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The 5 best holiday romances of 2024

Feature by Christie Ridgway

★ The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year

Ally Carter does it again with the delightful The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year. An anonymous invitation lures rival mystery writers Maggie Chase and Ethan Wyatt to a secluded and nearly snowbound English mansion for Christmas. Upon arrival, they encounter a series of surprises: the identity of their hostess, her almost immediate disappearance and the dynamic sleuthing duo they become. Alternating between Maggie’s and Ethan’s viewpoints, this romantic comedy packs in plot and smiles on every page as the two work to unravel the puzzles they encounter during their stay. The characters’ emotional backstories add authentic heft, and Ethan’s heartfelt and outspoken devotion for Maggie will warm the coldest winter night. Readers will be more than willing to put off any pending holiday tasks to indulge in this vastly entertaining read.

Kiss Me at Christmas

Describing Kiss Me at Christmas by Jenny Bayliss as “feel-good” would be a colossal understatement: The entire package is practically wrapped in a sparkly Christmas bow. Right before the holidays, 40-something main characters Harriet Smith and James Knight have a one-night stand . . . and then learn that they’ll be working on a production of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol together. Single mom and private school counselor Harriet overcomes the awkwardness by focusing on her students: She agreed to manage the production to shield some of them from the consequences of breaking into the decrepit theater. The owner of the theater is one of serious lawyer James’ clients, and James isn’t happy about the play or how his night with Harriet ended. However, nothing’s more fun than let’s-put-on-a-show enthusiasm, which in this case brings together an entire English village as well as Harriet and James. Bayliss’ mature main characters are refreshing stars, even as they fall into the usual romantic insecurities and miscommunication that cause lovers of all ages to stumble. In the end, James loosens up with Harriet’s aid, and his regard helps her value herself more. Along the way, readers will revel in the cute and sometimes rebellious kids, the wise and charming oldsters, and the descriptions of scrumptious foods from all over the world.

The Duke’s Christmas Bride

Revenge leads to romance in Anna Bradley’s Regency-set The Duke’s Christmas Bride. Maxwell Burke, the Duke of Grantham, desperately wishes to recover Hammond Court, the family home his father lost long ago in a foolish wager with Ambrose St. Clair. When Ambrose dies, Max discovers the man left Hammond Court to him—but also to stubborn Rose St. Claire, Ambrose’s ward, who has no intention of moving out. What’s a ruthless duke to do to get her going on her way? Why, bribe an eligible London gentleman to romance and marry the chit, of course. A holiday house party is arranged, and the brooding Max finds himself ice-skating, sleigh-riding and arranging a Christmas ball . . . all while falling for the enchanting woman he’s scheming to hand over to someone else. Brooding won’t help him now, and Max must find a way to solve the very dilemma he created while his amused friends—main characters from other entries in Bradley’s Drop Dead Dukes series—look on. A closed-off aristocrat and a warmhearted heroine who bakes the best Christmas treats? That’s a recipe for love story satisfaction.

The Christmas You Found Me

Prepare for a few tears along with your hot chocolate while reading The Christmas You Found Me by Sarah Morgenthaler, which follows two total strangers who enter into a “marriage of purpose” to provide for a 4-year-old with a life-threatening illness. Sienna Naples may be busy maintaining her family ranch in the Idaho wilderness, but she can’t look away from the dire dilemma of Guy Maple and his daughter, Emma, who has Stage 5 chronic kidney disease. Sienna’s generosity in taking in the small family provides a boon to her, too, as she’s lonely post-divorce and with her dad in acute elder care. Providing Emma with some needed fun is imperative despite her hovering illness, and Sienna steps up to make memories for them all. Cue small-town holiday events in between emergency medical visits, and two people who fall in love despite their vulnerability and grief. Told in Sienna’s first-person voice, this story provides a roller-coaster of emotions as well as an enthralling look at winter life on a remote ranch. Have a hankie at hand.

Christmas Is All Around

A curmudgeon unearths her holiday spirit in Christmas Is All Around by Martha Waters. Charlotte Lane has been over the season since starring in the now-classic film Christmas, Truly as a child. When her refusal to join a reboot of the film goes viral, she escapes to her sister’s in London. There, she’s roped into holiday escapades, including a country house tour where she meets the owner, attractive Englishman Graham Calloway. Now an artist, Charlotte can’t resist his idea that she create a series of Christmas-themed illustrations around London . . . with Graham as her guide to several iconic locations. While there’s an initial spark, these two are slow to succumb to the burn of passion as they’re dealing with—or more accurately, not dealing with—family issues that hold them back. But love truly finds its way on this fun tour through a London holiday, which is peopled with amusing secondary characters and has a satisfying happy ending that ticks all the boxes.

The year’s most delightful Christmas love stories are full of mistletoe and merriment—with just a dash of potential murder to spice things up.
RomanceHistorical Romance

The Wrong Lady Meets Lord Right

Review by Elizabeth Mazer

What’s in a name? A rose by another name might smell as sweet, but a Belle by another name would likely not be as rich. While cousins Arabella and Isabelle Grant are the closest and dearest of friends, they’re far from equals. Lady Isabelle, daughter of a marquis, has money, position . . . and debilitating social anxiety. Miss Arabella has beauty, charm . . . and barely a penny to her name. Arabella is treated as a charity case by Isabelle’s cruel, snobbish mother, yet everything changes when said mother dies and Isabelle’s great-aunt resolves to give her a London season, whether she wants it or not. Just the thought of balls and crowds terrifies Issie into palpitations. But Bella would shine in that setting. And since their nearsighted new guardian can’t tell which cousin is which, Issie concocts a plan for a little switch. It only has to last for the season, and then they can go home to their quiet lives and correct stations. No fuss, no muss, no harm done—as long as Bella keeps from falling in love, a task that’s easier said than done when she meets Lord Brooke. The attraction between them is palpable, but does he love her, or a Lady Isabelle who doesn’t exist?

The Wrong Lady Meets Lord Right has a plot Shakespeare himself might’ve used, and author Suzanne Allain fills it with playfulness, humor and a delightful cast of side characters. (My particular favorite is a maid who gives up altogether on figuring out which cousin to call “miss” and which to call “milady,” and calls them both “mislady.”) While Bella comes into her own as the toast of London and the woman who has wholly—and very truly—captured Lord Brooke’s heart, it’s just as captivating to see Issie emerge from her shell and form a romance with a handsome young doctor who stirs in her palpitations of a different sort. Love is in the air . . . along with confusion, misunderstandings and a whole lot of false assumptions. But where’s the fun in the course of love running smooth? All’s well that ends well—and all ends very well, indeed.

In The Wrong Lady Meets Lord Right, Suzanne Allain’s playful Regency romance, delightful chaos ensues when an heiress and her impoverished cousin switch places.
RomanceHistorical Romance

Under the covers: 2 romances for book lovers

List by the editors of BookPage
STARRED REVIEW
November 12, 2024

Under the covers: 2 romances for book lovers

A bookseller and a trailblazing author find love in these two bookish historical romances.
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gooddukegonewild

Good Duke Gone Wild

Bethany Bennett’s Good Duke Gone Wild is a sweet but still sexy romance starring a bookseller heroine with a secret life as an erotica writer.
Read more
timeandtide

Time and Tide

J.M. Frey’s sapphic romance Time and Tide is a weird and wild time-travel story that embraces queer love.
Read more

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A bookseller and a trailblazing author find love in these two bookish historical romances.
RomanceHistorical Romance

The Beast Takes a Bride

Review by Elizabeth Mazer

Beauty and the Beast truly is a tale as old as time. There’s a charm to it that seems evergreen—the idea of a beast softened and redeemed by love. But what about what the Beast’s love does for Beauty? Can it lift her out of a life in which she feels trapped? Can it awaken feelings in her that she’d never known were possible?

And most pressingly, can it bail her out of jail?

A jail cell is, in fact, where a series of mishaps leads Alexandra Brightwall in the opening scene of Julie Anne Long’s The Beast Takes a Bride. Her long-estranged husband, the war hero Colonel Magnus Brightwall—popularly known as Brightwall the Beast—is able to get her released, upon which he proposes a bargain. Magnus has a chance of being elevated to the nobility, and if Alexandra will appear on his arm and boost his reputation over the next several weeks, he’ll provide the resources for her to have a comfortable life, far away from him. But if she lets him down—again—she’ll be on her own, and she’ll never have a chance to make amends for the terrible mistake that drove them apart on their wedding night five years earlier. 

Fans of Long and her Palace of Rogues series will not be surprised to learn that the couple’s home base for Operation Reputation Restoration is the Grand Palace on the Thames, the boardinghouse by the London docks that is always filled with colorful characters and endearing old friends. (Newcomers might wish for a bit less time spent with previously established characters: not because they aren’t delightful, but because they take time away from our main couple.) All of Long’s creations have warmth, wit and sparkle to spare, but most especially the two leads. Alexandra is absolutely enchanting—utterly lovely inside and out. And while Magnus is decidedly unlovely at first glance, he is a fierce, sharp-witted force to be reckoned with, someone who loves with everything he has, which is quite a lot. Their passion is intense in their sensual moments together, but it’s also intensely sweet in the quieter scenes as they strain and struggle and inch toward a common understanding. As Beast rescues Beauty and Beauty redeems Beast, it’s the love they find together that saves them both.

Julie Anne Long’s latest historical romance has warmth, wit and sparkle to spare as it puts a Regency spin on Beauty and the Beast.
RomanceHistorical Romance

Time and Tide

Review by Katie Garaby

Unceremoniously dumped at the airport on her way to a European vacation with her girlfriend, Sam throws caution to the wind and goes anyway. But the plane experiences a mysterious rip in space and time, and crash-lands in 1805. The only survivor, Sam is rescued by a dashing naval captain, Fenton “Finch” Goodenough. Sam decides to pursue the captain for protection (what she refers to as a “safety bang”) until she can figure out how to get home. But once on land, Sam realizes Finch is not only engaged, but owes a horrible nobleman money and has agreed to betroth her to his debtor to settle his financial woes. With all the gumption of a 21st-century woman, Sam flees the wedding, throws herself on the mercy of Finch’s sisters and resigns herself to a quiet life as a tutor. However, one of said sisters is none other than Margaret Goodenough, an aspiring author who will write the first-ever lesbian kiss in British literature—and whom Sam finds increasingly alluring.

The historical romance subgenre has a rich tradition of defying expectations (and historical accuracy) in favor of a bonkers plot twist. True to form, the plot of J.M. Frey’s Time and Tide is a lot to take in: Some of it is fun, if often silly, and the bones of the story are solid. Frey expertly sets up a classic, time-traveling romance with a refreshing queer twist. Sam is incredibly resourceful and smart, stumbling through the unimaginable with admirable resilience. She’s doing her best to survive, but she’s a brash and outspoken modern woman in Regency England. And so, she constantly finds herself unintentionally overstepping, oversharing and occasionally hurting others’ feelings. 

Unfortunately, the central romantic relationship is not as developed . Despite the captain’s eventual betrayal, Finch and Sam’s chemistry is palpable and exciting, whereas the energy between Margaret and Sam feels more tepid and prim. There is little spark between them, and it’s disappointing when Frey closes the metaphorical door after Sam shifts her attention from Finch to Margaret. Why is there explicit, on-page sex between Finch and Sam, but then only vague descriptions of Sam and Margaret’s more amorous moments? They are the couple readers are supposed to root for, but in order to fully do that, we would need to see more passion, love and commitment between them. 

Time and Tide by J.M. Frey isn’t perfect, but it’s still a lot of fun, and it’s wonderful to see a time-travel romance embrace queer love.

J.M. Frey’s sapphic romance Time and Tide is a weird and wild time-travel story that embraces queer love.
RomanceHistorical Romance

Good Duke Gone Wild

Review by Amanda Diehl

Bethany Bennett’s latest historical romance has a heroine with a secret life as an erotica writer; a hero who smolders, yearns and pines; and a mystery that begins in a library. A promising start to Bennett’s Bluestocking Booksellers series, Good Duke Gone Wild excels when it comes to its earnest, evenly matched main characters.

Dorian Whitaker, the widowed Duke of Holland, has made the tough decision to finally part with his late wife’s library. He approaches Martin House Books, where he meets bookseller Caroline Danvers, niece of the shop owners. Caro agrees to help catalog and liquidate his wife’s library, but doesn’t expect to stumble across evidence of an affair: love letters from a mysterious man. The pair sets out to confront this scoundrel, but while Caro is helping Dorian uncover this secret, she has her own deceptions to protect. 

Caro grew up as a vicar’s daughter, but when her father discovered that she was writing erotic novels under a pen name, he threw her out, leaving her to find her way to London and her aunt and uncle’s bookshop alone. Getting tangled up with a titled man like Dorian only further jeopardizes her, putting her secret identity as a writer at risk of discovery.

As the series name suggests, this is a romance for all kinds of book lovers: rare book collectors, those who dream of having their own personal library and romance readers alike. Caro loves reading and writing romance, and she adamantly refuses to let anything stand in the way of those dreams. Starchy and unapproachable on the surface, Dorian is completely undone by Caro, making him a worthy and delicious addition to the ranks of heroes who fall first.

Despite their difficult individual circumstances, both Dorian and Caro have managed to find and build wonderful support systems of people who will advocate for them, but also give them the reality checks that they need. It’s a wholesome and sweet complement to the spicy situations and sexual tension that characterize their interactions as a couple. 

I can hardly wait to find out what bookish appreciation awaits us in future titles, but for now, we have Good Duke Gone Wild to tide us over, a reading (and rereading!) experience that’s sure to be punctuated by dreamy sighs and the false promise of “just one more chapter.” Caro Danvers would approve.

Bethany Bennett’s Good Duke Gone Wild is a sweet but still sexy romance starring a bookseller heroine with a secret life as an erotica writer.
RomanceRomantic SuspenseHistorical RomanceContemporary Romance

Is romantic suspense back?

Feature by Christie Ridgway

★ I Did Something Bad

Set in Yangon, Myanmar, I Did Something Bad by Pyae Moe Thet War combines kisses-only romance and suspense. Freelance journalist Khin Haymar has two months of access to movie star Tyler Tun in order to write an in-depth exposé. It’s the chance of a lifetime and, even though she’s known for more serious articles, such as one featuring an underground abortion clinic, Khin is recently divorced and needs a boost.,. When Khin and Tyler meet, they’re immediately drawn to each other, but journalistic ethics rule out a relationship between a writer and subject. Still, Tyler is handsome and sexy, and one night he steps in to save Khin from danger . . . How could she not be tempted? As they work together to investigate the threat, love blossoms. With swoony moments and some serious ones regarding the importance of journalism, this sweet yet thoroughly modern story satisfies.

The Highlander’s Return

The Highlander’s Return by Lynsay Sands hits all the classic notes of a satisfying historical romance: a marriage of convenience, a strong-but-silent hero and a feisty heroine who’s very deserving of her Happily Ever After. Six years ago, Annella Gunn’s husband, William, went missing the day after their wedding. After his younger brother, brawny warrior Graeme, returns home and delivers the news that William has died, Annella is a widow with an unknown future ahead of her. Graeme knows almost instantly what the beautiful Annella should do: Marry him. As he assumes his brother’s position of laird of the Gunn clan, Graeme also takes on the task of convincing Annella to become his bride. Their mutual passion works in his favor, but after the vows are exchanged, Annella and Graeme still have much to learn about each other—and a hidden danger lurks within the castle walls. Filled with excitement in and out of the bedchamber, this romance is a sizzling addition to Sands’ Highland Brides series.

Showmance

Tony Award-nominated playwright Chad Beguelin offers up a truly entertaining debut romance in Showmance. When playwright Noah Adams’ Broadway musical closes after one night, he returns to his Illinois hometown to look in on his ailing dad and lick his own wounds. The community’s local theater was his refuge as a gay teen, and when the group asks him to stage the same musical that just flopped, Noah can’t say no—even though Luke, his hunky high school nemesis/bully, is involved. Told in Noah’s first-person perspective, with well-drawn characters and bouncy dialogue, Showmance includes touching scenes between Noah and his undemonstrative father, as well as some of Noah’s old tormentors. As it turns out, hunky Luke likes guys, too, and his and Noah’s smoking chemistry leads to a happy ending that readers—especially those who catch all the musical references—will grin over.

Pyae Moe Thet War makes a convincing argument for the subgenre with her thrilling debut, plus Lynsay Sands’ latest Highland Brides romance.
RomanceHistorical RomanceFantasy RomanceContemporary Romance

Alexis Hall does fantasy romance as only he can

Feature by Christie Ridgway

You’re the Problem, It’s You

Emma R. Alban adds a second book to her Mischief & Matchmaking series with You’re the Problem, It’s You. It’s the start of a new season in Victorian London, and second son Bobby Mason is finding his role as the spare particularly unrewarding. Everyone seems busy: his older brother and his uncle with Parliament; his cousin, Gwen, and her lover, Beth, with each other and their newfound happiness. But then James, the new Viscount Demeroven, appears on the scene. Bobby is sure of their mutual attraction, so the other man’s rejection of him galls. It takes time for Bobby to fully understand that James is dealing with severe anxiety, and fears that his sexuality might alienate him from society and tarnish his family name. But when blackmail threatens the two men, can a mutual enemy turn them into forever lovers? Alban skillfully captures James’ emotions, including his absolute yearning for Bobby, in this wonderful depiction of found families and their power to heal.

No One Does It Like You

Happily ever after gets a second chance at success in No One Does It Like You by Katie Shepard. In a terrifying moment during a hurricane, Broadway actor Tom Wilczewski leaves a voicemail for Rose Kelly, the ex-wife he hasn’t seen in 10 years. He loves her, he always has and he hopes he lives to make it up to her for all that went wrong between them. Tom survives, Rose gets the message and, seeing as she’s in a tough spot of her own, she begs him to help her restore her aunt’s inn on Martha’s Vineyard. Several amusing weeks of property rehab commence while Shepard examines how young lovers can make wrong assumptions and decisions. Rose is a fixer and Tom relied on her for too much: Can they love again while not falling into old habits? A cast of entertaining characters tramp through the plot of this sweet yet realistic love story.

Confounding Oaths

The fairy world intersects with Regency London in Alexis Hall’s Confounding Oaths. Loaded with clever banter and fascinating characters, the story follows John Caesar as he tries to help his sister Mary navigate society after she makes an ill-advised deal with a malicious fairy godmother. John’s quest to save Mary brings him to dashing Captain Orestes James, a war hero whose skills and rapscallion friends become necessary to rescue the girl. Shakespeare’s Puck serves as narrator, and the snarky, world-weary hobgoblin’s amusing asides contribute to the sexy fun. (Although Puck’s disinterest in mortal lovemaking means that he’s light on any intimate details.) But it’s not all laughs, as issues of class, race and sexuality are also addressed in this imaginative and interesting addition to Hall’s oeuvre.

The author’s latest, Confounding Oaths, comes complete with an evil fairy godmother, plus sweet new releases from Emma R. Alban and Katie Shepard in this month’s romance column.
RomanceHistorical RomanceContemporary Romance

May we interest you in some hot bodyguards?

Feature by Amanda Diehl & Dolly R. Sickles

Hot Earl Summer

New York Times bestselling author Erica Ridley returns to her Wild Wynchesters series with a heroine who has a penchant for finding trouble and a shy, brainy hero pretending to be his cousin. Combine that pairing with a castle siege and the mystery of a missing will, and you have a delightful Regency romance that isn’t afraid to go over the top. 

The ownership of the Earl of Densmore’s castle is up for debate, and the notorious Wynchesters, a family of vigilantes and fixers with hearts of gold, are hired to get to the bottom of things. The previous earl’s will left the castle to the kind Miss Oak, who wants to refashion the estate into an orphanage. However, that document is missing, and the current Earl of Densmore claims he wagered the castle in a card game and lost. The search is soon on to find the missing will and determine if the earl possessed the standing to offer up the castle in the first place. 

Stephen Lenox, a talented but reclusive inventor, didn’t know that when he agreed to pose as his cousin (the aforementioned swindling earl) that he would have to deal with a host of people ranging from curious to annoyed to downright violent descending upon the castle and shouting something about a will. He’s clearly in way over his head, and Elizabeth Wynchester immediately appoints herself as his bodyguard. With a penchant for snuggling prickly little hedgehogs and for hiding a sword in her cane, Elizabeth isn’t afraid to take risks and flirt with danger. She may be the most lively and chaotic of the riotous Wynchesters, all of whom prove at every turn that Ridley’s series title is an apt one. 

Ridley’s reversal of the usual gender roles in a bodyguard romance adds an extra layer of fun to this opposites-attract courtship. The dashing Elizabeth is a tornado of energy and excitement, bringing her large and lovingly unmanageable family with her. Stephen, on the other hand, feels more at home alone, tinkering with his various inventions and gadgets. Having to answer for and try to rectify his cousin’s bad behavior, on top of managing a castle filled with nosy strangers, is his own personal nightmare. But Elizabeth knows just how to offset his anxiety, and helps him shoulder some difficult moments with her unshakable, uncompromising confidence. 

Fans of the previous books in the series will enjoy reuniting with familiar characters, and Ridley provides plenty of background information for newcomers to the series. No matter which camp readers may fall into, Hot Earl Summer is a wonderful and wacky romp.

—Amanda Diehl

The Royals Upstairs

Karina Halle’s latest royal rom-com, The Royals Upstairs, takes place at the historic and lovely Skaugum Estate, a remote retreat in the Norwegian countryside where two former lovers reignite their affair.

James Hunter is the Norwegian royal family’s new personal protection officer. He’s an experienced, regimented man with a penchant for suits and a preference for being on the go in the buzz of a big city. He meets the surprise news that, instead of jet-setting around the world, he’ll be stuck at an isolated manor on the outskirts of Oslo with . . . the opposite of enthusiastic revelry. To make matters worse, when James arrives he learns that the former love of his life, Laila Bruset, is the family’s nanny.

Laila loves her work, even though her hands are very full with Bjorn and Tor, the two unruly, wild young Norwegian princes. She’s got a spine of steel and a heart full of determination, but even her quiet strength falters with the arrival of James. When they were together, he abruptly ended things, flooding her with feelings of rejection and unworthiness that she has no intention of revisiting.

Both James and Laila have experienced tragedies and loss that make them hesitant to take a leap of faith, but time and maturity offer a new lens through which to consider their potential. Besides, what else is there to do on their days off out in the boondocks? As readers, we have the advantage of perspective: Knowing the sad circumstances of James’ and Leila’s pasts lets us understand their hesitation better than they do. In their crowded worlds of constant spotlight and care for their charges, both are remarkably alone. They see each other, though, and can be themselves together—and being at odds is more painful than the circumstances that drew them apart. The romance here is a slow burn, and the characters often put themselves through more misery than is warranted, but in the end, The Royals Upstairs is a transportive pleasure for us commoners.

—Dolly R. Sickles

Two romances give the popular trope a royal twist and a gender flip.
RomanceHistorical Romance

Hot Earl Summer

Review by Amanda Diehl

New York Times bestselling author Erica Ridley returns to her Wild Wynchesters series with a heroine who has a penchant for finding trouble and a shy, brainy hero pretending to be his cousin. Combine that pairing with a castle siege and the mystery of a missing will, and you have a delightful Regency romance that isn’t afraid to go over the top. 

The ownership of the Earl of Densmore’s castle is up for debate, and the notorious Wynchesters, a family of vigilantes and fixers with hearts of gold, are hired to get to the bottom of things. The previous earl’s will left the castle to the kind Miss Oak, who wants to refashion the estate into an orphanage. However, that document is missing, and the current Earl of Densmore claims he wagered the castle in a card game and lost. The search is soon on to find the missing will and determine if the earl possessed the standing to offer up the castle in the first place. 

Stephen Lenox, a talented but reclusive inventor, didn’t know that when he agreed to pose as his cousin (the aforementioned swindling earl) that he would have to deal with a host of people ranging from curious to annoyed to downright violent descending upon the castle and shouting something about a will. He’s clearly in way over his head, and Elizabeth Wynchester immediately appoints herself as his bodyguard. With a penchant for snuggling prickly little hedgehogs and for hiding a sword in her cane, Elizabeth isn’t afraid to take risks and flirt with danger. She may be the most lively and chaotic of the riotous Wynchesters, all of whom prove at every turn that Ridley’s series title is an apt one. 

Ridley’s reversal of the usual gender roles in a bodyguard romance adds an extra layer of fun to this opposites-attract courtship. The dashing Elizabeth is a tornado of energy and excitement, bringing her large and lovingly unmanageable family with her. Stephen, on the other hand, feels more at home alone, tinkering with his various inventions and gadgets. Having to answer for and try to rectify his cousin’s bad behavior, on top of managing a castle filled with nosy strangers, is his own personal nightmare. But Elizabeth knows just how to offset his anxiety, and helps him shoulder some difficult moments with her unshakable, uncompromising confidence. 

Fans of the previous books in the series will enjoy reuniting with familiar characters, and Ridley provides plenty of background information for newcomers to the series. No matter which camp readers may fall into, Hot Earl Summer is a wonderful and wacky romp.

Erica Ridley’s latest Wild Wynchesters romance is a wonderful and wacky opposites-attract love story between a dashing female bodyguard and a shy inventor.
RomanceHistorical RomanceContemporary Romance

What if ‘Downton Abbey’ was a gothic romance?

Feature by Christie Ridgway

★ The Housekeeper’s Secret

Downton Abbey gets a dark and delicious twist in The Housekeeper’s Secret by Iona Grey, a historical romance spanning the years just before and during World War I. Running from her past, Kate Furniss hides as the housekeeper of Coldwell Hall, an isolated house on the moors of northern England. She feels relatively safe until a handsome young footman, Jem Arden, joins the servants’ ranks. She can’t afford to lose her heart, but Jem is irresistible—even as he conceals his own mysterious purpose. In this haunting and heart-rending story, Grey skillfully captures the isolation of the location, the powerlessness of the servant class and the growing sinister atmosphere at Coldwell Hall. A variety of perspectives and time shifts enrich the story, as well as Grey’s depictions of the desperation of warfare. Readers will breathlessly wait to learn the fates of Kate and Jem in this fabulous story.

Viscount in Love

Eloisa James pens a delightful historical gem with Viscount in Love. Viscount Dominic Kelbourne has just become the guardian of his eccentric, recently orphaned niece and nephew, and he counts himself lucky to be on the verge of getting married—until his fiancée elopes. His ex’s sister, Victoria “Torie” Sutton, takes an interest in the twins, and could be persuaded to marry Dominic for their sake. Problem solved? But Torie, a passionate artist with her own eccentricities, wants to be a true and beloved wife, not a convenient nanny figure. James dazzles with her cast of appealing characters in this laugh-out-loud romance; the twins especially shine as they compile an ever-growing list of topics prohibited from polite discourse. Don’t miss this one.

Cross the Line

Simone Soltani revs up the always-popular “brother’s best friend” trope with the fast, fun Cross the Line. Recent college graduate Willow Williams is desperate for a job, so she takes on the temporary role of social media manager for Formula One driver Dev Anderson, her childhood crush and her brother’s BFF. She’ll accompany Dev to races all over the world, and while the job is everything she could want, trying to keep control of her feelings for Dev presents a challenge. Flirty, sexy and downright dangerous, ladies man Dev doesn’t make things easier. But despite their chemistry, he knows that succumbing to his and Willow’s attraction for each other might break family ties—and their own hearts. Readers will enjoy the friend group surrounding the starring pair as well as details of the glamorous Formula One world as they root for Dev to win the races and the girl.

Iona Grey’s The Housekeeper’s Secret is a dark delight, plus Eloisa James kicks off an adorable new Regency series.
RomanceHistorical RomanceContemporary Romance

Tessa Bailey scores with an incredibly hot, grumpy-sunshine hockey romance

Feature by Christie Ridgway

★ A Shore Thing

In Joanna Lowell’s Victorian romance A Shore Thing, dashing bicycle store owner Kit Griffith teams up with botanist Muriel Pendrake for a multi-day biking contest to prove that women can ride as well as men. While this premise is delightful enough on its face, the story gains complexity and poignancy when the reader learns that Kit is trans, having recently left a sisterhood of female artists behind to live life true to himself. Muriel is surprised, but that doesn’t stop her from falling hard for the charming Kit, who swears he’s an affairs-only kind of lover. Through discussions of art, nature, community and identity, these fascinating characters grapple with the obstacles of their time and circumstances—all while on a one-of-a-kind road trip. Thought-provoking, heartwarming and possessing an entertaining cast of secondary characters, this romance is a winner all-around.

Just One Taste

Just One Taste by Lizzy Dent is a love letter to Italy and its cuisine as much as it is a love story between two Brits on a research trip to the sun-drenched country. When Olive Stone’s estranged father dies, he upends her world by leaving her his Italian eatery in London and the task of finishing his cookbook. That means a four-week trip alongside her dad’s sous-chef, the gorgeous Leo Ricci, who had reason to expect the inheritance to come his way. Dent takes the readers on a sensual vacation to four regions of Italy as Olive and Leo absorb the sights, smells and tastes of their surroundings while mulling over what to do about the struggling restaurant and their growing feelings for each other. This pleasure-filled, delicious romance will inspire dinner reservations at a fave Italian place—if not a food-centered trip abroad.

The Au Pair Affair

Tessa Bailey offers up another smiley, swoony and supremely sexy romance with The Au Pair Affair. Readers of Fangirl Down, the previous entry in Bailey’s Big Shots series, will already know pro hockey star Burgess Abraham, who enjoys his reputation on the ice as “Sir Savage,” his relationship with his 12-year-old-daughter, Lissa . . . and not much else. That is, until the titular au pair—Tallulah Aydin—enters his life. Grad student Tallulah is 11 years younger than Burgess, and has big trust issues for a very good reason. But Bailey makes the pages burn as usual, with a gruff, rough-talking man who surprises the heroine with the lust he inspires—and the love. In order to find their happy ending, the pair must consider Lissa’s feelings, whether the non-sporty Tallulah could ever become a rabid hockey follower and, most of all, if Burgess can envision a full, adventure-filled life off the ice. The Au Pair Affair is an energetic romp with wisecracking friends, but it also has a sizzling, distinctly sexual energy. Don’t be surprised if you need to fan yourself.

Plus, two swoony trips (a Victorian seaside bike ride! a food tour of Italy!) round out this month’s romance column.
RomanceParanormal RomanceHistorical RomanceContemporary Romance

The 15 best romance novels of 2024—so far

List by the editors of BookPage
STARRED REVIEW
June 25, 2024

The 15 best romance novels of 2024—so far

Surprise, surprise: Rom-coms still dominate. But moodier contemporary romances are on the rise and historicals are venturing into less-commonly seen eras.
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