Tag: romance

Book Review:  The Valet’s Secret, by Josi S. Kilpack

Image belongs to Shadow Mountain Publishing.

Title:   The Valet’s Secret
Author:   Josi S. Kilpack
Genre:   Romance
Rating:  4.0 out of 5

York, England, 1819

 As a once happily married woman, Rebecca Parker had a good life, but now widowed, working for a living, and her only child grown, she feels invisible, tired, and lonely. That is until the day a valet speeding by on a horse nearly runs her off the road. Mr. Malcolm Henry is apologetic, gentle, and handsome. She’s instantly drawn to him, which is why, rather than stopping him from kissing her, she kisses him back, reigniting a nearly forgotten passion. But love at first sight only happens in fairy tales—never to an ordinary woman like her.

 She sees Mr. Henry again and feels the possibilities growing until, while working in the kitchens during a dinner party, she sees the valet she kissed sitting at the right hand of the baroness. Mr. Henry is not the earl’s valet; he is the heir to the earldom—Kenneth Winterton.

 Heartbroken, angry, and betrayed, Rebecca does not trust Lord Winterton and refuses to accept his apology. But when Lord Winterton proves he is as kind and gentle as “Mr. Henry” was, she finds herself willing to give him a second chance. But will he take a chance on her? He needs a wife to help him in his place in society, and nothing about Rebeccas life does that . . . except how he feels when she is with him.

 This was a solid read. There are a lot of class dynamics at play here, and somehow I find it difficult to believe that an earl and a maid ending up together would be even an option in this society…but I wasn’t there. Rebecca becomes much surer of herself when dealing with her father—thankfully—in part because of her friendship with Kenneth. He is also conflicted about his new role in society, and he’s not sure he likes it, but Rebecca’s support helps him take a stand for what he wants and believes, instead of just going along with the wishes of everyone around him.

Josi S. Kilpack is an award-winning author. The Valet’s Secret is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Shadow Mountain Publishing in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review:  The Suite Spot, by Trish Doller

Image belongs to St. Martin’s Press.

Title:   The Suite Spot
Author:   Trish Doller
Genre:   Romance
Rating:  4.5 out of 5

Rachel Beck has hit a brick wall. She’s a single mom, still living at home and trying to keep a dying relationship alive. Aside from her daughter, the one bright light in Rachel’s life is her job as the night reservations manager at a luxury hotel in Miami Beach—until the night she is fired for something she didn’t do.

 On impulse, Rachel inquires about a management position at a brewery hotel on an island in Lake Erie called Kelleys Island. When she’s offered the job, Rachel packs up her daughter and makes the cross country move.

 What she finds on Kelleys Island is Mason, a handsome, moody man who knows everything about brewing beer and nothing about running a hotel. Especially one that’s barely more than foundation and studs. It’s not the job Rachel was looking for, but Mason offers her a chance to help build a hotel—and rebuild her own life—from the ground up.

I thoroughly enjoyed this read! It was fun to get to see a bit more about Rachel’s sister from Float Plan (loved that, too!), but Rachel’s story was engrossing. I can’t even imagine having her original job catering to the rich and famous and their every whim, but life on Kelleys Island sounds so much more interesting.

I enjoyed how Rachel recognized her faults and made a concerted effort to change throughout the story, growing in her confidence in herself and making good choices. I loved Mason and his honesty about what he was dealing with, and watching these two get together was just pure fun.

Trish Doller was born in Germany but lives in Florida. The Suite Spot is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review and Blog Tour:  Last Duke Standing, by Julia London

Image belongs to Harlequin.

Title:   Last Duke Standing
Author:   Julia London
Genre:   Romance
Rating:  4.5 out of 5

When Crown Princess Justine of Wesloria is sent to England to learn the ropes of royalty, she falls under the tutelage of none other than Queen Victoria herself. She’s also in the market for a proper husband—one fit to marry the future Queen of Wesloria.

 Because he knows simply everyone, William, Lord Douglas (the notoriously rakish heir to the Duke of Hamilton seat in Scotland, and decidedly not husband material), is on hand as an escort of sorts. William has been recruited to keep an eye on the royal matchmaker for the Weslorian Prime Minister, tasked to ensure the princess is matched with a man of quality…and one who will be sympathetic to the prime minister’s views. As William and Justine are forced to scrutinize an endless parade of England’s best bachelors, they become friends. But when the crowd of potential grooms is steadily culled, what if William is the last bachelor standing?

 I’ve enjoyed the Wesloria books I’ve read, and I highly enjoyed this one, too. I thought Justine’s mom—and her cronies—were horrible, but I really liked the matchmaker. William was a fun character, and the banter between him and Justine was a lot of fun. I liked seeing some of the characters from previous Wesloria books in the background, too.

Julia London is a bestselling author. Last Duke Standing is her newest novel.

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

Book Review:  Beyond the Lavender Fields, by Arlem Hawks

Shadow Mountain Publishing.

Title:   Beyond the Lavender Fields
Author:   Arlem Hawks
Genre:   Historical fiction
Rating:  4.2 out of 5

1792, France 

Rumors of revolution in Paris swirl in Marseille, a bustling port city in southern France. Gilles Étienne, a clerk at the local soap factory, thrives on the news. Committed to the cause of equality, liberty, and brotherhood, he and his friends plan to march to Paris to dethrone the monarchy. His plans are halted when he meets Marie-Caroline Daubin, the beautiful daughter of the owner of the factory.

 A bourgeoise and royalist, Marie-Caroline has been called home to Marseille to escape the unrest in Paris. She rebuffs Gilles’s efforts to charm her and boldly expresses her view that violently imposed freedom is not really freedom for all. As Marie-Caroline takes risks to follow her beliefs, Gilles catches her in a dangerous secret that could cost her and her family their lives. As Gilles and Marie-Caroline spend more time together, she questions her initial assumptions about Gilles and realizes that perhaps they have more in common than she thought.

 As the spirit of revolution descends on Marseille, people are killed and buildings are ransacked and burned to the ground. Gilles must choose between supporting the political change he believes in and protecting those he loves. And Marie-Caroline must battle between standing up for what she feels is right and risking her family’s safety. With their lives and their nation in turmoil, both Gilles and Marie-Caroline wonder if a révolutionnaire and a royaliste can really be together in a world that forces people to choose sides.

The setting of this novel was a new one for me, and I really enjoyed it! I really like how both characters—but especially Gilles—grew during the course of the novel. He started off as a self-absorbed, oblivious jerk who hated his father, but he changed so much through. Their separate journeys to understanding and growth were even more enjoyable to me than their romance. This is a sweet read set against the French revolution.

Arlem Hawks graduated from Brigham Young University. Beyond the Lavender Fields is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Shadow Mountain Publishing in exchange for an honest review.)

 

Book Review:  The Lady of Galway Manor, by Jennifer Deibel

Image belongs to Revell.

Title:   The Lady of Galway Manor
Author:   Jennifer Deibel
Genre:   Christian
Rating:  4 out of 5

In 1920, Annabeth De Lacy’s father is appointed landlord of Galway Parish in Ireland. Bored without all the trappings of the British Court, Annabeth convinces her father to arrange an apprenticeship for her with the Jennings family–descendants of the creator of the famed Claddagh Ring.

 Stephen Jennings longs to do anything other than run his family’s jewelry shop. Having had his heart broken, he no longer believes in love and is weary of peddling the ÒliesÓ the Claddagh Ring promises.

 Meanwhile, as the war for Irish independence gains strength, many locals resent the De Lacys and decide to take things into their own hands to display their displeasure. As events take a dangerous turn for Annabeth and her family, she and Stephen begin to see that perhaps the “other side” isn’t quite as barbaric and uncultured as they’d been led to believe–and that the bonds of friendship, love, and loyalty are only made stronger when put through the refiner’s fire.

I don’t remember reading anything set during this period—definitely not recently—so I enjoyed the historical aspect of this. The Jennings men were both strong characters that I really liked. Annabeth’s father was a bit of a pompous, selfish jerk, but I loved her relationship with her sister. This was a sweet read with a lovely romance.

Jennifer Deibel lives in Arizona. The Lady of Galway Manor is her newest novel.

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

Book Review:  The Family You Make, by Jill Shalvis

Image belongs to William Morrow.

Title:   The Family You Make
Author:   Jill Shalvis
Genre:   Fiction
Rating:  4 out of 5

During the snowstorm of the century Levi Cutler is stranded on a ski lift with a beautiful stranger named Jane. After strong winds hurl the gondola in front of them into the ground, Levi calls his parents to prepare them for the worst…but can’t bring himself to say goodbye. Instead, wanting to fulfill his mother’s lifelong wish, he impulsively tells her he’s happily settled and Jane is his girlfriend–right before his phone dies.

 But Levi and Jane do not.

 Now Levi’s family is desperate to meet “The One.” Though Jane agrees to be his pretend girlfriend for just one dinner, she’s nervous. After a traumatic childhood, Jane isn’t sure she knows how to be around a tight-knit family that cherishes one another. She’s terrified, and a little jealous. But an unexpected series of events and a host of new friends soon show Jane that perhaps this is the life she was always meant to have.

 As Jane and Levi spend more time together, pretend feelings quickly turn into real ones. Now all Jane has to do is admit to herself she can’t live without the man she’s fallen in love with and the family she has always dreamed of.

I think I enjoyed the community of people in this book the most.  Levi’s family is a bit much, and Jane has some serious issues she’s working through, but the people around them made this well-worth reading. This was a solid read that delivered on its promises.

Jill Shalvis is a bestselling author. The Family You Make is her newest novel.

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

 

Book Review:  Made in Manhattan, by Lauren Layne

Image belongs to Gallery Books.

Title:   Made in Manhattan
Author:   Lauren Layne
Genre:   Romance
Rating:  3.8 out of 4

Violet Townsend has always been a people pleaser. Raised in the privileged world of Upper East Side Manhattan, she always says the right things, wears the right clothes, and never rocks the boat. Violet would do anything for the people closest to her, especially her beloved grandmother. So when she asks Violet to teach the newly-discovered grandson of her friend how to fit in with New York City’s elite, Violet immediately agrees. Her goal? To get Cain Stone ready to take his place as heir to his family company…but to say he’s not exactly an eager student is an understatement.

 Born and raised in rural Louisiana and now making his own way in New Orleans, Cain Stone is only playing along for the paycheck at the end. He has no use for the grandmother he didn’t know existed and no patience for the uppity Violet’s attempts to turn him into a suit-wearing, museum-attending gentleman.

 But somewhere amidst antagonistic dinner parties and tortured tux fittings, Cain and Violet come to a begrudging understanding—and the uptight Violet realizes she’s not the only one doing the teaching. As she and Cain begin to find mutual respect for one another (and maybe even something more), Violet learns that blindly following society’s rules doesn’t lead to happiness…and that sometimes the best things in life come from the most unexpected places.

 This was a decent read:  predictable and there weren’t any surprises (except for one incident towards the end of the book). It was also a quick read, or I probably would have put it down; not because it was bad, but because it wasn’t distinctive enough to be truly attention-grabbing. But, if you’re looking for an opposites-attract romance with an HEA, this is a good bet. It just wasn’t what I felt like reading at the moment.

Lauren Layne is a bestselling author. Made in Manhattan is her newest novel.

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

Book Review:  Getting His Game Back, by Gia De Cadenet

Image belongs to Random House/Ballantine.

Title:   Getting His Game Back
Author:   Gia De Cadenet
Genre:   Romance
Rating:  4 out of 5

Khalil Sarda went through a rough patch last year, but now he’s nearly back to his old self. All he has to do is keep his “stuff” in the past. Real men don’t have depression and go to therapy–or, at least they don’t admit it. He’s ready to focus on his growing chain of barbershops, take care of his beloved Detroit community, and get back to being the ladies’ man his family and friends tease him for being. It’ll be easy . . . until Vanessa throws him completely off his game.

Vanessa Noble is too busy building a multimillion-dollar tech career as a Black woman before age thirty to be distracted by a relationship. Not to mention, she’s been burned before, still dealing with the lingering hurt of a past breakup. Besides, as her friends often remind her, she’ll never find a man who checks all the boxes on her famous List. Yet when she desperately needs a shape-up and happens upon one of Khalil’s barbershops, the Fade, he makes her reconsider everything. Khalil is charming, intelligent, sexy, and definitely seems like he’d treat a woman right . . . but he’s not Black.

 Vanessa may be willing to take a chance on Khalil, but a part of him is frustratingly closed off, just out of her reach. Will old patterns emerge to keep them apart? Or have they both finally found a connection worth throwing away the playbook for?

 I really enjoyed this read! The portrait of depression is sadly accurate (in my experience), and the author did a good job of drawing the reader into what Khalil was experiencing. I enjoyed his romance with Vanessa and how unsure they both were when they met and realized their attraction. The cover makes this look like it’s a romcom, but this story has depth.

Gia De Cadenet is from Florida but lives in France. Getting His Game Back is her newest novel.

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

Book Review and Blog Tour:  Her Hometown Hero, by Jacquelin Thomas

Image belongs to Harlequin.

Title:   Her Hometown Hero
Author:   Jacquelin Thomas
Genre:   Romance
Rating:  3.0 out of 5

Can a wounded hero let go of the past?

 Wounded marine Trey Rothchild has returned to Polk Island. People call him a hero, but will he ever feel that way after losing his team? Reuniting with high school crush Gia Harris buoys his spirits. Though she’s focused on making her physical therapy clinic a success—and avoiding romance with patients—Gia can’t bear watching the former athlete sit on the sidelines of life. Could helping Trey recover include loving him fearlessly? 

I enjoyed the family bonds in this novel but found the rest to be mostly a dud. I know Trey experienced something horrific, but he came across as a whiny brat who just wanted to sit around and feel sorry for himself and not actually do anything about his issues. He leaped to wild conclusions with no reason, and then was surprised when Gia got mad. And Gia seemed to be a head-in-the-sand person who was always surprised when her problems followed her. I felt like the characters were just talking heads, too. Maybe this just wasn’t a good fit for me.

Jacquelin Thomas is a bestselling author. Her Hometown Hero is her newest novel.

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

Book Review:  Anatomy: A Love Story, by Dana Schwartz

Image belongs to St. Martin’s Press.

Title:   Anatomy: A Love Story
Author:   Dana Schwartz
Genre:   Fantasy, YA
Rating:  3.5 out of 5

Edinburgh, 1817.

 Hazel Sinnett is a lady who wants to be a surgeon more than she wants to marry.

 Jack Currer is a resurrection man who’s just trying to survive in a city where it’s too easy to die.

 When the two of them have a chance encounter outside the Edinburgh Anatomist’s Society, Hazel thinks nothing of it at first. But after she gets kicked out of renowned surgeon Dr. Beecham’s lectures for being the wrong gender, she realizes that her new acquaintance might be more helpful than she first thought. Because Hazel has made a deal with Dr. Beecham: if she can pass the medical examination on her own, the university will allow her to enroll. Without official lessons, though, Hazel will need more than just her books – she’ll need bodies to study, corpses to dissect.

 Lucky that she’s made the acquaintance of someone who digs them up for a living, then.

 But Jack has his own problems: strange men have been seen skulking around cemeteries, his friends are disappearing off the streets. Hazel and Jack work together to uncover the secrets buried not just in unmarked graves, but in the very heart of Edinburgh society.

I was a little bit disappointed in the last section of this (not just the ending). For the entire novel, Hazel is determined to do the right thing for people and in the end she just sort of slowly caves? Eh. That was disappointing. For most of the book, I really enjoyed her determination, but then she just kind of chickened out, which was disappointing.

Dana Schwartz lives in L.A. Anatomy:  A Love Story is her new novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)