 Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.This or That: Historical Romance 18th century or 19th century Marriage of convenience or class difference I hate everyone but you MMC or dutiful, uptight MMC Wow, let’s give a round of applause for Finn Ransome, his sweetest soft secret heart & his basically 12 pack 😆. He was the standout of Eva Leigh’s How the Wallflower Was Won for me. Unfortunately some other parts of the book—including the heroine and conflict—don’t work for me as much. That could probably be my review in its entirety but I’m going to add more 😆 . This is a marriage of convenience tale with a cerebral wallflower heroine & a bold & studly gambler hero who is secretly very self-conscious about his intelligence, particularly when it comes to reading. From the beginning of their marriage these two burn up the sheets but the emotional intimacy is a long time coming, especially for our very smart heroine Miss Tabitha Seaton. Tabitha has big ambitions & she wants to use her brain & her drive to help others. All of that is admirable, & I loved seeing gambler Finn appreciate those aspects of her over & over again. But the conflict made me have bad feelings 😆, especially how Tabitha handles it all. Setting that frustrating moment of the plot, on paper this book has so much going for it. But while there are some moments that had me feeling the swoons (like the steam—Tabitha seems to have a lot of climaxes —), overall this one left me a little cold. 3⭐️. Out 09/27.CWs: Finn’s father makes insulting comments about his intelligence. Finn is self conscious and anxious about intelligence, especially when it comes to reading & books. Misogyny against women & Tabitha specifically when she tries to join a special club for learned people. This list isn’t exhaustive.
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 Thanks to the publisher for the complimentary hard-copy ARC & the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.Jess Everlee’s The Gentleman’s Book of Vices feels so distinctive to me—it’s a MM Victorian romance set in a grim London that’s relieved by sex, friendship, genuine goodwill, & love, & all of these good things are related somehow plot-wise to the creation & publication of erotic texts written by one hero & read devotedly by the other. Charlie Price is engaged out of what he feels is necessity. But before his wedding he decides to conduct an investigation into the real identity of a favorite Queer erotica writer—secretly a bookshop owner named Miles Montague—in the hopes of getting his autograph. Soon after both men are drawn into a relationship that consumes them with desire, even as the “Real World” continues beating at their door. Both men have to make difficult choices, particularly Charlie, who becomes aware of his privilege & for once wants to take a real & difficult stand for what’s right. Everlee really builds up the suspense & the angst, & though I was frustrated for part of this plotline, by the end I was retrospectively happy about how it had all worked out as well as terribly relieved. I love love the found family in this one & how Miles also realizes he can make new friends—that he can feel safe somewhere that isn’t home. Though their relationship runs a bit fast for me—I felt like I was missing a little something from its arc—this is very good MM historical romance with a touching undercurrent of care & community that really warmed my heart. But also be advised this is not light reading material. 4.5⭐️. Out 11/29.CWs: Imprisonment & death of Miles’s previous partner. Previous blackmail. References to self-destructive behavior. Shame surrounding Alma’s (Charlie’s former fiancé) pregnancy & the lingering effects of that labor. Her parents made her give up baby for adoption.
 Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.I’m always here for a thief/con artist romance rec & if it’s paired with an uptight lead: SOLD. Like with every other Beverly Jenkins book I’ve read To Catch A Raven has a standout, resourceful, & irrepressible heroine, an intriguing amount of historical detail & info, & a hero who goes “what just happened?!” when the heroine blazes into his life. This book has an interesting premise: Raven Moreau & Braxton Steele must pretend to be husband & wife—& servants—to a South Carolinian Senator & his wife. Meanwhile they’re actually there to search for a stolen copy of the Declaration of Independence. They’re not there by choice, either. Instead, they’ve been forced to engage in this dangerous plan by the Pinkertons, who are aware of the activities Raven & her family, & once-upon-a-time, Braxton’s father, are/were up to. Fascinating layers abound in this book. Braxton is a wealthy, law-abiding tailor from Boston; Raven, an ex-convict who’s fiercely devoted to her family, frequently runs cons with the rest of the on-the-edge-of-a-respectable-life Moreaus in Jim Crow New Orleans. Braxton doesn’t take to the con/heist life right away & that nicely builds up some tensions between the two leads. As they travel throughout the South & then make their way North & Jenkins explores what their expectations are of each place—like, for example, how safe it’s expected to be for the Black leads—& the complicated people inhabiting each locale. These “older” leads are fun to watch & there are many poignant moments too, like when Braxton—who isn’t accustomed to manual labor—takes on extra tasks like washing because he knows it will help Raven. He has a real tender, loving side, & so does Raven for him. Really the only quibble I have is how Braxton’s almost engagement is incorporated into the story. But overall, To Catch a Raven is lovely historical romance! 4⭐️. Out 08/23. CWs: Jim Crow trains. Reference to human trafficking. Reference to attacks against Black people, especially in South Carolina. White supremacist parade. Miss Helen wants them to “pretend as if you weren’t” free before the war. Miss Helen’s husband, Aubrey, trashes the house they’re living in & their things. Reference to some of Braxton’s war experiences. Reference to death, including from yellow fever. Helen murders her husband.
 Thank you, Partner @bibliolifestyle @williammorrowbooks for the complimentary finished copy & @avonbooks and Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own. Wow, Sarah MacLean doesn’t play around with Heartbreaker. Honestly it feels like she took some of *my* favorite things & wrapped them in a stunning package & said “please knock yourself out with good feelings, Jessica” . I’m trying to think of how this book could have been any better & it’s just not possible to me. From its seemingly mismatched leads—a thief from the rough & tumble part of London & an uptight duke—to its “chase me” vibes, to its badass group of Belles & the ways said leads show they care over & over again…it’s quite a one-two- to infinity punch. I adore how Adelaide Frampton is written & how Henry, the aforementioned duke, is so aware of her strength, courage, & effectiveness. This isn’t a book where the hero is sleeping on the heroine’s attributes . & Henry is basically a perfect hero. Or at least perfect for me. Coming at the reader with big “not like other toffs energy,” his background gives him empathy, a sense of fun, & sportsmanship & it’s easy to see how they work together despite their difference in status. Who could have suspected that a thief & a duke would be so good together? Okay me. I suspected . Powerfully written, sensual & hot & passionate, funny & romantic & trope-tastic, filled with moments where the leads try as hard as they can to protect each other, Heartbreaker both packs a heart wallop & had me grinning. I’m pretty sure this one’s going on my best of 2022 list! In conclusion this is the first time I’ve been sexually attracted to the name Henry. 5 ⭐️. Out 08/23.CWs: violence. Horrible rich white people—mostly men—only caring about themselves. It’s implied that Adelaide’s father “all but insisted” that she become physically intimate with her former fiancé, who was of his choosing. Kidnapping. Probably others.
 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.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. Sophie Jordan’s The Scoundrel Falls Hard was such a fun read that ticks major boxes for me: 🔨 An unconventional pairing. Gwen Cully’s a blacksmith & Kellan Fox’s a conman whose con has been discovered & who takes refuge in her smithy. 🔨 She saves him. 🔨 Sizzling 🔥. Honestly Sophie Jordan writes such great 🔥 scenes. The build-up between the ever-resourceful, determined not to fall Gwen & Kellan, the charming rogue finding redemption in a quieter life, is superb & then when they finally fall 👀, let’s just say they aren’t the only ones to see 🥵 🔥 . 🔨 A standout heroine. She’s 28, nearly 6 feet tall, often wears pants, & is solely responsible for her home & livelihood until she gets some help from the friendly conman next door (he doesn’t actually live next door). I flew through the pages of this one. Sophie Jordan brings it on the emotional front too & by the ending my little heart was going pitter patter at how settled the couple is & how Kellan has found a home with his Viking love that’s far more satisfying than the rootless life he had before. This was a good time! 4.5 ⭐️. Release date: 08/23.
 Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own. I’ve seen people recommend Josh Lanyon before & a 1940s, atmospheric read with a murder mystery seemed like a good place to start. It feels difficult to sum up my feelings on Snowball in Hell but basically: on one hand, the book’s portrayal of how dangerous it was for queer men in the 1940s feels authentic to real life but on the other, from a romance-reading perspective the book is darker than I expected it would be. And while I think this is book 1 in a series, I didn’t totally appreciate how I felt hopeful but not necessarily settled about where the leads are together or separately at the end of this one. In Snowball in Hell Lieutenant Matt Spain is tasked with finding who murdered the son of a wealthy man & left his body in a tar pit. Also helping him investigate, but on an unofficial level, is reporter Nathan Doyle. Bringing in some lingering trauma from their respective war experiences, their various perspectives on their sexuality & the shame & in Matt’s case, denial, about some aspects of it, & the homophobia of the time period in general, Snowball in Hell is not a light read. The murder mystery aspect is fun, & seeing Matt & Nathan connect, particularly while they’re basically cut off from the world on Christmas Eve & Christmas, is touching. I hope that the next books will allow both men to come to some peace in how they view themselves & their sexuality & carve out a space for their relationship that feels relatively safe. 3 ⭐️. Out now!
 Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.The pining in this one. Oh my gosh. The yearning. Sometimes (all the time) I want to read about a hero lying in his bed, wanting the heroine & wanting her to be happy but not sure about a path forward or about whether he should pursue it if there is. For this & for a hundred other reasons, Julie Anne Long’s YOU WERE MADE TO BE MINE is fantastic. With this upcoming release we’re back at the Grand Palace on the Thames, this time following Lady Aurelie Capet & former spymaster Christian Hawkes. After three years in prison, Hawkes has recently been released by Aurelie’s fiancé, an Earl who says he’ll also pay Hawkes to find the missing Aurelie, who’s vanished not too long after an argument they had. Though he hates the man, Christian accepts the job & tracks Aurelie to London & the Palace, where he soon meets her & is knocked FLAT on his gorgeous face by LOVE. But both of them have secrets. The writing in this one—like in the others in the series—is exquisite. I mean that. You can feel every emotion, as well as the love Julie Anne Long as for her characters & for people in general, I think. Not only do I love the main couple, I always love how JAL renders the secondary characters as well. I mean seriously, I’ve written this before but it remains true: I would like to live at the Grand Palace, amongst so many great friends & stellar drama. I think I would spend a lot of my time chuckling & saying “oh Dot,” like I did in this one—some of these passages are soo funny! With a riveting, tender, passionate love story whispering & yelling across the pages, a story about hurt & finding someone to share that hurt with, to nurture hope with, YOU WERE MADE TO BE MINE is beautiful & luminous & if you haven’t read this series yet, please, you must. 5 ⭐️. Release date: 06/28.
 Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own. 📖 Q: what are you closing out the weekend reading? I’m about 1/3 of the way through Spells & Sensibility, a MM romance with magic! In Joanna Shupe’s The Bride Goes Rogue an ended betrothal (only it’s a little bit more complicated than that) is the catalyst for helping the pretty traditional Katherine Delafield embrace her can can-dancing, sexy nickname-adoring, secret-&-hot trysting wild side. This book is hot hot hot & Shupe really captures Kat & Preston’s inability / lack of desire to stay away from each other & the physical demand that holds them both in thrall. There’s an emotional connection there too, as both of them navigate difficult, huge feelings they don’t feel like sharing with anyone else. Other reviewers have remarked on the grovel in this one & I just have to say YES! *plays trumpets with great fanfare.* He messes up & she stands up for herself & it’s so great. I stan a heroine who doesn’t make it easy on the hero to win her back & when Preston eventually has his A-Ha! moment it’s so sweet. He’s so sweet. Another great, screamin hot read from this series & from Shupe & now I’m ready to watch a duke come undone in the next one. 4.5 ⭐️ . Release date: 05/24.
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