Welcome back! March is coming to a close. Here’s what we’re reading right now:
Lara: I’ve just started The Luckiest Lady in London by Sherry Thomas from 2013! It’s my first historical romance of hers so I’m excited for it. So far I’m enjoying it but I’m only one chapter in!
Claudia: I just finished A Most Worthy Husband by Faye Delacour ( A | BN | K | AB ) and really liked it, except the ending felt very rushed. Great working-class hero.
Sarah: I am reading Here for All the Reasons: Why we Watch the Bachelor, ( A | BN | K | AB ) an anthology edited by Ilana Masad, and Stevie K Seibert Desjarlais
It’s a terrific collection of critical essays that examine the culture and fandom of the Bachelor franchise and it could not arrive at a more appropriate time.
One essay by Jeanna Kadlec examines the way the franchise is Evangelical coded and “peddles conservative fantasy.” And she wrote something I cannot stop thinking about: “The contestants are in an open relationship with the lead while professing traditional values.”
Amanda: I’m reading Binding the Baron by Charlie Lane. It’s historical fantasy and I recent featured it in the After Dark Sunday Sales because it was FREE! I’m enjoying it so far but it does have a sexist and classist magical structure.
Whatcha reading? Let us know in the comments!
Here are the highlights of what I’ve read the past couple of weeks.
DEATH AROUND THE BEND by TE Kinsey was another enjoyable mystery in the Lady Hardcastle series featuring Lady Hardcastle and her lady’s maid, Flo. This time around, a week-long house party featuring motor racing is marred by murder when it appears a racing car has been sabotaged leading to the death of the driver. I figured out some pretty big pieces early on in this one which lessened the tension at the end, but the writing is so solid and the characters so much fun to spend time with, I didn’t mind too much.
CHRISTMAS AT THE GRANGE by TE Kinsey is a quick novella which Goodreads puts as following book 3 but the timeline of the stories actually has it taking place after book 4. I read it as #3.5 and was fine. I think novellas must be immensely difficult to write but you wouldn’t know that from reading this one…so much story packed into a short page count but nothing felt like it got the short end of the stick. This was very fun.
WHERE THE HEART BEAT WILD by EXICA WREN is the second book in The Blackthorne Chronicles and I was thrilled to return to this world. I am so happy the author is releasing these fairly close together letting me sink seamlessly back into their created world. This outing featured Eris, a rare omega vampire, and his wolf mate Aspin. I once again loved the way this author handles issues of consent between its MCs…and the world building continues to unfold both deepening and expanding what is known about various factions. Eris has a difficult history and the rights of Omegas are far from secure leaving plenty of tension to be explored in future books. I am glad the wait for book 3 isn’t too long.
COOPER, OWEN, GUNNAR, & BISHOP by Jacki James are the last four entries in her Blue Collar Daddies series. I had read the first couple of entries but then never got back to the series. After enjoying a couple of books earlier in the month, I downloaded these and happily gobbled them up like popcorn. These are what I consider Daddy-lite books, with a nice variety of reasons for the men to be fulfilled by the Daddy/boy lifestyle. I don’t know how memorable these books will end up being, but they were a lovely way to spend a few evenings unwinding from work.
A PICTURE OF MURDER (#4) & THE BURNING ISSUE OF THE DAY (#5) continued my forays into the world of Lady Hardcastle. I was determined to slow down and only read one every other week or so, but that plan immediately crashed and burned. I just cannot stop returning to this world. A Picture of Murder features a traveling director as well as the actors from his latest feature coming to town…it isn’t long before the actors start turning up dead in ways that mimic the film. It was really interesting to read about the very early stages of cinematic entertainment. I didn’t come close to guessing the whodunnit in this one. The Burning Issue of the Day featured the suffragette movement and was fascinating for that alone. Add in a solid mystery and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough (which is a real conundrum when you don’t want the book to end!)
THE OMEGA’S MARINE by CW GRAY (#13 in the Hobson Hills Omegas series) was an unexpected surprise that absolutely made my week! CW Gray was incredibly prolific in the years leading up to COVID which spoiled me beyond belief when I discovered her as an author, as I had a lovely, large backlist to dive into with frequent releases of new books. Her writing has slowed down considerably in the past several years which makes each new release feel like an incredible gift. Objectively, I can recognize that Gray’s writing isn’t the strongest out there, and yet it may be among the most addictive to me…I have happily re-read this series at least a dozen times (no exaggeration) and every time it is a pleasure to revisit these characters with their many (many) kids & pets. I love her other series as well but this is the one I always return to first. That being said, this entry isn’t the strongest…the pacing of the relationship felt awkward compared to others. I think this is because one of the MCs is active military and is deployed for a while without enough time really devoted to what impacts that has on the central romance. There are a lot of real issues that were either glossed over or ignored outright. When the main characters were together, particularly in Hobson Hills so the many members of the Wilson family could have their cameos, I was a very, very happy reader indeed. Now, if I can just get the third book in The Silver Isles series, all will be well in my world.
Just finished THE NIGHT WE MET by Abby Jimenez-highly recommend!
I’ve been trying to tackle some of my TBR the past few weeks, which means I’ve been mostly reading pretty good books that have been languishing on my kindle for awhile.
Promise Me Sunshine: A Novel by Cara Bastone
This story of grief and love was very good, but it is one of those books that wants you to cry. Do you read for catharsis?
Beard Science (Winston Brothers book 3) by Penny Reid
I enjoyed this romantic comedy but it has some pacing issues, which would probably have bothered me less if I had actually read the previous books in this series. In this book, Jennifer (the Banana Cake Queen) needs some help standing up to her overbearing parents. Her goal is to get married, but in order to do that, she’s going to need a groom. Step 1: Blackmail Cletus Winston into helping her. I’m not quite sure how this plan was originally supposed to work, but since we know what kind of book this is, we can see where this is going.
While We Were Dating (Wedding Date Book 6) by Jasmine Guillory
This was a very sweet story. Advertising manager Ben is excited to be working on a series of commercials with sexy actress Anna, and this leads to a little fake dating scenario.
Like a TV Christmas Movie…That’s Rated R: a holiday collection to melt your marshmallows by Erin Nicholas
More or less what you’d expect from the title: it’s a collection of sexy holiday novellas. They are all adjacent to the author’s other works, which I’ll admit I haven’t read and I probably would have appreciated these stories more if I had. But the stories are very sweet, to the point that they almost read as small town or military propaganda. And, if you find scenes that mix food and sex appealing, I have good news for you.
The library also came through with the next couple of JD Robb thrillers, Vengeance in Death and Holiday in Death, which continue the tales of Roarke and Lt Eve Dallas. Vengeance was notable for delving a bit into Roarke’s past.
I have waaaay slowed down the pace of reading over the past month. I’ve spent most of my reading hours with paper books. Does anyone else notice a difference between how quickly they read an ebook vs paper? When I read ebooks, I have a hard time stopping and tend to stay up late or ignore other tasks. With paper books (unless it’s really fast paced), I find I can stop and put it down easily (which is much better for my bedtime).
I’ve gone back to several series to reread – Anne Bishop’s THE OTHERS which is paranormal with romance being an important thread (no sex). These have felt cathartic to read cause I sure wish there were some older greater power out there to keep the humans of the world in check.
I’m currently settled into Juliet Mariller’s SEVENWATERS series. This is fantasy set in ancient Ireland – druids and fair folk, strong young women being brave and saving their guys. These were some of my gateway books to the romance genre. They are very well written. I’m currently reading CHILD OF THE PROPHECY, which is not my favorite but is still very good.
For new books, I read CINDER HOUSE by Freya Marske. It’s been recommended here many times. This is a great example of creative, powerful storytelling packaged in a slim little binding. It’s not long but you don’t feel like you read something short. The details are fully formed and concise. What a truly original Cinderella retelling.
I DNFed THE SECRET OF THE THREE FATES by Jess Armstrong. This was the second book in the series. I got stuck on a couple problems. The writing wasn’t well edited – there several times a character sat down, then was across the room without any indicator they’d risen from their seat – or suddenly they had left and were striding across the moor, when they had just been conversing. It was jarring enough that I would reread sections to make sure I hadn’t missed the transition, but I hadn’t. It made me realize how much those small parts of writing shape the story and bring continuity. The other issue (and this is something I’ve noticed with other mystery books recently) is the FMC is absolutely, foolishly heedless about her personal safety and then is severely injured/assaulted. If the lead characters have to be beaten or shot at least once a book (and it’s not an urban fantasy/sci fi battle setting) I start feeling like their recklessness is not a charming character trait anymore.
A couple of books are waiting on hold for me at the library BLIND DATE WITH A WEREWOLF by Patricia Briggs and THREE KINDS OF LUCKY by Kim Harrison. Ilona Andrews’ new book, THIS KINGDOM WILL NOT KILL ME, comes out on Tuesday. I’ve been internally debating buying the hardcover or waiting (impatiently) for the library copy. I’ve not been buying many paper books in recent years to avoid bringing more physical stuff into the house, but they are one of my favorite authors so I’m on the fence.
In Chicago, we’re on weather roller coaster – with more Springs of Deception (warm weather spikes, followed by freezing weather/snow/torrential downpours) than I’ve experienced in my 20+ years. Wherever you are, with whatever crazy weather – happy reading!!
Happy spring, all! The goat-footed balloonman whistles far and wee and I eagerly await the mud-luscious season.
The Astral Library by Kate Quinn
Alix, our heroine, is thoroughly “crushed” in chapter one. Still, she manages to back talk her bullies, is upfront about her need to be chosen and makes comprehensible mistakes. She finds two major allies, a number of minor ones, and a very sparse hint of romance. Her refuge is the Boston Public Library, and from there she portals into the Astral Library, which offers solutions for desperate book lovers. This fantasy is potentially engaging for bibliophiles and library fans, but I am the sort of reader who also becomes very invested in magic systems. And there isn’t enough of one here to describe for a catalog entry. There are also some pretty reactionary library stereotypes. I believe in character development for all, and when the villains are made out of cardboard and politics, I’m done. Though this book was a page turner, its world building was simplistic and its “happy” ending was profoundly unsatisfying. I love L-Space, but this book doesn’t make the cut.
You Should Be So Lucky by Cat Sebastian
I have to respectfully disagree with the premise that Sebastian’s novels have no real plots. I know I don’t think about tropes as I read these books, but that’s a plus. A love story is a plot all by itself, and as a sports romance, this one touches on perfection. So here’s a quote about baseball that seems to reflect upon Sebastian’s storytelling as well: “The thing about baseball is that it’s slow, and that each game is, essentially, meaningless. That’s enough to make plenty of people stay away from it. But the glacial pace and the low stakes give you time to look at each individual component of the game and properly appreciate it.” I think this sums up how I interacted with this book, and I appreciated the hell out of it. This is my third book by this author in the past month, and every one’s been a grand slam.
A Gentleman Far From Home by Grace Burrowes
The 11th outing in this historical mystery series takes Lord Julian into Hampshire to investigate the threatening letters keeping a fellow veteran from his home. The story follows a pattern similar to earlier entries, includes many members of Lord Julian’s usual entourage, and after a painful hiccup, moves the romance with his darling Perry a glacial increment forward. Recommended for those who enjoy cozy historical mysteries.
Wallbanger by Alice Clayton
(Bingo: B-5, former fanfic. Last one!)
Here is another book I had to revirginize. All the fanfic-to-book lists are made of books I’ve either read or have no desire to read. I picked this because I no longer remembered it. This book is rude and crude and funny as fuck, which is kind of the point. Sex is hilarious in certain lights, and I’d recommend this to anyone who likes their sexytimes seasoned with humor that isn’t humiliating. It starts with the narrator awakened by the title character’s late night shenanigans and proceeds from there. Neighbors Caroline and Simon go from antagonists to friends to. . . you know. This is pretty much a no angst read, but there’s lots of absolutely bangin’ sex positivity.
We Could Be So Good by Cat Sebastian
This book is the first in the Midcentury NYC series. The MCs appear in You Should Be So Lucky, but both books stand alone. Again, Sebastion delivers a minutely examined and tender-hearted romance between a cynical, closeted newspaper reporter and the publisher’s disorganized heir. I loved Nick and Andy, but when I think of this book, I will always think of the detailed newsroom setting, of everyday life in 1958 Manhattan, and of the experiences of queer people living in this not so distant place and time. This book is truly an immersive experience. Recommended.
Degrees of Engagement by Jennifer Hennessy
Paused @14% due to book hangover
Several recent excellent reads are in third person present tense. This book is also in third person present tense. Nevertheless, one of these things is not like the others.
Mistakes Were Made by Lucy Score
Paused @12% also due to book hangover. Goodtime reads with über-chaotic FMCs aren’t doing it for me at the moment. I may return to either of these books at a later date. We’ll see.
No Place Like You by Jillian Meadows
The book hangover lingers, but I did manage to finish this one. This book is a well written small town romance with fake dating and mostly likable characters. Fable is dealing with a pervasive sense of failure and lingering grief over her grandfather’s death. After she has a surprise encounter with her childhood friend Theo, local gossips scent a romance, and the pair reluctantly embark on a fake relationship. So, this was a pleasant, if slightly slow, read, until the fakery segued to friends with benefits, when it became even slower as thin sllices of plot were sandwiched between chapters full of sexytimes. Then, at about the 90% mark, I realized that I really didn’t care for the FMC anyway, because she’d been treating the MMC like an emo support puppy through most of the book. I like a more balanced relationship in a romance. So, ymmv, folks.
My Kind of Guy by Sarina Bowen
This book was so much fun. Finn is a single dad who is part owner of a popular gay sports bar. Weighed down by financial worries and the lingering trauma of a major betrayal, he is completely unprepared for the unfiltered, weirdo goodness of minor league hockey goalie Beck. Yet somehow they just keep finding each other.This book combines humor, spice, and lots of hockey action with characters who are willing to do the work to earn their HEA. This was a great cure for my book hangover. Though it’s stylistically very different from my recent reads, it is also destined for the Comfort Reads folder.
Tommy Cabot Was Here by Cat Sebastian
I’m still gobbling up any twentieth century historical fiction by this author. This story deals with the very personal reunion of two boarding school alums, one of whom is the disgraced scion of New England political royalty. While this novella lacks the immersive detail of her more recent work, this is still a warm, tender queer love story.
Given Our History by Kristyn J. Miller
This book was mentioned by @Saby in the Rec League for books in Academic settings. It very much meets the criteria for that RL. Clara and Teddy meet at a sleepaway camp for homeschooled kids and become close friends; seventeen years later, they meet again as history professors at the same college. I really liked the writing, the characters, and the environments, both past and present. My only issue is that I felt the flashbacks that dealt with the past were somewhat choppy and caused the romance to drag a bit at times. I also would have liked more time spent with Teddy. Overall, I enjoyed this story of two career minded adults finding their way back to each other over the course of one intense semester. Recommended.
Peter Cabot Gets Lost by Cat Sebastian
Seemingly on impulse, Peter offers a ride across country to grumpy fellow Harvard graduate Caleb, And just like that, they take their class differences and personal attraction on the road. Between this author, the era (60s), and the roadtrip, this short novel is the equivalent of an absolute wallow in Pam’s catnip. ‘Nuff said?
Hello, SBs!
Still having trouble focusing on books I know I will enjoy if I could escape my brain. Instead, many evenings I have been bingeing THE CLOSER. Seeing deputy director Brenda Lee Johnson elicit confessions from murderers (again) has been pretty cathartic. 🙂
I am also enjoying Alice Coldbreath’s new one — A MUCH MALIGNED MISS (Victorian M/F). Coldbreath is a great writer. The plot is slowing a bit in the middle, so I am going to take a break and try something else and then come back to it (a me problem). She has done a great job creating two unique main characters, so I am confident I will really enjoy the rest, if I give it a beat.
I may have already mentioned this here, but I really enjoyed Cat Sebastian’s THE MISSING PAGE. I have been in the mood for mystery/crime stories (hence the CLOSER referenced above) and this is a perfect mix of romance with cozy mystery. Highly recommend!
I did not enjoy K.J. Charles’ new book, ALL OF US MURDERERS. It was well done, (K.J. Charles is AMAZING) and I really liked the main characters and the love story was *chef’s kiss* as usual. I just don’t like gothic novels, and this was truly a gothic novel. If you like gothics, you should get it immediately, because it really holds to the form. Just not my jam sandwich.
My virtual TBR is sky high, but I am looking forward to dipping into your recs. Hopefully, the NO KINGS rally today will help me escape this ennui. Seeing real people in person who care for the win!
Last thing — I think Ilona Andrews has a new book from a new series out on 3/31? I AM VERY EXCITED!
Peace, good health, and love to everyone!
Over the past two weeks ~
— read The Women by Kristin Hannah for my local book group and then was too sick to go. The focal character is a young woman who serves as a nurse in Vietnam. The story begins before she goes to Vietnam then covers her time there as well as her life once back stateside. It’s not what I’d describe as a happy book, but I’m glad to have read it.
— continued on with the mystery series by Emma Jameson that I began earlier and read with pleasure Something Blue, Black and Blue, and Blue Blooded.
— enjoyed rereading We Could Be So Good by Cat Sebastian which is a historical romance set in late 1950s New York. The main leads are a working class journalist and the well to-do son of the man who owns the newspaper for which he works.
— enjoyed Nobody’s Baby by Olivia Waite which is a science fiction mystery set on a space ship. On this ship, which is on a thousand year journey, passengers live and die; their memories are then placed into a new twenty year old body. By design, no babies can be born until the journey has ended. However, the story begins with a baby being left at the door of the nephew of the lead character who is a detective.
— reread Quarter Share by Nathan Lowell which is a favorite of mine; it’s a slice of life science fiction work and the first in a series.
— quite enjoyed Tommy Cabot Was Here by Cat Sebastian, a historical male/male romance novella set in 1950s New England featuring two once good friends who are reunited after 15 years.
— zipped through Peter Cabot Gets Lost by Cat Sebastian, a historical romance novella set in 1960 featuring two young men who have just graduated from college. One is from a poor but loving family while the other, whose father is running for President, is (surprise!) from a wealthy family. They end up driving cross country so that the first can get to his new job while the other can avoid his family.
— finished the mystery series by Emma Jameson that I mentioned above and enjoyed them all ~ Blue Christmas, Untrue Blue, and London Blue. I also read a short story about the first date of the two lead characters ~ First Date.
— zipped through These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean and enjoyed it, but it’s not a book I expect to reread. This is, I believe, the author’s first contemporary work; I’ve read a number of her historical romances. A woman returns to her home, a private island, and her dysfunctional family after her father kicked her out five years previously. In order for her, her siblings, and mother to gain an inheritance, all of them must meet a dictated challenge over the next week. Much is revealed in the course of that week.
— Enjoyed Star Shipped by Cat Sebastian which is a contemporary romance, the author’s first move from historical romance. It features two (frequently bickering) men who have been co-stars in a science fiction television series for seven years. Mental health concerns play a big role in the story. One of the men suffers from anxiety, OCD, and migraines; the other is a recovering alcoholic who spent part of his childhood in foster homes. I enjoyed this, but I don’t think I’ll soon be rereading it.
— happily reread The Unlikely Pair by Jax Calder, a contemporary romance set in Britain and another location. It features two men, political rivals, who are stranded in the wilderness in wintertime after escaping a kidnapping. I laughed so much while reading this; the banter in this book clearly appeals to me.
— read and enjoyed Home Ice Advantage by Ari Baran, a contemporary romance set in Boston. It featured two men, both in their forties, who played professional ice hockey and are now coaches. One is hired to replace a fired coach to the chagrin of the other, an assistant coach, who had hoped for that same position.
— enjoyed It Started with a Text by Jax Calder, a contemporary romance novella. This featured a young man, a long time fan of a performer, who makes a video that goes viral. His video mocked an apartment tour video that his crush had made. The performer sends him a message and the two forge a connection by sending each other messages. The first man is convinced though that this is a person pretending to be the performer and is not the performer himself.
Look Ma, no cozy fantasy!
First up THE SHOP ON HIDDEN LANE from perennial favorite Jayne Ann Krentz. It noted as the beginning of a new series but is actually another offshoot of her on ground paranormal world. Rival families, one believed to have profited greatly from a partnership after the other was cut off. So, a little Romeo & Juliette thing while investigating the disappearance of his uncle and her aunt. Hits all the right JAK notes.
Next up was the absolute treat of Anne Bishop’s TURNS OF FATE, causer of both Bad Decisions Book Club™ and Good Book Noise™. A very non-cozy fantasy. As always her world building is first class, her characters are original and the entwined storylines are enthralling. Detective Beth Fahey is newly assigned to the precinct that deals exclusively with incidents involving the Isle of Wyrd, a hub for the otherworldly and home of the Arcana. People come to Wyrd to learn about and sometimes change their fate, but the Arcana don’t make bargains lightly and there are consequences for breaking the rules. Words have power and intentions matter. Wow. Just WOW.
As a consequence I am muddling my way through Kerri Maniscalco’s THRONE OF NIGHTMARES. It was sold as action packed, but so far, meh. I’m only a quarter in, so I continue to read in hope.
Still reading mostly m/m even after finishing my own book. I thought I’d get tired of it but that hasn’t happened. Maybe because I read m/f for so many years.
ASSIMILATION LOVE, AND OTHER HUMAN ODDITIES by Lyn Gala. I think this was recommended by @kareni and I read the first one when it was recommended and really liked it but got distracted. I enjoy human/alien pairings and this is a good one (D/s dynamic).
TO CATCH A FIREFLY by Emmy Sanders, a rare foray for me into contemporary romance with no paranormal, sci-fi or murderous elements. I’ve seen many recs for this but, unlike most people, the cover and blurb didn’t appeal to me. I was wrong. These characters are very compelling – very different people who fit together perfectly (childhood friends to lovers, one neurodivergent MMC).
On the watch front, I finally joined the HEATED RIVALRY party. I hesitated because Connor did not fit my image of Ilya (too small). As @Cleo helpfully pointed out, Connor plays Ilya with so much swagger, no one is thinking about his actual physical size. From the start, these guys pulled me in and after the shower in the first episode, I was mesmerized. I am rationing myself to one episode per week to savor the experience.
@Big K, I am also heading to a No Kings rally in search of an emotional lift from the desperate sadness and anxiety of the current state of our country.
Work on the house continues, meaning reading time has been severely curtailed. On the positive side, the Friends of the Library have been one of the recipients of my Marie-Kondo-inspired cleaning: we’ve donated at least 500 books so far (undoubtedly more to come, seeing as my afternoon will involve culling another roomful of books), and the last batch included a huge number of Harlequin Presents which they were very pleased to receive because they said they don’t get as many romance novels donated as they used to (my guess is because so many of us read romances on ebooks…romance readers being “early adopters” because it meant no one could see the covers of what we were reading). Anyway, a brief skim of the three books I did manage to read in full:
I finished PANSIES, the last book in Alexis Hall’s Spires series, which Hall republished with annotations a few years ago. As with GLITTERLAND, how much you like PANSIES depends on how much of one of the MCs you can handle. In PANSIES, Alfie Bell returns to his home in the north of England (South Shields, which becomes a character of its own in the book) to attend his best friend’s wedding. Alfie (who is in his late twenties but has only been out about a year) approaches a man in a bar, not recognizing that it is Fen, a boy Alfie bullied endlessly in school. Most of the book is told from Alfie’s point-of-view: initially, he shrugs off his past bullying of Fen as just a “boys will be boys” thing, but he gradually comes to see that his actions have had real, long-lasting, and hurtful consequences. We can also see (although I’m not sure Alfie ever fully does) that Alfie’s internalized homophobia and emphasis on what a man should be and should do have damaged him too. Key quote: “…it’s harder, sometimes, to live with the choices that aren’t yours.” As with the other books in the Spires series, I would strongly recommend reading Hall’s annotations to the new edition of PANSIES: he explains writing process, where his ideas come from, and why he chose to make some of the revisions he did in the new edition. If you’re ok with a bully and his former target getting together, PANSIES is a great read and recommended. If not, give it a pass.
THE PROMISE OF TOGETHER is the third and final book in Jay Hogan’s Fisher & Church series about two men in their mid-fifties finding love and stumbling into suspenseful and criminal situations. In PROMISE, Nick Fisher reconnects with his long-gone mother to discover her side of the story (tw/cw: abusive spouse/parent) of why she left Nick when he was a young boy. I liked this part of the story: all was not sunshine and roses with the mother & child reunion, and Nick expressed his anger, hurt, and resentment at what felt like appropriate levels while still feeling some sympathy for his mother’s choices. What I did not like about the story was that the villain of the piece was obvious from the moment they appeared on the page…and a couple of very obvious clues (I don’t know if Calder thought they were red-herrings or subtly done, but they weren’t) immediately revealed to me what was happening and why and how. The rest of the book was just playing out the line until the big reveal (which I’d already twigged back in the first quarter of the book). However, the romance between the two men is strong and has really evolved through the three books. Read THE PROMISE OF TOGETHER as a romance and it’s fine; read it as a suspense-thriller, and, alas, it’s not.
The first thing to say about PUCKING INCONVENIENT, the first book in Ainsley Booth’s new Granger Brother series of hockey romances, is how unabashedly liberal it is. Although it doesn’t hit the reader over the head with its political positions, it’s very obvious where the MCs stand on important issues (particularly women’s reproductive freedom and sexual agency). The book also has a “drunk married in Vegas” premise—and Booth has to thread a very fine needle to make that element feel both integral and realistic. Soon-to-be doctor Francesca (“Frankie”) meets Logan on New Year’s Eve in Las Vegas. She has just had an uncomfortable dinner with her narcissistic father, the coach of a professional hockey team and a man with whom Frankie has gone very low-contact for her own mental health. Logan is also down-in-the-dumps: he’s a professional hockey player who has just been traded to a poorly performing team and he hates the team’s coach (guess who that coach is). Logan and Frankie do not share personal details about their lives as the evening progresses and they get drunker and finally get married. In the morning, Frankie (realizing who Logan is) flees. But Logan manages to track her down and makes his case for them to stay married. I liked how Booth showed that Frankie, raised with a narcissist father and an enabling mother, has never truly learned to that people will do what they say they will and can be relied on. Meanwhile, Logan—raised in a close-knit family of hockey players (his sister was the FMC of Booth’s last book, THE NANNY GOAL)—is strong and supportive, in large part because he was raised in an environment that promoted that. Frankie and Logan have many obstacles to overcome—the vagaries of playing professional sports, Frankie’s hospital training schedule, and her awful father taking out his spite on Logan. There was also a rather insistent emphasis on the size difference between Logan and Frankie; I wished there had been less of that because of how it inadvertently seemed to infantilize Frankie because she is so “small” and “short” and “little”. I’m quite sure Booth didn’t intend to do that, but a revision to remove some of those small/little references wouldn’t hurt. That aside, Booth (aka, Zoe York) is a auto buy for me, and I enjoyed being introduced to the new world of the Granger family. Recommended.
I’ve been reading again following back-to-back international trips that were all go until falling into bed at night. I didn’t mind the 23 hour journey or non stop activity, but holy cannoli, I missed reading every day.
I began with Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher. It was wonderful and a lovely surprise. I didn’t realize that she wrote a book I had not read.
A couple of years ago I read Finlay Donovan is Killing It, about a woman mistaken for an assassin, who is not an assassin, but who ended up with a dead body in her minivan. Throw in the ex-husband, two little children, supporting herself as a mystery writer (thus the mistake of her profession) and it was enjoyable on many levels. So this week I caught up with all but the most recent book in the series. There was a story arc which ended, and I don’t mind (much) waiting for her recent book to hit KU or a BIG sale. Sorry, publishers, more sorry, author, but I’m not paying $14.99 for “a license to the content”.
Faking Cinderella by Pippa Grant was fine, but I didn’t enjoy it nearly as much as the first two in the series. Sometimes I try to figure out why I didn’t enjoy a book by an author whose many books I have enthusiastically read across years. This time decided it was a combination of too much rehashing of the previous books in the series and a FMC whose goals I had no sympathy with.
Last night I started Second Chance Romance by Olivia Dade. I decided to be responsible for a change and not read until 2:30 a.m., so I haven’t finished. It follows Dade’s At First Spite. I admire how she creates realistic characters and believable stories. I hope Ms Dade continues to enjoy writing. I own nine of her books and eagerly await more.
My reading pace has been slow lately–too much going on in non-fictional reality, I think. I picked up MOST ELIGIBLE, the debut novel by Isabelle Engel, because it’s set in the world of Bachelor-style reality shows, a storyline I usually like. (I don’t watch these shows, so the recent meltdown in the “Bachelorette” franchise had no impact on my reading choices. However, I’m probably going to read the book of essays about “The Bachelor” that @SB Sarah recommended today.) This novel was OK but nowhere near the greatness of Jodi McAlister’s “Marry Me, Juliet” series. The FMC, Georgia, is a journalist who’s competing on “Love Shack” so she can write an expose about the evil, manipulative TV series executive producer. The MMC, Rhett, is the host for Georgia’s season, and someone Georgia had a one-night stand with a year prior. Some of the characters–particularly the other women competing on the show–were interesting, but the plot meandered. Georgia did very little investigating until late in the book, and the Georgia/Rhett romance didn’t seem completely credible since their one-and-only past interaction isn’t described in detail but is supposed to have left them both pining for each other for an entire year, for reasons that are more than just sexual chemistry. I suggest reading @Lara’s review to get a detailed description of the strengths and the shortcomings of this book.
I’ve greatly enjoyed two previous books by Annabel Monaghan and was equally pleased with her 2024 and 2025 novels, SUMMER ROMANCE and IT’S A LOVE STORY. Similar to Monaghan’s first book, NORA GOES OFF SCRIPT, the FMC of SUMMER ROMANCE, Ali, is getting a divorce so she’s an almost single mother of three kids (12, 11, and 6). She’s also still dealing with lingering grief after the death of her mother two years ago. Although she works as a professional organizer who helps others put their houses in order, Ali is a mess. She meets MMC Ethan at a dog park, where Ali’s dog pees on Ethan’s foot. But he’s a good guy who doesn’t mind messy, and as Ali soon discovers, they have connections that go beyond lingering looks.
IT’S A LOVE STORY also has some similarities to NORA via the movie industry setting. FMC Jane was a teen TV performer who played the clumsy “pal” of the sitcom’s pretty lead actress. Now Jane works at a movie studio where she’s trying to greenlight a script, leading to a clash with MMC Dan, a cinematographer who was also a past crush. Jane ends up (for plot reasons) traveling with Dan to his Long Island hometown, where there are many interactions with assorted members of Dan’s large, boisterous family as well as new self-perceptions and the start of a new relationship for the MCs.
I admire and enjoy Monaghan’s ability to create a range of distinctive and intriguing characters, including some of the best-written child characters I’ve encountered in contemporary fiction. In both recent books the FMCs journey, told in first-person single POV, is touching and funny, and left me feeling great empathy for these women in their 30s whose lives and dilemmas are nothing like mine. I’m looking forward to Monaghan’s next adult romance, scheduled for May, and in the meantime I’ve acquired one of her early YA novels, hoping it will satisfy my craving for even more from Monaghan.
Thanks to a tip off here, I read T Kingfisher’s The Seventh Bride, a take on Bluebeard. Typically for Kingfisher, she subverts some parts of the story while exploring it. It has some horror elements and considerable suspense, but excellent characterization and much humor. And a great bear and a great hedgehog. Feeling Kingfisher-y, as one does, I revisited Thornhedge, a favorite (novella).
Reread Dickens’ Bleak House, at least Esther’s narrative, and liked it even better than before. Dickens plainly prefers gentle and traditional women, and Esther’s everlasting self-denigration doesn’t half get up my nose, alongside his potshots at women active on social issues. The story remains gripping and entertaining, however, and the theme of people victimized by economic, social and legal systems certainly remains pertinent.
Currently rereading a favorite Phryne Fisher mystery, The Castlemaine Murders, which I like because the the double plot, in which Phryne and her lover Lin Chung follow parallel plots that excitingly converge at the end.
Best sign at No Kings today: “There’s no sign big enough for all the reasons I’m here”.
@Tori Duza ~ I’m so pleased to hear that you are enjoying Lyn Gala’s Claimings series. My favorites are the books that focus on Liam and Ondry. I also recommend her Kensho which is a collection of short pieces.
I’ve been DNFing many books lately. I don’t want to post about them, because I may just be cranky due to health struggles and our generally sucky reality currently.
Good:
ALCHEMY & A CUP OF TEA, the final Tomes & Tea book by Rebecca Thorne. I’m hoping she may write another book in the same world with different main characters, as she dropped what looked a lot like the teaser for another story in the epilogue. As usual, a couple of different threads to the plot, both interesting, and plenty of community. Do not start here, this depends on the first 3 books to really work. I recommend the series– cozy fantasy with sapphic romance, books, tea, dragons and griffons. What more do you want?
BRIGANDS & BREADKNIVES by Travis Baldree is about the adventures of Fern (from BOOKSHOPS & BONEDUST) as she tries to figure out her life on a road trip with a legendary warrior and very strange goblin. I enjoyed a lot about this book but also had a really hard time with Fern’s struggle to figure out what she wants. (Probably cuts a bit close to home since I need to find a different job before I finish destroying my voice, but can’t seem to start doing something about it.)
Mixed:
RECIPES FOR AN UNEXPECTED AFTERLIFE by Deston J Munden was a mixed experience for me. I liked the main character and the found family, and the world building was interesting. I am, however, not the intended audience for this sort of fantasy, which seems to come from a mind set of “having to think about how science/technology/reality works is icky and ruins the magic”. This leads to descriptions of working onyx as if it were a metal (nope), and a lot of weapons which would probably look cool in animation but would clearly be entirely non-functional. (Sorry, I’ve been an edged-weapons nerd since childhood, and studied archaeology and metalworking especially. I’ve also read at least as much history as fantasy.) If this sort of thing does not irk you, you will probably enjoy this more than I did. I think it is well worth reading, for the right audience.
I’m sure I’ve read more since I last posted, but I can’t think what to say about any of it. Very grateful to have this community where I can reliably find good book recommendations, thoughtful commentary and kind people.
A new T Kingfisher just came out so I’m all about that. Though I’m struggling with this one a little more than usual. Maybe because the horror is a slightly different flavour than I’m used to from her, WOLF WORM is a little less eldritch and a little more gothic and body horror? And maybe a bit more slow burn on the horror. It’s still good but I’m a little more anxious and struggling to push forward because if I turn the page The Bad Thing might happen. I know The Bad Thing is coming but it’s taking forever and I’m getting more and more anxious while I wait.
Meanwhile I’m also catching up on my manga in time for the new anime season; AKANE BANASHI is really good and I’m excited to see it animated next week. I should also sign out some recent volumes of WITCH HAT ATELIER while I’m at it. My long slow catch up on YONA OF THE DAWN proceeds steadily apace. I lost track of that series for a few years and when I picked it up again I couldn’t remember where I left off or who everybody was, so I started from scratch. I’m nearly at the halfway point now.
PROJECT HAIL MARY is in my queue to read next; I want to get that either read or watched soon so not everything will be spoiled for me and getting out to a theatre is a pain in the butt these days so book it is. Though I do hope to see the movie eventually.
PERSUASION is a classic I’m currently nibbling on in ebook and podcast format.
Oh and I’ve been dipping into a few more picture books. I WANT MY HAT BACK by Jon Klassen was delightful.
I missed the last time so maybe a few more.
Feeling stressed so I did a ton of re-reads. Books that I enjoy or that have stories that grab me. The Man She Loves to Hate by Kelly Hunter, I ALMOST DO by Evangeline Williams, a bunch of Maya Alden because I started reading Harlequins in the 1960s and they feel like that.
New ones included:
FIRST WITCHES CLUB by Maisey Yates, basically First Wives Club without the sad ending for Bette Midler and with a little maybe magic added. 5 stars.
THE ALPHA’S SAVIOR by Reece Barden. Human FMC fleeing stalker saves alpha MMC from an MVA, she has no idea werewolves exist. But she has a lot of inner strength and copes really well. 5 stars and loved the next book, too.
I also tried DEFY by LJ Shen, reverse age gap, she’s his high school English teacher. He was part of the bully boys at the elite HS. I had some issues but kept reading. Until the part where the FMC says “he smelled like teenage boy.” Excuse me, not long ago I had a house full of teenage boys. The aroma is far from sexy. 2 stars. I did like the next in the series, VISCIOUS, better. He was her HS bully, they reconnect year later. Lots of personal growth and I gave it 4 stars
Nothing much stood out of the rest of the 35 books I have read in the last month so will spare you all.
Sincerely, and on to another month,
Vicki
A selection of the books I didn’t DNF, kind of a mid reading year for me so far.
CINDER HOUSE by Freya Marske. Amazing Cinderella novella, truly unique take on the story, amazing writing, no notes. Read this now!
AN ACADEMIC AFFAIR by Jodi McAlister. Loved this! The academia stuff was REALLY excellent (which makes sense bc McAlister is an academic). I think the second half lost a bit of momentum, but I definitely recommend this as a romance with >30 leads who actually feed their age and act it. Great writing, believable family dynamics, fairly meta about the Romance genre but done quite well. ALSO, the FMC was stated to be good at her job, and hallelujah, she actually was.
DUNGEON CRAWLER CARL by Matt Dinniman (series, no romance). Alright I’ve never been one for LitRPGs, but for some reasons this is hitting all my buttons. I’ve needed a break from romance, and there’s a strong current of the little guys fighting against giant powers that be, and I guess that appeals a bit for…whatever reason
A WITCH’S GUIDE TO MAGICAL INNKEEPING by Sangu Mandanna. I didn’t like this as much as The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, but it was still a solid read. It reeeally rode the line between cozy and twee, and it definitely crossed it a few times. Also for a book marketed as “cozy”, it certainuly dealt with some heavy stuff, but I kind of liked that. Good writing and story overall, even if it really hit you over the head with the theme.
Hi, everybody! Enjoying catching up with everyone’s reads.
My hold for Cat Sebastian’s STAR SHIPPED came in and I read it straight through and then pretty much flipped to page one and started all over again. Really enjoyed Simon and Charlie’s story and how easy it has been to relate to these characters, not that I have the same eccentricities they do, but just that their imperfections feel very relatable to me, and I couldn’t put them down.
I also loved Beth Bolden’s much awaited HELL OR HIGH WATER, the third in her Toronto Thunder football series. Ramsey’s been an ongoing presence in quite a few of her previous books and I’ve been more than eager to see him feature in his own. Nate and he experience sparks from their first meeting, and it’s an entertaining, delicious ride from there…
Also enjoyed Jax Calder’s IT STARTED WITH A TEXT, first in her Queer Ways to Fall in Love, and DJ Jamison’s MEDDLING WITH MAVERICK, first in her Matchmaking in Granville series. Both very entertaining.
Hugs, and happy rest of March…
I read and enjoyed D is for Death, a mystery by Harriet Evans writing as Harriet Townson, set in 1935. I think the Bitchery would enjoy this – lots of excellent period detail, a women’s boarding house, the London Library, tea-rooms. Interesting characters. Dora, the heroine, reminded me of Flora Poste. The mystery itself was the weakest part of the book.
Also glommed all of Emily Tesh, and re-read an old Jenny Crusie, Charlie All Night. Really enjoy the radio scenes in this one, and the heroine and hero’s working relationship. Would like to read more radio-set romances.
Despite a slowdown at the end of the month, March is still going to be a good month for me, reading-wise at least. It’s a great escape from the current events we find ourselves in. Anyway, I only have 2 for the last half of the month, though another is almost finished.
AN IMPOSSIBLE IMPOSTOR by Deanna Raybourn–I was late to the Veronice Speedwell party, and I’ve been listening to them on audio exclusively so I’m behind the times. This installment is good, though not great. It includes my least-favorite plot device: one character keeps a secret from another due to various “reasons” that are not truly insurmountable. In this case, because it was between Veronica and Stoker, I was not best pleased. I also thought Veronica acted like an idiot one too many times. But don’t worry, I still love the series!
GOOD PEOPLE by Patmeena Sabit–this was quite an interesting take. Tragedy strikes a family of Afghan immigrants but it’s not a straight-forward telling. Instead, the story is told and retold through gossip from friends and neighbors, social media, journalists, police interviews, and lawyers’ statements. It’s an insightful way to highlight how gossip and rumor can destroy people and distort the truth, and how “evidence” doesn’t always tell the truth either. We never once here from the family themselves, except for one final statement at the end. In terms of the “mystery,” I wasn’t satisfied with the lack of a definitive conclusion, but I expected that.
STILL MIDNIGHT by Denise Mina–this is a new-to-me author, recommended by a friend. This police procedural series is older; the first book was published in 2009. Takes place in Glasgow and is on the gritty side. It’s slow going at first but the book finds it’s rhythm around the midpoint. It ends rather abruptly but I loved it, except for one thing. A 28yo man ends up with a 16yo girl. Nope. Don’t want to read that crap. Let’s hope better choices are made in the rest of the series. Okay–with the issues with comments I’ve had time to reflect, and I now wonder if the guy was fantasizing. He did that a lot but it wasn’t clear at the end.