Review - - The Cloak and Dagger Club

The Cloak and Dagger Club

by Jackie McMahon

A Cloak and Dagger Club Mystery - Book 1

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: July 14, 2026

Reviewed by Santa

London, 1930. Lucy Hubbard is on the cusp of achieving her dreams. With her first mystery novel debuting with strong sales and glowing reviews, she's been invited by Horace Hazelmoor, the king of crime fiction, to join his elite group of writers—the Cloak and Dagger Club.

Thrilled at the opportunity, Lucy finds herself swept up into Horace's glamorous world at the Ritz hotel. She's even willing to put up with the inconvenient presence of her former fiancé, Frank Murray, the club's rising star who is on track to eclipse Horace as Britain's most popular crime writer.

But when Horace is found with a knife in his back, Frank is the police's prime suspect. Despite their complicated history, Lucy knows he's not capable of murder. With suspects galore and the danger rising, these two mystery writers must race to solve the crime—and fight their lingering feelings for each other—before the murderer strikes again.

Santa Says:

The Cloak and Dagger Club by Jackie McMahon is a murder mystery that takes place in 1930s London. The book's title intrigued me but the story itself drew me in.  There is an interesting cast of characters who are popular mystery writers of their time all with secrets and intrigues of their own. Horace Hazelmoor, the club’s founder, is the keeper of those secrets and intrigues which he enjoys dangling over them all. Horace craves the spotlight the success of his books brings him but when someone’s light starts to overshadow his there is hell to pay.

The latest interlopers are his mentee Frank Murray whose books are starting to gain ground on his. Lucy Hubbard, a debut novelist, has written her own sleuth who is popular with both readers and critics alike. This is not to be supported! Even juicier in Horace’s eyes is the fact that Frank and Lucy share a past. They were set to wed a few years ago when it all crumbled to dust. They had not seen each other at all in the past three years.

Horace invites Lucy to join the club’s Saturday meeting at London’s Ritz. This is a surprise that wreaks havoc on Frank and Lucy’s life in more ways than one. On the way into the room, Horace provokes Frank and they have an argument. Once in the room, Horace relishes his hold over everyone and becomes increasingly drunk and belligerent. He provokes a usually quiet member of the club to punch him in the face knocking him to the floor. The meeting ends in chaos and the men get Horace back to his room to sleep it all off.

Horace does not sleep it off as he is found dead the next morning. Each of the members are called back to the hotel for questioning and it becomes clear that Frank is a prime suspect based on his loud exchange witnessed by several people in the hotel. Lucy and Frank band together to puzzle out why Frank went to the head of the queue and who the real culprit or culprits are who were responsible for Horace's death.

Throughout their investigation we get a better understanding of the other members and their secrets. Frank and Lucy work through their own demons, pasts and the secrets they bear. It turns out they grew up together and their love story started when they were teens.

I have to say I really enjoyed this book. I usually don’t read traditional mysteries or early 20th century settings. I am delighted to say I may very well be a convert!  I struggled writing this review because I didn’t want to give too much away and spoil the book for anyone!

The story was so well thought out and the characters were well rounded by the end. The ending also offered a glimpse of how this club grows and moves on while still holding a bit of intrigue. Grab a copy of this book. You will not be disappointed.

Winner - - A Hard Habit to Break

 

The randomly chosen winner

of a print copy of

A Hard Habit to Break by Siera London is:

Patricia B

Congratulations!

Please send your full name and mailing address to:

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Review & Giveaway - - A Hard Habit to Break

A Hard Habit to Break

by Siera London

The Calvary Brothers - Book 2

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Release: August 11, 2026

Reviewed by PJ

At age eighteen, Rachel Johnson left Service, West Virginia with a college acceptance letter, a broken heart, and a blueprint for a new life. Now the star architect is back, for two weeks, and not a second more, for her dad’s wedding—and zero intention of rekindling old flames. But when she’s roped into the town’s redevelopment committee to bring much needed resources for the community, she finds herself face-to-face with the committee chair ... her ex, Noah Calvary.

Firefighter Noah volunteered for this assignment to further his career, not to work with Rachel. A born competitor, Noah isn't thrilled to share the spotlight with the woman who once left him in the dust, but to help the town, he figures he can play nice. And his success could clinch the promotion he’s been angling for.

Rachel’s got vision and a partnership at her firm on the line. Noah’s got a promotion to protect. And every decision is a battle of wills. Their history is messy, but their chemistry is explosive. Between small-town politics, big-time rivalries, and sizzling glances, Noah and Rachel must decide if they’re laying the foundation for professional disaster or finally building something real.

PJ's Thoughts:

I've been looking forward to book two of the Calvary Brothers series since reading Fake It Till You make It (Amarie and Eli - click to read review). This time around it's Noah's turn and this former childhood friends, teenage sweethearts, second-chance romance brings all the feelings. 

I enjoy the second-chance trope, especially when the author takes her time with the couple as London does. She allows Rachel and Noah the time to sort the issues that led to their breakup after high school. They are also given time necessary for individual growth as well as growth as a couple. It may feel like a slow progression to some but, for me, it felt organic and realistic. 

The characters, both primary and secondary are well developed and relatable. I was in Rachel's corner from the get-go. I understood her reasons for leaving Service when she did, her reasons for returning (albeit temporarily), and I appreciated the life she had built for herself in the interim. Noah took me longer to warm up to. In fact, for the first part of the book I didn't like him all. But I think those negative feelings were essential to allow him the time to reflect and mature. By the end of the book I was firmly in his and Rachel's camp and fully supportive of the decisions they made. 

There are many relationships threaded throughout the book - family, friendship, and romantic. I loved the relationship between Rachel and her dad and I found new the relationship between Rachel and her future stepmom very heartwarming. Noah's family was also a favorite, as they were in book one. The sibling dynamic among Noah and his brothers is spot on and their mom, as in the first book, was also a favorite in book two. I love how they call him out on his behavior. 

Rachel's bestie, who accompanies her back to Service, is a hoot. He flat out steals every scene he's in. I do hope we'll see more of him in future books. 

There's one more brother who needs to find his happy ending. I don't know what London has planned for him or when his book will be published but I'll for sure be picking up a copy when it is. 

For readers new to this series, while there are continuing characters from book one, you should be able to start with A Hard Habit to Break without feeling confused or lost. Though I do recommend both.

Have you read Siera London yet?

Do you enjoy a book series that features connected characters, such as siblings, friend groups, etc.?

What are you reading now?

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, August 22 will receive a print copy of A Hard Habit to Break.

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

  

 

Review - - Reasons to be Loved by You

Reasons to be Loved by You

by Hannah Brown

Publisher: Forever

Release Date: June 23, 2026

Reviewed by PJ

Perfectionist and former pageant girl Nikki Bennet is looking forward to relaxing at her family’s lake house in Georgia for the Fourth of July. Even though it’s been two years since she was on the reality dating show LovedBy, she still hasn’t recovered from finding out on national TV that her fiancé, Aaron, had been dating another woman all along.

But when she arrives home, her little brother makes a surprise announcement: he’s engaged to his girlfriend, Cara—the “other woman” Aaron had been seeing behind Nikki’s back. And what’s worse? They intend to have the wedding this summer, right here at the lake.

Hoping to stop her brother from making the biggest mistake of his life, Nikki discovers an unlikely ally in Cara’s brother, Nate. While their bond begins as shared shock over their siblings’ rushed nuptials, it quickly deepens into something more. Nikki knows Nate is completely wrong for her—he’s a laidback country boy, she’s a driven LA influencer—and yet he’s a welcome distraction from the mess of her love life… as well as the growing sense that her family's been hiding something from her, something she may not be ready to hear.

But as fireworks light up the water, can Nikki and Nate really stay focused on preventing this wedding? Or will all the reasons they’re wrong for each other lead to an even more unlikely love story—their own?

PJ's Thoughts:

As sweet as a Georgia peach and as tart as a freshly squeezed glass of lemonade on a warm summer's day, Reasons to be Loved by You bubbles with sass, surprising revelations, messy family dynamics, and just plain fun. It's a thoroughly enjoyable journey I didn't want to put down.

All three of Hannah Brown's novels are good reads with relatable characters, intriguing storylines, ride or die friendships, and feel-good romantic endings. I could feel the pulse of the author in all of them but it's this third book that most closely mirrors the author herself, showcasing through her fictitious characters the infectious laughter, joyful grins and genuine southern charm of the woman millions have come to know through her TV appearances. 

From start to finish, I was immersed in the setting, the family, the slow-burn romance, and the messy relationships that shine bright in this book. I could feel the hot summer days, the refreshingly cold lake water on my skin, the star-filled night skies, and the emotional confusion of feeling like the outsider in one's own family. There was snappy dialogue, deep feelings, plenty of humor that made me laugh, but also deep emotions that brought on tears...and more than one surprising twist. I was completely invested. 

If you enjoy a book that's a little bit romcom, a little bit women's fiction, and perfect reading for a lazy summer day - or night - check out Reasons to be Loved by You. It has my enthusiastic recommendation.  

Review - - Pride Comes Before a Fall

Pride Comes Before a Fall

by Virginia Heath

Miss Prentice's Protegees - Book 3

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Release Date: July 28, 2026

Reviewed by PJ

Despite his many responsibilities, there is nothing Leopold Sloane, the 11th Duke of Debden, takes more seriously than the safety of those he loves. When one of his sisters is injured at a protest rally, he drags his family to Bath for the summer to keep his reckless and rebellious siblings out of harm’s way. The only flaw in his plan is his overwhelming but inexplicable attraction to the new chaperone he has hired to watch out for them. An outspoken conundrum of a woman who soon causes him more trouble than both his sisters combined...but who calls to his soul regardless.

From the moment Portia Kendall read her first revolutionary pamphlet beneath her bedcovers at Miss Prentice’s School for Girls, she realized that her true calling was to make the world a fairer place for the masses downtrodden by the aristocracy. A calling that led her to Equitas, a radical newspaper that champions reform. But as Portia discovers, writing doesn’t pay the bills. To make a living, she must push aside her principles and serve the very people she criticizes weekly in her column. A temporary position as a chaperone in the home of a pompous duke seems like the perfect way to earn enough to follow her heart. Unfortunately, the duke who hires her seems to be more dashing and noble than pompous and soon begins to call to her heart too—as much as she tries to deny it. But dare she risk her principles for love or will her pride always come before a fall?

PJ's Thoughts:

Pride Comes Before a Fall follows another graduate of Miss Prentice's School for Girls as she makes her way into the world, tumbling into unexpected love along the way. While this third book of the series has some humorous scenes, overall it's tone is decidedly more serious than the previous two. 

There's some snappy banter between Portia and Leo as well as chemistry but there's also plenty of conflict. Leo is an overprotective brother who believes his way is always the right way. Portia is a political reformer who pens opinion pieces for an underground newspaper taking the aristocracy to task for rampant inequality and unfair treatment of those citizens without the rights of the "quality." 

Both are obstinately set in their ways which leads to some tense situations and more than a few frustrating points in the book where I was tempted to give up on them but they do, eventually, unbend enough to finally work things out. 

Complicated family dynamics also play a part in the ongoing evolution of the main characters. Leo's mother was one of my favorite characters. I loved how she took her son to task and also how she supported and advocated for Portia. 

While the humor wasn't as pronounced in this book (no laugh out loud moments for me), there was considerable depth as Leo and Portia needed to grow as characters, opening their minds, hearts, and willingness to compromise before they could claim their happy ending. 

While Pride Comes Before a Fall isn't my favorite of the series, it's still a solid read with complex characters, intriguing history, complicated family dynamics, and a hard-won happy ending. 

Review - - Bottled Up

Bottled Up

by Liberty Stowe

Vogel Springs Collection - Book 2

Publisher: RubertBossier

Release Date: July 28, 2026

Reviewed by PJ

One canceled pastry chef.

One rising wine maker.

One savory scandal!

Just in time for summer—Steady Now author Liberty Stowe, brings you Bottled Up—an interconnected standalone and book two of the Vogel Springs Collection.

A slow-burn, high-heat, small-town romance where an infamous pastry chef and an international winemaker find themselves bound by one contract and the press they can’t avoid.

It’s been over nine months. I thought they were done with photos of me, at the very least. There’s got to be a more tragic story to print than mine.

I’m not hiding. I’m rebuilding. On my terms.

The headlines scream, World-Renowned Pastry Chef Delilah Mueller Flees Manhattan… but I’ve got one hell of a secret that won’t make it to print.

I’m going back home. To my roots. And they don’t know where home is - until the quiet reset awaiting me in Vogel Springs is interrupted by a swarm of media and everything I’ve been avoiding. Courtesy of world-renowned winemaker, August Montenegro.

What are the odds two planes from different continents would land in the same airport. Seeking the same Texas town. It’s not even on a proper map, and yet they’ve found me… and so has he.

A stranger with crystal pools for eyes that sparkle like the Caribbean under the sun when they meet mine. A man who is standing in the middle of a crowd of press I would do anything to avoid.

If I don’t keep my distance from August Montenegro, I’ll hurt everyone I love… him. I’ll hurt him, too.

PJ's Thoughts:

I've fallen hard for this small Texas town and its residents. With strong elements of community, friendship, complicated family dynamics, snappy banter, and unexpected romance, I was drawn into the lives of August and Delilah, eagerly turning pages from start to finish. 

The mystery of why Delilah returned home unfolds organically throughout the story, as does her relationship with August and her eventual healing. Both lead characters have emotional trauma to deal with which provides depth to their characters as well as the journeys they travel. 

The secondary characters give additional texture to the overall story, helping to move the plot forward while also injecting humor along with business conflict that morphs into solid friendship. I really enjoyed those friendships, both the ones that originated in childhood along with those that formed during the story. I especially liked the way they all came together to support August, Delilah, and Anderson (a key secondary character) working to outsmart the devious obstacles standing in the way of their business success and personal happy endings. 

The details about vineyards and winemaking were especially interesting to me. Stowe did a great job of offering the information naturally through August's actions without making it seem like a lecture or information dump. I felt like I was out there in the vineyard with him, learning the ins and outs right along with the other characters. 

Bottled Up is the second book in Liberty Stowe's Vogel Springs Collection. It stands well on its own but for readers who have already read book one, Steady Now (like me), it's also a fun reunion with several characters who featured in the earlier book and have significant roles in book two. It's always enjoyable to catch up with couples a few years down the road from their own happily ever after.

I'm already looking forward to the next Vogel Springs book. I have my eye on two particular secondary characters and have my fingers crossed that it will be their story. 

 

Review - - Wild Goose Chase

Wild Goose Chase

by Sarah Adler

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: July 28, 2026

Reviewed by Santa

Antique store owner Callahan Leitner has an illegal taxidermy goose in his living room.

Why? It’s…complicated.

But it may end his career unless he finds a legitimate way to dispose of the bird ASAP. Except, there’s an unexpected wrench in his plans—the frustrating, effervescent Annie O’Neill.

Annie is happy to fill in for her uncle at his antique store; it’s the perfect opportunity to gain more experience before opening a shop of her own, plus she'll finally meet his handsome young business partner. Unfortunately, Cal is nothing like the charming man she expected. She’s tempted to take his apparent dislike personally, until she stumbles upon the source of his moodiness: the contraband waterfowl hidden upstairs.

When the goose goes missing, both of their professional reputations are on the line. As Cal and Annie attempt to track down the bird before it can be traced back to the store, their tentative alliance turns into something much deeper. Will the hunt for their felonious fowl lead to true love, or end in ruin?

Santa Says:

Wild Goose Chase by Sarah Adler is a five star read for me. Callahan Leitner is stuck. He has his dream job as partner of Virtu Antiques and Collectables but his girlfriend of fifteen years broke up with him a couple of years ago and quickly met and married someone else! His partnership came as a gift from his friend and mentor Graham after he passed away at the same time. He tried to move on with his love life with disastrous results and he misses Graham everyday and hopes he honors his legacy.

Enter Annie O’Neill who arrives at Virtu like a whirlwind. She is the niece of his other partner, Howard, who is off on his whirlwind marriage and honeymoon in Italy. She is eager to learn everything she can about a brick and mortar storefront as she hopes to open one day. And Cal doesn’t quite know what to make of her. She repurposes antiques and sells them on the internet! The horror!

Oh, and then there’s the taxidermied goose that Cal promised his ex he’d look into finding more about, at great personal risk to his and the store’s reputation. Fun fact it is illegal to kill and taxidermy geese based on a law from 1918. Cal’s task is to find out if the goose predates the law or not and to then donate it. So now Cal has to juggle running the store, finding out about the goose and keeping Annie from finding out about it. 

Good luck with that because Annie has a way of getting under Cal’s skin and making him feel things long dormant in him. That all changes when the goose goes missing under Annie’s watch. And so begins the wild goose chase as they follow its whereabouts throughout the city of Baltimore, introducing them to an insane cast of characters and placing them in close proximity to one another time and time again. Which leads them to uncover their true feelings for one another. Not an easy task for two wounded souls.

Ms. Adler weaves throughout Cal and Annie’s story the origin story of the goose which introduces us to Ona and John just after the turn of the 20th century. John is a newspaper editor and illustrator. Ona is an ornithologist and they start a correspondence based on an unusual bird he has seen and captured on paper. She goes down to see him to see if she can see the bird for herself and earn the respect of her peers in discovering a new bird. It turns out to be a ruse but they, too, discover their feelings for one another. Ora is furious with him but eventually forgives him as they then discover this unusual goose! The rest, as they say, is history and brings Cal and Annie’s goose’s journey full circle.

This book kept me turning page after page following these four main characters’ stories. It was hilarious and touching and a little heartbreaking but the HEAs were well worth the wait! I highly recommend picking this one up. And I will be reading her other works, both past and future. Enjoy!

Review - - Help Wanted, Cowboy

Help Wanted, Cowboy

by Nan Reinhardt

Juniper Falls Ranch, Book 3

Publisher: Tule

Release Date: July 7, 2026

Reviewed by PJ

When a family emergency brings cowboy Rory Pearson home to Marietta, he hires on to Juniper Falls Ranch for seasonal work. He’s hoping to explore an intriguing family legend. Armed with research and his grandfather’s stories, Rory thinks he’s ready, but nothing goes as planned. Then a sweetly sexy nurse propositions him.

Nurse Millie Sparks is tired of playing it safe. She’s been too focused on her education and career and romance and adventure have passed her by. Staying on the ranch to care for a patient with a tricky pregnancy, Millie’s interest in Rory is immediate. He offers to teach her to ride, and she wonders if the lessons could extend to something else she’s been hiding.

It’s a game of flirtation and fun. Feelings can’t be serious. But as the clock ticks down, hearts interfere, and saying goodbye just got way more complicated.

PJ's Thoughts:

Sweet Western romance with plenty of plenty of heart. Nan Reinhardt's new series is building another community of characters I'd be happy to hang out with, on paper or in real life. I love how realistic they all are, with charm, flaws, and believable life challenges. I laugh with them, shed tears with them, and experience those deep emotional connections that keep me coming back for more.

Help Wanted, Cowboy brings readers the story of Rory (a bull-riding, kitchen-savvy cowboy) and Millie (a midwife working for Rory's boss). What fun these two are! I fell hard for Rory. He's such a sweet, honorable, family-loving guy who falls first and hard. Millie's journey take a bit longer (she doesn't believe in love) but is all the more satisfying for it. The banter and flirting between these two is pure gold.

Secondary characters are spot on, filling in the story with humor, wisdom, and emotional depth. There's even a bit of a mystery surrounding a lost family heirloom that may be fact or fiction. It all weaves together to form a story brimming with friendship, romance, and heart set on a working ranch under the vast, blue Montana sky. I'm all in and already looking forward to the next installment in the series. 

 

 

 

Winner - - Love on the Shelf

 

The randomly chosen winner

of a print copy of

Love on the Shelf by Sheila Roberts is:

LauraL

Congrats!

Please send your full name and mailing address to:

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Review & Giveaway - - Love on the Shelf

Love on the Shelf

by Sheila Roberts

Publisher: MIRA

Release Date: May 26, 2026

Reviewed by PJ

 

The battle lines are drawn—between a romance-loving bookseller and the shock jock determined to tear happily-ever-afters apart.

Alice Willoughby and her mom run HEA Books, a cozy shop devoted to love stories and the people who crave them. Alice is great at matching customers with their perfect happily-ever-after…she just can’t seem to find her own.
Enter Parker Black, a disillusioned radio host who’s reinvented himself as a romance-bashing shock jock. Bitter from his breakup with a romance author who turned love into a four-letter word, Parker takes aim at the entire genre—and his on-air rants start stirring up trouble for Alice’s loyal customers and their partners. He’s arrogant, aggravating, and absolutely not book-boyfriend material.
Parker’s crusade leads to spirited debates and bookstore protests, but when unexpected sparks fly between the two of them Alice begins to wonder if her favorite trope—enemies to lovers—might actually be playing out in real life. Parker may claim romance is a lie…but is he protesting a little too much?
With sharp wit and plenty of charm, USA Today bestselling author Sheila Roberts delivers a modern battle of the sexes where the biggest question is simple:
Are romance novels ruining love—or rewriting it?

PJ's Thoughts:

One of the things I most enjoy about Sheila Roberts' books is the community of characters she creates. They are well developed and almost always include characters who elicit my compassion as well as those I'd happily toss off a cliff (not literally, but definitely in my thoughts). In Love on the Shelf, Roberts once again gives readers a good blend of both.

Humor is central to this battle of the sexes but so is emotion and a storyline that I can easily see playing out in real life. I enjoyed watching Parker and Alice evolve throughout the book, especially Parker. He has many lessons to learn and, boy howdy, do certain characters enjoy delivering them.

This book feels like a women's fiction-romcom blend with multiple relationships, snappy banter, some sweet, Hallmark-style romance, and a hopeful ending. I could definitely envision it playing out on my TV as I read it. 

If you're looking for a fun, feel-good story with laughter and heart, I suggest putting Love on the Shelf on your summer reading list. 

Have you read any of Sheila Roberts' books?

Have you watched any of the Hallmark movies based on her books?

What are you reading this summer?

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, July 26 will receive a print copy of Love on the Shelf.

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

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