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 & Giveaway - - The Gentleman's Gambit

The Gentleman's Gambit

by Evie Dunmore

A League of Extraordinary Women - Book 4

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: December 5, 2023

Reviewed by Hellie

Deeply introverted Catriona lives for her work at Oxford and her fight for women’s suffrage. She dreams of romance, too, but since all her attempts at love have ended badly, she now keeps her desires firmly locked inside her head—until she climbs out of a Scottish loch after a good swim and finds herself rather exposed to her new colleague. 

Elias Khoury has wheedled his way into Professor Campbell’s circle under false pretenses: he did not come to Oxford to classify ancient artifacts, he is determined to take them back to his homeland in the Middle East. Winning Catriona’s favor could be the key to his success. Unfortunately, seducing the coolly intense lady scholar quickly becomes a mission in itself and his well-laid plans are in danger of derailing... 

Forced into close proximity in Oxford’s hallowed halls, two very different people have to face the fact that they might just be a perfect match. Soon, a risky new game begins that asks Catriona one more time to put her heart and wildest dreams at stake.

 

Hellie’s Heeds 

The premise of this series always lured me in (I *LOVE* Suffragettes!), but occasionally some of the characters were a little hard for me to like. (Hallmark of a great writer, really, to make a reader forget these are not real people!) However, this book is, I believe, my favorite of the series. Undoubtedly it’s because I could identify so much with the character who is deeply introverted, feels things very deeply, and doesn’t trust herself when it comes to who she falls in love with. The hero himself is a delicious scholarly and sensitive sort (beta in the best way) who has come to befriend her father for rather nefarious reasons: to help steal back some artifacts to their rightful country. 

While the story spins around these two very different people with very different lived experiences who find a connection and risk everything to be together, it is also a story about the relationships of these friends (Hattie, Lucie, Annabelle, and Catriona) and being a modern woman in their time, challenging the status quo while fighting for justice for their sex. I saw plot glimmers that reminded me of Ruth Bader Ginsberg and how she framed her lawsuit to get more rights for women, the constant tug of family and career (“Am I a good mother?”) and the various ways other women have shamed women rather than supported them, and even the pernicious society shaming of “who deserves to wear white on their wedding day?”--we all do, as Bull Durham will tell you. Elias is a very deserving hero–I think my love of the alpha males has gone away and now I’m almost exclusively in love with the kind of men who definitely put consent and kindness before anything else.  

There were also other interesting layers of history for this book that I would never have learned if it wasn’t for this story: some history of the Middle East, Maronites, British colonialism, and women’s rights in the 19th century along with the process of passing laws. There was enough information to make the story feel anchored and authentic without bogging down the pace–which is extremely hard to do–so kudos to the author. I wondered many times how the author managed to come across so many history threads to pull them together into one believable story–I am in awe really. I believe she did this as well for her previous books but being the hero was from the Middle East, the history was more apparent (since I read a lot of England set novels I occasionally take the history for granted as something everyone knows) and interesting. I can only hope to find more books like this in the future.  

This is marked as book 4 of 4, and there was an epilogue that suggests this is the last, so I’m interested to see what this author will be doing next. I’m sure it will be awesome. If you’ve been looking forward to this book, this is the conclusion I believe you wished for; if you haven’t read this series, this is a good time to pick up all the books because in reading this, i wanted to go back and read the others again. Bravo to Ms. Evie Dunmore–this has been a great series!

Thanks, Hellie! You've definitely piqued my interest. 

Readers, have you discovered Evie Dunmore yet? 

Are you surprised by the factual tidbits you absorb through reading historical romance and fiction? I knew a Jeopardy answer the other night and turned to the person next to me, saying smugly, "I learned it in a romance novel." ;-)

One randomly chosen person posting a comment before 11:00 PM, December 17 will receive a print copy of The Gentleman's Gambit.

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

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 & Giveaway - - Technically Yours

Technically Yours

by Denise Williams

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: December 5, 2023

Reviewed by Santa

Eight years ago, he fell in love with a stranger he couldn’t have—today, she’s back in his life and the sparks between them threaten to set her career on fire.

Pearl Harris has learned the hard way to be careful in work and in love. She has the chance to make lasting change at OurCode—a nonprofit aimed at inspiring high schoolers to code—but a recent scandal puts its reputation at risk. Further complicating things, Pearl didn't expect the one man she never stopped thinking about to join as the newest member of her board of directors.
 
Cord Matthews fell for Pearl when they met in an elevator eight years ago. She’s just his type: smart, capable, and makes him laugh, but when she broke his heart, he decided love wasn't for him. When they reconnect after years with no contact, Cord is tempted to consider breaking his ban on serious relationships. But going public with a romance between them might derail Pearl’s career and the progress she’s made at OurCode.
 
While Pearl and Cord are both hesitant to trust their feelings and take a risk, it soon becomes impossible to keep ignoring the electricity between them. Cord is a skilled programmer, but a workplace romance might spell disaster for both of them--and love isn’t easily debugged.

Santa Says:

Technically Yours by Denise Williams is a five star book that put a smile on my face from page one. We meet our lead characters at the end of their relationship. Pearl leaves Cord in an effort to shield her heart. Cord is devastated and, in turn, closes off his heart. Fast forward a number of years and we find that neither has truly moved on. Even at this early stage of the book I found myself hurting for them both. 

But fate has other plans for them and places them once again in each other’s spheres. Cord and Pearl both come from the world of technology. Cord owns his own company that created a successful app. Pearl works for an organization that brings young people into the world of code writing giving them opportunities to learn how to code. They're mentored by a professional in the field giving them an entry to the world of computer science. When the director of the organization is caught up in a scandal involving a board member Pearl is asked to be an interim director and Cord is asked to step in as a board member and youth mentor. 

Second chance romance. Check.

Close proximity. Check.

Only one tent. Check. 

As you can imagine, and try as they like, Cord and Pearl are still potently attracted to one another. They are to act as professionals. How hard could it be to keep their hearts and hands away from each other? No matter that Pearl’s sister’s kid who is staying with Pearl ended up paired with Cord. Pearl’s sisters are no help. And their sisterly banter was one of my favorite parts of the book, too. 

Denise Williams is a new author to me but I can already tell that I will be glomming her backlist and looking forward to any new books that would be coming out. For me, Technically Yours was a delight to read. It was filled with all the twists and turns of a well written romance with a warming happily ever after. 

~~~~~~~~~

Thanks, Santa! This one sounds like a fun read. 

Readers, Berkley has graciously provided us with a print copy of Technically Yours for today's giveaway. So tell me...

Are you a techie? 

What's the last book you read with twists and turns that kept you eagerly flipping pages?

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, December 13 will receive the print copy of Technically Yours.

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

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 - - It HAD to Be a Duke

It HAD to Be a Duke

by Vivienne Lorret

The Liars' Club - Book 1

Publisher: Avon

Release Date: November 28,  2023

Reviewed by Santa

Verity Hartley always tells the truth. Well, mostly. However, when her snooty neighbor returns to their small hamlet to brag about having a grand Season, a plethora of ballgowns, and so many suitors that she cannot possibly decide which one to marry, Verity tells a lie. She claims to be betrothed. To a duke. Who happens to be her family’s sworn enemy. But what are the odds that he would ever learn of this one, little, harmless falsehood?

Magnus Warring, the Duke of Longhurst, is on the precipice of marrying an heiress to save his estate from financial ruin. At least, he was. Until he hears an unbelievable rumor that he is already betrothed. To the daughter of a liar, cheat, and swindler! Needing to protect his reputation, he hunts down the culprit. And when he finds the untamed beguiler, she has the audacity to ask him to lie for her. To pretend to be her fiancé!

One week, that’s all Verity needs. Then Magnus can return to his life. But nothing is ever that simple. Sometimes it doesn’t take that long to fall in love, even with the enemy.

Santa Says:

It HAD to Be a Duke by Vivienne Lorret is the first book of her newest series The Liars' Club. I am a huge fan of Ms. Lorret’s books and this one did not disappoint. The banter between the two main characters was spot on. The funny moments were hilarious. The tender moments were sublime. It was a real page turner for me because I couldn’t wait to see how Verity and Marcus, her duke finally got out of their own way and into each other’s hearts. At times it felt like the odds were stacked against them.

It all started with a little white lie that Verity Hartley told her obnoxious nemesis that snowballed into a fake betrothal with a duke. And not just any duke but the son of a man her father used to call a friend. And Marcus Warring, Duke of Longhurst wasn’t having any of it. He could not see himself leg shackled to a plain miss who was the daughter and sister of the very men who brought his family to the brink of bankruptcy. Verity and Marcus decide a fake engagement would fool his family and the ton long enough for Marcus to cry off and save face and Verity’s reputation. 

Fake engagements are one of my favorite romance tropes. I love seeing how each character develops in the relationship. Verity and Marcus do not disappoint in this. As stubborn and determined as the duke is, he can not help but fall in love with Verity who is all that is good no matter what scrapes she finds herself in. And Verity, a confirmed spinster, fairly blossoms right before his eyes even as she does not see herself as someone to take note of.

And the story is carried forward with some real characters in Verity’s eccentric, beautiful and talented sisters, a thespian father and an intrepid brother. Marcus’ own grandmother and sister add to the mix. His mother proves to be a tough nut to crack. Throw in the real villains of the story from a surprising quarter and you can see how I couldn’t put this book down.

I advise you, readers, to run to your nearest bookstore or e-reader and grab this gem! I am already looking forward to the next one in this series! Enjoy!

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 & Giveaway - - A Christmas to Remember

A Christmas to Remember

by Beverly Jenkins

A Blessings Novel

Publisher: Avon

Release Date: October 24, 2023

Reviewed by Santa

Ever since Bernadine Brown bought the town of Henry Adams, her relationship with diner owner Malachi “Mal” July has had its share of ups and downs. But now they’re finally ready to say “I do.”

Or are they? As wedding preparations go into full swing, and families both local and extended begin to gather for the festivities, that long awaited walk down the aisle hits a speed bump that may derail everything.

But Mal and Bernadine’s relationship isn’t the only one being tested.

Preston Mays aka Brain, loves his girlfriend as much as he does physics but when she decides being a couple is no longer a good thing, his heart is broken. Will connecting with his bio dad’s family ease his pain?

Reverend Paula Grant has been patiently waiting for God to send her someone to share her life. When the town’s charming new chef arrives in town, she wonders if he could be the one.

And then there’s former mayor Riley Curry who throws a parade with his hog Cletus! There’s always a lot going on in Henry Adams, and this will be a Christmas to remember.

Santa Says:

There is one word that encompasses A Christmas To Remember by Beverly Jenkins and that word is JOY. It’s not just because Christmas is in its title. It is because, as we once again drive into Henry Adams, Kansas, we are welcomed into a town where everyone is important to the very fabric of this town. It is a warm hug and cup of cocoa from the first page to the last.

A Christmas to Remember is the eleventh book in Ms. Jenkins' Blessings series. This book focuses on the impending nuptials of town benefactress Bernadine Brown and native son Mal July. These two have had some trials but are stronger and more in love than ever. They plan to share the rest of their lives and even though set in their own ways they are willing to create their own lives. It is great fun to see friends and neighbors far and wide coming together on Christmas Day to celebrate this couple.  See? Joy!

Young love and new love also have their stories here. Preston and Leah must work through their issues as they prepare to graduate and start their young adult journeys. Will they remain a couple or suffer heartache? Get ready to cheer for these two extraordinary young people. 

Even Reverend Paula Grant must allow herself some joy in this season. She selflessly looks out for her congregants without filling her own well. It takes the arrival of a handsome, caring newcomer Thornton Webb to perhaps start to let her guard down. Thornton has decided to make a fresh start and make Henry Adams his new home. He will be owning and operating his own restaurant. Here, too, joy is on the menu.

Treat yourself to this five star book. I highly recommend this series and, really, anything Beverly Jenkins puts her name to. A Christmas To Remember is one to be treasured. Grab yourself some joy!

~~~~~~~~

Thank you, Santa! I'm a huge fan of Beverly Jenkins and eager to read this newest tale from Henry Adams.

Readers, have you read any books by Beverly Jenkins yet?

What brings you joy this time of year?

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, November 1 will receive a hardcover copy of A Christmas to Remember.

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

Thank you to Avon Books for the giveaway!