darthsansa's reviews
818 reviews

hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

3.0

Blame It on the Earl is a sweet and cuddly romance about Sarah and Kenver, who are thrust together after a tumble from the cliffs near Tintagel leaves them stranded alone overnight. While there was definitely a spark between the two of them, they are not prepared for a speedy marriage to prevent scandal. When Kenver takes his new bride home to meet his parents, not only are they against the marriage, they are downright hostile to Sarah. The couple must learn to both adjust to marriage and to navigate the family dynamics. 

This is the third book in The Duke's Estates series, and while I did not read the first 2, I still enjoyed this book. However, as other characters in the series appear in this book and contributed to the story, I think I would have enjoyed it even more if I had read the first 2 books. Sarah is strong female protagonist, and while Kenver initially seemed a little clueless, he did grow on me. I did enjoy the seeds being planted for future storylines with other characters, and even an apparent furthering of the storyline between lead characters from the first 2 books. In case it matters to you, this is a closed door romance.

Wow, No Thank You. by Samantha Irby

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funny hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced

4.0

My review is for the audiobook. Samantha Irby narrates the book herself, and it is a delight to hear her tell her own stories. As GenXer, I loved all the music and pop culture references, and in a way, this book made me reminisce about making mixtapes and recording songs off the radio. Irby does a wonderful job drawing you into her painfully honest stories of growing up in Chicago, being thrust into living completely on her own within a year of graduating high school, becoming an author, and settling down into married life. I found myself laughing out loud and nodding my head throughout the book.

An Impossible Impostor by Deanna Raybourn

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emotional funny mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This is one of my favorite books in the series. It has a different type of mystery as there is no murder involved. Instead, Veronica and Stoker are asked by Sir Hugo to evaluate the identity of a man who appears to be the heir to a family fortune who was presumed dead for the past 6 years. Sir Hugo believes Veronica is the best person to confirm the man's identity as she spent time with him in Sumatra just prior to the eruption of Krakatoa. Veronica and Stoker travel to Hathaway family estate in Dartmoor under the guise of acquiring a rare specimen for the collection. It soon becomes clear that that Veronica had more than a passing acquaintance with the man in question. Throw some stolen jewels in the mix and things get really interesting.

This book takes Veronica on an emotional journey and forces her to face her own demons. I felt it advanced her character arc and showed her becoming clear on what she wants for her future. But there is still a lot of the witty banter between Veronica and Stoker that I love so much. Additionally, there are appearances from returning characters such as JJ and Julian.

I'll add that I have listened to most of these books on audio, and Angele Masters is an excellent narrator. Her narration adds to the experience.

It did end with a cliffhanger, so I am anxiously waiting the next book.

The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton

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funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced