The first book in the Debutante Diaries series felt underwhelming and, at times, aggravating. This Regency engagement-of-convenience story did have elements that could have made it stand out: the heroine proposes to the hero, the heroine is a talented artist, and the hero has a warm, close relationship to his grandmother and values her intelligence and wisdom. Unfortunately all of that is lost to some uneven plotting, a lack of internal conflict, and a dash … Continue reading First Earl I See Tonight by Anna Bennett →
I really adored so many things about Duchess by Design. I loved the heroine. I loved that she had a circle of female friends who support and protect her. I love the idea of subverting the patriarchy through fashion. I love the fact that this was set among the Four Hundred in Gilded Age New York City. Where I struggled was the hero. And let me be clear, my struggle was likely reflective of my current … Continue reading Duchess by Design by Maya Rodale →
The sinking of the RMS Lusitania might not sound like a great setting for a sweeping historical adventure and romance, but I cut my young romance-loving teeth on the Titanic movie, and I am here to challenge your shipwreck tragedy notions. As historical fiction The Glass Ocean works beautifully. It had espionage, intrigue, a love-triangle and a truly horrifying talent show. That said, my romance-reader heart wasn’t entirely satisfied with how the romance played out, and craved a … Continue reading The Glass Ocean by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig and Karen White →
Halloween is just around the corner and it’s my favorite time of year. I love kids getting to dress up as adorable pumpkins or superheroes, my getting to buy bulk Reese Peanut Butter Cups and pretend like they’re for trick or treaters when the bag is totally going in my freezer, and my reading all of the spooky books and movies that get released. The Witch of Willow Hall immediately caught my eye with its … Continue reading The Witch of Willow Hall by Hester Fox →
Welcome to SBTB’s Fall Week! We decided to dedicate a week of time to review books, give book recommendations, and talk about general autumn-loving things to help get everyone in the mood for this time of year. We hope you enjoy and find something new and fun to read! … Autumn is here, and it’s my favorite time of year. The weather is crisp enough for me to break out all the awesome things I’ve … Continue reading Stuff You Should Be Stitching: Fall Patterns →
Consumed by JR Ward is an angsty contemporary romance with lots of dark themes and a hint of romantic suspense. I really liked the heroine, but the hero never clicked with me, and I felt like there was too much going on with the plot at times. Anne Ashburn is a New Brunswick firefighter who loves her job and carries a torch for her coworker, Danny McGuire. Anne and Danny had a mind-blowing one night … Continue reading Consumed by JR Ward →
Kill the Queen by Jennifer Estep is the first book in a fantasy series that features a badass female gladiator on a quest to reclaim the throne from her murderous cousin. It’s tremendous fun, although it wraps up quickly. Lady Everleigh Saffira Winter Blair is a low ranking member of the royal family of Bellona. She’s never going to inherit the crown and, in a world that values magic, she has no real magical power. … Continue reading Kill the Queen by Jennifer Estep →
It’s been a bad week(s) for a lot of women. Personally, I’ve been vacillating between the kind of rage where I feel like wasps should come out of my mouth in a swarm, and the sort of despair that leaves you noodle-limp. It’s a combination of anger and exhaustion. I know that I am not alone. Then I picked up Mating the Huntress by Talia Hibbert, and goddamnit, this novella had everything my brain needed. It … Continue reading Mating the Huntress by Talia Hibbert →
TW/CW: Please note that this review contains discussion about the kidnapping and sexual assault of an eleven-year-old girl, as well as a broader examination of how our culture treats rape victims. Please be safe, and stop here if this content could be triggering for you. In 1948, eleven-year-old Sally Horner was kidnapped by a convicted pedophile named Frank LaSalle. Sally would remain his captive for two years, traveling from her home in Camden, New Jersey, … Continue reading The Real Lolita by Sarah Weinman →
Sarah and I both read and enjoyed The Phantom Tree by Nicola Cornick, which is interesting as our reading tastes are fairly divergent. I finished the book in one day, and I was super excited to talk to her about it later. Sarah: I finished it in a day and a half and shamelessly bothered Elyse for a week or more to ask if she’d read it yet, had she? Huh? Had she read it? (FINALLY SHE … Continue reading The Phantom Tree by Nicola Cornick →
An Earl Like You by Caroline Linden is the second book in the Wagers of Sin series and features a plot where the hero is involved in deceiving the heroine in a significant way. I really struggled with this plot and with finding any empathy for the hero, and I spent a lot of the book cringing internally over the humiliation the heroine would ultimately face. This book gave me a lot of second-hand embarrassment. When … Continue reading An Earl Like You by Caroline Linden →
