Book Reviews

Dr. Perfect by Louise Bay

Dr. Perfect

Dr. Perfect is a low stakes, low angst contemporary romance that’s as much about loving what you do as it is about finding the love of your life. Ellie Frost set aside her passion for cooking to work as a manager for her motorbike racer ex. When he breaks up with her, she’s left with a huge gap in her CV, no severance and few options (he, of course, kept her off the books). Ellie … Continue reading Dr. Perfect by Louise Bay

Jasmine and Jake Rock the Boat by Sonya Lalli

Jasmine and Jake Rocks the Boat

Jasmine and Jake Rock the Boat is a stand-alone contemporary romance by the author of A Holly Jolly Diwali, which Elyse reviewed. Holly Jolly Diwali introduced Niki Randhawa, a young woman who had spent her life trying to be the perfect daughter. Jasmine and Jake rock the Boat puts the focus on Jasmine, Niki’s wild sister, who sees herself as a constant disappointment to her parents. I read Jasmine and Jake without having read Holly … Continue reading Jasmine and Jake Rock the Boat by Sonya Lalli

Madison Square Murders by C.S. Poe

Madison Square Murders

Content warning: homophobia I love romantic suspense, but they can sometimes be a little light on the suspense and a little heavy on the romance for me. The mystery plot in this book is strong enough to stand on its own, but my god, does the romance sweeten the deal. Detective Everett Larkin works for the cold case squad in New York. A tree has blown over in Madison Square Park and in its uprooting, … Continue reading Madison Square Murders by C.S. Poe

The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen by KJ Charles

The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen

The ever reliable K.J. Charles is back with The Secret Lives of County Gentlemen. This is a charming but intense story in which two very different men with very different lives navigate a relationship in the marshlands of Kent, where smuggling is a cultural norm, everything is just a little bit gothic, mystery abounds, and “out-marsh” people are held in suspicion. ‘London’ and ‘Kent’ hit it off in the big city as clandestine and anonymous … Continue reading The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen by KJ Charles

Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan

Nora Goes Off Script

I was mildly annoyed the whole time I was reading Nora Goes Off Script but I also enjoyed the heck out of it. I’m not sure how to grade a book that’s simultaneously pleasurable and grating. Nora is a single mom and a Hallmark-esque screenwriter who just had her big break—her depressing script detailing her recent divorce from her self-absorbed husband sold for a bunch of money. The book opens just as the movie crew … Continue reading Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan

The Secrets of Hartwood Hall by Katie Lumsden

The Secrets of Hartwood Hall

The Secrets of Hartwood Hall is a traditional Gothic novel that suffers from uneven pacing and a lack of tension. While I was intrigued by some of the themes, overall the book was a bit of a drag to get through. Margaret Lennox is a young widow who is facing poverty after the death of her husband. A former governess, Margaret takes a job at the remote Hartwood Hall teaching ten-year-old Louis Eversham. Right away … Continue reading The Secrets of Hartwood Hall by Katie Lumsden

Velvet by Lisette Marshall

Velvet

Y’all, this book is kinda bananas, but I also think it will definitely be some people’s catnip, so I have to Alert the Bitchery. I mentioned Velvet in Watcha Reading a while ago (like, a really long while ago before I was sucked into the vortex that was nursing school). I described it as having fanfiction vibes then, and I stand by that assessment. Like, it’s not obviously veiled fanfiction of anything in particular; it … Continue reading Velvet by Lisette Marshall

Sorry, Bro by Taleen Voskuni

Sorry, Bro

Sorry, Bro is a book about embracing the complicated aspects of different identities, and I had a lot of fun with the family dynamics, the sense of place (it’s set in San Francisco), and the Armenian culture. However, readers should be prepared for a heroine who is prone to rash, impulsive actions, and who is not great at communicating. My least favorite thing in romance is when people are terrible at communicating, so this was … Continue reading Sorry, Bro by Taleen Voskuni

The Gentleman’s Book of Vices by Jess Everlee

The Gentleman’s Book of Vices

I very much enjoyed The Gentlemen’s Book of Vices, by Jess Everlee, despite an ending that I thought was a bit of a cop-out. This was a gentle, fun, and sexy book that explores the love between two men in Victorian England, one a reader and one a writer. I fell into the warm cadence between the two protagonists and loved and worried about them and delighted in their joys. Our story begins with Charlie, … Continue reading The Gentleman’s Book of Vices by Jess Everlee

Guest Review: A Witch’s Guide to Fake-Dating A Demon by Sarah Hawley

A Witch’s Guide to Fake Dating a Demon

This guest review is from Brigid F. Brigid is a Queer fantasy and romance reader who believes fantasy and romance make the perfect book cocktail. She reviews at Grimdark Magazine and loves writing fantasy and romance recs for blogs and media sites. They love curses, faeries, cozy witches, and wicked characters. … A Witch’s Guide to Fake-Dating A Demon is magical, demonically sexy, and at times very witty. It’s the ‘90s sitcom Sabrina the Teenage … Continue reading Guest Review: A Witch’s Guide to Fake-Dating A Demon by Sarah Hawley

Threadneedle by Cari Thomas

Threadneedle

Threadneedle was not at all the book I expected, but I found myself engrossed in the story even though I was upset by the content. In this YA novel, Anna, who has been taught to suppress her magic by her abusive aunt, falls in with a group of teens who are all too eager to explore their magical skills. As they hex bullies and dabble in romance, Anna must determine whether her aunt is to … Continue reading Threadneedle by Cari Thomas