This guest review comes from Lisa! A longtime romance aficionado and frequent commenter to SBTB, Lisa is a queer Latine critic with a sharp tongue and lots of opinions. She frequently reviews at All About Romance and Women Write About Comics, where she’s on staff, and you can catch her at @thatbouviergirl on Twitter. There, she shares good reviews, bracing industry opinions and thoughtful commentary when she’s not on her grind looking for the next good … Continue reading All the Jingle Ladies by Beth Garrod →
A Holly, Jolly Diwali is a contemporary romance and a story about finding a place in one’s community. I really enjoyed it, but I can also see where some readers may feel the romance elements took second place to the main character’s journey of self discovery. Niki Randhawa is a first generation Punjabi-American. She’s done everything to be the perfect daughter. She stayed out of trouble as a kid, got a degree in tech, and … Continue reading A Holly Jolly Diwali by Sonya Lalli →
If you’re an American or based in the U.S., you’re all probably immersed in election day hell. Normally, I post around five links, but I figured I’d include a little extra today. Some are left over from Halloween festivities, but we want to give you a bright spot in your day. … Here is a great list of niche animal situations to Google: https://twitter.com/sapphixy/status/1323699973809123330 … Love these “mundane” Halloween costumes, which is apparently a tradition … Continue reading Links: Jumbo Edition! →
The best part of Mangos & Mistletoe is the mouthwatering descriptions of pastries created in a GBBO-inspired holiday baking competition set in Scotland. The worst part of Mangos & Mistletoe is the mouthwatering descriptions of pastries created in a GBBO-inspired holiday baking competition set in Scotland. Do not repeat my mistakes: you must not read this f/f enemies-to-lovers-in-only-one-bed novella without a plate of delicious pastries nearby. My baking experience is limited to an almost burned … Continue reading Mangos & Mistletoe by Adriana Herrera →
I know we shouldn’t judge books by covers but I took one look at the gorgeous cover of The Earl’s Christmas Pearl and thought, “A) I want that dress, B) I also want that suit, and C) yep, I’m definitely reading it.” Luckily for me, this cover didn’t lead me astray and I enjoyed most of this sweet Christmas novella about a duke’s daughter and a grumpy Welsh earl with a Welsh corgi (who should’ve … Continue reading The Earl’s Christmas Pearl by Megan Frampton →
NB: Lightning Reviews is a little different this time as Aarya wrote a review for each of the three holiday historical romance novellas in Seduction on a Snowy Night by Mary Jo Putney, Madeline Hunter, and Sabrina Jeffries. We figured we’d group them all together in one post for easy reading. It’s only September, but holiday romances are already out for the season. First up is a historical romance anthology with stories by Madeline Hunter, … Continue reading Lightning Reviews: Seduction on a Snowy Night Anthology →
Madeline Hunter is a talented writer, but this novella did not work for me at all. Adam Prescott, the Baron of Thornhill, is kidnapped by a mysterious lady and gentleman after he briefly exits a mail coach on his way to his cousin’s home for Christmas. He’s held at gunpoint and carried off to a mysterious estate. Caroline’s animosity and kidnapping bewilders Adam, but he is nonetheless attracted to her. Because falling in love with … Continue reading A Christmas Abduction by Madeline Hunter →
A Perfect Match starts out with so much promise but it fizzles out into an uninspiring finish. Unlike the preceding novella, the “kidnapping” in this one is relatively benign. Lord Heywood has traveled away from his military regiment in order to protect his friend Douglas’s sister Kitty from a dastardly villain. When he spots the villain Malet making plans to elope with Kitty at a ball, he takes desperate measures and “kidnaps” Kitty and her … Continue reading A Perfect Match by Sabrina Jeffries →
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 →
I am not in the mood for Christmas yet. Generally speaking, I’m not in the mood for Christmas on December 23rd even, but mid-fall is WAY too early. That said, my brain has been pretty tired lately and some Regency novellas sounded like the perfect way to unwind without investing in a full length novel. Since How the Duke Stole Christmas includes novellas by some of my favorite authors, I was willing to set aside … Continue reading How the Dukes Stole Christmas by Tessa Dare, Sarah MacLean, Sophie Jordan and Joanna Shupe →
Welcome to Lit Wicks! This is where we pair an author’s backlist with candles to really immerse yourself in the reading experience. All of the candles featured in these post are from Etsy, which means there is often worldwide shipping and that you’re supporting independent crafters and sellers. The Etsy candle rabbit hole is one I have gone down many times. Because the end of the year is all about the holidays and celebrating with … Continue reading Lit Wicks: Recommended Holiday Romances →
