Wait With Me #3: One Moment Please by Amy Daws book review

Ohhhhhh....yesssssss!  I love Amy Daws books and the spice they bring. One Moment Please follows Lynsey Jones, a quirky grad student who’s been writing her thesis in the hospital cafeteria and accidentally provokes the attention of the brooding ER doctor, Josh Richardson. A one-night stand after a bar clash leaves both thinking it was a single mistake—until three months later when Lynsey shows up in Josh’s ER after a disastrous Tinder date and routine bloodwork reveals she’s pregnant. Shocked to learn the surprise baby is his, Josh struggles with a guarded, guilt-shaped heart that keeps him emotionally distant despite growing responsibility. Lynsey, pragmatic and spirited, navigates unexpected motherhood while grappling with the messy fallout of their hookup and Josh’s walls. Between sharp banter, awkward intimacy, family supports (and frictions), and emotional reckonings tied to Josh’s past, the pair hurt, stumble, and gradually build toward honesty and commitment. The story mixes laugh-out-loud scenes, steamy moments, and heavier beats—including illness and grief—that test the couple and deepen their bond before a hopeful resolution. 

I loved this book for its blend of screwball meet-cute energy and contemporary romantic tension: the push-pull between a feisty heroine and a grumpy, complicated hero creates combustible chemistry and plenty of snappy dialogue. Fans of “surprise baby” tropes will appreciate the emotional stakes that come from unexpected parenthood—how responsibility forces characters to confront fears and grow. The book balances humor and steam with moments of sincere vulnerability, giving readers both escapist romance and character work that pays off. Be ready for some sexy spanking and a unexpected baby.  I didn't realize this was the 3rd book in the series, but it was easy to just jump right in.  I read it as an ebook and I wish I had the new physical copy with sprayed edges and cute cover.  

This book is out July 14, 2026.  Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for a eARC.

Romancing the Dukes #3: Second Chance Prince by Sara Bennett book review

Prince Nikolai of Holtswig arrives in London seeking to stay low while unrest brews at home, but an assassination attempt at a society ball forces him into a risky bargain with the British government: he must present himself as engaged to a proper Englishwoman to secure protection. He asks childhood friend Lady Roberta Ashton to pose as his fiancée. Roberta, who once harbored a summer crush on Niki, agrees—prompting a season of forced proximity, guarded confessions, and growing attraction. As threats against Nikolai escalate, the pair must navigate social expectations, family ties, and political danger while deciding whether their pretend engagement can become something real. Alongside the central pair, warm secondary threads—Roberta’s spirited sister Antonia, Niki’s aunt Matilda, and other Ashton relations—add domestic humor and depth as loyalties and secrets surface. 

I enjoyed this story for its blend of familiar tropes and emotional warmth: a slow-building friends-to-lovers arc, a fake engagement premise that allows intimacy and tension to develop, and the safety-versus-risk stakes that sharpen romantic moments. The novel balances courtly danger with cozy domestic scenes and secondary-characters’ subplots, offering both simmering attraction and lighter, charming family dynamics. Fans who appreciate a quietly heroic, socially guarded hero thawing under a spirited heroine’s influence—and readers who like their romance threaded with gentle suspense rather than nonstop action—will find this a satisfying read.  A definite add to your TBR pile and a continuation of a fun series. 

This book is set to be published May 19, 2026 by Forever (Grand Central Publishing).  Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC.

The Heiress Hunters #1: A Shop Girl's Guide to Wooing a Lord by Shana Galen book review

A Shop Girl’s Guide to Wooing a Lord follows Tamsin Archer, a determined young woman scraping by in poverty in Regency London after her father’s death and her mother’s disabling injury. Forced to provide for her family, Tamsin works in a coffeehouse, endures abuse, and eventually resorts to stealing to try to buy back her younger siblings, who were sold into servitude to a chimney-sweep. While committing a theft at an aristocratic gathering, she is intercepted by Garrett Kildaire, the second son of an Irish earl whose family faces financial insolvency. Garrett, raised with duty and expectation, is torn between the plan to marry an heiress to rescue his family’s estates and his growing compassion and attraction to Tamsin. The two form an uneasy bargain—Garrett will help Tamsin search for her siblings in exchange for her compliance with his demands—but their alliance soon deepens into genuine love. Alongside rescue attempts and social obstacles, the novel does not shy from depicting the harsh realities of urban poverty and child exploitation, while charting Tamsin’s resilience and Garrett’s moral growth. 

Historical romance readers will appreciate this book for its fun blend of emotional stakes, social detail, and a family-centered series hook. The novel pairs a strong, resourceful heroine with a conflicted noble hero whose duties and affections collide, creating some steamy romantic tension. The Kildaire family dynamic promises more interconnected stories, and the brothers’ quest to save their estate provides an engaging structural premise. Galen grounds the romance in period issues—class divisions, child labor, and estate finances—so readers who enjoy romances with realistic social context will find the stakes feel meaningful rather than purely ornamental. The writing balances steamy chemistry with great character development: Tamsin’s courage and Garrett’s willingness to change lend emotional payoff to the romance, while the darker scenes of poverty add weight that amplifies the characters’ eventual triumphs. For readers who favor heart, family loyalty, and historically flavored conflicts alongside a satisfying love story, this novel delivers.  I really enjoyed this book and I am looking forward the the next books.

The book is set to be released on June 9, 2026. Thanks to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for an advance reader copy.

Ministry of Supernatural Affairs #1: Demons and Diplomacy by Megan Frampton book review

A tantalizing pact between an ordinary woman and the silver‑tongued son of the Devil is all that stands between Britain—and all hell breaking loose. In 1851 London, the Great Revelation has forced supernatural species into the open under the rule of a vampiric Queen Victoria and her dhamphir consort, Prince Albert. Cora Hastings, the government’s Species Ombudsman, enforces new laws, negotiates interspecies contracts, and keeps civic order amid djinn, vampires, selkies, and demons now living in polite society. When the Devil himself decides to visit London to see Prince Albert’s Great Exhibition, he brings his dangerously attractive son, Marcellus. Cora must escort the infernal pair through the city and manage their disruptive presence while uncovering a conspiracy timed to the Exhibition’s opening. Faced with threats to the fragile peace and to Britain itself, Cora is forced into an uneasy alliance with Marcellus. As politics, paperwork, and desire collide, she must choose between duty and an unholy partnership that may be the only thing standing between order and catastrophe. 

What a great start to a new series!  This series will be perfect for fans of Gail Carriger and the TV show Lucifer. The setting—an alternate Victorian London still adjusting to seismic social change—offers familiar trappings (tea rituals, public exhibitions, deference to rank) reframed by supernatural politics, creating a richly textured backdrop for courtship. Some people want to go back to the old ways and Cora knows it's her job to prevent any violent plotting. Cora is a pragmatic, competent heroine whose devotion to duty and dry wit ground the story, while Marcellus provides the brooding, devoted counterpart whose demonstrations of care evolve into genuine intimacy. The romance unfolds amid witty worldbuilding and gentle satire—bureaucracy meets infernal absurdity—so readers who appreciate slow-burning attraction, period manners, and clever reimagining of historical figures will find both charm and heat here. I love that Cora lives in a boarding house with a fairy and a succubus! I had to laugh when the author detailed the super hot son of the devil...who loves to cook. The book balances cozy domestic details and grand-scale stakes, delivering emotional payoff alongside the escapist pleasures of Victorian romance with a fantastical twist. 

This book is set to be published August 25, 2026. Thanks to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

Miss Wick and the Duke Dilemma by Violet Marsh book review

Eoin Aucourte, newly titled Duke of Foxglen, seeks to find the mother and sister who were taken from him in childhood after his grandfather’s death. His only lead is the Black Sheep Coffeehouse in Covent Garden, run by Hannah Wick—the sharp-witted daughter of a man exiled decades earlier by the Aucourte family and later driven to piracy. Hannah agrees to help Eoin, but not from kindness: she plans to use the search to gather evidence to ruin the family that stole her family’s land. To get close, she pretends to be Eoin’s mistress and uses the coffeehouse’s gossip network, her own daring, and a cast of loyal cousins and friends (and a loud parrot and protective gosling) to pry secrets from the duke’s scheming relatives. As clues mount, the pair face threats to their safety, betrayals within the household, and a tangled mystery surrounding Eoin’s missing kin. Hannah’s revenge plot falters as Eoin’s quiet kindness and integrity expose her growing feelings, forcing both to reckon with whether justice or vengeance is deserved. 

I've really been enjoying this series! Historical romance readers will appreciate this book for its lively fusion of period atmosphere, enemies-to-lovers tension, and a mystery that propels the plot beyond mere courtship. The setting—mid-18th-century London focused around an unconventional coffeehouse—gives access to multiple social tiers, creating rich class conflict and fun scenes in seedy taverns, drawing rooms, and shadowy backstreets. Hannah’s fiery, modern-feeling independence and Eoin’s restrained decency create a satisfying opposites-attract dynamic: her sharp scheming and his moral steadiness play well against the emotional stakes of family betrayal and redemption. Fans of regency-adjacent romcoms will enjoy the witty banter, staged “mistress” ruse, and gradual conversion of physical attraction into mutual respect. The added mystery, occasional peril, and quirky animal companions keep pacing brisk and inject variety for readers who like their historical love stories with suspense, humor, and a clear emotional payoff.

The Last Lady B by Eloisa James book review

Lady Genevieve “Evie” Hughes marries the wealthy, septuagenarian Lord Burnsby to secure a dowry for her sister. She accompanies him, her pet piglet, and an eccentric retinue to his remote, snowbound abbey in the Scottish Highlands. The household is populated by quirky relatives, a fashionable French countess, a forgetful aunt, a snarky stepdaughter, and Sir Godric Everly, an attractive, sardonic solicitor and longtime friend of the family. Strange occurrences—ghostly sightings, secret passageways, multiple wills, and a mounting murder mystery—soon unsettle the abbey. As Lord Burnsby’s hidden past collides with the present, Evie must untangle lies about identity, honor, and inheritance while navigating her uneasy marriage and growing emotional bond with Godric. When Burnsby dies under dramatic circumstances, Evie confronts questions about reputation, trust, and where her heart belongs amid revelations that threaten to ruin her. 

This was definitely a unique twist on an arranged marriage, especially when all the secrets were being discovered.  I thought it was kind of sad that Evie had to do something this drastic for her family.  But I guess it was a period reality and it was pretty interesting to explore. Romance readers will enjoy this novel for its blend of Regency wit and gothic atmosphere: Eloisa James layers cozy domestic humor and sharp, first-person narration with suspenseful mysteries and moody settings. The slow-burn attraction between Evie and Godric is emotionally charged without explicit infidelity, leaning on longing, dialogue, and moral tension rather than overt eroticism. Fans of found-family dynamics will appreciate the colorful supporting cast, gothic enthusiasts will relish the haunted-abbey tropes updated with modern sensibilities. The story also probes period realities—women’s legal vulnerability, dowry economics, and social reputation—giving the romance stakes beyond passion and ensuring a satisfying mix of charm, intrigue, and heartfelt growth.  I always look forward to Eloisa James' book releases and this one does not disappoint.

This book will be out May 12, 2026.  Thank to Gallery Books and NetGalley for an ARC.

The Wild Wynchesters #6: A Waltz on the Wild Side by Erica Ridley book review

Miss Vivian Henry, a anonymous advice columnist and playwright who escaped slavery as a child, reluctantly turns to the notorious Wild Wynchesters when her beloved cousin Quentin—who idolizes the Wynchesters and imitates their daring escapades—disappears. Vivian, fiercely protective of Quentin because he lacks the Wynchesters’ money and legal protections, swallows her pride and asks the family she despises for help. Jacob Wynchester, a gentle poet who secretly writes under a pseudonym and cares more for animals than people, is assigned lead investigator. As Jacob and Vivian clash—her sharp judgmentalism against his earnest kindness—their partnership reveals hidden strengths, family loyalty, and unexpected tenderness. Together with the eccentric Winchester clan and a menagerie of animal companions, they untangle clues, confront social inequalities that shape Vivian’s life, and race to rescue Quentin. Miscommunications and personal histories complicate the romance, but both protagonists grow: Vivian softens her mistrust, and Jacob opens his heart. The mystery resolves with a satisfying rescue and a romantic, hopeful epilogue that reunites the Wynchesters and closes Jacob’s arc. 

Romance readers will enjoy this book for its spirited enemies-to-lovers tension, period detail, and fresh diversity within a regency-flavored setting. The novel balances a puzzle-driven plot with domestic warmth: eccentric family dynamics, witty banter, and clever investigative set pieces provide lively pacing, while scenes of Jacob’s animal companions and the Wynchesters’ inventive vigilante methods add lots of fun! The book foregrounds social issues—race, class, and the limits placed on Black creatives in the era—giving emotional depth beyond the central romance. Readers who value character growth will appreciate Vivian’s gradual vulnerability and Jacob’s steady devotion, even if the romantic arc leans toward a slow burn. Overall, it's a great series read with a unique twist on their found family.