Happy Saturday! We’re halfway through March already. Here’s what we’re reading:
Lara: I’m reading The Name Game by Beth O’Leary. ( A | BN | K | AB ) It’s a mixture of diary entries, emails and flashbacks. It’s still early days, but it’s giving me the kind of feeling that Bridget Jones’ Diary did a million years ago. Will report back!
Sarah: I’m reading Royal Gambit by Daniel O’Malley ( A | BN | K | AB ) because Adam recommended it to me after he finished it. I’ve recommended dozens of books to him over the years but I think this was the first time he finished a book and said, “I think you’ll like this.”
So far it’s entertaining – || there’s a forensic quokka, for one thing. ||
Elyse: Forensic quokka!
Shana: I just started All of Us Murderers by KJ Charles. ( A | BN | K | AB ) It feels too sunny outside for a gothic story, but I’m still enjoying it because how can I not like a Charles book. I’m also reading the suburban horror novel We Came to Welcome You by Vincent Tirado. It’s about a lesbian couple that moves into a gated community and it’s so deliciously creepy.
Elyse: I’m reading The Fox and the Devil by Kiersten White. ( A | BN | K | AB )
Whatcha reading? Let us know in the comments!
Two good books, neither of which are romances. They still might be of interest to the Bitchery.
THE SAFEKEEP by Yael Van der Wouden.It was listed for the Booker Prize, but I’d never heard of it. until I picked it up the other day. Set in the 1960s in the Netherlands about a lonely, repressed woman whose life gets upended when her brother gets a new “lower class” girlfriend. It’s got a mystery in it, but it’s not a mystery. It is sexy at times, but it’s not really a romance. Part of the entertaining thing about reading it (for me personally) is that it ticked so many trope boxes that are *so* romance (there’s only one bed!) but it is written for a literary audience. I guess I could find it infuriating that literary snobs will swoon over tropes when they’re packaged differently, but I chose to find it hilarious. (shrug). I did genuinely enjoy it. It’s very lushly written which is fun. I won’t give too many spoilers, but it also doesn’t have a totally downbeat ending, if that is a dealbreaker to keep someone from trying it.
PLAY IT FORWARD by Togethxr. Togethxr is a brand that sold the T-shirts “Everyone watches women’s sports” and apparently they want to expand into other things (podcasts, books, etc). This was a series of non-fiction essays focusing on contemporary women in sports. Every essay is written by a female or nonbinary journalist. Some of these are stories that sports fans may already know (like when the women’s Jamaican soccer team had to crowd fund to make it to the World Cup), but my favorites were the less known ones, like stories about incarcerated women playing soccer or women in the Yucatan starting their own softball league.
We’re getting work done at the house (new floors). It’s going to look beautiful when it’s done, but right now every room is upended and my garage looks like an episode of “Hoarders”…which is a long way to go to say my laptop and all my notes are inaccessible right now, so I’ll report back at the end of the month when (fingers crossed) everything will be returned to its appointed place.
Despite more limited reading time than usual the past couple of weeks, I’ve still managed to read several books I enjoyed quite a lot.
THE REGRESSOR KING by AJ SHERWOOD was an all-day read that kept me entertained from start to finish. I love AJ’s writing and this book is no exception. King James dies after defeating the Demon King and is looking forward to Paradise. However, when he finds that the man he loves, Edwin, will not be there, James negotiates with the angels and gods themselves for another chance at life. His request is granted and he returns to his previous life at the point where he believes everything started going wrong in his first life. James is allowed to keep his memories which I thought added an interesting twist. The rest of the story is James trying to do his best to win his true love’s heart, avoid the disasters of his previous life, and navigate some pretty complicated family dynamics. I really loved this one and hope to reread it again this summer.
ENTICING THE ELF by LOUISA MASTERS is the second book in her Elf Magic series (a spin-off from her Hidden Species series) featuring Eoin (a former himbo) and Daithi who are in a “situationship” that Daithi is thinking of ending. Daithi just cannot believe that Eoin will be happy with him long term; Daithi has been burned before and is trying to protect his heart. Eoin is not sure what more he can do to prove his trustworthiness; he has done everything he can to not rock the boat and to keep Daithi happy. This leads to the Love Summit – a series of challenges designed to prove (or disprove) Eoin’s ability to be steadfast and meet Daithi’s needs. This one was sweet and funny, with an underlying tenderness (on both characters’ parts) that added depth.
HOW NOT TO KILL A HELLHOUND by SHANNON MAE is book 5 in the Hellhounds of Paradise Falls series. This book features Colin and Sebbie, two characters who have been around since book 1. I was crossing my fingers that their book would hold up to my expectations and, luckily, I got my wish. I enjoyed the heck out of this one. Sebbie, cheerful sweetie that he is, has a very interesting supernatural side to himself that he (and the reader) slowly discover over the course of the book. Colin is the perfect partner for him, refusing to rush Sebbie’s journey but steadfastly supporting him the entire way. Add in Crow, Colin’s familiar, and the story is a delight. Do yourself a favor and read the entire series – it’s a winner!
THE UNSELECTED JOURNALS OF EMMA M LION VOL 4 by Beth Brower somehow took the very high bar of the first three books and raised it even higher. This book truly has ALL the feels…the friendship quartet! The Reprobates Ten! Maxwell!?! This truly has been the most enjoyable entry yet. I both want to savor each book and consume the entire published series as fast as I can…Please let a new volume be coming out soon!!
PIECES OF HOME by BECCA NEIL is the story I landed on when I was searching my TBR for a hurt/comfort story. Ryan Davis was abducted fifteen years ago while walking home from school. He has finally managed to escape but collapses before he can find shelter. Jake is walking on his private beach when he discovers Ryan, unconscious with a storm rolling in. Jake takes Ryan to his home and due to circumstances (don’t look at them straight on, they might not hold up) shelters him for multiple days before the outside world intrudes. While reading this book, I was wrapped up in the story and enjoyed my read. In hindsight, there are a few areas that maybe don’t make a ton of sense, but overall these niggles haven’t impacted my overall positive feeling for the book. Just be aware when you read that you might have to take some events with a few grains of salt.
IGNITING HIS FLAME by HJ WELCH is book #1 in the Redwood Bay Fire series. Dario and Lochlon meet at a puppy training class and a friendship is born both between the two men and between their cute doggies. In a turn of events that only seem to happen in romance books, a fake-dating situation is determined to be the best possible course of events, which to the surprise of no one but our two characters lead to real feelings of love. This was super sweet and while it was a bit predictable, it is a story line I enjoy when done well. Luckily, it was done well here.
A QUIET LIFE IN THE COUNTRY and IN THE MARKET FOR MURDER by TE KINSEY are the first two books in the Lady Hardcastle mystery series. Set in 1909, Lady Hardcastle and her lady’s maid, Flo (our narrator) have moved to the country and soon find themselves caught up in the mystery of a local man found dead in the forest. Add in a second murder and a missing gem during a house party of the local landed gentry, and Emily and Flo are soon up their ears in suspects, clues, and red herrings. The second story also features multiple mysteries (which I think may be a series feature) including murder of a local curmudgeon and theft of multiple rugby club memorabilia pieces. I’m glad there are twelve published books available as I can see this series being in fairly regular rotation until I get caught up.
HAWK and GATOR by JACKI JAMES are the first two books in Jacki’s most recent series, Three Bears Tactical. I used to read this author regularly, but bounced off a few of her series a while ago. While perusing my TBR I saw that I had been intrigued by the blurb of HAWK so gave it a go. Fun and quick-paced with easy to root for characters and bad guys just begging to get their comeuppance, these books were the perfect way to spend a few evenings when I was feeling especially tired.
I’m hoping to check out THE INVISIBLE LIBRARY by Genevieve Cogman. I will read/watch just about anything that has a magical library.
Also waiting on my TBR pile are THE STARLESS SEA by Erin Moregenstern and SAVE YOU by Mona Kasten.
Hope everyone has a good weekend! 🙂
NetGalley copy of WILD GOOSE CHASE by Sarah Adler, featuring a grumpy antiques store owner, his sunny new assistant, and a taxidermied goose. It’s another dual timeline, à la MRS. NASH’S ASHES, but also her first foray into dual POV. So far, so good!
Best new books I read were the mystery DEATH IN THE PALACE by Barbara Hambly (4th in the series so don’t start here, SCANDAL IN BABYLON is the 1st and it might be the best because everything is new or the worst because the characters aren’t comfortingly familiar at that point, depending on your mood, but it’s much of a muchness except there’s a ton of spoilers if you don’t read sequentially) and the Sapphic romance LADY LIKE by Mackenzie Lee which I thought did a fantastic job of making the regency era seem contemporary. There are pros and cons to that approach, of course, but this is what it looks like when done well.
EXCAVATIONS Kate Myers was worth reading, if not spectacular. I guess it’s a mystery although it is not at all mysterious. Also, the narrational voice is kinda bitchy in its attempts to differentiate all the women characters in a way I felt undermined the ostensibly feminist messaging. Also have to shout out the romance MAKE A SCENE by Mimi Grace, which, I didn’t adore it but I did bother to finish it, and for a contemporary m/f romance that’s like, a unicorn. It’s also pretty obvious and straightforward although that’s less of a flaw for me when it comes to a romance vs a mystery. There’s a subplot with the mmc’s parents divorce party that was so interesting to me that I can forgive it not having a satisfying conclusion, especially as the main romance is quite sweet.
Also my hold on a cookbook that was recommended here finally came in. SO EASY SO GOOD by Kylie Sakaida is pretty great. I can’t with nutritional advice that is restrictive, and this isn’t. I also can’t forgo deliciousness in favor of “healthy” which this doesn’t at all require or recommend. And it is really smart about streamlining and batch cooking and smart organization as well! Definitely recommend.
Hello, lovely readers!
I’ve got nothing for you this week. I have not had the patience, or energy, or emotional resistance to open myself up to stories for the last two weeks. Everything’s OK in my personal life, but the state of the world is dragging me down. A billion dollar a day war (never mind the human suffering and ecological nightmare) will do that to you. Working to support resistance and solutions forward in my corner of the world.
Of course, my personal remedy is reading, and that is how I am planning to spend the weekend. I also got some really beautiful upcycled yarn made from old saris, and will be knitting it up as I watch comedies and comedians. Chris Fleming has a new special out, and I can’t wait to see it.
Thanks for putting your recs in — I will be poring over them as per usual.
Peace and love to you all!
I am reading! A book that I will not DNF!!!
THE CROWN’S SILENCE: THE HIDDEN HISTORY OF THE BRITISH MONARCHY AND SLAVERY IN THE AMERICAS by Brooke N Newman is an excellent history (duh) that recenters the British monarchy, not as a bastion of abolitionist sentiment, but as a key player in the establishment of the illegal trade in kidnapped Africans and the establishment of slavery in the Americas.
I have also read Lies and Weddings by Kevin Kwan but I am currently annoyed by the main character and Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett. I don’t want to yuck anyone’s yum so I will just say that Banshee is an all time favorite character.
I finished my Unhinged Bingo card! At the beginning I hypothesized that most/all romance novels had AITA moments on the reasoning that at their core both AITA and romance novels deal with people working through communication issues. I’m not sure I proved my hypothesis, but I will say that I think that the kinds of AITA situations that are present (or not) says a lot about the kind of book it is.
Ceremony In Death (In Death Book 5) by J.D. Robb (library)
Bingo: Swiss Army Knife (Roarke)
This entry in the futuristic romantic thriller/mystery series features Lt Eve Dallas and Roarke investigating a murder with ties to satanism and the occult.
Behind Closed Doors (Kept In Paradise Book 1) by Shain Rose (KU)
Bingo: Sprayed Edges, Social Media Made Me (SBTB new releases post)
This one is a dark, forced proximity mafia romance between a man and his daughter’s teacher/nanny. The plot is about what you’d expect from the cover copy. It didn’t quite work for me as well as it could have, but I think my issue is more of a me thing. I like things that are a dark, but compared to the full range of what is out there, I’m really on the mocha latte end of the coffee as a metaphor for darkness scale. It wasn’t that this was too dark for me, it was more that the humor that was used to lighten things did it’s job a little too well since they tried to add a secret society flavor to it. And, secret societies are really hard to write well because they can come off a little silly . I would call this one frat boys cosplaying supervillains flavored bad guys, which made it hard to take them seriously. But, it might hit just right for someone else!
An Academic Affair: A Novel by Jodi McAlister (KU)
Bingo: Romance Meta-ness, Social Media Made Me ( review )
I really liked this story of two academics who decide to get married to take advantage of the partner hire clause in a new job contract.
Feral Sins (The Phoenix Pack Book 1) by Suzanne Wright (KU)
Bingo: Social Media Made Me ( review )
I feel like this werewolf paranormal should have qualified for more on the bingo card, but it was published in 2012, which makes it too new for the 2000-2010 PNR square and a little too old for knotting to be in a mainstream published work. Alas. For the record, KU has the birthday butt sex version rather than the birthday group sex version mentioned in the SBTB review, which is a sentence I can’t believe I just wrote.
King of the Cage: A Dark Irish Mafia Romance by Mila Kane (KU)
Bingo: Social Media Made Me (FB ads)
The facebook ad promised me mafia and amnesia. The bonkers plot also included infiltrating a secret society with bonus “if we don’t bone in front of everyone right now it will blow our cover”. I think you now have enough information to know what kind of book this is.
Dom-Com by Adriana Anders
Bingo: Conference or Convention (work retreat, but close enough), Social Media Made Me ( review ), Niche Hobby (Constructing book nooks), Favorite author blurb (Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone)
I enjoyed this. The story starts with two people connecting at a sex club and then (surprise!) it turns out he’s the new consultant at her office. How do you feel about sex in the break room?
The Good Girl Effect by Sara Cate (KU)
Bingo: AITA?
So, I enjoyed the sex club aspect of Dom-Com, and I went looking for something else which featured that. I read a couple of books in the Salacious Player’s Club series by Sara Cate last year, and my memory was that they were problematic in spots but interesting. This book features the son of one of the polyamorous couples from that series who now works at a Parisian sex club. He’s a widower with a 5 year old daughter and has had a hard time coping with his wife’s death. She’s the naive new nanny who is unusually intrigued by the strange room she finds in the apartment. And bondage brings them together.
Let’s Make a Scene by Laura Wood (library)
Bingo: Romance Meta-ness (he’s reading Persuasion), Start Mid-Series (it’s billed as a “companion novel” rather than a series, so, look, how seriously are you taking unhinged bingo?), Favorite Author Blurb (Victoria Lavine is on the cover, but the amazon page has quotes from Julia Quinn, Catherine Walsh, Rebecca Ryan, and Lucy Vine), Social Media Made Me (SBTB review), Conference or Convention (epilog at Comic-Con), AITA?
I really liked Under Your Spell when I read it, so I was delighted when the library hold for Let’s Make a Scene showed up. This is a second chance, celebrity, dual timeline, enemies-to-lovers, fake relationship romance. (That’s a lot of check boxes.) And it’s lovely.
Recent weeks have been themed reading for me, with four books in a row that featured actors or former actors as MCs. I enjoyed IN HER SPOTLIGHT, the fourth F/F romance in Amy Spalding’s “Out in Hollywood” series. A few characters from previous books make appearances, but this one is fine as a standalone. It’s a second chance romance and a coming out story, told from the POV of Tess, an actress in her early 30s who has gained fame and wealth as “Princess Platinum” in a superhero movie franchise. Now Tess is returning to her theatrical roots in a small stage production where her secret ex-girlfriend from 12 years prior, Rebecca, has been brought in as the director after the original director was removed because of inappropriate behavior. I liked both MCs and almost all of the large cast of other characters, including the members of Tess’s support team, her friends and family members, and her new contingent of fellow stage performers and crew. The “Out in Hollywood” series has thoughtfully explored queer identity in the entertainment industry without becoming didactic, and with lots of humor, too.
ANDERSON IN BLOOM (available on KU) is the third adult novel by Jennifer Dugan. The illustrated cover is lovely, but I didn’t enjoy this one as much as Dugan’s other adult romances. The MCs in this F/F second-chance romance were former co-stars (and offscreen girlfriends) in a teen TV series, who had a very bad breakup when Andy Duschane fled LA and reinvented herself as florist Annie Lacy, living and working in a small town in Maine. Andy, who narrates this single POV story, is now in her late 20s and is doing quite well out of the Hollywood spotlight until her Oscar-winning ex, Nikki, shows up in the same town. I liked the opening third of the novel and I liked the ending, but getting through the middle was more of a slog than I’d expected. I’m usually a fan of angst-filled stories, but I got a bit weary with the explanations of Andy’s yearning, loathing, lusting, and finally fully listening to Nikki’s side of the couple’s shared experiences and feelings. Also, I was continuously mystified by a key plot element: people ordering flower arrangements from the small shop in Maine to be shipped cross-country, at exorbitant costs. I guess this is something that happens IRL, but I was frequently distracted while thinking about the challenges of transporting Andy’s beautiful bouquets to their far-away destinations.
STAR SHIPPED continues what others have described here as Cat Sebastian’s “all vibes, no plot, lots of feels” style. I haven’t yet read Sebastian’s early historicals but continue to enjoy her more recent M/M romances. The slow burn coupling of TV series co-stars Simon and Charlie, told from Simon’s anxiety-ridden and migraine-plagued POV, is touching, and funny, and I agree with @Lara’s recent review that describes this book as an “exemplary” romance.
I don’t remember why I acquired the middle grade book TAKE IT FROM THE TOP by Claire Swinarski, but it’s a well-written story about the broken and then healed friendship between two 13-year-old girls, set at a summer theater camp where the MCs have achieved their long-time goal of co-starring as Glinda and Elphaba in a production of “Wicked.” The book has many moments of teenage self-reflection, good side characters (parents, siblings, camp friends and counselors), and a theatrically appropriate happy ending.
Missed the the last WAYR due to quilt retreat, so I’ll try not to run on. Also, sigh, I had to come back from quilt retreat.
The accidental 2026 reading trend continued with A DRAGON RIDER’S GUIDE TO RETIREMENT from Julia Huni. Head dragonrider, William Ordell, has been forced into retirement by the new king – the man whose life he saved at the cost of his dragon. He moves to a small island, SAFE HAVEN. Also new to the island is Calantha, former war witch from the kingdom William’s fought against. And William’s dragon was killed by a strike from war witch, so….. Lots of interesting characters who pull together to create a fire brigade by taming SEA DRAGONS. There was a bit of magic wand plot resolution, but on the whole a fun read because, Sea Dragons!
Helen Harper’s WAIFS AND STRAYS was a free download on Kindle (probably still is) so I wasn’t expecting much, but this was actually pretty entertaining with an antisocial middle aged main character of mysterious origins with a clowder of cats whose life is upended when she rents a flat to a teenaged lone wolf. She teams up with another lone wolf (romance in the air?) when the boy disappears. Cohesive world building with a snarly MC = better than average free read.
WHEN AMONG CROWS from Veronica Roth was a short inventive tale full of Slavic lore and set in Chicago. Dymitr arrives in Chicago to obtain a magical object that allows him to bribe a creature to lead him to Baba Yaga – not a person one trifles with. Original and engrossing, but have Google open to deep dive creatures you may have never heard of.
Taking a pause from the paranormal/fantasy into not necessarily romantic suspense the GBPL came up with Nalini Singh’s latest stand alone suspense SUCH A PERFECT FAMILY. This one was interestingly told from a male character’s POV, and an unreliable on at that. Okay, maybe not so much unreliable, as a man with many secrets he’s trying to keep while the investigation into the deaths of his new wife’s family moves around him. Tavish’s previous relationships have raised eyebrows and suspicion. A new life in New Zealand with the beautiful woman who sweeps him off his feet is just the ticket until tragedy strikes. While she lies in a coma, he’s desperate to find answers before his past railroads him into an arrest. This worked on so many levels. The slow reveal of his history, the investigation of both past and current deaths, the unraveling of his in-laws perfect image. It’ll keep you guessing.
I was both happy and sad for Kelley Armstrong’s latest Havens Rock, FIRST SIGN OF DANGER as it’s the next to the last book in the series. I admire an author who says they’re writing a six book series and stick to it, but I do love these characters and Dalton patrolling with a baby strapped to his chest is delightful. On was such patrol Casey & Dalton encounter a pair of hikers. Never a good thing when you’re building a secret refuge for people in hiding. And of course one of those hikers ends up dead. The search is on for the other hiker. Is she a murderer or victim? And when another body is found, a bigger mystery is revealed because he’s not the other hiker.
And now I’m immersed in the Ruinous Love trilogy: BUTCHER AND BLACKBIRD, LEATHER & LARK and SCYTHE & SPARROW. I’m late to the party, but all in. I don’t know that I have been grossed out and hysterically laughing at the same time before. They are both graphically violent and graphically sexy, but deeply romantic and clever at the core. Three brother with great day jobs and morally black sidelines (except the youngest who’s been fighting his dark side, but I feel true love is going to change that) find love and romance with a side of serial killing.
All the thumbs up.
I’ve been reading the Hat Trick series by Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn. So far I’ve liked the second book, “Goalie Interference”, best, but the third book (“Trade Deadline”) has had a good start.
I’ve also been continuing Rachel Reid’s books and reading a LOT of “Heated Rivalry” fanfic on Ao3.
I’ve read lots of “just ok” books lately, so I decided to reread Thea Harrison’s MOONSHADOW trilogy, which is set in the same world as her Elder Races series, with a few mentions of characters in that one, but otherwise, not much crossover. This trilogy is great, featuring 3 absolutely kicka** FMCs who can rescue themselves, thank you very much, even as they put their somewhat overbearing alpha MMCs in their place. I only meant to reread the first book but ended up zipping through all of them. I’m so sad that the author has had health problems that put an end to her writing a few years ago. I think she has hoped to get back to it but just hasn’t been able to. Fingers crossed that she gets better at some point.
Aside from that, I read delightful novella (not a romance) called THE GOOD TIME VAMPIRE ESCORT SERVICE by Jody Wallace, in which a former NFL star running back got turned into a vampire as a result of a worldwide pandemic that decimated the population, and now, 50 years later, wants nothing more than to start up a new vampire football league and get back to doing what he does best. This was just a light, fun read and I was impressed at how much world building the author managed to get into a novella.
So far this month is starting out with some excellent books. Several found a home in the Comfort Reads folder. That and watching the snow recede have been my bulwark this month.
Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett
I approached this book with a pleasant buzz of anticipation and was not disappointed. Fawcett again provides a highly original take on magic in this cozy alt history set in a magician infested Montreal. Agnes is a kind-hearted, practical widow running an animal charity with the help of her married sister. When their headquarters becomes collateral damage in a sorcerous spat, the cat shelter is forced to move into new quarters with a mysterious anonymous landlord. Adventures ensue when the charity is targeted by both rogue magicians and municipal authorities. This story is a treasure trove of great characters, both human and feline. Agnes is a wonderfully nurturing and sturdily nonmagical heroine, and her story is flavored with just a soupçon of romance. This one is definitely destined for the Comfort Reads folder. Recommended.
War for the Oaks by Emma Bull
(Bingo: N-2, character standing in for a real celebrity) Reread
CW: use of slurs to demonstrate negative character traits of speaker.
It’s been more than 20 years since I read this, but I believe that, unlike people, books can be revirginized. My memory of that first reading is appropriately dim; I remember a sense of tenebrous uncertainty as I read, and liking it but not loving it because: creepy bits. In fact, no moment of this reread struck me as familiar, except the doggy companion and the shadowy edginess inherent in the story. I may have missed the beauty of the prose entirely back then, been bewildered by the vivid descriptions of music, and felt uncomfortable with the sensual aspects of this book. But I get it now. The moody Minneapolis setting, the intense rock romanticism of Eddi’s band, and the finely detailed rendering of the Fae courts are perfectly integrated and elevate War for the Oaks to classic status. This novel is not just one of the first urban fantasies; it is one of the best. Recommended.
Prom King by Penny Reid
The long-awaited third and final book in the Three Kings series completes the saga of three friends who’ve known each other since their high school years in a tiny Texas town. Told from the POV of Alison, a fellow alum, it is an homage to A Christmas Carol in which Alison takes the role of Scrooge, and Alaric, her former (and complicated) crush, plays all the ghosts. Sadly, this works better as a classic retelling than as a romance, and as a retelling, it retains all the didactic moralism of the original. This is not a terrible book by any means, but it’s probably not for anyone who’s lost patience with rich people problems or has trouble believing that two people who haven’t seen each other in eighteen years are going to fall in love within three days.
To be fair, don’t judge this book by its blurb either, which I found misleading, as it suggests a much fluffier tale than the actual story. If I seem overly harsh, it’s probably due to my dislike of the Dickensian source material. My one, true Scrooge will always be Mr. Magoo.
Star Shipped by Cat Sebastian
I initially had some trouble wrapping my head around the narrative voice of this book. Third person present tense is used to tell Simon and Charlie’s story from a seemingly omniscient POV. However, unlike old school third person omniscient, this storyteller’s voice is far from neutral with a LOT of exposition about the state of Simon’s mind and emotions while Charlie’s feelings are conveyed more by dialogue and external observations. Once I adjusted my expectations, this really worked for me. The tension between these two guys is entirely plausible, and understanding Simon’s physical and mental health problems allows the reader to appreciate his growth arc from an initially unlikable character to someone capable of giving and receiving love. As Simon’s perceptions change, the reader also gains a deeper understanding of Charlie’s vulnerabilities and fundamental kindness. I feel like a lot of people have raved about this book recently, so I won’t add much more–only that I loved it. Though Charlie was sweet, with hidden depths to be plumbed, Simon sunk his mudhooks into all my tenderest feelings. And the writing was magnificent. So, all the stars!
Honey Bee Mine by Sarah T. Dubb
I really enjoyed Dubb’s first novel and was looking forward to this one. While this is a well written small town love story, with likable if not complex characters, it lacks the spark of originality that enlivens Birding With Benefits. This cozy rural romance is a perfectly pleasant (not twee) read that I had no trouble finishing. There are a few moments that made me think about SB Sarah’s recent After Dark post about what elements of modern romance might be letting us down (lack of communication and a surfeit of tropes in this case). However, I happily look forward to Dubb’s next book.
The Fly-Half and the Fling
This sports romance was mentioned in a recent Rec League, and features Rhiannon, a professional women’s rugby player and Robert, a sports journalist. I really enjoyed the Irish setting, the family interactions, and the voices of the MCs. The rugby background and the discussions of women in sport are potentially interesting, but there really isn’t enough actual rugby to keep it from seeming kind of generic. While I appreciate the disability and mental health rep, Robert is dealing with so many separate heavy issues that it felt kind of gratuitous. A bigger problem is the way he handles or fails to handle the big ethical conflict that’s obviously going to blow up in Rhiannon’s face. However, just as I’d get frustrated with the story, the MCs would surprise me–generally in a good way. While I’m willing to try another book by this author, I’m having trouble sorting out my feelings for this one. Def a case of ymmv.
Grand Passion by Jayne Ann Krentz
Reread
This romance is one of a handful of JAK’s books that I reread every few years. Some of it is meta af, some of it is completely over the top, and some of it is just laugh-out-loud funny. The tech is dated like it’s 1994, but that’s not a bug; it’s a feature. Remember car phones? There are also wonderful characters, an evocative setting in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, and a pair of mystery subplots. Max and Cleo are a truly delightful couple, and their story is as much about finding family as it is about finding love. Heartily recommended.
Scoring a Spouse by Liz Lincoln
I had some pretty mixed feelings about this one. After meeting in a bar and sharing midnight nachos and conversation with Nate, pro soccer player Erika wakes up thinking that a marriage of convenience is the perfect solution to her health insurance problems and his grandma’s desire to see him married before she dies. I like that the newlyweds build a friendship before the sexytimes commence and that each has a circle of supportive family and friends. I do not like the sometimes sloppy writing, the quantity, repetitiveness, and mediocrity of all sex scenes after the first one, the constant reiteration of the MCs’ trifling reasons for not making it real, and the continual lying to those who deserved better. It’s neither the best nor the worst sports romance I’ve ever read, but it does have actual soccer in it. Definitely ymmv.
After Hours at Dooryard Books by Cat Sebastian
A couple of years ago I DNFed one of Sebastian’s Regencies because the slow pace disagreed with me. Now I’ve just finished my second novel by this author, and I am hooked. I don’t know whether it’s the fine writing, the twentieth century tim period, or the found family vibe, but this book really works for me, and I can’t wait to read more by Sebastian. I will say that I didn’t find this cozy, since the parallels between the sixties and the present are painfully evident. Worst of all is recognizing that apparently we didn’t learn shit. Recommended, if there’s anyone besides me who hasn’t already discovered this gem.
Snow yesterday, then a hailstorm this morning. Seattle is having weather! The daffodils are pretending to ignore it all.
Just finished Rosamund Pilcher’s WINTER SOLSTICE and loved it. I’d forgotten this kind of book exists. Talk about a comfort read! Though it does have some tough stuff: TW for loss of a spouse and child due to a car accident. It’s a complicated group of people + a stranger caught in a manor house in Scotland due to holidays and snow. Just lovely. I’d read her THE SHELL SEEKERS back in the day but had missed this one.
Also loved Cara Bastone’s f/m marriage in trouble story, NO MATTER WHAT. Here a couple dealing with PTSD after an accident find themselves falling apart and away from each other. Wrenching, but rebuilding. Cara Bastone’s men give me faith in human kind.
Lara’s review made me check our library for Cat Sebastian’s STAR STRUCK on release day and I snagged both the ebook and the audiobook. I really enjoyed this.
Also has a good time with Rachel’s Reid’s ROLE MODEL, since I wanted to read Troy’s story once I heard Ilya of HEATED RIVALRY and THE LONG GAME appeared in this. I liked Troy and Harris’s romance and loved the glimpses of Ilya.
Also really enjoyed A. G. Slatter’s folkloric fantasy, A FOREST DARKLY. Slatter’s take on dark folklore works for me much like T. Kingfisher’s does. Here a witch hiding from her past in a forest near a remote village has a new apprentice dropped on her for sanctuary just when strange things start happening in the forest.
Liked the third in Kerri Maniscalco’s Prince of Sin f/m romantic fantasy series, THRONE OF NIGHTMARES. Here the Prince of Sloth gets caught up in traveling through a series of extreme romance tropes with a librarian.
Liked Elizabeth May’s f/m romantic fantasy, THE WOLF AND THE CROWN OF BLOOD. Here a princess has been continually sacrificed to the gods since childhood, dying and being resurrected. Her people start to worship her and so the leader of the gods sends one of his assassin gods to get rid of her–however, the assassin just can’t bring himself to do the deed…
Jessica Sherry’s f/m contemporary EVERY CHANCE AFTER about an over-worked closed-off veterinarian MMC who falls asleep at the wheel and hits the car of the FMC who is on her way to her wedding with the heirloom knife to cut the cake on her lap so it won’t slide around in the car. So, damage. Yeah, this a tough but lovely one. I will definitely be reading more of Sherry’s work. Grab this one if you have KU. I did read her second f/m romance novel, EVERY GOOD THING, another marriage in trouble due to PTSD story but it didn’t hit so well after NO MATTER WHAT. Still have other Sherry now on my TBR.
I’m not actually sure why I stuck with Veronica Lancet’s f/m romantic fantasy, FAIRYDALE. I guess I sometimes like this type of story with mysterious people and towns and hidden histories (not the gruesome parts so much) and things getting more and more complicated and several timelines. But while it was immersive, it was hey wow longer than it needed to be. I did consider a DNF due to the length, but lazily stuck with it and it carried me through.
Over the past two weeks ~
— very much enjoyed Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy which is the first book in a planned fantasy trilogy. It is set in a world in which magic usually requires both a scriver and a caster. Two young men, both students of magic, become bound together by a forbidden spell and must work together to break it. I look forward to reading on in this series.
— enjoyed rereading You Should Be So Lucky by Cat Sebastian. It’s a 1960s era romance featuring a baseball player, new to NYC and unpopular, and a journalist who is grieving the death of his longtime (secret) partner.
— stayed up late finishing Last One at the Party by Bethany Clift. This was published in 2021 and begins in London in late 2023. The world, having learned from Covid, quickly goes into lockdown when a new virus appears. The virus is dubbed 6DM as people live six days maximum once they are infected; there is no cure (and certainly no time to find one). The lead character recounts her story in a journal as she comes to terms with being alone after the deaths of her husband, parents, friends, and all of London. I found the lead character rather unsympathetic, but I happily read on to find out what would happen to her and the dog she rescued. I would caution against reading this if you have a great love of animals or if you have a weak stomach.
— read Grey Enigmas by Gareth Lewis which is set in a future of our world where everyone is telepathic and where crime generally does not occur. One of the leads is awoken from a rehabilitative sleep sentence to help a deputy solve a murder.
— enjoyed Let’s Connect by Kelly Jensen which is a contemporary romance novella featuring two men (early fifties) who are best friends. One encourages the other, who is recently divorced, to join a site (the title of the book) to make a connection that will hopefully lead to a romance.
— very much enjoyed a reread of the science fiction novella The Sentinel by Eden Winters which features an augmented soldier, a baby he rescues, and a man on the planet to which they escape. It’s about family and is a lovely romance.
— enjoyed the newest book in a favorite mystery series, Murder in Mistake by Anne Cleeland. I never try to solve the mystery, I simply enjoy spending time with the characters. If interested, I recommend starting with the first book, Murder In Thrall.
— quite enjoyed a reread of a favorite book during some recent stressful times, The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison. If you are a reader of fantasy or like stories about genuinely good people, I recommend this highly.
— read Fish and Ghosts by Rhys Ford which I’d describe as a romance with paranormal elements. One lead is a man who owns a mansion at which ghosts stay for three days before moving into the light. The other is a man renowned as a debunker of frauds who is hired by the first man’s extended family as they’d really like to acquire his property.
— reread the first two books in a mystery series that I originally read in 2018 and enjoyed them again, Ice Blue and Blue Murder by Emma Jameson. They are set in London and feature a nearing sixty chief inspector, a baronet, and a thirtyish detective from the projects.
I’m reading TO SEDUCE A SINNER by Elizabeth Hoyt. Not a huge fan of Georgian settings but it’s very good!
Finished Cat Sebastian’s STAR SHIPPED and loved it. Simon’s mind takes a moment to get into and to warm up to, but I loved it. As always with Sebastian now, all vibes, not a huge plot, but everything to love. And like the other reviews have said, Charlie’s feelings clearly show through in his actions. For all those just getting into Sebastian, I can pretty much recommend everything she’s written. Her last few books were mostly on the all-vibes-not-a-lot-of-plot line, but she does that so well with the slow burns that I love. The first time she did this I think was one of her Regencies, Two Rogues make a Right, but she has written other things too – mysteries (Page and Somers), send-ups of Regency tropes (The Ruin of a Rake – I love this one so much!) or a sort of queering The Sound of Music (It Takes Two to Tumble). I can only say, go and read them all!
Otherwise, I’ve been more in rom-com territory, with varying results. HOW TO SELL A ROMANCE by Alexa Martin was mentioned here recently and has been mentioned before, so I tried it. It has a kindergarten teacher who gets pulled into a beauty MLM and a journalist on a crusade against said MLM because it ruined his marriage. It sounded interesting and it touched on some very itneresting themes that could have been expanded upon, but then I guess it would have been a different book. The woman that pulls the FMC into the MLM is also her principal. And we see how she abuses her position for the MLM. I can see this happening in real life, but here this really problematic thing is solved so quickly – and not even fully on-page – that it was just dissastisfying. I know, the love story has to take center stage, what did I expect, but I was disappointed anyway. The MLM side of the story was realistic I think but it could have been explored more as in how these companies exploit women. Speaking of the love story, this didn’t convince me either. The MMC is breathtakingly hot and behaves terribly at the beginning. The FMC comes across as just too naive and cutesy and honestly keeps making terribly financial decisions. Which is not cute at all. Their story starts off with a hot one night stand that turns terrible, turning them into enemies and then back into lovers. Though I didn’t really see the growth from pants feelings to actual feels. Also, we get the hot sex scene right at the beginning of the book. Which is unusual – but maybe not the best idea? How do you even follow up on that? So all in all, not a great read IMHO.
MUCH OBLIGED by DP Clarence – m/m rom-com. Third in his Brent Boys series, featuring TV producer Petey Boy whom we’ve met in previous books as a side character. His love interest is the drowning in debt aristocrat who owns the stately home that a new reality TV show is being filmed in. This can be read on it’s own like the other books in the series, but it was nice seeing characters from the other books popping up or being mentioned. Most of all, eccentric Karma turns up again as William’s equally eccentric hippie mom’s BFF. Like the other books, this one has lots of themes around pop culture, reality TV, tabloid news reporting and social media, and what these can do to people. The love story itself is cute and also has a fake engagement/relationship, though there is a third act breakup that was not needed IMHO and William’s idea on how to make things right is just a bit too cutesy. Also, the producer’s change of heart at the end is not quite believable, but of course it helps bringing along the full HEA – not as much for the two MCs as for the debt-ridden estate.
It’s not that long ago that I read book 2 in the series, GOING SOLO, which I think I forgot to mention here. This one features two MCs who originally met as 16-year-olds at the casting for music reality TV show for a One Direction-like band. One of them gets cast for the band and becomes a megastar, the other one gets eliminated on the show and becomes a laughing stock due to a throw-away comment and how he’s being shown on TV. This MC, Toby, gets badly burned by his experience but manages to build a career as a successful radio host and music critic, whilst Cole, the other MC, lands in boy band mega stardom – and back in the closet. Until he leaves the band, comes out – and goes about winning Toby back. This one broke my heart a few times for both characters. We’ve heard enough stories about how reality TV works and how boy bands were/are controlled by producers, so this feels all absolutely realistic. This book touches on a lot of heavier themes with what both MCs go through or have been through, but being a rom-com, does not find the time to dive deeper into them. With Cole, I would have loved to have seen more from his side about how he experienced his time on the show and what came after, while with Toby, I understand how badly he was burned by being turned into a terrible meme and that coming up again when the press gets a whiff of their relationship. Also the aspect of Cole’s rabid fans who turn against Toby and his family and this leading into a third act breakup (which feels plausible from Toby’s view), which then turns back into the HEA with a grand gesture from Toby – and all is seemingly resolved. All this left me wanting a bit more depth and a better resolution. Also problematic is the way Cole goes about getting in touch with Toby again, because Toby refuses to even talk about him, and surely not to him. So he basically blackmails the cash-strapped radio station in running an exclusive show around his new tour – with Toby hosting it. Not a wholly bad book, the basic story is a good one and it is a very current story, but some aspects of it left me wanting more or felt a bit iffy.
:::moves the cat so she can type:::
You guys, this big boy that I adopted in January? STAGE 5 CLINGER AND I LOVE HIM SO MUCH. But he still had to move.
So let’s see. I just finished World’s Okayest Oracle (Reluctantly) Seeks Demon by Olivia Dade. It’s the second in the series that she started with Zomromcom, and stars an oracle that just came into her power, much to her surprise, and the demon that she formed a connection with two decades earlier, but hasn’t seen since a particularly humiliating event. It was fun, and had a bit of everything and possibly the kitchen sink, but Dade makes those kinds of things work, and the characters were funny and engaging (I’m particularly amused by the trolls). Then I started two books today. The first was my audiobook of Girl On Girl: How Pop Culture Turned a Generation of Women Against Themselves by Sophie Gilbert. So far, it’s extremely interesting, which was what I expected, being highly interested in both feminism and pop culture. I also started The Paris Match by Kate Clayborn. It’s spring, I want something bright and romantic and maybe a bit swoony. I think this will tick those boxes nicely.
I’ve been floundering around a bit for a next book since finishing Alix E Harrow’s brilliant THE EVERLASTING, to my great frustration. I had a great couple of executive functioning months, during which I read, painted, cleaned, wrote, and did laundry, and it all felt gloriously effortless. Now I’m struggling to scribble out a single sentence or get past the first page and the laundry threatens to overtake me again. I hate it.
But I read a few children’s picture books, which are like chicken soup and rice for an ailing brain; gentle easy to digest recovery food until the invalid is able to handle something more substantial. I read THE SNOWY DAY by Ezra Jack Keats for the first time, which was delightful, and I fell head over heels in love with GIANT ON THE SHORE, by Alfonso Ochoa and illustrated by Azul Lopez. Giant on the Shore is the most gorgeous wistful evocative magical prose poem of a picture book and I wish I could write like this, dang.
I’m scared to jinx it but I THINK that maybe my brain might finally be adhering to THE VILLAGE LIBRARY DEMON-HUNTING SOCIETY by C.M. Waggoner. I hope.
The only new book I’ve finished recently is Patricia Wrede’s Searching for Dragons, recommended here I think. It’s charming. Like other readers, I find current events are reducing my bandwidth for new fiction, so have been rereading old favorites by CJ Cherryh and Katherine Addison. Revisiting the lovely Tomb of Dragons at the moment, realizing that I first read it almost exactly a year ago. I loved it so much, I read it straight through twice.
If people need something to heal the heart a bit, let me recommend Naomi Novik’s recent novella, The Summer War.
Have just started the last (sigh) Phyne Fisher mytstery, Death in the Cathedral, and don’t want to finish too soon.
Hopping from foot to foot waiting for T Kingfisher’s Daggerbound, as I loved Swordheart – and practically everything else from her pen/keyboard.
Looonnnnggg time lurker but this is my first time posting to Watcha Reading. I’ve gotten so many recs from this post over the years. Thank you all!
March has started out with a bang, both weather-wise and reading-wise. Not sure it’s sustainable for the rest of the month, but we’ll see.
THE FROZEN RIVER by Ariel Lawhon-story of a midwife in 18th century Maine/Massachusetts. Per the author’s note, it’s loosely based on a real woman, Martha Ballard. There are content warnings for childbirth, child death, and sexual assault. The story is fascinating and the writing is atmospheric. If you are looking for a thoroughly satisfying ending to a story, this did it for me.
LADY FORTESCUE STEPS OUT by MC Beaton-satisfied a bingo square (First name last name does a thing). This is a traditional regency from the early 1990s. I never read them back then, preferring the beefier historical romances. But this was entertaining as an audio book and on the shorter side, so I think I’ll listen to the rest of the series on my commute.
NEVER BEEN SHIPPED by Alicia Thompson-I think I’ve read all of Thompson’s books and enjoyed most of them. This one didn’t really hit though. Partly it’s me–not a fan of musicians/band characters. But I also felt like the FMC, Micah, didn’t grow nearly enough. So, just kind of meh.
FORGET ME NOT by Stacy Willingham-also just kind of middling. Once again we have a supposedly bright main character who acts anything but. Some loose ends were not tied up either, which is annoying.
WRECK by Catherine Newman-this will surely date me, but I used to read Newman’s blog posts on Babycenter back in the late 90s/early 00s. Always enjoyed her humor. So last year I picked up SANDWICH, which follows a family somewhat similar to Newman’s own, though the book is fiction. Found it hilarious, touching, real, and focused on issues that spoke to me at this time in my life. WRECK is a continuation of that family’s story. Still funny and heartfelt.
Welcome, @Hank! I read THE FROZEN RIVER several months ago and found it an intriguing book.
Hi, everyone!
It’s been ages since I’ve WAYRed, and part of it is just feeling overwhelmed by work and mostly the state of the world :/
I’ve done a LOT of rereading so far this year–I reread Marie Harte’s McCauley Brothers and Body Shop Bad Boys, all set in the same Seattle universe. Then I dove into nearly all of Brigham Vaughn’s m/m hockey and sports universe with the Rules of the Game, Relationship Goals, and Scoring Chances series. I then pivoted to DEVIL IN WINTER (Lisa Kleypas) and LORD OF SCOUNDRELS (Loretta Chase), two of my favorite historical Sebastians. From there I went to Beth Bolden’s Kitchen Gods series, set in the lovely Napa Valley. And then back once more to m/m hockey with Ashlyn Kane and Morgan James’s Hockey Ever After series.
A couple excellent first time reads–Kelly Jamieson’s ON THIN ICE, Beth Bolden’s STEALING HIS THUNDER, Maryann Jordan’s CASPER, and Kelly Farmer’s THE BRIGHTEST BLAZE.Can’t wait to catch up with what you’ve all been reading!
My lupus was acting up and I was prone on the couch for a lot of the past six weeks. The only thing I read in the past month was Tessa Bailey’s CATCH HER IF YOU CAN. Believe it or not, it’s the first Tessa Bailey novel I’ve read. I was in the mood for a baseball romance since it’s spring training. It’s a romance between two high school friends, one of whom is a catcher for the Yankees. It left me a bit meh. One of my problems is that if I think the plot has a hole, it’s hard for me to buy in — in this case, the heroine marries the hero for health insurance for her sister’s twins when she becomes their guardian. No CHIPs? No filing for child support? but your mileage may vary.
Hoping to get my reading mojo back once the meds have me feeling better.
I read WITCHES OF DUBIOUS ORIGIN by Jenn McKinlay, which was fun. It’s a cozy paranormal mystery about a librarian who refuses to use her witch powers, until the family grimoire arrives in the mail and undead people start trying to kill her. She seeks the aid of a mysterious department of a private-collection library; the department is called Books of Dubious Origin or DOBO. The staff of DOBO are quirky and interesting, and there is the start of a romance between the main character and one of the staff. It reads like the beginning of a series; I hope it is!
I started AGNES AUBERT’S MYSTICAL CAT SHELTER by Heather Fawcett, and THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB by Richard Osman, but I haven’t finished either one yet. Instead, because it has been a rough month between family eldercare issues and trying to get the house ready to sell, I reread several of Celia Lake’s Albion books, which are my current (since 2021) comfort reads. For those not familiar with her, Lake writes historical fantasy, usually but not always romances. Her books are feature thoughtful, kind, intelligent, and competent people; the books are usually slow-paced, somewhat cozy; the relationships are often slow-burn (but not always), and the characters are scrupulous about consent, usually verbal. The worldbuilding is reminiscent of a certain wizarding world, but better constructed, more logical, and for the most part, kinder. In the past two weeks, I reread:
— THE FOSSIL DOOR: Gabe has ADHD; he’s young and posh but extremely skilled at sorting out magical problems. Rathna is the orphaned daughter of Bengali working-class immigrants; she is slightly older than Gabe, and is a Portal Keeper trained and raised by her Jewish apprentice mistress. It’s set in the Scottish Highlands in the early 1920s and features a magical portal gone wrong, and the possibility of something dragon-like in the vicinity.
— OLD AS THE HILLS: Same two main characters, now married with children, at the onset of WWII. Each of them is working (separately) on projects that will aid the war effort: Gabe is attempting to coordinate the magic-adjacent efforts by non-magical esoteric groups, and Rathna is on the Continent, trying to set up a portal to get more people (Jewish and otherwise) out of Germany. This isn’t a romance in the classic sense, but the mature love between them is deep and clear despite the fact that they spend most of the novel apart. Lots of both characters being very competent, and appearances by a number of characters from previous novels as well.
— UPON A SUMMER’S DAY: Picks up where Old as the Hills left off. This one focuses much more on Gabe, his Challenge to become a member of Albion’s Council, and the aftermath thereof.
— ILLUSION OF A BOAR: Four younger characters (late 20s to early 30s), all of whom were students at Schola (one of Albion’s magical schools) in previous books, are tasked with a secret war effort in the buildup to D-Day. The non-magical side of Britain is working to fool the Axis powers into thinking the Allied invasion will come at Calais rather than Normandy; Claudio, Orion, Hypatia, and Cammie are charged with creating the magical part of the illusion, on their own with little support. All four are POV characters, and equally important, but the romance is only between Orion and Hypatia. Good diversity in this one, too: both women are POC, and Orion is autistic and probably ADHD as well.
I also reread several collections of extra scenes and stories related to the above books. Currently, I’m rereading a novella that takes place after Illusion of a Boar, THREE GRACES.
@Carol S. ~ sending good wishes that your medication will soon bring improvement.
I re-read Susanna Kearsley’s “Mariana”, which is a pitch-perfect time-slip novel, starting with an old house the heroine recognises.
@kkw, Barbara Hambly is such a versatile and prolific author, and I remembered reading a long-ago book by her set during the silent film era in Hollywood, and found it after some searching-BRIDE OF THE RAT GOD. It sounds like she returned to that setting in the series you are reading.
My reading was so-so this month. THE SHOP ON HIDDEN LANE by Jayne Ann Krentz(contemporary paranormal) was her usual predictable comfort read. So was Mary Balogh’s REMEMBER THAT DAY, but I skimmed some of it, it was a bit dull.
BETTER THAN A DUKE by Suzanne Enoch was OK, a Regency era Parent Trap. Two kids scheme to get their widowed parents together. I prefer the old angstier and meatier Enoch books like ENGLAND’S PERFECT HERO and MEET ME AT MIDNIGHT.
Probably the best thing I read was two old Westerns by Jo Goodman. IN WANT OF A WIFE was a mail order bride story, and THE LAST RENEGADE had more of a mystery plot. T/W for lots of violence and SA. There is one more in this series that I’ll be seeking out.