Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own. A road trip romance with some let’s-snuggle-to-stay-warmer & mutual rescuing moments?!?! One Night in Hartswood by Emma Denny is a character-driven romance with some big moments at the end that really amp up the action & the dramatic gesture quotient for each lead. The book opens with Raff, the son of an Earl, traveling to the home of his sister’s intended, William, who is a nobleman she will soon marry to shore up an alliance between their families. But William leaves before the wedding, before Raff and his family even meet him, & when Raff is tasked with tracking William, he enters Hartswood Forest and finds only the servant Penn that he met in the forest a day or so before & kissed. Seeing that Penn needs assistance with his own escape from the keep, Raff says Penn can accompany him on his journey North & find another way home & employment on the way. So, in short, Raff & Penn are on a journey away from the keep together, both of them keeping secrets that will soon blow up in their faces. This book is soft, with several moments where the leads try to protect each other. Both leads are loyal, steadfast, & brave, and both show how they’re willing to face pain for the sake of the other. Moreover, there’s an emotional consideration to the protection too, as Raff worries about the social dynamics between him & Penn, the man he believes to be a servant. ONIH is a great historical romance & I adore how these two are able to make a happy, safe life together because they made it happen. 4.5⭐️. Out 11/07. CWs: Penn’s past abuse. Reference to death, family exile.
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Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.This Duke wants naughty things… From the beginning, the relationship between the new Duke of Penning & his housekeeper is a battle of wills, when they crash into each other on his grounds & she accuses him of lying about his Duke claim. Lucian is, indeed, the Duke, though, & he soon realizes he really wants his housekeeper Susanna. But he’s not going to act on that attraction for numerous reasons & in fact plans on firing Susanna (& making sure she is well-equipped to find a new position) because she & her willful personality are such a temptation to his self-control & plans. The dynamic between leads is pretty sizzlin’. Sophie Jordan knows how to write sexual tension and steam & I always love those parts of her books. But I didn’t always love the dynamic between leads in The Duke Starts a Scandal. First, it’s complicated by their difference in status, & though Susanna is often spirited and in control of her domain, Lucian is often a jerk to work for. I was a bit saddened by a scene where Susanna feels like she has to humble herself before him, & annoyed when he’s a smartass & she’s just trying to do her job. But I do think there’s a really interesting, sometimes tragic, backstory for Lucian, and it helps the reader see the possibility that he will be an unconventional duke who might not be totally hampered by societal dictates, including those related to class difference and a possible public future with his housekeeper. Lucian is a former sex worker who entered the profession to try to provide for his family & I really liked how there’s a lack of shame in him regarding what he did & how much he enjoys sex in general. In the end, this book is uneven for me. The sexual tension & the basic things I want (interesting leads, good backstories, a building connection) are there but I wasn’t totally convinced by their hasty relationship development. Still, this is a fast-moving sensual historical. I really hope the next Sophie Jordan book I read merges the physical & emotional more strongly for me! 4⭐️. Out 10/24. Please see a trusted reviewer’s list of CWs.
Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC and the publisher for the complimentary hard copy. All opinions provided are my own.Sarah MacLean gave me what I wanted with Detective Inspector Tommy Peck: thick thighs, a nice beard, a strong sense of honor, & a stern & stoic way of presenting himself. Then comes Lady Imogen Loveless like a wreckinggggg ball. She leads him on a merry chase, all while she & the Belles are investigating the series of explosions that have been set at places of refuge / help in the East End. All the while she is captivating Tommy though he is very aware of the class difference between them. The “cat & cat” dynamic between Imogen & Tommy is too good. He sees her as an equal & as someone who is endlessly resourceful & who can find answers. His confidence in her is hot. As is his possessiveness about who can see Imogen in moments of dishevelment following smooching & more. “He doesn’t get to see this.” Freaking swoon. Imogen—like the other Hell’s Belles we’ve met—is a total bada** & I wish I had her bag filled with tricks. Their story has weight & twists & the Belles manipulating events in an attempt to help others. But I think my expectations were a bit off the mark for this one. Based off of impressions from earlier books I thought this one might be more fun, more madcap, & while I enjoyed seeing what lies beneath Imogen’s chaos I also kinda wanted more chaos. More explosions set by Imogen. More like Bringing Up Baby but with explosives ;) . Still, Knockout is hot & sensual & romantic & I really adore the gravity of SM’s writing. It’s provocative but there’s also a seriousness in tone & scope that compels. I don’t know if that makes sense? Either way, this reviewer is looking forward to the next book because this one left off on a real moment. 4⭐️. Out 08/22.CWs: Explosions targeting places of refuge; misogynist remarks; cruel remarks; attempted murder; references to murder; violence.
Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.I love how KJ Charles doesn’t shy away from introducing ethical conflicts between her leads & how usually both leads—the righteous one & the scoundrel—realize they have something to learn by the end . In the case of A Nobleman’s Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel, said scoundrel is helping said nobleman work through his disheveled mess of ledgers & records, all the while deceiving him as to his deeper reasons for being there. (I love this kind of deception btw bc of the promised grovel that happens later & that scene is so touching in this book.) That’s the surface plot of this book &—minus one minor-ish element I’m still a bit confused about —it’s great. But where the book really gets to me is in its tender moments, the steam, the way that KJ Charles infuses her characters with nuance & appeal. These leads really come to life in this book, they shine & their HEA is one I was so delighted to watch. Happiness-inducing & sweet as candy (with a dastardly relative or two thrown in the mix to add a little trouble.) 5⭐️. Out 09/19.CWs: past parental abandonment; reference to a lead’s mother being raped in past; a lead is a former POW; one lead has difficulty reading & has been made fun of for that & feels ashamed. Attempted murder.
Thanks to the author, publisher, & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own. If you say Prohibition-era romance I’m there, not to mention when a book balances steam & sweetness & care like Allie Therin’s Once a Rogue. OAR is book 2 in the Roaring Twenties Magic series, which is a spin-off of the Magic in Manhattan series. You absolutely have to read book 1, Proper Scoundrels, which focuses on the same couple as OAR, but I don’t think you have to start at the beginning of the Magic in Manhattan series if you don’t want to! (check out my Stories & I’ll try to explain this better!) With all of that being said, OAR & the first book Proper Scoundrels focus on grumpy/rude Lord Wesley Fine (no magical abilities) & the “dangerous marshmallow” Sebastian (magical abilities). This book builds so beautifully on their relationship! The sweetness of grumpy/rude Wesley slowly & so deliberately trying to be sweet & caring with Sebastian. Allowing himself to be soft! There are several moments in here that had me all up in my feels & the steam! Yummmmmmmm on all levels. Highly recommend both series but this one in particular is a fave! 5⭐️. Out 08/22.Please see a trusted reviewer’s list of CWs.
Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.The 1930s Hollywood setting & the enemies to lovers vibe of the costars described in the summary of Maureen Lee Lenker’s It Happened One Fight lured me like a siren song. Like a SIREN SONG. & while some aspects of this book are fun, you guessed it—there are some other things that had me going WHAT. First, the fun things: the setting. This feels very much like watching a classic movie, from the clothes & the pencil mustache of the hero, to the heroine’s very dramatic reactions when she’s angry, to even the dialogue. The only other romances I’ve seen in this setting are Amanda Quick’s Burning Coves & I just love how this time & place come across the page. the premise: costars who realize they have accidentally been married while making a movie. They have to live in Reno together making their next movie so they can meet stipulations for a faster NV divorce. Doesn’t this sound so good?! the heroine’s inspired by Joan Crawford & Bette Davis, & I enjoyed that she is a Movie Star (capital M, capital S) & that she is not ashamed of her past, as she says to characters repeatedly. the sex positivity & the fact that the book is very aware of the specific challenges of being a woman in Hollywood, whether it’s acting or writing. What doesn’t work for me so much: I have issues &/or quibbles with the conflict, the breakup, and the reconciliation. The book starts off strong for me but by the middle & end it takes a turn & left me with some less pleasant emotions. I don’t love the conflict, the breakup lasts for 8 months (what?!?!?!), & I wanted more from the grovel / apology moment. I think that It Happened One Fight is one of those YMMV books. It isn’t an unqualified winner for me but I do think there’s a lot of potential here…but please, for the love of Oscar, no breakups that are this long. 3⭐️. Out 07/11.CWs: Misogyny in Hollywood. Joan is often physical or attempts to be physical when she’s mad. Hypermasculinity. Joan was in a stag film years ago & it’s used as blackmail against her. Dash was left by his first wife & that history is used as blackmail. For much of the book Joan is engaged in a marriage of convenience to someone.
Hi and welcome to my blog stop for Mary Balogh's Remember Me! A big thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own. Summary.Can Lady Philippa Ware forgive the man who once shattered all her youthful dreams? Discover the passionate and heartwarming new novel on the redemptive power of love from New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh. Philippa, elder daughter of the Earl of Stratton, grew up eagerly anticipating a glittering debut and a brilliant marriage. Then her brother caught their father out in a clandestine affair and denounced him publicly. The whole family was disgraced, and Philippa’s hopes grew dim, then were fully shattered when she overheard the dashing, handsome Marquess of Roath viciously insult her upon learning of her father’s identity. Only years later does Philippa find the courage to go to London at last to meet the ton. She is an instant success and enjoys a close friendship with the granddaughter of a duke. Only one man can spoil everything for her, but surely he will not be in London this year. The Duke of Wilby is nearing death and has tasked his grandson and heir, Lucas Arden, Marquess of Roath, with marrying and producing a son before it is too late. Lucas, who usually shuns London, goes there early in the Season in the hope of finding an eligible bride before his grandparents come and find one for him. He is instantly attracted to his sister’s new friend, until that young lady asks a simple question: “Remember me?” And suddenly he does remember her, as well as the reason why the daughter of the Earl of Stratton is the one woman he can never marry—even if his heart tells him she is the only woman he wants. Unfortunately for Philippa and Lucas, the autocratic duke and his duchess have other ideas and believe them to be perfect for each other. They will simply not take no for an answer. Telling Philippa the full truth is the hardest thing Lucas has ever faced, and the discovery of it will change them both before they discover the healing power of love. [ID: Jess’s white hand holds the ebook in front of a slate-colored brick wall with a blue & yellow butterfly painted on it.] My review.The fact that I am a new-ish Mary Balogh fan hasn’t stopped me from collecting her books like it’s going out of style. Remember Me is my third book by the author & once again, I’m reminded of how much I enjoy the character-driven romances MB writes & how thoughtful & measured they are. As the book opens Marquess Lucas is tasked by his grandfather the Duke to marry, marry well, & marry soon for the sake of their family line. He agrees & travels to the London season where a beautiful woman catches his eye. Unfortunately, that woman is also the person who overheard him insulting her at a party years previous. This story has so many of the things I’ve come to associate with MB—a sedateness with passion roiling underneath, a lot of emotion & consideration of feelings. & while I enjoyed those things here, the angsty bits dragged on a bit too long for me. I also found some of the language used in the book to describe disability & virginity to be outdated &/or even offensive. This one wasn’t my favorite Mary Balogh I’ve read—& it seems somewhat lacking at moments in its sensitivity & progressiveness—but I plan on continuing my Mary Balogh journey because of glowing recs for past series. 3.5⭐️. Out today!Please read a list of additional CWs from a trusted reviewer. About the author.Mary Balogh has written more than one hundred historical novels and novellas, more than forty of which have been New York Times bestsellers. They include the Bedwyn saga, the Simply quartet, the Huxtable quintet, the seven-part Survivors’ Club series, and the Westcott series. Learn more online at marybalogh.com. Is this one on your TBR? Are you a Mary Balogh fan? Let me know what you think and thanks for stopping by!
Thanks to the author for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own. Recently I was bookstagram influenced to try Tracy Sumner’s historical romances. If you’re a Kerrigan Byrne fan, if you like oomph & drama & intensity & steam, you might want to check out The Wicked Wallflower. Lady Philippa Darlington is a woman with a plan & when that plan doesn’t work, she’s a woman with a backup plan. She is sneaky & brave & refuses to be cowed. She also has pants feelings for her brother’s close friend & business partner & altogether unsuitable hottie Xander Macauley. Xander basically tries hard to resist. & then when he gives in—finally—they nearly sex themselves into beautiful oblivion. The Wicked Wallflower isn’t about subtlety IMO. As an example, characters (even secondary) are often described as beasts or brutes etc. Sometimes—like in those cases—it feels excessive to me. But I also appreciate it when it comes to aspects of the leads’ dance together—the descriptions of the temptation & passion & the lovely bewildering majesty of falling in love & being in love. 4⭐️. Out now!CWs: reference to child abuse; violence. Also the book makes note of certain items the hero imports from the American colonies—“He imported the very best from the Carolinas.” This gave me a squeamish feeling given America’s history of slavery.
Hi and welcome to my blog stop for Harper St. George's The Duchess Takes a Husband! A big thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.Summary.A scandalous arrangement between a London rogue and an American duchess leads to lavish stakes—perfect for fans of Bridgerton! Despite her illustrious title, Camille, Duchess of Hereford, remains what she has always been—a pariah. Though her title means she’s technically accepted by London Society, the rebellious widow with her burgeoning interest in the suffrage movement and her American ways isn’t exactly high on every hostess’s guest list. But Camille starts to wonder if being an outcast is not without its perks when the tantalizing answer to her secret fear appears in the shape of Jacob Thorne, the illegitimate son of an earl and co-owner of London’s infamous Montague Club. Jacob is used to making deals with his club members—he’s just not accustomed to them being beautiful women. Nor have the terms ever been so sweetly seductive as Camille’s shocking proposition. To finally buy his own club and gain the crucial backing of investors, Camille offers Jacob the respectability of a fake engagement with a duchess. In return, the tempting widow has one condition: she wants Jacob to show her if it’s possible for her to experience pleasure in bed. The lure of such a bargain proves too delicious to resist, drawing the enterprising rogue and the wallflower duchess into a scandalous game and an even more dangerous gamble of the heart. My review.The Duchess Takes a Husband was one of those pleasant reading surprises for me. In the interest of total transparency, the hero of book 1 in the series made me mad (and that's obviously something I have a hard time getting past ;)) , I didn’t read book 2, & I wasn’t sure what to expect from this one. But the vibes here are so good: the fake engagement, the hero’s desire to protect the heroine, the first crackling sex scene—which is written in a way that had me captivated & more than a little heated. At the beginning of the book widow and dowager duchess Camille has decided to approach Jacob Thorne, a friend of a friend, & ask him to show her sexual pleasure. She’s never known it before & wonders if this is even something she’s able to experience. Eventually they work out an arrangement that leads to some very real kissing, although neither of them will catch feelings no they won’t. This is a great historical with a heroine who risks embarrassment to pursue her own desire & the chemistry between Camille & Jacob is really something to experience. The inclusion of Camille’s burgeoning interest in the suffrage movement is also something to cheer—hurrah for brave women. I took a leap with this one & I’m really glad I did. 4⭐️. Out today!CWs: Camille was abused in previous marriage. Camille is scared of sex. Suffrage protest infiltrated; she was almost struck with a baton. |
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