Welcome back! Here’s what we’re reading right now:
Carrie: I just finished the Trembling Hand, ( A | BN | K | AB ) a nonfiction that I read slowly, and am starting The Chamber, ( A | BN | K | AB ) a thriller which I hope to speed through since it’s all plot
Lara: I just started a cosy mystery by an author that (from what I can tell) started as an influencer. The Potting Shed Murder by Paula Sutton. ( A | BN | K | AB ) I’m only a couple pages in but I’m intrigued!
Amanda: I started The Fey Hotel, but my brain is all over the place and was having some issues latching onto the world building. I was not aware it took place in a fantasy Seattle based on the cover.
Sarah: I finished Fair Game by Patricia Briggs, ( A | BN | K | AB ) part of the Alpha & Omega series, and am debating whether to move to the next book or take a break. I love the relationship development and the exploration of ethics, justice, and acceptance, but woo damn are they violent AF. I mean, for me. There are probably more violent books out there.
Elyse: I just finished the entire ACOTAR series ( A | BN | K | G | AB ) and went from my cynical self to a die hard fan. I took off 10/27. There is something addicting in those pages…
Shana: I just started Key Lime Sky by Al Hess. So far there’s pie, queers, and alien invasions.
Susan: I’m reading Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint, ( A | BN ) which is very dramatic and somehow is not m/m romance, despite reading exactly like Global Examination.
Whatcha reading? Let us know in the comments!
I read Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke. It’s been generating a lot of buzz. I enjoyed it, but didn’t really care for the solution to the big mystery.
I’m reading My Best Friend’s Honeymoon by Meryl Wilsner. I’m not loving it.
This reading year has been mixed. Overall reading has felt like a struggle and a lot of romance/romance adjacent books aren’t working for me. I can’t even remember when I last commented on Whatcha Reading.
But!
I really liked THE FEATHER THIEF by Kirk Wallace Johnson about the bonkers world of fly tying and the illegal feathers trade.
and I enjoyed (?) THERE IS NO ANTIMEMETICS DIVISION by qntm. Enjoy might be a strong word, I found it engaging and thought provoking and overall satisfying. Thanks to KJ Charles for recommending it.
I’m currently reading A GHASTLY CATASTROPHE by Deanna Raybourn and it’s not my favorite so far, but it’s starting to pick up. Hoping to finish it before it’s due at the library.
I read TO RIDE A RISING STORM by Moniquill Blackgoose. It’s the second in a YA series, and I am not a YA fan, but this is worth enduring all my usual problems with the genre. It is extremely didactic and there is no sex – but the magical world is one I am happy to learn about and the queer poly romance is incredibly sweet. Plus truly excellent use of dragons, and I will put up with a lot for good dragons. The series isn’t done and I am risking being left perpetually hung on the cliff largely because nothing was going to stop me finding out what happens next.
Finished JADE LEGACY on audiobook, the last of the Green Bones Saga, speaking of phenomenal world building. Even when everything is (brilliantly) concluded (seriously the plot is thoroughly rooted in incredible characters and so tightly constructed) and there’s no more fear of cliffs, I still have that grabby desperate moremoremore feeling. So it’s probably me.
Otherwise utterly unable to concentrate on or finish anything because they are not KJ Charles’s latest book which is about to come out and that is all my brain wants. And more from Lee’s already finished series. And Blackgoose’s ongoing one. And this chair. And…
Yeah, fine. It’s me.
CHERRY BABY by Rainbow Rowell – three observations:
1) The book description is a little misleading. If I hadn’t been spoiled before reading the book and had picked it up based on the description instead, I might have been disappointed.
2) “Whatever else Cherry was thinking and doing…she was also thinking about being fat.” Although this isn’t what I was referring to above, this could have been the book description. ngl, as a fat person, I hate being inside a fat-obsessed character’s head.
3) I’m not sure I understand why the movie trailer for Thursday (Cherry’s estranged husband’s semi-autobiographical web comic turned live action movie) is supposed to be so horrible. I’m assuming it’s because of the final frame, but I’m only 83% confident in what that’s referencing. Because if it’s referencing what I’m assuming, the description is wrong.
WICKED UGLY BAD by Cassandra Gannon – fairy tale parody in which the traditionally “good” characters are supremacists and the traditionally “bad” characters are relatable, if not always good. Also? Delightful. Gannon has been on my TBR for a very very very long time, and now I get to enjoy her backlist. The only downside is the lack of audiobook editions of her works. (Audiobooks are a multitasker’s friend.)
STAR SHIPPED by Cat Sebastian – the POV character is all sharp edges and fragile cracks, but the relationship is so soft, so loving, so accepting. *happy sigh*
Currently reading: THIS KINGDOM WILL NOT KILL ME by Ilona Andrews – so far? Sooooooo good. I’ve mostly steered clear of spoilers on this, but I’m given to understand that the ending may be cliffier than I am accustomed to in an Ilona Andrews series. Now that I’ve picked up the book, I don’t know how to protect myself from that.
APHRODITE IN PIECES by Lauren J. A. Bear
Aphrodite recounts her life story to the sculptor who eventually creates Venus de Milo. Highlights include her tempestuous relationship with Ares and her role in the Trojan War. I enjoyed it but as with so many of these retellings, Aphrodite thinks and talks and acts like a twentieth-century woman. What’s the point of writing from the perspective of a godess if she’s basically like us?
The past couple of weeks have been mostly about guys playing hockey.
The New Guy (Hockey Guys Book 1) by Sarina Bowen (KU)
https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/bookinfo/the-new-guy/
The New Guy takes us back to the Brooklyn Bruisers, where there’s both a new player and a new athletic trainer. There’s lots learning how to be brave enough to be be true to yourself and standing up to terrible family members. It was very sweet. (But, sweet in a way that made me want to bake them cookies and hear all about their day.)
I’m Your Guy (Hockey Guys Book 2) by Sarina Bowen (KU)
https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/bookinfo/im-your-guy/
This book takes us to Boulder, CO, and the Cougars, where a closeted hockey player is falling for his hot interior designer. Still very sweet. (One thing I’ve noticed about MM romance is that it makes me reevaluate my own internalized gender roles. This is a good thing, if a bit humbling.)
The Last Guy on Earth (Hockey Guys Book 3) by Sarina Bowen (KU)
We are still following the Cougars, but this time it’s the head coach and the new goalie, who is the coach’s former teammate. Second chance and workplace romance elements. Still good. (Another thing about MM romance, I can’t skim dialog heavy scenes. “He” says everything, and I get lost.)
My Kind of Guy (Hockey Guys Book 4) by Sarina Bowen (KU)
The goalie for the Cougar’s farm team falls for the bartender at Sportsballs, the local gay sports bar. (What do you mean there’s not another one?)
Time to Shine by Rachel Reid (KU)
https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/reviews/time-to-shine-by-rachel-reid/
Honestly, I prefer Sarina Bowen to Rachel Reid, but this was a perfectly good romance. It’s got the human embodiment of a puppy and a grumpy loner figuring out how to be there for each other. (Casey would be an exhausting person to know in real life. I’m tired just reading about him. And the fact that I’m still rooting for him probably says something good about this book.)
Sacred Ruin: Dark Mafia Romance (Original Sin Series) by Mila Kane (KU)
So, at about this point, my body decided to play the sleep minigame on hard mode (thanks insomnia), so I “read” most of this book while not quite awake. My main memory is that it explored the age old question of “how many times can a character be kidnapped in a single book without it becoming a running gag”. He’s an assassin, and she’s not opposed to gaining justice outside the legal channels.
His Empress: An Accidental Pregnancy Mafia Romance (Empire of Royals Book 3) by Emilia Rossi (KU)
A mafia-princess-hacker seizes a chance for a long weekend in Paris without her security detail to have a brief fling with a handsome stranger. Surprise! Despite condom use, she’s now pregnant. Surprise! He’s her brother’s brother-in-law and a Bratva Pakhan. Surprise! The book is actually pretty good, with bonus ADHD representation.
New Penric and Desdemona is out! Darksight dare. Am doing my best not to goggle it down too quickly!
Late to the party, I know, but I finally watched “Heated Rivalry”—the catalyst being when one of my daughters (an avid reader but not of romance) showed up in a t-shirt featuring an illustration of a loon with the caption “Stupid Canadian Wolf-Bird” beneath it. “Is that a HEATED RIVALRY reference?” I asked. It was a bit chastening that she was surprised I even knew what HR was—and she was even more surprised when she discovered that I’d read all the books in the Game Changers series years ago as they were released. She effused about getting together with friends to binge-watch all six episodes and stopping midway through to make tuna melts. Apparently, this is a thing. As for me, I enjoyed the show very much once I let go of what Shane and Ilya looked like in my head and leaned into how they looked on screen. My one quibble was that the actor who played Kip looks nothing like the “pretty painted boyfriend” of GAME CHANGER, but that was a small thing in a extremely entertaining, well-written, and beautifully acted show. And now for books—
Nicky James’s PENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS is the final book in her Shadowy Solutions series of romantic-suspense novels featuring the ongoing relationship between romantic and business partners, Diem Krause and Tallus Domingo. In this outing (according to James, the last in the series), Diem and Tallus investigate a scam targeting residents at the retirement home where Diem’s grandmother lives. Their investigation shows that the scan is wide-ranging and targets senior citizens all over the area. Diem (with help from Aslan Doyle from James’s Valor & Doyle series) also attempts to get sober—although he does have at least one relapse (which I found to be realistic as opposed to some books where an alcoholic goes to a couple of meetings and never has the urge to drink again). In the course of their investigation, Diem & Tallus run into a homeless teenager who is helping perpetrate the scams. Diem sees something of himself in the defensive young man who is basically his own worst enemy, and he persuades Tallus to let them take the young man under their wing. As usual there’s a good mixture of romance and suspense in PENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS (although I guessed one of the culprits quite early, I didn’t figure out how they fit into the scam), and we leave the guys on a very positive note. I highly recommend the entire Shadowy Solutions series, but you do have to read the books in order to get the full romantic arc of Diem & Tal’s relationship.
Sarina Bowen’s MY KIND OF GUY is the latest in her Hockey Guys series of m/m romances. Although not as good as THE LAST GUY ON EARTH (one of my favorite books of 2025), MY KIND OF GUY was still an engaging book about a minor-league hockey playing and the bar owner he becomes involved with as he moves up through the ranks of professional hockey. Hockey player Beck tries to work up the courage to speak to Forrest, the owner/bartender of his favorite gay bar, but things only progress once Beck offers to play goalie for Forrest’s beer-league team. The story beats are predictable (although Forrest experienced an incident in the past that has colored his feelings about hook-ups of any kind), but they’re nicely done—and characters from the previous Hockey Guys books make cameo appearances. However, there was one aspect of MY KIND OF GUY that left me a bit puzzled: the rather insistent recurrence of Beck using A.I. to ask basic questions about the progress of his relationship. It seemed both overdone and completely uncritical—a small thing, perhaps, but it occurred frequently enough that I noticed it. Still, overall, a serviceable romance. Recommended.
I don’t read much omegaverse romance, in large part because I like to think agency, choice, and consent play key roles in who we choose to love and who chooses to love us; so a system based on fated mates and inescapable biological determinism doesn’t always sit well with me (although it can be very well done, cf. Cate C. Wells’s shifter romances). However, Jesse H Reign is one of my go-to writers, so when I saw she had just released a new book, GONE WILD, I grabbed it, even knowing that it was an Alpha-Omega pairing. I don’t know if GONE WILD is reflective of standard a/b/o tropes or if Reign does some decent world-building, but I found the story interesting. Lucien is an omega who has always used heat-suppressants (analogous, in a way, to real world birth control pills), so he has never gone into heat. He and his friends (including his ex-boyfriend, a fellow omega) plan a weekend in the ex’s family cabin. Lucien is the first one to arrive, but then—oh no’s!—a snowstorm rolls in just as Branson (the brother of Lucien’s ex and an alpha) shows up. Then Lucien discovers that he’s forgotten to bring his suppressant pills. Can you guess what happens next? There’s a lot (and I mean) a lot of sex in GONE WILD, but there’s also some interesting takes on some of the consent issues that in my mind make omegaverse complicated reading. I’m not spoiling anything by telling you that by book’s end, we learn that Lucien & Branson are, in fact, fated mates, but it’s an interesting (and sexy) journey to get there. On the whole, GONE WILD could just as easily have been a standard snowbound-in-a-cabin-with-my-ex’s-brother romance without bringing the omegaverse into things, but either way, it’s a fast read and recommended.
I can’t believe we are staring down May Day. Considering that April saw a week or so of temps in the 70s and 80s, I am anticipating a very sweaty summer.
The Courtship of Julian St. Albans by Amy Crook
DNF @68%
Hate to start this with a DNF but needs must. I decided to quit this book when I realized how repetitious it was. I knew when I started it that the writing was competent but not stellar, yet I liked the snarky, arrogant POV character who is not the title character btw. Alex is a mage who consults with the police in what seems like an alt-version of England. He meets Julian during a murder investigation and becomes a suitor in order to further his detecting. This paranormal mystery romance (m/m) features a bunch of grisly magical murders nestled in a hyper-cozy vibe. There are so many meals, snacks, outfits, and interiors minutely described that you miss the lack of things like actual in-depth character development. For me, the appeal was the extremely detailed magical system and the courtship rituals. What can I say? I’m a sucker for magical deep dives and social customs. This book could easily be someone’s crack, hence all these details. However, I can’t afford the empty calories in this book, so I’m done.
A Bride for Marcus by Anne Gracie
I was so tickled to spot this title online. It appears that Gracie is self-publishing now, and this book came out in late March. This Regency romance is a solid entry in the Devil Riders series. Starchy Marcus, Earl of Alverleigh, is shocked to recognize his childhood playmate Tessa in twice-widowed Lady Hewitt. Nevertheless, he takes an interest in her well-being and is able to prevent a third forced wedding to an elderly groom. Though Tessa’s backstory is pretty harrowing, this marriage of convenience story is an excellent comfort read with appealing protagonists and a likable supporting cast. Recommended.
On a Night Like This by Lindsey Kelk
Depending on your inclinations, this book could be considered romance or women’s fiction. At any rate, it’s both romantic and funny af. As the story opens, our heroine is mired in a drab twelve year relationship. Fran’s deference to her fiance’s needs has become the default setting for both of them, and that has taken its toll on her happiness. In a minor act of rebellion, Fran takes a short, well-paying temp position and finds herself plunged into an adventure that’s both luxurious and stressful. There are a lot of delicious little digs aimed at celebrity culture, and most of these observations are dead on. A distinct Cinderella subplot provides the romance, with an endearing stranger filling the role of the prince. However, I found myself thinking more of Candide than Cindy, due to Fran’s growth as she navigates the pleasures and pitfalls of her journey. There is an HEA or perhaps an HFN, but the journey is what makes this novel worth reading. Recommended.
Law Maker by Susie Tate
(CW: domestic violence, much of it on page.)
@C & @Deborah both mentioned this book in a recent WAYR. It took me a while to finish due to the extensive bullying and abuse within Clara’s family. I found the interactions between withdrawn paraeducator Clara and alphaholic barrister Rafe pretty entertaining, especially when the action centered on Rafe’s young son Ozzie and the staff at his private school. That’s probably what made me stick with this to the end. The depiction of the crime family and the police procedures strained my credulity, but, in the end, my biggest problem was Rafe’s performance as an arrogant alph-hole aristo. Weirdly, he was both funny and annoying af. YMMV, but I liked the writing well enough to try another book by this author.
How Not to Fall in Love by Karla Sorensen
I very much enjoyed this romance between a single mom and an arrogant, closed off pro football player. Remi has a full life between her ten year old son, her grandfather, and her job at an animal rescue center, until Archer literally crashes right into the middle of it. Remi’s responsibilities make her risk averse, and Archer rings all her alarm bells. Though Archer traces his issues to his cold perfectionist father (not my favorite element), a great deal of this book has to do with Archer learning to take responsibility and rise above his past. Between kids and grampas, cuddly puppies and cuddly athletes, this romance delivers on the cozy vibe, but well-drawn characters and sparkling dialog save it from an overdose of sentiment.
Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite
This science fiction mystery has been gathering dust on my TBR for awhile, and I finally felt the urge for something short and pithy. It didn’t hurt that it has a sequel either. I was expecting the cleverness and originality, but the elegant prose and vivid descriptions took this novella well beyond my expectations. Definitely a winner.
Falling for the Italian Dream by Leonie Mack (formerly An Italian Wedding Adventure)
This novel is the first in a series about adventure wedding planners. I read and enjoyed the second one last year. This story begins with a merger between an outdoor adventure company and a destination wedding business. Sophie, one of the wedding planners, and Andreas, one of the adventure guides, have some eight year old history to process when they are brought together for the initial adventure wedding. This story is full of wedding drama, beautiful vistas, and so. Much. Pining. There is also–sadly–a whiff of Big Misunderstanding. Whether it is justifiable, only the reader can decide. For me, the slow revelation of missed signals made the story drag a bit, but the eventual declaration of feelings was great. I still liked the second book more, and have high hopes for the third book that’s releasing this year.
Nobody’s Baby by Olivia Waite
The second sci-fi mystery novella in the Dorothy Gentleman series brings us another miniature gem of compact storytelling. Although this is 100% sci-fi, it has a distinctly vintage feel as a mystery. On a space borne journey that could take centuries, human fecundity would be a major disaster, so it’s offline for the duration. How then does Dorothy Gentleman’s nephew Ruthie end up with an infant on his doorstep? Dorothy is determined to unravel the puzzle and find solutions for Baby Doe, Ruthie, and all concerned. I enjoyed this as a cozy mystery and I love the science fictional world building–though the latter leaves me hungry for more information about the Fairweather’s history and mission. Recommended.
Christmas Fling by Lindsey
I very much enjoyed this madcap comedy of (bad) manners. Fake relationships are rarely my fave due to all the lying, but I gotta say, the friends and family in this one wholly deserved it. The rapport between Callum and Laura (aka Caroline) evolves slowly from friendship to major feels over an intense and combative Christmas holiday with Callum’s family in Scotland. The supporting characters ramp up the hostility and the humor, but our protagonists do manage to find their HFN. (HFN due to the short timeline) This is a romance in which the love story is quiet, and the “alarums and excursions” are loud, so ymmv, but I am here for it.
Happy Ending by Chloe Liese
I mostly finished this, and now I resent it. Mostly means that I skimmed the second half like a stone skipping across a lake. This book is a single first person POV, friends to lovers, dual timeline contemporary romance detailing the FMC’s gradual recovery from her divorce as well as her growing platonic friendship with the single dad whose ex is with the narrator’s ex. I like some of the dialogue, and some of the characters, but despite the fact that she is a book girlie, something about the sanctimonious FMC gets right up my nose. The story covers two years (four if you count the epilogue), but two days spent wallowing in this woman’s internal monologue is purgatory. Anyway, the reason I skimmed–the coup de grâce, if you will–is the amazingly awful writing. I can hardly believe that this is traditionally published. There are dropped, misused, or misplaced words, weird punctuation, and short choppy paragraphs full of sentence fragments and odd repetitions. (Is this what AI editing looks like?) Then there are short chunks of prose in which the narrator switches to third person past tense and italics because her life is like. . . a book! So she narrates it! Literarily! I’m not that much of a grammar purist, but these problems are so pervasive that the writing has very little flow and ultimately distracts from the already scanty storytelling. Sorry to be so ranty, but I have never regretted a DNF as much as I regret the time I spent on this book.
His Road Home by Anna Richland
For some reason, the most recent HaBO reminded me of this novella, and I was overcome with a yen to reread it. It’s twelve years old, still original and still perfect. The story takes strangers Rey and Grace from a fictional engagement that goes viral in the aftermath of a devastating explosion in Afghanistan that costs Rey his legs and more. After meeting Rey at Walter Reed and seven months of long distance friendship, Grace embarks on a cross country road trip to move Rey home. Wholeheartedly recommended.
Ticket Out and Return Ticket
by Michelle Diener
These historical mysteries set in early sixties London were mentioned by @Karin in an WAYR post earlier this year. Gabriella, the FMC, is a Traffic Warden, toughened by dealing politely with rude and sometimes aggressive scofflaws, but finding dead bodies on her patch ratchets up her stress considerably. In the course of the first investigation, she meets DS James Archer who willingly steps up when she becomes a target herself. Gabriella and James share a slow burn relationship over the course of the two mysteries. Sharply drawn background characters populate a diverse and supportive community as well as an underworld running the gamut from petty criminals to serial killers. Hopefully, there will be additional entries in this series.
The Night We Met by Abby Jimenez
This book was so good–agonizing but so, so good. Chris is Mike’s best friend. Larissa is Mike’s girlfriend. Mike is. . . not doing so well. Calling this a triangle would be a woeful oversimplification. Rather, this is an exploration of what we owe the ones we love, what we owe ourselves, and how we navigate the inevitable conflicts and overlaps. The writing is so finely tuned, so balanced that it seem effortless even as Jimenez examines lives in crisis. And, of course, as always, there is a Very Good Boy. Recommended.
Think Outside the Boss by Olivia Hayle
This workplace romance is the first in the New York Billionaires series about partners in a venture capital firm. Frederica and Tristan meet anonymously in an exclusive sex club, more a meet-hot than a meet-cute. Their next encounter is at the company where Tristan is CEO and Freddie is participating in a year long executive trainee program, making him her boss’s boss and a potential HR nightmare.. Freddie is competent and ambitious, while Tristan is focused on his job and his kid, raising the stakes for both of them. This book is decently written and treats the complications seriously, but it doesn’t break new ground. Worth reading if you like interoffice romance and biz in the City.
Say Yes to the Boss by Olivia Hayle
The third entry in the New York Billionaires series features a marriage of convenience between driven, remote Victor St. Clair and his executive assistant, Cecilia Myers. I think this may be my favorite in this series so far. I like that Victor and Cecilia negotiated their marital agreement from positions of virtual equality and shared practicality. There was not a ton of drama, but both MCs underwent a great deal of personal growth while working their way from convenience to commitment. Also, I like reading about ice cold characters who thaw over the course of the romance. Recommended.
I’ve enjoyed nearly everything Kate Clayborn has written, although I read GEORGIE ALL ALONG not too long ago and can’t recall anything about that book. LOVE LETTERING, on the other hand, was memorable, and I also liked Clayborn’s “Chance of a Lifetime” series from her early days. I started THE PARIS MATCH after reading @PamG’s praise for the book in the last WAYR, and finished it after the flurry of comments posted with @Lara’s recent review. This angsty, beautifully-told story moved me, a lot. The unfolding of each MCs’ journey is much more than a slow burn romance and Clayborn’s exquisite writing had me stopping more than once just to admire her prose. I agree with some commenters about possible need for content warnings since the MCs deal with a lot of pain, both physical and emotional. I don’t share concerns that have been expressed about the “misleading” cover illustration. For me, the pastel cover was an expression of the lovely romantic moments the MCs share in Paris. The ambiguities and angst that surround those moments didn’t negate the happy parts of the story.
I needed a change of mood after PARIS MATCH, so I turned to something that’s been in my TBRs for a while. MARGO’S GOT MONEY PROBLEMS, by Rufi Thorpe, is comedic literary fiction that I liked a lot, and while it’s not a romance, it does have an upbeat ending, plus a lot of funny and thoughtful observations about many forms of love (parental, partner, friends, jealous rivals, etc.). Margo is a community college student and talented writer who has a brief affair with her married English professor, gets pregnant, and decides to keep the baby. She realizes she needs to make money to keep paying her rent and taking care of baby Bodhi’s needs, and she decides to start an OnlyFans account. Then Margo’s father, a retired professional wrestler, shows up and offers to help with childcare, giving Margo more time to develop and market her OnlyFans presence– and the money is very good. Margo’s voice alternates between first person and third person, and she’s a compelling narrator in both POV, with a lot to say about writing, parenting, sex work, other kinds of work, religion, economic inequality, and numerous other serious topics, presented in a delightfully entertaining way. The Apple TV mini-series based on this novel has garnered many positive reviews, and I’m looking forward to watching.
I finished a couple other books: GHOST BUSINESS is Jen DeLuca’s second entry in her “Boneyard Key” series, and I liked this one better than the first novel, possibly because it has less paranormal content. The rivals-to-lovers storyline was fun, involving FMC Sophie, who leads well-researched “ghost tours” of her haunted small town in Florida, and MMC Tristan, who has just arrived and is setting up a new branch of his multi-city ghost tour business, where every tour leader uses the same script and accuracy doesn’t matter. I had a little trouble with the insta-lust start of the MCs’ relationship but appreciated the character and plot development as the story continued. DeLuca’s next book is supposed to be a return to her Renaissance Fair “Well Met” series, and I’m eager to re-enter that world.
Eliza Lentzski’s newest novel, STICK AROUND (available from KU), was OK but I didn’t like this one as much as other F/F romances by this author. The story is a second-chance romance for a women’s professional hockey star and her 15-years-ago girlfriend, a sports reporter. They broke up at the end of college to pursue their career goals separately; now both are in Boston, crossing paths constantly, and rekindling their feelings for each other. A lot of dramatic plot developments are crammed in the last few chapters, so the ending seemed rushed to me. A plotline about exclusion of trans women and girls from sports teams is woven throughout the book.
Currently, I’m about halfway through COLTON GENTRY’S THIRD ACT. It’s a bit slow at times but both MCs are compelling.
Hello, Smart B’s!
Reading DELAY OF GAME by Ari Baran, M/M hockey romance (they seem to really know hockey, but don’t realy on me?). Really enjoying it. I have had trouble getting into books lately, so this is making me very happy.
Was disappointed by THE ENDING WRITES ITSELF by Evelyn Clarke, but I think it was due to misaligned expectations. I thought it was going to be a mystery book within a mystery book, kind of like Anthony Horowitz’s homages to Agatha Christie. I love two mysteries for the pages of one! However, it was a horror book. Everyone stuck on an island getting murdered. No thanks. Recently I had the same problem with ALL OF US MURDERERS by KJ Charles. It was not a mystery with a romance, but a gothic with a romance. I would consider this a me problem, but be forewarned.
I also DNF’s AFTER HOURS AT DOORYARD BOOKS, by Cat Sebastian. Again, a me problem. The characters are very real, the historical details rang true, and the plot is engaging. Grief and caring for an infant are center stage, however, which is a combo that stressed me right out. Seems like an excellent book, but not for me. My children are grown and I still have nightmares that I forgot to take care of a baby. Know thyself. DNF.
Loved, loved, loved Cat Sebastian’s STAR SHIPPED, for all the reasons people have already said. Definitely recommend for a fantastic weekend read. Vivid, believable, unique characters who truly fall in love. So good!
Read a couple of short Jax Calder M/Ms, IT STARTED WITH A TEXT, and MODERATING LOVE. I enjoyed both. Jax Calder is great.
Reread — I love Loretta Chase, and I found CAPTIVES OF THE NIGHT to be one of her most complicated and interesting books. Both characters make sense and are compelling, but there is certain amount of selfishness and darkness built into both. I recommend it highly, but it may take a while for you to really enjoy the story. There is a well-done mystery woven into the whole that actually works, too. Highly recommend, but content warnings for homophobia and abuse in the past (seduction and marriage of 17 year old off page). Both handled well, but be careful!
The most interesting book I read was THE CASEFILE OF JAY MORIARTY by Kit Walker. This had nothing to do with the dynamic set up in the Sherlock Holmes mysteries. Moriarty and Captain Moran were morally grey heroes that fell in love, but there was no Holmes character that they were up against. The story was about two men meeting, committing crimes that were for the right reasons, and slowly intertwining their lives and falling in love while one of them was transitioning. I found this book, like many featuring trans characters, to be illuminating — some of the thoughts that Moriarty had really shed some light on what it might be like to be trans. I like romances that include neurodivergent or handicapped characters, too, not only because I usually learn something by book-walking in someone else’s shoes, but because that kind of struggle can provide some obstacles that must be navigated when building a relationship, which greatly enriches the love story for me. Real love is hard, and in real life the years provide those obstacles. In a book, it helps to have immediate struggles built in. So, good book. Check it out. Nothing to do with Doyle’s canon though, imo.
Hope you all have a great weekend! Thank you for all the recommendations!
It’s been a very productive reading month! I believe it’s because the figure skating season is over, so suddenly I have an extra 10 hours a week to read 😅
Since last time, I’ve read VIOLET THISTLEWHITE IS NOT A VILLAIN ANYMORE (cute! Fine), NOBODY’S GIRL by Virginia Roberts (an Epstein survivor – heavy read), FULL SHIFT by Jennifer Dugan (delightful!!!! Highly recommend), and JUST BETWEEN US (queer figure skaters!! I enjoyed it!).
I DNFd “ONLY A MONSTER” (felt tooooo YA and unimaginative) and UNROMANCE (I will probably try again someday! It just wasn’t grabbing me).
Currently, I’m reading THE DISABLED GOD (disability liberation theology!), ON TOP OF GLASS (YA memoir of a queer figure skater), PRIESTDADDY (finally!), and I’m starting Heyer’s THE RELUCTANT WIDOW
I’ve had a slew of great reads over the past couple of weeks. As always, here are the highlights:
GRAVE SIGHT by SHEENA JOLIE was a lovely addition to her Infinite Arcana universe featuring new characters in Ezra and Raum. Ezra is a curse breaker and Raum is professor; both men are brought together to figure out how to unravel a cursed artifact that shouldn’t be possible, but exists nonetheless. Worse, it has the power to destroy entire regions leading to a true sense of urgency. Add in a sweet kitty familiar, wonderful secondary characters, and the knowledge that this is the first in a trilogy and I was a very happy reader indeed.
RESONANCE SURGE, PRIMAL MIRROR, & ATONEMENT SKY by Nalini Singh are books #7-9 in the Psy-Changeling Trinity series. Nalini Singh’s romances always work for me…she is a sure thing which can be a two-edged sword as I sometimes “save” her books rather than reading them right at publication. April is always a busy month so it was a great time to break the glass on these reads. Each and every one of them lived up to expectations once again…this is a rich and layered world with a lot of history. I highly, highly recommend you start with Slave to Sensation.
LULA DEAN’S LITTLE LIBRARY OF BANNED BOOKS by Kirsten Miller was a fantastic audiobook. I was grateful to listen to the majority of it on a six-hour round trip drive as it was fabulous to inhale in large chunks. This book is not always a comfortable read but it is such an important one covering so many timely topics. I enjoyed the way that Miller constructed her story and had a lot of thoughts throughout. This is one that will stick with me for a long time to come. Highly recommended.
A STUDY IN SCARLET WOMEN by Sherry Thomas was another book that leaned into discomfort. The writing is fantastic but I was often aware that while I was invested in Charlotte’s story and was rooting for her to succeed, she isn’t always a particularly likable heroine. She is prickly and impulsive (in an egotistical way) and often too stubborn for her own (or others’) good. But she is also a loving and loyal sister, generous to those in need, and undervalues herself in surprising ways. The mystery was solid, but the characterizations were what kept me reading.
A GRAVE ROBBER by Deanna Raybourn #9 in the Veronica Speedwell series was a home run. The mystery was twisting (and twisted) with lots of interesting secondary characters. I read this one through in one sitting and it was a delightful time.
AN ACT OF FOUL PLAY & A FIRE AT THE EXHIBITION by TE Kinsey continue the Lady Hardcastle historical mysteries that I have been happily gulping down in between other reads. Foul Play features a twisty mystery when an actor is found stabbed on the stage when the current rises after intermission. Fire at the Exhibition takes Flo and Emily features art stolen during the village exhibition. As always, these books are filled with humor, food, and friends as well as some really interesting shenanigans. Also, some of the best author notes showcasing interesting historical tidbits act as an extra reward at the end of each book.
GHOSTLY FORCE by EM Leya was a delightful discovery – I had no idea a new book had been released in the Ghostly series. This is book #10, so don’t start here (Ghostly Awakening is book #1). The author took a bit of a risk by having her MCs more on the sidelines in this entry; an explosion during a dinner out injures our MCs leaving the bulk of the investigating to secondary characters Franks and Burns. The risk paid off for me as I really enjoyed seeing these characters shine and it was enjoyable digging deeper into their story lines. The ghostly crew were also an enjoyable part of the book as usual. It was great to see there are at least three more books planned in the series.
THE FARAWAY INN by Sarah Beth Durst is a YA cozy fantasy that (luckily for me) didn’t feel particularly YA. This book has a very similar premise to Ilona Andrews Innkeepers series, but leans hard into fantasy rather than scifi. I love the idea of a bed and breakfast for other realms and worlds. There were so many fun elements to this book – a snarky mirror, a lovable library ladder, a pet dragon…I had such fun reading this one.
I am two for two with authors/content creators. Like several people in the last WAYR, I dove into the brick that is Jaysea Lynn’s FOR WHOM THE BELLE TOLLS. I have found her Hellp Desk videos vastly amusing but was hesitant about the deep dive this would be. The water was fine. Lots of humor, lots of angst, lots of spiciness, more world building, less actual Hellp Desk interactions. Looking forward to book two.
On to the next brick, Lucy Score’s MISTAKES
WERE MADE, book two of the Story Lake series. Very much in her usual style: light and breezy at the beginning with a sharp turn into angst two thirds in. Luckily this appears to be my jam. The grovel that followed the third act break up was a delight and the passel of very good dogs sprinkled throughout was a bonus.
In an effort to give my poor arthritic thumb a rest, I finally jumped on THE CORRESPONDENT band wagon. I admit that I am always reluctant to take on acclaimed, award winning books. I hate being the damp rag that doesn’t get it. I’m looking at you THE ROAD. I readily admit that everyone was right about this book. Virginia Evans has created a magnificent character study told through letters and emails. Late to the party and sorry for it.
Now do I pick up the next brick of a book on the pile WHEN THE MOON HATCHED or head off to the GBPL where Abby Jimenez’s latest, THE NIGHT WE MET is waiting at the drive through? Decisions, decisions.
Over the past two weeks ~
— read a short historical romance piece, “A FIRST FOOTER FOR LADY JANE” by author Jennifer Ashley. I found it in this anthology, Ten Lords for the Holidays. It was a pleasant story in which a couple falls in love virtually at first sight, but I don’t expect to reread it.
— The Potato Who Loved Me (The Luminara Chronicles Book 1) by Ashton Garrett was a charming story that serves as a prequel for a fantasy book I hope to read at some point. The story is narrated by a well loved and indulged dog whose Mommy brings a new dog (the Potato) into their home.
— quite enjoyed the contemporary romance Medaling by Hailey Reaves which featured two ice hockey players at the Olympics. These two men are assigned to be roommates even though they have been competitors in the past; in fact, one broke the other’s shoulder some years ago. This is the author’s first romance, I believe. I was quite surprised on reading the author blurb to realize that I had read one of the author’s speculative fiction books last year ~ Dot Slash Magic by Liz Shipton. That was a very different read.
— read Sapiens [Tenth Anniversary Edition]: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari for my local book group. I read sixty pages daily for the past week, and it was quite a time commitment. I find reading non-fiction, in general, to be a far slower process than reading fiction. Would I have read this book were it not for my book group? No. Do I regret reading it? No. Was it a joyous mood enhancing read? No!
— read a contemporary romance that I believe I’ll reread at some point, Stormy by Wren Wilds. I also look forward to reading the author’s next book which will focus on a character that played a role in this book. The story begins when a Florida biker bar owner is driving to a hardware store to get plywood as a level 4 hurricane is forecast to arrive in the next day or two. He sees a young man sheltering under an overhang on his way to the store and on his way back. He returns and offers him a place to stay. The bar owner is perhaps THE most talkative character I’ve encountered in fiction! The younger man is on the run from an abusive situation and is initially near mute. (Caution for violence)
— read Sunshine (Trident Agency Book 1) by EM Lindsey and Kiki Clark, a contemporary paranormal romance featuring two men, one a hellhound and the other half human half siren. The former runs a protection agency and is hired to protect the latter, a prince, whose entire family have just experienced kidnapping attempts. This is clearly not set in our world yet the characters have cellphones and sunglasses that cost three hundred dollars. I passed a pleasant few hours reading this, but I don’t expect to read on in the series.
— enjoyed reading Mahjong: House Rules from Across the Asian Diaspora by Nicole Wong. I play mah jongg, the National Mah Jongg League version, so it was interesting to read about Chinese mahjong and a variety of other versions and see the commonalities and differences. The author describes herself as Asian American, but her grandparents were raised in New Zealand (country of my birth) by parents who emigrated there from China in the 1920s. They settled in Dunedin where my daughter did her college study abroad. The author did not grow up playing mahjong but learned from her NZ grandparents as an adult.
— read This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me (Maggie the Undying Book 1) by Ilona Andrews which I quite enjoyed. Maggie awakens naked in the world of her favorite book series, a vaguely medieval-ish world in which some have magic. She soon learns that she cannot get home nor can she die. (She can however suffer pain and does.) This was a complex and lengthy story with various political factions and events that surprised me. I would happily read book two, but it must be written first! (Content warning for violence and deaths)
— read At the Corner of Magnetic and Main by Margaret Dendler, a novella which begins when a young man dies in a motorcycle accident. The main character is Penny, a ghost who died at 17 in the 1950s, who attempts to help him and others pass into the Light.
— Blue Skies by Marie Sinclair features a flight attendant and a man who works for a military contractor. The latter is ex-military, older, and closeted; the former is asexual and has HIV. I enjoyed this book.
— read the novella The Same Old Love by Marie Sinclair. In this two men who were young actors in a television show and subsequently in a boy band reunite after years apart. One stayed in the business and is in a downward spiral; the other is now a winemaker. I don’t expect to reread this.
— I’m planning on making some mah jongg themed bookmarks next month so am looking for inspiration. I ended up rereading American Mah Jongg for Everyone: The Complete Beginner’s Guide by Gregg Swain and Toby Salk. I would recommend this book to new players.
— read Aftermath: Loyalty by Serenity Bea which is described as a character-driven survival slow-burn love story. This book is set in the US after a pandemic has killed much of the population. Ellen, a veterinarian, is kidnapped by a marine to help save his wounded brother, who is also military. All three have heavy emotional baggage some of which is shared or hinted at during the book. Bonds form as they attempt to drive cross country. I would be interested in reading more by this author. (This book has a LOT of violence.)
On the one hand, I’ve read a lot of late, on the other, it’s because I am soooo sick and my house is soooo thrashed from the leak (repairs literally started yesterday).
Let’s see, since we left off, I burned my way through Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid, because I really wanted to keep my space joy going post-Artemis, and it was perfect for that. I really enjoyed the sheer joy of competence throughout the book, and was very interested in the dynamic between the main character and her sister. Then I hopped into Murder at the Alpine Hotel by Lucy Foley and (sort of) Agatha Christie. Basically it was Lucy Foley getting to write a Miss Marple story, and it was EXCELLENT. Nice little twisty mystery, and Foley had a very good understanding of what makes Jane Marple so good at being a sleuth. Christie was way ahead of her time on writing books about how older women are consistently underestimated and/or ignored, and how that enables them to move through rooms and take actions and make observations without others cottoning on to what they’re really doing. Then I read The Last Patient of the Night by Gary Gerlacher, which was a completely bonkers yet somehow compulsively readable thriller about an ER doctor who also has mad detective skills and can also do Jack Reacher-type shit when the needs arise? That said, I liked his snark and there was a dog (and the dog does end up severely injured but DOES NOT DIE, I repeat, the doggie is FINE). I might check out others in the series when I need something insane. Which brings us to now, in which I’m reading my Netgalley copy of Rules for Aging and Larceny by Julia London. London tends to be hit or miss for me, but this one’s hitting. It’s described as “Ocean’s 11 meets The Golden Girls”, and really, that’s as accurate as it gets. Four former criminals, now all in their 70s, who happily did a lot of crimes and thievery in their youth get together to do one last big score. They all have their own reasons for getting in on this, but it’s striking a nice balance between heist-planning (again, we’re taking advantage of the relative invisibility of older women in our society, which is catnip for me) and the rebuilding of relationships that fell apart decades ago, and which will be have to be rebuilt in order for them to have the trust needed to do their big score. So until next time, cough hack, take them antibiotics or give them to me (not really, I have my own).
Some recent highlights:
A GHASTLY CATASTROPHE—the latest Veronica Speedwell. High Veronica and Stoker banter quotient, special guest appearances by Lady Julia Grey and Brisbane (from Raybourn’s other mystery series), and adequate amounts of JJ and Mornaday. The mystery was okay (not a ton of mystery really to it), but I did enjoy the denouement (and I wouldn’t mind if Asphodel showed up again.)
NE’ER DUKE WELL, EARL CRUSH, and THE HALIFAX HELLIONS by Alexandra Vasti. Enjoyed all of these—Vasti has a good sense of humor that comes across well (reminds me of Tessa Dare.)
THE DUKE OF SHADOWS by Meredith Duran. I wish Duran had done an author’s note because so much of the book is set in colonial India amidst a lot of violence and it talks about colonialism in a way that historicals often do not. Duran also writes really excellent dialogue and I appreciated how she lets it carry the narrative forward without interspersing it with a lot of explication.
I’m currently reading THUS WAS ADONIS MURDERED by Sarah Caudwell. It’s an older book (contemporary mystery) but the writing style puts me in mind of Veronica Speedwell and Lord Peter Wimsey. It’s got that same sort of dry wit to it—if you’re a mystery reader who likes either or both of those series, would recommend!
Geeze, @C, I choked on my salad after your last “Surprise!”. Thank you for my best laugh this week.
@DiscoDollyDeb-I haven’t watched Heated Rivalry for the same reason you mentioned, what little I’ve seen of the actors (I’ve actively kept away from anything about the series) they are so different from how I’ve pictured the characters in my head. Since I’ve read the books numerous times, they are a comfort read for me. I feel like I don’t want to replace that. I’m sure I’d enjoy the series, if I hadn’t read the books. I guess my question is, if you read the books again-will you imagine the actors? I ask because I another series I love, Big Bad Wolf by Charlie Adhara, someone in a thread on another site mentioned an actor who would be great to play one of the characters. That totally got stuck in my head and not in a good way!
I’m re-reading, for the umpteenth time, the Puckboys series by Eden Finley and Saxon James. The newest one came out over a week ago, so once I finished that I had to go back and read them all again. Very enjoyable!
@DiscoDollyDeb, I had to get over the same misgivings about Heated Rivalry (thanks to @Cleo for the reassurance). As soon as I saw Connor and Hudson in that first shower scene, they became my mental image of Ilya and Shane.
Finished NEVER AFTER by Alexis Hall. It was somewhat unusual for an m/m love story set in intolerant 19th century England in that it doesn’t tie everything up in a too convenient bow. At the start, one character is an opium addicted prostitute and the other is a vicar, so the obstacles are many and varied. The book’s description uses the word ‘melancholic’ and that’s apt, but the word that came to my mind when I finished was ‘bittersweet.’
LOCK STEP, the 3rd book in CT Whistle’s Omegaverse Case Files series. This is an alpha/alpha (wolf shifter), best friends to lovers story involving side characters from the earlier novels. The plot includes a criminal investigation, but it’s less prominent than in the first two books. The guys are transferred to a small town where the average ages is ‘near death’ because of their bad behavior on their previous job. The side characters and some of their situations are sometimes gross and often hilarious.
Doing a lot of re-reading (Ilona Andrews, Alice Coldbreath) but some new things:
THE KEEPER OF MAGICAL THINGS by JULIE LEONG. Set in same world as The Teller of Small Fortunes, but a different group of characters. World-building is good and you root for the characters. Very enjoyable. Nothing is ever really low-stakes for me, since I am a high-anxiety reader, but this is pretty close! And a sweet sapphic romance.
MARRIED TO THE ALIEN COWBOY by URSA DAX. A bit of well-done fun fluff with enough heart that I cared what happened to the characters. I’m on the third in the series. The brain escape I need.
JANE AUSTEN’S BOOKSHELF: A RARE BOOK COLLECTOR’S QUEST TO FIND THE WOMEN WRITERS WHO SHAPED A LEGEND by REBECCA ROMNEY. Really good! Romney is an excellent writer and she takes you along on her journey of discovery. Each chapter is devoted to a particular writer (Frances Burney, Charlotte Lennox, etc.). Romney reads their works and all about them and then tries to pinpoint when/why these very influential and well-known writers faded from syllabi. There are many ways to erase women’s accomplishments, sadly, but this book vindicates more than laments.
I know I’ve read more but I’m terrible at keeping book lists!
@Maureen: if I reread HR (which is entirely likely because it’s a comfort reread for me), I think I’ll still see Ilya as bigger than Shane (in the show, the actors are about the same size), but yeah, the actors’ faces will undoubtedly superimpose on my prior ideas of how they looked. On the other hand, I have to say the show is amazingly faithful to both GAME CHANGER (except, as I said before, Kip’s appearance) and HEATED RIVALRY—sometimes in direct dialog and sometimes just in the feelings certain passages evoke.
I read “Top Secret” by Sarina Bowen and determined that I just can’t read romances with college-age-and-attending characters. These characters are babies to me, not grown men. I finished the book generally unsatisfied with it. I have “Him”, “Us”, etc, so will try those and see how they go.
Continuing to read mostly HR fanfic on AO3. So many good ones.
I am rereading Anne Gracie’s Devil Riders series before digging into her latest, A Bride for Marcus. I’m on book three now so I should be able to start Marcus’ book sometime in the next couple days.
Before that, I read The Sunne in Splendor by Sharon Kay Penman. It took me a long time to read it as its over 900 pages but definitely worth it. It gives you a sympathetic view of Richard III and his wife Anne Neville, and makes a compelling case for someone else being responsible for the disappearance of the two princes in the tower. I highly recommend all her historical fiction books.
I’m in a history book club (nonfiction). April’s book was The Wager by David Grann. Its the story of a shipwreck, mutiny, and murder, as well as an incredible survival story of the crew of the HMS Wager. It takes place during the War of Jenkins’ Ear in the 1740’s between Great Britain and Spain. Grann is also the auther of Killers of the Flower Moon and The Lost City of Z, both of which have been made into movies. Martin Scorsese has apparently already bought the film rights to The Wager and it is in development with Leonardo DiCaprio attached. I can see why he would be interested in telling this story as the story has already inspired books by Herman Melville and Patrick O’Brian. The book for May isn’t as rivetting, First Principles by Thomas E. Ricks. Its about the education of the first four U.S. Presidents and how they were influenced by ancient Greeks and Romans. Like I said, it isn’t as fascinating as the April book, but it is holding my interest.
@DiscoDollyDeb:I read the entire series when the books first came out, reread them a few times, then watched the show & have since reread all of them again. I don’t picture the actors as the characters when I’m reading, but now I always hear Ilya’s dialogue in Connor Storrie’s voice, no matter which book in the series I’m reading.
It’s Hugo awards season and I’m a voter and I’m determined to do my due diligence as much as I can. I’m actually pretty ahead of the game; I’ve read a lot of the novel and novella nominees already. I know they’ll come out with a voters packet soon, but I’m trying to read what I have available already while I wait.
I got the ebook for AUTOMATIC NOODLE on sale at some point and it’s one of the two novellas I haven’t read yet so that’s first up. It’s cute so far! And I’m rooting for these robots.
I’ve got CINDER HOUSE coming on library hold, we’ll see if it arrives before the voter packet does. In the meantime, after Automatic Noodle I’ll try to make headway with the short story nominees.
Loved Abby Jimenez’s THE NIGHT WE MET and Kate Clayborn’s THE PARIS MATCH for all the reasons mentioned here by @PamG and @EditChief. Both books are so so good.
I also really liked Peyton Corinne’s f/m contemporary (college student) romance UNBOUND. This is an angsty series but I’ve found them readable and relatable.
Enjoyed Danielle Allen’s f/m contemporary BIG GIRL BLITZ. She has wonderfully realistic characters with complicated lives and I enjoy watching how they mesh.
Beth O’Leary’s f/m contemporary THE NAME GAME was mostly good/somewhat mixed, as it used writerly trickery for its effects and I’m glad I found spoilers for those so I could enjoy the way she structured them rather than suffering utter confusion (I did the same thing for her THE NO-SHOW, which also worked fairly well for me that way–as a reader I don’t like being misled).
I lost Karla Sorensen’s f/m contemporary Best Men series in my TBR until now but quite enjoyed them. THE BEST LAID PLANS was fine but I especially enjoyed THE BEST OF ALL.
In fantasy I re-read Peter S. Beagle’s THE INNKEEPER’S SONG after many years and enjoyed it again. I didn’t remember anything so it was like a new read. A tale with fascinating characters, a lot of threads, and ultimately humane and fascinating. This was a case when the multiple POVs made the story become 3 dimensional.
I also read Devney Perry’s RITES OF THE STARLING and enjoyed getting lost in the dual tales there.
I think for the first time ever I read a book that I first saw in a Facebook ad. At least, I think that’s where I noticed it. Sylvia Mercedes’s A SPOT OF TEA AND SORCERY is a novella, first in a series (all will be coming out in KU, about one a month), about a disgraced dark wizard who starts a flower shop and the magical shop assistant he can’t help hiring. It is charming and cozy with enough edge (sorcery is illegal; she doesn’t know his past) to keep it interesting. Yes, a touch of HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE and recommended for fans of that.
Been a long, long time since I’ve posted on WAYR but I have been reading all your excellent posts and noting books that sound interesting – thank you to everyone who contributes. Here are a few of the books I’ve been reading recently:
THE BODYGUARD AFFAIR by Amy Lea is set in Ottawa and is a romance between Andi Zeigler, the female PA for the Canadian prime minister’s wife and Nolan Croby, one of the prime minister’s male close protection officers (aka bodyguard). I really wanted to like this book – it’s Canadian, it’s set in Ottawa (a city that gets a lot of grief, but I have always enjoyed visiting), and there are some lovely moments in this book. But in the end, I just found this book too uneven, and even annoying at times, especially when it came to the FMC’s actions and choices. Too much of this book’s plot is not driven by characters’ choices, but by the author’s need to sandwich in too many trope-driven scenes. As a result, Andi’s character is undermined since Lea has set many scenes in ways that require Andi to make a series of problematical decisions that not only make her look incompetent, but even worse professionally unethical.
Jayne Ann Krentz, THE SHOP ON HIDDEN LANE, and Jayne Castle (aka JAK), IT TAKES A PSYCHIC. The former is contemporary paranormal romance; the latter is a paranormal romance set in a distant future on another planet. TSOHL has a cute dog and ITAP has a cute dust bunny. In each book the FMC and FMM spend about 2 minutes pushing against each other and then decide sensibly to team up and work together to stop the bad guys. These nice, undemanding, cozy reads; but as usual I’m not sure that they would work for anyone who isn’t already somewhat familiar already with JAK and her books.
I also did a reread of some of JAK’s earlier contemporaries, GRAND PASSION, FAMILY MAN, TRUST ME, HIDDEN TALENTS, PERFECT PARTNERS, and the Eclipse Bay trilogy. Most of these hold up well for books written decades ago – and it was fun to reread them.
B.K. Borison, AND NOW, BACK TO YOU. I’m on the fence about Borison – I found her first series, Lovelight Farm, uneven but enjoyable. She’s now working on two new series, Ghosted and Heartstrings. Each series is planned to be 3 books long. I really loved the idea behind GOOD SPIRITS, the first book in the Ghosted series, but once again found the book itself a bit uneven. But I thought that FIRST-TIME CALLER (Heartstrings #1) was very good. AND NOW, BACK TO YOU is the second Heartstrings book and features Jackson Clark, a local Baltimore’s radio meteorologist and Delilah Stewart, who works for a local TV station, as their meteorologist. Jackson and Delilah are polar opposites – she’s a sunshiny, spontaneous extrovert while Jackson is reserved, anxious, and introverted. A “storm of the century” and Deliah’s terrible boss are the macguffiny plot devices that mean Jackson and Delilah end up spending several days in the same hotel room in rural Maryland really getting to know each other. I really liked both as characters – they both are likeable and sweet and it soon becomes apparent that these two weather nerds are perfect for one another. The strongest part of the book I thought were the personal relationships not just between them but between Jackson and his sisters and Delilah and her grandfather. But the subplot about the serious harassment Delilah faced at work felt underdeveloped because her relationships with her fellow employees was underdeveloped – the radio station is clearly one large found family for Jackson. But the TV station is not set up that way for Delilah; so why do people there suddenly decide to help her after ignoring the harassment for so long? Even with these caveats I still enjoyed the book. I’m still planning to read the next books in this series and in Ghosted when they both come out.
Read Ilona Andrews, THIS KINGDOM WILL NOT KILL ME, and then immediately read it again. Not a perfect book, but once it gets going the plot just pulled me along. I’m not sure that violence is higher than in the Kate Daniels series, which had some pretty gruesome moments. I think the difference is in Kate’s Atlanta the violence is often there to confirm that yes this is a dystopian, unstable, violent world. And Kate Daniels is herself comfortable with that violence because she is part of that world. With TKWNKM the violence so far has been directed mainly at Maggie (who is not from Rellas and is not comfortable with being violent). And there are real stakes for Maggie if she puts herself in danger. She may not die (or at least she has not died yet) but she does suffer big time, and she is not as stoic as Kate Daniels about violence and pain because she’s not a warrior. The cliffhanger ending didn’t bother me much, surprisingly. Maggie and her friends/allies did accomplish what they wanted to do, which was change the narrative of book one in the original series and stop the plot to seize control of the government by the bad guys. I thought the cliffhanger was more a transition signalling that just because the first book’s plotline has been changed, it doesn’t mean that all the problems raised in the second book (e.g., the invasion by the Crimson Empire, the earthquake) are now not going to happen. The kingdom of Rellas could still fall, if Maggie doesn’t work out how to counter all those problems (and of course there are all the secondary plotlines raised by the fact that Maggie has been transported to Rellas). Definitely looking forward to the next book in this trilogy.