Review - - Formula Zero

Formula Zero

by Meredith Lanzen

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: July 7, 2026

Reviewed by Nancy

  

Madeline Clarke didn't think her life would be all fun and trophies after earning her spot in the solar system's most elite zero-gravity racing circuit, but she definitely thought it'd be better than this. Aside from being a female pilot in a male-dominated sport, her boss is a controlling jerk, her estranged father is a beloved figure from her team's past glory days (and an absolute ass), and she's performing so poorly she risks losing her contract. And worst of all, there's Julian Casperi.

Julian was Clarke's childhood best friend and is a rising star in the league. The dance between them has always been complicated, but when Clarke walked away from her feelings years ago and Julian didn’t stop her they became nothing more than competitors—until Clarke gets into a near-fatal accident on the track and Julian comes to her rescue.

Now back in each other’s orbits, the tension between them is at an all-time high. But navigating their relationship might be the least of Clarke’s problems. Things keep going wrong on the track, and she suspects there's something shady at play. If she wants to come out on top, she needs to move fast and make bold choices—about her team, her future, and her heart.

 

Nancy’s Thoughts: 

Formula Zero is a fun friends-to-lovers romance set in a future that has space travel, people living on parts of the solar system other than Earth, and high-speed racing on planets and in space. The characters are likeable, the romance is mostly handled well, and the worldbuilding is generally detailed and interesting. 

I’m not a fan of Formula One racing, which appears to have inspired the racing aspects of this book, but the race scenes are interesting without delving so deeply into the process as to take over the story. The descriptions of the race courses, including obstacles and changes, are clever and intriguing. 

Clarke races to win. Her ship isn’t in good shape, though, so her successes come despite her equipment and the lack of support from team management. The problem never get  fixed. She shrugs it off and tries not to let it bother her. It does, however. Now designs for next year’s ships for the team are under discussion, and no one consults her. Things don’t look good for her future. 

On top of that, her friendship with Julian is becoming increasingly strained. The attraction between them has always been strong, but they agreed to set it aside rather than have it offer a publicity distraction while they’re racing. Unfortunately, ignoring it is becoming increasingly difficult. My one problem with the way this is handled arose when Julian tentatively reached out, only to have Clarke lash out at him in a way that seemed immature. I was glad to see that this was an isolated reaction. From that point on, the relationship push-pull was both believable and sympathetic. The emotional tension was extremely well done. 

Julian also wants to win, but he keeps an eye out for Clarke. He knows she isn’t getting the support she should, but even he doesn’t realize quite how bad her situation is. As the story progresses, he plays an important role in resolving her problem. 

When Julian was just getting into racing, he lived with Clarke’s family. His own family lives on a colony near Jupiter, and traveling from there to Earth isn’t easy. Lanzen says navigating through the asteroid belt is what makes the trip so difficult. This reference stopped me because the asteroid belt is in the plane of the ecliptic. It isn’t a sphere encasing the inner worlds. A ship could chart a course over or under it, relative to the plane of the ecliptic, and not go through it There may be reasons not to do that, but those reasons aren’t shared with the reader. 

The interaction between Clarke’s family and friends, including Julian, is lovely. The wider family grouping includes Julian’s mom when she can make it to Earth and the moms of a friend of Clarke and Julian who died in a race. The three started in racing together, so his memory is a silent presence with Clarke or Julian when they race. 

I was puzzled that Clarke is the only main character consistently referred to by her last name. Julian is always Julian, not Casperi. 

I enjoyed Formula Zero a lot even though it’s written in present tense, which is not my favorite. But I’m rating the book as four stars, not five, mostly because of the problems I had at the end. The worldbuilding, as I said, is generally good, but it falls down when it comes to the actual ships the characters race. They are never described. My mental image, which may be different from that of other readers, is based on a Formula One car with a rocket pack and an enclosed cockpit. At the end of the story, Clarke has to catch something important on the front of Julian’s ship. There’s nothing to stop it sliding off the front, which actually tips when the object’s weight lands on it. And if it’s no wider than a Formula One car, and has a smooth surface, how does anything not fall off immediately? I just did not believe that scene because I didn’t have an image of the ship that would make it believable. 

In this scene, Clarke also breaks a bone in one foot operating the ship but has no trouble continuing to operate it. Nothing explained how she was able to do that. When a character suffers a broken bone, I expect difficulties to flow from that, but none did here. She later comments that her foot hurts, but she didn’t seem to notice than when applying pressure to it immediately after the injury. I liked the action and choreography, but these problems kept me from fully buying into it. 

Overall, story is a lot of fun and moves at a good pace. The characters are well drawn and engaging.  I recommend this book. 

Nancy

 

Review - - The Final Score

The Final Score

by Lana Ferguson

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: July 7, 2026

Reviewed by: Santa

 

Jack Baker is on top of the world now that he’s back on the rink where he belongs. But the high comes crashing down when he reinjures his arm immediately following his return to the ice, and this time, he might never be able to play again. After a lifetime as the strong, happy hockey guy whose sister needed him, Jack is left questioning everything he knows about himself.

Abigail Thompson feels like she’s hit rock bottom. It’s only been a few months since the massive scandal that finally severed the cord between her and her narcissistic father. And now, in her last weeks of grad school, she’s been kicked out of her building with very short notice. The last thing she wants to do is ask her half-brother for help after what she’s put him through, but it’s looking like his best friend’s spare room might be her only choice.

Jack is flighty, flirty, and a little full of himself—all the things Abby’s learned to avoid in men. However, spending every day together breaks the ice between them, and she starts to realize that Jack might not be who he seems. It’s possible that maybe, just maybe, he might be struggling as much as she is. Soon, confiding in each other leads to falling into bed, and this fling will either play with their hearts—or score them the ultimate goal of love.

Santa Says:

I really enjoyed The Final Score by Lana Ferguson. It is a real feel good story about two people who could not be more different from each other. This novel centers around two people at odds with each other and themselves. Jack is a super star hockey player who is brash and cocky. Abby's life has been nothing but chaotic between her manipulative father and the bursting pipes in her apartment.

Jack exudes self-confidence. To him, hockey is life. His world is defined by two things, love for his sister and the game. He takes both very seriously. However, an injury to his arm changes everything. It requires surgery and time away from the game. Impossible. They are close to winning the playoffs. Next stop is the Stanley Cup. Taking time off is out of the question. He’s tough. He can work through it. He wouldn’t want to disappoint the fans, especially the female ones. And without hockey, well, he’d rather not think about that at all.

Abby just wanted to be left alone as she navigated work, her work in graduate school and her new found half brother whose life her father threw her into. Her poor excuse for a father would not leave her alone. She wanted nothing to do with the man who thought that through her he could gain access to the lucrative Druids hockey team which his ex-wife happens to own! Add to this mess the fact that she must move out of her apartment while her landlord was fixing the water damage in her apartment. She didn’t want to impose on her newly married brother and his wife who also happens to be Jack’s sister. They are disgustingly happily married with a penchant for strong PDAs!

Jack, who continues to ignore the injury to his arm, invites Abby to use his spare bedroom for as long as she needs. Abby has more than enough on her plate! She has enough armor around her to ignore the cocky man! She reluctantly agrees to stay at Jack’s place. What is the worst that could happen? Plenty of close proximity lends itself to this slow burn romance where armor and a lot more falls away as two people in pain learn to lean on each other.  Delicious especially as he falls first and Jack discovers there is a lot more to life than just hockey and Abby finds strength and confidence.

Add this book to your TBR list and be prepared to add Lana Ferguson to your favorite rom com authors. I give it five out of five stars. Enjoy!

Blog Tour Review - - Enter the Nightmare

Enter the Nightmare

by Jayne Ann Krentz

writing as Jayne Castle

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: June 30, 2026

Reviewed by PJ

Alice Radstone should have known not to return. Her life before the Hotel of Dreams had been one of a perfectly cloistered teacher at the Ballantine Academy. When the death of her mentor forced her out, she was left to reinvent herself in the big city. Since then, things have not gone well. Ten months ago, after her first trip to the hotel, she woke up in the locked ward of a hospital for the criminally insane and was informed that she had murdered her husband on their wedding night. She has no memory of the husband or the wedding, but after she escapes from the asylum, one thing is certain: She is never going back.

Unfortunately, Alice’s second reinvented life is also deteriorating rapidly, which is why she finds herself once more at the Hotel of Dreams—this time hiding in the shadows of her room with a dead body in the shower and two men wearing masks creeping toward the bed to kidnap her. Again.

When the enigmatic and decidedly dangerous Owen March shows up and claims he’s there to rescue her, she has no choice but to accept his offer—and hope that he doesn’t also intend to kidnap her.

With Alice and now Owen in the killer’s sights, time is running out. They must trust each other and the electric passion between them if they are to make it out of this hotel alive.

PJ's Thoughts:

Jayne Ann Krentz's imagination is a strange and wondrous place to visit. This newest novel set in her fictional, futuristic world of Harmony threw me into the action from the first few pages and kept me on the the edge of my seat until the final sentence. 

Krentz has the ability to create a psychic paranormal world that, while I know is completely fictional, feels believable and real. She immerses me into the various setting of Harmony, making me feel as if I am actually walking the dark and misty streets of the Shadow Zone, overdosing on the glitz and glamour of the Illusion Town casinos, outrunning bad guys through the psy-rich tunnels of the Underground, and racing against time in the hotel where Alice's life first went off the rails and now is in danger of ending.

Interspersed among the action, danger, and suspense of this book is Krentz's trademark humor, sarcastic wit, snappy banter, and romance. It made me gasp on one page and sigh on the next while feeling like I was experiencing every emotion right along with Owen and Alice. 

Of course, a Harmony novel would not be complete without a mischievous dust bunny and Sebastian more than lives up to the DB standard set by his predecessors from earlier books. I adored him!

Don't be intimidated by the fact that this is the eighteenth book set on Harmony. Every book stands on its own and Krentz includes a brief Harmony history in each book that brings new readers up to date. Readers new to Harmony will be fine jumping in with Enter the Nightmare or at any point along the way. 

~~~~~~~~

Jayne Castle, the author of People in Glass Houses, Sweetwater and the Witch, Guild Boss, Illusion Town, Siren's Call, The Hot Zone, Deception Cove, and more, is a pseudonym for Jayne Ann Krentz, the author of more than fifty New York Times bestsellers. She writes contemporary romantic suspense novels under the Krentz name, as well as historical novels under the pseudonym Amanda Quick. Photo credit: Chandra Wicke Photography

~~~~~~~~~~

ENTER THE NIGHTMARE EXCERPT

 

The thing you had to remember about the Hotel of Dreams was that the nightmares were real.

I ought to know, Alice thought. This was the second time she had checked in. The first occasion had been her wedding night. The following morning, she had awakened in the locked ward of a hospital for the criminally insane and been informed that she had murdered her husband.

The amenities and the service had not improved. Tonight she was hiding in the bathroom of Room 205, a flamer in one hand, a sleeked-out, poised-to-attack dust bunny crouched at her feet, and a dead man in the shower behind her.

She watched through the crack in the partially open door as a figure in a medical mask crept toward the bed.

She had only herself to blame. She had not simply reached for the bait that had been dangled in front of her-she had lunged for it. In doing so, she had violated Core Principle Number One of the Ballantine Method for Achieving the Harmonic Life: Do not mistake impulse for true intuition.

She stayed very still in the deep shadows and tried to will away the shivers. Shivering was not good, because she was clutching a flamer. It was set to stun, but she had only rezzed it a couple of times and her aim was still problematic due to lack of practice. Setting the bed on fire by accident would not be helpful.

She did not like having to resort to the weapon-it went against all her training-but she had learned the hard way that a woman alone in the world had to take personal security into her own hands. It was either the flamer or the dark side of her talent.

There were significant reasons not to go full-rez with her psychic senses for the purpose of self-defense. The results of using the negative side of her talent could be unpredictable. She did not want to take the risk of sending a potential informant into a waking coma. It would make it difficult or even impossible to get the answers she desperately needed. Besides, she hated having to brush up against someone else's dreamlight for even the few seconds it took to unlock the nightmares. She had enough bad dreams of her own.

And then there was the inconvenience of having to spend who knew how many hours in the demanding mental and physical practices needed to restore her inner harmonic balance. She did not have the time to spare. She was too busy trying to survive. Priorities.

The shivering was caused by adrenaline, not panic, she decided, opting for positive self-talk. She had been doing a lot of positive self-talk in the past ten months. But what if returning to the opening scene of her own personal nightmare was causing her to lose control? What if she was hallucinating? Undergoing a psychic break? Maybe she was imagining the dead man in the shower and the figure stalking toward the bed.

Sebastian pressed against her lower leg and looked up at her, all four eyes-the baby blues and the amber pair he used for hunting-wide open. It was as if he knew she was questioning what they were both seeing in the other room.

She wasn't imagining things. The dust bunny was ready to roll in hot. Now that he was not fluffed up and looking like a large wad of dryer lint, you could see all six paws and his sharp little teeth. He had even left his beloved sunglasses on the floor of the bathroom in preparation for battle. As far as he was concerned, the danger was real. That was good enough for her. Reassured, she tightened her grip on the flamer.

The masked figure reached the bed and looked down at the bundled shape beneath the quilt. In a horrifyingly swift, efficient motion, he yanked back the covers. He raised his other hand in preparation for plunging a small weapon of some kind into what he assumed was a sleeping woman.

Moonlight sparked briefly on the syringe. At least it wasn't a knife. Maybe murder wasn't the goal. Of course, you could kill a person quite easily with the injection of a lethal drug. Nevertheless, it was starting to look like someone wanted to abduct her-not kill her-again.

 

She jerked open the bathroom door, clutched the flamer in both hands, and tried for a firm, authoritative voice. Attitude was crucial in situations like this. She could not let the incipient panic show.

"Stop or I'll fire," she said.

 

Excerpted from Enter the Nightmare by Jayne Castle Copyright © 2026 by Jayne Castle. Excerpted by permission of Berkley. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

Review - - Five-Star Summer

Five-Star Summer

by Sarah Morgan

Publisher: MIRA

Release Date: May 5, 2026

Reviewed by PJ

Running a five-star Cornish hotel should have been Evie Hamilton’s dream job. But restoring it to its former glory is going to take a miracle. All Evie has is grit, and a hoard of unruly staff who love to speculate about her love life. She needs back-up, and fast.

Enter Abby Jones. Parachuted in by the hotel’s umbrella company for the summer, Abby thinks Evie could be the best friend she never had. But Abby has her own agenda for being in Cornwall. If her real motives are uncovered, their friendship is going to melt away faster than an ice cream in the summer sun.

Yet Abby’s arrival starts a chain reaction. With the help of a charming chef and a gruff pub owner, they begin to embrace their true selves and the bonds that unite them. But it’s not just the hotel’s five-star reputation that needs rebuilding – Evie and Abby will also have to brave tearing down their lives in order to reshape their futures…

PJ's Thoughts:

I can always count on Sarah Morgan to sweep me away to intriguing places with stories that never fail to touch my heart. With her newest novel, Five-Star Summer, that place is Cornwall and the story is another keeper I found hard to put down.

Much like Abby Jones, I found myself immersed in the rugged beauty of the Cornish coast, the charm of the village locals, and the hotel that stands as their slightly tarnished crown jewel. And, like Evie, I wanted to see that hotel restored to her previous glory. But the story is more than just the hotel. So much more.

Relationships are something Sarah Morgan excels at creating and she's at her best in this book. There's the friendship that grows between Abby and Evie. I love these two, how they bond over the summer as they work together with their shared goal; how they learn from one another, share confidences, encourage one another to live their best lives. But there are also secrets simmering below the surface because, of course. It couldn't be that easy, right?

Then, there are the relationships between Evie and the hotel staff, people who have known her since birth and are having trouble letting go of behaviors honed over 20+ years. The gradual changes that have to happen for Evie to be successful - and happy - are organic and believable.

Romance isn't at the forefront of this story but it absolutely hold a place for both Abby and Evie. I enjoyed both of the men at the heart of their romantic journeys.

And, finally, it wouldn't be a Sarah Morgan book without messy, emotional, life-altering family dynamics. This time, the secrets that unfold hold more than a few unexpected surprises that add depth, growth, and heart-tugging emotion to more than one happy ending. 

Five-Star Summer has my enthusiastic recommendation for your summer reading list. 

Review - - The Cherry Blossom Boathouse

The Cherry Blossom Boathouse

by Laura Bloom

Solace Springs - Book 1

Publisher: Dell

Release Date: May 26, 2026

Reviewed by PJ

 

When Sophie Bennet gets fired from her high-profile marketing job and dumped by her boyfriend for being "too boring," she decides to take a risk–fueled by wine–and launches a crowdfunding campaign called "Help a Boring Girl Buy a Bookshop." To her shock, what started as a joke goes viral, raising enough money for her to leave London and buy a rundown boathouse in the sleepy small town of Solace Springs, Washington, marking the start of her new chapter.

Local boatbuilder and professional grump Luke Rhodes has had it with outsiders coming to Solace Springs and disturbing his carefully cultivated quiet life. So when Sophie, his annoyingly attractive next-door neighbor, moves in with her endless optimism, relentless determination, and distracting curves, he wants nothing to do with her renovation project. Too bad fate—and the town residents—have other plans. As Luke gets roped into working with Sophie, he starts to find that the cherry blossoms aren’t the only thing blooming in town.

In the midst of clashing over paint samples and arguing over structural integrity, things start to heat up between the town local and the new resident. But just as Luke’s carefully constructed walls begin to crack, Sophie’s sudden viral fame threatens the tranquility of Solace Springs. They’ll have to decide if their unexpected connection will wilt away or bloom into something more.

PJ's Thoughts:

London meets small-town Washington State in this charming, quirky, emotionally-charged story that I couldn't put down. 

This was my first book by Laura Bloom. I wasn't sure what to expect but the premise sounded intriguing so I thought I'd give it a try. I'm so happy that I did! I was plunged straight into the story - much like Sophie's plunge into the lake - and didn't look up again until I turned the final page. 

I lost count of the happy reader boxes this book checked for me, there were so many. A whole boatload! First off, I love the grumpy-sunshine trope and, boy howdy, do Luke and Sophie exemplify this vibe. So much delicious banter and tension. Then there's the small-town setting. I want to visit Solace Springs, attend their festivals, spend time on the lake, visit with the locals. And speaking of locals, there are more than a few begging for stories of their own.  

The journey Luke and Sophie travel is filled with charm, growth, emotional healing, some steam, a few surprises, non-stop banter, and, how could I forget, a crowd-funded bookshop that beckons readers in and encourages them to stay for hours. Count me in!

The next book in Laura Bloom's Solace Springs series, The Sugar Maple Inn, is scheduled for release on September 15, 2026. I already have in on preorder.

 

Review - - Dirty Little Secret

Dirty Little Secret

by Tracy Solheim

Milwaukee Mayhem - Book 2

Publisher: Sun Home Productions

Release Date: June 8, 2026

Reviewed by PJ

 

He inherited a hockey empire from a father he never knew.
Now he’s risking it all for the one woman he shouldn’t touch.

When Max Kellogg unexpectedly inherits the Milwaukee Mayhem after the death of the man who refused to acknowledge him, the league expects the brash Hollywood nepo baby to crash and burn. Not wanting to give them—or his late father—the satisfaction of being right, Max steps into the spotlight—rewriting contracts, rebuilding the roster, and signing the most electrifying teenage talent professional hockey has ever seen.

Eighteen-year-old phenom Parker Dern is a virtuoso on the ice—and a tabloid sensation off it. The only person who can steady him is his fiercely devoted older sister, Olivia Dern. When Olivia suddenly finds herself unemployed and on the brink of losing the stability she’s fought so hard to build, Max makes her an offer she can’t refuse: travel with the team. Keep her brother focused. Be his handler. Shield him from the glare of the spotlight.

It’s supposed to be temporary. Strictly professional.

Until late-night flights, luxury hotel rooms, and private skating sessions begin to blur the lines.

Making his late father pay for a lifetime of neglect has always been Max’s driving obsession. But when Olivia walks into his carefully calculated world, revenge is no longer the only thing on his mind. And for the first time, Max must decide if payback is worth losing the one person who makes him want something more…

PJ's Thoughts:

Hockey. Family. Romance. Tracy Solheim beautifully blends the three in this second book of her Milwaukee Mayhem series. These characters quickly drew me into their lives and held my attention right up until the end. There's intrigue, steam, villainous family members, surprise revelations, character growth, and a hard-won happy ending. 

If you're looking for multi-layered contemporary romance with messy family relationships, characters who feel like real people, high emotional stakes, a few surprises, and a heartfelt happy ending, all set within the world of professional sports, an arena this author knows well, pick up a copy of Dirty Little Secret and prepare to be swept away.  

Do you enjoy sports romance? If so, all sports or just particular ones?

Have you read any books by Tracy Solheim yet? (She's also written romantic suspense and straight contemporary romance).

Review - - Nearly a Bride

Nearly a Bride

by Sabrina Jeffries

Lords of Hazard - Book 2

Publisher: Kensington Books

Release Date: April 28, 2026

Reviewed by PJ

After more than a decade separated from his home and family, the Earl of Heathbrook returns to his London townhouse to face a new test: reclaiming guardianship of his younger brothers. His reputation as a rakehell, it seems, has followed him from detention inside Napoleon’s France and caused his own father to block Heathbrook’s rightful custody in his will. However, the clever rogue concocts a plan to restore respectability and rescue his siblings . . . by finding a “fiancée” with no strings attached.

Giselle Bernard is not looking to wed an earl with a wild past. All she seeks is a connected nobleman who can legally secure her new life in England and head off a mysterious stranger’s threats. Posing as Heathbrook’s bride-to-be would surely benefit them both. But as revelations come to light—the ill-fated young affair that left Heathbrook embittered, and the mademoiselle’s own guarded secrets—their engagement charade may unexpectedly blossom into a promise to love, honor, and cherish . . .

PJ's Thoughts:

Imagine being a 17-year-old forced to accompany your father on a trip to France then spending the next eleven years detained, then imprisoned, by Napoleon. It's the type of experience that leaves a person fundamentally changed, not to mention the changes to everyone and everything left behind in England. That's the premise of this new series from Sabrina Jeffries who has created two books, so far, that have been hard to put down.  

This second book in Jeffries' new trilogy kept me engaged from start to finish. I admit, fake engagement is one of my favorite romance tropes and it's done so well in this book. Giselle and Heathbrook are on equal footing when the deal is struck which, for me, made it even more enjoyable. Each needs the other, neither wants a permanent relationship, and, oh, how much fun it is when those pesky romantic feelings enter the picture.

I really enjoyed the different relationships in this book, those among friends, family, and couples. There are more than a few twists that impact those relationships as well as the progression of the story. But I also enjoyed how the evolution of the relationships revealed facets of individual characters. Giselle's deepening bonds with Heathbrook's brothers, in particular, not only gave readers additional insight in her character but helped Heathbrook repair his sibling relationships as well as open his eyes to possibilities between him and Giselle. 

I love character growth in a book and in this one, Heathbrook has a boatload of growing to do. It was immensely satisfying to watch his evolution and the results of it upon his family, his relationship with Giselle, and his overall outlook upon life. By the end of the book, I was firmly in his corner and cheering the person he had become. 

If you enjoy historical romance with secrets, complicated family dynamics, witty banter, slow-burn romance, a bit of a mystery, surprising twists, and a hard-won happy ending, give Nearly a Bride a try. I thoroughly enjoyed it. 

Review - - The Last Lady B

The Last Lady B

by Eloisa James

Publisher: Gallery Books

Release Date: May 12, 2026

Reviewed by PJ

In the depths of winter, Lady Genevieve Hughes, her pet piglet, and her septuagenarian husband travel to a haunted abbey in the Scottish Highlands. Evie is excited to meet a ghost (perhaps one of her husband’s three previous wives), but didn’t expect the funny, quirky guests to become the friends she’s never had. And she certainly didn’t imagine meeting Sir Godric Everly, a sardonic, witty solicitor who loathes her husband.

Yet as secrets and lies turn Evie’s world upside down, Sir Godric becomes the one person whom she can trust.

When ghosts, multiple wills, and a shocking marriage certificate bring Lord Burnsby’s past crashing into his present, Burnsby promptly dies, leaving Evie free to remarry…though as a virgin wife, now a virgin widow, she is more unnerved by the marriage bed than a spectral visit.

More importantly, she has to figure out whose identity is false, whose vows are dishonorable, whose truths could destroy her reputation—and where her heart belongs.

PJ's Thoughts:

It's rare for an author I've been reading for 20 years to surprise me but that's exactly what Eloisa James did...and in a very good way. I've read everything this author has published. The Last Lady B, in my opinion, is one of her best. 

The point of view is written in first person, a departure from past James books but very effective in this book. Evie's mind is such a fun place to be! The plot is fast paced, keeping me on my toes from start to finish. While I had no idea how Evie and her true love would ever get their HEA, I was truly hooked and eager to turn each page to discover what awaited around the next corner of this twisty tale and, let me tell you, I did NOT see some of those twists coming! Underpinning the twists are plenty of humor, conflict, witty dialog, social commentary, endearing chemistry, awkward physical intimacy (so well written!), and family of the heart.  

I really enjoyed the characters. They are all (good and bad) expertly developed with organically depicted evolutions that I found believable and relatable. I wanted to be friends with them (well, most of them) but especially Colette and Genevieve (Evie). I love that Colette is so quintessentially French, confident, outspoken, and loyal to those she loves. And, Evie. I really enjoy that she is firmly "of her time" throughout much of the book. It makes her evolution that much more satisfying...and fun. 

Whether you're an Eloisa James fan or new to her books, I enthusiastically recommend picking up a copy of The Last Lady B. I loved my first reading of this engaging Gothic romance. I know it won't be my last.

*ARC received from publisher via Edelweiss+

Fair and unbiased opinions

Tour Review - - Thistlemarsh

Thistlemarsh

by Moorea Corrigan

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: April 21, 2026

Reviewed by Nancy

In the wake of The Great War, the world is a decidedly unmagical place for Mouse Dunne. She once dreamed of becoming a Faerie anthropologist, but with one telegram, her world shattered. At the Battle of the Somme, her cousin’s body disappeared into the mud, and her brother was left

with debilitating shell shock. It was time, she knew, to put aside childish dreams.

When Mouse receives news that her uncle has left her the Faerie-blessed Thistlemarsh Hall, a dilapidated manor in the English countryside, she must leave her brother’s side and return to her

childhood home to claim her birthright. But there is a catch in her uncle’s offer: If Mouse does not rehabilitate the crumbling house in one month’s time, she will forfeit her inheritance and any hope of caring for her brother.

It quickly becomes clear it’s impossible to repair the manor in the allotted time, until a mysterious Faerie appears with a proposition. He offers to restore Thistlemarsh...for a price.

Mouse knows better than to trust a Faerie—especially one so insufferably handsome and arrogant—but she is out of options. There are dark and magical forces at work in the house, and

Mouse must confront the ghosts of her past and the secrets of her heart or lose Thistlemarsh, and herself, in the process.

Nancy’s Thoughts:

Thistlemarsh is an engaging fantasy romance with some dark undertones. The romance grows slowly amid hints that something is not right. Mouse doesn’t know whether the problem is something about Thornwood, the Faerie attempting the repairs or arises from the magic infesting the house and interfering with the repairs or comes from something else altogether. As the story

progresses, the hints that something is off become more common but are never clear. Corrigan does a good job of making them troubling but so cryptic that Mouse’s failure to act on them,

despite her efforts to decipher the clues, is understandable.

Mouse is easy to root for. Because she has few good memories of life at Thistlemarsh, her first impulse is to waive her claim to the house. If she does, however, she loses not only the house but

the money that comes with it to a spiteful, selfish cousin. The same thing happens if she fails to restore the house sufficiently to satisfy her uncle’s solicitor. Unless she has that money, she

cannot pay for the convalescent home where her brother lives.

Thornwood is more enigmatic. He can be snide and arrogant, but he also has unexpected moments of kindness. As he and Mouse seek to unravel the magic that’s impeding his repairs, 

her courage and cleverness earn his trust and respect. A bond slowly forms between them.

Not everyone is happy about Mouse’s decision to work with a faerie. Mouse’s one childhood friend in the village, John, the vicar, doesn’t want to hear about faeries. The gardener, Mr. Hobb, who was friendly with Mouse when she lived at Thistlemarsh, avoids Thornwood. While their attitudes trouble Mouse, she has no alternative to helping Thornwood proceed.

The world is generally built in detail. The woods, the magical traps, and the house itself are beautifully drawn. The story incorporates Mouse’s experiences as a nurse on the Western Front in ways that add depth to her character and texture to the world.

Most of the supporting characters have enough depth to make them seem real. The main exception to that is Mouse’s nasty cousin, Anthony Carlyle. He seems one-dimensional in his

meanness. He truly is awful in his few appearances in the story, but I would’ve liked to see a little, tiny something more to him. I also wanted some deeper reaction from Mouse to his fate in

the story.

John tells Mouse the villagers disapprove of her staying at the house with Thornwood, but we never see the villagers’ disapproval. We only hear about it. And this disapproval seems

inconsistent with their attitudes at the end of the story.

Finally, a supporting character who appears late in the story initially insists on staying out of the confrontation Mouse is preparing, but this character later takes a pivotal role, which seems inconsistent. I would’ve liked a little more motivation for that. I wasn’t happy that this character’s actions overshadow Mouse’s in solving the big problem.

Despite those concerns, the final resolution to the story was satisfying overall. I was especially impressed with the way so many things about Thistlemarsh and some of the characters turned out to be not what they seemed. These revelations were surprising, but the story laid enough groundwork for them to be believable. Mouse’s relationship with Thornwood suffers a

devastating blow. The way she handles it at the end may not work for every reader. Although I expected a little more motivation for her decision, I found it believable.

Thistlemarsh offers a detailed magical world, a problem with clever, interesting magical twists and turns, and engaging characters. I recommend it.