Happy Saturday and welcome back to Whatcha Reading! Here’s how we’re wrapping up October:
Lara: To quote my psychiatrist, ‘pregnancy is a potent and unique stressor’ so I’ve temporarily abandoned my ARCs and I’ve started a reread of Murderbot. ( A | BN | K | AB ) Ten out of ten!
Shana: There’s no better comfort than a Murderbot reread.
I just finished a m/m Beauty and the Beast retelling, Briarley by Aster Glenn Gray, where the father who finds the cursed castle stays instead of his daughter. Beauty and the Beast stories don’t usually work for me, but I adored this.
Carrie: I’m almost done with The House at Watch Hill by Karen Marie Moning. ( A | BN | K | AB ) It’s super cheesy but I kind of love its unabashed cheesiness. However I do t love the fact that I know there’s a cliffhanger ending and the whole book feels like the prologue to something more interesting.
Amanda: I’m revisiting Throne of the Fallen to gear up for the next book in the series, which is out on the 29th.
Elyse: I just started that! Is it good?
Amanda: Throne of the Fallen? I reviewed it and loved it. It’s a book that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Elyse: Awesome. I’ve been on a spooky book kick lately and I need a breather.
Amanda: It’s an “everything AND the kitchen sink” sort of book
Sarah: I am reading the new Elizabeth Hoyt, No Ordinary Duchess, and there’s a whole coven of secret Wise Women as part of the plot driving the series and this book. It’s not magical but there’s a mystery, a very bad person, a hunt for an item of Great Importance, and a group of secretive women who help other women, and it leans HARD into all of those elements.
Tara: I’m reading Most Wonderful by Georgia Clark. ( A | BN | K | AB ) It’s a Christmas romance with three siblings each (probably? I’m not sure about one of them) finding love. They’re also the children of a celebrity. I’m more than halfway through and I’m enjoying it a lot so far.
Whatcha reading to cap off October? Let us know in the comments!
KT Hoffman’s THE PROSPECTS is one of the best books I’ve read this year: it’s about life, love, and baseball, with two MCs—one trans, both queer—who ask for nothing more than to play baseball and to love where their hearts lead them, while acknowledging how difficult this is in a system designed for straight, cis men. Gene is a trans man, playing minor-league baseball and trying hard not to think about the prospect of moving up to the big leagues: “He doesn’t fully believe yet that a life this big is available to him.” He’s a good player, accepted by his teammates (one of whom is a former major league pitcher who is now out and married to another man), but has been the recipient of hate and cruelty with previous teams (cw/tw: there’s not at lot homophobia or transphobia in the book, but there is reference to past incidences of it). Gene makes a choice every day to be positive and optimistic: he allows himself to hope but not to want (seeing the former as something generous and the latter as something selfish). “He has practiced unwanting for years,” we are told at one point. There is such a vein of melancholy running through the book as we can see what Gene rarely acknowledges: he has minimized his dreams because of the reality of the world in which he lives and plays (“It’s a lot of pressure, doing something people don’t want someone who looks like you to do,” Gene muses). Then Luis, Gene’s former college teammate, joins the team, and he & Gene grow closer both on the field (they play short-stop and second-base, respectively) and off. Luis, crushed by both anxiety (his service dog, Dodger, goes with him everywhere), his closeted sexuality, and the expectations of his family name (his father was a major league player), often finds it difficult to articulate his own needs and desires. Like baseball romances by Julianna Keyes and KD Casey (who is thanked in the author’s note), THE PROSPECTS takes into account the ups-and-downs of the long baseball season, the wear & tear it puts on the body and the spirit, the way the game can break your heart, and the ”strange, illogical things [that] happen all the time.” Gene and Luis do eventually achieve their HEA, but perhaps not in the way one would have expected. THE PROSPECTS is on my list of favorite books of 2024. As both an avid baseball fan (did anyone see Freddie Freeman’s walk-off grand slam to win the first game of the World Series last night? A perfect moment!) and an avid romance reader, I highly recommend it (and also recommend reading all the notes that come after the end of the story, there’s lots to be gleaned there too).
Charlotte Stein has always been hit or miss for me. When she’s firing on all cylinders (as in THE PROFESSOR or DOUBLED), she finds a way to beautifully encompass a woman’s experience of love on both the physical and emotional planes; but when she misfires (as in NEVER SWEETER, where the heroine falls for her high school bully), it’s as if her beautiful writing is all in the service of an untenable story. Her latest, WHEN GRUMPY MET SUNSHINE (published some months ago, but I waited for a price drop) carved out more of a middle road: parts of it were wonderful, but other parts meandered and left me feeling annoyed. Mabel is a ghostwriter, hired to work on the autobiography by former football (soccer) player, Alfie. They have an immediate connection (both from Northern England, both with alcoholic fathers), but Alfie’s stoic silences and Mabel’s determined brightness leave them progressing with difficulty. It becomes clear that Alfie is less a grump and more someone suffering from a massive case of imposter syndrome; while Mabel is less sunny than a person (much like Gene in THE PROSPECTS) who makes a choice to be positive every day, while refusing to allow herself the idea of not wearing her “Bubbly Girl armor” in public. There are some really nice elements to WHEN GRUMPY MET SUNSHINE: Mabel & Alfie’s fake (but not so fake) relationship, the various social media snippets, body positivity, and the slow-burn romance. But there were also some odd shifts of tone as the book lurched awkwardly between English and American syntax, terms, and idioms. It wasn’t just the way “bum” & “arse” were used interchangeably with “butt” & “ass”, but places where, after saying something like, “Nowt wrong” or “Summat wrong” (I kept looking around for Oliver Mellors), Alfie would then launch into, “…to completely invalidate your whole reason…” and “…I started out by debunking that as a possibility…” Most jarring of all was Alfie announcing “I must plead the Fifth” when he doesn’t want to answer a question. That seemed incredibly out-of-place in a book set in English with English MCs. And, eventually, both Mabel’s and Alfie’s inability to see what was right in front of them irritated a bit. So a subdued recommendation for WHEN GRUMPY MET SUNSHINE from me.
In the last WAYR, @kareni mentioned two m/m romances that seemed that they would be right up my angst-loving alley—and they certainly were. The first, Marie Sexton’s BETWEEN SINNERS AND SAINTS, features a romance between Levi (who is estranged from his loving but judgmental Mormon family) and Jaime (a massage therapist with, cw/tw, terrible trauma in his childhood). One thing that Sexton does exceptionally well in the book is show how Levi (who has spent the last decade indulging in meaningless hookups and caring about nothing but surfing and sex) changes, because he truly wants to change, as he grows closer to the isolated virgin Jaime. Sexton also does a nice job showing the positive elements of Levi’s big family. The saddest part of the book is realizing that just over a decade ago (the book was first published in 2012) there was a sense of optimism that a gay man and members of his deeply religious family might find some common ground. I’m not sure this book could be realistically be published today in the current polarized climate. Recommended…but almost as a time capsule.
[cw/tw: suicide ideation] The other book @kareni mentioned was Eli Easton’s FALLING DOWN, in which Mark, a veteran with PTSD, and Josh, a homeless teenager (18 years old), discover that they “somehow fit each other’s jagged edges” when Mark invites Josh to stay in the enclosed porch of his cabin during a New England fall and winter. I have to issue some strong trigger warnings for suicide ideation in FALLING DOWN because Josh (who has recently lost his mother) decides he will watch the leaves change color and then die by exposing himself to the elements. Mark has mental health struggles of his own—mostly stemming from his decision to join the Marines as a way to avoid acknowledging his own sexuality—but helps Josh step away from his desire to die. In addition to an angsty, emotional romance, FALLING DOWN also contains some beautiful descriptions of the natural landscape, art, and architecture. Recommended—but be cautious about the triggers.
The only good new (new to me, that is – have I mentioned KJ Charles sufficiently? Could anyone?) books I have read recently are THE GAME OF KINGS and THE SCUM VILLAIN’S SELF-SAVING SYSTEM. Which are extremely different, but both very engrossing.
Some wonderful person mentioned GoK in the rereads thread, and I am so glad. It took me a minute to get into because I had to actually think – just a little! nothing too painful! – in order to appreciate it and I have gotten out of the habit. There are lots of allusions I had to look up, and vocab, speaking of getting out of the habit. (Including the delightful but obsolete word sphacelate [meaning to become gangrenous] which I am determined not to immediately forget even though I have zero chance of ever using conversationally.) GoK is really fun historical fiction, kind of what I wanted Sir Walter Scott to be when I found out all these authors like Austin and Pushkin adored him. Lymond is such a fun, prototypical heroic type (a la Justin Alastair although he can’t have been the original either now I think of it). It is not a romance in the sense of HEA, but a Romance. Definitely looking forward to the rest of the series.
I am also enjoying TSVSSS although it’s extremely meta and that’s not generally my vibe. The author Mo Xiang Tong Xiu is having so much fun and is including the reader in that fun, which is the key bit that is often missing for me. I am not enjoying it quite as much as I did THE GRANDMASTER OF DEMONIC CULTIVATION but it is funnier. Because it’s so busy puncturing the pretensions of these sorts of epics it does, to me, sometimes undermine its own story, but it generally walks that line extremely well.
The Lord John Grey novel I had worked up to, A PLAGUE OF ZOMBIES was fairly disappointing. The Jamaican setting felt at best cringe, and the series is starting to feel extremely supplemental to OUTLANDER rather than having any semblance of being stand alone. I am going to keep reading though.
Also disappointing, although it was also fine, was Courtney Milan’s latest, THE EARL WHO ISNT. It’s still a Milan, don’t get me wrong, it was good, it just seemed a little perfunctory and …formulaic. It’s her own formula, not the standard one, mercifully. But it felt like such a retread of the same ground, somehow. The characters felt a little more sketched out than I am used to, more of a you-know-the-kind-of-thing and Milan very optimistic that Readers would remember/care about them from the other books. Which I loved! But I have read several hundred romances between then and now! Also, although hero does have interests of his own, really his whole ambition in life is to be a support to heroine, and that is a hard no from me. My dad’s explicit reason for living was to be a good dad and that sounds delightful but is an enormous amount of pressure. I have seen romantic relationships with that sort of focus irl and in romances (albeit always the woman singlemindedly devoted to the man’s interests) and it’s terrifying.
To end on a better note the KJ Charles I most recently reread is SIMON FEXIMAL and the only problem with this Green Men World is I am extremely aware every time I embark upon them is that we’re not getting any more and I want them desperately. Idk that I could enjoy Sherlock now that he’s been so improved upon.
I hope everyone is having a happy spooky season. Since the last WAYR, I’ve read:
– Clean Sweep, by Ilona Andrews
First book of the Innkeeper Chronicles. This one isn’t strictly speaking a romance, but the author and series have been mentioned favorably around here before. And with good reason. This one is a lot of fun, in an action/adventure movie kind of way. Our FMC runs a bed and breakfast for extraterrestrials who are passing through our planet. There’s been some mysterious deaths of the neighborhood dogs and she turns to her neighbor (who is also a werewolf) for help solving the problem.
– Lick and Play by Kylie Scott
First two books of the Stage Dive Series. This series follows members of an uber-popular rock band as they find love. If rock star romances are your thing, these have a lot to offer. In the first (Lick) one our FMC wakes up in her hotel room after doing “now I’m official legal to drink” birthday shots in Vegas to discover that she’s married to a stranger… who turns out to be a famous guitarist. So, you have an idea of the vibe of the book. It was fine, but every one felt very young, probably because the book has elements that are only romantic in stories.
During the third act breakup phase, he’s starts showing up at her work to walk her home because he wants to take care of her, but if this wasn’t a romance, I’d call it stalking.
In the next book (Play), we meet the band’s drummer and his love interest, a neighbor of the girl in the first book. And I had a lot of thoughts reading this book. First, our MMC is hilarious. He’s also kind of a jerk. I think he’s meant to be a puppy dog who chews your shoes, so you want to be pissed but he’s so cute and doesn’t really understand why you are upset so how can you stay mad? In our main characters’ first interaction, he overhears her trying to stand up to her friend/boss on the phone, and he tells her that she shouldn’t let people walk all over her. He then proceeds to spend the rest of the book walking all over her.
He moves himself into her apartment without asking her if that’s OK. I never recovered from the audacity.
If this had been a different book with after school special elements, he would have gotten treatment for manic depression or ADHD before the end, but because he’s a rock star, a lot of issues were more played as “what do you expect a creative genius to do?”
– Halloween with a Vampire by Jennifer Snyder
I decided I needed something short, sweet, and kind of normal after the crazy rock stars had me questioning what healthy relationships look like. This novella was not that, really. But it did have a Halloween theme. There’s a shapeshifter, there’s a vampire, there’s about 24 hours of time to discover your soulmate. It kind of suffered from being too short to cover the world building, and was overall pretty forgettable. But it was available on Kindle Unlimited.
– Her Halloween Treat, Her Naughty Holiday, and One Hot December by Tiffany Reisz
The Men at Work series was recommended by someone on the rereads post a few weeks ago, and I was delighted to see them on Kindle Unlimited. These books are really funny and sweet. Highly recommended. They are also on the shorter side. I think they were published in the Harlequin Blaze line a few years ago. (Come for the spicy scenes, stay for the hilarious conversations and memorable side characters!) Plots? Um, In Her Halloween Treat, a woman going through a bad break-up reconnects with an old friend when she’s in town for her brother’s wedding. In Her Naughty Holiday, a business woman asks the father of her employee if he’d pretend to be her boyfriend for her family Thanksgiving dinner. Also notable for having a FMC who has had breast reduction surgery. In One Hot December, a female welder/metal artist connects with her former boss.
– Good Boy: A Friends With Benefits Hockey Romance by Elle Kennedy and Sarina Bowen
First book in the WAGs series. Hockey player romance. Also available on Kindle Unlimited. The book is the first in a series, but there’s a lot of connections to their Him series (which I haven’t read), so there’s some unanswered questions in the first chapter about the couple whose wedding they are attending. This one had far more in common with Play than I expected from the cover copy, as this is another book where the hero has absolutely no understanding of the word boundaries. Like, he’s funny and takes care of his friends, but also sends unsolicited dick pics. I enjoyed it enough to keep going and see how it all worked out, but I did honestly ask myself if I should just stop.
– The Billionaire Bachelor by Jessica Lemmon
First book in the Billionaire Bad Boys series. I think this one was mentioned in the books on sale post here a couple of weeks ago. Marriage of convenience between emotionally cut off billionaire hotelier and the daughter of the owners of a boutique hotel he bought. I guess he’s technically her boss, but that was sort of glossed over. The angst was more from two people who had been hurt by love in the past learning to take the chance on love again. I enjoyed it.
Not a lot of reading as this was the week of my trip to Tennessee. Kind of novel in that it was my Outlander group, but the venue was distinctly LOTR. Although the owner/creator is adamant that it’s not LOTR inspired as the books are full of violence, and he’s a peace and tolerance sort of man. He is a delightful old soul, but you put round doorways on the buildings, you’ve got The Shire. Anyway, back to reality (47 v-mails when gist of my greeting was DON’T LEAVE A MESSAGE!!) because my coworkers won’t touch anything having to do with my job. Sigh.
I did continue spooky reading season with Kelley Armstrong’s I’LL BE WAITING. What a great story! I am constantly impressed with Armstrong’s ability to move expertly between genres. I may not love a particular series (A Stitch In Time wherein the “differences” {intelligence} of the time travelling FBI agent FMC were constantly explained away by saying she’s American led me to stop after the first book), but the characters and plot are always spot on. FMC Nicola was never expected to reach adulthood, but the advances in treatment have allowed her to live with CF into her 30’s. Against all odds she also finds love only to tragically lose it. Her husband’s last words, “I’ll be waiting” and her grief have led her to try to find answers from the beyond, which leads her to a mission debunking spiritualists, a la Houdini, while secretly hoping to find the real deal. Her family finally insists she put this to an end by finding someone reputable to attempt to communicate with her deceased husband. Cue the old house on the edge of Lake Erie (HA!), the dedicated professor of parapsychology, the supportive brother-in-law, and the fellow grief support group member looking for her own answers. But all is not as it seems (of course). Nicola has a secret past, and she may have brought more than the hope of contacting Anton with her to party. Full of creepy atmospheric elements and tension between credulity and the unearthly makes a wonderfully suspenseful read. I had my suspicions around page- Nope not telling you, but in the end it was much creepier and… hopeful? than one would expect. Recommend for a spooky Halloween read with zero reservations.
Currently rereading Lauren Dane’s Diablo Lake series. Witches and werewolves and less stressful than the Armstrong, but still season appropriate.
Hi, everyone!
The highlights since our last WAYR–
Gabbi Grey’s SLEIGH BELLS AND SECOND CHANCES (Love in Mission City 3), a low-angst story with a wide and warm community that sees handyman Simeon and wounded veteran Ryan find a friendship that grows into more. I especially enjoyed how Simeon’s stutter and Ryan’s PTSD are handled in a kind and inclusive way.
I’ve also been taking advantage of a number of authors’ backlists on Hoopla–
Andrew Grey’s Must Love Dogs series was OK.
I liked Heidi Cullinan’s Copper Point Medical about three friends who work in medicine who end up in this small northern town.
And I felt invested in BA Tortuga’s The Release series, about ex-cons in Texas. I don’t know much about either, but appreciated how much Ms Tortuga’s writing really gave me a feel for both.
Really enjoyed DJ Jamison’s next in her small town Swallow Cove series, KNOCKIN’ BOATS, about two guys who went from best friends to basically the opposite. They end up having to work cooperatively, and their relationship undergoes yet another transformation.
And loved KD Casey’s UNWRITTEN RUNES, which includes two stories that give readers a peek at characters from her baseball stories reimagined in a PNR setting. So well done.
@Shana, I really liked Briarly too!
@DiscoDollyDeb, I had very mixed feelings about WHEN GRUMPY MET SUNSHINE also. I just felt like the characterizations were… hard to buy? That made it so I really didn’t love the story as much as I hoped I would.
Happy reading, all!
I read an advance copy of Magic, by Ellen Mint. This is the last book in her Coven of Desire reverse-harem series. I started it after dinner and got to bed too late, because the non-stop action and character development wouldn’t let me put the book down until I had finished it. The series starts with Ink. I highly recommend it, and it has a demon, a werewolf, a ghost, an elf, and a stone demi-angel as her 5 lovers. 5 stars! Great for Halloween!
I just finished The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, by Sangu Mandanna. A very cute, quick read, where the heroine learns that family does not have to be related by blood, but can be a group of people who love and support you. There’s witchcraft, and you learn how much fun it is to be able to use the magic swirling around us, but only available to witches. 4 stars.
@Amanda
Once again I have tried to post a long-ish screed (from two different laptops) and it hasn’t appeared?
The site said it was a duplicate post the second time I tried.
I’m a bit sad that I can’t get involved. Is anyone else having these issues?
No romances this month, just spooks.
THE WITCH FAMILY by Eleanor Estes is charming. I read it as a kid but misremembered it as THE WITCHES by Roald Dahl (which I may have also read, I don’t know). I had forgotten that much of the story is made up by 2 girl characters as they sit and draw. One of them, having enjoyed their mother’s stories about Old Witch, declares Old Witch banished to a glass hill for being bad. But then she and her friend make a necessary exception for Halloween. And they realize Old Witch must be lonely up there, so they send her companions. I just remember a few details, tho more are familiar once I read them. I’m enjoying it so far.
AMERICAN SUPERNATURAL TALES edited by S. T. Joshi. Ranges from classics to moderns; I’m skipping the ones I’ve read elsewhere. Pretty good but includes a couple that are maybe not supernatural, which seems like a waste of time. Also some hilarious anti romance sentiment when Joshi introduces Robert Chambers (“The Yellow Sign”): “[he later] turned his attention to sentimental romances and popular historical tales, … [which], while making him one of the wealthiest authors of his period, also spelled his aesthetic damnation.”
The story Joshi is introducing there has a noticeable element of romance in it, but I guess the spooky elements keep it out of aesthetic hell.
A couple of very good reads and an OK read in recent weeks.
Top of the list is MAKE THE SEASON BRIGHT, the new novel from one of my go-to authors, Ashley Herring Blake. There’s a lot of angst in this story, but Blake’s descriptions and explanations of the messy, complicated feelings (of the MCs and some other characters) are moving and original. The MCs, Charlotte (aka Lola) and Brighton (aka Bright), were friends starting at age 12, then lovers, then roommates when both attended Berklee College of Music, then about to be married at 23– when Brighton left Charlotte standing at the altar. They reconnect 5 years later during a Christmas vacation trip (with of course neither one knowing their ex would be part of the group invited to the winter holiday in snowy Colorado). The path to reconciliation has lots of complications for both Lola and Bright, and I was enthralled with each step.
Also enjoyed a second sapphic novel, EVERYONE I KISSED SINCE YOU GOT FAMOUS, by Mae Marvel (the wonderful name used by co-authors Ruthie Knox and Annie Mare—both new to me). Again, the storyline involves women who were high school best friends (on the verge of becoming lovers) and then separated, but these characters are older than Blake’s—both are in their early 30s when they reconnect after 13 years apart. The famous person of the title is Katie, a superstar of TV and film who has retreated to her childhood home to work on a screenplay that she plans to direct as part of the launch of her new production company. The one who is doing the kissing is Wil, who has gained some notoriety on her TikTok channel where she posts 60-second videos of herself twice a week, kissing someone she has never kissed before. I had a little trouble with the credibility of Wil entering Katie’s world—it seemed like Wil, who had never left Green Bay, WI, where the women grew up, adapted far too quickly to situations like being stalked by paparazzi after accompanying Katie back to LA. Their emotional journey was compelling, though, and I would gladly read more from the Mae Marvel team.
Also picked up the m/m hockey novel LUCKY BOUNCE by Cait Nary after reading favorable comments here. For me it was OK—I liked Zeke, but since the story is all from his POV, I wasn’t ever completely sure why he was enamored with hockey star Spencer, who rarely speaks more a sentence or two. At the end of the book Spencer reveals a lot about himself, including why he’s the single father of a 5-year old who’s enrolled at the school where Zeke is a teacher. Until that finale, though, I kept wondering what Zeke was getting out of the relationship (other than the action of the spicy scenes).
Finally, I have to mention a scene that annoyed me for far longer than it should have: At one point the 5-year-old says she wants to play soccer and be like USWNT star Rose Lavelle (a good choice in my book!). Her dad, Spencer, asks her to find a Canadian soccer player to look up to, and the child says something like “there are no good Canadian soccer players.” This ignores the fact that Canada’s women won the Olympic gold medal in 2020, and Canadian stars play women’s professional soccer all over the world. Surely Spencer, the Canadian athlete who knows who Rose Lavelle is, would have also known about Canada’s Olympians—and his lack of response to his kid seems like a line that begged not to be cut.
@AnneUK, I’ve had the problem of disappearing posts both here and on the AfterDark site. My solution (when I know I’m probably going to write a long post) is to compose in Word and then copy and paste into this comment box. It seems to help.
I read The House at Watch Hill and since I’m a seasonal reader, was totally into the Gothic atmosphere. I wish it would have released Sept. 1st and then the second Oct. 1st (one can dream!) because, yeah, that cliffhanger was killer.
I also read No Ordinary Duchess, and I think the wait and expectations for a new Hoyt may have been too much.
I’m currently reading The Legend of Meneka by Kritika H. Rao, Hindu mythology retelling with celestial dancers and I think who I thought the romance was going to be between was wrong and now I’m wildly curious where this is going to go, Red in Tooth in Claw by Lish McBride for a Halloween read, and The Hostage by Susan Wiggs which is an older published, 2000, historical romance that has started with the Great Chicago fire and now the FMC has been kidnapped to an island in the Great Lakes area, interesting in some different setting and elements added story
Audrey Faye released a new book in her Ghost Mountain shifters series, CATALYST, which I leaped to order. But my reading brain insisted we need to re-read the TEN previous books. So far I’ve made it through ALPHA, HEART, and REBEL. This series would be on my desert-island list – or now what is my “if I move to a tiny house and can’t take all my books, which ones can I not survive without.”
I just finished Sarah Beth Durst’s THE SPELLSHOP, which I think was a SBTB rec. I enjoyed it very much, and I plan to buy a spider plant in honor of Caz, and also because spider plants are non-toxic to cats (I can’t believe how many plants and flowers are). I hope there will be other books set in this world, and I plan to explore her other books.
I had the pleasure of hearing Talia Hibbert speak last week at my neighborhood indie bookstore. It was only at that point I realized her Ravenwood series is available in print, plus I got THE ROOMMATE RISK (neé Wanna Bet) and THE FAKE BOYFRIEND FIASCO (neé Sweet on the Greek) for entry to the signing, so I will be re-reading all of them.
Over the past two weeks ~
— For my local book group, I read Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano. I found the first half slow, but then my attention was hooked and I read the remainder in one sitting. We had a good discussion; some loved the book (one cried), others felt ho hum. The book is considered a homage to Little Women, so it was fun to see how much or little we remembered of that book. I read it (gasp!) half a century ago and recall next to nothing.
— enjoyed the contemporary romance Tangled Up In You by Christina Lauren. One of the main characters was homeschooled and is beginning college at age 22. She has lived totally off the grid and with very controlling parents; she is also exceedingly intelligent. The male lead is a senior whose circumstances are not what most believe. The two end up taking a road trip a few months after they meet.
— read and promptly reread Bird Boy by GiGi DeGraham. This is a contemporary romance novella featuring a baker at a coffee shop and a man who owns an Italian restaurant with his Family (that is Family with a capital F).
— enjoyed Jack: Grime and Punishment by Z.A. Maxfield. This was a contemporary romance in which one lead was a nurse and the other is owner of a company that cleans up crime scenes. They meet due to a suicide. I would read on in this series.
— enjoyed Guiding Desire by Alexa Piper. This science fiction romance is set in a world with guardians who have superpowers and conduits who help the former cope with their powers. One aspect reminded me of another book I like, Parker’s Sanctuary by Cooper West.
— also enjoyed two short works The Requisite Courage by Tracy Cooper-Posey (Edwardian espionage with a female lead) and Taken by Barbara Elsborg (available by joining the author’s newsletter which features two gay men in Russia).
— quite enjoyed The Unlikely Master Genius by Carla Kelly which is set in the regency era and features a brilliant young man, raised in a work house until he went to sea at age nine, and his newly married wife. He is hired to teach math at a charity school for navigators, and she is being paid to mother some of the youngest pupils. I have requested the next volume from my library.
— enjoyed the anthology A Season of Love also by Carla Kelly which contained five regency era romance stories with a Christmas theme. Unlike many romance writers, Carla Kelly’s stories often feature characters who are not from the nobility and are genuinely nice people.
— enjoyed Admiral by Sean Danker which is science fiction with an element of mystery and a healthy dose of danger. A man awakens in a sleeper on a dead ship to be greeted by three (just awoken) trainees who are heading to their first assignments. The label on his sleeper states that he is an admiral, but they are leery. The story is told from his point of view.
— enjoyed the contemporary romance Irresistibly Risky by J. Saman about a surgeon and a quarterback. They have a drunken encounter (which is very unsatisfying for them both) and then meet again two years later. I think I would have enjoyed this more though were it less graphic.
— I also read many Kindle samples.
I would be reading Les Miserables (which is excellent so far) but I have sciatica and am not reading anything at the moment.
I can’t wait to read all the holiday romances!
Out of the blue (I can’t remember where I heard of it and why I thought I’d actually read it) I listened to Judi Dench’s SHAKESPEARE: THE MAN WHO PAYS THE RENT, and what a surprising delight it was. A close actor friend of hers draws her out about her roles in Shakespeare’s plays and it’s wonderful to get an actor’s view of the, from Lady Macbeth to Juliet. I was far more captivated by this than I expected and remembered more Shakespeare than I’d thought. So so good and fun. And the actor they got to read Judi Dench’s parts on the audiobook was excellent AND sounded like her. Such insight into Shakespeare, the characters, and glimpses of the acting life and the directors she worked with and of her life. There was a short post-book with with Judi Dench herself, and that was lovely, too.
Another top read I’m not done with yet: H.G. Parry’s THE SCHOLAR AND THE LAST FAERIE DOOR. I spotted it in my library’s new releases, glanced at Goodreads to see what it was about, and immediately checked it out. Set (at the beginning) at the end of WWI, it’s about Clover Hill, a young woman from a Lancaster farm whose brother returns with a faerie curse from a horrifying magical battle that ended the war. She decides she has to help him and studies enough magic, hard enough, to become one of the first women, and the only non-member of an aristocratic magical family, to get a scholarship to attend Camford, a magical university attached to both Oxford and Cambridge. She’s shunned but makes four equally driven friends: the smart, reckless, beautiful Arden, the sophisticated Hero who desperately wants to be able to continue her studies, and Eddy who studies the neglected, unfashionable magic of plants. All the doors between faerie and the human world have been locked after the horrible war accident that caused Clover’s brother’s curse and the four want to make their scholarly marks and help Clover’s brother… they make a mess of it and have just jumped ten years into the future. So far not very romancy, but fascinating and I’m enjoying the audio.
Other reads that I liked quite a lot:
Kaliane Bradley’s THE MINISTRY OF TIME where the FMC is set as a watcher for the MMC who has been grabbed out of his time into a world slightly future to ours. He was an officer on Franklin’s doomed expedition to find the Northwest Passage — imagine being pulled from that to modern London. Imagine trying to help a man like that adjust. And of course there are weird things happening at the government Ministry… Highly enjoyable and a very interesting romantic relationship with SF and suspense elements.
L.M. Halloran’s THE DARK BEFORE LIGHT and THE FALL BEFORE FLIGHT are both psychiatrist/patient forbidden romances and while the characters might be a little too perfect I still found them and their issues compelling and the books devourable.
Liked well enough:
Jamie Harrow’s ONE ON ONE, a romance between two basketball coaches.
Rebecca Yarros’s THE THINGS WE LEAVE UNFINISHED was one of those two-timeline romances that mostly worked for me.
Krysten J. Miller’s GIVEN OUR HISTORY also deals with academic ambition but entirely in our world. They meet as teens, fall in love, but the FMC’s fear of letting life derail her ambition halts the romance and they meet again just as she’s applying for tenure. I have to say that I’ve worked at four universities and that’s not how tenure and academic appointments worked at any of them which threw me out of the novel a bit. I would say this one was mixed for me.
I had loved Kristin Cashore’s JANE, UNLIMITED when I first read it on its release, but got restless during my audio re-read. Maybe it’s one that is better to read on the page than listen to, or maybe it was just me and these days. The Graceling series audio re-reads worked so much better for me. I loved them through and through.
@AnneUK:
I don’t know if you’ve noticed that when some people post they post in two parts. This is probably why. This is something I’ve heard of happening for awhile. I’d recommend either option, the one from EditChief or this one.
@AnnaUK: I agree with @EditChief—write your post in a Word document (or even in the Notes app on your phone), then copy & paste it to the Comment box. I can’t tell you how many brilliant, insightful, eloquent, award-worthy posts I lost before I discovered that one simple trick. I’ve also discovered that a post of more than about 1,000 words will inevitably disappear into the ether, so if I have a post with a word count beyond that, I will divide it into two separate posts (as @StefMagura notes). In addition to keeping my comments from disappearing, I’ve found that writing my WAYR posts ahead of time helps me keep track of which books I’ve written about and when. One other related note: if I’m making a spur-of-the-moment comment (like this one), I will always select the whole thing and copy it before I post. That way, if the comment does disappear, I still have the comment as written and can paste it and attempt a repost.
Sorry for the long post, this is most of my reading since probably June 😉 I’m in serious awe of all y’all, you get so much reading done every month! I know you have jobs, kids, partners, pets, and who knows how many other claims on your time, but you still manage to get so much read! I am semi-retired, child free by choice, have a husband who is pretty self-sufficient, and not a lot of other obligations, and am lucky if I get an hour of reading time a day! You all are #reading goals 🙂
So here goes:
Wed by Proxy by Alice Coldbreath
First book in the Brides of Karadok series. This was okay, pretty standard romance story. It’s billed as a fantasy romance, but basically was just a medieval world with kings and lords, etc, without much else that would make it Fantasy, at least in my opinion. The FMC was a Mary Sue and there was much telling instead of showing, and also plot holes large enough to drive a Mack truck through. A pleasant diversion, forgettable, and I will not be continuing with the series.
Bohemian Gospel by Dana Chamblee Carpenter
First book in the Bohemian Trilogy. This was a reread between library holds coming in. This is not a romance, though there are some romantic elements. There isn’t an HEA or really even a HFN. It is sort of Fantasy, set in 13th century Bohemia but with magical elements. Mouse, our FMC, is an orphan and has been raised in a monastery by the nuns and monks, but has been treated as special by one of the monks – almost like a daughter. She has special abilities that are dangerous for her to reveal so she must keep them hidden from the outside world, though most of the nuns and monks seem to have at least some knowledge of them. I really enjoyed this story, and will likely continue with the next two books – if I can get them at my library.
A Winter’s Promise by Christelle Dabos
First book of the Mirror Visitor series. I’m on the fence about this book. It started off very interestingly, but by the end – a major cliffhanger – I was only reading to try to find out what was happening, not because I was invested in the characters or their lives. It has a few of my least-favorite tropes – the “you’ll never survive this place” and the love interest/fiance/MMC being a jerk “just because.” This book has an arranged marriage which is what puts Ophelia, our FMC, into the situation that she “won’t survive” but without telling her anything about the situation or trying to prepare her in any way. No explanation as to why she was chosen to marry Thorn, our MMC, no choice given, just off you go to this other world with zero knowledge. There are many mysteries in this world, the things that kept me reading hoping for any type of explanation or resolution, but none were forthcoming. People are terrible, Ophelia seems to have no agency nor any will to gain any and she keeps making dumb choices, and Thorn is a jerk for no apparent reason and has very little contact with Ophelia. There are three other books in this series, but I will not be continuing with them.
Dreadful by Caitlin Rozakis
This was a fun one! Almost a cozy, except for a little blood and guts (mostly off page, not described in great detail). Guy wakes up in an evil wizard’s lair with no idea how he got there or who he is, and the story takes off from there. I don’t want to say more because the journey of discovery is half the fun! I will be looking out for more from this author.
Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold
This is my at least fourth reread of this book, this is firmly in comfort reread territory for me. Not sure if I will go on to reread Paladin of Souls or The Hallowed Hunt this time, as I have several library holds coming in right now, but I may! I have also read all of the Penric and Desdemona books to date, and continue to love them too. I just love the world of the five gods!
Greenwing and Dart series by Victoria Goddard
This was a reread of this entire series too. I love these as much as Penric and Desdemona and the Chalion books! I think there is another book coming out in 2025 in G&D, at least I hope there is. I will be snapping it up as soon as it does!
This has been such a beautiful October, offering cool dry days, sunny skies, and excellent cozy reading weather. Ladies, I am here for it.
A Gentleman Fallen on Hard Times by Grace Burrowes
This is the first Lord Julian Mystery and I really enjoyed it. It’s interesting to see how Burrowes handles the aftermath of the Napoleonic wars in Britain compared to other authors of historical romance. Lord Julian is a fascinatingly complex former officer who deals with physical and psychological aftereffects as well as damage to his reputation stemming from his sojourn in a French military prison. Still, this is far from a trauma wallow, and Julian’s 1st person POV reveals not only his troubled past and difficult present, but also a sharp intelligence and a sly sense of humor. I look forward to the next book in the series.
Lord Julian Mysteries 2-4 by Grace Burrowes
Like Lays, betcha can’t read just one! I’m really loving this series. It’s the perfect level of cozy for me. I don’t necessarily like certain types and levels of violence and suffering, but I can get seriously bored with fiction that lacks any degree of conflict. Since the Lord Julian stories present puzzles and problems sans corpses, they suit me down to the ground. Also I really love the evolving character and subtle wit of Lord Julian as well as his hesitant yet heartfelt forays into a romantic relationship. I expect to finish the series before the next WAYR, but I’ve been rereading the third Stage Dive novel in between the LJMs and, having finished it, I have thoughts.
Lead by Kylie Scott
I adore the second Stage Dive novel, which I read at the beginning of this month, and I often follow it up with the next in the series. Lead is the story of Jimmy Ferris, lead singer of SD and recovering addict, and Lena Morrissey, the underqualified sobriety companion who refuses to take any crap from her client. At least, she’s a badass until she catches feelings. Sadly, once the boning starts, maturity and restraint, ends up in the toilet. Jimmy is a severely damaged and and nastily feral guy. In fact, wild animals are church ladies by comparison. A couple of times he does this thing when he’s under emotional stress (translation: pissed or jealous) where he swings from appreciative friend and passionate lover to mean angry boss who’s willing to publicly humiliate Lena, and it’s horrible. I don’t hate Jimmy, but he zips from one extreme to the other, and by the time he and Lena achieve their final rapprochement, Lena should be in a neck brace. By this point, I can no longer believe in their HEA. I don’t really enjoy a big grovel, but like math teachers the world over, I need you to show your work, Jimmy. Lena needs to see that too, and it’s more than saying sorry or having a short conversation. TL;DR It’s gonna be awhile before I read this again, if I ever do. (I never reread SD4; I hated Ben & Lizzie.)
A Gentleman in Search of a Wife by Grace Burrowes (LJM 5)
Lord Julian tackles a missing person case and has cause to contemplate the many facets of marital experience. His own tentative courtship progresses a bit as well. While this series entry is enjoyable, the mystery’s solution is based on a somewhat wobbly premise.
Passions in Death by J. D. Robb
The 59th entry in this much loved series maintains the actual mystery past the 50% mark, which is kind of a departure for Dallas & co. Usually these are less who-done-its than how-do-we-prove-its. Passions is a more pedestrian murder and not dependent on crime rings, arcane science, conspiracies, or serial killers. Overall, I liked it. At one point, Dallas or Roarke mentions their 3 year relationship, and I’m like, OMG, Eve, you must be soooo exhausted!
A Gentleman of Unreliable Honor by Grace Burrowes (LJM 6)
In this installment, Lord Julian reluctantly obeys a summons from his estranged mother to find some missing letters. Naturally, the task proves more complex than His Lordship expects, and Julian extends his talents to retrieve the tokens stolen from several other house party guests. By the triumphant conclusion, not only is the mystery solved, but the knot that is Caldicott family relationships has also been unraveled a bit more. Very satisfying. So I finished the extant Lord Julian Mysteries and am looking forward to the next, Yuletide themed number 7, which will be released on November 1st.
Louder Than Love by Jessica Topper
This somewhat obscure rock romance is another favorite reread. It has one of the most entertaining meet cutes ever and is steeped in early eighties nostalgia (though it takes place around 2005). The MMC is a reclusive former musician and the FMC is a widow with a young daughter (not a plot moppet). There are some pacing issues and the characters are very far from perfect. The latter, along with the eighties references, could be considered either a feature or a bug. I vote feature! For some, this book might feel somewhat flawed, yet, somehow, I unapologetically love it.
Ten Things I Hate About the Duke by Loretta Chase
After reading and enjoying every one of Loretta Chase’s historical romances, the first Difficult Dukes novel just stumped me, and I had to DNF it. I just couldn’t take the puerile behavior of the main characters. However, I’m happy to report that I loved Ten Things I Hate About You when I finally read it. I especially loved the pairing of steel spined Cassandra with hellion Ashmont. Ashmont is my favorite type of Chase hero, the emotionally supportive sex puppy(™) with an awful reputation. However, he is no mere cookie cutter figure. Both Ashmont and Cassandra are portrayed as nuanced, complex individuals who achieve significant personal growth over the course of the novel. Side note: I particularly enjoyed the portrayal of Cassandra’s parents. Definitely one for the Comfort Reads file.
The Beast Takes a Bride by Julie Anne Long
I don’t necessarily read my pre-orders immediately upon release, but Long triggers the grabby hands. The eighth entry in the Palace of Rogues series did not disappoint. This beastly romance is only loosely related to the fairy tale, though Alexandra’s need to caretake everyone definitely reflects the Beauty of the traditional story as does Brightwall’s dearth of communication skills mirrors the Beast. The protagonists work out their problems against the background of the Grand Palace on the Thames, and the Palace’s collection of charmingly rowdy eccentrics provides welcome touches of humor and lightness.
Text Appeal by Kylie Scott
Yet another new release dropping in tandem with the aforementioned Beast. Kylie Scott is almost always an auto-buy, though, for me, her work ranges from excellent to mediocre to just plain horrid. Fortunately, this one hit at the excellent end of the scale. The romance writer narrator moves from Vegas to a small coastal town in the Pacific Northwest in search of a life reboot, only to find that her new phone number has a previous owner and his ex is sending creepy texts. Hijinks ensue. The result is a thoroughly hilarious take on the small town romance. I actually laughed out loud as I read and overshot my bedtime to finish it. My only caveats were the story’s mere six day journey to luuuurrrrve and the absence of the MMC’s POV. The latter hardly ever bothers me, but in this case, I would have appreciated more insight into his character. Yeah, the book suffered from the insta-love, but it was mostly adorable anyway. However, after four repetitions of the phrase “such is life,” I was ready to bitch slap the narrator.
Deeper Than Dreams by Jessica Topper
As previously noted, I loved the first book in this short series, but this novella did not do it for me. The conspicuous consumption is larded on, and the luxury label name dropping is just obnoxiously dense in the novella format. There was no room for the good stuff–like character exploration. Instead, you get A quasi-Cinderella plot and some foreshadowing of future events that only serves to ratchet up reader anxiety. Frankly, I’m sorry I reread it.
Hate Hex by Gina LaManna
I read this as a change of pace, and it was that. The romance happens between Trixie the reluctant witch and Dominic the 300 year old vampire. It is essentially a chosen one/fated mates story performed against a cardboard backdrop–innocuous yet fundamentally meh. I think I could have liked it, but there was never enough to sink my teeth into. Pun intended.
Enjoy the Fall weather, Ladies, and don’t forget to vote!
@EditChief, @StefMagura, @DDD
Thank you all for your thoughts. Very much appreciated.
I do write my posts in Word beforehand – I too find it helps me to keep a record as I read, otherwise things get forgotten.
I also tried copying into Notepad and pasting across but still no luck.
Maybe length is the issue, although this current attempt is no longer than previous posts of mine, or other posters.
I am going to connect via VPN and try again, in case there’s some sort of inadvertent geoblock that is happening.
What’s the Beckett quote? Try again, fail again, fail better…
OK, here goes…part one:
PRETENDING YOU’RE MINE by LUCY SCORE. M/F contemporary.
The trouble with Ms Score is that she is ridiculous and ridiculously addictive. Her small town stories are populated by over-the-top quirky characters but she writes so winningly that you can’t help but get caught up in their stories.
PRETENDING… is the first in a series of three books set in the town of Benevolence and features grumpy alpha male Luke and relentlessly sunshiney female, Harper. Plus a cast of meddling but supportive family and friends. Add lots of emotion and lots of heat and stir. Entertaining. Ridiculously so…
Still on my CHRISTINA LAUREN voyage of discovery, I picked up THE PARADISE PROBLEM. M/F contemporary, fake marriage, billionaires, power imbalance.
Artist Anna, in her twenties, is living hand to mouth when her (supposedly) ex-husband of convenience comes back into her life with a request to fake it for a couple of weeks at a family wedding because an inheritance is at stake. And by the way, it’s on a luxurious private island. Turns out they’re still married and his estranged, stinking rich family are the toxic clan from hell. It’s proper wish-fulfilment stuff: a secluded island paradise, endless money and lots of sex make it a compelling and enjoyable read. Recommended.
Part two:
ONE ON ONE by JAMIE HARROW. M/F contemporary, sportsball
There’s a lot going on in this book and only some of it is romance. Set in the world of basketball, the FMC has been affected by sexual harassment in a previous job by someone who means a lot to the MMC. So it’s complicated. There’s also an incredible amount of basketball detail. This might appeal to hardcore fans but for me, who knows nothing, it was too much. Even if it was a sport I love (and I am a sports fan), I think it would have been too much. Also, it’s billed as ‘steamy’. It isn’t. I’d give it 3/10 on the Smut Scale. But having said all that, the characters were likeable and the story is reasonably compelling. I believe it’s a debut for this author and she can certainly write but someone (editor? Beta readers?) should have advised her better on the balance of romance and other content. A solid three stars.
ONE TIME ONLY by LAUREN BLAKELY (writing as L. BLAKELY which is her M/M handle). M/M contemporary, bodyguard/rockstar.
This is proper, smutty, man on gorgeous man fun. These guys fall hard, trying to resist each other along the way but failing. Scorching chemistry between a bi, anything goes rockstar and a starchy bodyguard with a past and an honour code. Enjoyable.
My reading for the month is all about bathroom remodeling and choosing through tile, flooring, paint, sinks, and toilets. There’s not a fictional in the bathroom. Until midnight when I fill my mind with alien abductions.
Therefore, my Mt. TBR increases. So all I can say is… thank you all for the suggestions. Especially the ‘A Gentleman Fallen on Hard Times’ series.
Can’t get a ‘proper’ part three to load at all. But I just want to note my absolute favourite in recent weeks: THE FINEST PRINT by ERIN LANGSTON. M/F historical.
It’s a gentle story of two misfits building a life together and it’s just gorgeous. Ms Langston writes so beautifully. Five stars, highly recommended.
Happy reading all.
@kkw GAME OF KINGS is an absolute banger and the whole series is just excellent. I cannot imagine how hard it must have been as a reader waiting for the next one to come out as it was 14 years between the first and last books.
I have been alternating between the audiobooks of THE SANT OF STEEL series (fantastic narrator!) and Caitlin Moran’a WHAT ABOUT MEN? which is making me do some heavy thinking, specifically about the lack of scripts or encouragement towards emotional engagement. I DNFd the Fred the Vampire Accountant audiobook because the dry monotone was super boring. I get that it was meant to be a tonal contrast to the action being described but it sounded like wet paste to my ears.
I’m now off to find a copy of BRIARLEY because that sounds delightful.
Currently reading Kings of the Wyld, by Nicholas Eames. Fun fantasy read.
This month finished Apprentice to the Villain, a fun sequel that ended (unexpectedly to me) without real resolution (ugh). I will definitely read the next book. I also read The Hero of Ages, by Brandon Sanderson. I enjoyed this trilogy but it seemed to take forever to read. Putting the next books on hold for a bit.
On audio, just finished the Graphic Audio of Crescent City 2, which I read some time ago. I love love love Graphic Audio versions. I’m a big audiobook fan (the Murderbot narrator is awesome by the way) but the GA books are a whole other level.
Further in AJ Truman’s South Rock High series of nerd/jock romances, I read ROMANCE LANGUAGES. This one pairs French teacher Julian and baseball coach/Spanish teacher Seamus. This one felt less nerd/jock, as Seamus isn quite a much a jock as Hutch and Raleigh from the previous books. I liked it a lot (besides my issue about the premise) and it certainly delivered on the feels. It’s also a friends to lovers, gay virgin & bi awakening story. This book is also a bit less light than the others, in that there are more serious issues at hand, which brings us also to the CW/TW for fat-shaming and gambling addiction. Julian and Seamus are best friends. Julian is gay, a bit on the bigger side which gets him fat-shamed by his mother and by potential dates, which is why he’s still a virgin at almost 35. He has a ton of hang-ups about his body. And he’s got a huge secret crush on Seamus, who so far has identified as straight. They each think the other one is perfect and has his sh*t together while they have big hang-ups about themselves. Seamus’ big shame is his gambling addiction, which he developed in college and for which he’s paying off debts and working an additional job. When Julian confides in Seamus after another dating disaster, Seamus offers to help him punch his V-card before his birthday – just because he’s a friend. Yeah, that stretches credulity a bit. Seamus admits to a bit of bi-curiosity to himself but not to Julian. I tend to think, without knowing it, he has already been at least a little in love with Julian, otherwise the premise really is a little difficult to believe, as they move so quickly once the story gets rolling. Besides that, like I said, I liked the book. Seamus is so good with helping Julian over issues, and I liked that it does not all go smoothly – in fact, there are several almost-date-disasters. Julian’s grandma is also a hoot, while his mother is just terrible. He stands up to her at the end and she’s starting to see her mistakes, but it’s clear at the end of the book that not all is resolved, which seems realistic. Seamus keeps his shame to himself longer and takes longer to open up to Julian, which also leads to a last-minute crisis. Thankfully, that does not last long, and they both have good friends who are there for them. The friendships in this book series are really great, and they’re one of the reasons I like them. There are, over all these books, couples popping up who have their books in other series by AJ Truman, but it’s no necessity to have read them. Even the South Rock High books still work as stand-alones.
THE BARKEEP AND THE BRO is a book in AJ Truman’s Single Dad’s Club series. Charlie and Mitch, who run the Stone’s Throw Tavern bar, show up in the South Rock High books too, especially in Ancient History, as Charlie used to be Amos’ flatmate. I decided to read this because it promised more Amos. It definitely delivered on that. You just have to love Amos, and he even hints at his history with Hutch. Also, you’ll possibly never look at a zucchini the same way again *lol* – be warned! Otherwise, I found this book a bit more uneven – some things just made me scratch my head. Charlie and Mitch knew each other before (Charlie dated Mitch’s daughter in college) but they meet again a few years later (and Mitch’s daughter Ellie is engaged to another guy) and suddenly they have the insta-hots for each other. And when Mitch suspect Charlie might flirt with one of his female employees, he goes all “no fraternization” – only to start something with Charlie a few chapters later! Also, they are supposed to work Ellies wedding but they find time for shenanigans, even though they’re not supposed to have time for that? Also, Ellie’s occasional spoilt princess behaviour rankled. It’s not super bad, but I didn’t find this as good as the South Rock High books.
HALO by EM Lindsey – another contemporary m/m romance. Thanks to @Al R-B for the rec! This was free on Friday, it sounded like something l’d like and I’ve fread other books by Lindsey. It has an age-gap element (though we’re never given actual ages), a bit of hurt/comfort and disability rep. Also a ton of feels and some very hot scenes. Liked it for all that, though it irked me that it was never clear where the fictional place where it was set was supposed to be – that just felt way too fictional. Also, one of the MCs is rich and has a company he runs with two supposed friend. The company remains mysterious – we never know what it actually does, and we never get any insight how he got to running it with the other two guys, and how he knew them – after all, he had once considered them friends. That bit of background feels not fleshed-out or believable enough to me and it irks me! I liked the romance but I would have liked more background that felt more rooted in reality than it did when it comes that part of the story.
@DiscoDollyDeb: I’m pleased to learn that you also enjoyed Marie Sexton’s BETWEEN SINNERS AND SAINTS and Eli Easton’s FALLING DOWN. Your (as always) thoughtful reviews has me wanting to read them again!
I started DEAD SPEAK, Book 1 in Pandora Pine’s Cold Case Psychic series (KU). I’ve never heard of the author or series, which is odd considering my semi-obsessions with m/m crime fighting lovers. With that said, I’m not sure this one works for me. Early in the book, the big, grumpy (with justification) MMC exhibits some behavior that feels out of character for someone like him but they’re searching for a missing child (TW – the book’s description makes it clear this ends up being a murder investigation) and I need to see justice done. If anyone else has read this series, I’d be interested in your opinion.
I don’t have much to report, on the reading front, but I have begun The Silk Roads by Peter Frankopan, which is a history of the world based around that famous set of trade routes. The style of this book is readable, but there is enough information packed in that makes it a dense read so mileage may vary. I hope to get back to Pamela Belle’s Heron Quartet soon and balance out my nonfiction reading with fictional reading.
My cousin took me to see Joni Mitchell at the Hollywood Bowl and the whole experience was beyond amazing. Flying out of Burbank the next day was also amazing, full of women in concert Tshirts, chatting with each other, sharing their experiences, such great womanly energy. I was thinking that this is how it alway should be.
What I have read:
STONE PRINCESS by Devney Perry. Movie star meets receptionist in auto shop in small town Montana. He is there to make a movie about a murder involving people she knew and loved. Also in the mix, a motorcycle club ex-boyfriend and a secret twin. Ms Perry is always reliable. Four stars.
I scored a copy of Olivia Hayles’ BETWEEN THE LINES which should be out today. (a little disoriented due to too much nursery time) She survived a TV reality/dating show, changed her name and is working as a ghost writer. He owns and heads the studio that oversaw the show. Interesting. And Ms Hayle is also a favored writer.
Did a re-read/some new parts of HelenKay Diman’s Games People Play Series. I enjoyed all of them, though my standouts were the first, THE FIXER, and the second, THE ENFORCER. The basic story is similar in all, a tough woman finds herself in a tougher situation and seeks help from an agency that deals with “problems.” Smart women, damaged but strong men. Would recommend.
ARROGANT ARTIST by JA Low. She was dumped by her long-term BF and he found out his wife was cheating. He is a famous artist but stops painting and falls into a bottle. His cousin hires her as a personal assistant for him, hoping to get him painting again. They are both stubborn and unhappy but gradually start to work together, heal, think about moving on. With each other, Liked this one, too.
I have voted early and am disassociating SO HARD. In that interest, it’s been a lot of reading, a lot of gaming, and some TV to boot (Doctor Odyssey is yummy). I also have another session of the Side Hustle going on, and in the interest of that, I’m rereading His Majesty’s Dragon by Naomi Novik. I still love me some Temeraire, and his curiosity and love for Laurence is somehow even more adorable on reread. I also fished around in my Netgalley shelf and came out with When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi. I really like the approach he’s taking lately, which is “ordinary people put in extremely strange and extraordinary circumstances”. In this one, the moon literally turns to cheese, and havoc ensues. We get perspectives from an Elon-esque billionaire (no spoilers, but his fate is nothing if not funny), POTUS, a preacher who has to manage a very confused congregation (there’s nothing in The Book of Revelation about moons turning to cheese), and various other folks. It was an interesting read, and I always like Scalzi’s sense of humor. I don’t know that I liked it as much as Starter Villain, but I like very few things as much as I liked Starter Villain. Which brings us to now, in which Netgalley gave me the new Nora Roberts book, The Mirror, the second in her Lost Bride trilogy, which comes out this coming month. I am really enjoying the beautiful focus on female friendship in this one, and I still love the ghosts (Clover is a boss and I adore her). Again, I like that Roberts took an approach that was like “let’s do a ghostly gothic” but still put in clever modern touches. So until next time, Lord let this election cycle end well.
I’ve been avoid political ads (I’ve already voted) mostly Pride and Prejudice fanfiction.
I did just finish A SPELL FOR A DUKE by Amy Quinton. It was showcased in Cover Awe thanks to the cat wearing a top hat. It was pretty fun, set up an interesting world, and the sex was pretty hot.
My only complaint? It seems to be the first book in a three book series and there’s NO SIGN of Book Two coming out soon.
Update from last time:
Our Mothers’ War by Emily Yellin. DNF because the library hold lapsed.
Keeping the Castle by Patrice Kindl. DNF just didn’t care enough to keep reading.
The Wedding Witch by Erin Sterling. Finished! Cuter than I expected, and the time travel was handled well, although I still have some questions haha.
Secret History of the Pink Carnation. Let the library hold lapse. I’ll get back to it someday.
New:
Up from Orchard Street by Eleanor Widmer. Part memoir, part historical fiction. It’s been on my TBR forever, and I finally read it. Good, doesn’t shy away from the realities of life in the tenement districts in NYC. Sad that the author passed away before publication, but I’m glad it did make it to publication!
Christmas is All Around by Martha Waters. I really wanted to like this, but maybe reading Christmas romance in October isn’t the move. The secondary characters were way more interesting than the MCs.
Head Over Heels by Hannah Orenstein. Gymnastics themed romance. I think I have just enough gymnastics knowledge where I couldn’t enjoy it fully. But it is cute and I would love another gymnastics romance.
Lightning in Her Hands by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland. Sequel. Wanted to like it, I just felt like the characters aren’t fully fleshed out yet. This was better than the previous one, but I’m just waiting for the third.
Best Hex Ever by Nadia El-Fassi. Enjoyable overall, will keep an eye out for other books from the author.
The Matchmaker’s Gift and The Love Elixer of Augusta Stern both by Lynda Cohen Loigman. The Love Elixer was good enough that I went looking for more books by the autbor, and stumbled across the Matchmaker’s Gift. I absolutely loved the Matchmaker’s Gift, enough that once I finished it, I started it over from the beginning. It may be one I actually end up buying in hard copy.
@DDD – Marie Sexton’s BETWEEN SINNERS AND SAINTS was one of the very first, maybe the actual first, m/m romances I read, many years ago. I’m glad it holds up new (even as a time capsule).