Category Archives: Reviews

Reviews of romance books with a fair look at positives and negatives of each book.

Review: Lightning in a Mirror

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Review: Lightning in a MirrorLightning in a Mirror (Fogg Lake #3) by Jayne Ann Krentz
Series: Fogg Lake #3
Published by Berkley on January 18, 2022
Genres: Contemporary, Paranormal
Pages: 320
Goodreads
four-half-stars

 

FINAL DECISION: Enjoyable conclusion to the Fogg Lake trilogy. There is plenty of romance and light suspense in this one. Olivia and Harlan had some nice chemistry and made good partners in this one. As a longtime Krentz reader, I’m glad to see the return of connections to the Arcane Society.

THE STORY: Olivia LeClair’s experience with speed dating hasn’t gone well. First, a serial killer attempted to make her his latest victim. Then, her icebreaker question is not exactly attracting good attention from her “dates” until a mysterious man sits down at her table. Harlan Rancourt has an extremely strong psychic talent and despite questions about his true motives, he insists that Olivia help him as they search for secrets about a lost lab that may hold the answers to questions about who has been committing murders in town.

OPINION: One thing I really like about Krentz’s romantic suspense books is that they are not too dark. Instead, the book is light and infused with humor. That makes it a fun read (but not comedy or slapstick). I liked the characters, especially Harlan, who is a classic Krentz hero.

There is plenty of action and Krentz has been best in recent years by using her psychic storylines which she clearly has had an affinity for through the years. The stories have a more compelling suspense element and it appears to me that Krentz really likes these “enhanced” characters better.

This book nicely wraps up the trilogy and answers the questions that have lingered through the two prior books. I enjoyed seeing the characters meet up in the end for a satisfying ending to the series.

But my favorite part of these books is always the romance and here the romance works (although I wish there was more about the relationship than there is). There is little internal romance. Instead, Olivia and Harlan seemed matched from the start and only need to deal with the external issues for them to have a happily ever after. However, I’ve come to expect this in Krentz’s more recent stories and this one is good although at times I still yearn for her more emotional and character-centered books from earlier in her career.

WORTH MENTIONING: This book also has allusions to the Arcane books which are not necessary to enjoy this book but are recognizable for fans of that series.

CONNECTED BOOKS: LIGHTNING IN A MIRROR is the third book, and the conclusion, of the Fogg Lake trilogy. While the romance here is self-contained, this book ends the overarching storyline of the series and thus is better read in order.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4.5 stars.

 

four-half-stars

Review: Recipe for Persuasion

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I received this book for free from Netgalley in order to prepare an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.


Review: Recipe for PersuasionRecipe for Persuasion (The Rajes, #2) by Sonali Dev
Series: The Rajes #2
Published by William Morrow on May 26, 2020
Genres: Contemporary
Pages: 464
Goodreads
four-half-stars

 

FINAL DECISION: I loved this book! The first book in the series was okay but not incredible, but this one had such emotional depth and just kept me turning pages. The interwoven stories of daughter and mother worked so well together. The balance between romance and personal growth (aka “women’s fiction”) was well developed.

THE STORY: Ashna Raje is desperate to save the restaurant she inherited from her father. She decides to join a “cooking with the stars” reality show as one of the featured chefs. She ends up paired with Rico Silva, a recently retired soccer player — and her first love. When their first meeting goes viral and makes them fan favorites, Ashna has no choice but to work with Rico to save her restaurant. At the same time, Ashna also is facing the return of her mother who abandoned her and Ashna’s father and now wants to build a relationship with her.

OPINION: I really loved this book. It is more women’s fiction than romance, but the romance was good enough to keep me interested in the book (although I could have done with much more Ashna and Rico!) Ashna’s story was complicated and sad and oh so painfully real.

Admittedly, the book relies on one of my least favorite tropes — people don’t speak to one another. And yet, isn’t that often the problem that we have. We don’t speak truthfully to one another. We deflect and avoid — and so it is here.  I figured out the ultimate explanation long before the characters did, and yet, I so enjoyed the journey. These characters really reached me.

The premise of the cooking show was fun and worked as such an interesting reflection of Ashna and Rico’s relationship. I simply adored Rico and can’t wait to read more about him in the next book (as a secondary character).

The book was crowded with characters — but in a good way. I enjoyed the community of this book and how Ashna learns to see and accept that there are people who are there for her and see her as her essential self.

WORTH MENTIONING: Content warnings for rape and suicide.

CONNECTED BOOKS: RECIPE FOR PERSUASION is the second book in The Rajas series. The romance here is self-contained but there are overlapping characters in the series. This book can be read as a standalone.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4.5 stars.

NOTE: I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley in order to provide a review. I was not required to write a review or to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.

 

four-half-stars

Review: How to Be a Wallflower

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Review: How to Be a WallflowerHow to Be a Wallflower (Would-Be Wallflowers, #1) by Eloisa James
Series: Would-Be Wallflowers #1
Published by Avon on March 29, 2022
Genres: Historical
Pages: 384
Goodreads
four-half-stars

 

FINAL DECISION: This book gave me such a warm feeling. The hero is so amazingly supportive. He knows that he loves Cleo from almost the beginning and the book is how he shows her that he will always be supportive of her. There isn’t much drama in this book (except for the ending) but the relationship between Cleo and Jake was all that I needed.

THE STORY: Cleopatra Lewis had a unique upbringing. While she will agree with her grandfather’s desire that she have a season, she intends on dressing like a wallflower as she intends to never marry. Instead, she will continue with her business interests. One day she meets Jake Astor Addison, an American, and the two quickly are engaged in a battle of minds when Cleo sweeps in and takes a business from right under Jake’s nose. Determined to change Cleo’s mind, Jake proposes a swap — he will design Cleo’s wardrobe for the Season and she will do the same for him.

OPINION: I admit that I’m a sucker for books that are lighter on plot and more focused on the personal development of the characters’ relationships with one another. That’s what I loved about his book. The real conflict here is Cleo dealing with her own past and being able to trust the relationship between Jake and herself.

I thought from the blurb of this book that there would be a lot of conflict between Jake and Cleo, but I found this book to be much more about these characters growing towards one another than I expected.

Cleo has independence and strength and yet her life has left her with scars that she has to confront in this story. She runs her deceased father’s business and is determined to continue to do so, and as such, she doesn’t plan on marriage. At the same time, her mother’s endless affairs have soured her on the idea of romantic love. I was drawn to Cleo because she demonstrated how much she cared for those around her even as she sometimes espoused a cynical view of the world.

Jake is the type of hero who makes it his mission to support the heroine and is a genuinely good guy. The book sets up the story to be an enemies-to-lovers story with a lot of conflict between the main characters. I was pleasantly surprised by how that expectation was subverted. I loved Jake as a character and quickly was rooting for him to show Cleo that he is exactly the man she needs. Jake turns the world over for Cleo. The great thing is that his being an American seemed to fit exactly the path he takes. In a world that seems to be bound by so many rules and expectations, Jake is willing to accommodate where he must and shove aside what he can to be with Cleo.

This book just made me feel comforted and warm inside. This is not a book about high drama and angst. While I like those stories, I have plenty of love for a romance with a highly competent woman who finds a man who is strong and supportive of her. And who will do anything for her without having to first battle against her.

WORTH MENTIONING: The Earl of Lilford and Yasmin are the main characters in the next book in the series THE RELUCTANT COUNTESS. Good thing because I loved them in this book.

CONNECTED BOOKS: HOW TO BE A WALLFLOWER is the first book in the Would-Be Wallflowers series. The hero, however, is the childhood friend of the heroine of MY AMERICAN DUCHESS and she makes an appearance in this book.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4.5 stars.

 

four-half-stars

Review: Munro

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Review: MunroMunro (Immortals After Dark, #18) by Kresley Cole
Series: Immortals After Dark #18
Published by Valkyrie Press on January 25, 2022
Genres: Paranormal
Pages: 432
Goodreads
five-stars

FINAL DECISION: Loved, loved, loved this book. Cole has the amazing ability to give each hero and heroine exactly the story they need. Fun, adventurous, and deeply emotionally satisfying. This book not only is a great story in itself but moves the IAD series forward in new ways.

THE STORY: Munro MacRieve has been captured by warlocks who seek to make his wolf captive to them. Munro resists all efforts by the warlocks to make his wolf appear until they bring him his fated mate, Kereny “Ren” Codrina. When she dies, Munro seeks a way to change time to find his mate again. Ren then finds herself kidnapped by Munro on her wedding day. But this human woman has no intention of surrendering to the immortal and instead seeks to find her way home.

OPINION: This was a wonderful book. Not my favorite in the series, but the exact book I needed today and the perfect book for Munro. After the break in the series for the last couple of years, I worried that Cole would not return to form. Instead, this book is on fire and the overarching story is still moving forward in amazing ways.

Munro has been foretold to have a harridan for a mate. And Ren is just lovely in this book. She is strong and independent and is not taking any guff from Munro from the moment they meet. The story begins with what readers of the IAD series already know and yet what happens immediately after might be the most heartbreaking scene in the series. In fact, this book was an emotional rollercoaster: ones I wept at, ones I wanted to read through spread fingers in anxiety, ones that made me laugh, and ones that were heart satisfying that I felt so warm and comforted.

Munro gains tremendous depth here. In comparison to Will, Munro seemed too nice, too perfect. This book so neatly sets out that Munro has his own scars from his past but also from his brother’s story. Feeling responsible for Will for years has taken its toll on Munro even as he seems the “happy” and “carefree” twin. Everything about Munro’s story with his mate push on Munro’s pain and weaknesses — which makes this book so good. I loved Munro as a character — especially as he interacts with other male characters who have shared parts of his journey.

I am so impressed with how Cole can write a story that is so of the world and yet feels fresh and new. In preparation for this book, I re-read the entire series and this book did not feel like any other in the series. That is why Cole is a master in this genre.

Readers of the series might wonder how and why the story is returning to this story after Sweet Ruin and Wicked Abyss and the Dacians books which seem to blow the IAD story out into a bigger universe. And the question also was — why give the preview of this story in MacRieve and then write a bunch of books in the middle. This book answers that question. Indeed, this book needs all of the prior books to make this story work. Nothing is wasted and it makes perfect sense that this book comes at this point in the overarching story. The revelations in this book also change and alter many of my expectations of where the stories of the characters are going. Good stuff!

Now to wait for the next book in the series.

WORTH MENTIONING: There are some good twists for fans of the series. To avoid spoilers, I won’t mention which characters make appearances, but enough do to make any fan happy.

CONNECTED BOOKS: MUNRO is the eighteenth book in the Immortals After Dark series. The romance here is self-contained but this series has an overarching storyline that cannot really be appreciated here. A reader should just start at the beginning or at least read MACRIEVE.

STAR RATING: I give this book 5 stars.

 

five-stars

Review: The Lady Has a Past

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Review: The Lady Has a PastThe Lady Has a Past (Burning Cove, #5) by Amanda Quick
Series: Burning Cove #5
Published by Berkley on May 4, 2021
Pages: 352
Goodreads
five-stars

FINAL DECISION: This might be my favorite of the series because it felt like it brought the whole series together. I loved that we essentially get two romances in one.

THE STORY: Lyra Brazier (sister of the heroine from CLOSE UP) comes to Burning Cove and takes a job as an investigator for Raina Kirk’s investigative agency (who is seeing one of the town’s mystery men Luther Pell). Lyra’s first day of work is already shocking when Raina disappears. Lyra takes on the job of locating Raina along with Luther Pell’s associate Simon Cage. Simon is an antiquarian book dealer but has other skills useful for an investigation. Lyra and Simon pose as a married couple trying to discover what happened to Raina and fall into a series of dangerous plots.

OPINION: I loved this book. It is definitely Quick’s flavor of romantic suspense which means more suspense than romance, but because we essentially have two different romance stories (Lyra/Simon and Raina/Luther) there is plenty of romance and drama here.

The plot beats of this book were so good here. I gobbled this book quickly to find out all the twists and turns — and there were plenty. Just when the book seems to be resolving the “big mystery” there was a new twist that made the book feel like a rollercoaster (in a good way).

I liked the give and take between Lyra and Simon which really felt like a relationship between equals. The two reminded me of the old “Nick and Nora” movies with witty dialogue and definite chemistry.

For some time I have wanted more about Raina and Luther. I had hoped that the two would get a book of their own, but it seems that their relationship might be part of a continuing story in the series. The two end up in a good place here, but I am still hoping for more.

Many of the characters in the story felt a little too modern at times, but honestly, for someone who reads all three of Jayne Ann Krentz’s nom de plumes, the characters all tend to read the same these days with just some small differences in locations and time periods.

WORTH MENTIONING: Plenty of characters from the series make appearances here. For that reason, I really enjoyed this book.

CONNECTED BOOKS: THE LADY HAS A PAST is the fifth book in the Burning Cove series. I think this book is much better if a reader has already read the other books in the series. The mystery here involves Raina Kirk, who has been a continuing character in the series along with her love interest Luther Pell. While it is not necessary to have read the other books, this story spans other books in the series and this is somewhat of a culmination of that ongoing story.

STAR RATING: I give this book 5 stars.

five-stars

Review: Heiress in Red Silk

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I received this book for free from Netgalley in order to prepare an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.


Review: Heiress in Red SilkHeiress In Red Silk (A Duke's Heiress #2) by Madeline Hunter
Series: A Duke's Heiress #2
Published by Zebra on April 27, 2021
Genres: Historical
Pages: 304
Goodreads
four-stars

 

FINAL DECISION: Enjoyable story of two people who are good at their work but not so good at relationships. By the end, I was really rooting for these two but was disappointed by the abbreviated resolution.

THE STORY: The Duke of Hollinburgh has died (perhaps murdered as some suspect) and left fortunes to several women outside the family and unknown to them. This book picks up the story about the second woman, Rosamund Jameson, who has been left money and half of a company. The other half is owned by Kevin Radner who is none too pleased by his new partner.

Rosamund designs hats and has a shop and has no intention of signing away her new business interest as Kevin wants. Instead, she insists on being a true partner which infuriates Kevin and makes him consider marriage to control Rosamund’s interest. But Kevin gets more than he bargained for in approaching Rosamund.

OPINION: I really enjoyed this book. The characters were often difficult to grapple with which made their romance that much better.

Rosamund is both practical and realistic and yet also innocent and perhaps a little silly about certain things. I enjoyed how many times I saw her as a fully fleshed-out person with strengths and weaknesses. So often in romance these days, the desire to show a practical woman with strength as she practices her trade and goes through life is tied tightly to those same qualities in her personal life. But that is not often how people are in real life. We all have weaknesses and frailties and having weaknesses does not take away Rosamund’s great business sense.

Kevin is also intensely good at what he does but really bad about personal relationships. Another aspect I enjoyed was how he must learn to allow Rosamund into all parts of his life because not only does she make the personal better, but her intelligence and business sense also can complement and enhance his own business.

I particularly enjoy books where both characters grow and change because of the relationship and not a book where the heroine is perfect and stays that way and the story is instead her bringing the hero to heel.

I really ended up loving these characters. My only complaint about this book is that it ended too quickly. After the final resolution of the conflicts in the book, I would have liked more with Rosamund and Kevin just being shown happy for a little while or an epilogue just so I could feel that their lives together have been cemented. I missed that in this book.

WORTH MENTIONING: The hero of this book, Kevin, is at times difficult to understand or even to like. Although there is no specific mention, because of the time period, it is pretty clear that Kevin is on the spectrum. I especially enjoyed that aspect, but he does not act or think like a “stereotypical” historical romance hero, and I’ve noticed that some reviews ding this book for that reason.

CONNECTED BOOKS: HEIRESS IN RED SILK is the second book in the A Duke’s Heiress series. The romance here is self-contained and thus it can be read as a standalone although the overarching storyline is much better if this book is read after HEIRESS FOR HIRE.

STAR RATING:  I give this book 4 stars.

NOTE: I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley in order to prepare this review. I was not required to write a review or to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.

four-stars

Review: A Treacherous Trade

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Review: A Treacherous TradeA Treacherous Trade (The Fiona Mahoney Mysteries, #2) by Kerrigan Byrne
Series: The Fiona Mahoney Mysteries #2
on March 8, 2022
Genres: Historical, Mystery
Goodreads
three-half-stars

 

FINAL DECISION: Better than the first book in the series, it is more polished and cohesive. I enjoyed the mystery but the middle of the book dragged for me. Definitely reading the next in the series.

THE STORY: The second book in the series where Fiona is continuing her search for Jack the Ripper. Again prostitutes are ending up dead, but is it Jack or someone else preying upon the women? Fiona continues to interact with the men who were introduced in the first book. This is not a romance, but there are romantic elements.

OPINION: Fiona’s investigation is less bloody and more traditional detective in this book — although she doesn’t really figure out the villain until the villain is basically revealed to the reader. That being said, I enjoyed this book more than the first. What I did miss were more relationships. Instead, we got a slew of new characters to interact with which made the ending somewhat too mysterious.

The storyline here was certainly intriguing. I enjoy that Fiona goes to the less savory areas of London appropriate for someone whose obsession is a murderer who hunts prostitutes and whose job is cleaning up after death.

The book started well and ended well this time, but the middle was a bit bloated and dragged. However, I enjoyed the book as a whole and look forward to reading the next book in the series.

WORTH MENTIONING: The book ends on a personal cliffhanger for Fiona.

CONNECTED BOOKS: A TREACHEROUS TRADE is the second book in the Fiona Mahoney Mystery series. The books are connected and should be read in order.

STAR RATING: I give this book 3.5 stars.

 

three-half-stars

Review: The Devil in Her Bed

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I received this book for free from Netgalley in order to prepare an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.


Review: The Devil in Her BedThe Devil in Her Bed (Devil You Know, #3) by Kerrigan Byrne
Series: Devil You Know #3
Published by St. Martin's Paperbacks on March 9, 2021
Genres: Historical
Pages: 357
Goodreads
four-stars

 

FINAL DECISION: This book was almost a great book. Unfortunately, the ending when the final secret was revealed with completely unsatisfying. The amazing journey was not ended well. But there is much to love about this book.

THE STORY: Countess Francesca Cavendish is not who she appears. The survivor from a massacre that left her alone in the world, she assumed a new identity to hunt those responsible. In her search, she crosses paths with the Devil of Dorset, mysterious and solitary, he has his own agenda. But the two of them are connected in ways that neither expected. As each pursues their goals, the question is whether either can trust the other when so many lies and secrets are between them.

OPINION: This was almost my favorite of the series — for 90 percent of the book that was true. Then the ending came and the resolution of the final secret between these characters was poorly handled. Instead of drama and resolution, the author went simplistic and trite. Definitely unfortunate and it left me questioning the long happily ever after. Just not enough resolution for me.

The rest of the book was magical. The two characters are so well matched. The lies and secrets between them seemed reciprocal and thus there was no shame in each deceiving the other — rather than betrayal, there was respect. These two are in the mold of spies that are both doing their job on opposite sides. There is nothing personal about the deception. Thus, the great competition between them was deeply satisfying. As they both reveal themselves to the other, the intimacy of knowledge and being themselves worked so well.

Francesca is a great heroine. Strong and determined and independent. She doesn’t put up with the hero’s bull, but at the same time, the connection between the two felt genuine and deep.

Perhaps that is why the ending upset me. The final secret between these two was serious and needed real resolution. The work was not done in this book rather it was rushed and unconvincing. But the book is still a good story…I’ll just have to imagine my own resolution.

WORTH MENTIONING: This book involves characters who are often lying to one another and concealing secrets.

CONNECTED BOOKS: THE DEVIL IN HER BED is the third book in the Devil You Know series. The series has some overlapping storylines, but the individual romances mean that each book can be read on its own.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4 stars.

NOTE: I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley. I was not required to write a review or to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.

 

four-stars

Review: The Business of Blood

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Review: The Business of BloodThe Business of Blood (Fiona Mahoney Mysteries, #1) by Kerrigan Byrne
Series: Fiona Mahoney Mysteries #1
Published by Oliver Heber on November 8, 2019
Genres: Historical, Mystery
Pages: 308
Goodreads
three-stars

 

FINAL DECISION: This is not a romance! It is a mystery but it is dark and very bloody for a historical mystery. The book doesn’t fit well within any genre, but that doesn’t mean that I wasn’t really intrigued by it. The book doesn’t always work, but I see something really fresh and interesting struggling to be revealed — and Fiona is compelling. I would definitely keep reading this series.

THE STORY: Fiona Mahoney makes her way in life by — literally — cleaning up after violence and death. Haunted by the Jack the Ripper murders, Fiona continues to search for the killer. Her activities in London bring her in contact with men of various stations of life who have their own secrets. When murders that appear connected with the Ripper murders occur, Fiona’s own life appears threatened.

OPINION: I really wanted to love this book. Victorian mystery around the Jack the Ripper murders — definitely catnip for me. But this book was so uneven. Perhaps because the author is breaking out from her own typical book and crossing genres, the book doesn’t really know what it wants to be.

The mystery was meh. The reveal was shocking which isn’t always good because it felt like a bit of a cheat. The best mysteries surprise but are obvious upon reflection — this book didn’t work like that. It felt more like a thriller at that point. Also, the exposition of the book dragged the story — for me, it needed more drama and tension.

The resolution of the story was amazing well done — tension, drama, emotion, and perfect pitch. I just wish more of the book was that well done. But I did like the book overall and am definitely willing to read more of the series to see if the author finds a true voice for the story.

I really did like the character of Fiona which along with the end of the book was a highlight for me.

WORTH MENTIONING: Jack the Ripper, need I say more?

CONNECTED BOOKS: THE BUSINESS OF BLOOD is the first book in the Fiona Mahoney Mysteries series.

STAR RATING: I give this book 3 stars.

 

three-stars

Review: All Scot and Bothered

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I received this book for free from Netgalley in order to prepare an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.


Review: All Scot and BotheredAll Scot and Bothered (Devil You Know, #2) by Kerrigan Byrne
Series: Devil You Know #2
Published by St. Martin's Paperbacks on September 29, 2020
Genres: Historical
Pages: 395
Goodreads
one-half-stars

 

FINAL DECISION: I was bored by this book. The story, the hero and heroine, nothing interested me. I felt the story was more interested in complaining about women’s role in the world rather than the romance.

THE STORY: Cecelia Teague has a secret benefactor from whom she inherits a girls’ school — and a gambling establishment. This unwittingly places her in opposition to one of her best friend’s brother-in-law, Cassius Gerard Ramsay, Lord Chief Justice of the High Court, who has made it his mission to investigate the establishment and bring to justice those who are engaging in illegal activities. Taking on a disguise, Cecelia confronts Ramsay who finds himself attracted to both the innocent Cecelia and her alter ego.

OPINION: Disappointing book. There is no fire here. The book was dull and so were the characters. The book feels like the author wanted to tell a story about a woman rejecting conventions of her time and then grafted the romance upon the story. As a result, neither the characters nor the romance had any interest.

I read romance books for the romance between the characters — not about the self-actualization of women or their feminist ideas. I’m not against either of those things, but if the romance is not primary, then it is not really a romance to me. Yes, there is the relationship focus in the book, but the characters felt bland.

This is the worst of Byrne’s books I’ve read. The decline from the Victorian Rebels series is serious and I would not recommend reading this one. It seemed rather pointless.

WORTH MENTIONING: There is a darling little girl who is central to the story.

CONNECTED BOOKS: ALL SCOT AND BOTHERED is the second book in the Devil You Know series. The romance here is self-contained and while characters from the first book are in this book, this book can be read as a standalone.

STAR RATING: I give this book 1.5 stars.

NOTE: I received an eARC via Netgalley in order to prepare this review. I was not required to write a review or to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.

 

one-half-stars