Amazon discontinued the ability to create images using their SiteStripe feature and in their infinite wisdom broke all previously created images on 12/31/23. Many blogs used this feature, including this one. Expect my archives to be a hot mess of broken book cover images until I can slowly comb through 20 years of archives to make corrections.

Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Review: Never Look Back

Y'all, this ARC has been in my TBR pile since 2019 and I could just kick myself in the teeth for not reading it sooner.  Never Look Back is a riveting read that didn't have me coming up for air. I basically lost an entire Saturday reading it and hashtag no regrets. I'm ready to follow Alison Gaylin off a cliff.

For nearly two weeks in 1976, two teenagers, Gabriel LeRoy and April Cooper went on a killing spree, killing a dozen people before dying in a fire at a cult's compound in the middle of the southern California desert. Forty years later, journalist Quentin Garrison is working on a podcast about the murders tentatively titled "Closure." His husband, and even his producer Summer, think it's a great idea. Quentin has a connection to the murders. His aunt, just a young girl at the time, was gunned down by LeRoy and Cooper at a local gas station. Her death set off a chain of events that included his mother's spiraling drug addiction and an estrangement from his grandfather. Now Quentin has uncovered a lead. A man who saw an interview about movies online and he swears on his life that one of the women in that interview is none other than April Cooper.

Robin Diamond is a film columnist living in New York City and her life is starting to unravel. Her husband is hiding something from her, and she's convinced he's having an affair.  On top of that her latest column has generated a predictable amount of hate from Internet trolls.  The one solid in her life, the one thing she can count on, are her parents. Her mother, the perfect homemaker. Her father, a retired criminal psychologist who now has a small, private practice. Her parents are solid. Her parents have the perfect marriage. Her parents love her.  And then she gets a call from Quentin Garrison who tells her he thinks her Mom is the notorious, not dead after all, serial killer April Cooper. 

The story is told from multiple points of view (primarily Quentin and Robin) and different timelines (1976 and present day).  The 1976 timeline is told from April's perspective, in the form of a school assignment she received from her favorite teacher right before Gabriel LeRoy murdered her stepfather and kidnapped her.  That assignment is to write a letter to her future child, which April does. Those letters become her diary, as she details her life on the run with Gabriel and the bodies left in their wake.

This book is a ride, and Gaylin keeps the reader guessing by taking forks in the road.  I didn't see the forks coming and once on that stretch of road, I had no idea where the driver was taking me. Not all of them are shocking twists, but they're twists all the same, the story winding and curving, keeping me on my toes and unable to look away.

The compelling theme behind the story is that everybody has secrets - even your parents. What do any of us truly know about our parents? They had lives before they had kids. They had tragedies, triumphs, made good and bad choices.  That's what drives this narrative. What does Robin truly know about her mother? For that matter, what does her father know and how much? At first Quentin seems completely off the rails, but then there's the little things - the cracks that start appearing. The coincidences that are just too amazing to be actual coincidences. As Robin starts her journey towards the truth, the 1976 storyline careens to it's fiery epic conclusion at the cult's desert compound.

I'll also say that I loved the settings of this story, which takes place between southern California and the suburban enclaves outside of New York City.  Los Angeles tends to get a fair amount of attention as a setting for suspense stories, but this story tickled me for featuring such Los Angeles County cities as Duarte, Claremont, and even a brief mention of Pico Rivera.

Truly, it's an excellent read that I could not get enough of. As soon as I get through some more long neglected suspense ARCs on my Kindle, I need to drop my life and go on an Alison Gaylin reading tear.

Final Grade = A

Monday, March 25, 2024

Review: Beguiling Her Enemy Warrior

I may drag my feet completing a series, but I always feel a sense of accomplishment when I do finish that final book. Bonus points when it works out to where I enjoy all the entries in the series, which has been the case with Lucy Morris' Shieldmaiden Sisters trilogy for Harlequin Historical. This has been a trilogy where each book builds on the next, with the final book, Beguiling Her Enemy Warrior, wrapping up events set in motion in the first book, The Viking She Would Have Married. The hero in that book was supposed to marry a Welsh princess to secure an alliance his odious father wanted. Instead, the princess ran off (with his help) and he married his one true love, the heroine. The fly in the ointment? The princess' brother, the hero in this final book - and y'all he is not a happy man.

Helga's mother and two older sisters are fierce shieldmaidens. Helga is not. Her talents have always been elsewhere, as a healer, a skilled archer, looking after the women and children while battles rage. Helga is also the family rune caster and fortune teller, firmly believing she foretold her oldest sister's marriage and her next oldest sister's reunion with her true love. She's walking through the market after her older sister's, Valda's, weeding - looking on as Brynhild bickers with Erik, when she is taken captive. The dragon, the rune that she cast on that long ago day with her sisters, has finally come calling. 

Lord Rhys is in the cursed Viking outpost of Jorvik looking for his missing sister. She was sent to this hellscape to marry the despicable Jarl Ulf's son Halfdan, who threw her over for some shieldmaiden. Another nail in the Viking coffin. Not only have they raided his lands, terrified his people, the men are so cowardly they let women fight. Now his sister is missing. Rhys will have his revenge and when he sees Helga he shoots his shot. Her uncle is Jarl Ulf, he takes her and Ulf will have no choice but to broker a hostage exchange. Assuming, of course, his sister is still alive. And if she isn't? Oh boy...

As readers of the first two books know, Rhys is so very, very wrong. Ulf is despicable and thinks so little of Helga's family they live in near destitution. The only thing Ulf is upset about is that no marriage to Rhys' sister means he's going to have to take Rhys' Welsh lands the hard way. Which he's more than happy to do.

Once they're away from Jorvik and he doesn't fear she'll escape, Rhys removes Helga's gag and she tells him how wrong he is. Still, it's not a disaster for Rhys.  Yes, Ulf is still going to raid his holdings, but Helga's sisters and mother will track down his sister and exchange her for Helga's safe return. That's really all he wants. He'll figure out how to defeat Ulf with limited supplies and men after that. Of course he didn't expect to fall under the spell of Helga, who quickly worms her way under his defenses.

The bulk of this book runs along a parallel timeline to the second book, Tempted By Her Outcast Viking.  That book finds Brynhild and Erik in a road romance, tracking down the missing princess, and making their way to Wales to rescue Helga.  Like that book, Helga and Rhys start falling in love on the road, making their way back to his land in Wales. However the love truly blossoms once they are there, as Helga comes to understand the enormous pressure Rhys is under to protect his land and his people, the incredible obstacles in his way and the emotional baggage he carries.  A big reason he sent his sister off to marry Halfdan? His beloved aunt was taken captive by Ulf's men. The marriage was to lead to her release, which is why he knows his sister didn't just "run off." She knew what her duty was and that their aunt's life depended on it.

The romance is a bit of slow burn early on but catches fire in the final third, with our couple consummating their relationship prior to the final battle scene with Ulf.  There's also a rather thrilling scene where Helga helps rescue Erik's aunt, along with several other hostages. 

Besides having a healthy dose of external conflict, there's plenty of internal conflict to prop up the romance. Rhys has serious trust issues and Helga has just enough vulnerability to soften his defenses.  I'll be honest, I always found Valda and Brynhild the more interesting heroines, but Helga definitely holds her own. She's no shieldmaiden, but there's a quiet strength to her character that makes it hard to take your eyes off of her - which Rhys quickly discovers.  Also, there's a couple of scenes where she truly dresses him down in such a quietly fierce way, it's really something to behold. 

This is definitely a trilogy where each book builds off the ones that preceded, so no I don't think they necessarily stand alone all that well - but the overall arch of the storytelling is well done and it's a trilogy that has everything from internal angst to thrilling battle scenes. Also the couples? Not a single dud in the bunch.  It may have taken me a little while to finish the entire trilogy, but it was time well spent.

Final Grade = B

Friday, March 22, 2024

Review: Never Saw Me Coming

My project of getting through neglected mystery / suspense ARCs by checking out audiobook copies via work continues, this time with Never Saw Me Coming by Vera Kurian. I think this is another one I may have downloaded thanks to a NetGalley promo email and just like A Likeable Woman, y'all I've been burned.  This is a book that's long on clever premise and not much else. 

Chloe Sevre looks like the picture perfect college freshman. Young, pretty, and an honors student to boot. She also happens to be a diagnosed psychopath. Chloe knew one thing when she started to apply to colleges, she had to be in the Washington D.C. area. She ended up at her first choice, John Adams University, receiving a full ride to take part in a unusual clinical study on psychopathy - Chloe is one of seven students taking part and none of them know who is who.  But the study, the free ride, those are incidental.  No, Chloe is at John Adams because that's where Will Bachman goes to school, and Chloe plans to kill Will Bachman in 60 days.

Chloe gets to work right away, but her plan runs off the rails almost immediately when a student is found dead in the psychology department. A student who was taking part in the psychopathy study. Then a second student ends up dead, another one taking part in the study, and it becomes apparent that someone is hunting down the psychopaths.

Into Chloe's orbit enters Charles, another psychopath running for student body president and Andre, also taking part in the study but turns out - he's a faker. Andre's no more a psychopath than I am the Queen of England, but he saw his opportunity for free college and took a shot.  In between her plans to kill Will, Chloe now is "working" with Charles and Andre to find out who is killing the psychopaths because obviously, well she's in danger. But "working" together for this girl is one part manipulation and two parts staying ahead of the curve.

See, clever premise. So what's the problem? Well for a book about someone murdering psychopaths there's an appalling lack of tension in this book. Like none. No edge of my seat. No OMG I have to find out what happens next! Nothing. In fact I really only kept reading because I kept thinking I was going to get some sort of "twist."  More on that in a minute actually....

The story is also told from multiple points of view and honestly? It's a big reason for the lack of tension. Chloe, Andre and Charles. That's all we need. Do we need chapters told from the lead shrink's perspective? From one of his grad assistants? From one of the detectives? No. No, we do not. In fact they don't really add anything other than page count.

But the real issue I disliked this book? Chloe. Thanks, I hate her. And hating her has nothing to do with the fact that she's a psychopath. No, she's one of those characters who thinks she's smarter than she actually is. Lord is this girl a dumb bunny. She bungles her plan with Will early on, she manages to fall prey to another psychopath in the study (who hacks her webcam) and, most importantly, she can't tell Andre is faking it.  For that matter, neither can the shrink or the grad assistants running the study - which who the hell gave this guy a ton of grant money?  God bless America.  

The whole thing lumbers along, Wendy keeps waiting for the twist, and then we get the frenetic ending that ugh - makes me regret not DNF'ing this stupid book.  Our twist here is no twist at all (I saw it coming the minute the plot element was introduced) and is straight up schlocky B horror movie - or like a romantic suspense novel from the 1990s.  And because I'm so annoyed, I'm spoiling it: 

Spoiler: One word. Twins. And of course the eviiiiilllll twin is the one who seems normal.

I've been reading suspense novels since I hit puberty, so it's possible I'm being entirely too cranky about this one. This debut was nominated for an Edgar Award (Best First Novel) and was named a New York Times Best Thriller of 2021. But honestly, who ya gonna believe? Them or your Auntie Wendy, who's always looking out for you.

Oh what might have been with this clever premise if Andre had been the one driving the bus. Missed opportunities y'all. Missed opportunities. 

Final Grade = D

Wednesday, March 20, 2024

#TBRChallenge 2024: When Somebody Loves You

The Book: When Somebody Loves You by Shirley Jump

The Particulars: Contemporary romance, Berkley, 2015, first book in The Southern Belle Book Club series (that didn't survive past this book and one novella), out of print, available in digital

Why Was it In Wendy's TBR?: I've read and liked Jump's books in the past. My print copy isn't autographed (so I didn't get it at a conference) and looks pristine, which means either I bought it new or the publisher sent it to me 🤷‍♀️

The Review: I zipped through this book in roughly 24 hours but in all honesty it's because I started skimming chunks of it.  It's not bad per se, it's just...flat. Very flat. I kept thinking this would have been a stronger romance had a lot of the single title series fluff been dispatched and the author wrote this story for Harlequin Special Edition instead.

Elizabeth Palmer is finally shooting her shot. A Jersey girl, she was raised by a single mother who was big on dreams but short on practicality. Her childhood was being shuttled from one dreary "new" apartment to the next and taking over paying the bills by age 8. Naturally this childhood had Elizabeth going in the complete opposite direction - she's exceedingly practical. She has a boring job as a bookkeeper and a boyfriend who just threw her over for one of their neighbors. When her boss takes away the one part of her job she doesn't hate (writing the company newsletter) she realizes life is passing her by. After hundreds of rejections she finally gets a freelance gig to write an article for a horse magazine.  Her subject is Hunter McCoy, a quarter horse breeder whose ranch had fallen on hard times but is slowly rising from the ashes.  His aunt tells Elizabeth to come on down to Georgia, she thinks the publicity will be great!  Hunter though, he takes one look at Elizabeth in her slacks and silky blouse and hates the idea.

Hunter is a hero who is all about the work.  Yes, the ranch was in serious trouble - his father having almost run it into the ground. The ranch is in Hunter's blood, his family having lived on the land for generations and his grandfather starting the horse breeding operation. That's not the only reason Hunter is all about work though. No, he's a man still struggling after a tragedy claimed the life of his fiancée two years ago, and naturally he's got a heaping dose of guilt over that. He takes one look at Elizabeth and falls back into the same bad habits - which is he keeps trying to push her away.  Little does he know, Elizabeth needs this interview, she needs this job, and no surly cowboy is going to deter her from living her dreams.

We all know what happens next. A quick day-trip turns into several thanks to a bad storm (that naturally lands Elizabeth staying in Hunter's sprawling ranch house) and Hunter's uncooperative attitude. These two are drawn to each other immediately but resist: Hunter because baggage and Elizabeth because this is her first freelance gig and she's not about to fall into bed with her subject. Talk about unprofessional! 

Surrounding our couple are a myriad of secondary characters there to prime the series pump: the group of women who are members of the The Southern Belle Book Club who meet in the small, local bookstore.  Hunter's aunt Barbara Jean, who raised him and his sister after their mother died, a ranch hand, Carlos, sweet on Barbara Jean, and Hunter's 18-year-old sister, Amberlee, who wants to be a horse trainer but has severe asthma triggered by horses and stamps her foot a lot because she's not a baby anymore and she's tired of being treated like one! (Look, it's never good when a series is killed before it's finished but I can't say I'm sad that Amberlee never got her own romance because Good Lord I wanted to smack her every time she was on page).

The world building is good and not all the secondary characters are duds, so what's the problem?  Well, the romance. Hunter and Elizabeth are just so....flat.  They never feel fully realized. They never transcended the page for me. Their back stories are certainly interesting but I never really got how they fell in love other than there was an attraction right away that they both were determined to ignore. It's Insta-Lust that turns into Insta-Love. As a couple they're just both sorta....there.

It's the kind of book I'd DNF out of boredom, not because I'm vehemently hating it. In the end I couldn't help thinking that if the series "stuff" would have been dispatched, if more time had been spent in the pockets of Elizabeth and Hunter as individuals and as a couple - this would have been stronger in category romance form.

Final Grade = C

Saturday, March 16, 2024

Sit and Stay Awhile: Unusual Historicals for March 2024

Settle in folks and be prepared to stay awhile because this month's Unusual Historicals post is 14 titles long. It's so long that Blogger told me I hit too many characters when inserting tags on this post. Grab a beverage of your choice, put your feet up and prepare to dive in - because I guarantee there has to be something for everyone this month.

The Phoenix Bride by Natasha Siegel 

It is 1666, one year after plague has devastated England. Young widow Cecilia Thorowgood is a prisoner, trapped and isolated within her older sister’s cavernous London townhouse. At the mercy of a legion of doctors trying to cure her grief with their impatient scalpels, Cecilia shows no sign of improvement. Soon, her sister makes a decision born of desperation: She hires a new physician, someone known for more unusual methods. But he is a foreigner. A Jew. And despite his attempts to save Cecilia, he knows he cannot quell the storm of sorrow that rages inside her. There is no easy cure for melancholy.

David Mendes fled Portugal to seek a new life in London, where he could practice his faith openly and leave the past behind. Still reeling from the loss of his beloved friend and struggling with his religion and his past, David is free and safe in this foreign land but incapable of happiness. The security he has found in London threatens to disappear when he meets Cecilia, and he finds himself torn between his duty to medicine and the beating of his own heart. He is the only one who can see her pain; the glimmers of light she emits, even in her gloom, are enough to make him believe once more in love.

Facing seemingly insurmountable challenges, David and Cecilia must endure prejudice, heartbreak, and calamity before they can be together. The Great Fire is coming—and with the city in flames around them, love has never felt so impossible.

A grieving young widow, whose husband perished from the plague, and a Jewish doctor fall in love despite insurmountable odds, oh and the minor detail that the Great Fire of London is about to burn the city to the ground. I've seen this setting crop up in historical romances before, so it's not quite as rare as hen's teeth - but darn close.

The Dance of Desire by Delphine Ross 

Best friends make bad spouses . . . and worse scandals.

When Angela Bartham of the notorious Bartham family is stranded at the altar on her wedding day, she's saved from ruin by her old friend Sunny, the Earl of Sunderland. He offers a startlingly generous proposition: a marriage of convenience that will last exactly one year. Long enough for society to stop gossiping. Long enough for the press to lose interest. Then they’ll quietly annul their unconsummated union.

Left without choices, Angela agrees. But Sunny is no longer the sweet but awkward boy she grew up with—and who once loved her. A mysterious trip abroad has transformed him into a surly, secretive beast of a man who can’t seem to stand the sight of her. Nor is Angela the romantic girl who once danced all night under the moon. She’s a heartbroken beauty trapped in a fake marriage that can’t end soon enough.

To avoid the chattering crowds, Angela and Sunny flee London to spend their year of marriage in Paris. But what they don’t take into consideration is that emotions aren’t particularly rational . . . especially when there’s only one bed in the gothic feline-laden chateau they’re stuck inside near the Bois de Boulogne. Forced proximity reveals hidden depths, turning their marriage of convenience into a messy affair of the heart. Will Angela and Sunny's dance of desire come to an end, destroying everything they hold dear—including their friendship?

Beauty and the Beast with a marriage of convenience thrown in between a ballerina and the Earl who was once infatuated with her. Oh, and they leave London for PARIS! This is the second book in Ross's Muses of Scandal series.

Obsession at the Opera by Delphine Roy

She’s the only woman he cannot resist.

Jerome Saint Yves has always put duty, hard work and family first. Just once, on the eve of returning to his homeland, did he heed his desire and spend an unforgettable night in the arms of a ravishing opera singer. Now his only goal is to make a name for himself as a Parisian architect. But the woman he thought he would never see again is much closer than he believes.

Stella Cardinelli is a woman on the run. Pursued by a wicked lord determined to possess her at any cost, bound by a promise made to a dying friend, she flees London and crosses the Channel with a stolen heirloom in her pocket. The prestigious opera houses of Paris offer a fresh start, until she comes face to face with Jerome, the only man who made her understand the true meaning of passion.

Once again, Paris! This time our hero is an architect and the heroine is an opera singer with a stolen heirloom...and a stalker.  This is the second book in Roy's Bleu Blanc Rogue series.

The Love Remedy by Elizabeth Everett

When Lucinda Peterson’s recently perfected formula for a salve to treat croup goes missing, she’s certain it’s only the latest in a line of misfortunes at the hands of a rival apothecary. Outraged and fearing financial ruin, Lucy turns to private investigator Jonathan Thorne for help. She just didn’t expect her champion to be so . . . grumpy?

A single father and an agent at Tierney & Co., Thorne accepts missions for a wide variety of employers—from the British government to wronged wives. None have intrigued him so much as the spirited Miss Peterson. As the two work side by side to unmask her scientific saboteur, Lucy slips ever so sweetly under Thorne’s battered armor, tempting him to abandon old promises.

With no shortage of suspects—from a hostile political group to an erstwhile suitor—Thorne’s investigation becomes a threat to all that Lucy holds dear. As the truth unravels around them the cure to their problems is clear: they must face the future together.

Corporate espionage in a Victorian era apothecary means that in order to save her business the heroine has to turn to a private investigator hero. Then things get complicated (as they do).  This is the first book in the author's Damsels of Discovery series.

The Viking and the Runaway Empress by Sarah Rodi

Bound by duty

Tempted by desire

Guard to the Byzantine emperor, Viking warrior Destin is tasked with delivering his sovereign's runaway bride-to-be to Constantinople. Abandoned at birth, Destin has spent years making something of himself, and with this final task comes the promise of land and riches. Only, the fiercely beautiful Livia refuses to be wed! Destin must return her unharmed—and untouched—but the closer they grow on their journey, the harder it becomes for him to hand her over…

Viking warrior for hire falls for the runaway bride he's supposed to deliver to his boss in Constantinople. Minor complication that. Also, it's a road romance. Gimme!

Lady Charlotte Always Gets Her Man by Violet Marsh

Lady Charlotte Lovett should have never run away upon discovering her betrothal. But when one has been promised to a man who, rumor has it, killed his previous two wives, one does what one must. The only thing that can get her out of this engagement is proving that Viscount Hawley is as sinister as she thinks he is. And the person who would know best is his very own brother.

In many ways, Dr. Matthew Talbot is the exact opposite of his sibling—scholarly, shy, and shunned by society. But like his brother, he has secrets, and he doesn’t need Charlotte exposing them in her quest to take down the viscount. It only seems prudent to help her while keeping her from poking her nose in all the wrong places.  But as they put their hearts at risk to grow closer to each other, they are also getting closer to a dangerous confrontation with Hawley.

The publisher is literally marketing this for fans of "...Evie Dunmore, Enola Holmes, and Netflix's Bridgerton!" AND IT'S A GEORGIAN! It's set smack dab in the middle of the 18th century. Ugh. I hate everything.  Anyway, a heroine determined to not marry a cad turns to the only one who can help, his shy, scholarly brother (as you do). 

Lord Ashley's Beautiful Alibi by Cerise DeLand

Augustine Bolton lives amid the social whirl and treachery of the stylish court of Josephine and Napoleon Bonaparte. When Gus’s dearest friend, Amber, disappears, Gus must find her before the deputy chief of police finds Amber and carts her off to his bed—or to la Force.

But Gus’s means are few and her own duties as an agent in Amber’s network mean she is also suspect. Gus needs help.

Kane Whittington is just the man for the job.

He has worked for London merchant-cum-spymaster Scarlett Hawthorne for years and welcomes Scarlett’s call to build a large espionage network in Europe. His first task is to find the missing head of Scarlett's espionage network.

The best person to help him is the lady’s best friend whom he’s never met. But when he sets eyes on ravishing Augustine Bolton in Josephine’s salon, Kane recognizes the black-haired beauty as the one he kissed years ago on the road to Malmaison during a botched abduction of Bonaparte.

Kane must persuade the beautiful Gus to allow him to help her. He suggests the cover for their escapade is simple: They show the gossipy Parisian court they enjoy a mad love affair. Thus, Gus gains an ally—and Kane acquires an alibi.

NAPOLEON BONAPARTE'S COURT!!!!!! A hero and heroine both embroiled in espionage join forces to find a lost agent. To do that our hero needs an alibi and what better than a steamy fake affair?  This is the first book in the author's Scarlett Affairs series.

A Housemaid to Redeem Him by Laura Martin

An exiled gentleman’s world…

collides with Cinderella’s!

After receiving news of his father’s ailing health, Richard Digby must leave his self-imposed exile and return to the town that holds haunting memories. He forms an unlikely connection with his father’s intriguing and defiant housemaid, Rose, who also finds herself on the fringes of society after her troubled past. Richard is intent on leaving again, but keeping his distance from Rose while they’re in such close quarters is proving harder than he ever imagined! 

The Prodigal Son returns when his father falls ill but has no intention for staying long - so needless to say his attraction to his father's housemaid is most unwelcome and not exactly practical.  Oh, and naturally she has secrets - because of course she does...

Not Quite a Scandal by Bliss Bennett

An inheritance lost. A betrothal threatened. A scandal brewing…

Outspoken Quaker Bathsheba Honeychurch knows how difficult it is for an unmarried woman to successfully champion political change. Her solution? Wed best friend Ash Griffin as soon as he comes of age and begin remaking the world. But when Ash’s urbane, aloof cousin arrives with inconceivable news, Sheba’s future dreams are suddenly at risk…

The death of the Earl of Silliman reveals an appalling lie: it is not Noel Griffin, but his long-lost cousin Ash, who is the true heir to their grandfather’s title. Raised to place family above all, Noel accepts his grandmother’s bitter charge: find Ash, disentangle him from his religious community, and train him to take on the responsibilities and privileges of a title that Noel had been raised to believe was his. Noel certainly won’t allow a presumptuous, irritating Quakeress to thwart him in doing his duty—no matter how fascinating he finds her...

When scandal threatens both their reputations, can Sheba and Noel look beyond past dreams and imagine a new world—together?

A passionate abolitionist, our heroine gets a rude surprise when the man she had plans to marry (and aid her in her cause) turns out to be the rightful heir to an earldom - well, at least according to his cousin, our hero, who is not terribly happy about it either. This is the second book in Bennett's Audacious Ladies of Audley series.

An Unlikely Arrangement by Cindy Patterson

In 1902, Abigail Dupree is but a breath away from her grand societal failure. To save her family from humiliation and financial ruin, Abigail becomes a bargaining trade in her mother’s eyes. A bargain that will extinguish Abigail’s last hope of a happily-ever-after. If only she could return to the mountains of Asheville, North Carolina, she might have a chance to reunite with the only man who has the power to save her reputation.

Garrett Barringer, arrives in Charlotte, North Carolina to escape a past that no longer wants him. He takes an undisclosed position with Mr. Dupree. When it is revealed that part of Mr. Dupree’s purpose for bringing him on board is to chaperone his beloved daughter, Garrett abruptly discovers that he has taken on more than he bargained for. Abigail Dupree is more beguiling than any other woman he’s encountered, but he must resist his heart for the sake of propriety and to keep a promise made to her father.

When her father hires Garrett Barringer, a man that seems far too young to be a lawyer, and possesses far too many favorable characteristics, Abigail resists his charm but cannot deny her heart is compelling her toward him. But she will not allow the man to ruin an opportunity she has waited for nearly five years.

Garrett is suddenly aware what his life was and what it could become in the presence of Abigail Dupree. Will he be able to give up the woman who has stolen his heart, for her happiness?

Abigail stands to lose all if Garrett Barringer sees past her physical beauty and uncovers the ugliness of her imperfect past. Will Abigail continue on the condemned path she’s fashioned for herself, or trust that God wants a future for her she never believed possible?

Folks, I'm fairly confident this is an inspirational - and I typically don't feature inspirationals in these posts but early 20th century, North Carolina and a series that is titled "Brides of Biltmore."  I'll admit it, I saw Biltmore and had a Pavlovian response.  It is what it is.

Prince of Fire by Sophia Nye

Six years ago, Dallan mac Murrough fell in love with the perfect girl. Though he was young when he proposed to her, he knew she was the only woman he could ever love. For reasons she never chose to share, she denied his proposal and shattered his heart. When their paths cross years later, anger and bitterness bubble to the surface despite his best efforts at civility.

When Niamh first sees Dallan after years apart, her heart melts. He has all the same qualities as the boy she loved, except he is now very clearly a man–a strong, confident man with eyes that make her forget everything but the memory of him; a man with a gaping wound that she knows she made, and a smile so disarming she’d agree to just about anything.

Except marriage.

There’s no way Niamh will let herself give in to her feelings for Dallan. She broke his heart once because of a secret she carries, and she couldn’t bear to do it again. She loves him too much for that.

A heroine with a secret who broke his heart years ago is reunited with the hero.  Oh, and she's still in love with him. I mean, what could possibly go wrong? This is the second book in the Warriors of the Fianna series.

Duke Undone by Jennifer Seasons

Scandalous paintings of the ton are taking London by storm, and Joss Rainville, Duke of Somerton, is the latest target. Flattering as the nude is, it simply won’t do. Left a failing dukedom by his late father, Joss needs his latest venture, sole proprietorship in London’s newest theatre, to be successful. Any scandal and investors disappear—which he sorely needs. He’s going to track down this Anonymous artist and make them pay dearly. Only Joss doesn’t expect his trap to catch Lady Ceranora Castlebury, the most frustrating female of his acquaintance... and the most irresistible.

Fed up with aristocratic, over-entitled men dictating the rules of society, Nora sets about putting them in their proper place. A brilliant artist, she takes great satisfaction in painting noblemen in the nude, giving them a taste of what it’s like to be a woman, to feel exposed and powerless. When she paints the Duke of Somerton and he miraculously tracks her down, she realizes she’s perhaps gone too far. But she refuses to apologize. Men don’t, why should she? Oh no, Nora won’t apologize to the duke for the insubordinate attitude, or the argument... but she will apologize for the kiss that lands them unexpectedly in wedlock.

One passionate kiss in a moonlit garden and their fates are sealed. Forced to marry, they cannot deny their attraction. But when Nora’s secret is uncovered and revenge comes calling, they discover they cannot deny their hearts, either.

A heroine with an ax to grind against aristocratic men (girl, who doesn't?) gets caught in the crosshair's of a Duke when her scandalous painting of him threatens his latest business venture. This is the second book in The Castleburys series.

Seven Days at Mannerley by Audrey Schuyler Lancho

The suitcase she found changed everything. The contents? An elegant dress and an invitation in another girl’s name. Twenty-three-year-old Mary would go to the ball, enjoy how the rich lived just for one night, and then quietly slip back into her real life, sorting rubbish as a poor barmaid. No harm done. Of course, there wouldn’t be much of a story to tell had it turned out that way.

It’s 1870 in rural England, and Mary assumes the identity of the suitcase owner, Agnes. When Mary’s one night at Mannerley estate turns into a seven-day, hilarious farce, she quickly makes friends, finds suitors, and keeps fibbing. Not only does Arthur, the heir himself, fall for her, but so, too, does Mr. Singh, his friend visiting from India, making advances in plain sight of the heir. Making matters worse, a former workmate recognizes Mary and extorts her: she must steal a golden watch from the heir for him or have her true identity exposed and risk being thrown in jail, which could mean death––and that would certainly ruin her stolen, er, borrowed ball gown.

The only way Mary can get close enough to Arthur to steal his watch is via sensuality and flirtation. But as Mary scrambles to cover her tracks, her lies and crimes compound, weaving themselves into an impossible tangle. All the while Agnes, the real owner of the fancy ball gown, is making her way ever-closer to Mannerley. Happily ever after seems as unlikely as a barmaid among dandies, when Mary's only possible escape is a confession and the hope her scandalous true love will risk his reputation to defend and forgive her.

Our poor barmaid heroine shoots her shot when a suitcase containing a fancy dress and equally fancy invitation lands in her lap. When one day turns into seven, and our heroine's cover is blown, farce and blackmail ensue. This is the first book in the aptly titled Love and Lies series.

The Falcon Laird by Susan King (Reprint)

She never expected a miracle from her enemy . . .

After burning her Scottish castle to prevent the English from claiming the ancient gold hidden there, Lady Christian is captured and locked in an iron cage. Desperately ill, she sees an archangel—but he is just the English knight ordered to move her to a convent, take her castle, and find the gold.

Sir Gavin Faulkener has secrets of his own—including a gift of healing that brought only tragedy. But the beautiful Scottish rebel unexpectedly recovers in his care and he is ordered to marry her to claim her property—only to discover that her castle is a smoking ruin overrun by loyal Scots and the gold has vanished.

Enemies to Lovers is one of those tropes that is just more delicious in medievals - probably because the stakes tend to be high (and believable...). First published in 1996 as The Angel Knight, the author has also included "added content" to this reprint edition.

Whew! I have to go lie down now.  Happy browsing y'all! What Unusual Historicals are you looking forward to?

Friday, March 15, 2024

Reminder: #TBRChallenge Day is March 20

TBR Challenge 2024


Y'all welcome to March and can I just say work has been kicking my tail for the past couple of weeks. This is has always been the start of my busy season but it seemed to go from 0 to 100 a lot faster than usual. Or else I'm just flippin' old. Probably the latter. Anyway, after a mini-slump that last month's #TBRChallenge helped pull me out of, I'm looking forward to our next challenge day which is Wednesday, March 20. This month's optional theme is Not in Kansas Anymore.

Hey, don't hate the player, hate the game on this one folks. It was a suggestion offered up in my annual theme poll. Although truly, this one isn't as complex as one might think.  My mind immediately goes to Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz; a heroine who finds herself in extraordinary circumstances. This theme suggestion makes me think of characters in transition - new job, new town/city, still reeling from a relationship break-up etc. 

However if you feel like this month's theme is too much like work 😂, remember that the themes are completely optional. The goal of the challenge has been, and always will be, to read something (anything!) that's been languishing in your mountain range of unread books. 

It is certainly not too late to join the Challenge (to be honest it's never too late).  You can get more details and get links to the current list of participants on the #TBRChallenge 2024 Information Page

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Review: A Snowbound Scandal

I must have been drunk when I downloaded A Snowbound Scandal by Jessica Lemmon back in 2018. I have no other explanation as to why I would have downloaded a book featuring "a Texas politician and oil tycoon" hero other than I must have been blindingly, black-out drunk. Seriously, we should all be concerned for my liver.

Chase Ferguson is one of the youngest mayor's in Dallas' history and loaded thanks to his family's oil money. However, the man has regrets - namely Miriam Andrix. Mimi is an environmentalist but that didn't stop the two from having a passionate summer fling.  Um, Chase might not have told her that he was fabulously wealthy thanks to oil money and of course by the time she finds out - they've caught feelings.  Before you think this might be some sort of conflict for our heroine - rest assured, it's not. No, Mimi is in lurve and ideals be damned.  Anyway, what splits these two apart is more the fact that they're from "different worlds."  Chase ultimately sends her away because his family has ambitions for him and he "knows" being the wife of a politician with Big Oil money will slowly kill her.  He puts her on a plane back to Montana. 

That was ten years ago and Chase, now mayor, is up for reelection.  His opponent has dug up his past with Mimi, including a lovely photo of her taken three years ago at a protest rally against Big Oil.  He's scheduled to go to his fabulous vacation home (OK, mansion) over Thanksgiving to unwind, which just so happens to be located outside of her hometown of Big Fork, Montana. The least he can do is warn her that a potential media storm is headed her way.

They run into each other, in of all places, the grocery store. Words are exchanges, sparks fly, and of course while enjoying Thanksgiving dinner with her family Mimi just can't let it go that Chase is all alone in his big, giant, fabulous mansion. So she hops in her truck to take him leftovers and pie and because she's a romance heroine, keeps going up to his isolated place even after the snow starts falling fast and furious. Because, of course. Bingo bango, she's now snowed in at his place.

It's a testament to the author's abilities that my left eye didn't twitch uncontrollably while reading this. It is competently written, the pages turn easily, and it features textbook Desire steaminess and angst. This is book two in a trilogy about the Ferguson siblings so between Chase's siblings and Mimi's family, the secondary character field is crowded, but not overly confusing or unnecessary.  

What didn't work for me is mainly a romance heroine who doesn't so much as waffle about being in a relationship with Big Money Oil Man Chase when she's supposedly so passionate about her environmentalist ideals. Like there's not even a blip there. In fact it's Chase who broke things off ten years ago to "protect" her.  Then there's Chase - reader, let me tell you I damn near guffawed when he said he wanted to be mayor because he knew he could do some good and since he was already rich that made him less likely to be corrupt and take bribes.

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!

I damn near broke a hip falling out of bed after reading that.

Given my intense dislike for politician characters in my fiction reading, I'm still confused as to why I downloaded this book back in 2018, but it wasn't a complete waste of my time. It's a fast, steamy read and Lemmon hits her beats in the snappy, quick Desire line. I'd read another book by Lemmon, meaning that ultimately, this was a success.

But seriously, Wendy? Why did you download this one?

Final Grade = C