Midnight Ruin by Katee Robert book review

WoooooWeeee!!! If you have been keeping up with this series, you know what you are in for in terms of spice and steamy scenes. This book is the 6th installment in the Dark Olympus series and is the story of the threesome: Eurydice, Charon and Orpheus. The story moves a bit closer to figuring out who might be trying to destroy Olympus on the political and military front. Hades is forced to take action for the inhabitants of the Lower City. Eurydice and Orpheus had broken up because he was a terrible boyfriend and he almost killed Eurydice because of his reckless choices. She sought refuge in the Lower City and Charon has been her bodyguard (and secretly falling in love with her). Eurydice has been falling for Charon and she makes him a proposal. However, Charon knows her well enough that he can see that she still has feelings for Orpheus. Charon goes to see Orpheus and they work out an arrangement. Eventually, they all find themselves in a threesome, navigating the nuances of a poly relationship and off the charts sex. I did like that they are stronger together. They are all working to uncover the threat to Olympus. Lots of previous characters are woven into this story. Most notably Persephone and Hades. I love this modern retelling of Greek Mythology. If you are into this series, you will get through this book quick. It’s hard to put down once you get started. This book will be out January 16, 2024. Mark your calendars! Thanks to NetGalley and SourceBooks for the Advance Reader Copy.

Accidentally His By Sabrina Jeffries book review

Yay! I am always excited to read a book by Sabrina Jeffries. She is one of my favorite historical romance authors. First, I love the cover art of this new book, Accidentally His. I mean, what better hook than to have a hot man looking at me with a smoldering look??? 

This is the conclusion to the Designing Debutantes series and this is Lady Verity’s story. She was introduced in the previous two books and now she gets to find a man! I love that the three sisters have been running a successful party planning business. In addition to party planning, Verity finds herself solving various mysteries and playing the part of a wallflower to sometimes find said information .Rafe Wolfford, was a soldier, and had not intention of ever inheriting a title. Unfortunately, all the people who were before him for the title had all died. Wolfford has been content avoiding marriage and spying for the Crown. He initially approached Verity because he suspected she might have ties to information being leaked to the French. I love the chemistry between Verity and Rafe. 

A little non-traditional, but that is what makes it fun! I love that Verity was portrayed as smart and intuitive in the clandestine world. She does hesitate a bit with her attraction to Rafe, but she has been burned before by a man and she is not dying to go back to another heartbreak. But watching her sisters fall in love with their husbands, makes her more open to Rafe’s advances. There are some laugh out loud moments, there is some mystery, action, thrills and some steamy romance. This is a fun, quick read for the long winter months. This book will be out January 23, 2024. You should definitely pre-order 🙂 

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for this Advance Reader Copy.

Her Scandalous Scot, A Regency Romance By Jennifer Haymore book review

This is the second book of the Highland Knights Series and it is a republished book with some changes. Since I just jumped right into book 2, this was my first book in the series and it was good as a standalone. It was not my first book by Jennifer Haymore and I can definitely say that I still love her books! While it is a historical romance, it does quickly jump into some sexy scenes. Camden McLeod is a Highland Knight who is protecting an English aristocrat that is in trouble. That is how Camden shows up in a brothel. Lady Esme Hawkins is doing research for her newest novel (scandalous by itself) and she is “learning” by interviewing the women in the brothel. Esme is an accomplished author, but is keeping it a secret from her family. 

I would say that Cam is a bit morally gray when it comes to some of the things he does to interfere in Esme’s life. I mean, I’d be mad 🙂 But it turns out that a mystery is afoot, people are in danger and Cam and Esme have a thing for each other. Overall, I like Esme’s family and they are a fun part of the story. I love the romance between Esme and Cam. They do end up in some steamy scenes quite often. I also love that Esme is an erotic author in her time. Her books are a fun detail in this story. I totally recommend this book. It came out in June 2023, but it would make for a cozy winter read right now!

Love Plot by Samantha Young book review

I had this book in my TBR pile since the summer and I don’t know why it took me so long to get to it. As soon as I started reading it, I could not put it down. I read it in a day and half. I have enjoyed other Samantha Young romantic comedy books. Fun, flirty and hard to put down. This book starts out as a fake dating situation between grumpy vet, Rafe and super cheerful and optimistic Star. She is a character actor who is performing at a children’s birthday party and Rafe just happens to be there as the uncle. During this birthday party, Rafe’s mom and sister in law try to set him up on a date. In fact, they have been trying for months and they are quite aggressive. Rafe decides to take matters into his own hands and hires Star to be his girlfriend to get his family off his back. 

There is some hilarity along the way, especially when Star sees Rafe on the street and he doesn’t quite recognize her because she is not in costume. He is more than ready to introduce her to his family so they stop trying to set him up on dates. Star is worried about the family because she is not sure their relationship will be believable and it turns out she likes them because they are nice people. As Rafe and Star get to know each other better, their fake dating relationship turns into a real romance. They both have to get over some emotional baggage from their past, but as long as they support each other, things should be fine. Rafe and Star have some sizzling attraction going on. They both have a lot of depth to them that is not so clearly visible on the surface. If you are looking for fun banter, laugh out loud situations, steamy pages and just plain fun, this book is for you. I highly recommend this book for when you are in the mood for a good romantic comedy.

Second Duke's the Charm by Kate Bateman book review

I really love Kate Bateman books and this first book in a new series did not disappoint. The series is called Her Majesty’s Rebels and after finishing the first book, it is a perfect name!!! This book is a charming balance between romance and mystery. The story revolves around Tess Townsend and Justin Thornton, who is a shipping magnate and just became a duke overnight. He inherited the dukedom from Tess’s husband, who dropped dead the night of their wedding. Tess had been forced to marry someone she did not want to marry and she gained her freedom with the death of her husband. Tess and her friends can now run their business, King & Co as London’s most exclusive investigative agency (and how all the fun happens). 

I had to laugh at how practical Tess and Justin’s agreement was. The fun started when they realized they could not control themselves around each other and had some sexy times in unconventional places. *swoon*. Tess is smart, funny and independent. You are really rooting for her to have a happily ever after. If you love historical romance you will love this marriage of convenience, forbidden love, mystery, adventure and great friendships. This book will be out December 26, 2023. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. I highly recommend this book.

Knockout by Sarah MacLean book review

This is the third book in the Hell’s Belles series by Sarah MacLean. I have loved all of them, so I feel like I already went into this book biased :) This book is about Imogen Loveless, an explosives expert, who is called to the scene of a bombing in London. Imogen and her friends are called into investigate things that usually happen to women. Something the male detectives have failed to do. However, in this case, Inspector Peck is also called to the scene. The Hell’s Belles have had some run-ins with him in the past and they are all suspicious of each other. 

Part of the fun of this series is that it is a sexy historical romance that weaves more modern ideals into the story, but keeps the great settings, romantic gowns and fancy tailcoats. There is a lot of fun to be had with Imogen being an explosives expert and the romance that begins to spark between her and Thomas. They have sharp witted dialogue and they keep testing each other in that flirty way. There are definitely some spicy scenes. The book is packed with romance, action, mystery, subterfuge and fun! The cover artist once again knocks it out of the park (it’s beautiful). If you have not read this series, I definitely recommend it. This 3rd book came out in August. It would make a great gift for the historical romance lovers in your life.

More Than Shipmates by Philippa Young book review

This is a great debut novel. This book was so much fun. I picked it up because I was in the midst of binging some Below Deck and the cover had some of the same vibes. If you are a fan of Below Deck, this book is for you! Characters are all professional with the guests and then when it’s just the ship’s crew, things get a little wild. Eliza has committed to a six month contract to be an entertainment crew member. They are sailing in the Caribbean. She meets Tom and Oscar, who are both hot…along with everyone else on the ship. But Eliza is pretty determined not to mix work and play. However, it is almost impossible not to get sucked into some naughty games that involve kissing, groping and ultimately more. 

The story made you feel like you were right there with the characters. There is a definite love triangle, lots of drama and spice. Eliza had good, but different, chemistry with both Tom and Oscar. This book pairs well with a glass of wine and a fan. It’s fun and a perfect romantic escape. There is some self-discovery on the way and some good friendships are made. I like the author’s extras - a great Spotify list, an amazing cover and fun merch on her website. I hope there is a book 2 of this high seas adventure. Pick this book up now!

Author's Spotify Playlist

Cruel Seduction by Katee Robert book review

I have been enjoying this series that is a modern day retelling of Greek mythology. This latest book did not disappoint. It is definitely a complicated political and relationship mess. I mean, some of the characters are flawed, but that is what makes this book delightful. This story is a polyamaouros romance between Hephaestus, Aphrodite, Adonis, and Pandora. There is hate sex, ememies to lovers, second chance, best friends to lovers, and strangers to lovers. It is spicy and complicated. Eris Kasios, who is Aphrodite, is getting married to her enemy, the new Hephaestus. She is doing it so that Olympus stays strong. She has been prepared for a world of politics, scandal, backstabbing, power grabs and who you really are is not allowed in society. 

Adonis and Aphrodite have a thing and Pandora is worried about Hephaestus. I would probably read this series in order because the story line builds throughout the books. The couples are different and their stories can be stand alone. This book is a continuation of the wild ride that is Olympus. Modern society woven with Ancient Greek characters is such a fun concept! And the spice. Definitely lots of it. I also think that there is an underlying commentary running throughout the books in terms of underhanded power plays and the power of the paparazzi and social media to spin the story and show the masses select information. I can’t wait to see how this all wraps up.

Bad Luck Vampire by Lynsay Sands book review

Ok. I’ll admit it. I am totally hooked on this series and I hope it never ends. I love the Argeneau/Notte families. I am always excited when Lynsay Sands books are on NetGalley and I get to read them 🙂 In fact, this book inspired me to go back and read a few other stories that I had forgotten the details to. One of the best aspects of this series is that we continually get introduced to new characters and we get to see how past characters are doing. This is one of my favorite worlds that has been created in paranormal romance. This book revolves around Sophie and Alasdair. Sophie is a mortal that Tybo and Valerian help while they are on a stakeout. Tybo thinks she is cute, so he asks her to be a wedding date. Unfortunately for Tybo, it turns out she is Alasdair's life mate. Alasdair recently came from Scotland. He has a twin brother. Because of the wedding, Alasdair’s uncles come into town. His four uncles add a lot of humor to the story. Alasdair’s entire extended family is plotting to help him get the girl. It’s definitely one of the highlights of this book, in addition to all the Scottish accents and kilts. 

There seems to be a run of bad luck in Alasdair’s life as he starts getting to know Sophie. First, he eats some bad shrimp and gets food poisoning and then shortly after that, someone tries to run him down with their car. His family starts to get suspicious that something other than bad luck is going on. I really do love all the twists and turns that happen during the “immortal”/ “life mate” discussions that happen in these stories. Sophie is funny, bold, smart and kind of feisty in the bedroom - which leads to some laugh out loud moments. 

There are definitely a lot of spicy scenes. Life mate sex is one of the best inventions of this series. There is some tragedy, humor, mystery and thrills. Nothing better than a big family to help unravel it all. This book will be published on September 26, 2023. If you have been reading them in order, you have something to look forward to. If you haven’t read any books in this series, now is the time to get caught up! I can’t recommend it enough. Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books For sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

A Lady's Guide to Scandal by Sophie Irwin book review

Ready for a regency love triangle? If so, this might be the book for you. Eliza Balfour is recently widowed and is getting ready to explore life without her controlling husband. She married her husband because of a duty to her family. It was not a love match. She was molded into what society expected a woman like her to be. She is now wealthy and ready to get on with her life. She asks for friend and cousin, Margaret, to go with her to Bath, where they rent some rooms. Eliza is a talented artist, but has not really been allowed to pursue a career as an artist. Eliza has a second chance to reunite with her first love (who is also related to the now deceased Lord Somerset). However, Eliza meets Lord Melville and is both frustrated, intrigued and attracted to him. Scandal follows him around, but with Eliza’s daring new life, she gets to know him better. There is some jealousy that definitely emerges and unpredictable twists and turns that involve a bit of mystery and scandal with the stipulations of Eliza’s inheritance. This is a slow burn romance that will hook you in and a perfect summer read.

Bookshop Cinderella by Laura Lee Guhrke book review

Oh man, the book cover on this book is amazing. It’s got the historical romance model standing in front of her bookshop. Love! I’ll admit, it sucked me in. 

Maximillian Shaw, the Duke of Westborune, has been in a disastrous marriage once and vowed to do things completely differently the second time around. He needs an heir and came to London to look for a bride. He starts being very particular to marry in the appropriate class for himself, that can handle British society. Evie Harlow is a bookshop owner. Proud of making a living for herself, during a time when that was not always the case for women, she still struggles a bit. Her shop needs work and she does not even consider any luxuries for herself. She is the opposite of what Max is looking for. 

As is alluded to in the title, Max tries to rescue Evie from a bad situation by helping her become the diamond of the season. She thinks it’s ridiculous, but also, it’s a nice change of pace from her life. Max is a bit like the fairy godmother in this situation. Things quickly take a turn. Max and Evie start to have feelings for each other. They definitely have the chemistry that starts to burn hotter the more they get to know each other. It is a slow burn romance, so the focus is on relationship building. Both of the characters grow throughout the story. They complement each other. This is just a really sweet romance that was fun to read. I highly recommend it.

The Heiress Bride by Madeline Hunter book review

The Heiress Bride wraps up this historical regency romance, thriller and mystery trilogy. I have been waiting for this book! Nicholas Radnor unexpectedly becomes Duke of Holinburgh after he inherited the title from his uncle. Most of the wealth was left to three mysterious women that Nicholas and his family have been trying to track down. The last of the inheritors, Iris Barrington, show up at his door. She is a rare book seller and has great success outside of England (because she is a woman), although she does do some business in England. She did not know she was named in the will and had just shown up because the previous duke might have had some information about a rare book. 

The chemistry between Nicholas and Iris sizzling, but he needs to know what role she might have played in the family mystery. Iris is an independent woman and spends most of her time in Italy. She travels, reads, has no strings attached lovers and is quite the opposite of what a ducal wife should be. Nicholas is immediately protective of Iris and her safety in that sexy, swoony way that romance readers will love. Trust is built first, before any sexy time ;) *swoon*. I really love that this historical romance was also all about books. A rare book is at the heart of this mystery. As Nicholas and Iris work together to piece together the mystery that brought them together, the pieces start to fall into place and readers will enjoy the twists and turns that the author wrote into this book. I highly recommend reading the books in order. It’s a perfect summer read and if you are a fan of historical romance, you will love this book!

The Heiress at Sea by Christi Caldwell book review

Lady Cassia McQuoid is about to be a spinster. She has suffered through three seasons and no one has noticed her. She decides it’s time to set off for some adventure that she has always dreamed about, but never been allowed to explore. Her brother's friend has a ship and she thinks it would be a good idea to stow away on it. Unfortunately, it’s the wrong ship and the wrong captain. Captain Nathaniel is about to be Duke of Roxburghe, but he is going to go on one more secret mission against the French before taking over ducal duties. Because this is a last minute mission, Nathaniel has to hire some temporary crew that he doesn’t know as well as his usual crew. Cassia has disguised herself as a boy and Nathaniel quickly recognizes this deception. He tries to keep her safe, but he also has to keep up the show because of various sailing superstitions. 

Cassia was extremely naïve about life on a ship and outside of the ton. The author makes that painfully clear in how many mistakes she makes and how she talks to the captain and crew. She gets a bit more serious once her life is threatened and realizes that it’s not a game and that it is, in fact, a dangerous mission. As you can imagine, feelings start to develop between Nathanial and Cassia. They start to realize that a life together might not be so bad. The chemistry between the two really starts to heat up. Overall, this is a great summer read, especially if you have a lake or ocean nearby to read at. This story is fun. It has some action, suspense, mystery and romance. If you are looking for a high seas adventure, this is a great choice.  I'm also loving the cover.  It's a great color palette and it reminds me of vintage romance covers.

Her Lessons in Persuasion: A School for Scoundrels Novel by Megan Frampton book review

This book is a great start to a new series! A school for scoundrels? Yes, please! Wilhelmina is 24 and she is determined not to marry. She does not want to participate in the marriage mart, but rather focus on her career as an astronomer. While she is hanging off a bridge, looking at the stars, she meets Bram. Bram tries to rescue her because he sees a damsel in distress hanging off the bridge. He “rescues” her and insists on escorting her home. She boldly kisses him thinking that they will never see each other again. Unfortunately, fate has other plans for them. 

Wilhelmina’s father and step-mother start to meddle in her love life and set up a fake dating scenario with Bram so that other men will take notice and also want to court her. That does not go as planned and feelings start to develop between them. They really did have a lot in common, they liked spending time with each other. They still both had healthy relationships with friends outside of their circle. They both are supportive of each other’s careers. Bram is a barrister that wants to be a judge and Wilhelmina is an astronomer who wants to be recognized for her contributions to the field. 

As a librarian, I LOVE that the men had a book club. What a delightful detail in the story. This book has a lot of focus on friendship. I love that the couple really gets to know each other. It is a slow burn romance with a couple that really complements each other. I love the title and I love the cover. That alone should suck you in. It was a fun read and I am looking forward to the rest of the series.

You Should Smile More by Anastasia Ryan book review

I was totally hooked by the title of this book. What woman hasn’t heard this line? I was all in without even having read the book blurb. Then, when I did, it got even better. I can totally sympathize with the main character Vanessa Blair. She graduated college with a degree in Latin and did not have a ton of career options. I love how the author sprinkled some Latin into the book. Vanessa got a job as a telemarketer and didn’t really like her job. Her boss was also a total weirdo. One day, Vanessa got fired for having a resting bitch face. 

Vanessa lets her friends know what happened and also her mom. Everyone starts plotting revenge and one of Vanessa’s friends, Trisha, employs the Art of War on Sun Tsu against Xavier Adams, the boss. Vanessa’s mom also goes into action with the Bridge Brigade. Hilarity ensues. Vanessa gets an unemployment case manager. Who turns out to be nice, fun, hot and interesting. He unwittingly gets pulled into the plot. There is not too much romance in this book, but a smidge. However, the strength in this book lies with Vanessa staying true to herself and making the best out of a bad situation. It’s a feel good book with a lot of humor. I really enjoyed it.

The Duke Gets Even by Joanna Shupe book review

I did not do a very good job with reading the description of this book. First, I jumped into book FOUR in a series (which I never do). Second, I did not read that it was a Gilded Age romance. I am more of a Regency England fan. BUT, it was a really good book. It can be read as a stand alone and I was ok leaving England for the shores of the east coast. The two main characters were great! I thought Nellie Young was an amazing heiress. I think because she was in the US, she got to be more bold and daring. She was a big naughty in terms of kissing men and just having a good time flirting. In walks the uptight British aristocrat. Handsome but poor, so he is in New York looking for a wealthy bride to bring back to his estate. He is most definitely trying to avoid any sort of scandal, which is why running into Nellie was not conducive to his plan. Nellie is a strong feminist, she is bold, she has lots of money and doesn’t need a husband. She also believes in social change for women. (I learned a lot about the Comstock Act.) However, the author stays true to the time period and life is not easy for most women. 

Nellie and Lockwood have a secret affair and it is HOT. They were not expecting the physical attraction to each other and as they got to know each other for real, they found that they were a pretty good match ;) They have a lot of choices they have to make. Both have relationships that are changing in their lives and they have to decide if they want to support each other through what life is bringing them. I’m glad I picked up this book. It was fun to read a time period and setting that is different from what I normally pick up. I love Joanna Shupe’s writing and am a big fan of her other books. This one did not disappoint.  Oh, and the cover is beautiful!  I appreciate a cover that sucks you in.

Some Dukes Have All the Luck by Christina Britton book review

I LOVED this book! I had to read it twice. I will also say that I am a much faster reader than I am at writing book reviews. Yikes. I did not realize it had been so long. 

 Ash Hawkins is the Duke of Buckley. He is not interested in marriage, but he does have 3 “wards” to raise and these girls are giving him a hard time. They run away from home and Ash has to go to the Isle of Synne to find them and convince them to come back with him. On his journey, he begins to realize that having a wife would be a lot easier in helping him raise the children. Bronwyn Pickering has always been more interested in bugs than marriage. Her parents are beside themselves and are trying all sorts of horrible tactics to force her to find a husband. They want to isolate her from her friend group, The Oddments, because they think her friends are a bad influence on her. They take her lab equipment and journals. With both Ash and Bronwyn in difficult situations, they realize that a marriage of convenience would make life a lot easier for both of them. With fun twists and laugh out loud dialogue, these two set out on negotiating a marriage contract. However, this marriage of convenience starts to turn into something more… 

 I really loved both of these characters. They were fun, passionate and perfect for each other. Both had to deal with some trauma from their pasts, but they had each other to help them overcome their issues. Nothing better than seeing a duke get in touch with their feelings with a woman. The sex was steamy and romantic. Their chemistry was hot and you could totally see that turning into real love between husband and wife. Swoon. I enjoyed returning to the Isle of Synne, which by the way is the perfect name for this place in the series. I love the acceptance that happens among a lot of the main and secondary characters. I also love how the close group of friends is so supportive of each other. I know this book came out in November, but this is still a perfect time to get this book and read it. It’s a must read for romance lovers.