Winner - - A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke

 

The randomly chosen winner

of a print copy of

A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke by Adriana Herrera is:

SusanK

Congratulations!

Please send your full name and mailing address to:

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Winners - - Coming Attractions

 

The randomly chosen winners 

from February's Coming Attractions are:

Cherie J

Sharlene Wegner

Mollie W

Congratulations!

Please send your full name and mailing address to:

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Tour Review & Giveaway - - Spiral

Spiral

by Bal Khabra

Off the Ice - Book 2

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: January 28, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

 

He’s on edge while she’s en pointe in this fake-dating sports romance from the author of the smash hit Collide.

Elias Westbrook, a newly drafted hockey player for the Toronto Thunder, is facing the challenges of fame and media scrutiny. With a growing fan base and too many expectations on his shoulders, he’s struggling to make his first career goal. The tabloids are reporting on his every move, including which woman he was last seen with, but all he wants to do is escape the spotlight.

Enter from stage left Sage Beaumont, an aspiring ballerina with dreams of joining the Aurora Ballet Theatre, but her lack of popularity online leaves her at a major disadvantage for securing the lead role. When Sage finds herself with the perfect opportunity to make her dreams come true by fake dating Elias, she takes her shot.

PJ's Thoughts:

Spiral is my first book by this author but the hockey-ballet romance angle had me eager to dive in. I hadn't clued in to the fact that the main characters are early twenties until I started reading. I admit, I tend to lean more toward older couples so it took me a bit to settle into this story but once I did, it proved to be an enjoyable read that took me on a satisfying journey...and brought back a few memories of how it felt to be newly out of college and beginning my adult life.

Sage and Elias are good together. I really like the way they support one another, especially the way Elias supports and encourages Sage's professional dreams as well as her individual worth. Their banter sparkles and their chemistry is on pointe (pun intended). I enjoyed the caring friendship that develops between them during their fake dating that provides a solid foundation leading into their slow-burn romance. There are times when they seem very young but also others when they feel older than their years. Life has thrown some wrenches at them that have given them more depth than usually found at their age yet they also feel like they're still figuring things out. It makes them feel authentic and relatable. 

I appreciated the epilogue that takes readers a few years into the future, giving us a look at the growth of the main characters as well as their relationship. 

If you enjoy New Adult romance with snappy banter, complex family situations, friend groups, endearing romance, and an added bonus of hockey and ballet, you may want to give this one a try. 

Are you a hockey fan? Do you enjoy sports-themed romances? Have you read any recently that you would recommend?

How about ballet? Have you read any romances that feature a ballerina? 

One person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, February 9 will receive a print copy of Spiral.

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

Tour Review & Giveaway - - A Tropical Rebel Gets The Duke

A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke

by Adriana Herrera

Las Leonas - Book 3

Publisher: Canary Street Press

Release Date: February 4, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

He's not like other dukes…

Paris, 1889

Physician Aurora Montalban Wright takes risks in her career, but never with her heart. Running an underground women’s clinic exposes her to certain dangers, but help arrives in the unexpected form of the infuriating Duke of Annan. Begrudgingly, Aurora accepts his protection, then promptly finds herself in his bed.   

New to his role as a duke, Apollo César Sinclair Robles struggles to embrace his position. With half of society waiting for him to misstep and the other half looking to discredit him, Apollo never imagined that his enthralling bedmate would become his most trusted adviser. Soon, he realizes the rebellious doctor could be the perfect duchess for him. But Aurora won’t give up her independence, and her secrets make her unsuitable for the aristocracy.

When dangerous figures from their pasts return to threaten them, Apollo whisks Aurora away to the French Riviera. Far from the reproachful eye of Parisian society, can Apollo convince Aurora that their bond is stronger than the forces keeping them apart?    

PJ's Thoughts:

Adriana Herrera saved the best for last. A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke, book three in Herrera's Las Leonas trilogy, is a steamy, compelling, endearing, action-packed story I could not put down. 

I adored Aurora. As an heiress, she could have led a life of leisure in the Caribbean. Instead, this physician escaped the gilded cage of her privilege, using her medical skills to care for the oppressed, underserved women of 1880's Paris. She's a rebel, a scandal, a feminist, a woman more concerned with the care of others than of herself. She's also stubborn, self-contained, and keeping devastating secrets. She won't relinquish her heart easily and when she does you can be certain it will only be to a man who earns it. 

Enter Apollo César Sinclair Robles, Duke of Annan. The Black Duke of Annan. I suggest keeping a fan handy because this man is smokin' and when he and Aurora get together? Whoee! But first, they clash. Two strong personalities determined to change the world in which they live, their priorities don't always align. At least, it seems that way to Aurora but, just maybe, they can do more good together than apart? And, just maybe, the fiery chemistry between them is a pre-cursor to deep, lasting, once in a lifetime love. Apollo snagged my heart as surely as he did Aurora's. He's a complex man with a fair amount of emotional baggage to sort through who does a good job of keeping his true self hidden. Herrera does an excellent job of slowly unveiling his layers to the reader, as well as to Aurora. 

Found family is a strong element in this book, in all three books. I loved the relationships that formed and continued to evolve throughout the trilogy, among the women but with the men as well. If you're a stickler for reading a series in order, begin with book one, A Caribbean Heiress in Paris. If you prefer starting with A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke, I think it stands well on its own and can be thoroughly enjoyed without having read the other books first. I do, however, enthusiastically recommend all three. 

Have you read any of the Las Leonas books?

Do you enjoy books that include geographical transitions, as is the case of Herrera's Caribbean heroines in Paris?

Historical romances are struggling a bit within traditional publishing these days so, tell me, what historical romances have you recently read and enjoyed. What titles are you looking forward to reading? Let's give our HR authors some love. 

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, February 8 will receive a print copy of A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke. 

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

Review - - Accidentally Amy

Accidentally Amy

by Lynn Painter

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: January 14, 2025

Reviewed by Hellie

Isabella Shay is usually a very honest person. But when she’s running late for her first day at her dream job and the barista yells for “Amy” three times with no answer, she does the unthinkable.

Izzy takes that PSL.

It’s the exact drink she ordered and paid for, only way further ahead in the queue—and she’ll take whatever bad karma is coming for her; she’s desperate and very late. But when she turns around and runs directly into the most attractive man she’s ever seen, spilling the drink all over his made-for-GQ shirt and tie, she ends up having the ultimate meet-cute. Karma who? Sparks fly and things feel beyond promising, until he says to her: “See you tomorrow, Amy.”

Izzy reasons she can just straighten things out the next day, no biggie. Only when she gets to her new office and meets the VP of her department, it is none other than Blake Phillips—the hottie from Starbucks. And the man might’ve been charming to “Amy,” but he is an arrogant grump to Izzy, an arrogant grump who does not find her explanation funny at all. But day by day, an attraction simmers between them and they’ll have to find a way to work together without ripping each other’s heads—or clothes—off.

Hellie’s Heeds

My people, Lynn Painter just gets better and better. You may recall I recommended a previous book by her, Happily Never After, where I cackled all the live long day while reading it. Accidentally Amy is just as funny, just as sweet, and just as sexy, and I suspect if I went back and read her other books, Mr. Wrong Number and The Love Wager, I would also have to admit I cackled all the way through the pages. Lynn Painter is funny as hell and honestly I think we all need a bit more of laughter to get us through the rest of this Winter of Oh-Hell-Not-Again (which happens every January, the longest Monday of the year.) While I’m a bit delayed for a January recommendation, February is also sure to have its share of grey, cold days and this is the warming cup of hot chocolate you need to make it to Spring. 

That was my summary for you TL;DR (too long; didn't read) peeps. For the rest of you, I will add more details like both characters own cats–and they are the cutest and most adorable cats you’ve ever met, even your own. Also the fact that the hero has adopted two special needs cats: one blind and one diabetic–has put him in the running as the most swoonworthy hero of 2025 and we’ve barely started. (I mean, despite the fact January feels a 1000 days long, technically we’re just underway of this year and reading, as a reminder.)

The sex scenes were sexy–and admittedly I’ve gotten older and crankier so sex scenes don’t generally impress me much anymore. If anything, I’ve started rolling my eyes and skimming pages–and I don’t like that because I love a well-crafted sex scene–but my friends, I savored every word. I dogearred a couple pages for my Hubby. The scenes were both vivid but also felt not unnecessarily explicit, which *chef’s kiss* not everyone can do–but Lynn Painter can. The characters are well-developed…and honestly I’m looking forward to my coffee date at Scooter’s next week with Isabella Shay as I make her my new best friend, she’s that real. (I won’t order any Pumpkin Spice Lattes though….)

So run…add this book to your TBR pile for 2025. It’s worth the spend, in my opinion, and while you’re at it, check out her backlist if you haven’t already. Top Dish. 

Review - - Where the Creek Bends

Where the Creek Bends

by Linda Lael Miller

Publisher: Canary Street Press

Release Date: December 31, 2024

Reviewed by PJ

Madison Bettencourt has tried to assemble all the pieces of a perfect life, but nothing fits quite the way it should. She’s moved back home to Montana to care for her grandmother, who is slipping further and further away. And she’s called off her wedding, and worries her dreams of a family are fading with it.

As Madison rattles around her family home, childhood memories come flooding back. Bliss Morgan transformed eight-year-old Madison with her loyalty, and for a while, the two girls were as close as can be. But Madison never understood why Bliss suddenly vanished, leaving only a friendship bracelet and a message etched into a matchbook.

Before she can begin again, Madison must uncover what happened to Bliss, and Liam McKettrick—a widowed dad trying to repair his relationship with his two children—becomes her unlikely ally. He, too, understands the pang of regret. Yet there are mysteries that Madison hesitates to explore with anyone, and strange energies in Bettencourt Hall that blur the lines between past and present.

Poignant and utterly captivating, Where the Creek Bends shows that finding yourself begins with following your heart, no matter where it leads.

PJ's Thoughts:

I began reading Miller's McKettrick books more than twenty years ago. I loved the historical romances but it's been a while since I checked in with this family so I decided to give Miller's newest, Where the Creek Bends, a try. I was not disappointed.

This story is an enjoyable blend of women's fiction, sweet contemporary romance, and time-slip fiction. It's poignant, complex, and heart-tugging with well-placed bits of humor to prevent it from tilting too heavily to the angsty side though there is plenty of emotion. 

I enjoyed the time-slip facet of the book with the author telling the inter-connected dual timeline stories of Bliss and Madison. I was surprised - but pleased - by the direction that part of the story took.

I was in Liam's and Madison's corner from the moment she charged into his saloon in a wedding dress. They were both so likeable, so deserving of a happily ever after, and carrying so much emotional baggage. I liked that Miller gave them time to work through their individual issues while getting to know one another. 

My heart hurt so much for Liam and his children. I just wanted to hug them all; they had so much grief, anger, confusion, and forgiveness to work through. I was pleased that they were given the time and tools to make strides in a realistic way. No easy fixes. 

Though the book ended on a hopeful note, I would have liked an ending that wasn't quite so abrupt. Maybe an epilogue. Other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and am hoping Miller has plans to return to Montana for more McKettrick stories. And I wouldn't be at all disappointed if we got to catch up with Liam, Madison, and the kids along the way. 

Coming Attractions & Giveaway - - February

 

Whew! Anybody else feel like January sped by at the speed of light while also lasting three years? I'm thankful for all the good books that kept me company. Speaking of good books, we're ushering in the month of love with more titles that made me laugh, made me sigh, and kept me up reading way past my bedtime. Here's what we'll be sharing during the month of February.

We kick things off on Tuesday, February 4 with a review of Where the Creek Bends by Linda Lael Miller. I've been following Miller's McKettrick family for many years. This newest story is set in present time but with mysterious time-bending elements. 

Hellie will be here on Wednesday, February 5 to share her thoughts about Accidentally Amy by Lynn Painter. Get ready for gushing. 

Join me on Thursday, February 6 for a tour review and giveaway of A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke by Adriana Herrera. This third book in Herrera's Las Leonas trilogy is a steamy, compelling, historical romance with vividly drawn characters and relevant issues that had me in its clutches from the get-go. Perfect for Black History Month (or any month) reading. 

Friday, February 7 brings a tour review and giveaway of Spiral by Bal Khabra. This interracial romance between a ballerina and a hockey player had me eagerly flipping pages. 

Sonali Dev's newest novel, There's Something About Mira, just may be my favorite of all the books she's written. I turned the final page of this heart-tugging story at 3:00 AM this morning. Need I say more? Check out my review on Monday, February 10.

Santa joins us on Tuesday, February 11 with a review of Get Lost With You by Sophie Sullivan. This second-chance, small-town romcom is book two in Sullivan's Rock Bottom Love series.

Stop by on Wednesday, February 12 for a review of Celebrity Crush by Christy Swift. Such a fun read!

Thursday, February 13 brings a tour review of The Secrets of the Rose by Nicola Cornick. This dual-timeline, historical fiction novel is one I'm eager to dive into. 

Stop by for more hockey romance on Monday, February 17 with Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey. 

I'll be sharing my thoughts about Susan Sands' A Georgia Christmas, a new novella in her sweet, small-town Moonshine series on Thursday, February 20. This one brings a bit of mystery and a lot of heart. 

Rounding out the month on Tuesday, February 25 will be a review of Rustler Mountain by Maisey Yates. This enemies-to-lovers, good-girl-bad-boy romance launches a new series from Yates. I'm already hooked. 

That's what's on the Dish schedule for February. What books are on your reading list this month?

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, February 5 will receive a print copy of The Secret Keeper of Main Street by Trisha R. Thomas. 

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, February 5 will receive a print copy of A Duke, The Lady, and A Baby by Vanessa Riley.

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, February 5 will receive a print copy of Fangirl Down by Tessa Bailey.

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

Winner - - The Unexpected Diva

 

The randomly chosen winner

of a print copy of

The Unexpected Diva by Tiffany L. Warren is:

LauraL

Congratulations!

Please send your full name and mailing address to:

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Review - - The Valentine Box

The Valentine Box

by Toni Blake

The Box Books - Book 3

Publisher: Oliver Heber Books

Release Date: January 28, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

 

It started with a box for collecting heart wishes…

Among the constants in Taylor Mulvaney’s life are the heart-shaped box made by her father, the mysterious hearts she sometimes sees, and her longtime crush on Luke Montgomery. The valentine box has a way of connecting her and Luke time and again – and even after Luke breaks her heart before leaving their hometown of Sweetwater, Kentucky for good, she never gets completely over him.

The box brings them back together when they least expect it.

Fifteen years later, Taylor still sees hearts. And now she even makes them, baking heart-shaped treats at the Sweetheart Bake Shop. After a rough start in life, she’s found her way. Until, that is, Luke comes home for his father’s funeral, bringing a deluge of old feelings flooding back. Before she knows it, a note dropped in her still-beloved valentine box has Taylor swept up in helping him save his family’s horse farm – and trying not to fall back in love with the guy who once left her shattered.

How will it end?

Could Luke really want Taylor the way she’s always wanted him? Can she trust in the future to turn out better than the past? The valentine box is still working its magic to draw them together all these years later, but can Taylor set her fears aside long enough to believe in a second chance at love?

PJ's Thoughts:

What a lovely story. This one really pulls at the heartstrings. I love the history of Luke and Taylor, the shared memories of their childhood, both good and bad. I like the ebb and flow of their individual growth through the years from childhood to high school, college and adulthood, the evolution of their friendship, their reunion after a fifteen-year separation, and eventually the romance that's always been just out of reach. 

I enjoy a journey that peels back the layers of a character, allowing us to go along for the ride as they sort their way through life. Blake gives us that, not only with Taylor and Luke but, to a lesser degree, with peripheral characters as well. She gives us two main characters who are realistically flawed, but with essential goodness at their core, and carrying relatable emotional baggage. It was easy to become attached to them, cheer for them, hurt with them, and be invested in their happiness and success.

There's also a bit of a mystical thread throughout this book that touched my heart, a few times even bringing me to tears. I firmly believe in signs from loved ones who no longer walk the Earth. The hearts - and horse - that bring warmth, clarity, and love to Taylor and Luke are reminiscent of experiences in my own life, adding an additional dimension to my reading pleasure. 

If you're looking for a feel-good contemporary romance with low sizzle (but deep emotion), strong community ties, complicated family dynamics, individual growth, and a second-chance, friends-to-lovers romance, check out Toni Blake's The Valentine Box. I thoroughly enjoyed it. 

 

Review & Giveaway - - The Unexpected Diva

The Unexpected Diva

by Tiffany L. Warren

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks

Release Date: January 7, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

 

Born into slavery on a Mississippi plantation, Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield has been raised in the safety of Philadelphia’s Quaker community by a wealthy adoptive mother. Sheltered and educated, Eliza’s happy childhood always included music lessons to nurture her unique gift: a glorious three octave singing voice that leaves listeners in awe. But on the eve of her twenty-fourth birthday, young Eliza’s world is thrown into a tailspin when her mother dies.

Eliza’s inheritance is contested by her mother’s white cousins, leaving her few options. She can marry her longtime beau, Lucien, though she has no desire to be a wife and mother. Or she can work as a tutor for rich families. Her mother’s dying wish was for Eliza to pursue her talent and become a professional singer, but that grand vision now seems out of reach.

When a chance performance on a steamboat to Buffalo, New York, leads to a surprising opportunity, fearless Eliza seizes her moment. Within a year she is touring America, singing to packed houses, and igniting controversy wherever she goes. In a country captivated by “the Swedish Nightingale” Jenny Lind, Eliza is billed by tour promoters as “the Black Swan.” An unlikely diva, Eliza is tall, dark-skinned, and robust of figure compared to the petite European prima donna, but even the harshest critics can’t deny Eliza’s extraordinary gift. Menaced by racist crowds, threatened by slave-catchers who kidnap free Black people, Eliza lives a public life full of risk, but one which also holds the promise of great riches, and the freedoms those buy.

From the churches of Philadelphia to Queen Victoria’s salon in Buckingham Palace, Eliza Greenfield will blaze her own path—with a voice that no listener will ever forget.

PJ's Thoughts:

I had never heard of Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield prior to reading this book. The author shares in her notes that she hadn't known of her either until stumbling upon her name while doing research for a different project. Like me, while reading The Unexpected Diva, Warren was fascinated by this extraordinarily talented Black woman in pre-Civil War America. I am grateful she chose Eliza as the focus of her first historical fiction novel.

Warren took the actual facts known about Eliza's life and filled in the spaces to immerse readers into 1850's America and what the life of a Black woman such as Eliza might have been. It would have taken incredible determination to achieve what she did. Warren breathed life into both real people and fictional characters to weave a compelling story I found hard to put down. In fact, her characters were all so vividly portrayed and seamlessly intertwined that I had to read the author's notes at the end of the book to determine who was actually real and who was fictional. Well, except for Harriet Beecher Stowe and Queen Victoria. 

I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Unexpected Diva and learning about Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield. I have an immense amount of respect and admiration for her and her accomplishments. They deserve to be known and celebrated. 

I'm eager to discover what Warren has planned next. I hope it's another historical fiction novel. I love being educated while also being entertained. Warren clearly has the knack for it. 

Do you enjoy reading historical fiction?

Had you ever heard of Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield a/k/a The Black Swan?

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, January 29 will receive a print copy of The Unexpected Diva.

*U.S. only

*Must be 18