The Sugared Game (2020) KJ Charles (The Will Darling Adventures, #2) Set in London in 1924 “Do you ever have the feeling the whole world changed while we were away and nobody bothered to mention it to us?” “I know you’ve thought about this,” Will said. “But there are men in the world who aren’t […]
Slippery Creatures (2020) KJ Charles (The Will Darling Adventures, #1) Set in London in 1923 “My grateful nation wasn’t grateful enough to give me a job. I pawned my medals to keep a roof over my head and food in my belly, and I’ll tell you what, the Military Cross doesn’t fetch a great deal, […]
Grilled Cheese and Goblins: Adventures of a Supernatural Food Inspector (2018) Nicole Kimberling Lulu’s Flapjack Shack inhabited a space that had certainly been continuously used as a hospitality venue since linoleum had been invented. “Mass media doesn’t cover actual vampire deaths,” Keith remarked before he realized how callous his statement sounded. “Have you seen a […]
The Cinnamon Bun Book Store (2024) Laurie Gilmore (Dream Harbor #2) Hazel Kelly is about to turn 30, and is starting to feel like she’s been wasting her life, doing nothing more than managing a bookstore in the small town where her family lives. She’s certain that the town flirt would never be interested in […]
Do Me a Favor (2024) Cathy Yardley Willa, still picking up the pieces after her husband’s long illness and death, moves out to the house she inherited from her great-aunt, in the hopes it will help her get back on her feet. What was it going to do to her? Her bank account was minuscule […]
Paladin’s Strength, Audiobook (2021) T. Kingfisher narrated by Joel Richards (The Saint of Steel #2) “Do you have a name?” he asked. “I do. Do you?” His lips twitched. “Yes?” “Excellent. We are both named beings.” “You will treat her well.” “Yes, ma’am.” “You will not beat her.” “No! Certainly not!” “You will not make […]
Galaxies and Oceans (2018) N.R. Walker Grief was like the great Southern Ocean; it moved in ebbs and flows, often turbulent and rough, or peaceful and settled, and even over time when I could navigate the waters, the tide never stopped. Sometimes you have to listen to the silences. When things aren’t said. That’s where […]
Paladin’s Grace, Audiobook (2020) T. Kingfisher narrated by Joel Richards (Saint of Steel #1) “What in the name of the little household gods is that?” “An abomination,” said Stephen. “I believe the cook called it gravy.” “Gravy is not that color.” “I did not say the cook was correct.” “Can we burn them at the […]
Hen Fever: A Sapphic Victorian Romance (2022) Olivia Waite Set in England in 1856 The Bickerton Christmas Poultry Show is the event of the year, but one that has driven apart the citizens of the town. They’d been fast friends once, until they’d caught the fancy. Now rumor was Miss Inch had trained her Pinwheel […]
Curio (2024) C.S. Poe Llewellyn and his aunt Julia run the Curio Cabinet Sunday between noon and six o’clock was basically when Curio made any money at all—lockets with broken chains, weathered vintage postcards, vinyl records sans sleeves, and creepy doll heads missing one eye were the bad decisions locals made after one too many […]
An Unexpected Gentleman (2011) Alissa Johnson (Haverston Family) Set in the early 1800s in Scotland All Adelaide Ward wants is to marry for the security of her family: her sister, her nephew, and (probably) her brother. And if doing that means marrying Baron Robert Maxwell, she is willing to do so. But Connor Brice wants […]
Nearly a Lady (2011) Alissa Johnson (Haverston Family) Set in England and Scotland during the regency, after the wars with Napoleon. Gideon Haverston has returned home from war with both physical scars and mental ones. Gideon shifted his weight to his good leg, pivoted, knocked the barrel of the rifle away with one hand, and […]
Waiting for the Flood (2015/2024) Alexis Hall (Spires) This is both a reissue and a revision, with Marius’ story–Chasing the Light–added, along with bonus material and an epilogue short story. I wanted (and this is straying perilously close to analysing my own work so please take this with a mine full of salt) to explore […]
Cry Wolf (2021) Charlie Adhara (Big Bad Wolf) Any resemblance to actual persons or events is coincidental. Though if you do know of a criminal plot involving werewolves that has taken place at any of these locales, that is a coincidence I would love to know about. I love that Cayla–and Coopers interactions with her […]
Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing (2020) Charlie Adhara (Big Bad Wolf) It’s the random, unexpected passages that delight me. And then there were the days—not many, but memorable ones—Cooper had come home unexpectedly or woken up a little earlier than usual to find Park “in fur” sticking his considerably longer nose into those impossible-to-reach places while […]
Thrown to the Wolves (2019) Charlie Adhara (Big Bad Wolf) Cooper meets Oliver’s family. It goes worse than expected. And one was expecting it to go badly, what with it being a funeral. Cooper put the guidebook down and cleared his throat. This was getting ridiculous. “Did you tell them I was coming?” Park blinked […]
The Wolf at Bay (2019) Charlie Adhara (Big Bad Wolf) I love the beginning of the book so much. “You’ve been standing here staring at that flower shop for fifteen minutes. So is it for her birthday or anniversary, or are you making up for a fight? Because I’ve been married for thirty-two years, and […]
The Wolf at the Door (2019) Charlie Adhara (Big Bad Wolf) “It’s a standing joke around the Trust that the real reason behind the coming-out was to combat the number of public indecency charges wolves rack up every year.” “You’ve got exactly twenty-seven hours and then I’m coming in there and trimming you down,” Park […]
Think of England (2014) K.J. Charles Set in England in 1904 (Peakholme) had been an extraordinarily modern creation at that time, equipped with the very latest innovations, with running water in all the bathrooms, heated by hot-water radiators and illuminated throughout by electricity from his own hydroelectric generator. “It was a damned business. My company […]
Proper English (2019) K.J. Charles Set in England in 1902 If Pat stayed, she would continue running Skirmidge House, and either she would resent Olivia for treating her as an upper servant, or Olivia would resent her for usurping her rights as head of the household Pat did not corset. She had had no mother […]
Hither, Page (2019) Cat Sebastian (Page & Sommers) Set in England in 1946. This story reminds me very much of an Agatha Christie, only with boinking. A combination of A Murder is Announced and The Moving Finger. None of the witnesses could suggest a possible motive, nor did any of them think Mrs. Hoggett had […]
Ex Appeal (2022) Cathy Yardley (Ponto Beach Reunion) This follows Gouda Friends and one of the characters is the brother of Tam from that book, but you do not need to have read the previous books for this story. Vinh is very good at what he does–even though what he does isn’t especially good. Aimsley’s […]
Two Wrongs Make a Right (2022) Chloe Liese (The Wilmot Sisters) I picked up my first book by Chloe Liese because it was highly rated and had a female main character with ASD. I’ve very much enjoyed every book of hers I’ve read since then, although I don’t read them one after another, because they […]
The Mistletoe Motive (2021) Chloe Liese Gabriella Di Natale love Christmas. She also loves working in Bailey’s Bookshop, where she can recommend books (especially her favorite romances) to customers. But the store is in trouble. A chain is trying to put them out of business, so the Bailey’s hired another manager–one focused on business–to try […]
Glass Tidings (2016) Amy Jo Cousins This story is full of little things. Then he changed his mind and gave the jeans a quick hand wash in the utility sink next to the dryer, unable to stand the thought of all that blood swishing around with Eddie’s clothes in the wash. Eddie didn’t trust anyone […]