Review & Giveaway - - The Shop on Hidden Lane

The Shop on Hidden Lane

by Jayne Ann Krentz

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: January 6, 2026

Reviewed by PJ

The Harper and the Wells families have regarded each other with deep suspicion for four generations. The Harpers have been known to offer their psychic talents for less-than-legal purposes, and the powerful Wells clan has a reputation for playing both sides of the street. But for all the years of history and distrust between them, there is a mysterious pact binding the two. They share the responsibility for protecting a long-buried and very dangerous secret.

Sophy Harper and Luke Wells are shocked to learn that her aunt and his uncle have been sleeping together—and now they are both missing. Not only that, but the last traces of them are at the scene of a murder soaked in negative paranormal energy. Clearly, someone is willing to kill to obtain the secret their families have been charged with protecting. Despite their mutual distrust, which, as far as Sophy is concerned extends to Luke’s hellhound of a dog, they both know that the terms of the pact must be honored.

Their investigation uncovers a psychic trail leading to a bizarre desert art colony where nothing is as it seems. But Luke and Sophy are concealing a few secrets, too. By a strange twist of fate, a Harper and a Wells have no choice but to trust each other and the fierce attraction that is binding them as surely as the pact between the families.

PJ's Thoughts:

Jayne Ann Krentz is one of those authors who plunges me into her stories from the opening pages and never lets up until I turn the final page. The tightly-crafted, action-packed suspense, fully developed characters, and eerily realistic psychic obstacles and abilities all send me straight down the rabbit hole of Krentz's high-stakes stories.

In The Shop on Hidden Lane, Krentz pairs two unlikely characters in a race against time to find and rescue missing family members. Luke and Sophy are from enemy families forced to honor a long-standing pact that originated in the disaster of dangerous experiments, experiments that are now - two generations later- in the hands of very bad people. They don't know each other, or trust one another, but to protect his uncle and her aunt, they will travel to a secluded arts colony in the middle of the desert and work together to figure out what's really going on while trying not to blame each other's families for the predicament they are in. The twisty suspense portion of this book keeps the story flowing and the reader guessing. At least, it kept me guessing for most of the book. I love being surprised while also being on the edge of my seat. Krentz is superb at both. 

The banter in the book is top notch. Initially rooted in mistrust and snark, it gradually softens a bit as Luke and Sophy begin to peel back layers and get to know one another. Of course, once they begin to feel more comfortable, their true personalities begin to surface and that makes their interactions even more fun. Sophy, in particular, is not shy about sharing her unfiltered opinions. Krentz really does excel at writing sharp, witty banter. Even Luke's dog (who, no, does not speak) has no trouble showing his feelings of humor, disdain, mistrust, and love. I adore him and am so happy to learn that there are more books planned with dogs like Bruce who gained special abilities from the mysterious Fogg Lake.

If you're a Krentz fan, you will no doubt enjoy the references and story tie-ins to Bluestone, Fogg Lake, Mirror Lake, The Foundation, and more. However, if you're new to Krentz's psychic universe, you can easily step into it with The Shop on Hidden Lane without missing a beat. Fair warning, though: once you've immersed yourself in a Jayne Ann Krentz story, you're likely to slide right down that back list rabbit hole. It's a fascinating, 5-star place to visit! 

Do you enjoy animals in the books you read?

What books are you looking forward to reading this month? Is The Shop on Hidden Lane on your list? 

One person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, January 13 will receive a hard cover copy of The Shop on Hidden Lane.

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

Coming Attractions - - January 2026

 

We kick off the new year on Tuesday, January 6 with a review and giveaway of The Shop on Hidden Lane by Jayne Ann Krentz. People aren't the only beings who were affected by the para-fog in Fogg Lake. 

Santa shares her thoughts about LaQuette's Janae Sanders' Second Time Around on Friday, January 9. Get ready for a single mom, her high school boyfriend, and a second chance at love. 

Join me on Tuesday, January 13 for a review and giveaway of The Magic of Untamed Hearts by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland. Magic is afoot in this coming of age romance with a bit of a mysterious twist. 

Thursday, January 15 brings a review of The Bodyguard Affair by Amy Lea. Stop by to read why Reviewer Hellie says this first Top Dish review of 2026 should be on everyone's read list. 

On Tuesday, January 20, I will be sharing my thoughts about Catch Her if You Can by Tessa Bailey. Marriage of convenience, hidden feelings, and a whole lot of spice. 

Don't miss a review and giveaway of Anne of a Different Island by Virginia Kantra on Thursday, January 22. Kantra takes readers to Mackinac Island with a heartfelt contemporary tale inspired by Anne of Green Gables. 

Don't miss my review of Nan Reinhardt's The Cowboy's Comeback on Thursday, January 29. We're heading to Montana for a second-chance, lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers story in the first book in Reinhardt's new Juniper Falls Ranch series. 

 

That's what's on the schedule here for January. What are you looking forward to this month?

Happy New Year

 

Thanks for hanging out with us 

here at The Romance Dish. 

I appreciate each and every

one of you.

Wishing you all a new year 

filled with good friends, good health, 

fun adventures, and 

more great books.

Cheers!

Winners - - 2025 Favorite Books

 

The randomly chosen winners 

of a package of books from the

Favorite Books of 2025 post are:

Mollie W

Theresa Wallace-Lopez

Congratulations!

Please send your full name and mailing address to:

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

PJ's Favorite Books of 2025 & Giveaway

  

I tried to list a Top Ten for this year but nope, couldn't do it. There were just too many good books that took me on unforgettable journeys in 2025. Some made me laugh out loud. Some left me in tears. A few took me on emotional roller coaster rides. There were surprises with twists that left me stunned. There were exquisitely written, deeply romantic tales that I felt deep in my soul. And...there were more than a few characters who are still living rent-free in my mind and probably will for some time to come. 

Here are my seventeen favorite books of 2025, in no particular order. 

ONE GOLDEN SUMMER 

by Carley Fortune

You know those special books that transport you to a specific time and place, speak to all your emotions, evoke memories of times gone by, and hold you spellbound from start to finish? One Golden Summer, for me, is that book. I read it in one day and once I finished all I wanted to do was go back to page one and read it again, only slowly this time, savoring every perfectly placed word designed to elicit laughter, tears, and swoony sighs.

SECOND CHANCE ROMANCE 

by Olivia Dade

Second chances, banter for days, emotional depth, laugh-out-loud humor, body positivity, slow-burn romance, a terrific supporting cast, and a lead couple who stole my heart and had me cheering them on every step of the way. Second Chance Romance is a funny, endearing, warm hug of a book that kept me engaged and entertained from beginning to end. 

PITCHER PERFECT 

by Tessa Bailey

Pitcher Perfect by Tessa Bailey is one of those unicorn books that flowed like hot maple syrup over a stack of yummy pancake perfection. It grabbed my attention from the first page, never lagged, never wavered, and kept me happily flipping pages until the final word. There's enemies-to-lovers romance, fake dating, forced proximity, unexpected vulnerability, family wilderness games (with accompanying snort laughter...and tears), banter for days, thought-provoking family dysfunction (but also love and humor), self discovery, surprising twists, delicious steam, adorable nicknames, and sigh-worthy words - and actions - of growing respect, admiration, and love. Basically, everything that makes my reader's heart happy.

THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MIRA 

by Sonali Dev

There's something special about There's Something About Mira. It's my favorite of all the books Sonali Dev has written. I usually enjoy her stories but this is the first one that has kept me reading until 3:00 in the morning and still thinking about the characters many days later. There's Something About Mira is a beautifully nuanced story about parental expectations, social issues, fate, finding yourself, and opening your heart to both love for yourself and the love others choose for themselves.

WHEN WE HAD FOREVER 

by Shaylin Gandhi 

I read this book in January. In one day. Turned the last page around 1:00 AM then was awake at least another hour thinking about these characters, their journey, the unexpected revelations. Fell asleep and dreamed about them. Woke up thinking about them. It is now December, almost a full year later and I'm still thinking about them, about their journey. That is the impact of Shaylin Gandhi's writing. 

CAN'T GET ENOUGH 

by Kennedy Ryan

Kennedy Ryan is a force. While a book written by her is always a reading adventure, it is also an emotional, all-consuming, visceral experience. In Can't Get Enough, I didn't just read about these complex characters, I lived their journeys with them. They filled me with hope, anguish, accomplishment, fear, solid supportive friendship, chosen family, and soul-deep, enduring, hard-won love.  

CRUEL SUMMER 

by Maisey Yates

Raw. Real. Heartbreaking. Healing. Empowering. Romantic. Unforgettable. This is an immersive story of heartbreak, growth, healing, and forgiveness. It's also a heart-tugging journey of learning to value your needs, your worth, and your right to love and be loved for your complete, authentic self. I couldn't put it down.  

ALONG CAME AMOR

by Alexis Daria

This one was worth the wait. Not only is Along Came Amor my favorite book of Alexis Daria's exceptional Primas of Power trilogy, Roman and Ava are one of my favorite couples this year. Complex characters, rich Puerto Rican representation, dysfunctional family, a super swoony hero, a sympathetic heroine, funny, steamy, poignant, and deeply emotional. I loved it.  

SUMMER IN THE CITY 

by Alex Aster

This book. What an absolute delight. I couldn't put it down. No, really. I read it in one day with a smile on my face the entire time. It's incredibly immersive. The chemistry, the sparkling banter, the swoony, slow-burn romance. Summer in the City is a fun, steamy, can't-put-it-down story that kept me flipping pages late into the night while dreaming of New York City pizza, champagne galas, early mornings in Central Park, found friendships, heroes who cook (yay!), cozy coffee shops, and hard-won happy endings. It has my highest, joyful recommendation.  

THESE SUMMER STORMS 

by Sarah MacLean

There's a reason readers and media outlets worldwide raved about this book all summer. I read the entire book in one day. Could not put it down. This flawed, fractured family reeled me in and absolutely refused to let me turn away until I turned the final page. I'm still thinking about them months later. These Summer Storms is immersive, superbly written, emotionally driven, frequently messy, and ultimately hopeful. I loved it. 

GOOD SPIRITS 

by B.K. Borison 

Oh, my heart. This is one of those books that leaves an indelible mark on my soul. So incredibly romantic. So immersive. I didn't want to put it down. I wanted to read faster to discover what would ultimately happen (because my heart was crying out for something that felt impossible) while also wanting to slow down to savor every single word, action, and emotion. Good Spirits is one of those special stories that I will be turning to again and again in the future whenever I feel the need for a comforting, warm hug of a book. Straight to the keeper shelf!

THE AMALFI CURSE 

by Sarah Penner

This book has it all. Italy's Amalfi Coast (If you've visited, this will take you right back. If not, you'll be aching to go.). Sea witches (I believe). Dual timeline (I was equally invested in the stories and characters from both). Intrigue. Betrayal (I did not see some of those twists coming!). Forbidden love (in one timeline). Maybe fated love in the other? Complex, well-developed characters who tugged at my heart. Shipwrecks...sunken treasure...twists...turns...and OMG, what just happened??? I gasped. I cheered. I turned the final page with a big ole happy smile, wanting nothing more than to go back to page one and read it all again.

 

THUS WITH A KISS I DIE 

by Christina Dodd

I highlighted so many brilliantly witty and downright hilarious passages in this book it would be easier to tell you what I didn't highlight than what I did. Hijinks, hilarity, danger, and a bit of romance had me gasping one second, laughing out loud the next, and begging for the next book in this series the second I turned the final page of this one. I'll travel back to fair Verona any - and every - time Christina Dodd wants to take me there. 

A NEW YEAR IN THE KEYS 

by Hope Holloway

I have so much love for these characters, for this family. I sighed, I cried, I cheered. I don't think it's possible for Hope Holloway to write a book that does not touch me emotionally but even among the many heart-tugging stories from her various book series, this one stands out. It celebrates life, love, and multiple generations of family. It's achingly romantic and, to my delight, it features soul-stirring romance for a vibrant character in her seventies.

It is never too late to fall in love. 

EARL CRUSH 

by Alexandra Vasti

So many feelings. How could I not fall in love with these beautifully depicted characters and their hard-won happy ending. In addition to emotional depth, this book has impeccably placed humor, witty banter, zebras (yes, zebras), a mystery, a bit of danger, chemistry, meddling family (bio and chosen), road romance (Yay!), and did I mention yearning? So much yearning. I laughed, sobbed, and held my breath as Lydia and Arthur navigated the ups and downs of mistaken identity, espionage, kidnapping, and falling in love. I was with them every step of the way, right up to - and through - one of the most swoon-worthy, deeply romantic, heart-tugging epilogues I've read.

SPILLING THE TEA 

by Brenda Jackson

Brenda Jackson has written 150 books, hitting both the New York Times and USA Today Bestseller lists in the process. Spilling the Tea, in my opinion, is one of her best and one of my all-time Jackson favorites. This author has a way of luring readers into her stories with intriguing characters, relatable circumstances, and emotional engagement. In this book she seamlessly interweaves the stories of two couples using flashbacks of the past with unfolding events of the present and the unlikely twists that bond them together. The end result is an emotional dual-timeline story with strong family dynamics, heart-wrenching emotion, sensual romance, closely-held secrets, and another Madaris HEA.

A TROPICAL REBEL GETS THE DUKE 

by Adriana Herrera

Adriana Herrera saved the best for last. A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke, book three in Herrera's Las Leonas trilogy, is a steamy, compelling, endearing, action-packed story that I did not want to put down. A Caribbean woman in Paris, fighting for her independence and right to care for other women. A Caribbean man determined to avenge his father and honor his mother's memory by claiming his rightful place in the peerage (fiery Black duke for the win). Adversaries to lovers. Danger around every corner. Found family of the heart. Hard-won happily ever after. This book has everything I love...and then some. 

Those are my favorites. What books had you jumping for joy this year? 

Two people who post a comment before 11:00 PM, December 26 will each receive a surprise package of books from my stash. 

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

 

Second-Chance Winner - - The Secret Christmas Library

 

The giveaway of

The Secret Christmas Library by Jenny Colgan

was not claimed so I have randomly drawn another name.

The second-chance winner of

a print copy of The Secret Christmas Library is:

Penney W

Congrats!

Please email your full name and mailing address to:

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Winner - - The E.M.M.A. Effect

 

The randomly chosen winner

of a print ARC of

The E.M.M.A. Effect by Lia Riley is:

Cherie J

Congratulations!

Please send your full name and mailing address to:

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Review - - Her Time Traveling Duke

Her Time Traveling Duke

by Bryn Donovan

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: December 9, 2025

Reviewed by Hellie

Rose Novak, a free-spirited museum employee who dabbles in magic, has had her share of disappointments. So when she tries a little spell for a romance with an “old-fashioned gentleman,” she doesn’t really expect it to work…especially literally. And yet, the duke from a painting she admired at the museum is now standing in her apartment, demanding to know who abducted him.

A man of science and truth, Henry Leighton-Lyons, the Duke of Beresford, has searched tirelessly for a way to turn back time and be with his late wife again. Instead, just as he’s about to pose for his portrait, he’s ripped centuries forward by a feckless, scantily dressed—and utterly bewitching—woman who believes in nonsense like magical crystals and astrology.

Unable to immediately reverse her spell, Rose vows to help Henry return to his own century, even though disguises and high jinks are required to get their hands on an enchanted astrolabe and master the art of time travel. But it’s hard not to fall for the irritable yet honorable duke.

Little does she know that he’s starting to wonder: did a reckless love spell get it right, after all?

Hellie’s Heeds:

I snatched up this frothy feel-good book after having had the opportunity to read Donovan’s debut, Her Knight at the Museum (November 2024), and it did not disappoint. For fans who loved the swoony rom-com, Kate & Leopold, as well as for those of us who wish we could bring the real Mr. Darcy into the modern-era to bypass all those Tinder ads–this is wish-fulfillment at its finest. 

Tropes: Grumpy and Sunshine, also Mr. Rational Science Guy with Miss “I Perform Magic in my Nightie while Sipping Chardonnay" and a little Marvel Universe hilarity with a secondary character named Jason, who I would love to know more about in future books–and I hope there is more time-traveling books to come–or even a time-traveling damsel for Jason–that’d be fun. If you read the first book, you get to meet up with some beloved characters there as well, but you don’t need to have read the first one to enjoy this one. (There are other secondary characters that I wouldn’t mind learning more about–but Jason really stands out.) 

I have to hand it to Ms. Donovan–she had me scared. There was a Black Moment where the hero really futzed it up and I thought, “Oh, my girlfriend is not going to get over this! What was he doing?” But fortunately–ruining it for all of you–they work it out. You’ll have to read it to see how though. 

I took this book with me on a trip–and I was supposed to go and look at art museums and eat out in a big city–and I refused to leave my hotel room so I could keep reading it. It makes you forget whatever is happening outside of you–which is the best recommendation I can have about a book. My husband would return from work and I’d be like, “Listen, listen, I’m going to let you talk about your terrible day, but isn’t this the funniest thing you ever heard?” and would read a scene to him. And it did make his day a little better. And I had the best vacation, staying in the hotel, in bed with this delicious novel. (I also recommend a chocolate bar–that also upped the experience too.)

I’m recommending this to all my rom-com readers this holiday season. Please rush out and put it on your last minute stocking stuffer because once the presents have been torn through, you deserve a little me-time to dream about stuffy dukes from England and modern day wallflowers who deserve a happily ever after.

Review - - Santa Cutie

Santa Cutie

by Jenny Alexandra

Cherryville - Book 1

Publisher: Jenny Alexandra

Release Date: November 11, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

This Santa is more of a Scrooge...

Melody Whitaker doesn’t just love Christmas—she worships it. After fleeing a holiday-hating cult, she’s gone all in: thousands of twinkle lights, a storage unit of trees, and more sparkle than a Hallmark movie marathon.

This year, she’s signed up to play Mrs. Claus at a local nursing home, eager to spread some holiday cheer—until she meets Eben Golding: a brooding, grumpy, Christmas-hating hottie. Maybe it’s the mistletoe, but Melody can’t stop flirting with this surly Santa...

Falling in love with someone who sees your sparkle—even the parts you thought you had to hide—might be the greatest gift of all. But when the nursing home pageant goes ho-ho-horribly, Melody is left wondering if her Christmas spirit can really save the season...and thaw Eben’s frosty heart.

PJ's Thoughts:

Grumpy, Christmas-hating Santa (he has reasons) meets over-the-top, Christmas-loving Mrs. Claus (reasons here too) and the two end up stuck with each other as volunteers at a retirement home bubbling over with frisky, mischievous senior citizens? Sign me up!

This one was fun. I love the grumpy-sunshine vibe and Eben and Melody certainly bring it. There's plenty of humor, spice, and holiday cheer but it's not all holiday shenanigans, though there are plenty of those. There's also an emotion-driven, serious underpinning that gives the story depth to offset the fun. 

Eben and Melody both have emotional trauma and complicated family dynamics in their past and present. It gives a nice balance to the delicious spice and snappy banter between them. As they slowly open themselves to one another it allows for personal growth and the development of a relationship where they can each be - and be appreciated for - their true selves. I enjoyed both aspects of their journey.

Back to the fun side of things. The antics of the residents of the retirement home are some of the best scenes in this book. The Christmas talent show in particular is hilarious. I strongly recommend not eating or drinking anything while reading that chapter. It's snort laughter from start to finish.

I'm looking forward to book two in the Cherryville series and hoping it will feature Melody's best friend. I'm already invested in her and curious to discover what her future holds. 

Review - - Christmas at the Ranch

Christmas at the Ranch

by Julia McKay

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons

Release Date: September 23, 2025

Reviewed by Nancy

She hasn’t been in love in ten years, but she’s about to get back in the saddle.

With the holidays around the corner and her father recently imprisoned for financial fraud, disgraced journalist Emory Oakes doesn’t know where to turn. She’s only certain of one thing: She needs to get away.

Fate takes the wheel, leaving her stranded in snowy Evergreen, the picturesque town where she spent her happiest Christmas as a teen — and chronicled every moment in her journal as she fell in love with handsome local, Tate Wilder, at his family’s idyllic horse ranch — until it all went wrong.

Emory isn’t ready to face Tate, but kismet and Christmas magic have other ideas. As the love they’ve denied for a decade rekindles, the betrayals that kept them apart resurface, as does Emory’s family scandal. Yet Tate Wilder and his ranch feel more like home than anywhere ever has. Will Emory and Tate’s alchemy fizzle or will their Christmas wishes come true?

 

Nancy’s Thoughts: 

Christmas at the Ranch is a delightful second-chance holiday romance about two engaging people. I enjoyed the story very much, but I had some problems with the book’s structure. 

I’ll save the structural issues for last and start with the setup and the characters. Emory is easy to root for. In her wealthy, society-oriented family, she often felt like a changeling, so she makes her living as a freelance journalist and doesn’t touch her large trust fund. The scandal of her father’s arrest, however, tanks her journalism career. That and family pressure related to the scandal cause her to flee. She’s well on her way to Evergreen when she realizes where she’s headed. 

Her failed romance with Tate Wilder a decade previously makes Evergreen a less attractive refuge than it might’ve been, but she has nowhere else to go. She figures she doesn’t have to see him. A combination of unfortunate circumstances, however, traps her at the Wilder ranch, where Tate’s father insists she stay in Tate’s house, which is empty because he’s away at a trade show. 

Of course, Tate returns early, and their reunion is beyond awkward. He doesn’t seem to hold any ill will from their long-ago past, though. He and Emory reconnect over the Wilder horses, but the past is always a stumbling block, and Emory attributes any withdrawal on his part to unpleasant memories of the past coming between them. That’s not always the case, though. 

Tate is courteous and friendly. There are lovely, emotional moments where he and Emory connect again, even though they both retreat afterward. Their shared love of the ranch’s horses and Emory’s pleasure in riding again help bring them together. He’s responsible, kind, and concerned that Emory not leave town until she has somewhere to go. 

The book is written in first person, present tense, so we have only Emory’s viewpoint and excerpts from the diary she kept ten years before. The present-tense form is not a favorite of mine, but I’m aware many readers enjoy it. 

My main problem with the story is in its use of the diary. The book opens with a diary entry from ten years previously that tells us how Emory and Tate met. As a prologue, this works. This entry, like all the others is beautifully written. This one shows us the immediate attraction between Tate and Emory in a believable way. The action then skips ten years to Emory’s family scandal. Flashbacks in the form of lengthy diary entries are interspersed in the story. Every one of them stops the forward action and, for me, slows the pace. 

Despite all this looking backward, we don’t know until nearly the end of the book exactly what happened between Emory and Tate that has her so sure he would never want to try again. Emory obviously remembers what happened, and we spend the entire book in her point of view. Yet that information isn’t shared until late in the story. If I had known what happened between them, I would’ve been more sympathetic to her qualms and more inclined to share them. 

Emory refers a couple of times to a book by the author bell hooks, who does not capitalize her name. Because I had never heard of her, seeing the name made me wonder each time whether the book was about hooks for bells. I couldn’t figure it out until I resorted to a Web search. I’m not quibbling with hooks’s choice about capitalization, but I do question McKay’s choice to use the name in a novel where readers might not be familiar with it and so might be stopped by it, as I was. 

The resolution to the romance was satisfying and also tied up some of Emory’s longstanding family issues as she dealt with her father’s scandal. The descriptions of small-town life and of trail rides in the snowy woods were very well done. Aside from the diary flashbacks, the story moved at a good pace. The townspeople had distinct, varied personalities, and the hesitation some of them felt about Emory’s return was believably grounded in her father’s actions years before. And Tate and Emily had me rooting for them from the beginning. 

Overall, as I said, I enjoyed the story a lot. I highly recommend it.

~Nancy