This novella would have been much better if I knew less about universities. Ella is….what sort of professor? Adjunct? Assistant? Associate? Is this a tenure-track job? Where was she before this? It really, really matters to professors. Really. The reality is that if she were an adjunct she would probably be teaching a ton of classes, maybe at other colleges, too, scrambling for work to make a living. Was that what she was doing before? … Continue reading Searching for Mine by Jennifer Probst→
I picked this book to review because I’ve seen my share of kidnapped brides in historicals, where the premise can be more or less convincing and usually involves feuding families, Scotland and/or fake highwaymen. These are all fun things, but they are a little harder to squeeze convincingly into a contemporary novel set in America. I wanted to know what excuse Ms Dunlop was going to come up with for this kidnapping, and whether she … Continue reading His Stolen Bride by Barbara Dunlop→
The Love of Strangers is a non-fiction book about students from Iran who spent almost three years in England beginning in 1815. It should be fascinating, but because of the author’s tendency to get bogged down in minor details and the lack of insight into anyone’s personality, it’s weirdly boring. Given the intriguing facts on which the book is based, it’s truly astounding to me that the book is so dull. In 1815, six Muslim … Continue reading The Love of Strangers by Nile Green→
Royally Screwed by Emma Chase was a book I was pretty pumped about, given how much I’ve enjoyed Chase’s blend of romance and humor in the past. Plus, it has a hunky royal hero and a heroine who throws a pie in his face. While the description had me salivating and clawing at my Kindle like Gollum on a rampage, the hero’s lack of growth and frequent douchery were a big letdown. Nicholas is Prince of Wessco, … Continue reading Royally Screwed by Emma Chase→
A Murder in Time is a book I’ve mentioned a couple times on the site. It was also recently on sale! The premise of an FBI agent heroine traveling back in time to 1815 London and getting involved in a serial murder case was too tempting for me to resist. At its heart, this story has a great mystery, but too many unnecessary or ill-fitting details slowed the book to a slog. I just wanted more … Continue reading A Murder in Time by Julie McElwain→
I’ve been feeling overwhelmed lately (I know, right?) so I’ve been turning to novellas for quick reads to help me cope. Fling by Jana Aston is a forbidden office romance. For the most part I enjoyed it, but the romance wasn’t adequately developed (probably due to the length of the book) and sometimes the hero irked me. He was irksome. Sandra Adams is an executive assistant to the young CEO of a company (Sawyer, hero … Continue reading Fling by Jana Aston→
Today, we have a guest review from Milly! At first, she was really enjoying The Sexy One, until she got to one particular character’s portrayal. I know many of us will downgrade a romance for often pitting two women against each other for unnecessary or superficial reasons. At the end of the review, Milly calls for some recommendations, so maybe we can help her out! Milly describes herself as a book loving, arts appreciating, cooking crazy, … Continue reading Guest Review: The Sexy One by Lauren Blakely→
When I first read the description of Rhyll Biest’s Hell On Wheels, I’m pretty sure I exclaimed big, “Hell yeah.” The heroine is a princess of Hell, roped into a political marriage in order to try and best her brother, who’s been raging war within Hell’s realms. There is even mention of a demon roller derby bout later in the book. It sounded gritty, fun, and a great addition to the recent great paranormal and … Continue reading Hell On Wheels by Rhyll Biest→
Victorian Ghost Stories by Eminent Women Writers is an anthology that contains twenty-one stories of crypts, brain fevers, meditations on the meaning of God, enormous crumbling houses, obsessive artists, creepy children, and moors. So, you know, pretty much everything I cherish in life. While most of the stories were published firmly within the Victorian Era, a few were published just before or just after it. As is, unfortunately, often the case with older books, I … Continue reading Victorian Ghost Stories By Eminent Women Writers: Edited by Richard Dalby→
I liked this story, but I went in expecting a completely different set of conflicts based on the cover copy. Jaq is a high school teacher and she’d like to find a long-term partner. She’s got a stable life in La Vista, the town where she lives: she goes to mass with her dad (one of the most interesting, poignant, and under-explored parts of the story) and sees him regularly, and she has a strong, loving … Continue reading The Butch and the Beautiful by Kris Ripper→
I bought The Lost Girls on impulse because it was sitting on a Barnes and Noble table looking all psychological thriller-y and because I have zero self control. I found the book to be well-written and immersive, but a psychological thriller it is not, and I felt like the jacket copy lied to me. Also anyone considering reading it should be warned that there is a scene involving sexual abuse of a child. It’s not … Continue reading The Lost Girls by Heather Young→
