Title:    An Affair at Stonecliffe
Author:  Candace Camp  
Genre:    Romance
Rating:  4 out of 5

Noelle Rutherford will never be accepted by the London ton. Her late husband, Adam—a free-spirited aristocrat with bohemian tendencies—married her for love, much to the dismay of his well-heeled family.

In the wake of Adam’s death, Noelle is approached by Carlisle Thorne, who was raised as a brother to Adam. Noelle is horrified when the severe, irascible Carlisle offers her money in exchange for taking her young son, Gil, to be raised at the Rutherford estate, Stonecliffe.

Convinced that Carlisle will use any means necessary to take Gil from her, Noelle flees, hiding from Carlisle and the Rutherfords for five long years. But Carlisle never stopped looking for them.

When he finally catches up, it’s clear that each has made wrongful assumptions about the other, and grudging mutual respect gives way to a close bond that is both lively and tender.

And when Noelle and Gil find themselves in danger from someone after Gil’s inheritance, she and Carlisle must work together to protect what matters most—even if it means losing their hearts.

I really liked Noelle, and I enjoyed this read. I liked the mystery running through it, and all the supporting characters were well-done and intriguing. The characterization, as Noelle and Carlisle go from being enemies to lovers was fun to read, and this was a sweet story with a vein of strength and attitude through it.

Candace Camp is a bestselling author. An Affair at Stonecliffe is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin in exchange for an honest review.)

Title:   Sweet Home Alaska
Author:  Jennifer Snow  
Genre:    Romance
Rating:  3.5 out of 5

Skylar Beaumont never wanted to return to Alaska. Still, when duty calls, she can’t refuse. And, as a third-generation “Coastie” and the only female captain in the local coast guard, she has too much to prove. Being stationed in her hometown of Port Serenity isn’t ideal—but she’ll tough it out until her transfer goes through and she can move on to warmer waters. That’s the plan, at least, until she crashes into Dex Wakefield. Again.

Shocked to see his secret high school sweetheart after all this time, Dex can’t help but wonder if he should finally come clean. Skylar deserves to know the real reason why he abandoned the dream they’d shared—and broke her heart. But this small tourist town is home to one big grudge where their families are concerned… And leaving the past behind might be the only way Dex and Skylar will finally realize that their first love deserves a sweet second chance.

Usually, I enjoy linked standalone romance series, especially in a small-town setting, but this one was just alright. I didn’t hate it, but maybe it just wasn’t a good fit for me. There was too much of the no communication thing, when everything would have been easily solved with a few words, and that just gets on my nerves. And…what about the loose thread of the mythical sea snake? It’s probably a series thread, but some sort of resolution with these characters would have been good, instead of just dropping the thread and ignoring it.

Jennifer Snow is an award-winning author. Sweet Home Alaska is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin in exchange for an honest review.)

Title:    Funny You Should Ask
Author:  Elissa Sussman  
Genre:    Romance
Rating:  4 out of 5

Then. Twentysomething writer Chani Horowitz is stuck. While her former MFA classmates are nabbing book deals, she’s in the trenches writing puff pieces. Then she’s hired to write a profile of movie star Gabe Parker. The Gabe Parker–her forever celebrity crush, the object of her fantasies, the background photo on her phone–who’s also just been cast as the new James Bond. It’s terrifying and thrilling all at once . . . yet if she can keep her cool and nail the piece, it could be a huge win. Gabe will get good press, and her career will skyrocket. But what comes next proves to be life-changing in ways Chani never saw coming, as the interview turns into a whirlwind weekend that has the tabloids buzzing.

Now. Ten years later, after a brutal divorce and a heavy dose of therapy, Chani is back in Los Angeles, laser-focused on one thing: her work. But she’s still spent the better part of the last decade getting asked about her deeply personal Gabe Parker profile at every turn. No matter what new essay collection or viral editorial she’s promoting, it always comes back to Gabe. So when his PR team requests that they reunite for a second interview, she wants to say no. She wants to pretend that she’s forgotten about the time they spent together, years ago. But the truth is that those seventy-two hours are still crystal clear, etched in her memory. And so . . . she says yes.

Chani knows that facing Gabe again also means facing feelings she’s tried so hard to push away. Alternating between their first meeting and their reunion a decade later, this deliciously irresistible novel will have you hanging on until the last word.

This was an entertaining read, despite the…sheer unbelievability of the premise. Chani was an open-mouth-insert-both-feet person, so I was alternately horrified and amused at her shenanigans. This was a light and fluffy read, so nothing requiring too much thinking, but it was a fun way to spend a couple of hours.

Elissa Sussman lives in Los Angeles. Funny You Should Ask is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Random House/Ballantine in exchange for an honest review.)

Title:    The Memory of Her
Author:    Bianca M. Schwarz
Genre:    Historical fiction
Rating:  4 out of 5

Eliza Broad has overcome trauma and loss to become the confident woman and spy she is today, much in thanks to the care and attention of Sir Henry March, spy to the Crown. Fellow spy and good friend to Sir Henry, Allen Strathem has loved Eliza from the moment he first set eyes on her. But out of respect, he never told her and left England for a mission on the Crimea with his secret buried deeply. But the memory of Eliza kept him sane during the relentless horrors of his captivity.

 When he returns, Eliza is tasked with helping Allen recover, and she dedicates herself to restoring the sparkle in his eyes and banishing the specters of his Russian captivity.

 As Allen recuperates, and they realize danger has followed him back to England, Eliza is elated that Allen not only accepts her help, but respects her skill. Together they set a trap and defeat the man who tortured Allen, only to discover something far more dangerous afoot. With danger and intrigue around every corner, Eliza and Allen rely on and trust each other, and soon their once-buried love for each other becomes a driving force. The dangerous adventure they both share and thrive on binds them together, but will that be enough to protect them from those who wish to see them dead?

I enjoyed this read, like I’ve enjoyed the other two books in the series, but the when of it threw me off a bit, as it takes place between books one and two (unless I’m completely misremembering). I did enjoy seeing Eliza come into her own, though, and I liked Allen in the first book, so this was a fun read with characters I was already rooting for.

Bianca M. Schwarz was born in Germany but lives in Los Angeles. The Memory of Her is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Central Avenue Publishing in exchange for an honest review.)