Tell us what you're reading this month!
When We Chased The Light by Emily Bleeker is $2.49! We had a guest review of this one by Lisa that ran over the summer. She gave it a B grade, where she notes that while a solid piece of fiction, it’s actually a continuation of a character introduced in a separate book. To me, this is so bizarre of the publisher, because there’s no mention that it’s part of a connected series on Goodreads or on retail sites.
Georgie Radcliffe finds herself acting as an amateur sleuth because she a) pays attention and b) is a keen horticulturalist. She lives at Radcliffe Hall in Buncombe-upon-Wooly, a small village in the Cotswolds in the 1930s. In that tiny village, there have been four murders, three of which she solved through her horticultural knowledge. So far you’re thinking that this is about as cosy as cosy mysteries get, and you wouldn’t be wrong, but there … Continue reading And Then There Was The One by Martha Waters
This Rec Leagues comes from Lara! I’m launching a little project to find really excellent regency and Victorian romances that are self or indie pubbed. It’s a favourite subgenre of mine but it feels like fewer and fewer are being published. So I’m looking for other sources. All suggestions welcome! sarah: Christi Caldwell writes some lush and sometimes over the top historicals. Mimi Matthews and Alice Coldbreath for sure. According to readers on Reddit, Alice … Continue reading The Rec League: Indie and Self-Pubbed Historical Romances
Welcome back, everyone! It’s the middle of the week, which means now we get to start thinking about Friday. Let’s be honest, though, there are some weeks when I start thinking about Friday on Sunday evening. I’m already seeing Christmas stuff despite Halloween still being two weeks away. I know there’s the recurring joke that Christmas decor is getting put out earlier and earlier and I think that’s pretty accurate. This year, I’m pretty meh … Continue reading Links: Romance Coverage, Adaptation News, & More
RECOMMENDED: Serial Killer Games by Kate Posey is $1.99! Fingers crossed this deal holds out. Lara reviewed this one and gave it an A:
I’ve made this a Lightning Review because there is absolutely no way to discuss the book in more detail without ruining the reading experience. This book had me smiling and gasping and longing and holding my breath. A perfect reading experience for someone like me who needs rich emotional connections and cleverly constructed reveals in her books.
This piece of literary mayhem is exclusive to Smart Bitches After Dark, but fret not. If you’d like to join, we’d love to have you! Have a look at our membership options, and come join the fun! If you want to have a little extra fun, be a little more yourself, and be part of keeping the site open for everyone in the future, we can’t wait to see you in our new subscription-based section … Continue reading Sign Up for Quarterly Book Recommendations!
This guest review comes from Lisa! A longtime romance aficionado and frequent commenter to SBTB, Lisa is a queer Latine critic with a sharp tongue and lots of opinions. She frequently reviews at All About Romance and Women Write About Comics, where she’s on staff, and you can catch her at @thatbouviergirl on Twitter. There, she shares good reviews, bracing industry opinions and thoughtful commentary when she’s not on her grind looking for the next … Continue reading Miss Caroline Bingley: Private Investigator by Kelly Gardiner and Sharmini Kumar
Six Wild Crowns by Holly Race is $2.99! This is book one in a series. Elyse reviewed this and gave it a B:
This book is a wonderful reading experience. The setting, clothes and manners are all from a familiar enough place in time that it didn’t require a ton of world building, but Elben was still unique as a fantasy world. The action and the conflict were paced very well so the book grows in momentum. There’s also the “Earl has to die” plotline that I always appreciate.
This HaBO is from Hannah, who wants to find this romance: I’m looking for a book (maybe series) that I read in high school (probably around 2004-7). It was popular amongst the girls and we were all excited to read it and pass it around (mainly based on the spicy scenes). It followed a girl who met a bad boy type and fell head over heels. I seem to remember that he was sexually experienced … Continue reading HaBO: She and Her Friends Sunbathe on the Roof
RECOMMENDED: Codename Charming by Lucy Parker is $1.99! This could be a leftover KDD from the weekend. Lara gave this a B and liked it better than I did:
Overall I liked this book, though some parts were much more swoony than others, especially as the tension between them became mostly me, the reader, waiting for one of them to admit their feelings to the other already. While the waiting part wasn’t my favourite, the emotional development and vulnerability between Pet and Matthias was delicious.
