This review was very, very difficult for me to write. I’ve spent most of the past day wondering if I overreacted or was being too sensitive. Hours later, I’ve come to three conclusions: My feelings are 100% valid. The content is harmful enough that I feel obligated to rant and warn readers about it. One Wicked Winter Night contains racist drivel that should’ve never been cleared for publication. The premise is… you know what, the … Continue reading One Wicked Winter Night by Mary Jo Putney →
The events of the last couple weeks have underscored how crucial and life-saving the romance genre is to me. It’s an escape, a safe haven in the storm, and a place where happily-ever-afters are always guaranteed. Romance has literally (and I don’t use that word lightly) saved my life while I clung to a spark of happiness amidst the terror of recent events. Playing House isn’t a perfect novella, but it came into my life … Continue reading Playing House by Ruby Lang →
Once I realized that author Susan Grant wrote a romance with an alien puppy in it, I knew it was my duty to review it. Star Puppy is a science fiction novella told from the points of view of Trysh, an Earther pilot, and Prince Rornn, the Vash exchange officer and fellow pilot. The Vash are a humanoid alien race. The story is also told from the point of view of Puppy, who is an … Continue reading Star Puppy by Susan Grant →
This guest review is by Catherine Heloise. Previously, Catherine ranted about Shakespearean rockstars and loved Chase Me by Laura Florand. She has a food blog called Cate’s Cates, where she creates allergy-friendly treats, and she also runs the Stories Under Paris website, where she creates fictional stories based on the names of Paris Metro stations. How cool is that? … This novella gets an A for all the fun. Courtney Milan’s new novella, Mrs Martin’s Incomparable … Continue reading Guest Review: Mrs Martin’s Incomparable Adventure by Courtney Milan →
The holidays are over, but if you’re in the mood for a short, sexy contemporary romance with an emotionally-fluent hero, then I recommend Dance All Night by Alexis Daria. The novella opens up with professional dancers Jess Davenport and Nik Kovalenko meeting at a New Year’s Eve party and sharing an explosive midnight kiss. Nik is looking for more, but Jess is firmly settled in LA and he’s about to go on an off-Broadway tour. A … Continue reading Dance All Night by Alexis Daria →
Once Ghosted, Twice Shy is a contemporary, F/F romance novella. It’s part of the Reluctant Royals series but it works fine as a stand-alone. I loved this ramble through New York City and although the romance is a bit too rushed to be completely plausible, I’m certainly rooting for these two. The story begins with Likotsi Adele, the personal assistant to the prince of Thesolo. She is on vacation in New York City when she runs … Continue reading Once Ghosted, Twice Shy by Alyssa Cole →
Sophie Appersett is engaged to Edward (Ned) Sharpe. She’s the daughter of a baron; he’s a very wealthy merchant, and their alliance is built over a massive class chasm, one that she’s trying to cross with continued conversation, while he remains silent and withdrawn in all of their outings together. Sophie decides she’s not willing to continue the engagement because they don’t suit. She wants more for herself, and from his behavior she’s pretty sure … Continue reading A Holiday by Gaslight by Mimi Matthews →
This is an introductory novella to a series about women who all attended the MacLaine Performing Arts Academy in Washington D.C., and I’ll admit, I would have bought the novella on the strength of the cover alone. Isn’t it gorgeous? Bina MacLaine is the daughter of the founder of the Academy, and now that she’s an adult, she teaches dance there and manages a lot of the operations. She’s a year off a traumatically broken … Continue reading On Pointe by Shelly Ellis →
Hamilton’s Battalion is a wonderful trio of romance novellas set in America during or immediately following the Revolutionary War. I don’t think I’ve ever before found a romance anthology in which all the stories were equally well written. I had high expectations for Courtney Milan and Alyssa Cole, because I’m a fan of their other work, and they did not disappoint. I’ve never read anything by Rose Lerner before, but her novella was also wonderful. … Continue reading Hamilton’s Battalion by Rose Lerner, Courtney Milan, and Alyssa Cole →
I really, really wanted to like this anthology. Jewel heists? Oh, yes, please. Any kind of heist, really, but jewel heists have additional romance-friendly elements like wealth and potential world travel built in, coupled with a rather low risk for entrails, sexual assault, or crime elements that would preclude me from reading them. Alas, while one of the three stories was fun and another was sort of meh, there was the one that gave me … Continue reading Caught in the Act: A Jewel Heist Anthology by Ainslie Paton, Emma Sinclair, and Michelle Dayton →
I had a hard time getting into Her Every Wish, and I know that it’s not about HEW, it’s about me. We all have tropes we dislike—also attitudes, characters, and tone. None of these things was a major issue, yet some shade of each made the novella a slog for me at times, particularly in the opening chapters. Needless to say, my reaction made grading problematic as well. I really love Courtney Milan’s writing. Her … Continue reading Her Every Wish by Courtney Milan →
