The Ex Talk is an enemies-to-lovers fake relationship romance set in the world of public radio. It is also something of a belated coming of age story. Shay Goldstein has been working at Pacific Public Radio for ten years, beginning as the ‘wunderkind’ intern, and rising to the role of producer of the station’s flagship show, Puget Sounds. She loves public radio for its ability to tell stories that connect personally with listeners, and for … Continue reading The Ex Talk by Rachel Solomon →
Content warning: It’s important to note that the speculative history the book is based on is very very plausible, some already happening in our world, things like energy wars, crumbling infrastructure, and inept government officials cutting off essential resources and services so they can continue grabbing at more power. There’s also mentions and descriptions of torture in the book. Take stock of your mental and emotional bandwidth before diving in if any of these subjects … Continue reading Deal with the Devil by Kit Rocha →
At one point in this book, the hero and heroine sip moonshine and slowly grind on the dance floor of a speakeasy, both of them dazed by the attraction that pings between them. The scene is languorous and sexy, and neatly epitomizes what I loved about White Whiskey Bargain. This is a book where heat builds slowly but intensely, featuring an emotionally mature couple who don’t let their fears keep them from exploring a romance. … Continue reading White Whiskey Bargain by Jodie Slaughter →
The Masqueraders by Georgette Heyer is surely one of the Ur-texts of the romance genre. It is also the very first romance of any kind that I ever read, and was instrumental in launching my lifelong affection for the ‘heroine dresses as a man’ trope. As a bonus, it also has a hero who dresses as a woman and who manages to be EXCEEDINGLY hot while doing so. Just to clarify, there are two couples … Continue reading Squee from the Keeper Shelf: The Masqueraders by Georgette Heyer →
If Present Day Elyse traveled back in time and told Past Elyse that someday Nora Roberts would write a romantic suspense novel that didn’t quite work for her, Past Elyse wouldn’t have believed her. Then Past Elyse would have squinted at Present Day Elyse and said, “Are we growing out our bangs again? You know we’re only going to last six weeks before we cut them.” I love Nora Roberts’ romantic suspense books. I schedule … Continue reading Under Currents by Nora Roberts →
The first book in this series, Death Below Stairs, was a SBTB Book Club Pick, and I was so excited to receive the sequel. This is easily one of my favorite new series, and I adore so much about it. Happy for me, just about everything I love about this world is present in the new book, and I’m immensely satisfied, making all the Good Book Noise one might expect. I read it while walking on … Continue reading Scandal Above Stairs by Jennifer Ashley →
I spent one weekend reading The Thing About Love, and it was so enjoyable and so much fun that knowing that I still had more of it to read left me in the best mood. It lifted my entire weekend, and when people ask me about it, I grin and wave my hands around and make Good Book Noise® (and then those people probably regret asking me). Synopsis time! FBI Special Agent Jessica Harlow has relocated home to Chicago … Continue reading The Thing About Love by Julie James →
Hidden Impact by Piper J Drake is everything I live for in romantic suspense. It’s popcorn-required-action-movie suspense. Lots of things will blow up, the bad guys will be really bad, the threats are global, the hero runs around shirtless and sweaty, but you know everyone will be okay in the end. I read a lot of mysteries and thrillers and sometimes I just get really sick of the possibility that the heroine (or hero, or … Continue reading Hidden Impact by Piper J. Drake →
