Showing posts with label Olivia Drake. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Olivia Drake. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 29, 2022

Historical Romance Bracket Challenge: Round of 32 Day Three


I am talented at occasionally forgetting to write posts. You might have noticed that the post for Day Two never went up, which is entirely my bad. After class yesterday I didn't feel quite like writing it, and I got distracted in the evening playing Horizon: Forbidden West. Even the polls went up a little late. Luckily, we have still had plenty of voters, so it was all fine in the end. Some of our featured authors have new books coming out this week, and you can learn about them in Quarantine Releases! And if you want to see the full schedule, check out the first post for the Round of 32!

Current Standings:
In Group 2, The Scandal of It All by Sophie Jordan eked out a win over After Dark With the Duke by Julie Anne Long. The Devil of Downtown by Joanna Shupe triumphed over A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem by Manda Collins in Group 6. For Group 10, The Lady's Guide to Celestial Mechanics by Olivia Waite beat About a Rogue by Caroline Linden. Lastly, in Group 14 The Duke's Guide to Correct Behavior by Megan Frampton beat My One and Only Duke by Grace Burrowes.

Enemies to Lovers Alley
Only One Bed Lane
Marriage of Convenience Avenue
Aristocrat in Disguise Road

Today's Books:
Group 3 - The Rakess by Scarlett Peckham vs Between the Devil and the Duke by Kelly Bowen (March 29th, 8pm)
Group 7 - The Rebel and the Rake by Emily Sullivan vs Two Rogues Make a Right by Cat Sebastian (March 29th, 8pm)
Group 11 - Never Trust a Pirate by Valerie Bowman vs Some Like It Scandalous by Maya Rodale (March 29th, 8pm)
Group 15 - When a Duke Loves a Governess by Olivia Drake vs A Taste of Honey by Rose Lerner (March 29th, 8pm)

Title: The Rakess
Author: Scarlett Peckham
Publisher: Avon
Release: April 28, 2020
Series: Society of Sirens #1
Pages: 400
My Review: 5 Stars

Synopsis:

Meet the SOCIETY OF SIRENS—three radical, libertine ladies determined to weaponize their scandalous reputations to fight for justice and the love they deserve…

She's a Rakess on a quest for women's rights… 

Seraphina Arden's passions include equality, amorous affairs, and wild, wine-soaked nights. To raise funds for her cause, she's set to publish explosive memoirs exposing the powerful man who ruined her. Her ideals are her purpose, her friends are her family, and her paramours are forbidden to linger in the morning.

He's not looking for a summer lover… 

Adam Anderson is a wholesome, handsome, widowed Scottish architect, with two young children, a business to protect, and an aversion to scandal. He could never, ever afford to fall for Seraphina. But her indecent proposal—one month, no strings, no future—proves too tempting for a man who strains to keep his passions buried with the losses of his past.

But one night changes everything... 

What began as a fling soon forces them to confront painful secrets—and yearnings they thought they'd never have again. But when Seraphina discovers Adam's future depends on the man she's about to destroy, she must decide what to protect…her desire for justice, or her heart.

You Can Find it At:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Books-A-Million
Bookshop
IndieBound
Target
Walmart
Apple Books
Google Play
Kobo

Title: Between the Devil and the Duke
Author: Kelly Bowen
Publisher: Forever
Release: January 31, 2017
Series: Season for Scandal #3
Pages: 319
My Review: 5 Stars

Synopsis:

Their love was always in the cards.

He should have thrown her out. But when club owner Alexander Lavoie catches a mysterious blonde counting cards at his vingt-et-un table, he's more intrigued than angry. He has to see more of this beauty—in his club, in his office, in his bed. But first he'll have to devise a proposition she can't turn down.

Gossip said he was an assassin.

Common sense told her to stay away. But Angelique Archer was desperate, and Lavoie's club offered a surefire way to make quick money—until she got caught. Instead of throwing her out though, the devil offers her a deal: come work for him. Refusing him means facing starvation, but with a man so sinfully handsome and fiercely protective, keeping things professional might prove impossible.

You Can Find It At:

Title: The Rebel and the Rake
Author: Emily Sullivan
Publisher: Forever
Release: December 28, 2021
Series: League of Scoundrels #2
Pages: 337

Synopsis:

He holds her fate in his hands—she holds his heart in hers.

Rafe Davies might seem like just another charismatic rake, but in reality, he is one of the crown’s most valuable agents. As relentless as he is reckless, Rafe has never come upon a mission he couldn’t complete. But when he encounters the intriguing-yet-prickly lady’s companion Miss Sylvia Sparrow while on assignment at a Scottish house party, he finds himself thoroughly distracted by the secretive beauty.

Though most women would be thrilled to catch the eye of a tall, dark, and dangerously handsome man, Sylvia is through with that sort of adventure. She trusted the wrong man once and paid for it dearly. The fiery bluestocking is resolved to avoid Rafe, until a chance encounter between them reveals the normally irreverent man’s unexpected depths—and an attraction that’s impossible to ignore. But when Sylvia begins to suspect she isn’t the only one harboring a few secrets, she realizes that Rafe may pose a risk to far more than her heart . . .

You Can Find it At:

Title: Two Rogues Make a Right
Author: Cat Sebastian
Publisher: Avon
Release: June 23, 2020
Series: Seducing the Sedgwicks #3
Pages: 304
My Review: 5 Stars

Synopsis:

Will Sedgwick can’t believe that after months of searching for his oldest friend, Martin Easterbrook is found hiding in an attic like a gothic nightmare. Intent on nursing Martin back to health, Will kindly kidnaps him and takes him to the countryside to recover, well away from the world.

Martin doesn’t much care where he is or even how he got there. He’s much more concerned that the man he’s loved his entire life is currently waiting on him hand and foot, feeding him soup and making him tea. Martin knows he’s a lost cause, one he doesn’t want Will to waste his life on.

As a lifetime of love transforms into a tender passion both men always desired but neither expected, can they envision a life free from the restrictions of the past, a life with each other?

You Can Find It At:
Indiebound
Barnes & Noble
Amazon
iBooks
Kobo

Title: Never Trust a Pirate
Author: Valerie Bowman
Publisher: St. Martin's
Release: May 2, 2017
Series: Playful Brides #7
Pages: 310
My Review: 5 Stars

Synopsis:

The rules of engagement were never so scandalous. . .

A rumored pirate and the scurrilous black sheep of his well-to-do family, Cade Cavendish relishes his world of rebellion, deception, and seduction. Nothing and no one can hold him to be the duty-bound, honorable man he is expected to be. But when an unexpected run-in at his twin brother's estate with a ravishing, raven-haired maid leads her to believe he's actually a viscount, Cade's renegade life is thrown wildly off-kilter. And even though a case of mistaken identity can be quickly set to rights, matters of the heart are quite different...

Miss Danielle LaCrosse is startled to learn that the handsome gentleman who radiates sin and has the devil in his eyes is not her employer the Viscount, but rather his infamous brother. A former heiress, orphaned and left penniless, Danielle has more than a few secrets of her own. Cade may be skilled at coaxing even the most hidden desires out of Danielle but can he earn her trust--and win her heart--as they embark on an adventure to confront a dangerous enemy from both of their pasts . . . and uncover the identity of the so-called Black Fox along the way?

You Can Find it At:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Indiebound
Apple Books
Google Play
Kobo

Title: Some Like It Scandalous
Author: Maya Rodale
Publisher: Avon
Release: June 18, 2019
Series: The Gilded Age Girls Club #2
Pages: 357

Synopsis:

They are sworn enemies…

Theodore Prescott the Third, one of Manhattan’s Rogues of Millionaire Row, has really done it this time. The only way to survive his most recent, unspeakably outrageous scandal is marry someone respectable. Someone sensible. Someone like Daisy Swan. Of all the girls in Gilded Age Manhattan, it had to be her.

Pretending to be lovers...

Daisy Swan has plans and they do not involve a loveless marriage with anyone. But when a devastating family secret threatens to destroy her standing in society, suddenly a fake engagement with Theo is just the thing to make all her dreams come true.

And now it’s time to kiss and make up…

Daisy Swan aspires to sell cosmetics that she has created, but this brainy scientist needs a smooth talking charmer’s flair for words and eye for beauty to make it a success. Before long, Daisy and Theo are trading kisses. And secrets. And discovering that despite appearances, they might be the perfect couple after all.

You Can Find It At:

Title: When a Duke Loves a Governess
Author: Olivia Drake
Publisher: St. Martin's
Release: July 27, 2021
Series: Unlikely Duchesses #3
Pages: 314
My Review: 5 Stars

Synopsis:

A stunning new Regency from beloved author Olivia Drake, When a Duke Loves a Governess...!

Tessa James has worked and planned tirelessly to open her own millinery shop. All she needs now is a loan from the lord who sired and abandoned her. The only problem is, she doesn’t even know his name. What’s a woman to do to find him but enter the aristocratic world by becoming a governess?

Guy Whitby, the new Duke of Carlin, has returned to London after years abroad to discover that his young daughter Sophy has become a wild-child known for scaring away every governess who's crossed his doorstep. When Tessa James applies for the job, he hires her in desperation despite his misgivings that she’s too bold and beautiful–and that she might be fibbing about her qualifications.

Their blooming attraction leads them on a completely unexpected path to love that neither wants to deny. But when an old enemy threatens Guy's family, their forbidden romance goes up in flames. Can they still learn to love and trust each other as forces try to tear them apart?

You Can Find it At:
AmazonKobo

Title: A Taste of Honey
Author: Rose Lerner
Publisher: Rose Lerner
Release: September 12, 2017
Series: Lively St. Lemeston #3.5
Pages: 140

Synopsis:

Fire and ice cream...

Robert Moon risked everything, including his father’s hardwon legacy, to open his beloved Honey Moon Confectionery on the busiest street in Lively St. Lemeston. Now he’s facing bankruptcy and debtor’s prison.

When a huge catering order comes in, he agrees to close the sweet-shop for a week to fill it. There’s only one problem: his apprentice is out of town, so his beautiful shop-girl Betsy Piper must help Robert in the kitchen.

Betsy’s spent the last year trying to make her single-minded boss look up from his pastries and notice that she would be the perfect wife. Now the two of them are alone in a kitchen full of sweet things. With just one week to get him to fall in love with her, she’d better get this seduction started...

She soon discovers that Robert brings the same meticulous, eager-to-please attitude to lovemaking that he does to baking, but can kisses—no matter how sweet—compete with the Honey Moon in his heart?

You Can Find It At:
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Monday, July 26, 2021

Quarantine Releases (52)


It's the one year anniversary of Quarantine Releases! I can't believe I've been doing this feature for a full year. In that time, we've showcased hundreds of books and authors with new releases. I plan to continue Quarantine Releases, though hopefully in healthier times (and eventually with a name change). There are so many upcoming books that I'm excited to read and I want to share them with y'all!

When We Were Strangers by Alex Richards

Seventeen-year-old Evie Parker is devastated in the wake of her father’s sudden death. But she knows something her mother doesn’t: the day of his heart attack, her dad was planning to move out. After finding his packed bags, an impulsive Evie puts everything away, desperate to spare her mom more heartache.

To make matters worse, Evie soon learns the reason her father was going to leave: he had been dating his twenty-two-year-old receptionist, Bree, who is now six months pregnant. Desperate to distract herself, Evie signs up for a summer photography class where she meets a motley crew of students, including quirky and adorable Declan. Still, Evie can’t stop thinking about her father’s mistress. Armed with a telephoto lens, she caves to her curiosity, and what starts as a little bit of spying on Bree quickly becomes full-blown stalking. And when an emergency forces Evie to help Bree, she learns there’s more to the story than she ever knew…

Alex Richards crafts an addicting and compelling new story about betrayal, complicated family secrets, and getting to the heart of what matters — ultimately asking readers how far they’d be willing to go to unravel the truth.

Places to Purchase:

Gods & Monsters by Shelby Mahurin

Evil always seeks a foothold. We must not give it one. The electrifying conclusion to the New York Times and Indiebound bestselling Serpent & Dove series is perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Kendare Blake.

Lou has spent her whole life running. Now, after a crushing blow from Morgane, the time has come to go home—and claim what is rightfully hers.

But this is no longer the Lou her friends knew. No longer the Lou who captured a chasseur’s heart. A darkness has settled over her, and this time it will take more than love to drive it out.

The spellbinding conclusion to the New York Times and IndieBound bestselling trilogy Serpent & Dove. This stunning fantasy take on French witches and forbidden love is perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas.

Places to Purchase:

Small Favors by Erin A. Craig

From the New York Times bestselling author of House of Salt and Sorrows comes a mesmerizing and chilling novel that's The Village meets Needful Things about what lurks in the shadows of the people you think you know.

Unique, enchanting, and haunting.--Brigid Kemmerer, NYT bestselling author of the Cursebreaker series
Ellerie Downing is waiting for something to happen. Life in isolated Amity Falls, surrounded by an impenetrable forest, has a predictable sameness. Her days are filled with tending to her family's beehives, chasing after her sisters, and dreaming of bigger things while her twin, Samuel, is free to roam as he wishes.

Early town settlers fought off monstrous creatures in the woods, and whispers that the creatures still exist keep the Downings and their neighbors from venturing too far. When some townsfolk go missing on a trip to fetch supplies, a heavy unease settles over the Falls.

Strange activities begin to plague the town, and as the seasons change, it's clear that something is terribly wrong. The creatures are real, and they're offering to fulfill the residents' deepest desires, however grand, for just a small favor. These seemingly trifling demands, however, hide sinister intentions. Soon Ellerie finds herself in a race against time to stop Amity Falls, her family, and the boy she loves from going up in flames.

Places to Purchase:

The River Has Teeth by Erica Waters

Lush and chilling, with razor-sharp edges and an iron core of hope, this bewitching, powerhouse novel of two girls fighting back against the violence the world visits on them will stun and enchant readers.

Girls have been going missing in the woods… 

When Natasha’s sister disappears, Natasha desperately turns to Della, a local girl rumored to be a witch, in the hopes that magic will bring her sister home.

But Della has her own secrets to hide. She thinks the beast who’s responsible for the disappearances is her own mother—who was turned into a terrible monster by magic gone wrong.

Natasha is angry. Della has little to lose. Both are each other’s only hope.

From the author of Ghost Wood Song, this eerie contemporary fantasy is perfect for fans of Wilder Girls and Bone Gap.

Places to Purchase:

Red Wolf by Rachel Vincent

Powerful and compelling, this high-stakes, feminist reimagining of Little Red Riding Hood is perfect for fans of Stephanie Garber and Meagan Spooner.

For as long as sixteen-year-old Adele can remember, the village of Oakvale has been surrounded by the dark wood—a forest filled with terrible monsters. A forest that light itself cannot penetrate.

Unlike her fellow villagers, Adele cannot avoid the dark wood.

Adele is one of a long line of guardians: women who secretly take on the form of a wolf, in order to protect their village.

But when accepting her fate means giving up the boy she loves, abandoning the future she imagined for herself, and breaking her own moral code, she must decide how far she is willing to go to keep her neighbors safe.

Places to Purchase:

They'll Never Catch Us by Jessica Goodman

From rising star Jessica Goodman, author of They Wish They Were Us, comes a new fast-paced thriller about two sisters vying for the top spot on their cross-country team--the only way out of their stifling small town. But their dreams are suddenly thrown into peril when a new girl threatens to take away everything they've worked for... until she disappears.

Stella and Ellie Steckler are only a year apart, but their different personalities make their relationship complicated. Stella is single-minded, driven, and she keeps to herself. Cross-country running is her life and she won't let anything get in the way of being the best. Her sister Ellie is a talented runner too, but she also lets herself have fun. She has friends. She goes to parties. She has a life off the course.

The sisters do have one thing in common, though: the new girl, Mila Keene. Both Stecklers' lives are upended when Mila comes to town. Mila was the top runner on her team back home and at first, Ellie and Stella view her as a threat. But soon Ellie can't help but be drawn to her warm, charming personality. After her best friend moved away and her first boyfriend betrayed her, Ellie's been looking for a friend. In a moment of weakness, she even shares her darkest secret with Mila. For her part, Stella finds herself noticing the ways she and Mila are similar. Mila is smart and strong--she's someone Stella can finally connect with. As the two get closer, Stella becomes something she vowed she'd never be: distracted.

With regionals approaching and college scouts taking notice, the pressure is on. Each girl has their future on the line and they won't let friendships get in their way. But then, suddenly, Mila goes out on a training run and never returns. No one knows what happened, but all eyes are on the Steckler sisters.

Places to Purchase:

The Silver Blonde by Elizabeth Ross

For fans of Ruta Septys and Monica Hesse comes a lush historical mystery set in post-World War II America against the flashy backdrop of Hollywood's film studios about a shocking murder that threatens to unearth the ghosts of a young German immigrant's past.

Hollywood, 1946. The war is over, and eighteen-year-old Clara Berg spends her days shelving reels as a vault girl at Silver Pacific Studios, with all her dreams pinned on getting a break in film editing. That and a real date with handsome yet unpredictable screenwriter Gil. But when she returns a reel of film to storage one night, Clara stumbles across the lifeless body of a woman in Vault 5. The costume, the makeup, the ash-blond hair are unmistakable--it has to be Babe Bannon, A-list star. And it looks like murder.

Suddenly Clara's world is in free-fall, her future in movies upended--not to mention that her refugee parents are planning to return to Germany and don't want her to set foot on the studio lot again. As the Silver Blonde murder ignites Tinseltown, rumors and accusations swirl. The studio wants a quick solve, but the facts of the case keep shifting. Nothing is what it seems--not even the victim.

Clara finds herself drawn, inevitably, to the murder investigation, and the dark side of Hollywood. But how far is she willing to go to find the truth?

Places to Purchase:

The Duke Goes Down by Sophie Jordan

New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan begins the all new Duke Hunt series with the illegitimate son of a duke who meets his match in the daring daughter of a vicar.

The Bastard Rogue...

Peregrine Butler's privileged blue-blooded world is rocked to the core when it is revealed he was born before his parents' marriage and, therefore, is not the legal heir to the dukedom. Facing ruin, Perry must use his charm and good looks to win an heiress—all the while, ignoring his fascination with the one interfering and alluring chit who is intent on sabotaging his efforts. 

The Lady Vicar... 

Everyone knows Imogen Bates, the virtuous daughter of the senile vicar. She can write a sermon in a day and spot a rogue in a second, so she sees right through Perry's seductive façade. But Imogen's plan to protect the heiresses of her beloved Shropshire from the erstwhile Duke of Penning, the bane of her existence since childhood, soon turns into something altogether unacceptable for the proper lady... who suddenly finds herself longing to keep his heated glances and tempting kisses all to herself.

Places to Purchase:

The Highlander's Irish Bride by Vanessa Kelly

Meet the most respectable member of the Kendrick Clan in bestselling author Vanessa Kelly's intoxicating series—and the independent woman who has stolen his heart... 

Miss Kathleen Calvert may be the daughter of an Irish aristocrat, but she has no intention of acting like one. All she desires is to return to her family's estate to raise horses and manage her father's magnificent gardens. But when a scandal threatens her reputation, her parents order her to a remote Scottish estate, hoping she will finally learn to behave like a proper lady. To make matters worse, her escort is a handsome Highlander who just happens to be the most boring man in all of Scotland...

After a youth of dangerous and wild escapades, Grant Kendrick surprised his family—and himself—by becoming a successful businessman and the most respectable Kendrick brother. But does that matter, when the beautiful and free-spirited Kathleen deems him a stodgy bore? Luckily, he gets the chance to prove her wrong when their carriage is ambushed by thieves. But it will take all his ingenuity to protect the beautiful lass who has stormed her way into his heart—and to convince her that a life with him will be a love-filled adventure...

Places to Purchase:

Devil in Disguise by Lisa Kleypas

New York Times bestseller Lisa Kleypas returns with an enthralling and steaming romance between a widowed lady and a Scot on the run—who may have connections to one of London's most noble families. 

“The devil never tries to make people do the wrong thing by scaring them. He does it by tempting them.”

Lady Merritt Sterling, a strong-willed young widow who’s running her late husband’s shipping company, knows London society is dying to catch her in a scandal. So far, she’s been too smart to provide them with one. But then she meets Keir MacRae, a rough-and-rugged Scottish whisky distiller, and all her sensible plans vanish like smoke. They couldn’t be more different, but their attraction is powerful, raw and irresistible.

From the moment Keir MacRae arrives in London, he has two goals. One: don’t fall in love with the dazzling Lady Merritt Sterling. Two: avoid being killed.

So far, neither of those is going well.

Keir doesn’t know why someone wants him dead until fate reveals his secret connection to one of England’s most powerful families. His world is thrown into upheaval, and the only one he trusts is Merritt.

Their passion blazes with an intensity Merritt has never known before, making her long for the one thing she can’t have from Keir MacRae: forever. As danger draws closer, she’ll do whatever it takes to save the man she loves... even knowing he might be the devil in disguise.

Places to Purchase:

Not the Kind of Earl You Marry by Kate Pembrooke

Fans of Netflix's Bridgerton series will adore this stunning historical romance debut, where a wary wallflower enters a fake engagement with one of London's most eligible bachelors.

The one woman in London who doesn’t want to marry him is now his fiancée.

William Atherton, Earl of Norwood, is as shocked as the rest of London to discover his betrothal via an announcement in the morning paper. Furious at what appears to be a shrewd marriage trap, William tracks down his alleged fiancée before her plans can affect his campaign for a coveted political post. But then William realizes an engagement, however fake, may benefit them both...

Miss Charlotte Hurst may be a wallflower, but she’s no shrinking violet. She would never attempt such an underhanded scheme, especially not with a man as haughty or sought-after as Norwood. Yet his suggestion to play along with the betrothal has its merits... and the longer they pretend, the more undeniably real their feelings become. But when the true culprit behind their engagement is revealed, can their newfound happiness survive the scandal?

Places to Purchase:

The Viscount Made Me Do It by Diana Quincy

Diana Quincy returns with the second novel in her Clandestine Affairs series featuring a steamy romance between a working class London bonesetter who is dangerously attracted to her mysterious noble client.  

A seduction that could ruin everything... 

Hanna Zaydan has fought to become London’s finest bonesetter, but her darkly appealing new patient threatens to destroy everything she’s worked so hard for. The daughter of Arab merchants is slowly seduced by the former soldier — even though she’s smart enough to know Griff is after more than he’ll reveal. Whatever it is, the bonesetter’s growing desire for the man just might tempt her to give it to him. 

An attraction that cannot be denied... 

Rumors that he killed his own parents have followed Thomas Ellis, Viscount Griffin, practically since he was a boy. More than a decade after the tragedy, Griff receives a tip about his parents’ killer… one that takes him straight to a captivating bonesetter. Griff is convinced Hanna is a fraud, but the dark-eyed beauty stirs deep feelings in him that he thought had perished along with his family. 

Hanna has a gift for fixing fractured people, but can she also mend a broken heart? More importantly, will Griff let her?

Places to Purchase:

When a Duke Loves a Governess by Olivia Drake

A stunning new Regency from beloved author Olivia Drake, When a Duke Loves a Governess...!

Tessa James has worked and planned tirelessly to open her own millinery shop. All she needs now is a loan from the lord who sired and abandoned her. The only problem is, she doesn’t even know his name. What’s a woman to do to find him but enter the aristocratic world by becoming a governess?

Guy Whitby, the new Duke of Carlin, has returned to London after years abroad to discover that his young daughter Sophy has become a wild-child known for scaring away every governess who's crossed his doorstep. When Tessa James applies for the job, he hires her in desperation despite his misgivings that she’s too bold and beautiful–and that she might be fibbing about her qualifications.


Their blooming attraction leads them on a completely unexpected path to love that neither wants to deny. But when an old enemy threatens Guy's family, their forbidden romance goes up in flames. Can they still learn to love and trust each other as forces try to tear them apart?

Places to Purchase:

We are blessed with a fountain of great new books! I was lucky enough to get early copies of a number of the romances. I read and loved Devil in Disguise, When a Duke Loves a Governess, The Viscount Made Me Do It, The Duke Goes Down, and am partway through The Highlander's Irish Bride. I'm intrigued by every YA release this week, and am especially excited to finish a great fantasy series with Gods & Monsters! What books are you hoping to pick up this week?
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Wednesday, April 7, 2021

Romance Round-Up (4)


*Glances around guiltily* I've definitely been reading some great romance novels recently, but it's felt like too much energy to get them up on the blog and formatted (you can find simple reviews on my Goodreads as I finish books). I'm hoping to keep up with this a little better than I have been, but who knows with my track record.

Title: The Hellion's Waltz
Author: Olivia Waite
Publisher: Avon Impulse
Release: June 15, 2021
Series: Feminine Pursuits
Pages: 384
Review: 5 Stars

The Hellion's Waltz was truly great! Dare I say, it might be my favorite book in the series. Right off the bat there was some strong chemistry between Sophie and Maddy. But what I really loved was that for the majority of the book, the characters were working together, not against each other. So many romances have the main characters pursuing opposite goals and one or both of them end up having to compromise. In The Hellion's Waltz, Sophie and Maddie have goals that are either aligned or adjacent. This allows their relationship to blossom without the weight of potential betrayal or thinking they will have to give each other up in the end.

I also really appreciated the diverse cast of characters. Historical romance is generally very white, christian, and Eurocentric. Along with the solid queer representation, there are Jewish characters, Black characters, and Indian characters (to name the ones I remember). Their characters aren't defined by their ethnic identity, but it does inform them and makes the world of the book feel a little richer. I'd definitely love to see more of this in historical romance!

Alongside the great romance, there was a fun plot. Maddie is plotting a swindle to help the local weavers. Sophie and her family have just been swindled, and she's initially concerned about what's going on. But let's just say that things aren't set in stone.

I highly recommend this book both if you've enjoyed Olivia Waite's earlier books and as a jumping point into queer historical romance! It is books like The Hellion's Waltz that really show what the historical romance genre can be at its best. So go forth and enjoy!

Synopsis:

It’s not a crime to steal a heart... 

Sophie Roseingrave hates nothing more than a swindler. After her family lost their piano shop to a con man in London, they’re trying to start fresh in a new town. Her father is convinced Carrisford is an upright and honest place, but Sophie is not so sure. She has grave suspicions about silk-weaver Madeline Crewe, whose stunning beauty doesn’t hide the fact that she’s up to something.

All Maddie Crewe needs is one big score, one grand heist to properly fund the weavers’ union forever. She has found her mark in Mr. Giles, a greedy draper, and the entire association of weavers and tailors and clothing merchants has agreed to help her. The very last thing she needs is a small but determined piano-teacher and composer sticking her nose in other people’s business. If Sophie won’t be put off, the only thing to do is to seduce her to the cause.

Will Sophie’s scruples force her to confess the plot before Maddie gets her money? Or will Maddie lose her nerve along with her heart?

You Can Find it At:

Title: The Duke Goes Down
Author: Sophie Jordan
Publisher: Avon
Release: July 27, 2021
Series: The Duke Hunt
Pages: 384
Review: 4.5 Stars

If you're looking for a fast, fun read this summer, The Duke Goes Down will fit the bill! The first book in a new series by historical romance author Sophie Jordan, it features childhood enemies who become something more. Imogen has disliked Perry since he teased and made fun of her as a child. Perry thought she acted superior to him, and being a stuck-up duke's heir, didn't like that feeling. He was honestly quite a brat as a child and teen. Years later, Perry finds out he was born before his parents marriage, and is now on the hunt to marry an heiress to restore him to his former lifestyle. Remembering how he treated her as a child, Imogen is determined to keep Perry from preying on the young women of their village.

I definitely liked Imogen as a main character. She cares a lot about her father and the people in the village, even if she can be a little high and mighty at times. I felt like Perry had more apologizing for childhood actions to do than he actually did in the book, but that's not uncommon in romances. Their romance felt a little rushed, and I wouldn't have minded another 50 to 100 pages to really let everything knit together.

There was a small subplot that came up in the latter half of the book, and I didn't fully understand why Imogen didn't just tell her cousin about what happened. You'd think she'd want to know. And even if Imogen had trouble sharing at the time (she was young after all), it's something she might have wanted to share later. Especially after certain actions in the book. Another thing that could have been more developed with those extra pages mentioned earlier.

All in all, the book was enjoyable. And it was written in 2020, so the fact that any books got written at all given that hell of a year is a miracle in and of itself.

Synopsis:

New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan begins the all new Duke Hunt series with the illegitimate son of a duke who meets his match in the daring daughter of a vicar.

The Bastard Rogue...

Peregrine Butler's privileged blue-blooded world is rocked to the core when it is revealed he was born before his parents' marriage and, therefore, is not the legal heir to the dukedom. Facing ruin, Perry must use his charm and good looks to win an heiress—all the while, ignoring his fascination with the one interfering and alluring chit who is intent on sabotaging his efforts. 

The Lady Vicar... 

Everyone knows Imogen Bates, the virtuous daughter of the senile vicar. She can write a sermon in a day and spot a rogue in a second, so she sees right through Perry's seductive façade. But Imogen's plan to protect the heiresses of her beloved Shropshire from the erstwhile Duke of Penning, the bane of her existence since childhood, soon turns into something altogether unacceptable for the proper lady... who suddenly finds herself longing to keep his heated glances and tempting kisses all to herself.

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Title: The Viscount Made Me Do It:
Author: Diana Quincy
Publisher: Avon
Release: July 27, 2021
Series: Clandestine Affairs
Pages: 384
Review: 5 Stars

All the swoons! I *loved* the first book in this series, and requested an ARC of this one as soon as I saw it was available on Edelweiss! This book has it all: great characters, a solid secondary plot, and a steamy romance! Hanna and Thomas are such a great couple. I shipped them right off the bat.

Hanna is a capable woman running her business as a bonesetter. Not only is she looked down upon for her Arab ethnicity, others in the medical professor declare her a fraud. Nonetheless, she keeps doing the work and taking care of those around her. I loved her relationship with her family, and I hope to see more of them in later books. I suspect her brother Rafi has a budding romance with a female character introduced in this book, and I can't wait to read their story!

Thomas has been through a lot. His parents were murdered when he was a teen, he hasn't talked with his sisters for years, and much of society believe he killed his parents. Combined with a war injury that leaves him in constant pain, Thomas is mostly making it day to day. Then he sees Hanna in a tavern, wearing the necklace that was stolen from his mother's dead body. As he pursues the mystery that is Hanna, he learns that not only can she heal his body, but she might just heal his heart. (I'm pretty proud of that line)

I don't want to dive too deep into the secondary plot, but it's really well done. What starts as a mission to recover a beloved necklace becomes something more as dark secrets are revealed. Diana Quincy does a great job of seeding in little moments that become exponentially more important later in the story.

This is all a lot of words to say something simple: read this book! It doesn't come out until this summer, but I know I plan on picking up a copy to add to my collection!

Synopsis:

Diana Quincy returns with the second novel in her Clandestine Affairs series featuring a steamy romance between a working class London bonesetter who is dangerously attracted to her mysterious noble client.  

A seduction that could ruin everything... 

Hanna Zaydan has fought to become London’s finest bonesetter, but her darkly appealing new patient threatens to destroy everything she’s worked so hard for. The daughter of Arab merchants is slowly seduced by the former soldier — even though she’s smart enough to know Griff is after more than he’ll reveal. Whatever it is, the bonesetter’s growing desire for the man just might tempt her to give it to him. 

An attraction that cannot be denied... 

Rumors that he killed his own parents have followed Thomas Ellis, Viscount Griffin, practically since he was a boy. More than a decade after the tragedy, Griff receives a tip about his parents’ killer… one that takes him straight to a captivating bonesetter. Griff is convinced Hanna is a fraud, but the dark-eyed beauty stirs deep feelings in him that he thought had perished along with his family. 

Hanna has a gift for fixing fractured people, but can she also mend a broken heart? More importantly, will Griff let her?

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Title: The Duchess Hunt
Author: Lorraine Heath
Publisher: Avon
Release: September 28, 2021
Series: Once Upon a Dukedom
Pages: 384
Review: 4.5 Stars

Lorraine Heath is always a favorite of mine! The romances are always great and she does a good job of mixing expectation with surprise. I absolutely loved Penelope. I enjoy historicals that have women in positions not common for the time. She's a compelling character in many ways. Her past is a bit checkered, but her present is made up of hard work and an unrequited love for her duke, Hugh. Hugh is a smart idiot. He's book smart and generally does well with people, but can't see right in front of his face as far as Penelope and their relationship. That made it all the more worth it when he finally realized he actually did have a heart.

I heartily recommend this book to all Lorraine Heath fans! It's fun and romantic, featuring great characters with a solid story.

Synopsis:

New York Times bestselling author Lorraine Heath continues her Once Upon a Dukedom series with this lush love story of a duke who discovers what he desires in a wife may not be what he needs...

Hugh Brinsley-Norton, the Duke of Kingsland, is in need of a duchess. However, restoring the dukedom—left in ruins by his father—to its former glory demands all his time, with little room for sentiment. He places an advert encouraging the single ladies of the ton to write why they should be the one chosen, and leaves it to his efficient secretary to select his future wife.

If there exists a more unpleasant task in the world than deciding who is to marry the man you love, Penelope Pettypeace certainly can’t imagine what it might be. Still, she is determined to find the perfect bride for her clueless, yet ruthlessly charming employer.

But when an anonymous note threatens to reveal truths best hidden, Kingsland has no choice but to confront the danger with Penelope at his side. Beguiled by the strong-willed, courageous beauty, he realizes he’s willing to risk everything, including his heart, to keep her safe within his arms. Could it be the duchess he’s hunting for has been in front of him all along?

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Title: When a Duke Loves a Governess
Author: Olivia Drake
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Release: July 27, 2021
Series: Unlikely Duchesses
Pages: 320
Review: 5 Stars

I got approved for this this afternoon, and immediately dove into the book! Tessa and Guy are such a great couple! And to say I loved Sophy is an understatement. I appreciated the multiple plots going on, from their romance, to Tessa's search for family, to the mystery about Guy's family mishaps. The book does a good job of slowly building up the tension. What starts as relatively light and breezy builds as odd events keep happening. I also really appreciated how relatively early a certain deception plot was resolved. I hate when a ruse is kept up until like the 90% mark, and so I was glad this didn't do that.

Synopsis:

A stunning new Regency from beloved author Olivia Drake, When a Duke Loves a Governess...!

Tessa James has worked and planned tirelessly to open her own millinery shop. All she needs now is a loan from the lord who sired and abandoned her. The only problem is, she doesn’t even know his name. What’s a woman to do to find him but enter the aristocratic world by becoming a governess?

Guy Whitby, the new Duke of Carlin, has returned to London after years abroad to discover that his young daughter Sophy has become a wild-child known for scaring away every governess who's crossed his doorstep. When Tessa James applies for the job, he hires her in desperation despite his misgivings that she’s too bold and beautiful–and that she might be fibbing about her qualifications.


Their blooming attraction leads them on a completely unexpected path to love that neither wants to deny. But when an old enemy threatens Guy's family, their forbidden romance goes up in flames. Can they still learn to love and trust each other as forces try to tear them apart?

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Title: The Duke Heist
Author: Erica Ridley
Publisher: Forever
Release: February 9, 2021
Series: The Wild Wynchesters
Pages: 332
Review: 5 Stars

I loved this book! This was my first book by Erica Ridley, and I will definitely be reading more! I'm particularly excited for the next book in this series! Chloe is one of the adopted Wynchester siblings. Each orphans, they were adopted by a wealthy baron and quickly became a family. After their father dies, Chloe and her siblings are determined to get back a stolen family painting, even if they have to steal it from the duke who now has it.

Chloe is absolutely fabulous. She has the ability to blend into a crowd, but inside is yearning to burst with color. Prior to the book, she had admired Ambrose's character, until he refused to acknowledge her family or return their painting. So begins the long plot to get the painting back.

While Ambrose comes off as standoffish, he's actually a combo of misguided and anxious. He clearly struggles in unexpected social situations, and has some deep-rooted beliefs about who is and isn't appropriate to keep company with. Those beliefs are perhaps his biggest hurdle in the book, and though it takes time, I think he overcomes them well.

One of my favorite characters was Tommy, who happens to star in the next book. She happens to have a crush on a side character, Philippa, who Ambrose is courting as he is in need of a big dowry to get out of debt. To say the situation is complicated is an understatement, but I can't wait to get their book next!

Synopsis:

A NYT bestselling author kicks off a new Regency series of "irresistible romance and a family of delightful scoundrels" as a woman looking to recover a stolen painting accidentally kidnaps a duke instead. (Eloisa James) 

Chloe Wynchester is completely forgettable—a curse that gives her the ability to blend into any crowd. When the only father she's ever known makes a dying wish for his adopted family of orphans to recover a missing painting, she's the first one her siblings turn to for stealing it back. No one expects that in doing so, she'll also abduct a handsome duke.

Lawrence Gosling, the Duke of Faircliffe, is tortured by his father's mistakes. To repair his estate's ruined reputation, he must wed a highborn heiress. Yet when he finds himself in a carriage being driven hell-for-leather down the cobblestone streets of London by a beautiful woman who refuses to heed his commands, he fears his heart is hers. But how can he sacrifice his family's legacy to follow true love?

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Have you read any good romance novels recently? Most of these books are upcoming, do you plan to pick any of them up when they come out?
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