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405 reviews
Falling for Gage by Mia Sheridan
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
It’s official. I’m obsessed with Mia Sheridan. Her style is magic to my SOUL, you guys! There were parts of this book that had me laughing so hard I cried, and then the way I started crying at the end?! Gut punched in the feels.
I finished this one way too quickly because I couldn’t stop reading and nearly finished it in one sitting. And now it’s over and I think I need to reread it because I love and adore Gage and his innate goodness in wanting to please everyone he loves at the price of his own happiness.
This book has a completely different vibe than Archer’s Voice and it’s a standalone, even though it takes place in the same universe. So even if you haven’t read Archer’s Voice (which you really must!) you will still love this one if you enjoy your romance with a twist of fate and destiny. Two thumbs up and 5-stars.
Plus:
🍻Many good dogs! 🐕
🤍Fated Mates
🍻Found family
🤍He falls first and he falls HARD 😍
🍻He cooks for her 💯
🤍🌶️🌶️🌶️
🍻His scruff 🔥
I finished this one way too quickly because I couldn’t stop reading and nearly finished it in one sitting. And now it’s over and I think I need to reread it because I love and adore Gage and his innate goodness in wanting to please everyone he loves at the price of his own happiness.
This book has a completely different vibe than Archer’s Voice and it’s a standalone, even though it takes place in the same universe. So even if you haven’t read Archer’s Voice (which you really must!) you will still love this one if you enjoy your romance with a twist of fate and destiny. Two thumbs up and 5-stars.
Plus:
🍻Many good dogs! 🐕
🤍Fated Mates
🍻Found family
🤍He falls first and he falls HARD 😍
🍻He cooks for her 💯
🤍🌶️🌶️🌶️
🍻His scruff 🔥
The Girl from the Hidden Forest by Hannah Linder
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Eliza Ellis has lived and dreamed with her father, the Captain, and her beagle, in a tiny cabin far in the woods all of her life. Her imagined fairytale adventures become reality when a genteel farmer, Felton Northwood, invades her quiet forest insisting she is the long-lost daughter of a viscount, who disappeared fourteen years ago after the murder of her mother.
DOES THE DOG DIE?NO.
I really enjoyed Hannah Linder’s prior novel, Garden of the Midnights, so I requested this ARC as soon as it became available. This one didn’t thrill me as I’d hoped, but it is well-written. My disappointment largely stems from the way that this book is being marketed as a “Gothic Style Regency” (the subtitle is even “A Regency Novel”) when it’s just not that.
Other than the timestamp of taking place in the years 1812-13, there aren’t any aspects to this story that are specific to the Regency period, and it doesn’t utilize any of the tropes from what is generally understood as Regency genre fiction.
This is a Gothic murder mystery and even rises to the level of a thriller at various points. I believe that this book’s targeted audience is going to be taken aback to learn that the plot is really about the hunt for a serial killer who tortures his victims with knives. The level of violence, gory descriptions, and dark themes are not at all what I was expecting.
Quite frankly, I didn’t like any of the characters in this book. Poor Eliza. Everyone in her life except her dog and a disabled housemaid is completely selfish. She gets kidnapped originally and kept by Captain due to selfish motivations, she gets kidnapped again and dragged back home by Felton due to his selfishness and narcissism, and multiple people try to kill her due to selfish reasons. Even her own father won’t man up and do right by her when he sees that her return to his manor is making her nothing short of miserable, and that her life is in constant danger. And why is the housekeeper such a witch to just everyone in general?
Because it was Felton who couldn’t let his grudges go after 14 years, Eliza’s life was uprooted entirely and she was almost killed. Because of his decision to bring Eliza back to her original home and to expose her identity, many other people actually did get killed, As a result, I had a really hard time rooting for his and Eliza’s romance. I would have kicked that guy to the curb.
I believe that this novel should include trigger warnings/content warnings. This is 2023, and this novel is considered Christian fiction where readers are more likely to be sensitive to disturbing and dark content.
Thank you Netgalley and Barbour Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this novel. All opinions are my own.
DOES THE DOG DIE?
I really enjoyed Hannah Linder’s prior novel, Garden of the Midnights, so I requested this ARC as soon as it became available. This one didn’t thrill me as I’d hoped, but it is well-written. My disappointment largely stems from the way that this book is being marketed as a “Gothic Style Regency” (the subtitle is even “A Regency Novel”) when it’s just not that.
Other than the timestamp of taking place in the years 1812-13, there aren’t any aspects to this story that are specific to the Regency period, and it doesn’t utilize any of the tropes from what is generally understood as Regency genre fiction.
This is a Gothic murder mystery and even rises to the level of a thriller at various points. I believe that this book’s targeted audience is going to be taken aback to learn that the plot is really about the hunt for a serial killer who tortures his victims with knives. The level of violence, gory descriptions, and dark themes are not at all what I was expecting.
Quite frankly, I didn’t like any of the characters in this book. Poor Eliza. Everyone in her life except her dog and a disabled housemaid is completely selfish. She gets kidnapped originally and kept by Captain due to selfish motivations, she gets kidnapped again and dragged back home by Felton due to his selfishness and narcissism, and multiple people try to kill her due to selfish reasons. Even her own father won’t man up and do right by her when he sees that her return to his manor is making her nothing short of miserable, and that her life is in constant danger. And why is the housekeeper such a witch to just everyone in general?
Because it was Felton who couldn’t let his grudges go after 14 years, Eliza’s life was uprooted entirely and she was almost killed. Because of his decision to bring Eliza back to her original home and to expose her identity, many other people actually did get killed, As a result, I had a really hard time rooting for his and Eliza’s romance. I would have kicked that guy to the curb.
I believe that this novel should include trigger warnings/content warnings. This is 2023, and this novel is considered Christian fiction where readers are more likely to be sensitive to disturbing and dark content.
Thank you Netgalley and Barbour Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this novel. All opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Physical abuse, Animal cruelty, Blood, Gaslighting, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Suicide, Grief, Murder, and Violence
Minor: Animal death and Child death
One Last Shot by Betty Cayouette
emotional
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Before she was Emerson (no last name needed) The Supermodel, she was Emerson Grey, awkward teenager from a dysfunctional home who had trouble making friends. She meets Theo Carson, popular, athletic, and total eye candy, at high school freshman orientation. They connect in a way neither have with anyone else. Their relationship is torn apart at age 18 when Emerson feels trapped into making a sudden and desperate choice. When the opportunity to end her decade-long estrangement from Theo presents itself, Emerson finally takes the leap of faith to shoot her one last shot for true love.
The fact that I love this book despite my frustration with the central conflict (miscommunication that just kept rearing its ugly head) is a testament to how much I loved this author’s writing style and the insane chemistry she created between the protagonists. The angst was so palpable and so delicious on the page I couldn’t read fast enough to finally, finally see these two lovelorn idiots just kiss already!
This one is all about Theo for me. I died a thousand little deaths as I read the story of the sweet, gentle boy who has grown into a humble, tender man. His devotion and his goodness to Emerson since he was 14, even during the decade they were apart, absolutely made this love story come alive and sing. Some of my very favorite parts of the book were the flashbacks to Theo in high school and his thoughtful caring of Emerson since the day they met.
One of the aspects of the story that I thought was the most powerful was how Emerson’s trauma didn’t just change her, but irrevocably altered Theo’s life as well. I loved when Theo’s brother Owen helped Theo to understand that both he and Emerson have the capacity to heal, and they share a depth of love that will allow them to create true happiness together.
The donuts? The ring? The epilogue? I cried. The ending was swoony perfection.
Tropes: slow burn, mutual pining, friends to lovers, second chance, unrequited love
Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this novel. All opinions are my own.
The fact that I love this book despite my frustration with the central conflict (miscommunication that just kept rearing its ugly head) is a testament to how much I loved this author’s writing style and the insane chemistry she created between the protagonists. The angst was so palpable and so delicious on the page I couldn’t read fast enough to finally, finally see these two lovelorn idiots just kiss already!
This one is all about Theo for me. I died a thousand little deaths as I read the story of the sweet, gentle boy who has grown into a humble, tender man. His devotion and his goodness to Emerson since he was 14, even during the decade they were apart, absolutely made this love story come alive and sing. Some of my very favorite parts of the book were the flashbacks to Theo in high school and his thoughtful caring of Emerson since the day they met.
One of the aspects of the story that I thought was the most powerful was how Emerson’s trauma didn’t just change her, but irrevocably altered Theo’s life as well. I loved when Theo’s brother Owen helped Theo to understand that both he and Emerson have the capacity to heal, and they share a depth of love that will allow them to create true happiness together.
The donuts? The ring? The epilogue? I cried. The ending was swoony perfection.
Tropes: slow burn, mutual pining, friends to lovers, second chance, unrequited love
Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this novel. All opinions are my own.
King of Sloth by Ana Huang
I love this line because it encapsulates the theme of the novel perfectly. ❤️
Xavier is a billionaire beta who falls first, and Sloane is his no-nonsense publicist who doesn't have time? King of Sloth has all the elements that make me swoon. And oh yes, I swooned big time. Of the Twisted and Kings of Sin series, this novel is the most traditionally romantic, and has the lightest tone. It hits all the beats of a sweet romance.
Xavier is the star of the book, and rightfully so. He is a good man and he loves Sloane for everything she is with honest, open devotion. She is absolutely IT for him, and it's so sexy that he doesn't feel embarrassed or emasculated whatsoever about declaring it to her and to everyone else.
I loved this book, but I didn't love it the way I usually love Ana Huang. There was just something about it that fell short for me, and I'm not sure if I can put my finger on it. I also think it was a bit too long. Maybe it was just too sweet? There wasn't that spark of tension that I've come to expect from Ana's books, and I didn't feel like the stakes were high enough. I wanted there to be more friction of some kind. Xavier might be a bit too good, bordering on one-dimensional for me.
I loved all of the cameos from the other books, especially when we got to see Luca and Alex a couple of times.
This was one my absolute favorite parts because it's Alex and IYKYK 🤣:Alex Volkov observed me from the other side of his desk. He radiated displeasure, but he was here, which was a semi-good sign. “I had to postpone a family trip to the zoo to be here, so let’s make this quick,” he said. “You have ten minutes.”
Don't @ me but I didn't particularly enjoy the spicy scenes in this one, especially the one in the restroom. That scene especially felt out of place, like it was added as an afterthought because an editor said that the book needed more heat. I like spice, but it should flow and be interwoven seamlessly as part of the plot and character development, and I don't think that happened in this book.
Overall though, and despite its flaws, I absolutely enjoyed this read and fans of Ana's are not going to be disappointed. I'm very intrigued by Vuk and I am excited to read his story. I also really hope that Ana will write Luca's story.
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
His arms tightened around me. “All that matters is you’re here.”
I love this line because it encapsulates the theme of the novel perfectly. ❤️
Xavier is a billionaire beta who falls first, and Sloane is his no-nonsense publicist who doesn't have time? King of Sloth has all the elements that make me swoon. And oh yes, I swooned big time. Of the Twisted and Kings of Sin series, this novel is the most traditionally romantic, and has the lightest tone. It hits all the beats of a sweet romance.
Xavier is the star of the book, and rightfully so. He is a good man and he loves Sloane for everything she is with honest, open devotion. She is absolutely IT for him, and it's so sexy that he doesn't feel embarrassed or emasculated whatsoever about declaring it to her and to everyone else.
I loved this book, but I didn't love it the way I usually love Ana Huang. There was just something about it that fell short for me, and I'm not sure if I can put my finger on it. I also think it was a bit too long. Maybe it was just too sweet? There wasn't that spark of tension that I've come to expect from Ana's books, and I didn't feel like the stakes were high enough. I wanted there to be more friction of some kind. Xavier might be a bit too good, bordering on one-dimensional for me.
I loved all of the cameos from the other books, especially when we got to see Luca and Alex a couple of times.
This was one my absolute favorite parts because it's Alex and IYKYK 🤣:
Don't @ me but I didn't particularly enjoy the spicy scenes in this one, especially the one in the restroom. That scene especially felt out of place, like it was added as an afterthought because an editor said that the book needed more heat. I like spice, but it should flow and be interwoven seamlessly as part of the plot and character development, and I don't think that happened in this book.
Overall though, and despite its flaws, I absolutely enjoyed this read and fans of Ana's are not going to be disappointed. I'm very intrigued by Vuk and I am excited to read his story. I also really hope that Ana will write Luca's story.
The Princess of Las Vegas by Chris Bohjalian
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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
I don’t get all the hateful reviews this book is receiving, especially those who are saying it is boring. I really enjoyed this and read the entire novel in just three sittings. My guess is that the typical thriller reader is not prepared to read a character study. This book is more of a character study than a thriller.
I found the psychology of Crissy’s life’s work as a Diana Spencer impersonator fantastic, and Betsy and Marisa served as a huge part of Chrissy’s character development in the narrative. I also really enjoyed the Las Vegas setting and that the thriller aspect of the story was corruption in the cryptocurrency market.
I thought this story was really unique and fun. I’ve never read this author before and I really like his style. It was so refreshing to read a contemporary mobster crime thriller without being deafened by profanity.
I found the psychology of Crissy’s life’s work as a Diana Spencer impersonator fantastic, and Betsy and Marisa served as a huge part of Chrissy’s character development in the narrative. I also really enjoyed the Las Vegas setting and that the thriller aspect of the story was corruption in the cryptocurrency market.
I thought this story was really unique and fun. I’ve never read this author before and I really like his style. It was so refreshing to read a contemporary mobster crime thriller without being deafened by profanity.
The Lady Plays with Fire by Susanna Craig
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
He was, not to put too fine a point on it, a right prick most of the time. Bored by others’ attempts at cleverness. Irritated beyond measure by almost every person he met. Hell, everyone knew he didn’t like people. But he wanted Julia Addison –which was not at all, in his mind, the same sort of thing.
Especially not when longing was more than half motivated by her refusal to admit, even to herself, that she wanted him too.
Graham McKay leads a double life as the reclusive Earl of Dunstane and the satirist playwright Ransom Blackadder. Blackadder’s harshest critic is the anonymous Miss on Scene, a columnist for the scandalous Mrs. Goode’s Magazine for Misses. Graham’s plan to expose the reviewer’s identity is disrupted when he meets a modest ladies' companion, Julia Addison, clergyman’s daughter and fellow theater buff. Graham quickly discovers that Julia is a force of nature with the power to unearth his secrets and uproot his notions of success.
This was my first Susana Craig read and it did not disappoint! I enjoyed this battle of razor-sharp wit between the grumpy Darcy-esque introvert, Graham, and the fiery, fearless Julia. I love that the imperturbable Graham is full-on gobsmacked by Julia immediately and didn’t know what to do with his feelings. It was fun to watch him flail a bit as he tried to calculate his best way forward in their acquaintance. I love that Graham and Julia are the ideal intellectual foils to one another. I think that Graham was better developed as a character than Julia, and that he was the lifeblood of the novel.
I liked the underlying premise of the series being an underground, anonymous periodical designed to inform and provide practical advice to high society young women about topics they would not normally be exposed to. In fact, I wish there had been more time devoted to the inner workings of the paper and the writers.
I also loved the character of the older Mrs. Hayes, Julia’s aunt by marriage and her employer. She is so shrewd, and I enjoyed watching her pull strings with perfect subtlety. I’m glad that Julia has her in her corner.
I do think the novel is a bit too long as it starts to lose momentum at about 50% and doesn’t really pick up again until about 75%. I think it suffers from the fact that all of the story lives on the surface of the narrative. An interconnected or adjacent subplot with other characters would have worked well and given the novel some much needed depth in order to more fully explore its main themes, including the purpose of ambition, the price of success, and the inherent vulnerability of allowing oneself to be known.
Tropes: grumpy x sunshine, hidden identity, bluestocking x rake, age gap (19, 29)
Thank you Netgalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read and review this novel. All opinions are my own.
Especially not when longing was more than half motivated by her refusal to admit, even to herself, that she wanted him too.
Graham McKay leads a double life as the reclusive Earl of Dunstane and the satirist playwright Ransom Blackadder. Blackadder’s harshest critic is the anonymous Miss on Scene, a columnist for the scandalous Mrs. Goode’s Magazine for Misses. Graham’s plan to expose the reviewer’s identity is disrupted when he meets a modest ladies' companion, Julia Addison, clergyman’s daughter and fellow theater buff. Graham quickly discovers that Julia is a force of nature with the power to unearth his secrets and uproot his notions of success.
This was my first Susana Craig read and it did not disappoint! I enjoyed this battle of razor-sharp wit between the grumpy Darcy-esque introvert, Graham, and the fiery, fearless Julia. I love that the imperturbable Graham is full-on gobsmacked by Julia immediately and didn’t know what to do with his feelings. It was fun to watch him flail a bit as he tried to calculate his best way forward in their acquaintance. I love that Graham and Julia are the ideal intellectual foils to one another. I think that Graham was better developed as a character than Julia, and that he was the lifeblood of the novel.
I liked the underlying premise of the series being an underground, anonymous periodical designed to inform and provide practical advice to high society young women about topics they would not normally be exposed to. In fact, I wish there had been more time devoted to the inner workings of the paper and the writers.
I also loved the character of the older Mrs. Hayes, Julia’s aunt by marriage and her employer. She is so shrewd, and I enjoyed watching her pull strings with perfect subtlety. I’m glad that Julia has her in her corner.
I do think the novel is a bit too long as it starts to lose momentum at about 50% and doesn’t really pick up again until about 75%. I think it suffers from the fact that all of the story lives on the surface of the narrative. An interconnected or adjacent subplot with other characters would have worked well and given the novel some much needed depth in order to more fully explore its main themes, including the purpose of ambition, the price of success, and the inherent vulnerability of allowing oneself to be known.
Tropes: grumpy x sunshine, hidden identity, bluestocking x rake, age gap (19, 29)
Thank you Netgalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read and review this novel. All opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
My Season of Scandal by Julie Anne Long
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
“Her breath snagged when their eyes met, as surely as though she’d been dropped a few inches from a height. The force of his personality was so undiluted in his gaze. Perhaps one would need to learn to build up a tolerance to it, as with ratafia, or anything else that inebriated a little.”
When Catherine Keating arrives at the Grand Palace on the Thames for her first London season, she is immediately and veritably accosted by her fellow boarding house guest, the politically powerful, devastatingly handsome, and wickedly intelligent rake, Lord Dominic Kirke. Her quiet, genteel life in rural Northumberland hasn’t prepared the innocent Catherine to navigate the ton, or to realize how dangerous even the slightest association with Dominic can be to a gently bred debutante’s reputation.
For the longest time, my review was one word: SCREAMING!!! Because for the love of Delacorte’s donkey races, how can I possibly articulate how much I loved this one?
I make no secret of the fact that I am a huge fan of Julie's writing, and she continues to get better and better. There are only a few authors who have honed their craft in the historical romance space to the level of Lisa Kleypas and Mary Balogh, and Julie is one of them.
My Season of Scandal made me an emotional wreck in all the best ways, especially because of how soft and vulnerable Dominic really is beneath his mask of impeccably correct high society manners. Dominic is a good man, and his earnest, tender gentleness with Catherine from the outset made me feel that I was in on a sweet, precious secret.
This is a 5-star read in all matters of execution, to include ideal pacing, meaningful plot and character development, sensual romance, and rich, metaphorical prose. Julie's dialogue shines brighter than ever here, as does her witty sense of humor. One aspect of her books that I personally find to be one of the most satisfying is the MCs’ declarations of love to each other. True to form, Dominic’s heartrending admissions of his feelings for Catherine hit me so hard right in the feels, I got teary-eyed.
Additional highlights for me are the evenings spent in the cozy sitting room as chess is played, stories are read, and pence are lost to the epithet jar; and the ongoing battle between Dot and the solid, no nonsense footman Ben Pike about whose job it is to open the front door.
Tropes: age gap, slow burn, friends to lovers, mutual pining, rake and wallflower
Thank you Netgalley and Avon for the opportunity to read and review this novel. All opinions are my own.
When Catherine Keating arrives at the Grand Palace on the Thames for her first London season, she is immediately and veritably accosted by her fellow boarding house guest, the politically powerful, devastatingly handsome, and wickedly intelligent rake, Lord Dominic Kirke. Her quiet, genteel life in rural Northumberland hasn’t prepared the innocent Catherine to navigate the ton, or to realize how dangerous even the slightest association with Dominic can be to a gently bred debutante’s reputation.
For the longest time, my review was one word: SCREAMING!!! Because for the love of Delacorte’s donkey races, how can I possibly articulate how much I loved this one?
I make no secret of the fact that I am a huge fan of Julie's writing, and she continues to get better and better. There are only a few authors who have honed their craft in the historical romance space to the level of Lisa Kleypas and Mary Balogh, and Julie is one of them.
My Season of Scandal made me an emotional wreck in all the best ways, especially because of how soft and vulnerable Dominic really is beneath his mask of impeccably correct high society manners. Dominic is a good man, and his earnest, tender gentleness with Catherine from the outset made me feel that I was in on a sweet, precious secret.
This is a 5-star read in all matters of execution, to include ideal pacing, meaningful plot and character development, sensual romance, and rich, metaphorical prose. Julie's dialogue shines brighter than ever here, as does her witty sense of humor. One aspect of her books that I personally find to be one of the most satisfying is the MCs’ declarations of love to each other. True to form, Dominic’s heartrending admissions of his feelings for Catherine hit me so hard right in the feels, I got teary-eyed.
Additional highlights for me are the evenings spent in the cozy sitting room as chess is played, stories are read, and pence are lost to the epithet jar; and the ongoing battle between Dot and the solid, no nonsense footman Ben Pike about whose job it is to open the front door.
Tropes: age gap, slow burn, friends to lovers, mutual pining, rake and wallflower
Thank you Netgalley and Avon for the opportunity to read and review this novel. All opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Pregnancy
The Stranger I Wed by Harper St. George
The Dove sisters are illegitimate daughters of a New York high society business scion who are shipped off to London to secure aristocratic marriages. The oldest is highly independent Cora, a passionate proponent of women’s rights. When she is literally and figuratively bowled over by handsome, powerful Leo Brendon, Earl of Devonworth, she warily agrees to a marriage of convenience to further both of their political careers. Cora’s only non-negotiable term to the arrangement is that the marriage must remain “in name only” for a period of two years.
This novel was enjoyable and an easy, quick read. There is nothing wrong with it in terms of plot or execution, and there is nothing wonderful about it either. It is a solid, middle of the road historical romance. There is no question that the author fulfilled her end of the contract, leaving me as a reader and reviewer with not much to say other than this book is just fine. The cover art is fine. The characters are all fine. The meet-cute is fine. The dialogue is fine. The chemistry and romantic tension are all fine. The pacing is fine. The ending is fine.
If you are looking for a safe, predictable genre read, this will check all of the genre boxes, and that’s not a bad thing! 3-stars is fine! It’s just…perfectly, absolutely, fine. And I've forgotten all the details by the time I started writing this review.
Thank you Netgalley and Berkley for the opportunity to read and review this novel. All opinions are my own.
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
“He was coming to suspect that what had seemed like a perfectly reasonable term in their verbal marriage contract would become a bloody nuisance. He wanted his own wife.”
The Dove sisters are illegitimate daughters of a New York high society business scion who are shipped off to London to secure aristocratic marriages. The oldest is highly independent Cora, a passionate proponent of women’s rights. When she is literally and figuratively bowled over by handsome, powerful Leo Brendon, Earl of Devonworth, she warily agrees to a marriage of convenience to further both of their political careers. Cora’s only non-negotiable term to the arrangement is that the marriage must remain “in name only” for a period of two years.
This novel was enjoyable and an easy, quick read. There is nothing wrong with it in terms of plot or execution, and there is nothing wonderful about it either. It is a solid, middle of the road historical romance. There is no question that the author fulfilled her end of the contract, leaving me as a reader and reviewer with not much to say other than this book is just fine. The cover art is fine. The characters are all fine. The meet-cute is fine. The dialogue is fine. The chemistry and romantic tension are all fine. The pacing is fine. The ending is fine.
If you are looking for a safe, predictable genre read, this will check all of the genre boxes, and that’s not a bad thing! 3-stars is fine! It’s just…perfectly, absolutely, fine. And I've forgotten all the details by the time I started writing this review.
Thank you Netgalley and Berkley for the opportunity to read and review this novel. All opinions are my own.
Archer's Voice by Mia Sheridan
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Desire by Amanda Quick
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0