Review - - You're the Duke That I Want

You're the Duke That I Want

by Lenora Bell

The Thunderbolt Club - Book 1

Publisher: Avon

Release Date: December 26, 2023

Reviewed by PJ

Raised by an overprotective mother, bookish romantic Sandrine Oliver craves adventure, but nothing exciting ever happens in her sleepy seaside village. Until a handsome, mysterious stranger arrives and sweeps her off her feet…only to leave suddenly with no explanation. 

Lord Dane Walker, brother to the Duke of Rydell, is infamous for racing fast carriages and breaking hearts. But when his brother is mortally injured, Dane inherits the responsibilities of the dukedom—duties that come with a dangerous secret which threatens everyone close to him. 

In London, Sandrine is astonished to learn that the charming, honorable man she met at the beach is really a disreputable rake. And the infuriating nobleman acts as though he barely knows her.

Who needs a wild rake? Certainly not Sandrine! With a little help from her friends, she transforms into a glamorous belle. She’s out to make Dane pay…but can she stop her traitorous heart from longing to surrender only to him? 

PJ's Thoughts:

I can't be the only reader who sang her way through this book. Paying homage to the musical Grease, Bell has penned a story that is lighthearted, fast paced, and just plain fun.

In many ways, this book is a historical retelling of the modern day musical, complete with Dane and Sandrine's "summer love," a pack of London rakes who delight in racing carriages, and even a group of independent society misses known as the "Pink Ladies." But Bell also puts her own spin on it, giving it emotional heft with both Sandrine's and Dane's individual circumstances. I enjoyed watching the growth of both characters. It was especially fun to see Sandrine come into her own after a lifetime under her mother's thumb with the discovery of an unknown family member being an added bonus. And to see Dane finally realize that he was worthy of love touched my heart. There's also blackmail, a mystery to be solved, and complicated family dynamics on both sides. This one is definitely a page turner!

If you're in the mood for a book that will have you grinning with delight (honestly, I don't think I stopped smiling the entire time), give You're the Duke That I Want a try. It's the first in Lenora Bell's new The Thunderbolt Club historical romance series and a treat from start to finish. 

 

Review - - Art of the Chase

Art of the Chase

by Tracy Brogan

The Bostwicks of Trillium Bay

Publisher: Oliver Heber Books

Release Date: December 5, 2023

Reviewed by PJ

Above the glistening waters of Trillium Bay, the majestic Imperial Hotel awaits its first guests. It’s the summer of 1888, and names like Carnegie, Astor, Pullman, and Bostwick line the premier resort’s registry as society’s elite gather on its grandiose front porch to see – and be seen.

But Chase Bostwick isn’t interested in being seen. As the second son of a wealthy financier, he’s only interested in work – in Chicago – so being tasked by his father to chaperone his wearisome mother and boisterous little sister during their Michigan summer holiday is Chase’s personal purgatory masquerading as paradise – for never was a man more ill-suited to leisure.

Emerson McKenna isn’t interested in being seen, either – but she does want her artistic talents to be noticed. As the illegitimate daughter of a renown portraitist more infamous for his romantic dalliances than for his work, Emerson has schemed her way into a position at the hotel teaching doe-eyed debutantes to paint. She says her goal is to commission enough portraits from the resort’s wealthy patrons to finance her dreams of studying in Paris.

But Chase has his suspicions…

Thinking to ease his ennui, he sets about to unravel the mysteries of this enigmatic Miss and her tattered satchel full of secrets, but what he learns – from her questionable marital status right down to the potentially felonious embellishment of her artistic credentials – leaves him feeling captivated. And protective. When his misplaced chivalry sets in motion events which may do more harm than good, Chase and Emerson must work together to keep her safe – and in his arms.

PJ's Thoughts:

Tracy Brogan uses charm, laughter, heart-tugging emotion, and an immersive sense of place to bring the Gilded Age version of her popular Trillium Bay to life in Art of the Chase, book one of her new historical romance series: The Bostwicks of Trillium Bay. 

If you've ever visited Mackinac Island, stayed in the Grand Hotel, or viewed it in photos - or on the big screen in Somewhere in Time - you will no doubt recognize it's elegant influence on Trillium Bay's Imperial Hotel. Brogan brings every nook, cranny, sweeping lake-front lawn, and iconic front porch niche to life in her fictional version, evoking sweet memories for those of us who have visited the real thing and vivid mental paintings of how it - as well as her fictional version - might have been in years gone by. The hotel, like the island itself, is a nuanced character is its own right in this book, helping to offer insight into the lives and personalities of both hard-working staff and privileged guests. 

As for the actual characters, Brogan offers up a collection of diverse, well-developed individuals who open windows into the lives of the rich and famous of the time and those whose job it is to serve them. There's the snobbish society maven, who may or may not be more complex than she seems, a teen society miss with a kind heart and unexpected ambitions, a supercilious desk clerk, hyper social director, business-savvy hotel owner, awkward wallflowers, and more. But at the heart of the tale are Chase and Jo (Emerson), two characters from different social classes with more in common than one would imagine, an undeniable attraction, and future plans that do not include the other. I really enjoyed the deft touch Brogan used in bringing them to life, how she slowly unfurled their layers, allowing us into their thoughts and hearts as they, and their relationship, evolved; the light hand she used that celebrated the laughter and joy of falling in love while at the same time keeping the realities of their situation firmly in play. It's a delicate balance between the magic of a summer romance on the island and the reality of city life within an elite society that is likely to never accept the choice of Chase's heart.

Art of the Chase is a story that is charming, humorous, thought provoking, glittering, heart-tugging, and utterly romantic. I turned the final page with a smile on my face, a happy sigh in my heart, and eagerness for the next chapter of The Bostwicks of Trillium Bay. 

Review - - The Asheville Christmas Wedding

The Asheville Christmas Wedding

by Hope Holloway and Cecelia Scott

Carolina Christmas - Book 3

Publisher: Hope Holloway and Cecelia Scott

Release Date: December 1, 2023

Reviewed by PJ

With a grand and glorious wedding planned for the end of the year, the family faces a new and daunting challenge and the possibility of losing their beloved cabin. Angie rallies everyone for her mission, but meets so many unexpected roadblocks.

As the holidays come to a close, each of the sisters stands at the precipice of a new life. Noelle has fallen in love, but the cost might be more than she’s willing to pay. Eve has an idea that is wild and wonderful, but she’s put her fate in the hands of a complete stranger. And Angie can’t start her new life without somewhere to live, so she is moving heaven and earth to find the proof they need to keep the cabin.

Can one Christmas in Asheville change everything? Join these strong, funny, and loving women as the holiday spirit lifts them as high as the Blue Ridge Mountains and promises a whole new life ahead.

PJ's Thoughts:

This is the heartwarming, uplifting series I needed this Christmas. As preparations continue for Aunt Bitsy's wedding in book three, The Asheville Christmas Wedding, the family is thrown into chaos by unexpected events. Futures are threatened, relationships are tested, and life-changing decisions loom. New beginnings await all three triplets...if they have the courage and the faith to take those first steps.

Holloway and Scott flawlessly guide their characters with love, compassion, and more than a little humor in this third book of their Carolina Christmas series. They have a way of drawing me into their world and into this family. I'm emotionally connected to the characters, absolutely certain they're all enjoying their lives, celebrating the love and strength of their family, their relationships, and the possibilities that await. No, I haven't lost touch with reality. Yes, I do know these are fictional characters but the layers, intricate details, and nuances these two authors bring to them, plus the challenges life places in their paths, make them seem very, very real.

The Asheville Christmas Wedding ties up many of the threads begun in book one while leaving the door open for future stories for these characters. I was so happy to read that the authors plan to continue the series with more stories for the Chambers sisters next fall. Book four, The Asheville Christmas Tradition is scheduled to be published November 1, 2024 and already available for preorder.

The Carolina Christmas series is one I strongly advise readers to read in order. The books are: The Asheville Christmas Cabin, The Asheville Christmas Gift, and The Asheville Christmas Wedding. Why not give yourself a gift and get all three, or download them from Kindle Unlimited if you're a KU subscriber. I'll just be over here on my sofa with a cup of hot cocoa reading them all over again. 

Review - - Balancing Act

Balancing Act

by Emily March

Publisher: Forever

Release Date: November 28, 2023

Reviewed by PJ

Genevieve Prentice is learning that reinventing herself is a bit like downsizing a house. Deciding what to keep and what needs to go gets complicated. After settling into life in Lake in the Clouds, Colorado, with her sister’s help, she’s finally finding her balance. But Genevieve’s newfound steadiness is threatened when her daughter Willow unexpectedly arrives carrying a mountain of emotional baggage.

Willow Eldridge needs a fresh start, but that can’t happen until she comes clean about her family’s secrets. Thankfully, between caring for her two young children and planning her brother’s wedding, Willow has plenty of reasons to delay the uncomfortable heart-to-heart with her mother. Yet when Willow grows close to her kind but standoffish neighbor and suspects he is keeping secrets of his own, she realizes there’s no moving forward without facing what came before…

Can Genevieve and Willow jettison the pain of the past to create the future they so desperately crave? Beneath the crystal blue skies of Lake in the Clouds, anything seems possible.

PJ's Thoughts:

I've been reading this author for almost thirty years, first as historical romance author Geralyn Dawson and more recently as Emily March. Never has she failed to give me a story I could happily immerse myself into. Her current series, as the Eternity Springs books that preceded it, brings all the feelings and I am here for them. 

March excels at creating family connections. In this book especially, I love how we see the stories unfold from the perspective of multiple generations. It was easy for me to connect with Genevieve, a widow of a certain age struggling to find her identity now that her children are adults and on their own. But March makes it equally easy to relate to Willow, a young single mother dealing with heavy emotional baggage as well as her young son, an inquisitive chatterbox with more worry than a child should have to shoulder. Add in a reclusive - but very hot - neighbor with plenty of emotional baggage of his own, an undeniable chemistry with Willow, and an endearing soft spot for little kids and puppies, and you have the heart-tugging recipe for romance, family, finding one's place, and happily-ever-afters. Not, however, until all of these characters navigate the unexpected obstacles life has chosen to place in their way. 

Those obstacles are one of the things I enjoy about March's writing. Her characters' journeys have real, relatable layers as do the characters themselves. We're only two books into this new series but I'm already wholly invested in them and their well being. I'm eager to watch Genevieve find her footing...and her joy. I'm curious to discover what life has in store for her two remaining single children. And I'm wondering just what role neighboring rancher, Gage will play in it all. 

For maximum enjoyment, I strongly recommend reading book one in this series, The Getaway, followed by Balancing Act.  

Review - - The Asheville Christmas Gift

The Asheville Christmas Gift

by Hope Holloway and Cecelia Scott

Carolina Christmas - Book 2

Publisher: Self published

Release Date: November 10, 2023

Reviewed by PJ

The forecast for Christmas is chilly with a chance of major life changes for three sisters who have been brought together by their aunt. The month in Asheville has already opened the women’s eyes to new possibilities, and each of the sisters must make major decisions this holiday season.

With her daughter joining the family at the cabin, Angie faces the fact that her marriage is over, but has no idea how or where to start again. Noelle can no longer deny that the boy she once loved is now a man she could love again…although it would mean giving up her big city life and exciting New York career. Eve and her husband discover an opportunity that would upend their comfortable lives, but might bring them immeasurable joy.

Can one Christmas in Asheville change everything? Join these strong, funny, and loving women as the holiday spirit lifts them as high as the Blue Ridge Mountains and promises a whole new life ahead.

PJ's Thoughts:

With perfect pitch and pacing, book two continues the journeys of triplet sisters Angie, Eve, and Noelle. When they made the decision to spend December at the family cabin they hadn't visited in 20+ years, little did they know how their lives would change. Now each sister is facing a crossroads, one that could change the course of the rest of their lives. 

I have fallen in love with these characters. Scott and Holloway have created complex women about to turn forty, giving them realistic and relatable challenges with which I could easily identify even if I hadn't walked their particular path. Then they surrounded them with supporting characters who add depth, humor, conflict, and love. I want to know them, hang out with them, comfort them in times of grief, and celebrate unexpected joys. 

These stories are filled with hope, heartbreak, family, faith, and the possibility of new beginnings, all woven together into a heart-tugging tapestry that had me laughing, crying, gasping with outrage, and sighing with delight. I'm already counting down the days until book three, The Asheville Christmas Wedding, releases on December 1. 

I enthusiastically recommend the Carolina Christmas trilogy and strongly suggest reading the books in order. Click here to read my review of book one, The Asheville Christmas Cabin. 

Review - - The Asheville Christmas Cabin

The Asheville Christmas Cabin

by Hope Holloway and Cecelia Scott

Carolina Christmas - Book 1

Publisher: Hope Holloway and Cecelia Scott

Release Date: October 27, 2023

Reviewed by PJ

The first of a charming, heartwarming holiday trilogy that will whisk you away to a dreamy winter in the mountains. With sweet romance, strong family bonds, and an uplifting story of hope and joy, this is the perfect Christmas collaboration between two beloved women’s fiction authors!

When the Chambers sisters receive an invitation from their jet-setting aunt to spend the entire month of December at the family’s cabin in Asheville, North Carolina, they have one question -- why? The retreat, tucked into the Blue Ridge Mountains, may be the site of many happy childhood holidays and summers spent enjoying the beauty of the area and each other…but it also holds sad memories. The sisters, and their aunt, have spent twenty-five years avoiding the cabin and renting it to strangers. Why would Aunt Elizabeth want her “dearest darling” nieces to put their busy lives in three different states on hold and spend a month in the mountains?

Eve, Angie, and Noelle, triplets born on Christmas Day, owe their very lives to their aunt, and they agree they must go. Once there, not only do they learn to let go of the past and embrace a bright future, they all start to see their lives in a new way.

Big city girl Noelle comes face-to-face with her first love...and feelings for this single dad are strong, tempting her with a small town lifestyle that she never imagined she’d embrace. Eve, a stressed-out mother of three, revels in the change of scenery and begins to learn the art of letting go of complete control. And when Angie’s rocky marriage truly cracks, she finds a new kind of joy with a connection to the past and a reconnection with her daughter.

Can one Christmas in Asheville change everything? Join these strong, funny, and loving women as the holiday spirit lifts them as high as the Blue Ridge Mountains, and promises a whole new life ahead.

PJ's Thoughts:

Individually, Hope Holloway and Cecelia Scott have penned some of my favorite series of the past few years. Together, these two authors have merged their talents to mix up heart-tugging holiday magic in a new trilogy that is not to be missed. 

Set in Asheville, North Carolina (these mountains are a character all on their own), Holloway and Scott have created a cast of multi-generation characters who engaged my interest and emotions, immersing me in the ups and downs of their lives, relationships, fears, and dreams with plenty of laughter, and a few other emotions, along the way. The steam is low but the emotion is soul deep as relationships are tested, long-held beliefs are challenged, new opportunities are presented, and romance is on the horizon if certain characters have the courage to take the leap. I'm all-in and eager to take this three-book journey with Eve, Angie, Noelle and the rest. As the triplets approach their 40th birthday, they all find themselves at a crossroads in their lives. I'm eager to discover which paths they choose, where those decisions take them...and if six-year-old Sawyer ever finds that elusive bear. 

The Asheville Christmas Cabin (27 Oct. 2023) is going straight to my keeper shelf (where I'm sure it will be revisited) and I've already marked my book calendar for the next two installments: The Asheville Christmas Gift (10 Nov. 2023) and The Asheville Christmas Wedding (1 Dec. 2023). 

 

Review - - Christmas at the Shelter Inn

Christmas at the Shelter Inn

by RaeAnne Thayne

Publisher: Canary Street Press

Release Date: October 10, 2023

Reviewed by PJ

Come home to Shelter Springs this Christmas, where hearts are warm and hopes are bright…

Growing up at the Shelter Inn hotel, Natalie Shepherd envied guests who could come and go as they pleased. So when it was time to finally leave for college and put the lush green mountains around Shelter Springs—along with the cloud of loss that seemed to follow her family—behind her, she swore she’d never come back. But now her sister McKenna needs a favor. On pregnancy bed rest at doctor’s orders, McKenna needs a helping hand with her two young daughters and someone to take over the inn during the hectic holiday season, and Nat can’t refuse. And just when things can’t get worse, she runs into her late brother’s best friend, Griffin Taylor…

Griff has mixed feelings about Natalie’s return. She’s just as beautiful and full of life as he remembered, but there’s a secret he’s carried for years about her brother—and the guilt is eating away at him. Still, Christmas in this small town is filled with treasured traditions and new adventures that hold the promise of something sweet and lasting. From matchmaking seniors to rambunctious nieces, it seems everyone is hoping Nat and Griff will put loss behind them and find a happy new beginning…

PJ's Thoughts:

What a lovely, feel-good story. If this one doesn't put you in the holiday spirit, I don't know what will. 

Thayne has once again assembled a cast of characters who drew me into their lives and their hearts with ease. They are intriguing, fully-developed characters with life experiences that give them complex layers, making them both realistic and relatable. I love the attention she gives in creating them, all of them, regardless of age or importance to the story. Actually, they are all important, just in varying degrees. That's another of Thayne's gifts; creating a community of characters who all contribute - in ways small and large - to the richness of the overall story. 

There's plenty of humor in the journey - how could there not be with two adorable, rambunctious, high on holiday spirit little girls - but this is also a story with significant emotional depth. As in real life, it's rarely all one and none of the other. Thayne blends the two smoothly, eliciting both laughter and tears while guiding these characters through grief, guilt, forgiveness, growth, new beginnings, and love. It's a story that left me with a smile on my face and happiness in my heart. I'm eager to read it again. 

Review & Giveaway - - The Florist on Amelia Island

The Florist on Amelia Island

by Hope Holloway

Seven Sisters - Book 4

Publisher: Hope Holloway

Release Date: October 6, 2023

Reviewed by PJ

A feel-good family drama full of twists, turns, and true love.

The scent of flowers and change is in the air for the Wingate sisters. With her husband gone for weeks at a stretch, Rose’s unwavering enthusiasm is tested, forcing her to remove her famous rose-colored glasses and face a family crisis. While Susannah plans an anniversary surprise for Rex, Chloe finds the courage to try one more career path, with help coming from the one constant in her life, her precious furbaby, Lady Bug.

Raina's life is in a state of constant change, too, as she cruises into her third trimester. She finds closure and comfort in her new beachfront home, but there’s one big complication…a roommate who isn’t at all the man she thought he was.

When the clouds roll over Amelia Island, the Wingate women learn over and over again that the bond between seven sisters is as strong as steel, as gentle as an ocean breeze, and as lasting as their family legacy.

PJ's Thoughts:

Reading a new book in Hope Holloway's Seven Sisters series is like settling in for a three-hour conference call with a group of your best friends or, better yet, a weekend getaway. There's a sense of comfort, acceptance, and love among these women who are there for one another through life's peaks and, most importantly, the valleys. And, for this reader, there's a warm welcoming into the world of the Wingate family that immerses me into their lives as if I was right there with them every step of their journey.

There's a lot happening in this fourth book of the series with life-altering events in the offing for several of the sisters. Raina's pregnancy continues to flourish as she settles into her new normal but there's a new man causing flutters in the region of her heart, a totally unexpected occurrence. He makes my heart flutter too. Youngest sister, Chloe is taking tentative steps into a new relationship while searching for the right career path. She's figured out where she doesn't belong but will she be able to open her eyes to the calling that's been right in front of her all along? Raina's twin, Rose, continues to struggle with her husband's absence while trying to balance obligations to both her business (the Florist Shop) and her children. Sadie finally returns from Europe, but doesn't want anyone to know. What's up with that? And we finally get a peek into oldest sister, Madeline's life. Could there be a mysterious man in her past...or present?

Holloway handles all of these characters - and their stories - with ease. Transitions from one character's point of view to another (in alternating chapters) flow smoothly, never feeling abrupt or confusing. There's a clear sense of who each character is and how they fit into the tapestry of the Wingate family, how each sister's story interweaves with the other's. For me, the reader, it allows me to get to know these characters as if they were real people. I'm invested in them, genuinely care for them, and eagerly look forward to spending time with them when each new book releases. 

If you haven't yet discovered Hope Holloway's Seven Sisters series, I enthusiastically recommend picking up a copy of book one, The Beach House on Amelia Island and jumping in. This family will give you all the hope, humor, sibling dynamics, life-altering chaos, and enduring love you've been looking for. 

Have you read Hope Holloway yet?

Do you enjoy a family-centric series? Is there one you've read that you would recommend?

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, October 9 will receive a print copy of book one in the series, The Beach House on Amelia Island.

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

Review - - Wilde Love

Wilde Love

by Jennifer Ryan

Dark Horse Dive Bar - Book 1

Publisher: Avon

Release Date: September 26, 2023

Reviewed by PJ

Welcome to the Dark Horse Dive Bar, where the Wildes throw one hell of a party and love could be a barstool away!

When Lyric Wilde’s not whipping up the best food in town at the Dark Horse Dive Bar, she’s making a name for herself as a rising singer-songwriter. And if any of her online followers cross the line from friendly to fanatical, well, Lyric figures it goes with the territory—and she can take care of herself. But there’s one fan she wants to get to know better—a silent, sexy biker named Viper. A man who makes her think mine every time she looks at him. But who exactly is “Viper?”

Undercover FBI special agent Mason Gunn has been hiding in plain sight and alone for far too long. And while he fantasizes about a peaceful life with beautiful Lyric by his side, he knows that until his mission—to take down a murder-for-hire network—is accomplished, his dark world is no place for her. But when frightening encounters and threatening text messages from a stalker bent on keeping Lyric all to himself and his most wanted criminal target his sultry songbird, he will stop at nothing to protect the woman he loves…

PJ's Thoughts:

Jennifer Ryan is one of my go-to authors when it comes to swoony romance perfectly blended with twisty suspense and her newest book, Wilde Love is a great example of why her books keep me reading way past my bedtime. I couldn't put this one down. 

There's so much chemistry between Viper (Mason) and Lyric and a soul-deep connection that only gets stronger the more time they spend together. He's such a good guy even though he looks like a bad guy. I love his sense of honor, his protective nature, his determination to keep Lyric safe and separate from the dangers of his work. And I love that while others take one look at him and make judgments based on appearance, Lyric takes the time to look beneath the surface. She instinctively knows that there's more to this man who keeps secrets, who won't even tell her his real name, and she's willing to wait until he can. 

Lyric is the kind of character I want to be friends with. She has a great relationship with her family, is caring and kind (sometimes a little too kind), a magician in the kitchen, and always ready to step in and help someone in need, even if it puts her in the line of fire. I was cheering her on every step of the way. She and Mason together make me smile. I love how she gives him the support, trust, and space he needs as someone who is dealing with the effects of too many years undercover. She brings light into the darkness of that life, changing his life for the better even as he brings trust, respect, and a deep well of love into hers. And kudos to an author who treats mental health therapy as a natural, accepted avenue to travel. It's an aspect of Ryan's books that I've always appreciated. 

There's great family dynamics in this book too, both in Mason's and Lyric's. I loved the sibling relationships within Lyric's family and the rowdy but heartfelt relationships among the all-male siblings and cousins on Mason's side. I especially enjoyed the bonus of watching Lyric interact with Mason's cousins, one in particular. That man has hidden layers and what I expect is more than a little emotional baggage. I do hope we'll be seeing more of him - and the rest of them - in future books.