Review & Giveaway - - The Lily of Ludgate Hill

The Lily of Ludgate Hill

by Mimi Matthews

Belles of London - Book 3

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: January 16, 2024

Reviewed by Santa

Lady Anne Deveril doesn’t spook easily. A woman of lofty social standing known for her glacial beauty and starchy opinions, she’s the unofficial leader of her small group of equestriennes. Since her mother’s devastating plunge into mourning six years ago, Anne voluntarily renounced any fanciful notions of love and marriage. And yet, when fate puts Anne back into the entirely too enticing path of Mr. Felix Hartford, she’s tempted to run…right into his arms.

No one understands why Lady Anne withdrew into the shadows of society, Hart least of all. The youthful torch he once held for her has long since cooled. Or so he keeps telling himself. But now Anne needs a favor to help a friend. Hart will play along with her little ruse—on the condition that Anne attend a holiday house party at his grandfather’s country estate. No more mourning clothes. No more barriers. Only the two of them, unrequited feelings at last laid bare.

Finally free to gallop out on her own, Anne makes the tantalizing discovery that beneath the roguish exterior of her not-so-white knight is a man with hidden depths, scorching passions—and a tender heart.

Santa Says:

The Lily of Ludgate Hill by Mimi Matthews is the third book in her Belles of London series. It, along with the first two, is a five star read. Lady Anne Deveril is one of The Four Horsewomen christened with this name by the ever infuriating Mr. Felix Hartford. Their relationship is a caustic one but it wasn't always like this. They grew up together as his grandfather’s lands ran along her family's. And one Christmas, when Lady Anne was barely out of the schoolroom, they shared their first kiss. But tragedy struck when her father died and Lady Anne and her mother went into mourning. Hart was ready to propose but Lady Anne asked him to let them mourn for a year. Hart agrees and sets off with his grandfather the Earl of March for an expedition to the Himalayan mountains. 

Upon his return Lady Anne refuses his suit because her mother’s grief was so deep that it nearly brought her to her knees. Anne felt she could not abandon her mother; instead she, too, continued to wear uncompromising black and dabble in the spirit world along with her. Her only reprieve from this world was riding her horse, the friendships she had with the other four women and the barbs she exchanged with Hart.

Hart is devastated and for the next six and a half years carries on as a gregarious, ne'er do well. At least that was the facade he presented to the outside world. His personal life was complicated to say the least. His father left behind a mess that he has had to deal with. His grandfather and stodgy uncle have no idea that he has been earning a living by going into <gasp> trade.

Anne’s friendship with the other women who have stories of their own in this series is Anne's lifeline. It is Anne's concern over her friend Julia’s having been swept away by her Captain Blunt to a remote part of the island that brings her reluctantly to Hart’s door. She asks him to write about suspected hauntings at the Captain's castle. She hopes her mother sees the article and would want to investigate giving Anne a chance to check up on her friend. Hart agrees on the condition that at the end she attends his grandfather’s holiday party in bright red and not oppressive black. Her mother bites and wouldn’t you know it only Hart is available to accompany the ladies. YES!  Cross country journey and close proximity for the win!

Not to make light of this story. Anne and Hart struggle mightily to uncover and rediscover their love for one another. For all of the banter that these two engage in, it is the poignant moments they share that really kept me in this story. Lady Anne’s emergence out of her blacks into the bright colors of their love.

This is book three of this series. It was delightful to have characters from the first two books appear. Needless to say, I can’t wait for the next installation. Mimi Matthews is a joy to read. Her attention to details of Victorian England is flawless and her depth of character is flawless, as well.

~~~~~~~~~

Thanks, Santa! This sounds like a series I need to add to my reading list.

Readers, have you read any of Mimi Matthews' books?

Are you reading the Belles of London series?

Do you enjoy books set in the Victorian era?

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, January 18 will receive a print copy of The Lily of Ludgate Hill.

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

Review & Giveaway - - The Bright Spot

The Bright Spot

by Jill Shalvis

Sunrise Cove - Book 5

Publisher: Avon

Release Date: January 16, 2024

Reviewed by PJ

Luna Wright is a lot of things, but sweet and trusting isn’t on the list. However, she’s a sucker for the underdog and a hard-luck story. Adopted at birth, with scant knowledge of her biological family, she’s created her own inner circle, a motley crew which includes her bestie Willow, to help her run the struggling but charming Apple Ridge Farm.

With a farm-to-table café as well as a menagerie of rescued animals (complete with a baby goat who keeps escaping to the pantry to eat the secret stash of decidedly not organic potato chips), it’s the best home she’s ever known. But when the owner Silas, who they secretly call The Grinch, passes away, Luna discovers the farm is now under control of his investment manager, the enigmatic Jameson Hayes….and her. And that Silas had many, many secrets.

Now Luna’s carefully controlled corner of the world is threatened and she—along with some help from her friends—has to dig deep to find true strength and the real meaning of love and family.

PJ's Thoughts:

The Bright Spot is the fifth book in Shalvis's Sunrise Cove series. Each book in the series stands alone, having only location as the common factor among them so feel free to jump in and enjoy at any point.  

The Bright Spot is indeed a bright spot on the reading landscape. There's found family (both two and four legged), heart-tugging rescue animals, an over-the-top grandmother (a hilarious handful), friend drama, opposites-attract romance, and more than a little emotional baggage.

I love that many of the characters in this series are flawed and have multiple layers to be explored. I love the relationship between Luna and her adopted grandmother, how their conversations expose some of those layers and help Luna evolve. I do wish there had been a bit more exploration of those layers when it came to Luna's relationship with Silas and the decisions he made. 

It was fun watching "by the numbers" investment manager, Jameson slowly loosen his tie and fall under the spell of Luna, Apple Ridge Farm, and especially Dammit Ziggy, an adorable orphaned baby goat who thinks Luna is his mama but falls head over heels in love with Jameson. No lie, Dammit Ziggy pretty much steals the whole book. Jill Shalvis and adorable animals are a magical combo. 

Luna's found family at the farm offer plenty of humor, conflict, emotion, and insight into this woman - who has found a way to draw people to her while still keeping them at a safe distance - to keep the story moving forward. I love their complex relationships, the way they (mostly) have her back (friend drama, remember?), and bring Jameson into the fold. Their antics provide humor, poignant emotion, and those much needed nudges for those times certain characters are reluctant to move forward on their own. 

If you're looking for an upbeat, charming, opposites-attract story with emotion, humor, growth, and animals who will steal your heart, give The Bright Spot a try. But don't be surprised if you spend at least a week happily going down the online rabbit hole of adorable baby goats once you turn the final page. 

Have you read any of the books in the Sunrise Cove series?

Have you ever spent time with goats, babies or otherwise?

What are your favorite animals to be featured in the books you read?

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, January 17 will receive a print copy of The Bright Spot. 

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

 

Review & Giveaway - - Always Remember

Always Remember: Ben's Story

by Mary Balogh

A Ravenswood Novel - Book 3

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: January 16, 2024

Reviewed by PJ

Left unable to walk by a childhood illness, Lady Jennifer, sister of the Duke of Wilby, has grown up to make a happy place for herself in society. Outgoing and cheerful, she has many friends and enjoys the pleasures of high society—even if she cannot dance at balls or stroll in Hyde Park. She is blessed with a large, loving, and protective family. But she secretly dreams of marriage and children, and of walking—and dancing.

When Ben Ellis comes across Lady Jennifer as she struggles to walk with the aid of primitive crutches, he instantly understands her yearning. He is a fixer. It is often said of him that he never saw a practical problem he did not have to solve. He wants to help her discover independence and motion—driving a carriage, swimming, even walking a different way. But he must be careful. He is the bastard son of the late Earl of Stratton. Though he was raised with the earl’s family, he knows he does not really belong in the world of the ton.

Jennifer is shocked—and intrigued—by Ben’s ideas, and both families are alarmed by the growing friendship and perhaps more that they sense developing between the two. A duke’s sister certainly cannot marry the bastard son of an earl. Except sometimes, love can find a way.

PJ's Thoughts:  

One of my favorite childhood memories is sitting around a campfire on a warm summer's night listening to the melodic cadence and mellow voice of a storyteller weaving a captivating tale. That's the feeling Balogh brings to this newest book in her Ravenswood series. I snuggled under a warm blanket and lost myself in the feelings of a heartwarming journey of both romance and family featuring characters still living in my head more than three weeks after reading their story...the first time. ;-)

I love the emotional layers within both Ben and Jenny, how each of them evolves over the course of their journey. And, as family is a primary focus of this series, I also enjoyed their inter-connecting relationships within not only their own family but each other's. Ben is such a nurturer. I love what a good dad he is, how he's always looking for ways to help others. But he always puts himself last. It's heartwarming to watch him finally place importance on his own needs and happiness and how that impacts not only his gradually deepening friendship with Jenny but also his relationships with members of his family, especially his half-brother, Devlin (Remember Love). For her part, Jenny is finally breaking out of the protective cocoon in which she has lived since her childhood illness thanks to the encouragement of Ben and the love of his young daughter. It's satisfying to watch her spread her wings, embrace the freedom of enhanced independence, and take control of her own life while facing head on the changes - and challenges - that brings to the dynamics within her own family. And I haven't even touched on the challenges a cross-class, legitimate-illegitimate pairing causes among all the dukes, earls, lords, and ladies of the families. 

One of the things I love about this book is the plethora of family and community members who are all highly visible and intrinsic to the story being told. They add a rich variety of texture, potential conflict, and heartwarming tenderness to Ben's and Jenny's journey. However, if you haven't read the first two books of the series, the sheer number of secondary characters and their inter-connecting relationships - and shared history - might be a bit overwhelming. For that reason, I would probably recommend reading the books in order. They are, in order: Remember Love, Remember Me, and Always Remember.  

Have you read any Mary Balogh books? Do you have a favorite book or series?

Are you reading the Ravenswood series?

Do you enjoy books with a large ensemble of characters?

One person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, January 16 will receive a hardcover copy of Always Remember.

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

Review - - A Sure Duke

A Sure Duke

by Christi Caldwell

The McQuoids of Mayfair - Book 3

Publisher: Montlake

Release Date: January 9, 2024

Reviewed by PJ

Alexandra Bradbury and Dallin McQuoid are neighbors who couldn’t be more different. She’s prim, mindful, and skittish of social improprieties. Dallin is slightly scandalous, boisterously charming, and unbothered by gossip. On an unexpected night of magic forged under the stars, they discover what they do have in common. Could theirs be a rare love match that might last forever?

But everything changes in a heartbeat: a death in the Bradbury family, financial ruin, and Alexandra’s betrothal to a wickedly wealthy marquess. Alexandra is expected to do what’s best for her family, regardless of her heart.

Until another crisis arises, and the dutiful daughter must embark on a journey with the waggish lord across the street to prevent a catastrophe for both of their families.

Along the road, will their stars finally align?

PJ's Thoughts:

Christi Caldwell's stories never fail to touch my heart and she's done it again with A Sure Duke, the third installment in her The McQuoid's of Mayfair series. I love this unconventional family. Cheers for lots of children for (hopefully) future books!

There's much to love about A Sure Duke. Meet cute? Check. Road romance? Check. Only one bed? Check. Grand gesture? Check! Caldwell uses all of the above to infuse this story with charm, adventure, a bit of spice, visible yearning, and some angst. Alexandra is, after all, being forced to marry someone else. She gave me two lead characters who captured my heart and had me cheering for them as obstacles to their happy ending kept piling up. There are some terrific family dynamics on both sides. I especially enjoyed the slowly evolving relationship between Alexandra and her mother as well as the one between Alexandra and her middle sister. And, of course, it was great fun to watch Dallin's sisters, Myrtle (The Duke Alone) and Cassia (The Heiress at Sea) take him to task when the situation warranted as well as give him their full love and support when his happy ending appeared an impossibility. I adore the sibling dynamics in this series. 

I have nothing concrete on which to base these feelings but I find myself wondering if the disinterested man Alexandra was being forced to wed isn't quite the villain he's portrayed to be. His father, the Duke, certainly, but I have this gut feeling that there may be hidden layers to the son. Of course, I could be totally off track but I'll be watching to see if Caldwell has future plans for him. 

In the meantime, I'll be over here imagining Dallin and Alexandra living their best lives together, exploring the world under starlit skies, until it's time for the next McQuoid sibling to find love.

For readers new to the McQuoids, A Sure Duke stands well on it's own. You can easily jump in here or for a more complete understanding of the McQuoid family dynamics, read the books in order. They are (1) The Duke Alone (click for review), (2) The Heiress at Sea (click for review), and (3) A Sure Duke. Whichever way you go, you're bound to be entertained. 

 

Tour Review - - The Night Island

The Night Island

by Jayne Ann Krentz

The Lost Night Files - Book 2

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: January 9, 2024

Reviewed by PJ

Talia March, Pallas Llewellyn, and Amelia Rivers, bonded by a night none of them can remember, are dedicated to uncovering the mystery of what really happened to them months ago—an experience that amplified innate psychic abilities in each of them. The women suspect they were test subjects years earlier, and that there are more people like them—all they have to do is find the list of others who took that same test. When Talia follows up on a lead from Phoebe, a fan of the trio’s podcast, she discovers that the informant has vanished.
 
Talia isn’t the only one looking for Phoebe, however. Luke Rand, a hunted and haunted man who is chasing the same list that Talia is after, also shows up at the meeting place. It’s clear he has his own agenda, and they are instantly suspicious of each other. But when a killer begins to stalk them, they realize they have to join forces to find Phoebe and the list.

PJ's Thoughts:

Yes, I know this is fiction but I can't be the only reader who on some subconscious level feels like there are echoes of actual government parapsychic experiments on remote islands in the Pacific Northwest. That's how vivid - and realistic - Jayne Ann Krentz's imagination is. 

This second book in Krentz's The Lost Night Files trilogy hits the ground running and never lets up. The characters, both primary and secondary, are intriguing, with hidden layers that kept me guessing through a number of twists and turns. The sense of place that Krentz creates on the island is a character in itself: immersive, evocative, highly suspenseful, and vital to the overall storyline. 

The slow-growing romantic relationship between Luke and Talia is forged in their unlikely partnership as they race against time to find and free Phoebe, try to uncover what happened to Luke during his lost night, and stop the bad guys who are determined to take them out. I was with them every step of the way, frequently on the edge of my seat, gasping out loud more than a few times, always eager - though sometimes apprehensive - to discover what was lurking around the next corner. Set aside plenty of time before you turn the first page. This is another Krentz story that is impossible to put down. 

While The Night Island can be enjoyed as a standalone, there's an overarching storyline that continues through the three books. I enjoyed this second book much more for having read book one, Sleep No More, first (click the title to read my review). For maximum enjoyment and understanding, I recommend reading the series in order. 

~~~~~~~~~

Excerpt

The Night Island

 There would be nightmares again tonight.

She'd always had a knack for finding misplaced keys, glasses, and pets. She was fine with that. But her new psychic ability for tracking down the bodies of those who had died by violence was not only depressing but frequently led to anxiety attacks and disturbing dreams.

Why couldn't it have been a talent for something more positive-like, say, picking winning lottery numbers? Why did it have to be dead bodies?

Talia March clenched the dead man's gold cuff link in one hand, gathered her nerve, and flattened her other hand against the metal side of the industrial-sized trash bin. She was braced mentally and physically, her core Pilates-tight; nevertheless, the jolt of psychic lightning rattled her nerves and her senses. In the past few months she had learned that the energy laid down by violence always came as a shock.

She had finally figured out that what she detected with her new ability was the psychic stain of the killer's emotions-or lack thereof-and the pain and fear of the victim. It made for a toxic brew that seeped into the crime scene and, to her, was as obvious as a pool of blood.

She was aware of a weak frisson emanating from the cuff link. The owner was dead but the item that he had worn frequently in life was still infused with the hollow echo of his vibe.

She could work with almost any object that had belonged to the missing or the deceased, but over the course of the past several months she had learned that some materials absorbed and reflected paranormal energy more efficiently than others. Gold was a particularly strong conductor, almost as good as crystal.

"Shit," she whispered. She took a quick step back. "He's in there."

Roger Gossard, the head of Gossard Consulting, a crime scene consulting company, studied the trash bin with a pained expression. "Are you sure?"

"You hired me for my best guess," she said. "This is it."

Roger grunted but he did not argue or demand more details. He knew better than to ask her to explain her conclusion. He looked at the unhappy man wearing a security guard uniform emblazoned with the logo of the company that controlled the loading dock.

"Okay if we take a look?" Roger said. "We need to find out for sure if there's a body inside before we call the police."

The security guard shrugged. "Boss says I'm supposed to cooperate but I'm telling you right now I'm not going into that bin to look for a dead body. You're on your own."

"Right." Roger switched his attention to the two members of his team who were waiting for instructions. "Bailey and Thomas, take a look. We need to make sure."

Grim but resigned, the pair pulled on heavy gloves, climbed into the bin, and went to work sorting through the trash generated by the several hundred office workers employed in the building.

Talia retreated to the front of the loading dock and contemplated the view of the alley. The rain was coming down in the steady way that was typical of Seattle in the late fall. The heavy skies indicated the weather was not going to change anytime soon. The Big Gray was just getting started.

In the past she had been comfortable with the drama of the city's dark season. But the night she had lost to amnesia had changed a lot of things. Now she was aware of a relentless sense of urgency simmering just beneath the surface, a sensation that was intensified by the late dawns and early twilights.

She tuned out the noise of the trash bin excavation process and opened her phone. There was no new text from her mysterious informant. She was starting to lose hope. Maybe she had been conned. It was a discouraging thought because the lead had appeared so promising.

"Looks like we found Clayton, boss," Bailey called. "Wrapped in plastic sheeting. Not a pretty sight."

 

Excerpted from The Night Island by Jayne Ann Krentz Copyright © 2024 by Jayne Ann Krentz. Excerpted by permission of Berkley. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

Jayne Ann Krentz is the author of more than fifty New York Times bestsellers. She has written contemporary romantic suspense novels under that name and futuristic and historical romance novels under the pseudonyms Jayne Castle and Amanda Quick, respectively. Learn more online at www.jayneannkrentz.com.

 

Photo credit: Marc von Borstel

Review - - Any Duke in a Storm

Any Duke in a Storm

by Amalie Howard

Daring Dukes - Book 4

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Release Date: January 9, 2024

Reviewed by PJ

 

Historical romance takes to the high seas. Famed spy Lady Lisbeth Medford is on a ship bound for the West Indies, and the only thing more dangerous than her mission is the elusive Duke she's trying to capture.

Lady Lisbeth Medford, Countess of Waterstone and famed international spy, is caught between the devil and the deep blue sea. She's determined to infiltrate a notorious smuggling ring in the West Indies while on a covert mission as a ship's captain. But even when her identity is compromised and she's forced to flee, the men chasing her are still hot on her heels.

The trouble in front of her, however, might be even worse. Raphael Saint, the Duc de Viel, is her ship's new aggravating and dangerously charming sailing master, who might very well be part of the smuggling ring Lisbeth must bring to justice. But when a new deadly threat on the high seas looms, the only way out of danger is to face it…together.

PJ's Thoughts:

She had me at high seas romance...then followed up with much, much more. I was ripe for a good high adventure romance and this one ticked my happy reader boxes. 

Lisbeth is definitely her own woman: daring, capable, and fierce.  She's a respected, and feared, sea captain with a secret identity and a secret mission. Saint's actions show him to be much more than a sailing master but he's keeping secrets too. The sparks fly between them from the get-go and only get hotter. The verbal banter is fast, snappy, and on point. The respect grows slowly but is absolute. The chemistry darn near burns the ship down. And the tender, protective caring within Saint's heart had me ready to follow him anywhere, even if that ended up in the heart of a smuggler's den. The storyline twists and turns through the Caribbean, keeping me on my toes the entire way. I honestly did not know how these two were going to end up together, and at least one of them out of jail, until the very end. I love that!

This book is my favorite of what has been a really good series from Amalie Howard. I read it in one day - these characters refused to let me walk away from them - then went back to the beginning and took the journey all over again, more slowly this time to savor each word and nuance. It's filled with danger, adventure, betrayal, vengeance, secrets, and set-the-sheets-on-fire chemistry. It also has a fair amount of humor. A young island girl with the mouth of a salty sailor, in particular, both had me laughing out loud and wanting to hug her close. I loved the path her journey took and the impact she had on both Lisbeth and Saint.

The characters are diverse, both racially and sexually, with intriguing characteristics (tattoos, piercings, and such) that are backed up with fascinating historical research. Be sure to read the author's notes at the end. I enjoyed their complexity, the many layers that make up the whole of who they are, the journey they traversed, and the love, and happiness, they found. This is a book I'll be revisiting again. 

Winner - - Happily Ever Alaska

 

I saw a lot of new faces at the blog this week. 

I'm pretty sure I have Happily Ever Alaska author, 

Patience Griffin to thank for that. :)

I hope everyone who stopped by took a minute 

to check out January's 

Coming Attractions and will visit again!

The randomly chosen winner of

a print copy of Happily Ever Alaska is:

Sharon

"This sounds like an interesting series especially since my grandmother made quilts by hand."

Congratulations, Sharon!

Please send your full name and mailing address to:

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

 

Review & Giveaway - - Happily Ever Alaska

Happily Ever Alaska

by Patience Griffin

Sweet Home, Alaska - Book 3

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: December 26, 2023

Reviewed by PJ

Lolly Crocker bakes up warm desserts in her chilly Alaskan town, but can she handle the reigniting of an old flame?

Whenever things get too serious, baker Lolly Crocker knows it’s time to break it off with a guy. Without fail, her gut would tell her that the man she was dating was not Mr. Right. 

The one exception is Shaun Montana, her high school sweetheart. With Shaun, life felt complete; but her mother convinced her she was too young to be tied down, and Lolly broke up with him the night before she left for college.

While Lolly keeps every relationship light, Shaun is never less than fully committed—and still somehow his romances have all ended badly. When he comes back to Sweet Home, his attraction to Lolly is as fiery as ever, but he's determined to keep things casual for once...just when Lolly is finally ready to risk her heart on a second chance with the man she loved so long ago.

PJ's Thoughts:

Griffin takes readers back to her fictional small town of Sweet Home, Alaska for a second-chance romance that has the entire town taking sides. I enjoy Griffin's stories, her quirky side characters, sense of community, and depth of emotion. She gives her main couple a difficult path to happiness but with a satisfying emotional payoff in the end. I may shed tears on the journey but I'm always smiling when I turn the final page.

As with the earlier books in this series, there are multiple relationships at play in this book. In addition to the primary romance, a secondary couple whose relationship has slowly progressed through the first two books hits a potential bump in the road. Shaun's relationship with his mother is another focus, as is his mother's broken friendship with Lolly. Then there's the owner of the local general store who in addition to being the ringleader of the community quilting group also has her nose in pretty much everyone's relationships. I enjoyed seeing the personal growth of this particular character in this book. 

As for Shaun and Lolly, they say you never forget your first love. That certainly holds true for this couple but considering how their teenage romance ended, forgiveness might be a stretch too far for Shaun. I appreciated the time the author gave them to rebuild their relationship once Shaun returned home. It felt realistic, especially with the push and pull between them. My heart was flipping back and forth right along with the two of them. There were endearing moments when I could feel the love between them pushing for the surface but then something would happen to cause doubt and there I was fretting again. It left me eagerly flipping pages right up until the end, wondering how it would all work out...or if it would. Spoiler alert: it's a romance, it works out, but you'll need to read the book to discover how. ;-)

If you enjoy second-chance romance, small-town Alaska settings, a strong sense of community, quirky characters, and emotionally satisfying happy endings, give this one a try. I also recommend the first two books in the series: One Snowy Night and Once Upon a Cabin. Click on the titles to read my reviews. 

~~~~~~~~~

Have you read Patience Griffin?

Do you enjoy books set in rural areas? Griffin has this series set in rural Alaska along with books set in a tiny coastal village in Scotland. 

Are you a quilter? Griffin is and quilting features prominently in all of her books. 

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, January 5 will receive a print copy of Happily Ever Alaska. 

Coming Attractions - - January

 

Welcome to 2024! It's a brand new year filled with new possibilities. We're hitting the ground running with a full slate of posts this month. I've already read many of the books we'll be featuring and you are in for some great stories that will make you laugh, shed a few tears, and stay up reading way past your bedtime. I'm excited to share them with you. 

We kick things off on Thursday, January 4 with a review of Happily Ever Alaska by Patience Griffin. This third book in Griffin's Sweet Home, Alaska contemporary romance series showcases the close-knit community and depth of emotion readers have come to expect from this author. 

Monday, January 8 brings a review of Any Duke in a Storm by Amalie Howard. This historical romance takes to the high seas with a spicy, inclusive, danger-filled, and emotionally satisfying romance that kept me flipping pages from start to finish. 

Stop by on Tuesday, January 9 for a tour review of The Night Island by Jayne Ann Krentz. This second book in the Lost Night Files series brings the danger and suspense that keeps me on the edge of my seat as I eagerly anticipate what's around the next corner. 

 

On Friday, January 12, I'll be sharing my thoughts about A Sure Duke, the newest installment in Christi Caldwell's The McQuoids of Mayfair series. This one kept me guessing until the very end. I had no idea how Caldwell was going to give her hero and heroine the happy ending they deserved.

Always Remember by Mary Balogh is in our spotlight on Monday, January 15. Stop by for a review and giveaway of this third book (Ben's story) in Balogh's Ravenswood series. 

Tuesday, January 16 brings a review and giveaway of The Bright Spot by Jill Shalvis. I've enjoyed all of the standalone books in Shalvis's Sunrise Cove series and am looking forward to returning to Lake Tahoe for this fifth book in the series.

Santa will be here on Wednesday, January 17 with a review of The Lily of Ludgate Hill by Mimi Matthews. The tagline, "Fortune favors the bold—but is a confirmed spinster daring enough to loosen the reins and accept a favor from the wicked gentleman who haunts her dreams?" is enough to have me looking forward to this one!

Stop by Thursday, January 18 for a review of Finding Mr. Purrfect by Codi Gary. Cats, coffee, fake dating, and laugh-out-loud fun? Count me in! 

Jeanne Adams joins us on Friday, January 19 for a Coastal Magic Convention Spotlight. Stop by to learn more about this talented author, her books, and her special connection to Scotland.

Thursday, January 25 brings a review and giveaway of The Friendship Club by Robyn Carr. I'm looking forward to reading this new women's fiction novel about four women at a crossroads in their lives. I'm also looking forward to attending Carr's book signing in Orlando on January 23! 

Santa will be back on Tuesday, January 23 with a review of Never Blow a Kiss by Lindsay Lovise. This historical romance launches the Secret Society of Governess Spies series. Sounds intriguing!

I'm excited to share my thoughts about Accidentally His by Sabrina Jeffries on Wednesday, January 24. This third book in the Designing Debutantes series brings a happily ever after to youngest sister Verity while finally revealing the identity - and mission - of the mysterious Phantom who has been crashing the Elegant Occasions events.

I'm looking forward to reading It Takes a Rake, the third book in Anna Bennett's Rogues to Lovers series. I loved the first two books and am eager to discover what's in store for heiress - and architect - Kitty Beckett. Stop by Wednesday, January 31 for my review. 

Stop by Monday, January 29 for a review of The Excitements by CJ  Wray. This novel, described as a "brilliant and witty drama about two brave female World War II veterans who survived the unthinkable without ever losing their killer instinct…or their joie de vivre" has me eager to dive in...especially after learning that they are now in their late nineties and still looking for their next excitement.

Don't miss my review of Canadian Boyfriend by Jenny Holiday on Tuesday, January 30. This one had me at ballet teacher, hockey player, fake boyfriend, and widowed dad. It's a romcom but with emotional depth. 

What are you looking forward to this month?