One of the leads was abandoned by his father. Reference to losing loved ones and grief. Child abuse on page. Reference to rape & assault is threatened against secondary character.
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 Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own. You’re a Mean One, Matthew Prince by Timothy Janovsky totalllly surprised me. There was so much to be delighted about in this New Adult novel & I shall enumerate it below in hopes of convincing you to give this one a try: The tropes. Money difference, hate to love, fish out of water, only one bunk bed. All wrapped up in a male male holiday romance that had me singing “all I want for Christmas is you.” A rich guy who’s kinda rude & undergoes a transformation of the heart after he’s cut off by his parents & sent to live with his grandparents. Mental health rep. Matthew Prince Jr. has generalized anxiety disorder & experiences panic attacks on page. When he does, the other lead Hector Martinez helps calm him. I didn’t fall in love with Janovsky’s first book but I’m so glad I gave this one a shot because it was everything I could have wanted. The hate to love arc is wonderfully rendered, with both leads not being at their finest coupled with assumptions they both make, & then a moment of kindness & realization that turns things sweeter between them. This one hit me emotionally on several levels & offers so much holiday goodness. 5⭐️. Out now!CWs: Generalized anxiety disorder. Parents aren’t the most supportive or involved.
 Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own. 📖 Q: do you have a favorite royal couple? I’m team Harry + Meghan all the way! The stunning cover of American Royalty—& the premise, of a white future prince of England & current duke falling in love with a Black American rapper named Duchess—had me pressing request on this one really fast. While the basic premise is great (with a nod to Harry & Meghan), the book’s celebration of a female rapper also trying to amp up her skincare line is something worth cheering for, & there are some 🔥 sex scenes (including 🍑 action!), I also feel like things between the leads moved quickly & the hero sometimes comes across as judgmental & uptight (& not in a way that I appreciate). Rapper & businesswoman Dani “Duchess” is in England to perform at a memorial concert for the King. Pretty much immediately Duke Jameson acts like a jerk, mainly because he judged her based on her music videos & because he’s secretly so attracted to her. Forced proximity fans might rejoice when they realize they’re going to be spending so much time together on Jameson’s estate… I noted what does & doesn’t work me earlier but on the whole this book just feels uneven to me. On one hand Jameson can be an awkwardly adorable & cerebral beta hero; on the other, he makes weird, sexist judgments about how much cursing he might expect from Dani based on how she’s dressed (like women might be expected to curse more or less just because of how they’re dressed), as an example. The couple doesn’t meet until 27% in which feels late to me, then they get physical a little too fast for me, & then there just isn’t enough emotional intimacy to have me falling in love. But this was a fast read for me, largely because I found Tracey Livesay’s writing to be entertaining & enjoyable to consume & I had a lot of fun meeting Dani. In the end this wasn’t an unqualified win for me but I’ll definitely try Livesay’s writing again! 3.5 ⭐️. Release date: 06/28
 Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own. I think Alexis Hall is one of the best banter writers I’ve read & it’s very apparent in A Lady for a Duke. Wouldn’t it be so great if we were as quick, funny, & astute as an Alexis Hall character? Let me just say I welcomed those moments of humor with open arms because so much of the romance is a rich, dense, & incredibly thoughtful plumbing of emotions, heart, & friendship. Which is amazing…& also served really well by an occasional bon mot for levity. A Lady for a Duke has everything & it just feels so colorful to me. I don’t think I’m in danger of forgetting the characters—they’re truly magnificent in their own ways, from the leads—indomitable Viola Carroll & the sternly principled & honorable Justin, duke of Gracewood—to Viola’s brother, a not very bright but also affable person called Badger who is beloved by his wife, (a magnificent would-be puppet master with a heart) Louise. The story, too, is unforgettable, featuring a trans heroine who, as she says, made choices that severed her from her old life—as a beloved best friend to Gracewood—but that allowed her to live as herself. This childhood best friends, class difference (Viola is a lady’s companion) romance has bold & romantic speeches & moments, stunning descriptions, a devastating sense of drama, & an absolutely lovely Epilogue that serves up major feels. Check out the CWs but this book is soo good & highly recommended! 5 ⭐️. Release date: 05/24.
 Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.I had never read a Caroline Linden book before All the Duke I Need but I loved this romance. Seriously loved it. From the hot leads to the hot chemistry between them, from the surrounding familial drama to the estate workings, from the cute little moments—throwing apple cores & walnuts to the almost-kisses—this book is a total delight. Did I mention that one of the MCs is compared to a pirate in appearance & total charmer but is sometimes moved to blushes and/or stupification (is that a word?) by the heroine’s sass?! Other things I love: 💛 Class difference. He’s an estate steward & she’s the duchess’s ward (& almost grand-daughter) & heiress. 💛 Secrets & a twist I didn’t anticipate 💛 A consideration of the brutality of colonization (though I wanted the consideration to be even more assertive) 💛 Angst. Kind of kidding here bc you might know I’m not one for angst but it’s really well done here & I could feel the pain & rawness of their separation. This is a wonderful book & this couple made me so happy. I feel like I had the biggest smile in my heart/possibly on my face reading their interactions. So good! 5 ⭐️. Release date: 04/26
 Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.A commode heiress named Cleopatra Lewis with an unconventional upbringing who’s also the granddaughter of a viscount. A self-made brawny American businessman, Jacob Astor Addison, who is the possessor of a formidable jawline. What kind of trouble could they get into when they both want the same costume business? I always enjoy Eloisa James romances. They seem so sophisticated—I think it’s how her characters banter— & they’re sexy & bold. She’s keeping the streak alive for me with How to be a Wallflower, a romance featuring a lead whom every other character knows is *not* a wallflower. Cleopatra is a standout of the book. Every time she does something without permission, like staying in a hotel while unwed, smoking a cheroot, deciding to buy a business, I cheered internally. As Jacob comes to appreciate the same qualities that once bedeviled him & stops being as misogynistic 🙄😆 he grew on me too. Do you remember how I described him earlier? He’s a real fox. But one development in the romance arc happens abruptly for me & overall the arc isn’t quite as smooth & straightforward as I would like, particularly when it comes to potential other entanglements like the woman in America Jacob has “an understanding” with. All things considered How to be a Wallflower is invigorating, refreshing, sensual fun & the epilogue has me 👀 for what I assume is book 2. 4 ⭐️. Release date: 03/29.
 Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own. I’ve written this before (way to be original, Jess 🙄) but every single time I’ve read a Grace Burrowes book I think, it feels like I’m watching Downtown Abbey right now. Restraint & repartee meets drama!!! (Why am I feeling like that koala in the movie Sing right now?! 😬). Never a Duke has that same Downton Abby-ness. Also a truly nice hero, an unconventional heroine who isn’t liked by many of her contemporaries, & sweet love story that wavers a little for me toward the end but for the most part soundly holds my interest. Burrowes explores class boundaries & the legal system compellingly with this one when she repeatedly relays how poor people are punished for trying to exist, trying to keep themselves & their families alive & fed & provided for. It’s a belief that the leads Ned Wentworth & Lady Rosalind Kinworth share & that draws them together, despite the fact that Ned was born on the rougher side of London & was sent to Newgate for crimes & also nearly transported for them & Lady Rosalind is the daughter of an Earl. Binding everything together is a stirring mystery focusing on missing young women in service & an attraction that shimmers between Ned & Rosalind, despite the many obstacles between them. Rosalind occasionally comes across as somewhat high-handed to me but watching her pursue him & challenge the seemingly indomitable Wentworths also has its fun recompenses. Never a Duke is another strong installment in this series. It’s been really fun meeting such an unconventional & powerful family that straddles class lines & seeing them shake the aristocracy—& my own reader expectations—up a bit. 4 ⭐️. Release date: 04/26.
 Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own. Q: what’s one of your fave 2021 covers? I think this one is gorgeous! Shout-out to Diana Quincy for writing a viscount/bonesetter couple in The Viscount Made Me Do It, a daring combo that was fun to read for the first time. Hanna Zaydan is the bonesetter in question, a woman who faces discrimination on account of her profession, her sex, & her Arabic ancestry & culture. But she’s not bowing down to anyone’s idea of what she should do, not even her mother & grandmother, who want her to marry an Arabic man & stop practicing bonesetting. Viscount Thomas Ellis “Griff” has spent the last couple of years in tremendous pain but that’s not why he visits Hanna. It’s because he sees her wearing his murdered mother’s necklace & wants to question her about its providence. The fact that she heals his arm when others haven’t been able to garners his respect for life & her beauty & demeanor capture his more romantic admiration. But there are big obstacles between them & tbh, I had my doubts about how it would all work out. The characterization of Hanna is often delightful. She’s ambitious, skilled, & she really isn’t afraid of much. There’s a flower scene with Griff—where she really lets her feelings go— that I adore. But Griff is frequently frustrating to me. One mark in his favor is his appreciation for Hanna’s skill, but I find his overall attitude toward her & their relationship to be not as romantic as I would like. There are a couple of moments where I feel like he’s somewhat cold. Hanna is a compelling heroine but sadly the romance in this one is a little lackluster for me. 3.5 ⭐️. Release date: 07/27.CW:
 Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.M. A. Grant’s Rare Vigilance hit a real sweet spot for me: it’s a paranormal romance between the bratty but secretly compassionate wealthy heir to a finance throne & the gruff bodyguard who resents his charge...at least for a little while. Bodyguard Atlas Kinkaid doesn’t talk about why he was involuntarily discharged from the armed forces. Regularly stricken with migraines, Atlas is just trying to get by. But then his sister & boss Bea puts an opportunity in front of him: working his preferred hours & guarding the son of the most famous businessperson in their community. His protectee is Cristian Salva. (Whom I imagined as a Theo James type 🤩. Prob not necessary info for this review ). But despite his attraction for Cristian, things happen & Atlas finds himself with BIG stressful decisions to make. Rare Vigilance is a fun ride that kicks off what I think will be a series focusing on the same couple. There’s some kissing, one scene where things go further, & a cliffhanger. Grant sets up things for this couple well—Atlas’s efforts to resist Cristian & the way he tests his control are delightful—& it was an escape to sit inside this world for a while. I won’t ruin the PNR aspect of the book but I love how it plays out amidst a story of capitalism & power & how it’s complicated by Atlas’s awareness that working class people (& maybe others too) are suffering. There are some aspects of this book that don’t feel thoroughly developed to me—I wanted more subtlety & clarity in the transition of Atlas’s feelings toward Cristian, for example—but I’m really excited to have discovered this author & to read her backlist! 4 ⭐️. Release date: 6/22. Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own. When I saw who the author of this book is—not to mention the delightfully soft seafoam cover & read the synopsis—I wanted it fiercely. Cat Sebastian books are one of my love languages. The Queer Principles of Kit Webb by Cat Sebastian did *not* disappoint. It gave me everything I was looking for: outstanding chemistry, emotional intimacy, & smooching, *&* even some things I didn’t know I was looking for, & it’s a big HURRAY for me. There’s a ballad about an indomitable, almost heroic highwayman, Kit Webb. He actually exists, minus some of the song details. But after a leg injury took him out of the highwayman business, he’s a coffeehouse owner. That doesn’t stop him from being tempted though—in more ways than one—when Edward Percy Talbot, supposed heir to a dukedom, invites him to rob his father the Duke of a precious book he carries in exchange for funds. You see Percy has just learned that his father is a bigamist & he’s being blackmailed to keep it a secret. But he & his stepmother, who grew up close, have hatched a plan that the supremely reluctant Kit Webb can help them pull off. The magnetic attraction between Kit & Percy from the get-go gives me butterflies: two intimidating, seemingly unreachable people who can’t help but stare at the other. Can’t help but want. I love how Percy is bratty—I believe the text says—but lovable, & how Kit gives him hard truths about what his family’s wealth has cost & is costing others. How the legacy Percy is so tied to has tied down others & thrown them away when they’re deemed useless. The scene at the estate Percy faces losing is so moving to me. (With that being said, I do feel feel the text’s two references to the Duke’s “property” in the West Indies & the deeds of manumissions Percy later commissions are too briefly considered.) Overall the dynamic between Kit & Percy is everything I love in romance. Kissing because they can’t help but kiss each other / emotional truths between people who just can’t keep it casual / & a HEA kind of love. 5 ⭐️. Release Date: 06/08
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