Gena Showalter’s paranormal romance Shadow and Ice pulses with exciting and near-unrelenting action. Irreverent heroine Vale London manages to maintain her equilibrium when she suddenly encounters supernatural soldiers engaged in a battle, even as she unwittingly and unwillingly becomes one of the competitors. When she reluctantly partners with immortal warrior Knox of Iviland, their fierce yet unexpected attraction is just another war to wage—and one they end up losing. Superb world building—from the governing body pulling the strings to the special powers of each combatant—fulfills the authorial promise of this high-concept romance. Readers will be enthralled by Showalter’s details and root for her ruthless yet sympathetic characters in this not-to-be-missed adventure.
FINDING FOREVER
Painful pasts stand in the way of future happiness in Recklessly Ever After by Heather Van Fleet. Although their best friends have become lovers, Gavin St. James and McKenna Brewer aren’t particularly comfortable in each other’s company. There’s a sizzling attraction between them, but he’s a forever-type guy, and she’s sworn off believing in a long-term relationship. But the closeness of their friend circle makes it hard to stay apart, and one night they give in, which leads to consequences that can’t be ignored. Along with gratifying glimpses of characters from the previous books in this series, Van Fleet ably explores her characters’ vulnerabilities and flaws in alternating first-person narratives. Gavin and McKenna aren’t perfect, but their imperfections will make readers root for them to overcome their doubts and fears. Frank language and sizzling love scenes make Recklessly Ever After a fast-paced and steamy read.
TOP PICK IN ROMANCE
Two people in desperate straits save each other in the latest historical by Grace Burrowes, My One and Only Duke. Facing execution for a crime he didn’t commit, wealthy banker Quinn Wentworth proposes marriage to minister’s daughter Jane Winston, saving her from poverty and also providing an escape from her sanctimonious father. Grateful to this man she’s barely met, Jane agrees, and they marry. Then at the last second, Quinn unexpectedly inherits a dukedom and is pardoned. He offers Jane an annulment, but she’s willing to stick by her vows. When they begin to live together as husband and wife, Burrowes delves into the heart of the marriage-of-convenience trope: the physical and romantic tension created by a sudden intimacy between two people who are still essentially strangers. Both Quinn and Jane soon discover they delight each other in the bedroom, but they must learn trust and compromise to build a real life together. This curl-up-and-enjoy read includes a mystery—who set Quinn up for certain death?—as well as intriguing family members who definitely deserve their own stories.
ALSO IN BOOKPAGE: Read our Q&A with Grace Burrowes about My One and Only Duke.
This article was originally published in the November 2018 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.
