The first time I read Paladin’s Grace, I finished it, turned back to the beginning, and immediately read it again. This is partly because it’s very good, which I’ll get into later, and partly because for me, it was the right book at the right time. I’ve been having a hard time reading this year because of, you know … (*jazz hands*) everything. It’s hard to connect with Happily-Ever-After when we’re in the middle of … Continue reading Paladin’s Grace by T. Kingfisher →
What I Like About You is a terrific example of how a book’s flaws can overwhelm the good parts. It has engaging writing, stellar #ownvoices rep of Jewish teens, and nuanced exploration of grief. It also enraged me enough to slam my tablet down and seethe for a good hour after I finished. My initial grade was an F but I upgraded my rating after a few days of introspection (see the above good parts). … Continue reading What I Like About You by Marisa Kanter →
How to Catch an Errant Earl is the second in Amy Rose Bennett’s “Disreputable Debutantes” series. It has a loveable heroine but the hero is such a douchebag that I simply could not even. The heroine of this novel is Miss Arabella Jardin. She is one of four friends who were expelled from Mrs. Rathbone’s Academy for Young Ladies of Good Character for “conduct unbecoming.” I assume we hear more about this in the first … Continue reading How to Catch an Errant Earl by Amy Rose Bennett →
Tara was kind enough to alert me to the existence of a book about Charlotte Lucas, who is Elizabeth Bennet’s friend in Pride and Prejudice. We had so many feelings about this very strange book, which involves Gothic emotion and SO MUCH SEX, plus at least two flights across the moors, which I can only assume were dutifully wuthering. For those who are rusty on their Austen, here’s the background: Charlotte Lucas agrees to marry … Continue reading Lucas by Elna Holst →
Sometimes the right book comes along just when you need it, and that was Flying Gold for me. I love reading about a heroine’s personal growth but have no patience for heroes who have to learn not to be assholes. I’ve been easily distracted lately, and this second chance romance set in a world I know nothing about, amateur classic car racing, hit my sweet spot. My tolerance for plot stress is zero right now, … Continue reading Flying Gold by Vanessa North →
Before reading Julia Quinn’s latest release, First Comes Scandal, I hadn’t read anything in about two months. Strange, because like most romance readers I am ALWAYS reading something and because (like most romance readers) I always have books waiting for me. But as the time since my last read led into our current moment, the idea of picking up a book to read felt even further away. I didn’t have a lot of expectations coming … Continue reading First Comes Scandal by Julia Quinn →
TW: Dead birds, alcoholism, death of infants at birth, spousal abuse I came here looking for an amazing story and Bitches, I was not disappointed. Even during a time when I have an attention span of about five seconds, this book kept me reading. It up-ended tropes, subverted expectations, and, thanks to the Author’s Note, gave me a seriously happy historical fix. The romance itself combines some actual realities with a big dose of crumbling … Continue reading The Rakess by Scarlett Peckham →
The Earl Takes a Fancy is, at most, one half of a sort of OK book – the half that belongs to the protagonist, Fancy Trewlove. The other half of the book belongs to Matthew Sommersby, Earl of Rosemont, and tragically, he is garbage. For a romance to work, I must have some attachment to both characters and want them to be together, and in this book, such is not the case. This book is … Continue reading The Earl Takes a Fancy by Lorraine Heath →
CW: The story includes discussion of past experiences of child abuse, attempted murder, and kidnapping. Girl Gone Viral by Alisha Rai is full up with tropes that I’m sure are a lot of people’s favs—there’s a romance between a bodyguard and the woman he’s hired to protect! Forced proximity! Cute stray dog! Former soldier struggling to manage his PTSD! A marriage of convenience! Friends to lovers! Small town! Millionaire former celebrity looking to live a … Continue reading Girl Gone Viral by Alisha Rai →
