Amanda Diehl

RomanceHistorical Romance

Daring and the Duke

Review by Amanda Diehl

Sarah MacLean wraps up her Bareknuckle Bastards series with the ultimate story of revenge and redemption. Fans of the first two books will enjoy seeing the series villain, Ewan, the Duke of Marwick, brought to his knees (literally and figuratively) by the strong-willed Grace.

A long time ago, Grace considered Ewan to be her first love, until he betrayed her and his brothers and forced them to live on the streets. Since then, Grace has built herself up to be a ruler in Convent Garden’s seedy underworld. Ewan’s love for Grace has never wavered, even in spite of his deceptive actions. For years, he thought she was dead, her memory driving him into madness. But once he discovers she’s not dead at all, but is instead the very successful owner of a ladies’ club, he fights to win back her heart. Unfortunately, Grace’s first instinct is to seek revenge rather than reconciliation. Can Ewan fully redeem himself and become worthy of Grace’s love and affection? In the end, the answer is yes, but you’ll get no spoilers from me on Ewan’s path to redemption. It’s something readers really do need to experience for themselves.

When Grace and Ewan reconnect, there is more pull than push. It’s obvious they both still love one another and their relationship becomes less of a fight against attraction and more of a healing journey to right past wrongs. If you expect fireworks of antagonism, you may be disappointed; this is a tender second-chance romance between two people who have known a life full of pain and abandonment. It’s emotional and heart-wrenching, as both Grace and Ewan are characters who experience their emotions strongly and earnestly. Think of this as more of a slow simmer than a rolling boil. Daring and the Duke will crush your heart and then slowly and carefully piece it back together. It’s the epitome of catharsis.

Though Daring and the Duke offers enough exposition for newcomers to dive right in, readers will miss the nuance of the hero and heroine’s history and how it informs their behavior without reading the previous two romances in the series. And honestly, it’s a grave disservice to your reading enjoyment to not start from the beginning with MacLean’s charming cast of characters. I can’t think of a better weekend activity than powering through the entire trilogy!

Sarah MacLean wraps up her Bareknuckle Bastards series with the ultimate story of revenge and redemption. Fans of the first two books will enjoy seeing the series villain, Ewan, the Duke of Marwick, brought to his knees (literally and figuratively) by the strong-willed Grace.

A…

RomanceContemporary Romance

Take a Hint, Dani Brown

Review by Amanda Diehl

Talia Hibbert is quickly becoming a contemporary romance powerhouse. Her return to the adventures of the Brown siblings with Take A Hint, Dani Brown is an easy contender for best book of the year.

Zafir Ansari and Dani Brown couldn’t be more different. Zaf is a former rugby player turned security guard whose weakness is reading romance and who has a passion for destigmatizing mental illness. Dani is more tightly wound—a Ph.D. student who can barely stop working long enough to eat a decent meal. She certainly doesn’t have time for romance. Friends with benefits? Surely, but nothing that requires careful cultivation and patience navigating emotional bombshells.

After a fire drill goes haywire, Zaf’s gallant rescuing of Dani becomes a viral sensation and both realize they can use the situation to their mutual benefit. Dani can get her friends with benefits scenario with hunky Zaf, and Zaf can get closer to his crush, Dani, while using the exposure to help his sports nonprofit for children, Tackle It. What seems like a win-win scenario quickly becomes messier; in romance, fake dating rarely stays fake for long.

Hibbert knows how to deepen and complicate her characters, meticulously peeling back layer upon layer as the story goes on. Zaf’s past includes a devastating personal tragedy that changed his life and set him on a course to advocate for athletes experiencing mental health issues. Dani’s more than just a flighty commitmentphobe; her passionate studiousness comes from fear, because she’s never known love and career to exist harmoniously.

What makes Take a Hint, Dani Brown a superlative example of the romance genre as a whole, and not just a gem in the contemporary category, is that Hibbert gets to the essence of what a happily-ever-after means. It’s not about love as the antidote to a couple’s problems, but love becoming a foundation on which the couple understand one another better and a soft place to land when times are tough. While they’re quick to tumble into bed, Dani and Zeb are both guarded, but through lovely, stick-to-your-ribs home cooking on Zaf’s part and Dani’s ability to make those around her feel like they can achieve anything, they fall in love little by little. It’s not a romance of grand gestures, but a slow burn made up of small, simple moments.

Fans who loved the first book in the Brown Sisters series, Get a Life, Chloe Brown, may feel that it’s a tough act to follow. Fear not. Take a Hint, Dani Brown possesses the same amount of charm, grit and, certainly, sex appeal as its predecessor. Zaf is the emotionally competent, buff hero of our dreams. Dani is the heroine we all aspire to be: confident, feminist, sex-positive and driven. Read this romance immediately, and then read it again.

Talia Hibbert is quickly becoming a contemporary romance powerhouse. Her return to the adventures of the Brown siblings with Take A Hint, Dani Brown is an easy contender for best book of the year.

Zafir Ansari and Dani Brown couldn’t be more different. Zaf is…

RomanceHistorical Romance

The Highlander’s English Bride

Review by Amanda Diehl

An unexpected, embarrassing and disastrous first impression provides the basis of a friends-to-lovers historical romance between a curious, winsome heroine and a grumpy Scottish spy in Vanessa Kelly’s The Highlander’s English Bride.

Lady Sabrina Bell is honestly having the worst day. After being stood up by a suitor, she becomes the victim of a mugging and winds up in the river, soaked to the bone. Her rescuer: highlander Graeme Kendrick. The two begin a friendship, the basis of which is Sabrina’s uncanny ability to get herself into trouble. Graeme steps into the role of “knight in shining armor” begrudgingly, and the two make up the classic romance coupling of a hapless ray of sunshine who invades the heart of a buff, solitary curmudgeon.

Because of the secretive nature of Graeme’s work, he’s hesitant to form any sort of serious romantic attachment. Unfortunately for Graeme, his meddling family is determined to nudge him toward love and it doesn’t take much for Sabrina to win them over. Since this is the third book in Kelly’s Clan Kendrick series, readers can expect visits from the previous books’ large and lively cast, with plenty of Easter eggs for dedicated fans. Newbies, though, shouldn’t be deterred. This book works well on its own as a historical romance packed with mischief and mayhem!

Sabrina’s sweet and seemingly flighty nature hides a woman who knows what she wants and, put simply, she wants Graeme. If you prefer romances where the heroine is the one attempting to court the hero, The Highlander’s English Bride is a worthy addition to that list. Graeme possesses a deep sense of loyalty to his family and his country and worries about jeopardizing both by falling for Sabrina. Though opposites in personality, they are consistently drawn into riotous scenes of adventure and sharp-tongued banter. Retiring to an isolated and bucolic country estate is not their sort of happy ending. Theirs is a lovely coupling in which neither the hero nor the heroine feels like they have to compromise or sacrifice part of themselves to make things work.

In addition to the romance, there’s also an intricate mystery (after all, Graeme still has a job to do) that’s more of an adventurous road trip than a tightly wound whodunnit. The back and forth between the romantic main plot and action subplot guarantee that you’ll never be bored. A Vanessa Kelly historical romance is a lot like being at a carnival: It’s a whirlwind of fun with the lightness of cotton candy, the rush of a tilt-a-whirl and the satisfaction of a night well planned. There are few better choices than than this bubbly romance that delivers a heartwarming happily ever after.

An unexpected, embarrassing and disastrous first impression provides the basis of a friends-to-lovers historical romance between a curious, winsome heroine and a grumpy Scottish spy in Vanessa Kelly’s The Highlander’s English Bride.

Lady Sabrina Bell is honestly having the worst day. After being stood up…

RomanceHistorical Romance

Heiress for Hire

Review by Amanda Diehl

Bestselling author Madeline Hunter begins a brand new historical romance series with a mystery inheritance from an eccentric benefactor, a roguish investigator and a secretive widow.

There is no love lost between Chase Radnor and Minerva Hepplewhite. In fact, Minerva is slightly delighted to whack Chase over the head when he sneaks into her home. She still holds some rather negative feelings for Chase, seeing as he previously accused her of murdering her late husband. But now he’s tumbled back into her life to inform her that she’s inherited a fortune, and from his very own uncle no less.

Why? Well, no one seems to have any idea. While Minerva is grateful for the financial windfall, she’s also perplexed by both the duke’s decision and his death, leaving the unlikely pair to put aside their differences to find some answers.

Minerva is a lively, independent heroine. Readers will fall in love with her the moment she decides to tie up and interrogate Chase for his intrusion. She’s frequently exasperated by his needling and the fact that he looks so good doing it. As an investigator, Chase has a natural disposition for solving puzzles and to him, Minerva is a puzzle yet unsolved. He isn’t sure he can trust her, but respects her intelligence and know-how and sees this as a large advantage in finding answers regarding his uncle’s death. Expect to have a goofy smile on your face for a bulk of the book as the two go head-to-head, while slowly learning to value the other.

Heiress for Hire feels like a mix of Knives Out (minus the hunky Chris Evans in a cable knit sweater) and Clue, with a touch of “Scooby Doo.” It’s an entertaining whodunnit with a slew of entertaining side characters and suspects. Thankfully, the mystery elements only enhance Minerva and Chase’s slow burn. And let’s talk about this slow burn, which is worthy of the ultimate chef’s kiss. After an an initial period of suspicion and mistrust, Chase and Minerva’s working relationship is built on respect for one another’s intellect. They’ve clearly made snap judgments about one another without truly considering how the other would feel, especially with Chase’s prior accusations against Minerva. The underlying mystery is the perfect catalyst to get them in close quarters and allow their strengths to shine. It’s a gradual and wonderfully agonizing seduction that will leave readers begging for these two nerds to just kiss already.

This fantastic beginning may be Hunter's best series starter yet. With its memorable characters, a murder mystery and a perfectly paced romance, Hunter is at the top of her game in Heiress for Hire.

New York Times bestselling author Madeline Hunter begins a brand new historical romance series with a mystery inheritance from an eccentric benefactor, a roguish investigator and a secretive widow.

RomanceContemporary Romance

The Honey-Don’t List

Review by Amanda Diehl

When picking up a Christina Lauren (CLo) book, readers can count on a delicious blend of emotional ups and downs, slice-of-life hilarity and happy endings worthy of an ugly cry (or at least a beautiful, artful tear that rolls down your cheek). The queens of romantic comedy celebrate their 25th book with The Honey-Don’t List, in which two employees of married DIY superstars must keep the couple from imploding in public.

Carey Duncan has worked for the Tripps for over a decade; they’re like a second family. Unfortunately, Rusty and Melissa Tripp cannot stand each other. With a new home improvement Netflix show on the horizon, disaster looms as the Tripps and their crew embark on a promotional road trip. Carey’s role as mediator gets a boost in the form of James McCann, an engineering whiz and new addition to the team. While on the road, the two must contend with close quarters, unexpected chemistry and wrangling the Tripps’ marital dramatics.

Carey is the ultimate sweetheart. She’s dedicated to those close to her and earnestly expresses her emotions. There’s a raw quality to her that motivates others to be better and, to her occasional annoyance, brings out the protective nature of her friends and family. Carey lives with a movement disorder that often affects her hands, and while it’s a routine part of her life, she’s also cognizant that others may view it as a defining characteristic of who she is. For frequent readers of Lauren’s work, Carey likely tops many lists of favorite CLo heroines because of her goodness. She’s a genuinely kind person, and sometimes we all need a reminder that those kinds of people exist, fictionality aside.

The Honey-Don’t List’s leading man, James, is just as charming. The pair get off on the wrong foot—James is the new guy with big ideas, whereas Carey is far more experienced in the idiosyncrasies of her bosses. They eventually realize that there is strength in numbers, and with extended time on the road, they’ll need to rely on each other to keep the Tripps’ sham marriage from getting out. The tenderness James exhibits toward Carey is a magnificent reminder that love isn’t about forcing someone to match our ideals, but that it comes from adjustment and widening our hearts to make room for the unexpected.

The comedic beats are sharp and always impeccably timed to temper some of the more serious moments. These moments feel like well-placed reminders that everything is going to be OK. CLo fans will be delighted that their writing is as rock solid as ever, and newcomers should look forward to beginning what will undoubtedly become a life-long love affair with the author duo.

 

ALSO IN BOOKPAGE: Read an interview with Christina Lauren for The Honey-Don’t List.

The queens of romantic comedy celebrate their 25th book with The Honey-Don’t List, in which two employees of married DIY superstars must keep the couple from imploding in public.

RomanceWestern RomanceContemporary Romance

The Billionaire in Boots

Review by Amanda Diehl

New York Times bestselling author Julia London returns to her contemporary Western Princes of Texas series with The Billionaire in Boots, a romance between a hardworking cowgirl and a man struggling with his family’s legacy.

As the firstborn of the Prince family, it’s Nick’s responsibility to take over the family cattle ranch. There’s just one problem: He doesn’t want anything to do with cattle. Though he longs to pursue his goal of becoming a pilot, his father’s death causes him to put his plans on hold. Dealing with the family ranch is a necessity in the short term, but Nick views his return home as a temporary stop on the way to his dreams elsewhere.

Charlotte Bailey isn’t so sure about Nick. She knows his heart isn’t particularly invested in running the ranch and that he’s probably only doing it out of familiar duty. But Charlotte wants the ranch to succeed and as the resident office manager, it’s her job to whip Nick into shape and possibly find his cowboy roots in the process. The Billionaire in Boots plays with the trope of a city slicker who gets tangled up with a blue-collar, salt-of-the-earth cowboy by flipping the usual genders. Nick isn’t a stereopytical, outdoors-hating urbanite, but it’s clear that he needs an adjustment period to ranching. Charlotte easily falls into the role of expert rancher, and it’s a joy to watch her literally (and figuratively) show Nick the ropes.

The pain of his father’s loss and the discomfort he feels running the ranch only add to his prickly nature, but Nick’s gruff and grumbling demeanor is slowly smoothed out by the easy flirtation between him and Charlotte. (With Charlotte’s experience handling temperamental farm animals, Nick’s moodiness is child’s play.) London establishes their mutual attraction early on, and they don’t mind giving into something fleeting while Nick is back in town. But Charlotte wants something more permanent, a solid commitment and eventually some kids. Given the way Nick is counting down the days until the ranch is no longer a problem, he isn’t exactly the prime candidate for making Charlotte’s dreams come true.

Charlotte and Nick’s separate visions of their own perfect lives and the obstacles that stand in their way are at the heart of this romance’s conflict. Can people compromise the ways they view success and happiness when faced with a forever kind of love? If they can, should they? Despite such complicated issues, London’s characters are tender and gentle to one another. Like hearing a slow Southern drawl on a warm night or the satisfying sip of perfectly sweetened iced tea, this is a calming, expertly crafted contemporary romance.

New York Times bestselling author Julia London returns to her contemporary western Princes of Texas series with The Billionaire in Boots, a romance between a hardworking cowgirl and a man struggling with his family’s legacy.

RomanceContemporary Romance

Headliners

Review by Amanda Diehl

Two rival TV presenters band together to combat low ratings in Headliners, a triumphant achievement for contemporary romance phenom Lucy Parker.

Sabrina Carlton and Nick Davenport have a history. They’ve been sniping at each other via their respective TV shows for years, and fans of Parker’s London Celebrities series will already know about the colossal way Nick messed up in the previous installment, The Austen Playbook. To save both of their tarnished reputations, Nick and Sabrina have to co-host a struggling morning show and bring its ratings up by Christmas Eve.

Though Headliners wouldn’t be labeled as romantic suspense, there is also a whodunit subplot in the midst of Sabrina and Nick’s romance. Someone is out to sabotage the two presenters, Sabrina especially. The anchor, who is protective of her sister and career, already has to deal with a litany of misogynistic microaggressions from being a woman in entertainment. But soon it becomes very clear that someone is out for her job and to get her off TV entirely.

Nick is . . . everything. He has a cute dog, loves his family and job, is respectful of his budding relationship with Sabrina and the list truly goes on. If you’re worried whether Nick grovels sufficiently, I will spare you the hemming and hawing and say yes, he definitely does. His redemption arc has been worth waiting for. He does a superb grovel, but it’s the acknowledgement that his actions have consequences, the introspection he does to examine why he did what he did and how it doesn’t align with the man he wants to be that exalt him to the top ranks of swoony romantic heroes. He’s truly apologetic about his actions (which I won’t spoil for those who are in the midst of marathoning through the previous books) and aims to be a better person by fully examining his actions. Sabrina, in turn, wrestles with what she can forgive while still honoring her own pain, which is a wonderful example of strength and autonomy. What can we allow as people for the sake of growth and living a healthier life, while also respecting our own boundaries?

Headliners’ wintry London setting makes this an even more magical romance; there is just something so romantic and whimsical about falling in love amid the falling snow. (This is purely fantasy, of course, because as a glasses-wearer, snowflakes are an irritant.) But this is just another addition to the list of what makes Headliners so charming. In fact, there is one thing to make abundantly clear to readers that isn’t obvious from the cover copy. Both Nick and Sabrina are childfree by choice, a decision that may romance fans will enjoy. Epilogues in which the main couple become parents are common in the genre, so Parker’s decision to forgo showing her central couple having kids is a deliberate one.

Headliners is a superb contemporary romance. Parker’s readers, new and returning, are sure to find this one hard to put down.

 

ALSO IN BOOKPAGE: Read our interview with Lucy Parker.

Two rival TV presenters band together to combat low ratings in Headliners, a triumphant achievement for contemporary romance phenom Lucy Parker.

RomanceContemporary Romance

The One for You

Review by Amanda Diehl

Roni Loren brings her emotional The Ones Who Got Away series to a close with The One for You, a rollercoaster friends-to-lovers romance between two childhood best friends whose lives were forever changed by a traumatic event.

Kincaid Breslin and Ashton Isaacs were best friends until their prom night turned to tragedy when Graham, Kincaid’s boyfriend and Ashton’s friend, was killed in a school shooting. Consumed by their shared grief, Kincaid and Ash shared a single night together, a mistake that fractured their relationship for years. Over a decade later, they are unexpectedly reunited in their hometown, haunted by memories of that night.

In the years since, Ash moved away and became a successful author. Kincaid stayed in her hometown, putting on a brave face as she pursued a career in real estate. When Graham’s parents begin planning to sell their much-loved bookstore, both Kincaid and Ash find themselves fighting for the same cause with a metric ton of baggage waiting to be addressed.

Ash and Kincaid’s road to romance is fraught with tension, unaddressed feelings and PTSD. The story switches between past and present, showing readers how the attack created a fragmented before and after for the survivors. Loren ably handles every emotional, heartbreaking layer of The One for You. Ash and Kincaid have built walls upon walls around themselves to avoid addressing their trauma and the guilt they feel for sleeping together while in mourning. Kincaid is a woman who denies her own fragility in the most heartbreaking ways, a master of plastering on a smile, denying herself chances to grieve. Meanwhile, Ash adopts the persona of an affable nerd, and his world travels make it easier for him to forget the terrible events of his past. Reunited by the memory of Graham and wanting to help out his parents, they quickly hand-wave away their years of silence. But as the time they spend together becomes more frequent, simply ignoring what happened between them, as well as the death of Graham, becomes unavoidable.

There is truly something special about Loren’s writing and the way she handles the all-too-real realities of gun violence. Devoted fans of the series will find this finale bittersweet; it packs an emotional punch with a hard-won happy ending, but the realization that there are no more books for us to enjoy is a hard pill to swallow. Though Loren most likely has something fantastic on the horizon, The One for You and its predecessors aren’t romances readers will soon forget. Loren has easily created one of the most memorable contemporary romance series of the last decade.

Roni Loren brings her emotional The Ones Who Got Away series to a close with The One for You, a rollercoaster friends to lovers romance between two childhood best friends whose lives were forever changed by a traumatic event.

RomanceContemporary Romance

The Bromance Book Club

Review by Amanda Diehl

Lyssa Kay Adams hits a home run with The Bromance Book Club, a contemporary romance about a husband and wife who learn to reconnect using the power of romance novels.

Due to an unexpected pregnancy and their subsequent marriage, Gavin and Thea Scott never had a chance to enjoy being newlyweds. After each lackluster intimate encounter between them, it becomes clear to Thea that something needs to change. At home with twin toddlers and a husband whose MLB career took off like a rocket, Thea very much feels like a single mom. When Gavin is home, he’s a man she doesn’t really recognize. When she brings up divorce, Gavin realizes he’s had his head in the sand for too long. He’s determined to save his marriage and make Thea feel loved and appreciated.

Enter the Bromance Book Club, a romance book club made up of Gavin’s fellow athletes who see romance novels as a way of understanding and improving their communication with women. The setup may seem farfetched, but it’s too charming to resist. The men think their current book club pick, Courting the Countess, may hold the secret to Gavin and Thea getting their groove back.

Readers who enjoy a heartfelt second-chance romance, especially between a married couple, should get their hands on this book immediately. There’s nothing wrong with beautiful, single and unattached twenty-somethings finding love, but the added stress of running a household with troublesome twins fully and truly embodies the romantic complacency that can happen in long term relationships. A first love is a beautiful thing, but how do we make that love last when life dishes out so many curveballs?

Adams creates a cringe-worthy look at modern romance with Gavin being too busy and Thea being too exhausted to do more than just go through the motions. It feels a little too real in the best way possible. Gavin is a likable hero whose cluelessness gets called out by not only his wife, but by his fellow book club bros too. There are some wonderful scenes of introspection as the men break down romantic scenes in romance like “the grovel” or “the big misunderstanding,” comparing where they’ve messed up in life and how romance can teach them to be better communicators. And as Thea regains control of her life and finds her voice, her arc becomes a wonderful and empowering lesson that it’s never too late to change course and make adjustments for the sake of your own happiness.

The Bromance Book Club is truly a novel for dedicated romance fans. Readers will be delighted at all of the meta winks and nudges to the genre we love so much. I can’t wait to see what the Bromance Book Club will read next and how it’ll help shape their next happily ever after.

Lyssa Kay Adams hits a home run with The Bromance Book Club, a contemporary romance where a husband and wife learn to reconnect using the power of romance novels.

Science Fiction & FantasyScience Fiction

Aurora Blazing

Review by Amanda Diehl

Jessie Mihalik returns to her science fiction romance series with Aurora Blazing, as a noblewoman with secrets plays cat-and-mouse with her family’s security advisor.

Bianca von Hasenberg is a woman with a lot to hide. Widowed under mysterious circumstances, Bianca fully leans into “mourning” her late husband, which grants her freedom from the strict Consortium courtly etiquette. Though she plays up the air-headed, materialistic royal role, Bianca has been cultivating a network of spies and complex digital connections for collecting intel. But her biggest secret is that she was her scientist husband’s guinea pig, and now has a modified mind and body that intercept communication signals from nearly everyone.

Security Director Ian Bishop is a no-nonsense man who is loyal to von Hasenberg family, though Bianca’s habit of sticking her nose into things where it doesn’t belong is often his biggest source of frustration. When Ferdinand, Bianca’s older brother, is kidnapped and Bianca is framed as a traitor, Ian is tasked with keeping her locked away. When she escapes, Ian chases Bianca across the galaxy as she searches for answers and Ian does his best to keep her out of harm’s way.

Sci-fi romance is a relatively small subgenre and Mihalik’s imaginative series about the bonds of family amid scheming power plays feels like a refreshing sip of water after a long drought. The romance is tense, as Bianca and Ian both prefer to ignore whatever feelings they share. And with an intergalactic conspiracy as a backdrop, there is no shortage of action to rival the sizzling banter between the main couple.

Bianca is an impressively strong heroine, given what she’s overcome both in childhood and marriage. The survivor she’s built herself to be is, well, totally badass. She doesn’t need a blaster or superb fighting skills to get out of a tough situation. Instead, Bianca relies on her many connections and useful knowledge to gain the upper hand. And for romance readers who prefer the strong, silent type, Ian Bishop ticks all of the boxes. His sense of honor and duty is everything to him, but when pesky things like love get in the way, Ian must finally address how far he’ll go for his employer and his mission. Aurora Blazing is a standout, memorable book that oozes crossover appeal.

Prefer action and adventure? One spaceship heist coming up! Find court intrigue and politics to be irresistible? Two ruling houses are at war, with a third desperately trying to remain neutral. Sucker for a happy ending? Well, it’s a romance, so there’s definitely that. Mihalik fills the void for every Star Wars fan who wished the franchise had more kissing.

A noblewoman with secrets plays cat-and-mouse with her family’s security advisor in the latest from Jessie Mihalik.
Science Fiction & FantasyHistorical FantasyFantasy

The Harp of Kings

Review by Amanda Diehl

The Harp of Kings, the first book in a new historical fantasy series by Juliet Marillier, follows a brother and sister amidst magic, music and their own grand ambitions.

Sibling bards Liobhan and Brocc are fighting to earn a place amongst a famous band of warriors and spies on Swan Island. When the warrior band learns that the Harp of Kings, an instrument of lore that has been used in the coronation of royalty, has gone missing, Liobhan and Brocc’s musical skills make them the ideal candidates for retrieving the harp. Though they’re still trainees, they embark on a mission to locate the instrument while disguised as traveling minstrels.

With every great fantasy quest comes a whole host of complications. Liobhan’s fellow trainee and rival, Dau, is desperate to beat her for the top spot in their class. The threat of political upheaval hangs over the mission should it fail. And, of course, schemes and deadly machinations are ever present.

Though Liobhan is a fearsome and admirable protagonist, Marillier rounds out her world by adding a slew of interesting secondary characters. Brocc is the protective and caring brother. Dau is the ambitious frenemy. There are mysterious witches and druids who know way more than they let on. Though the setting is fantastical, the characters are complex and reminiscent of all the wonderful and weird personalities we’d encounter in ordinary life.

To say both Marillier’s writing and Liobhan’s journey to becoming a warrior are magical feels too cliché—but it really is the perfect adjective. Liobhan’s dedication to achieve her dreams, to preserve the bond she has with her brother and to uphold what is right in the face of many conflicting forces is a joy to behold.

The Harp of Kings is set in the same world, though years ahead, of Marillier’s equally wonderful Blackthorn and Grimm series. While readers familiar with those books will enjoy discovering lovely Easter eggs, new readers should have no issues acclimating themselves to the environment. Quite frankly, I’m envious of readers who get to experience Marillier for the first time. If you’re unsure about where to begin with her body of work, The Harp of Kings is a fantastic place to start. It has all the hallmarks of a lush and epic high fantasy tale, as well as a dynamic, ambitious heroine.

Marillier’s enchanting characters, immersive details and truly stunning prose have all helped crown her an undisputed queen of the fantasy genre. The Harp of Kings is no different; readers new and returning will be undoubtedly captivated by Marillier’s newest tale.

The Harp of Kings, the first book in a new historical fantasy series by Juliet Marillier, follows a brother and sister amidst magic, music and their own grand ambitions.

RomanceHistorical Romance

How to Love a Duke in Ten Days

Review by Amanda Diehl

A marriage of convenience gives way to acceptance and love between two characters marked by trauma in Kerrigan Byrne’s suspenseful historical romance How to Love a Duke in Ten Days.

Piers Atherton needs to solidify his claim as the Duke of Redmayne and the quickest way to do that is to take a wife and produce an heir. Lady Alexandra Lane is low on funds and in desperate need of money to pay off a blackmailer. Piers and Alexandra are upfront in what they expect from their marriage, though the true nature of why Alexandra requires money isn’t revealed to Piers.

A decade earlier, Alexandra was raped by the headmaster at her school. (Content warning for readers: the scene is graphic, and very much on the page.) She took her revenge by killing him, and her two best friends helped her cover up the murder. The three women are certain there are no loose ends, until a blackmailer reaches out to Alexandra for money in exchange for keeping their secret.

Strong, resilient Alexandra is a wonderful heroine and her friends, Cecelia and Francesca (who are obviously sequel-bait for the next books), are unconditionally supportive. The sense of girl power and female solidarity is infectious, and some of the best scenes are when all three have the opportunity to get into some mischief.

Piers has a whole closet full of baggage—he was raised by a philandering mother, was jilted by his former betrothed and survived a jaguar attack that nearly took his life. He’s slow to trust and his scarred face has caused the locals to dub him the “Terror of Thorcliff.” The tenderness and respect he displays when faced with Alexandra’s avoidance of intimacy makes him a worthy hero, and he learns to let go of deep-seated grudges as the story progresses.

As Alexandra and Piers travel for their honeymoon, a series of bizarre events make it obvious to that pair that someone is after their lives. Piers assumes it’s his cousin trying to kill him off for the title of Duke of Redmayne. Alexandra thinks her blackmailer is no longer satisfied with money. The reveal of the unseen villain is surprising and will undoubtedly keep readers guessing to the very end.

Byrne’s writing harkens back to classic romance superstars like Judith McNaught and Bertrice Small: There’s a grand complexity to the plot, an alpha hero and a headstrong heroine who has overcome great emotional turmoil. Alexandra’s trauma and PTSD were respectfully portrayed and, as a fellow survivor, reached me on a personal level. Her dedication to rebuilding her life and allowing herself to take joy in even the smallest things is a heady mix of heartbreaking and inspirational.

How to Love a Duke in Ten Days is an intense journey from start to finish, but Byrne delivers. Readers will be left breathless, and with a few tears shed along the way.

 

ALSO IN BOOKPAGE: Read our Q&A with Kerrigan Byrne about How to Love a Duke in Ten Days.

A marriage of convenience gives way to acceptance and love between two characters marked by trauma in Kerrigan Byrne’s suspenseful historical romance How to Love a Duke in Ten Days.

RomanceHistorical Romance

The Wallflower Wager

Review by Amanda Diehl

Two opposites find love amid a madcap adventure and a coterie of troublemaking rescue animals in The Wallflower Wager by Tessa Dare.

Lady Penelope Campion has an undeniable weakness for the wounded, especially animals. Known as an eccentric spinster, Penny cares for creatures that have nowhere else to go. There are lewd parrots, a bevy of kittens and even a goat among her little homegrown refuge, a Dr. Doolittle’s paradise. Unfortunately, her next pet project takes the form of her rather grouchy neighbor, Gabriel Duke.

A self-made real estate mogul, Gabe is known as the Duke of Ruin. There is no love lost between him and the aristocracy, and he takes immense pleasure in tying them up in all sorts of costly red tape. His current mission is to sell the recently renovated home that rests next to Penny’s, but her nosy menagerie is making the task quite difficult. Gabe hopes to strike a bargain with Penny, playing upon her deep insecurities of never being taken seriously as a lady of society. He will aid her in re-homing her animals to restore her good name, and as a result, he’ll be able to sell the home he’s dying to get off his hands.

Gabe is a prickly hero who doesn’t take kindly to his breeches being coated in several layers of animal hair. But behind all his scowls and sneers rests a delicious, ooey-gooey marshmallow center. Penny, a walking ray of sunshine, is the perfect foil. Kind to a fault, all she truly wants to do is help living things and make the world a better place. At times, Gabe struggles with ripping off Penny’s rose-colored glasses if it means changing the sweet, caring woman she really is—and that he comes to love.

Like many of Dare’s romances, The Wallflower Wager will have you in tears from both laughter and the pure, unfiltered emotion of Gabe and Penny’s path to love. Having long since adopted the shell of a ruthless businessman, Gabe fears he no longer knows what it means to be vulnerable. Penny treats him with the gentle hesitation she would give to a frightened, caged animal, and earns his trust and affection over time.

There’s a reason why Dare’s historical romances are beloved by so many readers: She truly captures the heart and soul of a happily ever after. The respect and affection Penny displays for the animals and the people she loves will remind you of all that is good in the world (and we really need that right now). Fans of any of Dare’s books will be reminded why they keep reading her astounding, swoony romances, and as for newer readers—welcome to the club.

Two opposites find love amid a madcap adventure and a coterie of troublemaking rescue animals in The Wallflower Wager by Tessa Dare.

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